The Old Franklin House Hotel by Joe Hamilton.
After the election of 1840. the Winchester residents turned their attention to many different pursuits - they began to build new homes in the little "Salt Creek Settlement" (Winchester), they began to take pride in their appearance, they started to attend church and they formed themselves into organizations.
Sensing the great change that was about to take place in the Randolph county backwoods Jeremiah Smith, a South Carolinian who had come to the new county in its infancy and attached himself to the courthouse and its various functions, became a lawyer, school teacher, surveyor, author, historian and sharp businessman, built the Franklin House on the southwest corner of the public square, where the Oliver (Davis) Building now stands.
It is surprising, when one looks backward, to find a large, 3-story brick hotel being built in the midst of a little cluster of some thirty rude cabins and shacks! And, at the same time, and this was in 1839, Judge Smith was building his own palatial residence that we now know as the "Town House" restaurant (on East Franklin street, Winchester). The answer to this riddle would not be fully known until two more decades had passed and the Judge had proved himself to be a man of vision by just happening to own, along with his cousin, Hon. O.H. Smith, all of the land upon which the new town of Union City must be built to provide a terminal for two railroads which would meet there in the 1850's. Opportunities were on every hand in those early days, ready to be grasped by any man who had the vision necessary to recognize them, and Jeremiah Smith was just such a man.
It is true that Old Peter Reinheimer operated the Franklin House at a profit, and it is true that the old hotel occupied a position of importance in the community, serving as a depot and ticket office for the stage coach lines which served the town for several years, and affording a meeting place for a crowd of politicians who continually swarmed around the courthouse across the street. Reinheimer kept a good table, and each morning and evening he would drive his milk cows up from their pasture beyond Salt Creek and milk them, and then drive them back. The people of the town, hearing the bell in the cupola of the Franklin House, would gather there and enjoy the splendid board the house provided.
The story was told, many years ago, that Mr. Reinheimer, genial host of the hotel, prided himself upon his continual efforts to make his house more attractive to the traveling public than were those of his competitors. He advertised that his hostelry offered many modern conveniences.
Now, Mr. Reinheimer's day in the Franklin House was a day, of course, in which the modern indoor plumbing fixtures were as yet unknown. The bowl and pitcher on the wash stand in each room served as the bath, and the other fixtures one ordinarily finds in the bathroom were "out behind.)
But, here again, the incomparable Reinheimer provided at least a little extra in the way of comfort, not to say luxury, for his guests. For behind the clerk's desk in the hotel lobby, there was a row of wooden pegs driven into the wall. Each peg was numbered to correspond with one of the rooms in the hotel. And on each peg hung a Brusseles carpet toilet seat! The guest, hurrying to the one-holer on a cold winter's night, had merely to pause at the clerk's desk and say, "Number 8, please," or, "Hand me Number 4, please," and the knowing clerk took down the required Brusseles pad and passed it to the guest without smile or comment. Such was the modesty of that far day.
And the guest was delighted. One can imagine the luxurious comfort of such an accessory, and besides, being personal and individual, they were perfectly sanitary! Hmmm.
But time marched on. The great campaign of 'Forty was soon a memory. But the social and political change in the little community remained. Winchester was not a numberlonger a backwoods settlement. There were roads of a sort now, and the stage coaches were stopping at the Franklin House bringing travelers from Indianapolis, Dayton, Cincinnati, and other far places, and with them came news and ideas. The Winchesterites were beginning to learn about the ways of the world.
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( In 1892, Obed W. HUSTON, a Civil War soldier and native of Pennsylvania, took over the Franklin House and acted as its proprietor for a number of years. He had married Miss Rebecca DOOD of Henry county and the couple had three children: Elsie (Mrs. Charles BEST), and twins, Sarah (Mrs. Charles ENGLE) and Joseph. Mrs. Huston died when a run-away horse upset the family carriage. The son, Joseph later left home to join a circus, the aim of most youngsters of his day. In subsequent years he helped build the famous Gentry Dog & Pony Show and Sells Floto Circus and traveled for many years with his own animal and sideshow displays. On his death at 88, Mr. Huston, known in show business as "Sam HOUSTON," was returned by his daughter Adonna to Winchester for burial. On his tombstone is the inscription "Hoosier Globetrotter Comes Home") Winchester News-Gazette, Aug. 16, 1968.
1956. Winchester Grocery.
The Frank SINCLAIR's, after conducting a store for 25 years at 470 E. South street, sold their home and store to Mr. and Mrs. George HOERST, who have moved to the residence, redecorated, restocked and established a snack bar for the convenience of the residents of the southern part of town and employees and visitors at the Randolph County hospital.
