All news is good news, usually

 American 1868

Another Change

Mr. Robt. Glenn, the successful Fairfield butcher, having bought out his partner, will conduct the business at the old stand and on the old route. Messrs. Rose and Loper are putting up a new wagon for Mr. Glenn's use. Let his former friends and patrons remember that he will still be ready to supply them with the choice of the land.

Meridan (wherever that is) 1884

Scipio Demolished by a Tornado

A dispatch from Brookville says the village of Scipio, near the Ohio line, was destroyed by Tuesday's tornado. Only two houses remain, and they were badly damaged. RV Joseph Winston was killed.

American 1867

Horse Killed

As the downward passenger train on the W.W.V. R.R. was leaving Metamora on last Saturday, two horses were observed on the track some distance in front of the locomotive. Every effort was made to frighten them off by sounding the whistle, but they remained on until, in passing a curve,, one of them was struck and killed. The other one left the track near Hendrickson's.

Kansas City Times 1906

Indiana's Big Steer

Jumbo, owned by Andrew Wessel of Brookville, which is said to be the largest steer in the world, weighs 3,500 pounds, stands 18 1/4 hands high, measures 11 feet around the girth and 17 feet 2 inches from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail.

He is a full-blooded Shorthorn, is just past the 4-year-old mark and is still growing taller and gaining in weight. The steer is so gentle that it is often ridden by Mr. Wessel's little son. Jumbo has been taken to a few fairs in Ohio and Indiana and  has attracted the attention of many people.  He was raided by P. Ewell of Franklin County, Springfield Township.

Democrat 1903

Bottle Found

During the freshet of May 25,1902, a bottle was thrown in the East fork of the Whitewater river about a mile south of Fairfield by Misses Minnie and Pearl Bourne and Misses Lillie and Eleanor Phenis.

It was found Jan. 20, 1903 about 68 miles below Louisville, Ky., about forty feet up the bank of the Ohio River, by S.R. Lyon.

Democrat 1902

A Card

I hereby desire as publicly as may be, to state that those men, who told that I used either whisky or furnished money to influence any vote, are unprincipled, dirty liars and that I am fully responsible financially and personally for this statement.

James R. Johnson

Fairfield, Ind. 

1879 -- you needed to be there then

Connersville, 1879

Fairfield News

Fishing parties,  croquet parties, and moonlight buggy rides are all the go, and by the by, they tell a pretty good one on a party of five who went fishing one afternoon recently.

Charles Mason, a dashing young gent from Cincinnati, has caused quite a flutter among a certain class of the youthful feminine population for a week past. 

For Several weeks past the Fairfield Flouring Mills have been running night and day on custom work alone, in order to supply its large army of customers.

Wednesday night of last week, some scoundrel stole two sets of farm harness, one set of buggy harness, one saddle and a nearly new farm wagon belonging to a man named Coe, living three miles southeast of this place.

There is talk afloat of reorganizing the Fairfield baseball club this summer.

The store room in Odd Fellows Hall has been newly fitted up, painted and calcimined, and is now occupied by R.L. Irwin for a dry goods store.

Rev. R.N. John will conduct services next Sabbath morning and evening at the Ireland Universalist Church.

Elder Cox held services Saturday and Sunday last at the Baptist church west of town.

George Loper is this week taking a dozen or more new buggies from his shops here to his branch salesroom in Connersville.

The pedagogues of Harmony Township met last Saturday and held in interesting institute.

Host Doyle of the Fairfield House announces a ball for Friday evening, Dec. 23. Smith's string band of Fairfield furnishes the entertainment. 

William Organ, agent for W.T. Bowers, of Liberty, has been in our midst selling pianos and organs. That crossbred dog came near giving him away one night recently.

Miss Belle Holland is entertaining the chicken pox.

John P. Hanna, south of town, captured an 8-pound carp in a tree top. The river was on a boom last week, delaying the mails.

Weird is what makes news

 

Anyplace, Nebraska -- March 1910

FEARED TO MOVE THE 'BODY'

Nearly let woman freeze in snow while waiting for the coroner.

