142. Winchester.

Winchester Youth Center Activities.

  Grooming Contest. 1956.   The Youth Center sponsored a grooming contest among the junior girls glamour class, Thursday, January 12.
  The girls voted for the neatest girls in appearance, which included hair, clothes, teeth, nails and shoes.
  Sheila Simmons was voted the neatest girl in appearance. Second and third were Jimmie Hunt and Stephanie Barnes.
  The glamour class was instructed by Mrs. Fred Schlotterbeck.
  There will be a movie on glamour for the girls entitled "The Clean Look," January 24.

First Dance Of 1948.   The first dance of the year will be held at the Winchester Youth Center Saturday night from 7:30 to 11 o'clock. A group of Earlham college students will help provide a special program for the members. This college group is planning to supervise special recreational programs at the Youth Center every other Thursday night and one Saturday night of each month throughout the remainder of the season
  The dance is being held for everyone to come and have a "swell" time. Youth Center directors would like to see everyone there.
  Members also are asked to watch the newspaper for further announcements of the big Youth Center Halloween party.

Director Resigns. 1-12-1973.   Mike Northcutt, Winchester Youth Center director since last August 15, has submitted his resignation to Winchester Mayor Howard White. Mayor White stated at a meeting with the Youth Center Board of Control Thursday evening that Northcutt would be replaced by Derry Hobson. The Youth Center is located at Beeson clubhouse, which is a park facility.

Roller Skating Party. 1939.   A roller skating party, the first of a series to be sponsored by the Winchester Youth Center, was participated in by an estimated 200 persons Monday night, when, with the cooperation of the high school and Mayor Oran E. Ross, it was held in the block of High Street between South and Thompson streets. Music was provided through the use of records and an amplifier belonging to the school. The street had been cleared of parked automobiles and closed to traffic by Mayor Ross's order.



1978. Courthouse Mural.

  After months of work, a mural depicting the historical development of Randolph County was mounted yesterday morning in the Randolph County Courthouse, the finishing touch to a remodeling project which has been going on since last fall.
  The 11 by 24 foot painting, which is the work of Roy Barnes, was actually painted across the street from the courthouse, in the former offices of the Winchester Chamber of Commerce. Barnes built a special easel for the huge canvas, but even with the large room to himself, there was not room to work on the entire painting at once. He began by working on the top portion of the painting, and when that was finished he draped it over the back of the easel, stretched out the bottom portion, and began work on it. It wasn't until the mural was taken from the easel Tuesday evening to be rolled up that the artist himself had a chance to see the painting in it's entirety.
  The job of mounting the work went to Henry Hussman of Portland, who also did the painting and other redecorating in the building. The framed area on the north wall of the ground floor hallway has been prepared for some time. The painting is being secured to the wall by an adhesive also used for flooring.
  Adhesive was troweled over one half of the area first, and that portion of the mural put into place and the air bubbles under it brushed out. While one of the workers held the rolled up second half of the painting the remainder of the wall area was covered with adhesive.
  Holding the painting was not an easy job for one man. Barnes estimated that he applied from 20 to 25 pounds of paint to the canvas.
  The work progressed rapidly, however, and by shortly after noon yesterday courthouse employees and visitors were able to see the work of art and immediately began identifying the 26 faces incorporated in it. A legend at the bottom of the painting identifies  many of the portraits. Others are likenesses of local citizens but are not identified in the legend. Still others have been taken from no specific individuals.
  The Randolph County Commissioners are planning to have an open house in order to show off the newly-remodeled courthouse, but as yet no date has been set for the event.



1959. Coach Ed Rowedda's Football Squad.

  Coach Ed Rowedda's Driver High football squad heads into a final week of intensive pre-combat drills Monday in preparation for the season opener next Friday night at Portland. Beginning Monday, the two-a-day practice sessions will slack off to a single practice session each afternoon after school from 4 to 6 p.m.
  Tuesday night football fans and patrons will get their first competitive look at the Driver High team in an intra-squad game set for 7 p.m. at the Goodrich Park gridiron.
  Currently new pilot Rowedda, a stern taskmaster who is recalling to veteran fans the businesslike methods of ex-Winchester grid coach Vince Guenther, has a 68 man squad that includes 26 freshmen, 17 sophomores and 25 juniors and seniors.
  Only one casualty has befallen the squad in the first two weeks of head-knocking. Junior Larry Keys sustained a fractured wrist.
  The Driver High forward wall could average 187 pounds per man or more. Impressive in practice sessions have been Andy Puterbaugh and Harold Ketner at ends; Mike Sumwalt and Ed Hansen at tackles' Bob Marquis, Carl Northam and Bill Clark at the guard spots, and Tom Minnich at center.
  With the exception of Ketner, who is a former White River student, these players are all veterans. Northam has looked especially strong in practice.
  In the backfield Bobby Smith and Kent Heckley have been drilling at the quarterback post, with Larry Long, Carlton Arthur and Jim Kelly rated as the top halfback candidates. Arthur, who reminds this writer of Clark Brown and the days of Winchester gridiron glory, is another White River product.
  Cliff Chute and Bobby Keys have been handling the fullback spots. Keys also was at White River last season.
  Defensive-wise, Gary Hollingsworth, another White River product, has been promising and is expected to see considerable duty for Rowedda. Others include Niles Burk, Noel Edwards, Dick Bradbury and Ronnie Jones. Jones is a sophomore, the others are seniors.
  David Hurry, a 5-6, 130 pound sophomore, also has been impressive in drills. He has moved to Winchester from Union City.
  Also on the squad with previous varsity experience are Steve Lumpkin, Jack Woolf, Bill Bradbury, Steve Conklin, Mike Hawley and Doug Lowe.
  Winchester lost to Portland 12-6.

