113-511: (Redirected from Old Harrison County Courthouse ) Harrison County Courthouse may refer to: Harrison County Courthouse (Indiana) , Corydon, Indiana Harrison County Courthouse (Iowa) , Logan, Iowa Old Harrison County Courthouse (Iowa) , Magnolia, Iowa Harrison County Courthouse (Kentucky) , Cynthiana, Kentucky Harrison County Courthouse (Ohio) , Cadiz, Ohio Old Harrison County Courthouse (Texas) , Marshall, Texas Topics referred to by
226-433: A republican form of government (pursuant to Article IV, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution) consisting of three branches: executive (including administration), legislative, and judicial. The state constitution also includes a bill of rights, grants suffrage and regulates elections, provides for a state militia, state educational institutions, and sets limits on government indebtedness. The Indiana General Assembly may amend
339-428: A "general system of education, ascending in regular gradation, from township schools to a state university, wherein tuition shall be gratis and equally open to all." This was a significant alteration and expansion of the education clauses of the template constitutions used during the convention. Because the opening phrase did not provide a specific timetable for implementation, a state-supported system of public education
452-655: A bed and breakfast inn in 1986–87. The property, which is located within the district, was listed separately on the National Register in 1987. The three-story county Harrison County Courthouse, which is located next to the Old Capitol, was completed in 1929. The Grand Masonic Lodge first organized in 1817 under the Grand Lodge of Kentucky; the Grand Lodge of Indiana organized in Madison in 1818. It
565-471: A bill for an Enabling Act , which provided for the election of delegates to a convention to consider statehood for Indiana. The bill passed in the U.S. House on March 30, 1816, and in the U.S. Senate on April 13. President James Madison signed the Enabling Act into law on April 19, 1816. If a majority of the delegates to Indiana's constitutional convention agreed, the delegates would proceed to create
678-430: A cost-cutting measure. Although there had been previous attempts to initiate another constitutional convention, the state legislature was finally successful in calling for Indiana's second constitutional convention until 1849. Its delegates convened at Indianapolis in 1850. The state constitution of 1816 was replaced with a new state constitution in 1851. On January 15, 1849, the state legislature finally approved
791-512: A federal act was approved to extend federal laws to Indiana. The 1816 constitution was never amended, although some of its provisions were criticized after its adoption. Demands for changes to constitution were made as early as 1820, but referendums in 1823, 1828, 1840, and 1846 on holding a constitutional convention were unsuccessful. In addition, fifteen more efforts to convene a state constitutional convention were made between 1820 and 1847, but they also failed. The most notable criticisms of
904-611: A financial crisis in the 1840s in Indiana due to overspending, a result of the Indiana Mammoth Internal Improvement Act , caused the state government to become insolvent. The state's financial situation and ongoing calls for constitutional changes to prevent another crisis increased interest in a constitutional mandate that prohibited the state from incurring debt. Another popular idea was holding biennial, as opposed to annual, legislative sessions as
1017-567: A new elected office, the state superintendent of public instruction, and gave the state some authority in setting curriculum. During the convention, delegates also considered abolishing the "State University" and county seminaries. Although efforts to abolish the university were unsuccessful, Article 8, Section 2, of the new constitution authorized the sale of county seminaries with the proceeds to be used to help fund Indiana's public elementary schools. Article 8 did not specifically identify Indiana University or guarantee its financial support; however,
1130-460: A portion of the tree's preserved trunk, surrounded by a sandstone memorial. The Indiana General Assembly met for the first time at Corydon under the new constitution and state government on November 4, 1816, and Indiana was admitted as the nineteenth state in the Union on December 11, 1816. Corydon served as the first state capital of Indiana from 1816 to 1825, when the seat of state government
1243-399: A referendum, after several previous unsuccessful attempts, to hold a constitutional convention in 1850, two years before the required twelve-year referendum mandated in the constitution of 1816, provided that a majority of voters favored the idea at the next regular election. In August 1849, a total of 81,500 voters favored and 57,418 opposed a constitutional convention. The clear majority cased
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#17327871742911356-509: A sergeant-at-arms and a doorkeeper. Judge Isaac Blackford of the Indiana Supreme Court administered the oath of office. Convention delegates were appointed to twenty-two standing committees to review proposed items and considered 333 resolutions. Prior to the convention, the state's political parties (Democrats and Whigs) adopted a set of proposals that they want to incorporate into the constitution. Whigs wanted offices in
1469-530: A state constitution. As outlined in the Enabling Act, election of delegates to Indiana's first constitutional convention took place on May 13, 1816. The convention at Corydon , the territorial capital in Harrison County , began on Monday, June 10, 1816. The convention's elected delegation of forty-three men were apportioned among the thirteen counties that were "in existence prior the 1815 General Assembly" and based on each county's population. In
1582-472: A state historic site in 1979. William Hendricks occupied the building from 1822 to 1825, when he was governor of Indiana . Hendricks was Indiana's first state representative to U.S. House of Representatives in 1816 and later served in the U.S. Senate . William A. Porter, a lawyer, judge, and politician, purchased the building in 1841. Judge Porter served in the Indiana legislature was speaker of Indiana House in 1847–48. The Constitution Elm commemorates
