Freetown History (continued)

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The fair grounds were about one quarter of a mile northeast of town.  Fairs were held as early as 1875.  The Freetown Facts and Fancies of 1895 states that the biggest crowd that ever assembled in Salt Creek Township met on Thursday, the 4th, to celebrate the 119th anniversary of American Independence.  At an early hour, people began to arrive and by 9 o'clock a constant stream of vehicles lined every road leading to the town.  Great crowds came by rail from both east and west, a special train being brought from the west to accommodate those who wished to attend the Big 4th at Freetown.  At least 700 vehicles were upon the grounds, and the crowd has been variously estimated at from 5,000 to 7,000; no estimate being lower than 5,000.  People from Seymour, Brownstown, Vallonia, Mitchell, Heltonville, Nashville, Columbus, and all intermediate points were present to enjoy the hospitality of Freetown.  The speakers were Rev. J. W. Dashiel, Indianapolis, and Hon. Jason B. Brown, of Seymour.  Each of these worthy gentlemen delivered an oration full of patriotism and they were listened to by the vast audience with great interest.  Music was furnished by the Freetown Cornett Band, one of the best in Southern Indiana, led by Prof. Chas. Tinch, a talented young musician of our town, and by Prof. W. F. Denny's excellent choir, which delivered the great national songs in a manner which entitled them to the applause of the multitudes.  Altogether this was the greatest entertainment it has ever been Freetown's lot to give, and we feel sure that everybody went away well pleased with the Big 4th at Freetown.

Some references identified fairs as early as 1853 and 1870; however, we could find no documentation to verify these earlier dates.

Freetown Fourth of July Celebration

One article stated that Freetown celebrated the fourth of July in greater style than ever before.  "We have established a custom here of celebrating one year and giving up to other places the next.  As this is our 'time at bat', we mean to 'knock a home run.'".

In 1939 a group of businessmen in Freetown purchased land for a park at the north edge of town for the purpose of having a Fourth of July Celebration.  The thirteen members of the group were:  Borcie Deavers, Hazel Deavers, Frank Denny, C. C. (Goog) Forgey, W. R. (Red) Forgey, Wayne Goble, Fred Meyer, Lawrence Noe, Dave Stogdill, Thomas Sprague, Dan Vader, and Harry Winklepleck.  The land was purchased from Dora McKain who lived at the edge of the grounds.

The Odd Fellows lodge sponsored the event beginning in 1936 and continuing until the late 1940's.  In 1958 the Freetown PTO took charge.  Later years after consolidation of the high school, the reins were turned over to the volunteer fire department.  However, the PTO continued to sponsor a princess contest as a money maker for their organization.  For many years, an auction was held as a money maker by the PTO and later by the fire department.  In later years, Mike Rudolph served as auchtioneer for this event.  Items for the auction were donated by area businesses.

Freetown Volunteer Fire Department

The Volunteer Fire Dept. was organized in 1959.  Before the department was organized the community used what was called a bucket brigade.  When a church bell was rung everyone looked for smoke, grabbed a bucket and ran to the fire.

Salt Creek/Pershing Township Schools

In these days of school rooms equipped with computers, laboratory equipment and other modern technology, the image of the little country school house with it's bucket of water, handmade seats and desks and wood heating stove are something read about in history books, historical novels, and seen in museums.  For many people still living today the little country school was very real and a special part of their lives.  For all of us today the little country schoolhouse is a very real part of our heritage.  Although few of the schools are still standing, these small country schools played a role in bringing us to where we are today in education (copied from 1991 school alumni report).

In 1816 there was not a church or school in Jackson County.  The inhabiants used the courthouse for church and school purposes.  The first school house in Freetown was located at the rear of the "old hotel".  The school faced what is known as the Babe Spurgeon property at the junction of <SR> 135 and the Hound Holler/Gorbett's Chapel road.  It was made of round logs with one door and one window.  Inside there was a huge fireplace with a mud and stick chimney.  The seats were split logs with sticks in them for legs.  A quill pen and homemade dye was used to write with when they were able to get a small amount of paper.  A slate or two was also available.