141. Randolph County Misc.

1956.  Ridgeville.

  Fisher's Drug Store, owned and operated by Lee Fisher and one of the oldest businesses continually operated by one man, sold this week to Mr. and Mrs. Harry M. Mull of Winchester route 2. The selling of the store was prompted by the recent illness of Mrs. Fisher, who underwent major surgery recently and still is in Fort Wayne under treatment.
  Mr. and Mrs. Fisher came here in 1916, forty years ago, when they purchased the drug store from Frank Pence. The store was located then, where the Top Hat café is now. During the following years the store was moved to the south room of what is now the Marsh Foodliner, and then to its present location on the corner of Walnut and second streets in the M.H. Atkinson building.
  During the time the Fishers were in business, both took an active part in the civic, fraternal and church organizations. Their only child, Emerson Lee, graduated from the local high school and graduated from the school of pharmacy of Indiana University. He is now located in Fort Wayne and operates two large stores.
  Mr. and Mrs. Mull came from near Winchester where they have been operating a farm. Prior to being in the farm business, Mr. Mull had been in several business adventures over the past years. Business is not new to him and his wife, Nettie J.
  The Mulls' will operate a drug package store. At the present, the Mulls' are going over the stock, rearranging the equipment and soon new stock will be coming in to fill the shelves. In order to get the store running on a smooth schedule, they will soon hold a clearance sale. Watch for the announcement in this paper.
  The Mulls have moved into the apartment above the post office and will make their home there for the present time.  Winchester Journal-Herald from Randolph County News At Ridgeville.



1956.  Saratoga.

  At eight o'clock Monday morning, the citizens of Saratoga picked up their mail 200-feet east of where they picked it up Saturday.
  No, nobody hauled the mail to an empty lot; the earth did not move; neither did the town of Saratoga.
   But the post office did.
  Between closing time last Saturday and opening time Monday the post office moved from its old headquarters at Joe Almonrode's former gas station on the corner of Main and Evans Streets to a new facility fixed up by Robert L. and Joan Warren.
  The new office is a big improvement over the old one, and it's been a long time coming - many years, Robert Warren said. Was the old facility adequate? Warren answered this way: "When it's 10 or 15 degrees outside and it doesn't get up to 30 inside; when you have to carry water to flush the toilet, and carry you're own drinking water, well, I'll let you decide for yourself."
  In winter, his sister-in-law, Helen Warren, the town's postmistress, would wear insulated long-underwear all day, it was so cold.
  Warren has been postmistress since April of 1979; but the problems existed before. "It's been dragging out for some time," her brother-in-law said.
  "But I want to forget all that," Warren said optimistically. "It's something we did for the betterment of the community." And it's turned out very nicely.
  Warren and his wife did the paneling, built the porch and did the landscaping. They built a separate office for Helen the postmistress.
  The property is one of several Robert Warren owns and leases. The U.S. government provided a counter and a set of 142 boxes for mail. In the old office there were only 111 boxes, which was getting to be a slim number considering the volume of business. Mrs. Warren said she has tried to give her customers their same box numbers to minimize confusion.
  The weekend was a tough one for the postmistress as she and her clerk, Jenny Holder, and other helpers moved the necessary postal materials from the old to the new office. They worked from the end of office hours until 3 p.m., then had dinner. Then they came back at 9 p.m. and worked until 2 a.m. Sunday. Which was not the end of their labors, as they got to work again in the morning and finally finished their task to be ready for business Monday.
  Monday was a big day for the new post office for another reason: it was the first day of registration of 20-year-old men for the draft. Postmistress Warren had her brown paper envelope full of cards and other draft materials on hand, but she expected less than 10 men to show up. "Most of the ones who would be eligible are already enlisted," she said.   Winchester News-Gazette, July, 1980.

140. Randolph County Misc.

*****  SATURDAY JULY 27, 2019  4-10 P.M.   "SARATOGA PARTY IN THE PARK"  &  "SARATOGA TOWN HALL MUSEUM GRAND OPENING"  *****


1965.  The McCoys & "Sloopy"

  The McCoys, Union City recording group, will leave today on a short midwestern tour and end up on the West Coast for a possible recording session and several television appearances. The McCoys - Rick Zehringer, 18 years old; Randy Zehringer, 15 years old; Randy Hobbs, 17 years old and Ronnie Brandon, 19 years old - currently have a recording which is climbing the charts in the Midwest. "Hang On Sloopy" on the Bang label has been in the top ten in New York and Chicago and is just now catching on around here. Tuesday, the recording was listed in 31st place in Fort Wayne.
  The group, originally known as the McCoys and later as the Rick - Z Combo and Rick and the Raiders, hope for an appearance on the "Shindig" television show but to date their appearance on that program has not been confirmed.
  The two Zehringer boys, sons of Mr. And Mrs. John Zehringer, and Randy Hobbs, son of Mrs. Letha Nash, are all from Union City. Ronnie Brandon, son of Mr. And Mrs. Lowell Brandon, is from Greenville. All four of the McCoys sing and Randy Zehringer plays guitar, Randy Hobba plays a bass guitar, Rick Zehringer plays drums and Ronnie Brandon plays organ.
  When asked about their name, The McCoys, Rick said that the name was originated about four years ago when Dennis Kelly was a member of the group. However, the name was dropped in favor of the Rick - Z Combo, and later changed to Rick and the Raiders when the group first thought they might make a recording.
  The McCoys are being handled by Celestial Artists, Inc., of New York and are recording for Bang Recording Company, a company which is only six months old but rising fast.
  Randy Hobbs and Randy Zehringer plan to be enrolled at Union City Community high school this year and hope to be back from their tour for the first day of school, September 8. Rick Zehringer will attend the Dayton Art Institute this fall.   Winchester Journal-Herald, August, 1965.



1905. Not Sorry To See Him Go.

  Died - Simeon Calmon, aged fifty-six years. Deceased was an ill-mannered man with an eye for boodle. He came here in the night with another man's wife and joined the church at first chance. He owes us several dollars for the paper, large bills to the grocers and butchers, and you could hear him pray for six blocks. He died singing "Jesus Paid It All," and we think it is right, as he never paid for anything himself. He was buried in an asbestos lined coffin and his few friends threw palm-leaf fans in the grave, as he may need them to keep cool. His tombstone will be the resting place for hoot owls.   Union City Times, May, 1905.