1695-529: A stockholder and banned the creation of other state-funded banks. Among the other important changes was the abandonment of the short ballot , where voters cast their ballots for a party's entire state of candidates instead of voting for individual offices. The Whig minority supported adoption of these changes, hoping to break the Democratic hold on power. Several other changes to the constitution related to election concerns. Terms for elected office included
1808-406: A strong commitment to public school education, especially elementary schools (common schools), by mandating a "uniform system of common schools, equally open to all and free of tuition." The constitution also required the state government to adequately fund local elementary schools, while providing for boards of local residents to manage the funds and the schools. Constitutional changes also created
1921-477: A two-year term for representatives and four-year terms for the governor and state senators. The constitution of 1851 also called for the popular election of more state government positions such as the secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, prosecuting attorney, and judges, as well as other county and local officials such as clerk, auditor, treasurer, sheriff, and coroner. In most cases, these officeholders were limited to two consecutive terms. In addition,
2034-409: Is 10 feet (3.0 m) tall. The original building had a scale and balance on the roof as the symbol of justice, but they were removed in 1833 and replaced with a large bell. The construction cost of original building was approximately $ 3,000. Two large chimneys that accommodated the four fireplaces installed in both the upper and lower levels were closed up during later renovations. A wood floor covered
2147-401: Is 40 feet (12 m) square with walls 2.5 feet (0.76 m) thick. The exposed exterior of the building is not dressed, using only stones that were cut roughly square. The foundation, dug 3 feet (0.91 m) into the ground, is also 2.5 feet (0.76 m) thick. The lower level has 15-foot (4.6 m) ceilings, flagstone floors, and a barn rail made from hewn timber. The upper floor's ceiling
2260-571: Is also known as the Old Treasury Building. It housed state government offices, including the first state auditor's and treasurer's offices. The building was included in the initial historic district designation. It is located on Walnut Street, east of the Governor's Hendricks' Headquarters. The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites Corporation began a major rehabilitation of this building in 2008. Governor Hendricks's Headquarters
2373-560: Is also part of the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site. Davis Floyd , a former treasurer and auditor of the Indiana Territory and a delegate to the constitutional convention in 1816, built the residence in 1817, when he was an Indiana state legislator. After Floyd lost the home during the financial Panic of 1819 , the state government purchased it to house the Indiana's governor. It opened as
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#17327871742912486-560: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Harrison County Courthouse (Indiana) The Corydon Historic District is a national historic district located in Corydon, Indiana , United States . The town of Corydon is also known as Indiana's First State Capital and as Historic Corydon . The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, but
2599-407: Is still preserved.) The delegates completed their work on the constitution in nineteen days, adjourning on June 29, 1816. The total cost of the convention was $ 3,076.21, which included compensating the delegates and their assistants for each day they attended the convention, as well as printing costs for the final version of the document and the acquisition of benches, tables, books, and stationery for
2712-512: Is the oldest Masonic Lodge building in Indiana. Its founding members included State Senator Dennis Pennington ; Indiana first governor Jonathan Jennings ; State Representative Davis Floyd , and U.S. Congressman William Hendricks , among others. The present-day lodge building on Elm Street was erected in 1926. It is still used by Masons and the Order of the Eastern Star . Construction on
2825-578: The constitution , subject to ratification by vote of the people, as specified in Article 16 of Indiana's 1851 constitution. In 1811 the Indiana Territory 's House of Representatives adopted a memorial to the U.S. Congress asking permission for its citizens "to form a government and constitution and be admitted to the Union", but the War of 1812 delayed the process until 1815. Some members of
2938-514: The Battle of Corydon on July 9, 1863. The battle site, which is located outside of town, is listed separately on the National Register. The district's courthouse square also includes a memorial to the late Indiana governor Frank O'Bannon ; his father, Robert P. O'cannon; and grandfather, Lew O'cannon, all of whom were prominent in Corydon. Plans for the O'Bannon memorial on the southwest corner of
3051-591: The Northwest Ordinance of 1787, efforts to pass a request to consider statehood for Indiana were renewed. On December 11, 1815, the territory's House of Representatives voted seven to five in favor of the memorial to Congress stating its qualification to become a state. The request was presented in the U.S. House of Representatives on December 28, 1815, and introduced in the U.S. Senate on January 2, 1816. A House committee chaired by Jonathan Jennings , Indiana's territorial representative, reported out
3164-527: The South ; all but nine had lived below the Mason-Dixon line before their arrival in the Indiana Territory. The youngest delegate (Joseph Holman of Wayne County) was twenty-eight; the oldest was fifty-eight. Eleven delegates had served in the territorial legislature and more than half of the delegates had previous legal training. Daniel Grass, the sole delegate from Warrick County, was excused on June 19 for
3277-405: The U.S. Congress had agreed to grant statehood to the former Indiana Territory. The present-day document, which went into effect on November 1, 1851, is the state's second constitution. It supersedes Indiana's 1816 constitution and has had numerous amendments since its initial adoption. Indiana's constitution is composed of a preamble, articles, and amendments. Among other provisions, it specifies