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1968. Southern Sympathizers.
There has always been a strong bond between many Hoosiers and their fellows south of the Mason-Dixon line. The current enthusiasm for Alabama Ex-Governor George Wallace and his presidential candidacy is an indication of the way in which this bond continues up to modern times. As a result of this fellow-feeling, some unusual organizations have grown up and flourished locally over the years.
The Knights of the Golden Circle (Sons of Liberty) were a subversive organization of Southern sympathizers in the North during the Civil War.
Randolph county had its share of these "Copperheads," but in the period after the war the ex-Knights, including some women and their families were not proud of these activities and the roll of the organization, although reportedly still in existence, has been hidden away. However, there were five of these "circles" in Randolph county alone.
In 1863 the state organization became so powerful it actually encouraged the Southern general John Hunt Morgan to invade Indiana, assuring him of a general uprising of sympathizers. They also planned to overthrow the state government and release Southern prisoners held at Indianapolis.
The details of the movement were revealed by a citizen of Randolph county who had belonged to a Circle until he saw that actual treason was planned. The conspiracy was broken up as a result of this confession, and the ringleaders arrested.
The Ku Klux Klan, which originally developed in the South after the Civil War as an organization of masked white men intent on "protecting" the countryside against freed negro slaves, had a rebirth in both North and South in the post World War I period.
In it's new form, the Klan with an elaborate ritual, peaked white hoods and white robes and the burning of fiery crosses, sought to inspire awe and fear in those it opposed: "foreigners," Catholics, negroes and Jews. It claimed its members were "One hundred per cent American." Using the threat of boycott, the Klan intimidated many businessmen and others into joining an organization they would not have joined voluntarily.
Many persons can remember when the sheeted Klansmen paraded openly in Randolph county. However, Klansmen never revealed their names and always appeared as part of the Klan masked in their ghostly hoods.
The back of the Klan in Indiana was broken in the mid 1920's when D.C. Stevenson, Grand Wizard for Indiana, was imprisoned for murder.
However, with the Negro drive for equality in the past several years, the Klan has reappeared in the South and is rumored recruiting membership in the Midwest again.
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1957. Lynn Mail Carrier Retires.
"I think, if I could go back to the time of making a decision in my life work, this is what I would choose to do." This remark was made by Ray SUMMERS as he prepared to bring to a close his career as a rural mail man.
If he could go back to the beginning, it would be August 16, 1916, when he entered the postal service at Winchester as a clerk in the post office. He later served as a city carrier until the time of his enlistment in the U.S. Army in December of 1917. After his tour of duty, which included 13 months overseas, he reentered the postal service at Winchester December 3, 1919 and remained there until his appointment as a rural mail carrier on a Lynn route in 1920.
He terminated that service October 31, the date of his retirement, having completed 41 years, two months and 17 days in postal service.
During the time he has been at Lynn the routes have been combined and he is leaving a 63 mile route which accommodates approximately 285 homes and business places with mail service. His beginning route was 29 miles, and incidentally, his pay at that time was 35 cents per hour. Since 1920 he has driven 527,058 miles.
Ray has been the owner of 20 automobiles, beginning with a 1920 Model T which had to be cranked, and ending with a 1956 Fordomatic, with power steering. He recalls one time when the ModelT was stuck in the mud at a farm home mail box. Coming to his rescue were two boys, John and Ed MURRAY, who "lifted" the car out to solid ground.
It has been estimated that 14 million pieces of mail have been handled by Mr. Summers and that does not include several thousand packages.
This year also marks the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary of the Summers'. Mrs. Summers is the former Miss Gaynelle PICKETT, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Pickett. They are the parents of two children, Mrs. William STEWART of Corvallis, Ore. and Ray, Jr., who is a junior in the Lynn school. They live at 110 West Church street.
Statisticwise, estimates can be made of the miles traveled, mail handled in the years gone by, but no estimate can be made of the friendships made, the happiness brought by each days visit, the eager faces at the windows, or a member of the family waiting at the mail box. Sometimes a hand raised in greeting from a field, these are the memories that will be recalled by ray Summers as he remembers his life as a "mail man" on route 1, Lynn.
His plans for the immediate future are rather indefinite, but with winter coming on he will probably stay close to home, especially since they are anticipating a visit from their daughter and her husband at Christmas time. Later plans may include a trip west.
Patrons and friends of Ray are honoring him with a supper, Thursday, November 7, at the Lynn school cafeteria. The Winchester News, Nov. 4, 1957, by Lena WELCH.
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