1938. Randolph County's First Air Mail Flight.

  With 3,077 pieces of mail, a warm sunny morning and a crowd which exceeded expectations, the first air mail flight from Randolph county yesterday was a decided success, not only in the minds of those sponsoring the epoch making event but to those on the outside who just watched.
  Everett Cox, Winchester pilot, took off from the field east of Winchester at 9:45 a.m., 15 minutes earlier than scheduled and after circling the field once headed toward Indianapolis, his destination, where he delivered the mail pouches. The early takeoff was due to a strong headwind and Cox was desirous of making Indianapolis on time.
  Weight of his cargo was 58 1/2 pounds, representing letters bound to all parts of the world, 2,060 of which were mailed from the Winchester post office and 1,017 pieces from the other eight post offices in Randolph county.
  Ten postmasters were present at the takeoff and during the ceremonies, first on the program being taking pictures marking the first flight. Everett Cox and Postmaster Charles A. Wall of Winchester, chairman of the county's observance of National Air Mail week, were posed for a picture at the nose of the ship and then the nine postmasters were photographed.
  Don C. Ward, of Union City, gave a short address, being introduced by Rev. Lee Jackson, pastor of the Winchester Church of Christ, who also introduced James J. Patchell, former Union City postmaster, who spoke briefly..
  Prior to the ceremonies at the field, a caravan of cars formed at the Winchester postoffice building and headed by the high school band paraded to the takeoff field. The band also played during the ceremonies.
  This flight will serve to emphasize to a sympathetic and admiring public the service rendered by the air mail, Mr. Ward said. It was in 1918 that the first aerial mailman carried his packet of letters from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia and yesterday's observance was particularly notable because it marked the twentieth anniversary of this modern "pony express."
  The first regular service began on May 15, 1918, between the national capital and Gotham. In the first year planes flew 16,009 miles. In 1937 ships carrying the mail flew a total of 39,958,319 miles. The total weight of mail carried was 473,102 pounds in 1927. Ten years later it was 19,553,543 pounds.
  Beacon lights were installed for night flying in 1923 and this signal system now permits planes to follow their courses all over the country.
The ten postmasters: Ridgeville, John E. McFarland; Modoc, Mary Gwin; Carlos, Arlie Wood; Losantville, Harvey Crouse; Farmland, Jesse Hoppes; Lynn, Clarence Washler; Parker, Lester Dickey; Saratoga, Joe Almonrode; Union City, Orvah Hindsley; Winchester, Charles A. Wall.   Winchester Journal-Herald, May, 1938.



1964.  Killed In Storm At County 4-H Fair.

  A violent wind, rain and hailstorm which struck the Winchester area around 8 p.m. Monday caused the death of a Winchester electrical contractor when a display tent collapsed at the county 4-H grounds during the first evening's program of the week-long Club Show.
  Blair Skinner, 48, crushed between his own commercial display when a 30 by 250-foot display tent collapsed under the pressure of high winds, was dead on arrival at the Randolph County hospital a few moments after the disaster. Skinner was rushed to the hospital in the Civil Defense ambulance.
  Another person in the display tent when it collapsed crawled to safety. A stock show-ring tent, the White River firemen's and Civil Defense tent north of the main building, and the tent adjacent to the main building used to serve meals during the fair, also collapsed. The backdrop for tonight's dress review on the platform east of Husted Hall was blown down.
  County Agent Duke Scaglia said that the show would continue, but as far as could be determined no further tents could be obtained. Total damage was estimated at $25,000. Worse damage was avoided because all the displays had not yet been moved in.
  The disaster occurred as the crowd was listening to results of the 4-H talent contest, and of the day's judging, in Husted Hall, around 8:30 p.m.
  Skinner, proprietor of Skinner Electric Heating and Construction Company was a Whitewater high school graduate in 1934 and an Earlham college graduate. He also studied at Ball State college. For eleven years Skinner coached at McKinley school east of Winchester.
  Survivors include the widow, Louise; three children, David and Jerry at home and Mrs. Marvin Baldwin, Winchester.   Winchester Journal-Herald, August 4, 1964.



1950.  Joe Hamilton And Soup Beans On Wash Day.

  Some place in the back of my mind I have a poignant memory of the "patent" washing machine my parents bought to replace the old fashioned "rocker" job we had used for years. The new machine was one of the marvels of the age, and reduced the drudgery of wash day to an absolute minimum.
  I can see it today as plain as if it were only yesterday that the neighbors were coming in to have a look at the new mechanical wonder and to speculate on what Science would give birth to next!
  This washer consisted of an elongated tub which stood on four wooden legs. The top was entirely covered over with a lid upon which was mounted a flywheel with a gear arrangement which actuated the washer's inward parts. On the outside rim of the flywheel there was a handle with which you turned the wheel like a crank.
  Inside the machine there was a kind of glorified stool arrangement which revolved first one direction and then the other as you spun the flywheel. The milking stool whirled the laundry and agitated the water, causing dirt to vanish with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator. There can be no argument about the improvement this machine made in the home laundry. Turning the wheel was a lot easier and much more interesting to a certain small boy than standing on a box rocking the rocker on the old washing machine.
  But, like all other new departures from the conventional way of doing things, the novelty finally wore off and wash day again became a glamorless ordeal.
  The new washer was so constructed that, by a simple belt arrangement, a gasoline engine could be attached and would do the work of turning the flywheel. I can remember now when the fishing hole beckoned of a summer morning, how I would envy the fortunate families who owned a gasoline engine to turn their washing machines and free their small boys from slavery.
  And turning the washer wasn't all there was for a boy to do on wash day. After the clothes were properly "through the suds" and ready for the rinse water, the big wooden tubs had to be emptied. And the suds wasn't wasted, either. There was the back porch to scrub, the board walk and the other household appurtenances to receive their weekly attention with suds and the "scrub broom." A certain portion of suds was reserved for the monthly rosebush at the corner of the house, and this part of the ceremony was never neglected.
  Such were the duties of a small boy on wash day thirty years ago. But if wash day had its drudgery, it also had certain amenities of which my memory keeps reminding me as I write this piece. One of these pleasant memories of wash day at home recalls the way in which we always observed the time-honored tradition of "cornbread and beans on wash day."
  Since it was necessary to build up a fire in the kitchen wood stove to heat the wash water, it was an ideal time to cook a pot of soup beans. The beans were "put to soak" the night before, and placed on the back of the stove to simmer away the morning through without any special attention. By the time the washing was completed and the clothes hung out to dry, we were always good and ready for pork shank and soup beans cooked by now to delicious tenderness on the slow wash day fire.
  What beans were left from dinner were served again for supper, but this time with dumplings! And say, if you have never ate soup beans and dumplings, don't come around trying to tell me about good things to eat - you just never ate anything good!   The Lynn Herald, Jan., 1950.