3390-413: The 1816 constitution were Corydon's identification as the seat of state government for the next nine years, inadequate provisions for amending the constitution, prohibition of salary increases for state government officials until 1819, term limits for judges, and a failure to provide for selection of a state attorney general or prosecuting attorney. Some critics felt that decisions regarding these issues were
3503-579: The 1816 document, the new constitution retained other features such as the basic frame of a limited self-government for the state. The 1851 version, which was longer and more detailed than the 1816 constitution, combined "Jacksonian Democracy with a vigorous emphasis on economic laissez faire," reflecting the state's financial crisis in the late 1830s and early 1840s. The new constitution also continued to support strong local control of government, confirming Indiana voters' general distrust of state government. The constitution of 1851 placed several limitations on
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3616-560: The 1849–50 session of the Indiana General Assembly to pass legislation calling for the election in August 1850 of 150 delegates apportioned among the Indiana General Assembly's senatorial and representative districts and based on the number of voters within each district. The Whigs, the minority party in the state at that time, and some state officials, including Governor Paris C. Dunning , urged bipartisan representation at
3729-739: The Constitution Elm, the Posey House, the Westfall House, the Branham home/tavern, and the Kintner-McGrain House (named Cedar Glade). In 1989 the district was extended to Indian Creek in the north and west, east to College Avenue, and south to Little Indian Creek to include additional historic structures. The district's period of significance spans from 1808 to 1929. The district's boundary increase encompassed
3842-579: The Corydon Capitol State Historic Site, is administered by the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. The two-story, Federal-style , limestone building served as Indiana's first state capitol from 1816 until 1825. The building was originally intended to serve as the Harrison County Courthouse. Construction began in 1814, when Corydon was the capital of the Indiana Territory. The building was nearly completed in 1816,
3955-429: The Corydon public schools were racially integrated , beginning in the 1950–51 school year. In 1987, the school was renamed for Leora Brown Farrow, the school's longest serving-teacher, who taught at school from 1924 until 1950. The school is located at the corner of Summit and Hill Streets, a block east of the district's amended boundary line that was established as part of the National Register listing in 1989. Although
4068-715: The Hall of Representatives at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis on October 7, 1850. Charles H. Test called the meeting to order and George Whitfield Carr, the delegate from Lawrence County , was elected the convention's president. (Carr had been Speaker of the House in the two previous sessions of the Indiana General Assembly.) William Hayden English was elected to serve as the convention secretary, along with three assistant secretaries. Appointed officials included
4181-525: The Harrison County Courthouse and county government office building until 1929, when a new county courthouse was completed. In 1917, the State of Indiana purchased the Old Capitol building with the intention of preserving it. The restored building opened in 1929 and has since been preserved and protected as a memorial. The Old Capitol, sometimes referred to as the Corydon Capitol, was included within
4294-590: The Harrison County Courthouse, which the county government planned to build on Corydon's public square, could be used as an assembly building for the territorial legislature. Pennington was awarded the contract to supervise construction of the courthouse, which became known as the Old Capitol. In addition to its role as the capitol of the Indiana Territory, Corydon served as the site of a constitutional convention to consider statehood for Indiana in 1816. Forty-three delegates convened from June 10 to 29, 1816, to draft Indiana's first state constitution . Sources disagree on
4407-528: The Indiana General Assembly's activities. Biennial legislative sessions were limited to 61 consecutive days (40 consecutive days for special sessions). To prevent the state legislature from interfering in local affairs, the General Assembly was restricted to general legislation applicable to the entire state and limited local and special interest legislation. In addition, the state government was prohibited from going into debt. The new constitution gave
4520-485: The Old Capitol, the centerpiece of the district. Corydon became the seat of government for the Indiana Territory when the territorial capital was moved from Vincennes , in Knox County , shortly after the outbreak of the War of 1812 . Dennis Pennington , a Harrison County representative and the speaker of the territorial legislature's lower house, helped secure Corydon's selection as the capital by pointing out that
4633-503: The Supreme Court of Indiana was made an elective body. The number of Indiana Supreme Court judges was increased from three to five and their terms were extended to six years. The state's lower courts system was reorganized as well. For example, circuit court judges and local justices were made elective offices. The constitution of 1851 extended voting rights to foreign-born men who had immigrated to Indiana. To vote in Indiana under
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4746-642: The United States had lived in Indiana for at least one year. Under Article VII all "able-bodied" white men between the ages of 18 and 45 were required to serve in the militia when called upon to do so. Non-whites (more specifically, blacks, mulattos, and Native Americans) were prohibited from serving in the militia. Conscientious objectors would be fined if they did not serve. The constitution's first mention of slavery appears in Article VIII, Section 1, which expressly prohibited alteration or amendment of
4859-401: The anti-territorial governor and anti-slavery faction, emerged in favor of statehood. The opposing consisted mostly of Harrison's friends and supporters of the territorial legislature who opposed statehood. The summer heat often caused the delegation to move outdoors and work beneath the shade of a giant elm tree that would later be memorialized as the Constitution Elm. (A portion of the trunk