The second school was built on the Frank Denny property.  In 1889 a two-story school house was built with two rooms on each floor.  In 1902 two more rooms were added.  This house was used until Christmas vacation of 1924 at which time a new seven-room brick school was built at a cost of $21,798.  This building was used as a school for grades 1 through 12 until 1964 when Freetown was consolidated with Brownstown.  At this time, grades 7 through 12 were bused to Brownstown Middle and High school.  Grades 1 through 6 continue to attend Freetown Elementary School in the year 2000.  Various other facilities were used through out the years as extra class rooms.  At one point in time, a Home Economics room was located on the corner of Norman Rudolph's property.  Another time, second and part of third grades were taught in the Odd Fellow's Lodge, which was located on the south side of the United Methodist Church.  A Home Economics building was located where the Cafeteria now is.  The building was also used as a choir and band room.  It burned in 1959 and was replaced by the block building now used as a cafeteria.  An addition was built onto the west side of the school in 1959 with indoor restroom.  However, these rooms were used as classrooms until 1961 when the outside restrooms were closed and the indoor restrooms were completed.  In 1987 new windows were installed along with central air.  At that time there were seven classrooms, a library, lounge and an office.  A new addition has recently been completed in 1999.

The following is a list of the early one-room schools in Salt Creek Township:

#1 SPRAYTOWN SCHOOL - The Spraytown School is still standing and has been remodeled as a home now belonging to the Simmons family.  Spraytown held annual pie suppers to buy items for the school.  Jesse Jackson is remembered as a pie auctioneer.  Drinking water was carried in a bucket and a common dipper was used by all.  Games enjoyed were baseball (using homemade balls and bats), handy over and red rover.  When David Weekly was teacher there he brought poles from his woods and built swings and teeter-totters.  As in all these little schools, since all eight grades were in the same room, a lot was learned just by listening to the other grades.

#2 WHEELER SCHOOL - Wheeler School was located on the Taylor Chapel road and was the second school located in this part of Salt Creek township.  The first school was a log school and was later replaced by a one room frame building, built similar to the Taylor's Chapel Church.  In winter a favorite game of the children was playing fox and geese in the snow.  In good weather they borrowed a neighbor's field to play baseball.  When Lloyd Spurgeon taught there he drove his horse and buggy from his home south of Freetown.  On days when the horse was needed for plowing or other chores at home he walked to school.  Water was always carried in a galvanized bucket from a neighbor's house.  One day two boys were carrying a bucket of water and built a leaf fire, then one boy dumped the bucket of water on the fire and sat upon the bucket until the fire was out.  The boys then took the smoke filled bucket, refilled it with water and returned to school.  No one could figure out why the water tasted like smoke.  After Wheeler school closed in 1923, 24 students from the area rode a horse drawn hack to Jackson School.

#3 NOE SCHOOL - Noe School was established in 1870 and was located on a creek bank in the Buffalo Community.  The building was located north of Freetown on State Road 135 across the road from the present home of J. C. Pearson.  An historical sign marks the location of this school.  The Noe School was closed in 1923.

#4 PRUITT SCHOOL - Pruitt School was a log school and stood north of Houston.

#5 HOUSTON SCHOOL - The early settlers were interested in education and built a log school.  Later a two-story school was built which accommodated the grades and high school.  This building was soon crowded and a large four-rooom building was built.  The high school was discontinued in 1939 and the students were transported by bus to Clearspring in Owen Township.

#6 MITCHNER SCHOOL - No information available.

#7 COMBS SCHOOL - No information available.

#8 STARNES SCHOOL - No information available.

#9 FLEETWOOD SCHOOL - No information available.

#10 BLINDHORSE SCHOOL - Blindhorse School can be traced to the early 1870's and was closed in 1924-25.  The last two teachers were Sherman Scott and Charley Fleetwood.  The log building is still standing and serves as a barn on the Eldon Hanner farm.

#11 HOUND HOLLER (Hollow) SCHOOL - Hound Holler School was located approximately one and one-half miles west of Freetown at the location of the Carl Spurgeon residence. The building was a one-room school with a stove in the middle and a black board on the back wall.  Mrs. Yuvonne Carpenter Acton recalled that "we all drank from the same water dipper and all walked to school and warmed our homemade sandwiches in the coals in the wood stove".  The school closed in 1937.