1879. Remedy For Diptheria.

  A teaspoon of flour in brimstone in a wineglass of water and stir with your finger instead of a spoon, as sulphur does not readily mix with water. When the sulphur is well mixed, give it as a gargle and in ten minutes the patient is out of danger. Brimstone kills every specie of fungus in man, beast and plants. Instead of spitting the gargle out, swallow it.



1963.  "Charlie" Mader, Saratoga Photographer And Electrician.

  Twenty-five years ago an electrician named Charles "Charlie" Mader decided to install a battery generated electrical plant. Today his farm near Saratoga still receives electricity from the same plant. The plant is located in a small room just off the farmhouse kitchen. "What do you do about repairs?" Charlie was asked, "It never needs any" was his reply.
  Charlie, 70 years old, lives alone on his 50 acre farm - well, not exactly alone. His only companion is a five year old parakeet named "Little Bird."
  I couldn't live without "Little Bird" said Charlie. "He's a lot of company for me."
  A native of Randolph County, Charlie has travelled around quite a bit. He has lived in three states and over 23 towns.
  Charlie liked to take pictures and in 1908 he converted a closet into a darkroom. He still likes to take pictures and uses the same darkroom. He has a collection of cameras and photographic equipment which date back to the early 1900's.
  A glance through his scrapbooks of photographs is like watching local history come alive. There are pictures of early area bands reproduced from tintypes, pictures of Charlie's family and friends taken nearly 50 years ago and many others depicting scenes of long ago.
  Charlie became a professional photographer in 1912 and opened his own studio and also traveled throughout this area taking school pictures.
  In 1916 Charlie went to work for the Pennsylvania Railroad and served as a telegraph operator until 1931. He worked on the railroad from Bradford, Ohio to Chicago, Ill.
  Charlie still has his telegraph key. He keeps it in the dining room and practices sending messages. "I like the sound of it," he said as he tapped out a message.
I'm still as good as I used to be."
  While working for the railroad, Charlie began taking courses at the L.L. Cooke School of Electronics in Chicago and graduated as a qualified electrician in 1928. In 1931 he decided to devote full time to his new career - that of an electrician. Charlie specialized in farm wiring and has done a lot of electrical jobs in and around Randolph County.
  Charlie is retired now and spends most of his time at home with "Little Bird" caring for his farm or taking pictures and enjoying his various collections.
  Charlie's father, Frank Mader, died in 1958. Charlie has a son Russell who lives in Lebanon, Ohio
  Charles Mader, at 70, is a delightful man with a past worth remembering. He lives alone, surrounded by the things he loves.   By Janet Fuller, Randolph County Enterprise, August, 1963.



1938. Windsor "Bootlegger" Arrested.

  Lee E. Barker, victim of a raid at the Crystal Pool resort one-half mile north of Windsor Saturday night, will be taken to Indianapolis today for arraignment in federal court. His wife Penelope Ann, also taken into custody, was released late Saturday night.
  A giant distilling plant, capable of turning out 450 gallons of whiskey a day, was confiscated by representatives of the Randolph County Sheriff's office, state excise officers and state police.
  The officers - Sheriff Lester Mann, Deputy Sheriff Kora E. Davis, Excise officers Walter Krienke, and Kenneth Fair and State Policeman Charles Guffigan - swooped down on the large country estate while the owners were in Indianapolis and made the arrests upon their return.
  After the distilling plant was confiscated, federal officers were called and everything was turned over to them. They said it was the finest still they had ever seen, larger than the well-equipped outfit taken several years ago at the Clyde McGahey place west of Portland.
  Sunday morning Sheriff Mann and Deputy Davis returned to the Barker place, which it is said had been occupied by the new owners since October of 1936, and disposed of the junk which the federal wrecking crew had made out of the plant. Drums and the like were disposed of and the junk metal was sold to Louie Narotsky of Winchester.
  Among other things the Barkers had purchased in Indianapolis was a quart bottle of legal whiskey. Submitting quietly to his arrest, Barker pointed to the bottle and said, "Here's what I drink, none of this 'rot-gut' for me."
  State officers said that the still had been a phantom for several months, since the questioning last fall of a truck driver who was delivering a huge cargo of yeast. The driver was arrested between Gas City and Wheeling, but would not reveal the destination to which the yeast was consigned. Police thought that the yeast was on its way to some "wildcat bootlegger" and had kept a close watch around Wheeling, hoping to uncover the still there. State officers claimed that the plant was found last week after a shipment of sugar had been traced.
  Sheriff Mann said that a shipment of sugar had been delivered to the Barker place within the last week but it was not this shipment which had led to the raid.
  The "cooker," which was of the saucer type, was a large cylindrical tank about 24 inches in diameter and extended from the cement floor of the basement, through the first floor of the nicely furnished farm home and into another floor above. Both of the fermentation tanks were of wood and each held 4,000 gallons of mash. The plant was fully equipped with pumps, reserve electric motors and several hundred five gallon cans.
  To avoid all suspicion, the house was arranged with a garage adjoining, from which alcohol cans were loaded directly on the trucks after they had been driven into the garage and the doors closed.
  Fuel oil for the large 30 horsepower oil burner was concealed in two large tanks that had been taken from gasoline trucks. These were buried in the ground a short distance from the bungalow, with pipes leading directly into the basement.
  Officers said that a "run" would have made within the next three days. Only one five gallon can of alcohol was found, but it was estimated that 9,400 gallons of mash would have been "ripe" within a short time.
  Exclusive of the mash, officers valued the equipment at $7,500. However, a still like the one taken here would probably have brought $10,000 during the prohibition era. It is the kind used by legitimate producers of grain alcohol.
  Large iron gates guard the lane or approach to the house, which had made the raid more difficult. The gates were closed and locked most of the time.
  When Barker was being taken to jail, he remarked to one of the officers, "I want to shut the gates. Someone might drive in." The officer replied, "Oh, that will be all right. They won't hurt anything."
  Taking this as a tip, the officers remained on guard during the night. About 12:30 Sunday morning a large truck drove up to driveway and halted, but seemed suspicious of the surroundings.
  The driver backed the truck and started to leave when Officer Guffigan started in pursuit. The driver abandoned the truck on a curve and leaping from the cab, disappeared into the darkness. The registration card carried the name of Charles Hanley of Indianapolis.
  The truck carried a load of 900 five-gallon empty alcohol cans and 120 bags of a mixture for making mash.
  Officers do not think that any of the alcohol was sold in the Windsor community, but was transported by truck to Indianapolis and certain points in Ohio.
  Federal officers believe that others implicated in the business will be apprehended within the near future.   The Winchester Journal, March, 1938.