4972-587: The constitution also discouraged African Americans from settling permanently in the state. Some convention delegates openly advocated for the colonization of free people of color in Indiana to Liberia , which led to the adoption of Article 13, section 3. This particular section outlined a source of funding for those who chose to emigrate. Although the Indiana Supreme Court's ruling in Smith v. Moody (1866), struck down Article 13, making it invalid, it
5085-451: The constitution as a whole with 113,230 votes in favor and 27,638 opposed, an 80.38 percent favorable approval among voters. Ohio County was the only one where the majority of voters rejected the new constitution (315 voted in favor and 438 opposed). On September 3, 1851, Governor Joseph A. Wright issued a proclamation certifying the favorable results for the new constitution, which went into effect on November 1, 1851. Elected officials in
5198-410: The constitution of 1851 was Indiana's lax election laws, which frequently led to election-day irregularities and accusations of voter fraud. Article 2, Section 2, outlined who was eligible to vote, but the constitution did not have specific provisions for voter regulations or include details to assure bipartisan election boards. Among the constitutional amendments passed in 1881 was one that extended
5311-533: The constitution was based on Jacksonian democracy , which significantly expanded the democratic principles of individual rights, private enterprise, and legislative restrictions. The constitution was submitted to the state's voters for their approval in the August 4, 1851, general election. Convention delegates mandated that voters consider Article 13 separately from the other sections of the constitution. Article 13 prohibited further immigration of African Americans into Indiana and encouraged their colonization outside
5424-416: The constitutions of these two states, along with others such as Pennsylvania , New Hampshire , and Tennessee , for ideas and concepts as well as specific text. Content from the other state constitutions was chosen based on the Indiana delegates' preferences for their new state. Occasionally, original text was composed for specific articles or sections when the appropriate wording in other state constitutions
5537-465: The convention and was later elected the first governor of Indiana, appointed the delegates to various committees; William Hendricks , although he was not an elected delegate, served as the convention's secretary and was later elected as the new state's first representative to Congress. In addition to Jennings, notable members of the delegation included Franklin County delegates James Noble (who became
5650-478: The convention. However, Indiana voters elected convention delegates along party lines. The result (95 Democrats and 55 Whigs) was roughly a two-thirds to one-third split between the two parties. A total of 74 delegates were born in southern states, 13 were native-born Hoosiers, and 57 were born in northern states other than Indiana. About 42 percent of the delegates were farmers and 25 percent were lawyers. The constitutional convention of 150 delegates convened in
5763-452: The courthouse square were announced on May 22, 2007. It includes a lifesize bronze statue of Frank O'Bannon sitting on a limestone bench and three pillars honoring the O'Bannons. The memorial, which cost $ 200,000, was dedicated in June 2008. Because of its history as a territorial and state capital, Corydon sees an estimated 30,000 visitors each year. The Old Capitol building, a part of
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#17327871742915876-427: The delegates mandated that the new constitution, if adopted by a majority of voters in the state, would go into effect on November 1, 1851. The revised state constitution included components of the 1816 state constitution and adopted proposals from the convention delegates, as well as ideas drawn from the constitutions of other states such as Illinois and Wisconsin , which were used as references. The final version of
5989-419: The delegates. The delegates adopted the constitution with a simply majority vote (33 to 8). The new constitution became effective on June 29, 1816, the last day of the convention, when the delegates signed the document. It was not submitted to Indiana's voters for ratification. Indiana's 1816 constitution, considered the most important document in the state's history, represented the more democratic views of
6102-439: The early nineteenth century some of the Indiana Territory's citizens opposed statehood. The major concerns were the loss of financial support from the federal government if it became a state and the fear of a tax increase to pay for the new state government. The minority group preferred to wait until later, when the population was even larger and the state's economy and political structure was more firmly established. The majority of
6215-414: The eight structures from its early era as a territorial and state capital, as well as commercial and residential buildings constructed after 1825, including a new, three-story county Harrison County Courthouse that was completed in 1929. A historical marker erected on the Harrison County Courthouse lawn denotes the town's surrender to Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan 's raiders following
6328-515: The election of other state officials. The judicial branch, as outlined in Article V, included the state's Supreme Court , circuit courts, and other inferior courts. The constitution allowed the state legislature to create and adjust state courts and judicial districts and the governor was given the authority to appoint judges to serve seven-year terms with input and confirmations from the state senate. Article VI granted voting rights to white males twenty-one years of age and older who were citizens of
6441-489: The election of state officials and representation in the Indiana General Assembly and the U.S. Congress. Elections of state officers were held under the laws of the Indiana Territory on August 5, 1816. Jonathan Jennings was elected governor, Christopher Harrison was elected lieutenant governor, and William Hendricks was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The Indiana General Assembly met for
