Deming, Indiana

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Deming, Indiana
Unincorporated community
Deming Show map of Indiana Deming Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 40°06′55″N 86°05′55″W / 40.11528°N 86.09861°W / 40.11528; -86.09861
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Hamilton
Township	Jackson
Elevation [1]	892 ft (272 m)
ZIP code	46034
FIPS code	18-17650[2]
GNIS feature ID	433464[1]

Deming is an unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana, United States.

In 1833, David Anthony, Joseph Hadley, William Pickett, and Jesse Beals became the first recorded American pioneers to permanently inhabit the region that is near/at the present site of Deming, Indiana. Later that same year, Hansil Bartholomew, Peter Lowrance, Jacob Hadley, William Ramsey, Levi Cook, Elihu Pickett, James Fisher, Jacob Crull, Joseph Moon, John Countryman, Daniel Lane, Samuel Pickerill, Squire Tucker, and John Hatfield also settled in the area. From then on, a steady stream of pioneers trickled into the community.^[3] This early wave of settlement ended with the Panic of 1837 and the subsequent failure of the Indiana Mammoth Internal Improvement Act.^[4]

The aforementioned early settlers of this region noted how “the land was naturally well drained, the soil a little sand in it which proclaimed easy cultivation. The forest was thick with sugar, poplar, walnut, and oak, and that fact also denoted good fertility."^[5] The Land Office of Indianapolis, which was managed by the General Land Office, sold land in the locality in 40-acre blocks for $1.25 (approximately $47.00 in August of 2024) an acre.^[6][5][7] Surrounding the community to the north and east was Hinkle Creek.^[8] On the western side of the community, the upper part of Lick Creek—named for a salt spring that deer enjoyed licking—formed a swamp known as “The Dismal.” Springs and quagmires made The Dismal a bad place for farming.^[9] The fact that it was infested with wolves and panthers made it even less appealing.^[10] Although these predators were of little threat to the pioneers themselves, they were known to prey on the livestock that the pioneers kept.^[11] The Dismal stretched diagonally southwest for the three miles between Deming and Hortonville.^[12] Near the close of the Civil War, the inhabitants of the region surrounding The Dismal tried to drain the swamp in an attempt to access the fertile farmland underneath. They were able to dig a ditch to the White River, but unfortunately their effort failed as the river had a tendency to flood the ditch. In 1880, a second attempt was made when a crew was hired from Indianapolis to drain the swamp. Using only their picks and shovels, the men successfully completed the task at hand.^[13]

The community was laid out on August 10, 1837, by Elihu Pickett, Solomon Pheanis, and Lewis Jessup.^[14][15] It was originally called Farmington. When the first post office in the community was established on April 7, 1846, the community was renamed to Penfield as there was already a Farmington post office in Indiana.^[16] The name of the community—and thus the post office—was once again changed, this time to Deming, on January 14, 1854. As many of the inhabitants of the community were abolitionists, they renamed the community in honor of the Liberty Party's 1843 Indiana gubernatorial election candidate, Dr. Elizur Deming.^[17][16] The Deming post office ceased operations on October 15, 1902.^[16] Below is a list of all of the postmasters who were appointed to the community's post office:^[18]

• 
  B.F. Holliday is seated on the far left. For a time, he was the oldest postmaster in Hamilton County.^[61]
• 
  Oliver Holliday was appointed the postmaster of Deming on September 29, 1897.^[57]
• 
  Grace Holloway was the last postmaster of Deming.^[59]

Elihu Pickett opened the first store in the community, while Joseph Hadley the second. Meanwhile, the first blacksmith shop was operated by B.F. Holliday, and the second by Allen Meek. The first tan yard was created by Henry Willits; he operated it for about 15 years. Milton Stanley later made a tan yard too.^[62][63][64] A grist and sawmill were built by Daniel Haskett; he sold it near close of the Civil War.^[65]