1963. Early Randolph County Roads.

This was originally presented by Mrs. Ray Brumfield at a meeting of the Randolph County Historical Society held at the Winchester library.

  According to plans outlined by Rufus Putnam, roads in the Midwest states were laid out on section lines which were determined by meridians. The principal meridians are the Indiana-Ohio state line from a base line on the Ohio river and a second meridian located near Bloomington, with a base line on the confluence of the Little Blue and Ohio rivers.
  There are some half-section roads in Randolph county which have been built to give access to homes established by settlers before the section plan had been determined.
  The first road in the county was the Quaker Trace, which was used as early settlers made their way north from the Ohio river.
  Since the first settlement was in the southeast part of the county in Greensfork township the next road was built in that area into Wayne county.
  The next road came from the south through Winchester, on north to Ft. Wayne and was the forerunner of the present U.S. 27.
  The Bloomingsport road was the next road and in 1819 one from West River township to Winchester was established followed by one from Winchester to Ft. Recovery, known at present as the old Union City road.
  In 1822, the road from Huntsville to Sample's Mill, near Maxville and a road from Winchester to Ridgeville came into existence. These all were dirt roads, fairly good in dry weather but almost impassable in bad weather.
  The first method of improving was what is known as corduroy roads. Trees, which there were plenty, were cut down, the branches thrown the mud holes and the trunks and larger limbs laid close together to make a fairly passable road. But the wood deteriorated rapidly and when gravel became available it began to be used to make roads usable at all times.
  To provide for the upkeep, all males from 18 to 50 were required to work on the roads for two days each year.
  The pikes and toll roads were built by corporations. These were more substantial as was to be expected, and the income or fee charged for using them was applied to the upkeep. They cost about $1,200 per mile to build and a fee of ten cents for three miles was usually charged. In 1874 there were 17 toll houses. Also in that year, there were 21 bridges. There were only 180 miles of roads in that year, 47 miles of which were half-section roads.   Randolph County Enterprise, March, 1963.



1938. Spartanburg State Patrolman Honored.

  A gold medal and certificate for conspicuous initiative and bravery in the apprehension and death of Joe Earlywine, former convict and gunman, was awarded to Patrolman Frank A. Jessup, Spartanburg, of the Indiana State Police Tuesday by the State Police Board, the first ever given.
   Jessup participated in a gunfight with Earlywine at his Danville, Illinois hideout May 2 in which W.R. Ramsey, Jr., an agent of The Federal Bureau of Investigation was killed. The presentation was made in the office of Donald F. Stiver, state director of public safety, by Major Claude Crooks, Lebanon, board president.
  Although Jessup disclaimed any personal responsibility for the Earlywine death, it was understood he braved gunfire by entering the hideout, ran out of ammunition, stepped outside to reload his gun and although wounded re-entered the room. Earlywine fell dead shortly thereafter of bullet wounds.
  Silver and gold medals and certificates are awarded by the police board. However, only silver medals had been given until Tuesday.
  Earlywine was said to have been a member of a burglary gang responsible for approximately 200 crimes in Indiana and adjoining states. A companion, who had spent most of his adult life in prison, was captured.   Winchester Journal-Herald, May, 1938.



1878.  "Blue Jean" Williams, of Winchester, said to a committee of women: "Why don't you stop building fine churches and leave off dressing in such fine clothes? Then you could have more money to help the poor and wouldn't have to come begging of other people!"
 

139. Randolph County Misc.

***** SATURDAY,   JULY 27, 2019    4-10 PM  -  "SARATOGA PARTY IN THE PARK" & "GRAND OPENING OF THE SARATOGA TOWN HALL MUSEUM." *****



1968. Brady Murders.

  A Randolph county grand jury will convene at 9 a.m. Friday to consider evidence in the shooting deaths of a Winchester couple last Friday night.
  Circuit Judge Zane E. Stohler has set Friday morning as the date on which the jury will convene. Prosecutor George Daly requested that the grand jury be called.
  Two youths, Allen Brady, 16, and John Hawley, 17, of Winchester are being held in the Randolph county jail on preliminary charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of Brady's parents, James G. Brady, 47, and Reva Brady, 45. The couple were found by an older son and his wife at the Brady home at the south edge of Winchester, early Saturday morning, dead of gunshot wounds from a .22 caliber rifle.   Winchester Journal-Herald, April 23, 1968.



1905.  Farmland College?

  Public-spirited citizens of Farmland are making a strong effort, with hopes of success, of locating the Union Christian College at Merom, Sullivan county, Ind. At a recent gathering of the business men of the town, resolutions were adopted which make a flattering offer to the college trustees to move the school to their town.
  The citizens offer to plat a tract of land in twenty town lots, which they will sell with which to erect a handsome building for the school. They also promise to give the school outright a campus of twenty-eight acres. They guarantee to have the building ready to be occupied by Sept. 1.
  Communication has been opened with the Merom trustees who will visit Farmland in the near future to look over the proposition.   Union City Times, March 31, 1905.



1968. Morton Kindergarten Student Killed.

  At 3:34 Monday, April 8, six-year-old Teresa Lynn Cochran, doffer to plat a tractaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wendell Cochran of Winchester, route 4, was fatally injured when she was struck by a car on Ind. 32 at the east edge of Winchester.
  The little girl, a kindergarten student at Morton school, Winchester, was standing on the south side of Ind. 32 just east of the U.S. 27 overpass, according to the sheriff's department, when she pulled away from an older sister and darted north onto the highway and into the path of an eastbound car driven by Henry L. Ingle, 62, Union City, route 3. The child was knocked to the ground, and died a few minutes later at the Randolph County hospital of head injuries.   Winchester Journal-Herald, April 9, 1968.