6554-547: The ell's second floor. The rear of the property included woods and a spring, as well as several outbuildings. A portion of the home was later demolished. The property passed through several owners until the Daughters of the American Revolution acquired it in 1925 and operated it as a local history museum through 1999. The Posey home was acquired by the State of Indiana in 2000, but it remained vacant until it
6667-404: The exact location of the gathering. Because the courthouse was not completed at that time, the delegates met at "the courthouse on the hill," which may have referred to a nearby log home that the territorial government had rented. Cramped conditions and the summer heat caused the men to gather under a giant elm tree , which was later named the Constitution Elm. The town's historic district includes
6780-409: The executive, judicial, and legislative branches at all levels of government to be publicly elected offices; Article II expanded suffrage to all males over the age twenty-one, excluding blacks and foreign-born men; biannual sessions of the state legislature (as opposed to annual sessions); a ban on the state government from incurring public debt; minimum funding requirements for public schools; requiring
6893-531: The first U.S. Senator from Indiana after it achieved statehood) and Robert Hanna (who became Indiana's second U.S. Senator after statehood); Harrison County delegates Dennis Pennington and Davis Floyd ; and among others, William Henry Harrison's friends and political allies: Benjamin Parke, John Johnson, John Badollet, and William Polke (delegates from Knox County), David Robb of Gibson County, and James Dill of Dearborn County. Most convention delegates had ties to
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#17327871742917006-461: The first day of the convention, forty-two delegates convened at Corydon to discuss statehood for Indiana. The convention's forty-third delegate, Benjamin Parke , did not arrive until June 14. Thirty-four of the elected delegates agreed on the issue of statehood. On June 11, the delegation passed a resolution (34 to 8) to proceed with task of writing the state's first constitution and forming a state government. Jonathan Jennings , who presided over
7119-417: The first state constitutional convention that was held from June 10 to 29, 1816, when forty-three delegates convened at Corydon to discuss statehood for the territory and draft a state constitution for Indiana. The cramped conditions of the log cabin in which the constitution convention was held, along with the summer heat, caused the delegates to gather outdoors under the branches of a nearby elm tree , which
7232-416: The first time under the new constitution and state government on November 4, 1816. Jennings and Harrison were inaugurated on November 7. The state legislature elected James Noble and Waller Taylor to the U.S. Senate on the following day. Hendricks was sworn into office and seated as a member of the U.S. House on December 2, 1816. President James Madison signed the congressional resolution admitting Indiana as
7345-481: The first week of sessions organizing the convention. Because the House chamber in the statehouse was too small for the gathering, the state government rented the nearby Masonic Temple . The opening session in the Mason Temple convened on December 26, 1850. The convention, which cost $ 88,280.37 (~$ 2.57 million in 2023), included 127 days of sessions before adjourning on February 10, 1851. Prior to adjournment,
7458-413: The house. Colonel Posey never married, but he raised fourteen orphans in the home. The majority of the two-story brick home was built between 1817 and 1818. It was constructed in three stages: the main house; a wing used as offices, a store, and a cabinet shop; and a two-story ell at the rear of the home that housed a dining room, kitchen, pantry, smokehouse, and woodshed. Servant quarters were located on
7571-614: The listing was amended in 1988 to expand the district's geographical boundaries and include additional sites. The district includes numerous historical structures, most notably the Old Capitol (Indiana's first state capitol building), the Old Treasury Building (Indiana's first state office building), Governor Hendricks' Headquarters, the Constitution Elm Memorial, the Posey House, the Kintner-McGrain House (Cedar Glade), and The Kintner House Inn , as well as other residential and commercial sites. Corydon, Indiana , which
7684-510: The militia until voters passed an amendment in 1936 to remove this restriction. Article 12 was further amended in 1974 to revise sections 1 through 4 and repeal sections 5 and 6. Changes from the initial constitution included removal of term limits for militia officers and the requirement for conscientious objectors to pay a fee for their exemption from military service. Article 13 openly banned African Americans settlement in Indiana and imposed fines on anyone employing or helping them to settle in
7797-518: The nineteenth state in the Union "on equal footing with the original states in all respects whatever" on December 11, 1816, which is considered the state's birthday. Noble and Taylor were sworn into office seated as members of the U.S. Senate on December 12, 1816. Jennings appointed three judges ( Jesse Lynch Holman , John Johnson, and James Scott) to serve seven-year terms on the Indiana Supreme Court, effective December 28, 1816. The final step to achieve statehood for Indiana occurred on March 3, 1817, when
7910-572: The original boundaries of the Corydon Historic District when it was listed on the National Register in 1973. The building has been restored as closely as possible to its original appearance, including furniture and paint colors. In 2015, a major restoration project was completed on the town square to protect the Old Capitol building from water damage, to update the electrical system and landscaping, and to install new walkways. The first state office building, which dates from 1817,
8023-601: The original flagstone floor. When Corydon became the state capital of Indiana in 1816, the Old Capitol building served as the seat of state government. The Indiana Supreme Court and the Indiana Senate were located on the upper level; the Indiana House of Representatives met on the first floor. After 1825, when the state capital was moved to Indianapolis , the Old Captol building continued to be used as