#12 FREETOWN SCHOOL - Freetown School continues to be used as an elementary school at the present time.  In 1999 additions and remodeling are continuing.

#13 JACKSON SCHOOL - Jackson School was located two and one-half miles northeast of Freetown on State Road 58 at the top of what is called the Spurgeon hill.  The building burned in December 1926.

#14 WHITES SCHOOL - Whites School was located two and one-fourth miles north of Freetown on state road 135 near where Howard Waggoner, Jr. now has a saw mill in operation.  The school served the children who lived north of Freetown and did not attend Noe School or Houston School.  A story is told that during a blinding snowstorm Clayton Scott and Everett Ayers couldn't see and ran smack dab into each other on the way to school.  It was a one room white frame building and is believed to have closed in 1937.

#15 RUTAN/HIGH MOUNT SCHOOL - Rutan School was located approximately two miles west of State Road 58 on what is now known as Kentucky Avenue.  Some report the school was a log cabin and was the first school in this part of the county.  At that time there had to be at least 13 children to have a school.  Later pictures show a white frame building which was torn down and moved to Spraytown to be used in the construction of a church.  We are not sure when the school was closed, however Theda Thompson remembers her father, Orville Ault, walked from his home near Spraytown early in the morning to build fires before the students came to school.  For this he was paid five cents a week.

#16 REDBRUSH SCHOOL - Redbrush School was located on top of the hill east of Freetown on the Redbrush Road to the right of the fork in the road.  The school closed about 1899.

#17 BROWN SCHOOL - No information  available.

#18 CORNETT GROVE SCHOOL - When the Cornett Grove School was open it was also used as a church building.  The school was located at the entrance to the Cornett Grove Cemetery.

#19 SETTLES SCHOOL - No information available.

Another Robbery (January 1905)

Post office Safe at Freetown Blown Open.  Robbers secure about $200 worth of stamps -- Freetown was visited by burglars Monday night, who blew open the post office safe and secured about $200 worth of stamps and several dollars in cash.  The explosion occurred about 1:30 o'clock and was heard by several citizens.  Bert Tinch was one of the number who heard it and looking out saw a light in the post office.  He dressed hurriedly and notified Postmaster Lucas and others and arming themselves they went to the post office but before they arrived the robbers had completed their work and fled.  From tracks discovered in the snow the burglars had out guards, one of whom was heard to give a shrill whistle, which was no doubt a signal to his pals inside the building.

The tools were secured at the handcar house and an entrance was effected by prying the lock on the front door.  A can, supposed to contain nitroglycerin was found on the floor.  The safe, which was a new one, was badly damaged by the explosion but no serious damage was done to the building or furniture.  This is the second time this post office has been burglarized, the first time being about two years ago.  There is no clue to the robbers, other than their tracks which led toward the railroad.  Some are of the opinion that it was the work of home talent while others think it the work of an organized band of robbers now infesting this section of the state.

News About our Neighbors (Scottsburg Chronicle, June 23, 1910)

To Build New Church

Workmen are tearing down the old Methodist Church at Freetown and will soon begin the erection of a new and larger building.  The new church will cost about $2,000 and will be arranged in a very convenient manner.  The church has a large membership.

Attempt To Wreck Train

An unsuccessful attempt was made to wreck a passenger train on the Southern Indiana Railroad one day last week at what is known as "Devil's Elbow," a sharp curve between Kurtz and Freetown.  Just as the engine rounded the curve the engineer noticed that two crossties had been placed side by side on the track.  Before he could reverse his engine he hit the ties, one being thrown clear of the track when it was struck, but the other was wedged under the pilot.  No damage was done to the train or engine.  The guilty parties are unknown and it is not known why an attempt should be made to wreck the train, unless some one believed they had a grievance against the road.  It has also been rumored that the work was done by boys, but no definite evidence has been obtained.