 Hardscrabble, Brightsville  And Shacklingsburg.

  "Hardscrabble" was located one mile north of Harrisville on the Union City pike. The town consisted of one grocery store and shoe shop combined, a toll gate, a set of scales and a hog chute.
  "Shacklingsburg" was a little village one and one-half miles south of Maxville on the right bank of Cabin Creek, just above the water gap.
  "Brightsville" was a small village situated on the Huntsville and Mount Pleasant road near the headwaters of Bear Creek.



1905. Union City Buggy Meets Interurban.

  Saturday evening, as the last car on the Interurban line was at the Wildcat road, just east of Weimer's Mill and going at a speed of fifty miles an hour down grade, Motorman John Everhardt saw a horse backing a carriage at the side of the track and it toppled over the bank about four feet and a half high, square across the tracks. The vehicle upset and the occupants were caught like a lot of rats in a trap. The car struck them and ran about two hundred feet before it could be stopped.
  On examination it was found that the body of Will Doherty, aged 19, was under the hind tracks of the car, mangled beyond recognition, disemboweled, head cut in two and his brains and entrails scattered all along the ties and tracks.
 Lying about ten feet from the track and at the point where the rig was struck, was Fred Hughes, aged 17, whose home was in Parker City, but who was working at the Automobile Works and boarding with Mr. and Mrs. Yaney, Ohio Side. Ten feet further was Bessie Thompson, aged 14, dead drunk and unconscious and about ten feet from her was Jennie Yaney, aged 16, with a lot of bruises.
  About 1 a.m. policeman Reeves called up by phone and he informed the TIMES that a special train was on its way over to take the family and friends to the Turpen undertaking establishment in Greenville.
  We left the city at 2:45 a.m. and on arriving at the scene of the wreck the car slowed and the damaged carriage was still at the side of the track. On every cross-tie and on the rails could be seen the blood where the victim had been rolled by the car and pieces of flesh, bone and entrails scattered over the whole route.
  On arriving at Greenville we found Hughes resting easy, with a bruised knee and leg but otherwise in good shape. He told the following story: "He and Doherty were together Saturday night and went to McKee's stable about 8 p.m. and secured a horse and carriage. They then got their girls and stopped at Constable's saloon on the Ohio Side, where Doherty purchased a pint of whiskey and six quart bottles of beer. The ride to Greenville then began and at 10 o'clock they started back to Union City.
  Hughes and the Yaney girl were on the back seat and dozing, Doherty and the Thompson girl on the front seat, Miss Thompson driving, both drunk, Hughes partly so and Miss Yaney with only three swallows of beer imbibed. The car was seen coming and the horse became bewildered at the glare of the headlight. Miss Thompson pulled on the reins and the horse stopped and commenced backing until it swung the carriage around to the edge of the embankment and horse, carriage and occupants toppled over onto the tracks in front of the car which struck them. Hughs did not know anything until he was picked up."
  The Yaney girl tells identically the same story in every detail. She said she had only taken three swallows of the beer and did not like it as it was bitter. The Thompson girl was dead drunk only occasionally arousing to vomit and then going back to unconsciousness. She had only two slight bruises on her head but may be hurt internally. The Yaney girl was bright and lively and has a barrel of nerve which h she will need, for on examining her it was found she had sustained a compound fracture of the left arm. The bone at the elbow was crushed, muscles, flesh and ligaments torn from the humorus bone and the end of the ulna bone where it intersects broken off. Four physicians decided an amputation was necessary and the arm was removed at the shoulder.
  At six a.m. Bessie Thompson was still unconscious and sleeping heavily. From what the other two survivors say she drank long and often of both the beer and whiskey and made a regular "stone-fence."
  We next visited Turpen's undertaking establishment and such a sight as was here presented we do not care to see again. Doherty's head was chopped in two from the bridge of the nose to the base of the brain and he had no features that could be recognized, in fact over half his head had been ground under the wheels or along the track. His body was disemboweled and his limbs cut and bruised as though chopped with an axe.
  Among the articles picked up at the site of the wreck was .60 cents in money, a side-comb, hat pin, pint flask one-third full of whiskey, 1 full bottle of beer and a spring loaded dirk knife with a blade six inches long and sharp as a razor.
  A strange fatality seems to be pursuing the Doherty family. The father fell from a bridge near Houston, Ohio, and was instantly killed. Later the mother was injured in a railroad wreck and has not yet recovered. About the same time a younger son, apparently in the very best of health, dropped dead. A younger brother of Fred Hughes was also killed several weeks ago in a nitroglycerin explosion at Parker City, Ind.   Union City Times, May, 1905.
May 6.  Last evening we visited Greenville and calling at the Wagner House saw Fred Hughes, who is resting well and will be able to be around in a day or two. Jennie Yaney had not recovered from the anesthetic given her when her arm was removed, but no bad symptoms exist. Bessie Thompson is still in a comatose condition and Dr. Anderson says she is undoubtedly severely injured internally as she is vomiting blood.
  Mr. Yaney brought the amputated arm of his daughter to Union City last evening in a box and it has been buried.



1905.  Rooster Attack.

  Little six year-old Etta Hueber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.Rod Hueber, living on High street, had an exciting and very unpleasant experience with a big Plymouth Rock rooster yesterday, and her escape from serious injury was a very narrow one.
  The little girl was in the yard and thought it would be fun to throw some water on the rooster and see him jump. She threw the water, and the rooster jumped all right but in a manner altogether unexpected, for in place of turning tail and making himself scarce the chanticleer ruffled his feathers and sprang on the girl. He struck her in the breast and knocked her to the ground at the first assault after which he began to "spur" her viciously about the head and face. The little girls frantic screams only seemed to enrage the rooster to more vicious efforts, but they also brought her mother to the scene, which undoubtedly saved her life as maddened roosters have been known to kill small children before this.
  Just as Mrs. Heuber was about to attack the rooster, her little son ran in front of her and both of them fell to the ground with her daughter and were attacked by the rooster. Not until Mrs. Heuber regained her feet and made a determined onslaught with a clothesline prop was the enraged bird induced to leave his prostrate victims.
  Now would be a good time to introduce the rooster to a large pot of dumplings.   Union City Times, April, 1904.



