SEYMOUR
The
first house erected on the town site was a dwelling and
store put up by John Keller, March 24, 1871. It has been since
burned. Others
built soon after and the town went ahead very rapidly in the
spring of 1871. Among
those who located here were eight or ten from Genoa, then a
promising village in Monroe Township, but which has since
put on the sleep of death.
At the close of the first season there were not less
than 300 people. Then
came a period of comparatively slow growth. By the census of
1875 the population was 408; by that of 1880, 501; and in
1885 the State census reports 710. The development of the coal industry
has recently added a considerable population of miners, with
their families, so that the place can reasonably claim about
900 at present writing, with excellent prospects for speedy
growth in the near future.
Seymour was incorporated in January, 1874, and made to include the following territory: West half of the southwest quarter of section 13; southeast quarter of section 14; east half of the southwest quarter of section 14; east half of the northwest quarter of section 23; northeast quarter of section 23, and the west half of the northwest quarter of section 24. At the election held to decide for or against incorporation, held February 28, 1874, forty-five votes were cast for incorporation and four against. April 13 following, the village elected its first officers, as follows: Mayor, T. J. Frost; Recorder, A. F. Thompson; Councilmen, John Potter, W. C. Browning, D. J. Stipe, H. S. Rogers and John Jamison.
The
present (1886) officers are: Mayor, J. R. Matkin; Recorder,
W. J. Harlow; Treasurer N. C. Michael; Assessor, H. S.
Rogers; Street Commissioner, William Cain; Marshal, Samuel
Rickert; Councilmen, L. F. Thatcher, G. W. Harbert, Robert
Vance, N. C. Michael, E. K. Clark and J. H. Morrison.
The
first justice of the peace in Seymour was Moses McNally, who
moved his office into town from the country in the spring of
1874.
The
first birth in Seymour was that of a son of C. A. Conger,
named Bert, born October 11, 1871.
This town has suffered severely from fires, but has rebuilt in each case with commendable energy and promptness.
The
first fire was in the spring of 1872, when a hardware store,
a dwelling, some lumber and a lumber office were destroyed.
The
devouring element next visited Seymour, June 18, 1874, when
Peter Dowell’s barn and four horses were consumed.
In
November, 1880, Union Block, containing five buildings, was
burned.
This
was followed in February, 1881, by a fire which swept away
M. V. Stitsel’s meat market, the postoffice, Lowry’s
clothing store, Freese’s jewelry establishment, Miss
Ridgeway’s millinery shop, Strickler’s hardware store,
Mize’s billiard hall, King’s general store, Weimer’s
grocery, McCoy’s drug store and Brown’s law office.
These
formed a long row of buildings south of the square. They were soon
rebuilt, but, with others, were again destroyed, August 9,
1884, in the greatest conflagration of the whole series. The sufferers
this time were Harbert’s general store, the postoffice,
Stitsel’s meat market, Ernest’s drug store, Freese’s jewelry
store, Carson & Young’s furniture establishment, the
town hall, Carson’s barber shop, Smith’s harness shop,
Gaddis’s restaurant, Weimer’s restaurant, McCoy’s drug
store, Coad’s law office, Ruby & Bradley’s clothing
store, Lewis & Son’s hardware store, Morrison’s clothing
store, King Brothers’ general store, Clemens’s furniture
store, Keller’s drug store, Armstrong’s grocery, Kerby &
Brenneman’s saloon and Armstrong’s flour store. The total loss
this time was $75,000.
The
village owns a good hand engine and a hook and ladder
outfit. A
volunteer fire company may be said to exist, but there is no
regularly sustained organization.
Several
weekly papers have been published here, but never more than
one at the same time.
First was the Sentinel, early in 1873; then
followed the Ensign, Headlight and Enterprise,
after which Seymour was without a paper until the Lone
Tree Press was established by L. W. Lewis, the present
editor and proprietor.
April 2, 1872, the citizens of Seymour petitioned to be made an independent school district. This was voted on April 18, and carried by an unanimous vote. May 2 the following directors were chosen: John Jamison, William Wade, C. A. Conger, Jr., J. C. Fox, Z. Double and J. D. Stull. These met for organization and John Jamison was chosen President; H. S. Rogers, Secretary, and T. J. Frost, Treasurer. The old district school-house was sold and $1,800 of bonds was voted for a new structure. The contract was let September 2, to Nelson Rogers, for $1,950.
A school
census taken at that time showed thirty males and fifty-nine
females of school age.
The
school-house was completed in four months, and was first
used January 13, 1873.
It is a two-story frame. A few years later more room was needed
and the house was almost doubled in capacity by the addition
of a wing. There
are now four school-rooms.
L.
M. McNeff was the first teacher employed, receiving a salary
of $40 per month. The
five teachers now employed are: Fred King, Principal; G. W. Frame,
Grammar Department; Rose Harlow, Third Primary; Sadie
Bradley, Second Primary, and Rose Perkins, First Primary.