Misconception of the coroner's law nearly caused Miss Olive Sanders of Brookville to be frozen to death in a snowbank. In a warm room, the "dead" woman came back to life.

Miss Sanders' sister missed her from the house and found her, seemingly dead, lying in the snow in the barnyard. Neighbors were called and stood in a ring around the body, consoling the weeping sister and all possessed with the notion that none dare touch the dead until the arrival of the coroner.

It took two hours to get the coroner to the Sanders place. He viewed the body and it was carried into the house and the undertaker called to prepare for the burial. At this stage, Miss Sanders revived.

(She finally died in 1951.)

Democrat, June 1907

REMONSTRANCE

Prevented Allen Lewis from getting a license -- Fairfield will continue dry.

The County Commissioners were in session. A remonstrance containing the names of two-thirds of the voters of Fairfield Township prevented Allen Lewis of Fairfield from being granted a liquor license. Philip Meyer of Brookville was successful in securing the license, although an effort was made to prevent it being granted.

(Fairfield, to the end, never had an active liquor license.)

American, November 1908

'Nether Two-Legged Pig

Lurton Roberts of Route 1 probably had the most interesting show here last week. It was a two-legged pig.  It had only two front legs and count get about with ease, balancing the body. There are no evidences of any attempt to grow legs, the body being perfectly smooth. Th pig is a pet, having ben cared for by Mr. Roberts since its birth.  It is well worth 10 cents to see this freak of nature.

(Pickled pig's feet.)

Cheer up; it could be worse

Palladium Item, 1884

Tough day all around

A fire at Pomeroy, O., destroyed 42 buildings, covering an area of 2 acres; loss $60,000.

Charles Wegman of Cincinnati, while drunk, shot and killed himself because his girl would not marry him.

The dead body of an unknown man with a hole in his skull was found hanging in the woods near Newark, O.

James Thomas of Laurel, Ind., was arrested and is held to answer the charge of having sent obscene letters to ladies.

Tramps set fire to and burned the barn of Dr. Alford at Walton, Ind., together with horses, wagons, hay and grain. Loss $2,000.

Accident

As Mrs. Mary E. Melle, who resides on South Fifth Street, was driving to the funeral of Henry Bowing yesterday, accompanied by several of her children, the tire came off the carriage in which she was driving and the wheel broke down. The jolt caused by the let-down of the bed in consequence threw her out of the vehicle backward, and broke her left forearm near the wrist. She was taken to a surgeon, but being aged, it is probable that it will be several months before she fully recovers. 

Dead

Yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock at No. 200, North Sixteenth Street of congestion of the bowels, Ella M., wife of Charles A. Clark, aged 35 years. Funeral will leave the house at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning for Centerville where religious services and interment will take place at 9:30.

1836 -- some flooding, not much

Brookville American, April 1836

HIGH WATER

Within the last week, this section of the state has been visited by copious rains. On Saturday we had a very heavy shower of rain, which swelled the rivers and streams so much that considerable injury has been sustained by the mills along Whitewater, and farmers have suffered much in the loss of fencing and the wash of their lands. 

We understand that the Sylvan Factory, Halstead Mills, and the Paper and Flour mills in this place were among the sufferers. The waters were higher than they have been before for several years.

POSTMASTERS AND OFFICES

The postmaster at Springfield, in this county, sent on to the Department some months since his resignation, and also recommended the appointment of Wm. McCaw in his place.

A  recommendation by the citizens was also sent on in favor of Mr. McCaw, but nothing has been heard from the Department, although it has been two or three months.

Consequently,  the postmaster has removed out of the county, and they have no Post Office there.

The Post Office at Scipio is in about the same situation. it seems that the Department attends in no business at all.

It is a matter of regret to many of the citizens of this county, that two of our valuable citizens (W.D. Jones and Jonah  Raridan) both postmasters, and gentlemen of long residence, and respectable standing, are going with the tide of emigration, and seeking the promised land.

NOTICE

We received an advertisement by last Sunday's mail from the neighborhood of Fairfield, with a request at the bottom to publish it in our next paper. The postage not having been paid on the letter, the advertisement cannot be inserted.

