99. The Great Brickmaking Race of 1832

The Great Brickmaking Race

Winchester Journal Herald
April 7, 1979

     It may not be as well known as the Great Riverboat Race, but the Great Brickmaking Race between Randolph County locals Silas Connell and Elisha Martin, scion of a brick-making family, held almost 150 years ago right here in Winchester was a contest worthy to go down in history, if not in legend and song.
     America was in the business of building towns in the 19th century, and in frontier areas like eastern Indiana in the 1830s where whole communities were being carved out of the forests building materials were at a premium. Wood, of course, was the most convenient building material -first as rough-hewn logs for cabins, and later in milled lumber for frame houses. But as the towns grew the mark of status was a substantial brick structure. This was a sign that the community was not just a temporary  encampment, but a town which had come to stay.
     Transportation at that time was difficult, the quickest route being along the rivers. The only alternative were the roads, which consisted of dirt or mud, or at best of corduroy construction. With these conditions it was inevitable that any community with aspirations of permancy would soon develop its own brick industry to supply local needs, and the local brick-makers were proud of the speed with which they could mould bricks by hand. Elisha Martin was a brick molder who helped supply the Winchester area.

     Martin had three sons who followed him in the brick-making business: John K., Elisha Jr. and Oliver. John, who was born in 1837, five years after the great brickmaking race, went on to produce brick for many notable buildings still standing in Winchester today, including the Stone mansion, the courthouse and the county jail. He is also credited with manufacturing the first drain tile ever made int he state of Indiana.
     As Elisha Sr. recalled for Randolph County historian Ebenezer Tucker over 50 years later, the great race was held in June of 1832, and Martin was pitted against local favorite Silas Connell:
     "I was about 20 years old," Martin said. "I had a man on his yard and he on mine. They set their watches just alike, and we begun to a second. We worked till dinner. I had my dinner brought to the yard, took a few bites and went to molding again. My father-in-law scolded me; told me I should not have tried it, and that I could not stand it. He stood by me and kept me from working full speed till 2 p.m., when he told me to 'go it.' Silas led me all the forenoon. A great crowd were looking on, and they bet two to one on Connell. By and by the tide turned, and the bets became five to one on me, and I beat. I molded, from sun to sun, 25,148 brick, and he 23,365. Men said I molded forty-eight brick the last minute.
     "They carried me to the house, washed me in whisky, and would not let me lie down till near morning. I went to work the third day after. The bet was only $10 on a side. People after that offered to bring men to beat me, but they never did."

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