8136-489: The original owners of the home when its construction began in 1817. Colonel Posey was the son of Thomas Posey , governor of the Indiana Territory from 1813 to 1816. Colonel Posey, who was active in Harrison County's civic affairs, served as the county treasurer (1818–24) and was appointed adjutant general of Indiana in 1823. He used one room as his office and operated a dry-goods and cabinet shop in another portion of
8249-410: The previous constitution, foreign-born men had to become naturalized U.S. citizens, which required a five-year residency requirement. Under the new constitution, aliens were granted suffrage if foreign-born men had reached the age of 21, stated their intention to become a naturalized citizen, and had lived in the United States for a year and in Indiana for at least six months. The new constitution made
8362-502: The pro-slavery/less democratic group. Supporters of Indiana statehood (the pro-Jennings faction) favored democracy, election of state officials, and voting representation in Congress. Harrison's allies supported slavery within the territory and maintaining Indiana's territorial status with a federally-appointed governor. The anti-slavery faction preparing for statehood hoped to institute a constitutional ban on slavery. On June 10, 1816,
8475-421: The pro-statehood/anti-slavery faction. The document emerged from the constitutional convention as a statement of the "values and beliefs" of Indiana's pioneer era. The state's first constitution is similar to that of the other state constitutions written around the same time. Because Ohio and Kentucky were the newest states closest to Indiana, the delegates to the Indiana constitutional convention referred to
8588-412: The punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." Indiana's 1851 constitution contains similar content, but clarified the legal status of slaves and indentured servants when they came into the state. Article IX outlined plans for public education. Its central item, which was new to American constitutions, included a clause that established "As soon as circumstances will permit"
8701-485: The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment , Indiana voters ratified a state constitution amendment to grant suffrage to women. The 1921 amendment also limited voting rights to U.S. citizens. Indiana voters passed an amendment to institute a state income tax in 1932, resulting in the addition of Article 10, Section 8, to the state constitution. Article 12, Section 1, allowed only white men to serve in
8814-411: The remainder of the convention due to ill health. The delegation's basic tasks included selection of presiding officers, adoption of a set of convention rules, meetings in committees and as a whole group to discuss proposed articles for the new constitution, and adoption of a final version of the document. Although the members of the delegation did not all agree, a majority group, mostly associated with
8927-413: The responsibility of the elected representatives to the state legislature. Others who opposed statehood at the time viewed the new state constitution as "premature." In the years following its adoption, rapid social change initiated the need to revise the state's constitution. Major concerns with the state's constitution related to the issue of slavery; limiting governmental powers and jurisdictions within
9040-423: The return to annual sessions of Indiana General Assembly; however, the governor was empowered to call special sessions of the state legislature if necessary. The long session, which occurred the year after an election, was left the same (61 days); however, the shorter legislative session in the following year was authorized to meet for a 30-day period. (The initial constitution of 1851 authorized biannual sessions of
9153-613: The same rights as the U.S. Bill of Rights , including civil liberties and such basic freedoms as the freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and freedom of religion, among others. Article II called for the separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of state government. Articles III, IV, and V outlined the powers of the state's legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Its bicameral legislature divided powers between two chambers (the state's House of Representatives and its Senate), each one composed of elected members. The state legislature
9266-449: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Harrison County Courthouse . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harrison_County_Courthouse&oldid=1101076552 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
9379-401: The school was added to Indiana's Register of Historic Places in 1992 and is recognized with a state historical marker, it is not listed as a separate property in the National Register as of 2016. The building was converted to a cultural center in 1993. Constitution of Indiana The Constitution of Indiana is the highest body of state law in the U.S. state of Indiana . It establishes
9492-477: The school, which was originally known as the Corydon Colored School, began in 1891. It served as a primary and secondary school for the community's black students. The first graduation of high school students from the school occurred on May 14, 1897. In 1949, the Indiana General Assembly passed an act to desegregate Indiana's public schools by 1954. The Corydon Colored School closed in 1950, when
9605-629: The state constitution from ever permitting the introduction of slavery or involuntary servitude into the state. As one of the state constitution's most important provisions, this section allowed constitutional amendments for any reason other than the introduction of slavery or involuntary servitude. The anti-slavery clause in Article VIII stated: "But, as the holding any part of the human Creation in slavery, or involuntary servitude, can only originate in usurpation and tyranny, no alteration of this constitution shall ever take place so as to introduce slavery or involuntary servitude in this State, otherwise than for
9718-411: The state constitution in 1881. Another problem was the organization of the courts. The Supreme Court became overloaded with cases and an appellate court was created at the turn of the century. During the 1970s a series of amendments were enacted to make the court constitutional and to reform the method of electing Supreme Court Justices. Justices were again made appointed positions, a list of candidates