The
annual expenditures for school purposes approximate $4,000. The last school
census showed of school age 140 males and 155 females, or a
total of 259. The
present School Board includes John Jamison, L. F. Thatcher,
Hugh Miller, Z. Double, A. Weimer and Jasper Stevens.
The
Methodist Episcopal Church was begun in the spring of
1874, and cost when completed $2,000. Rev. Philip
Volmer was the first pastor.
His successors have been Revs. Gibson, Wood, John
Harned, P. W. Brady, Charles Brewer, C. W. Shipman, R. W.
Matheny and John Harned.
The last named is now here for the second time. The church here
has about 140 members.
A. E. Clemens is superintendent of the Sunday-school,
which has an attendance of about 100.
The
Presbyterian Church was organized and the church was
built in the spring of 1874, at a cost of about $2,000. Rev. D. R.
Hineman was the first pastor.
Among his successors have been Revs. Henry Cullen,
Putnam, McClure, David Steward and E. J. Nugent. The last named
was the last regular pastor.
At present no services are held. The society has
thirty-eight members.
L. W. Lewis is superintendent of the Sunday-school,
which is held regularly.
The
Christian Church was completed in the autumn of 1874
at a cost of $2,500. The
pastors have been Revs. F. Walden, S. Downing, S. A. Hoover,
J. H. Carr, William Hartley, J. H. Hickman and J. A.
Shepherd, who is here now.
Others have preached here for short times. The membership is
about sixty. John
Jamison is superintendent of the Sunday-school, the average
attendance in which is about fifty.
The
Baptist Church was built in the spring of 1880 and
cost $1,850, including furnishing. Revs. A. W. Sutton, W. Stevens and C.
Lippett have filled the pulpit here. At present
writing no services are held.
The membership is thirty-eight. E. K. Clark was
the last superintendent of the Sunday-school. The church has no
debt.
The following are in operation:
Myrtle
Lodge, No. 355, A. F. & A. M., organized in the
fall of 1873; the present membership, seventy; time of
meeting, Tuesday evening on or before the full moon of each
month.
Cryptic
Chapter, No. 34, R. A. M., removed hither from Corydon
in 1876; present membership, fifty-four; time of meeting,
Monday evening after the full moon of each month.
Lone
Tree Lodge, No. 352, I. O. O. F., organized in 1875;
present membership, 106; meets every Saturday evening.
Seymour
Encampment, No. 17, I. O. O. F., organized in 1882;
present membership, twenty-seven; meets twice a month.
Trust
Lodge, No. 127, Daughters of Rebecca, organized in
1884; meets twice a month.
Seymour
Lodge, No. 134, K. P., organized in May, 1884; present
membership, twenty-eight; meets every Friday evening.
William
Kellogg Post, No. 186, G. A. R., organized in June,
1882; present membership, fifty-five; meets twice each
month.
Seymour
Assembly, No. 3,143, Knights of Labor, organized in
April, 1884; present membership, fifty; meets every Tuesday
evening.
The coal mining industry bids fair to be a grand thing for Seymour, and has even now assumed respectable proportions. It is due principally to the faith of L. F. Thatcher, who first had the requisite faith and courage. He and his associates, under the name of the Seymour Coal Company, commenced work in 1883, and employ about fifty men, on an average, the year round. The largest amount of coal mined here in one day has been 2,850 bushels. The product is all disposed of, to the railroad.
The
Occidental Coal Company, composed of twenty-three
stockholders, residents of Seymour, commenced operation in
the autumn of 1884. It
has employed as many as seventy-five men at one time. From 1,600 to
1,700 bushels are mined here daily, part going to the
railroad and part to supply local demand. John Jamison is
President of this company; W. H. Ernest, Vice-President; C.
A. Conger, Treasurer, G. W. Harbert, Secretary.
The following firms are in business in 1886:
E.
K. Clark, drugs; Mrs. S. J. P. Gorges, millinery; Miss Mary
Ridgeway, millinery; J. M. Level, meat market; E. Bradley,
grocery; Conger & Michael, general store; Perkins &
Son, grocery; G. W. Wisehart, Seymour House; John Ware,
clothing; E. H. Armstrong & Son, drugs; Rogers &
Morrison, insurance; Carson & Givens, furniture; M. A.
Holsouser, clothing; W. T. Ruby, clothing; G. W. Smith,
harness; T. S. Gaddis, restaurant; A. H. Keller, drugs; G.
W. Harbert, dry-goods; G. I. Evans, dry-goods; E. F. Martin,
hardware; S. Lewis & Son, Farmers’ and Drovers’ Bank; A.
Wiemer, restaurant; H. McCoy & Son, drugs; I. H.
Morrison, Meat market; J. W. Carson, barber shop and news
depot; Clemens & Son furniture; Miller & Vance,
grocery; Peter Dowell, Dowell House; S. Lewis, lumber;
Seymour Elevator Company; W. M. Armintrout, livery; Gump
& Cochran, livery; Wiley Gunter, blacksmithy and machine
shop; J. Husher, blacksmith; T. C. York, washing machine
factory; John Root, shoe shop.