willing to undertake the care of ten orphans in the manner indicated. On the 24th day of November, 1865, she commenced her work in two rooms in the Military Hospital at Indianapolis, with four soldiers' orphans, taken from the Orphans' Asylum of that city. In a short time she had the full number (ten) from different parts of the State, all without friends to care for them. In April, 1866, Miss Fussell moved to the "Knightstown Springs," and, with her little family, occupied the little cottage on the hill on the east side of the road, and here we find the first Soldiers' Orphans' Home at this place, while the Soldiers' Home had just been located, by private enterprise, in the hotel on the opposite side of the road. When the State assumed control of the Home in March, 1867, the Legislature appointed Henry B. Hill, Charles S. Hubbard and William Hannaman, Trustees, and the following classes were admitted to the Home: 1. Totally disabled soldiers and seamen. 2. Partially disabled soldiers and seamen. 3. Orphans, under fifteen years of age, of deceased soldiers (neither father nor mother living). 4. Orphans of the same class whose mothers are living. 5. Widows of deceased soldiers. The Trustees appointed Dr. M. M. Wishard, long identified with this Home, the first Superintendent. Here, however, Miss Fussell lived for ten years with her charge of ten orphans, independent of the State Home, except that they attended the schools established by the State. They maintained a separate family life, wherein they so nearly forgot that they were orphans that they often spoke of the others as "the orphans." Miss Fussell has passed over the river to her rest and reward, but she lived long enough to see most of her children happily married and in homes of their own, all blessing her for the care and helpful influence she had exerted on their young lives. Mr. Merritt, who is reliable authority for these statements, bears witness "to the faithfulness and unselfishness of that noble band of men and women who, during the time he was an observer of the work, had charge of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home." In a short time the number of admissions was so great that more room was required, and five acres of ground east of the road, and directly opposite the Hotel Home, were purchased and a new building erected thereon at a cost of fiftysix thousand dollars ($56,000). To this new building the old soldiers were transferred, and the children were left in the hotel. In 1870, however, the children so far outnumbered the old soldiers that they exchanged quarters, the children taking the new Home and the soldiers returning to the hotel. Early on Christmas morning, 1871, the old hotel was burned, and soon thereafter the soldiers were removed to the National Military Home at Dayton, Ohio. This left the orphans in full possession of the Home until, in 1879, an asylum for the feebleminded children was attached to the institution. This continued until the Legislature of 1887 separated them, sending the feeble-minded (May 17) to Richmond, leaving the orphans sole possessors of the ground again, which arrangement still continues. The Orphans' Home has been twice burned. First, on the 8th of September, 1877, at about eleven o'clock P. M., the building was discovered to be on fire. Although nearly all were sleeping soundly when the alarm was given, those in charge gave themselves so energetically to the work of saving the children that no one was lost. With commendable zeal the Trustees began to build at once, so that in September, 1878, the new building was again occupied. The second fire occurred on July 21, 1886, at two P. M. There was no loss of life, but the building and most of its contents were consumed. Temporary shelter was immediately provided for the children, making them a mfortable as possible under the circumstances. In September the Trustees rented the Valley House in Knightstown, and the soldiers' orphans were removed there, while the feeble minded children were assigned temporarily to the frame sehool building upon the Home grounds. The contract for rebuilding was let at once, and with characteristic promptness the Trustees pushed the work to completion. The corner-stone was laid on the 17th day of November, 1886, and June 28, 1887, the south wing was completed and occupied. The remaining part of the administration building was occupied as rapidly as the rooms and halls were completed. The new school building was completed in January, and on the 6th day of February, 1888, the children took possession. The present industrial building was erected in the year 1888. The three cottages on the east side of "Cottage Park" were built in the year 1889, and the three on the south side were added in the year 1891. Lincoln Hall was begun in October, 1891. The corner-stone was laid on November 3 of the same year, and it was dedicated June 23, 1892. The following purchases of land for the use of the Home have been made, and together constitute the Home farm: The following are the names of Superintendents who have had charge of the Home from its beginning: Rev. R. F. Brewington (acting)..Feb. 14, 1877. Nov. 11, 1877. The following legislative enactments are worthy of a place in this record: July 1, 1891. ACTS OF 1867. March 11. The General Assembly passed a law establishing the Indiana Soldiers' and Seamen's Home. ACTS OF 1869. Made no further change than to make Trustees legal guardians of the children and permitted them to indenture them. ACTS OF 1871. Made a specific appropriation of five thousand dollars ($5,000) to pay debts and maintenance from January to April 1, 1871. ACTS OF 1873. Made appropriation of thirty-eight thousand dollars ($38,000) for each year. ACTS OF 1875. Made an appropriation of thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) from 1875 to 1876. Made an appropriation of thirty-eight thousand dollars ($38,000) from 1876 to 1877. ACTS OF 1877. Made an appropriation of twenty thousand three hundred dollars ($20,300) for 1877. Made an appropriation of thirty-four thousand dollars ($34,000) for 1878. Made an appropriation of three thousand four hundred dollars ($3,400) for 1879. ACTS OF 1879. March 15, 1879, an act established an Asylum for FeebleMinded Children, located at the Soldiers' Orphans' Home. It abolished the Trustees of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home and makes the Trustees of the Feeble-Minded Institution to have charge of Soldiers' Orphans' Home. Amended act of 1879. ACTS OF 1883. ACTS OF 1885. Creates the Soldiers' Orphans' Home and makes it a corporation. The Board of Trustees to be composed of two men, one from each of the two leading political parties, and one lady. ACTS OF 1887. Creates the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home. The law locating the Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children at the Home repealed. The purchase of seventy-five acres of land authorized. 5-S. & S. O. HOME. Appropriations authorizing the erection of buildings costing in the aggregate one hundred and sixteen thousand dollars ($116,000). The office of Steward was created, and the fifteendollar ($15) per capita law was passed. For maintenance for year ending October 31, 1893........... 95,000 October 31, 1893.... 3,600 For library for year ending October 31, 1893 200 |