9831-502: The state government to function as a loosely bound unit. "The People" were explicitly noted as being the sovereigns of the state. The preamble outlined Indiana's rights to join the Union "on equal footing with the original states" in accordance with the laws of the U.S. Constitution, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, and the Enabling Act. Article I, which contained a bill of rights for Indiana's citizens, conferred many of
9944-483: The state government were permitted to retain their seats until elections were held in October 1852, but had to take an oath to uphold the new constitution. Since its ratification, the state constitution of 1851 has been amended several times, but it remains the highest state law in Indiana. The new constitution did not radically change the state's existing government. Although it expanded the bill of rights included in
10057-400: The state legislature continued to provide funding to IU, despite some funding controversies in the early 1850s. Because no divorce clause was included in the state constitution of 1816, the legislature assumed the authority to grant divorces, and continued to do so even after laws passed in 1818 granted the authority to circuit courts. Under the new constitution, the Indiana General Assembly
10170-450: The state legislature discretion on enacting banking laws in the state, but prohibited the state government "from becoming a stockholder in any bank or corporation, or loaning its credit to any individual or corporation." Because many Indiana voters objected to state-sponsored banks, the new constitution barred the charter of the Bank of Indiana from being extended with the state government as
10283-442: The state legislature from making local and special legislation; the impeachment process for local officials; property rights of married women; and public school reform, among other concerns. Notable Indiana statesmen who were members of the delegation and spoke at the convention included Thomas Hendricks , David Wallace , Schuyler Colfax , Horace P. Biddle , Robert Dale Owen , and Alvin P. Hovey , among others. Delegates spent
10396-750: The state legislature to only enact laws that had a statewide effect, ending private acts ; and a reduction in the number of public officials, among other proposals. The Democrats adopted their own list of items after the Whigs, which included many of the same suggestions, and accused the Whigs of stealing their ideas. Among the goals of the convention was to find ways to reduce the cost of state government and increase its efficiency. Topics of discussion included elections and appointment of local officials, sheriffs, commissioners, board members, judges, coroners, auditors, clerks, etc.; expansion of suffrage; biennial legislative sessions (as opposed to annual sessions); banning
10509-543: The state residency requirements from six months to one year and removed the word "white" from Section 2, which was already unenforceable due to the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment granting suffrage to African American men. The state legislator enacted a voters' rights law in 1917, but it was struck down by the Indiana Supreme Court in October of that year. Other amendments to Article 2, Section 2, occurred in 1921, 1976, and 1984. In September 1921, following
10622-440: The state's geographical boundaries. While Article VIII banned the future importation of slaves and indentured servants into Indiana, Article XI left open to interpretation the issue of whether it was acceptable to allow pre-existing slavery and involuntary servitude arrangements within the state. Article XII outlined the process for the transition from a territorial government to a state government. This included, among other tasks,
10735-437: The state. The Indiana Supreme Court ruling in Smith v. Moody (1866) invalidated Article 13, which contained several restrictions against Black Americans, including prohibiting their immigration to the state after the adoption of the state constitution in 1851. State laws to enforce Article 13 were repealed in 1867. The exclusionary and colonization provisions in Article 13 were repealed by amendment and removed from Section 13 of
10848-467: The state. Voters could either approve or reject the remaining provisions of the new constitution as a whole. In the final tally, voters approved Article 13 with 113,828 votes in favor and 21,873 opposed, an 83.88 percent favorable approval rate. Only in Elkhart, LaGrange, Steuben, and Randolph counties did a majority of voters oppose the adoption of the article. Voters also approved the remaining sections of
10961-425: The state; guaranteeing secrecy of ballots; continuing concerns over the amendment process for the constitution; reducing state legislation related to personal and local issues; granting more local power over school funding; suffrage for foreign-born residents; legislative terms and legislative sessions; the impeachment process for state officials; and governmental expenses and inefficiencies, among others. In addition,
11074-419: The structure and function of the state and is based on the principles of federalism and Jacksonian democracy . Indiana's constitution is subordinate only to the U.S. Constitution and federal law . Prior to the enactment of Indiana's first state constitution and achievement of statehood in 1816, the Indiana Territory was governed by territorial law. The state's first constitution was created in 1816, after
11187-478: The territory's citizens viewed statehood as an opportunity for more self-government and wanted to proceed. The territory's pro-statehood faction preferred to elect their own state officials instead of having the federal government appoint individuals on their behalf, formulate state laws, discontinue the appointed territorial governor's absolute veto power, and allow its citizens to have greater participation in national politics, including voting powers in Congress. At
11300-417: The territory's general assembly, as well as Thomas Posey , governor of the Indiana Territory, objected to statehood at that time. They believed that the territory's limited size and scattered population would make a state government too costly to operate. However, after a census authorized in 1814 proved that its population had reached 63,897, exceeding the minimum population requirement of 60,000 as outlined in