About half a mile to the west of Deming was the West Grove Friends Church. Many of its founders and members lived in the Deming neighborhood. The church was organized in circa 1837 as a preparative meeting under the leadership of White Lick Friends Church of Morgan County, Indiana.^[66] An article in The Noblesville Ledger discusses how "the community which has now become West Grove began to worship in their homes, and in due time felt a concern to become a part of a Meeting adequately situated. A petition for a Meeting to be established in the community was made. Although two attempts were made previous it was not until 1853... that this community was given the privilege of an established Meeting. Jesse Beals donated the land on which a Meetinghouse was built. The records establish that [the land transfer] was recorded and one dollar was given for the transaction. As need presented itself at a later date, Charles Hiatt gave a number of feet to the east of the land already occupied... for hitching purposes. This land, or at least a portion of it, was given later to the cemetery association."^[67] A tanning yard—described as being "located at the crossroad to the east of the church"—provided the oak bark strips that were used to insulate the meetinghouse that the congregation built in 1853. In an article published in The Noblesville Ledger that Andrew Beals—a grandson of the aforementioned Jesse Beal—dictated, the original frame church building was described as having "a partition through the center to separate the men and women during their business meetings. Raised galleries or platforms held the seats for the head of the meetings."^[68][69] The church also laid out the West Grove Friends Cemetery.^[70] In 1855, the West Grove Friends Church began to prepare for its own monthly meetings under the guidance of the Hinkle Creek Friends Church.^[71] It would take until July 28, 1873, for the West Grove Friends Church to host their first monthly meetings. The church would go on to have its first quarterly meeting on September 1, 1873.^[72] At an unspecified time, the congregation replaced their first meetinghouse with one that "was constructed mostly by Mr. Porch from Westfield."^[73] When the church was dissolved in 1963, a small number of their members went to Hinkle Creek Friends Church, some to Sheridan Friends Meeting, a handful dropped their names from membership, and others joined different denominations."^[66][74] The former meetinghouse was razed in 1964.^[75]

The Civil War came on and stripped the villages and the hamlets of all their young men large enough to bear arms. Many of them never got back. The ones that did, looked upon life with a new slant. And the town that seemed so large and promising when they went away, looked little and dull to their more experienced eyes.

— Excerpt taken from an article written by Robert "Bob" Wimborough

As the Deming neighborhood was "known as one of the most patriotic towns and communities," many of the able-bodied men from the region either volunteered or were drafted into the Union army during the Civil War.^[76] Among them were Nehamiah Baker,^[77] Martin Davis,^[78] Peter Phenis,^[79] Joseph Hadley,^[80] and Hugh Lee.^[81] One notable man who was recruited from Deming was William Smith. While a sergeant in the 57th Indiana Infantry Regiment, he was captured in the Battle of Franklin. Soon afterwards, he was sent to Andersonville Prison. Towards the end of the war—April 1, 1865, to be exact—Sgt. Smith was exchanged back to the Union army at Camp Fisk near Vicksburg, Mississippi. On April 24—after spending three weeks recuperating from his time in Andersonville Prison—Sgt. Smith departed for home aboard the Sultana. He was killed when the Sultana exploded on April 27; his body was never identified.^{[82][83][84][85][86]} Sgt. Smith left behind a wife and a young son.^[87][88][89] Numerous other men from the Deming neighborhood became fatalities of the war; some of their gravesites can be found in local cemeteries.

It was noted in The Noblesville Ledger that a North Carolinian man, William Perry, came to Deming to avoid being drafted into the Confederate army.^[90]

At the conclusion of the Civil War, the men from the Deming neighborhood who had survived their time in the Union army returned to their homes. Other veterans found their way to the area during their search for an occupation. An example of the former group is James Jennings; after serving in the 2nd Indiana Cavalry Regiment and 136th Indiana Infantry Regiment, he was left with a withered hand and severe asthma. Despite his handicap, Jennings was able to find work in Deming's logging industry and sawmills. Even after moving to Tipton, Indiana around 1870, The Noblesville Ledger described how Jennings was still "well known in the Deming neighborhood [and] among the Civil War veterans of Hamilton County."^[91][92][93]

On May 9, 1863, a dozen or so Master Masons gathered in a store in Deming to apply for a charter from the Grand Lodge of Indiana.^[94] The charter was granted, and Hinkle Lodge No. 310 was organized in Deming on May 26, 1864. The Noblesville Ledger stated that "the lodge prospered vert fast in an early day, meeting every few nights and sometimes during the day to initiate members. A great many were hurriedly received in order that they might answer Lincoln's call for troops."^[95] Fellow Mason and Wesleyan preacher Jabez Neal was paid $1,450 by Hinkle Lodge for the construction of a Masonic Hall in Deming. Beginning in 1865, Hinkle Lodge met on the second floor of the hall while the Deming Wesleyan Church gathered on the main floor. Prior to this, the Masons had met in B.F. Holiday's store.^{[96][97][98][99]} To cover the costs, member dues were raised from 10 cents to 75 cents a month.^[99] In May of 1898, the Deming Wesleyan Church sold Hinkle Lodge the land that the hall was on for $35.^[100] As of October of 2024, Mason's still meet at Hinkle Lodge in Deming.^[101]

How sweet my child-hood memories,
Of trees and flowers and rill,
of wild-flowers and woodland lot—
And Deming on the hill.

Down the road we'd barefoot go
On past the water mill;
With errands bent to the country store—
And Deming on the hill.