Letters to the editor much be post paid, or the business will not be attended to. 

THE COUNTY SEAT

The Dearborn Circuit Court convened at Lawrenceburgh on Monday morning. A motion to adjourn the Court to Wilmington was immediately made. The motion was argued at length, until Wednesday, when Judge Eggleston decided that Wilmington was the County Seat. The Lawrenceburghers immediately appealed to the Supreme Court of the state. The court meets at Indianapolis in May and will, no doubt decide the question. -- Rising Sun Times

Note: Rising Sun was in Dearborn County until 1844 when Ohio County was created, making Lawrenceburg the county seat of Dearborn County. 

Highway to Mixerville

American, 1867

Turnpike to Mixerville

It is in the interest of the millers, merchants, mechanics and all businessmen of Brookville to make the above named road immediately. The building of the road secures a bridge across the East Fork of this place, beyond all question. The road is of more importance to Brookville directly than is a railroad up the East Fork to Richmond.

It is not possible that the businessmen of our town can be so indifferent to their best interests as to allow this golden opportunity to pass without lending a helping hand to this enterprise.

We say to our friends along the line of the proposed road, take courage and be of good cheer; hurry up your subscriptions until you can show our citizens that the work will be done with their proportionate aid, and our word for it, they will take hold and do their part.

The trade that flows from East Brookville, Bath and Springfield Townships is of too much importance to Brookville to be tampered with or thrown away.

Oxford and Brookville Turnpike

The meeting on Friday night of last week at Whitcomb gave good indications of the final success of the building of a turnpike road from Brookville to the state line near Mixerville. A considerable amount of stock has already been taken, and when it becomes understood that it is fully determined to have the road built, the requisite amount will no doubt be forthcoming.

Another meeting will be held at Whitcomb next Saturday night when Col. Farquhar is expected to address the people. Let there be a full attendance of all who are interested.

Notice

Persons owing toll to the Brookville and Fairfield Turnpike Company will save costs by settling the same with Fielding Berry before the 4th day of March 1867. Persons owing toll at the Fairfield gate can settle with Thos. Logan. All having claims against said Company for repairs on the road will please settle with F. Berry or Mr. Logan before the 4th of March.

The Valley Railroad

The Connersville Times understands that about the 15th of April, regular trains will commence running to Connersville on the Valley Railroad. The depot is to be erected immediately, the timber being already prepared.

The company is doing excellent work in town. The bridges across the canal have been lowered and are being widened to the width of the streets. The company deserves great credit for the energy displayed in pushing ahead the work during a very inclement season.

Praise the lord, and sing along

Idaville Observer, Fri. April 24, 1908

How Hoosiers Support Churches

A bulletin covering the church work of Indiana for 1907 has been compiled by the State Bureau of Statistics. Among the features show is that the average weekly wages of ministers in Indiana last year was $11.30. The average annual salary was $588.39.

The highest average salary paid annually was by the Swedenborgian church. The amount was $1,350. The average salary pay by the Greek Catholic church to its priests was $1,200; by the Roman Catholic church to its priests was $800; by Congregational churches, $850; by Hebrew churches, $1,200; by Methodist Episcopal, $935; by Presbyterian, $1,038. The total salary of the ministers of Indiana last year was $1,657,975. The total paid for support of the various denominations was $2,288,460.

The report shows that the total membership of the Indiana churches in 1907 increased 70,490 over the previous year. The total membership is 1,003,145. The statistician estimated that four out of every 10 people in Indiana belong to some church.

The Roman Catholic church has the largest membership, 210,438.

Democrat, March 19, 1896

The Brookville Academy of Music

The society was organized last May by Charles F. Goodwin for the purpose of awakening a greater interest in music in Brookville. It was decided to give 12 recitals, one each month.

How successful these recitals have been, everyone who has had the pleasure of attending, will testify. 

Since the death of Charles F. Goodwin, nothing had been done by the society until Saturday evening, March 7, when the society was called together and John C. Shirk elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Goodwin. It was decided at this meeting to give a public concert in the M.E. Church on the evening of March 27, 1896.