11413-426: The time the delegates were gathering at Corydon in June 1816, slavery had become a major and divisive issue in the territory. The indenture law of 1805 had been repealed, but slavery continued to exist within Indiana. Two major factions emerged. An anti-slavery/pro-democracy group was led by Jonathan Jennings and his supporters. Former territorial governor and future U.S. president William Henry Harrison 's allies led
11526-483: The year that Indiana was granted statehood and its first state legislature convened at Corydon. The building was primarily used as an assembly building for the territorial and state legislatures, but the county government and district courts occasionally used it when the Indiana General Assembly was not in session. Dennis Pennington, who became the state's first speaker of the Indiana Senate after statehood in 1816, supervised its construction. The two-story building
11639-624: Was created by the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission , narrowed to three finalists and thus submitted to the governor who then chooses one. The Justice could then serve two years before being subjected to a retention election, if retained then the Justice could continue their term for up to ten years. All five of the justices must face a retention vote once every ten years on the ballot of that general election. A constitution amendment passed in 1974 authorized
11752-478: Was delayed until a new state constitution was adopted in 1851. Article IX also provided for a reform-based penal code, funding for libraries, and state institutions to care for the elderly and those in need. Indiana's delegates wrote their own content for Article X, which outlined the state's banking provisions. Article XI outlined general provisions that named Corydon the seat of state government until 1825, established salaries for judges and state officials, and set
11865-470: Was donated to the Historical Society of Harrison County in 2012. The Westfall House, a log cabin located near the Constitution Elm, is the oldest extant building in Corydon. The home is privately owned and not open to the public. William Branham began operating a tavern on the site in 1809 in a structure originally built in 1800. Originally known as Cedar Glade, the Kintner-McGrain House
11978-503: Was later memorialized as the Constitution Elm. It has been estimated that the giant elm was 50 feet (15 m) tall with a trunk that measured 5 feet (1.5 m) across and branches that spread more than 132 feet (40 m). Dutch elm disease destroyed the tree in 1925; however, the trunk has been preserved. It is protected by a sandstone memorial. The Posey home was included in the district's original National Register designation in 1973. Allan D. Thom and Thomas Lloyd Posey were
12091-533: Was moved to Indianapolis. When the historic district was first added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, the area encompassed eight sites that existed when Corydon became the capital of Indiana in 1816. These include the Old Capitol building (Harrison County Courthouse), along with the public square surrounding it, Indiana's first state office building (also known as the Old Treasury Building), Governor William Hendricks' Headquarters,
12204-438: Was not sufficient. The delegates' selections resulted in Indiana's legislative branch being dominant over the executive and judicial branches of state government. The Indiana delegates organized a republican form of government and created a state constitution that outlined a basic framework for governmental functions. Instead of providing specific details on individual issues, the constitution's broadly-defined principles enabled
12317-408: Was platted in 1808, continues to serve as the county seat of government for Harrison County, Indiana . The town served as the second capital of the Indiana Territory from 1813 to 1816, but it is best known for its service as the first capital of Indiana from 1816 to 1825. Some of the most significant structures within the historic district date from this early period of the town's history, including
12430-599: Was prohibited from making local and special laws. As a result, divorce proceedings, among other issues, were delegated to the courts and clerks. Despite the positive changes in state constitution, some articles continued racial and gender inequality by limiting full rights of state citizenship to white males. Fearing a negative impact on the state from a rising population of free people of color and emancipated slaves who had been expelled from slave states, convention delegates adopted Article 13, section 1, to ban further immigration of blacks and mulattos into Indiana. Revisions to
12543-681: Was removed by amendment in 1881. Women's equal rights were also excluded from constitutional provisions. Convention delegate Robert Dale Owen introduced a proposal to include a clause in the new constitution granting married women the right to own private property and to jointly-own property with her husband, but the effort failed. However, in the July 1853 legislative session, Owen secured passage of laws granting property rights to married women. The Indiana General Assembly passed additional legislation in 1879 and in 1881 to further protect widowed and married women's property rights. The early criticism of
12656-441: Was set to meet annually. Elections would be held annually to elect representatives. State senators would serve three-year terms, with one-third of the senators being elected each year. The governor and lieutenant governor would be elected to serve a term of three years. Indiana's governor was limited to serving two consecutive terms. A simple majority vote in the legislature could override the governor's veto. Article IV also outlined
12769-522: Was the home of Jacob Kintner, who built the Greek Revival -style residence in 1808 near Indian Creek. Kintner's heirs sold the property in 1849 to Thomas McGrain Sr. The Kintner House Hotel , completed in 1873, originally had twenty-six rooms for guests on its upper floor. It was converted to apartments in the early twentieth century and was used for other commercial purposes until it was renovated into
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