A little town, serene and quiet,
And there you find it still,
Although we've wandered far away
We love Deming on the hill.

Seasons come and seasons go
With summer heat and winter chill,
To fame and fortune, but we return
To Deming on the hill.

Sweet Childhood memories we would not chide,
But let thee have thy fill
And dwell upon the dearest spot—
Of Deming on the hill.

— Poem by Bertha Billingsly

A Wesleyan Church began meeting in Deming in 1865 on the main floor of Hinkle Lodge. However, for several years prior to that, the congregation had met for worship in the Deming school.^[102] The congregation began construction on a new church building in circa 1898; it was dedicated on August 13, 1899.^{[103][104][105]} By the time the mid-1970s rolled around, it was noted that the Deming Wesleyan Church membership had dwindled to practically zero.^[106] On August 27, 1976, the church placed their final invitation in the local newspapers.^[107] Beginning six days later, ads were run in newspapers that listed the former church building for sale at $13,000 ($72,000 in 2024)^[108][109] An artist named Carol Bochoski eventually purchased the building and turned it into her home studio.^[110][111]

In was noted that a Masonic lodge for African Americans had been established in Deming by 1869.^[112][113] The Masons of this lodge met on the second floor of a building that was located "on the southwest corner [of Main and Cross streets]". By 1871, the lodge was no longer there.^[114]

In the summer of 1875, Mr. Holloway moved to the community after purchasing the Deming flouring mill.^[115] In 1876, John Holloway Jr. was running a mill.^[116] The mill was still in operation in 1885.^[117]

In 1870, Jacob Bartholomew constructed a steam grist and sawmill in the southern part of the community.^[118] In early 1873, he traded his mill for a farm that a Mr. Keisling owned.^[119]

In the summer of 1870, B.F. Holiday moved his general merchandise business into a new store.^[120] In 1889, B.F. Holliday ran a store called "B.F. Holliday & Son."^[121]

In 1875, Deming started a baseball team.^[122]

First build around 1855, the Deming school—located on the eastern side of Deming—was where many of the children in the Deming neighborhood got their education.^[59][123] In the fall of 1881, the Deming school moved to a newly constructed two-room brick schoolhouse. The Noblesville Ledger described how in the cornerstone of the "magnificent building," numerous articles were deposited: B.F. Holliday left a "Stoddard Mental Arithmetic" book, while a school manual and a history of Deming were also placed within the cornerstone.^{[124][125][126]} On most maps from this era, the official name of the Deming school was Public School No. 18.^[127] Throughout the summer of 1906, the 1881-schoolhouse was demolished.^[128][129] It was replaced with an all-brick schoolhouse that was two-stories tall—plus a basement—and had eight rooms. Classes began there on March 1, 1907.^{[130][131][132]} A tennis court was added to the school's playground in 1915.^[133]

The Foster Scott Telegram Company built a telegram line to Deming in circa 1898.^[134]

As to where I am now, I am in some place in Europe. That is all I can say now, for if I said more, the censor would not permit it. But I am a long way from home and have been across England and parts of France, but have not yet seen Paris. I have seen some country and also some historic that are three or four hundred years old... a year ago I would not have believed it if somebody should have told me I would be in this part of the world now. This is a great country.

— Floyd Griffin in a letter home to his parents in 1918

At the beginning of the United States involvement in World War I, forty-five men registered for the draft in Freemont Holloway's store in Deming during the first mandatory registration on June 5, 1917.^[135][136] One of those men was Harry Leeman; he later enlisted in the United States Army and was subsequently assigned to Battery B in the 103rd Field Artillery Regiment. Pvt. Leeman was killed instantly on July 28, 1918, after a shell from a German airplane landed near him during the Second Battle of the Marne. He is said to have been the only soldier who registered for service in Deming to be killed in the war.^{[137][138][139][140]} An American Legion post in nearby Arcadia, Indiana, was named in his honor in 1921.^[141][142]

An interesting event took place at the church during WWI: a night or two after the West Grove Friends Church refused to fly the American flag for an event on June 23, 1918, four carloads of men showed up and placed multiple American flags on the church's property. On the front door a warning was nailed against the removal of the flags.^{[143][144][145]}

The Hinkle Creek Friends Church, located near where Hinkle Road and 215th Street intersect, was organized in 1836 by settlers in the Deming and Bakers Corner area who moved here from North Carolina and Virginia because of their opposition to slavery. The church is active to this day.^[146]