1886. Saratoga.

  Two stores, two  churches, one blacksmith, one huckster, one livery barn, one graded school, R.R. depot, one barber shop, millinery, saw mill, one M.D., cabinet maker and undertaker, twenty-one story tellers, five practical jokers, three hundred inhabitants and the champion liar of the entire United States. If this don't indicate a boom town, I don't know what does.   Winchester Journal, May, 1886.

138. Randolph County Misc.

1975. Saratoga, Spitler House.

  Many of the homes in Saratoga were built in the 1880's and early 1900's and still display the intricate craftsmanship that was the pride of the age. One of the most notable and impressive of these turn-of-the-century houses is the stately Doc Spitler house, which is currently owned by David and Karen Lowe, located immediately west of town.
  The Spitler house, as it is still called by many of the Saratoga residents, was built in 1905 on a tract of land that was originally bought by James T. Evans in 1836 from the United States Government. In 1896 the land was divided in seven parts, the portion where the house was eventually to be built going to Amos Evans. Evans deeded the land for construction of the house to Edward H. Bailey in 1905 for $300.
  Ed Curtner, one of Saratoga's nonagenarians who has lived in the community for most of his life, remembered Bailey beginning construction on the house.
  "He was a young man at the time," Curtner said. "I expect he was not much older than me, probably in his early 20's.
  As the story goes, Bailey had intended to marry Pearl Fletcher, but the young girl would only consent to the marriage if Bailey would build her one of the most impressive houses in the area. Curtner prefaced this story by indicating that Pearl had told Bailey she wanted to live in the same manner she had been accustomed to since childhood. Since her father, Warren Fletcher was one of the wealthiest men in the area, it would certainly cost Bailey a large sum of money to fulfill her wishes.
  Bailey immediately began to build the house establishing a mortgage of $1,900 on the house and property, a huge sum of money for the early part of the century. Soon Bailey found it difficult to make mortgage payments and still continue work on the house. Curtner related a story about how Bailey attempted to borrow money from another resident of Saratoga.any more money."
  "Ed Bailey was a sly duck. He found he couldn't continue building the house, so he borrowed some money from this old man, it was only a couple hundred dollars (to establish credit). For some reason, and I couldn't really tell you why, the old man had marked the bills."
  "Ed brought back the money he owed in a couple of weeks," Curtner continued, "and the old man noticed they were the same bills, because Bailey had just kept the money to ask for more. So when Ed came back about a week later asking for a bigger loan the old man wouldn't give him any more money."
  According to Curtner, Bailey worked in a dry goods store in Ridgeville as a salesman. He was apparently one of the best salesmen in the area, but the owner of the store began to notice he was losing money and Bailey was spending much more than he was making as a salesman. Bailey was consequently accused of stealing from the store and fired.
  In 1906 the mortgage was foreclosed and the property and part of the house that had been built went to the county. To complete the classic tragedy, Pearl not only broke off the marriage, but Bailey lost all of his savings, the house and had to move away from Saratoga in disgrace.
  In 1907, at a sheriff's sale, Greer Wilkinson Lumber Company of Winchester, bought the house for $1,852.64. Two years later the lumber company sold the house and property to Squire J. Hinkle for $2,500. Hinkle finished construction of the house and lived in it for the next 11 years.
One of the more interesting features of Hinkle's work is a turntable in the garage. Apparently Hinkle had never mastered the art of backing his car out of the garage, understandable since the automobile was still something of a novelty. So he built a turntable to drive his car onto and then would get out and turn the table around so the car was headed out of the garage.
  Although many Saratoga residents differ on whether the contraption was installed by Hinkle or was added when Dr. Charles Spitler bought the house in 1934, Roger Hinkle and Charles Rickert remember using the 12-foot turntable as a merry-go-round when they were children.
  Even though the turntable is inoperable today, the 12-foot base would be too short for today's large cars. However, the turntable was still used by Dr. Spitler after 1934 for his new Whippet, an auto that was manufactured in New Castle.
  The table is hinged in four different places to permit oiling the gears which are located under the center of the table. Metal rollers under the turntable operated the pivoting table on a metal edged wooden track.
  The estate passed on to Pearl Shierling in 1920 who later passed the house and the property on to Clara Cain for one dollar and exchange of properties in 1932. The following year Mrs. Cain sold the property to Charles Van Ausdal who turned it over to Dr. Spitler in 1934.
  Dr. Spitler lived and established his practice in the west side of the house until his death in 1941. His wife, Anna Lollard Spitler, continued residence in the house until her death in 1958. Their tombstone in the adjoining town cemetery sits on a knob overlooking the house.
  Robert Romack bought the property in a public auction in 1959 and sold it to the present owners, Mr. and Mrs. David Lowe in 1970.
  The interior of the house is elaborately decorated with inlaid wood and intricately patterned wood filigree work around the doorways. The Lowes try ro furnish the house with mostly antiques to maintain a consistent atmosphere with the large comfortable rooms throughout the house.
  Although the stately structure was only built about 75 years ago, it still reflects the rich history and independent pride of the Saratoga pioneers 100 years ago.   Winchester News-Gazette, August, 1975.



1887.  Wear a nutmeg around your neck will keep you from getting malaria, so the ladies say but the young men think that if they have a man with a white apron serve it over a beer, it will have the same effect.



1946. Coroner's Report.

Coroner's Report To The Clerk of the Randolph County Circuit Court, Winchester, Indiana.

Cause: Death of Jan Way Diggs, September 25, 1946.

Cause of Death: Asphyxiation caused when two railroad ties rolled down onto his head and chest while he was playing on a pile of ties.

Place of Death: At his house about one mile southwest of  Winchester.

Description of Person: A white male of the age of 4 years, light brown hair, brown eyes, medium complexion, approximate weight 40 lbs.

