The Meirs House
Lexington, Indiana

The Scott County Chronicle
Tuesday, June 1, 1971
Scottsburg, Indiana

Historic Old Building In Lexington Razed

Another of Scott County's links with the past has disappeared.

The old two-story building on the square in Lexington, where Gen. John Hunt Morgan stayed for a night in 1863 on his famous "raid" through Indiana, was torn down last Thursday.

The building , which recently was purchased by Dale Renschler of Lexington, had been in a dilapidated condition for a number of years.

Originally a hotel, the building was known as the Miers House because it once was owned by Louis C. Miers. It also became known as the "Beehive" because its large rooms were occupied by several families as apartments.

Renschler said he has no immediate plans for the site of the building. It said the structure was torn down because it was considered a hazard.

A history of the building is given in an accompanying story by Dr. Carl Bogardus, Scott County historian.

Gen. Morgan Stayed in Hotel

By CARL R. BOGARDUS, M.D.

The old Miers House in Lexington, which was torn down last week, was probably one of the oldest buildings in the town; having been built many years before the Civil War.

It was operated as a hotel by many different men. In 1860 it was conducted by Henry D. Paswater. In 1862 and 1863 it was run by Wallace Faris, and he was in charge at the time of the celebrated Morgan Raid in July, 1863. Later in 1863 ownership passed to Francis M. Hardin.

Later, it was owned and operated by Louis C. Miers , who late in 1872 applied for a license to sell "intoxicating liquors in a quantity less than a quart at a time," because of his late ownership the place was usually known as the Miers House.

The main claim to fame was the connection the hotel had with Morgan's Raiders, since Gen. John Hunt Morgan and his officers, including his brother-in-law, Basil Duke, and Adam R. Johnson, were quartered there on the night of July 10, 1863. His men and their horses were stationed around the town and the surrounding countryside, where the unwilling populace were forced to feed them.

They had ridden into town over the road from Vienna. Some of the more brave citizens had the old War of 1812 cannon at the cemetery hill, but it was captured by the Rebels without having a chance to he fired.

The occupation of Lexington was peaceful since the company of Home guards known as The Lexington Rifles, had been sent to Jeffersonville the day before.

Still living in 1919 was James M. Amick who was the only resident of Lexington who was present at the time Morgan paid his visit there. He was at that time the owner of a very fine violin. The notes of this prized instrument floated over the square at Lexington that fateful evening and Amick said, "That is my fiddle; where is it?"

He was informed by one of the cavalrymen that Gen. Morgan had it and was playing it. He immediately went up to Morgan’s room to reclaim it, but all to no purpose. The Rebel leader refused to give it up and that fiddle left Lexington with a lot of other loot carried away by the Raiders.

Morgan and his men departed from Lexington early the morning of July 11, on the road to Vernon, leaving the Faris establishment empty of food, liquor and forage. But the raid was a topic of conversation which has persisted to this day.

To later day residents of Lexington the old house was known as the "Beehive" because its large rooms were occupied by several families as apartments. The building was lastly occupied by Ernest Phillipy as a general store and filling station. In recent years it has been vacant and gradually went to rot and ruin.

Thus passes from the scene another important and historically interesting land-mark, which in the interests of posterity should have been saved.

The article was accompanied by a number of photographs, including one of an historical marker located across the street from the site. The marker reads: "Morgan’s Raid, July 8-13, 1863 – Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan and his staff spent the night of July 10, 1863, in Lexington. He left for Vernon on the morning of July 11, 1863".

Return to: Lexington A Pioneer Town