For a time, there were two schools that served the students who lived in/around Deming. One was known as the Deming school. First built around 1855 on the eastern side of the community, it was originally a small one-room schoolhouse.^[59][123] In 1871, The Noblesville Ledger described how the Deming schoolhouse filled the place of "seminary, church, town hall, and club room."^[147] In 1881, a two-room brick schoolhouse was constructed to replace the older schoolhouse. The architect and builder of the new schoolhouse was Ira Shoaf, while the brick work was done by Philip Leace and George Deerwester.^{[148][149][150]} Classes began there later that same year. ^[151] It was officially known as Public School No. 18, but most people still referred to it as simply the Deming school.^[127] A stable was built for the student's horses in 1905. During the summer of 1906, the 1881-schoolhouse was demolished.^[129][128] It was replaced with an all-brick schoolhouse that was two-stories tall (plus a basement) and had eight rooms. 75 students began classes there on March 1, 1907. All of the students at the school were between the ages of 5 and 25 years old.^{[130][131][132]} In 1915, a tennis court was added to the school's playground.^[133] The last recorded school activities at the Deming school took place in the spring of 1930.^[152] In September of 1931, the schoolhouse was sold for $160 (approximately $3,310 in August of 2024) to a nearby property owner by the name of Mrs. Griffin. Mrs. Griffin planned to "convert the building into a stable and use the basement for hogs and cattle. Feed will be stored in the upper rooms."^[132][153] The former schoolhouse was partially dismantled and then razed in circa 1939, with the lumber from the building being sold to a sawmill owner in an auction.^{[154][155][156]} Beginning in 1941, the former students and teachers from the Deming school held annual reunions so that they could reminisce together about their days at the school. Many of their decedents and friends also attended the reunions. During the reunions, participants would enjoy "special music, entertainment, [and] prizes." From 1941 to 1945, the reunions were held in mid-to-late July at Forest Park in nearby Noblesville. In 1946, they met at the Wesleyan Church in Deming.^{[157][158][159][160][161][162]} Again from 1947 to 1950, the reunions were held in July at Forest Park. On average, between 90 and 125 people were in attendance during the 1940s.^{[163][164][165][166]} In 1951 and 1952, the reunions were held in July at the Hinkle Lodge in Deming. After that, the gatherings took place in August. The number of attendees dwindled in the 1950s, and at the last recorded reunion in 1958, only 15 former students and 8 guests attended.^{[167][168][169][170][171][172][173][174]} The second school used by the Deming community was generally referred to as the West Grove school, though it was officially known as Public School No. 20. It was located next to the West Grove Friends Church.^[175][176] The original schoolhouse was constructed sometime before 1867, with a second schoolhouse being built at an unspecified time and for an unspecified purpose on/near the location of the original.^[177][178] The fate of the school remains unknown, though in 2003 it was noted that the "school buildings are no longer there."^[175]

The last recorded school activities at the Deming school took place in the spring of 1930.^[152] In September of 1931, the schoolhouse was sold for $160 (approximately $3,310 in August of 2024) to a property owner by the name of Mrs. Griffin—the original property had been taken from the Griffin property. Mrs. Griffin planned to "convert the building into a stable and use the basement for hogs and cattle. Feed will be stored in the upper rooms."^[132][153]

Lick Creek, which was an offshoot of Hinkle Creek, once ran along the northwestern and western side of Deming. Sometime between 1909 and 1919,^[179] the creek was rerouted and renamed to Isaac Jones Ditch. The ditch was likely named for a local named Isaac Jones Jr. In 1936, the community was put on the electrical grid.^[180] Less than a mile upstream from where Issac Jones Ditch and Hinkle Creek split, the Revis-Carson ditch was dug into Hinkle Creek. Based on satellite imagery, it is believed to have been constructed sometime between 1956 and 1962.

When the town was first laid out, a "corn cracker" mill was in operation a half mile to the east of the community.^[181][182] It was known as Cook's mill. For a time, the people of Deming had their corn grounded at this mill. This mill only lasted a few years, and S. & G. mill was later constructed in 1865 near or on the remains of Cook's mill. The mills were located a half mile to the east of the community on Hinkle Creek near where Hinkle Road meets 225th Street.^[183][184]

Many inhabitants in and around present-day Deming were actively involved in assisting runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. In 1837, runaway slaves John and Louann Rhodes, along with their daughter Lydia Rhodes, arrived in present-day Deming via the Underground Railroad. The family recuperated in preparation for continuing their journey to Canada at the home of Joseph Baker, which was located to the west of Deming. Finding the area to their liking, the Rhodes family settled in nearby Bakers Corner. In 1844, they were involved in the Rhodes family incident. After the incident was resolved, the family continued living as before on their homestead.^[185]

By 1940, Deming had had seven stores.^[186] One was run by Birney Willits.^[187]

In circa 1835, a building was built in Deming.^[188] It was torn down in circa 2018.