Fire at Freetown (June 29, 1910)

Pool Room and Soft Drink Parlor in Ashes -- A building, known as the old saloon building and located in the old part of Freetown, was destroyed by fire shortly before one o'clock Tuesday morning.  When the fire was discovered, it was not under much headway, but in the excitement and for lack of water facilities, little effort was made to save it, and it was soon reduced to ashes.

The building was a one-story frame.  It was owned by Frank Wheeler but was occupied by W. S. Brock, as a pool room and soft drink parlor.  There were three pool tables in the building.  The general opinion is that the fire was of incendiary origin, which is based merely on circumstantial evidence.  There has been considerable opposition against the pool room in Freetown and it is said that there had been several threats to burn it.  The pool room was formerly located in another building and there were several demonstrations made against it at that time.  One time the windows were broken and it is said the proprietor received several letters threatening to burn the place out if it was not closed up.  The losses on the building and contents were both pretty well covered by insurance, there being $350 on the building, and $200 on the contents.

Canning Factory to be Rebuilt (February 27, 1918)

The Freetown Canning Factory, a branch of the Rider Packing Company of Crothersville, was completely destroyed by fire about two o'clock Tuesday morning together with all of its contents, including about nine carloads of pumpkins.  The fire was first discovered by Mrs. Wineinger, who lives near the factory, who was awakened by the glare from the flames.  It was under so much headway by the time the alarm was sounded that it was impossible to save the buildings.  It was said that some of the contents could have been saved, but no one seemed to want to take the responsibility of breaking down the doors and entering the burning building.  The general supposition is that it was of incendiary origin, from the fact that there had been no fire about since the weather moderated. 

While it was possible that it might have been fired by the carelessness of tramps, the general supposition is that it was the work of alien nemis, who possibly had knowledge of the large quantity of pumpkins in storage.  At the same time hoping to curtail the season's output of tomatoes at that plant. 

It seemed that the fire started in the engine room.  While it was burning, persons noticed a streak of fire along the entire center of the second floor over the wareroom which some supposed to be a fuse of some kind connected with a bomb, but no explosion followed.  This may have had something to do with keeping persons from entering to save any of the contents. 

The State Fire Marshal was notified and is starting an investigation.  It has been recalled that a strange and suspicious looking man was seen in Freetown and vicinity Sunday, but no one seems to have paid any particular attention to him at the time.

The factory was a large two-story frame building, 68 x 190 feet.  The Rider Packing Company estimates their loss between $25,000 and $30,000 with $15,000 insurance.  The canned pumpkins were the property of the Armour Packing Company of Chicago.  They purchased these last season.  Their loss is estimated at $10,000 that is covered by insurance.

March 6, 1918 - Rider Packing Company Planning to Begin Work on Premises Next Monday -- Modern Plant.

The Rider Packing Company of Crothersville has definitely decided to rebuild their canning factory at Freetown, which was destroyed by fire last week.  At the time of the Banner's interview last week they had not reached any definite conclusion in the matter.  They will rebuild on the site where the other factory was burned and are planning to begin next week to clean away the debris, and push the entire work as rapidly as possible so as to have the plant completed in time to handle this season's crop.

The new plant will be modern in every respect and will be more conveniently arranged than the old one.  While it will be the same capacity, it will have considerable more floor space than the former plant.  The total floor space will be about 20,000 square feet, which is about 7,000 more than the old one.  They have assurance of getting their machinery and have some of it already ordered.  Their decision to rebuild the factory was good news to the people of Freetown and vicinity as this industry was a great benefit to that section of the county.

October 2, 1918

We understand that the canning factory will can kraut and hominy here this winter.  They will commence canning pumpkins the last of this week.

October 30, 1918

The canning factory has caught up in the pumpkin run, but will continue to buy a limited supply.  In all probability they will can hominy at this place during the winter.

November 20, 1918

We are informed that the canning factory will can hominy throughout the winter.  Two carloads of kraut are expected to arrive any day.

December 25, 1918

The Rider Packing Co. may have a lecturer here in January to induce their growers to cultivate berries for the coming season.

April 27, 1938

The Vincennes Packing Corp., successors to the Rider Packing Co. of Crothersville, announced a few weeks ago that the plants at Seymour, Crothersville, and Freetown would not operate this year.