Statement of Witness: I, Lloyd Diggs, being duly sworn this 25th day of September, 1946, upon my oath expose and say that I live about a mile from the city limits of Winchester, southwest of town. At about 4:00 P.M. on Sept. 25, 1946 we got together and found Jan was missing. We started to look for him all over the farm, woods and gravel pit. At about 6:00 P.M. my wife found Jan behind the dairy barn under 2 railroad ties, about 2 ties high the weight of the ties had him bent backward. One tie was across his face and one across his chest. He was about in the middle of the ties. She screamed and Forrest Dwiggins, who had just arrived came up to the pile of ties and he lifted them off the boy. He seemed to be warm and his legs and arms and face were cold. I met my wife and Forrest carrying him to the house.
  I had last seen Jan about 1 P.M. when I went to town. I returned about 2:00 P.M. but didn't see him. My wife hadn't seen the boy after noon either. My hired hand didn't see him either after noon and he helped look for him.

Verdict: Accidental Death.
Lowell W. Painter, Coroner



1863.  There are 121 schools in Randolph County with 7,035 children of suitable age to attend. A little over one-third of these attend no school.



1950. County Merchant Advertising.

Ridgeville - Limbert Farm Service, Frigidaire Appliances, Marion C. Limbert, Prop.   The Limbert Farm Store is well known to the people of Ridgeville and surrounding territory. It has kept abreast of the times by carrying a complete line of hardware, paints, farm supply items and the popular line of Frigidaire Appliances.  Obviously it is to your advantage to trade with firms with a reputation for dependable merchandise and fair dealing such as you receive at Limbert's Farm Service.

Saratoga - Wm. Moyer Chevrolet Sales & Service.   Just as the manufacturers of Chevrolet cars and trucks have been first in many features of automobile progress, so has the Wm. Moyer Chevrolet Sales & Service been first in service to the people of Saratoga and surrounding territory.
  At this concern one will find equipment for service, repairs and parts, having skilled workmen for any repair, body, fender or paint jobs.
  Chevrolet cars for many years have proven their worth by satisfactory use. That the new 1950 Chevrolet models are recognized as a great value in motor cars today is the opinion of experts as well as the casual buyer.
  Mr. Moyer and the employees of this concern are familiar with the details necessary to maintain efficient service to the car owning public, and we feel that they should be commended upon their modern and progressive methods.

Carlos - Swindell's General Store.   For every week in the year, every family in any community is dependent upon some store for its supply of groceries, meats and other general merchandise.
  In Carlos, the Swindell General Store has been furnishing the various needs of its patrons in a most satisfactory way. Their stock is kept up-to-the-minute in every respect with special care taken to see that all merchandise is of the highest quality.
  Mr. Swindell is als engaged extensively in the buying of poultry, eggs and beef hides covering Randolph County and surrounding territory. His method of operation enables him to offer the highest market prices for these products.
  Pay a visit to the Swindell General Store and learn for yourself the advantages of trading here.



1948. Grumpy Old Man.  NOTICE! - Enough is enough! All people living on Maple street keep your dogs at home and quiet. Also see that all your children are in by 10 p.m. as I will file charges! Signed - Jim Newcomb.   Winchester classifieds.



1952. Remembering Football At Lynn.

  I wonder how many of the citizens of Lynn remember when their fair city had a football team. I am afraid not too many, as the year was 1903. In that year an Illinois State graduate by the name of Art Hedrick decided to form a team to play two ball games. One was to be with the Alpha Chi Club and the other with Winchester.
  The practice continued for several weeks before the big day as the boys of Lynn were very football-minded and wanted to show the town that they were good. Practice would sometimes last until late evening and the boys parents were put out at the idea of their sons playing instead of working. David Hodgin, the teams quarterback, informed me that he dug potatoes by lantern light one night before his father would let him play.
  The day of the first game finally arrived and the boys were on the field early to warm up.
  Winchester arrived soon after and what a bunch of players they had! Several boys would top 170 pounds and one player was over the 200 pound mark. They also had several reserves.
  The Lynn squad on the other hand, consisted of no one over 160 pounds and their team totaled only eleven men, just enough to play with none in reserve.
  There was a large crowd on hand as the game got ready to start. The vacant lot north of the depot had been marked off and it was a fine location for the game.
  The Lynn team consisted of David Hodgin, at quarterback; Walter Johnson, wingback; Cy Johnson, tailback; and Orville Engle at halfback position. In the line they had Leslie Knight at right end; Harry Johnson, and Oren Schissler at tackle; Fred Johnson and Harry Johnston at guard and Clinton Stanley at the center post. The boys used a single wing formation.
  The first game was a rough and tumble affair with all the Lynn boys escaping without injury.
  However, the 200 pound tailback of the Winchester team met up with Walter Johnson's head in the second quarter and they carried him out of the game knocked out cold. Walter was not hurt.
   Finally, with the score tied and only three minutes left to play, the Winchester drop kick specialist put one between the uprights and Lynn was defeated.
  It was quite a day for the Lynn boys, however, and they eagerly looked forward to their meeting with the Alpha Chi Club. This game ended in a tie after as hard fought a game as anyone could ever play.
  There is also a sidelight on these two games that I think you will enjoy. It seems that Amos Higdon, David's father and Ira Johnson, Cy's dad were both much opposed to their sons playing the rough and tumble game of football. However, after much persuasion and extra duty around their homes, the boys were allowed to participate.
  The day of the game the two fathers got together and stood far back from the field as if they were not interested.
  But when things got hot and the boys were ripping off gains and making tackles the two "uninterested" dads suddenly got into the spirit of the game and began running up and down the field hand in hand following up the play as closely as possible and shouting encouragement to their embattled sons! From all reports, when the game was over, the two dads were far more exhausted from directing than their sons were from playing.   Oct. 25, 1952, Winchester Journal-Herald reprint from the Randolph County Herald-Citizen at Lynn.



1948. GRAND OPENING-AIRLINE AUTO THEATRE. 71 years ago.

 Be First to-"Park 'Neath the Stars in the Comfort of Your Cars."  Friday, August 13--8 P.M. at the Airline Auto Theatre, 3 miles East of Winchester on Route 32 Just Across From COXY'S Airport.
  Families Especially Like "Baby-Sitter Problem and Expense Eliminated, The Whole Family Sits Together, Extra Clean Restrooms, No Need to Dress Kiddies in "Sunday Best," Deputized Personnel On Patrol All Performances, We Even Furnish Baby Bottle Warmers, You Can Smoke If You Like! Right In Your Car.
Admissions- Adults  .50 Cents,  Children  .20 cents. Two Shows Nightly, Beginning at 8 p.m.--Midnight Shows on Saturdays.



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