CANDYGRAM FOR MR. MONGO!

THIS IS PART OF THE WRITE UP ON ONE OF MY GEOCACHE PAGES:

INDIANA SPIRIT QUEST #92 ”Candygram for Mr. Mongo!"

This leg of the coninuing ISQ adventure takes you to the small town of Mongo, IN. Located on the Pigeon River, in Springfield Township, LaGrange County, the area was first settled around 1830 by John B. Clark. The name Mongo is derived from the Indian word Mongoquinong, meaning "Great, more White People--There goes the neighborhood." The Mongo (K of P) cemetery is still active. One of the earliest settlers was Otis Shepardson, who died in 1848, a memorable character according to an 1882 Township History written by William Goodspeed:

"During the Presidential campaign of 1840, several prominent candidates for congress were announced to speak in Mongoquinong. Eight hundred men gathered to hear them. Bands of martial music came in four-horse wagons, with drums beating and colors flying. Great Enthusiasm was manifested for "Tippecanoe and Tyler too". A gayly decorated wagon from Angola appeared, the wagon-box being a large canoe, in which a fine martial band was seated.

It was a great Whig day, though many Democrats were present to see the show and hear the speakers. Games were projected, and the sturdy politicians enjoyed themselves. It is said that Samuel Burnside, at Hop, Step, and Jump, on this day, cleared forty-six feet. Losey Young and John Davidson did about as well.

Otis Shepardson, Sr. felt unwell while in Nichols' Store, whereupon the latter bathed his head with whisky. This started the idea that every Democrat present should be baptized with whisky into the Whig faith. It is impossible to describe the scene that ensued. Whigs with mugs of whisky in their hands were seen in all directions chasing down Democrats, running through houses and gardens, jumping fences, clearing ditches in their precipitous efforts at political regeneration. Many were baptized on that well remembered day. (This is probably why the Taverns were CLOSED on election day--Lead Dog)

Drusus Nichols employed a surveyor, and in March 1840, had laid out about one-hundred eighty lots on Sections 5 and 8. This was the first plat of Mongoquinong. That long name has been lately shortened to Mongo. The population of the village has probably at no time exceeded one-hundred and fifty."