Excerpts from atlas of Spencer County, Indiana, D.J. Lake and Co., 1879, Part 1

Author: Phillips, Opal B
Publication date: 19--]
Publisher: [Indiana? : s.n.]
Number of Pages: 156

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GENEALOGY COLLECTION

ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02461 0963

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EXCERPTS FROM

ATLAS OF

SPENCER COUNTY,

INDIANA

D. J. LAKE and CO.

1879

1. .

HISTORY OF SPENCER COUNTY, INDIANA

(It is not the intention nor endeavor in this brief sketch, to give a history of the county in detail, as neither time nor space will admit, but rather a cursory glance at a few of the events connected with its history, hoping that it may in some measure prove an incentive to others, who individually, or collectively may seek to preserve a record of the pio- neers of Spencer county, whose lives and deeds would not only fill a volume, but constitute a theme that will loom in magnificent proportions through ages. The necessity of a historical society has been one of the long-felt wants of Spencer county, and the attention of the people should be called to this question, so full of historic interest. It is a debt we owe these pioneers, to endeavor to preserve their memories. As time goes on, and the past recedes further and further from our view, the value of all such inci- dents identified with our early times, is proportionally enhanced, and it is therefore important that their exact locality be surely fixed and pre- served.

The chapters in this sketch referring to the "Early Settlements," Habits, Customs, &c., are derived from the manuscript of J. D. Armstrong, who in addition to frequent contributions to the press, has been for several years past preparing biographical, and other sketches which will prove a valuable addition to the historical collections of Spencer and other counties.)

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

There is a difference of opinion as to the identity of the first settlers within the present limits of Spencer County. Careful investigation proves that Uriah Lamar was the first permanent settler, he having emigrated from North Carolina and settled near the mouth of Blackford River oppo- site the present site of Grandview, and in the same year crossed the river and settled about one mile east of that place. On the 24th of December, 1816, Mr. Lamar was appointed Territorial and County Tax Collector for the County of Perry. From the organization of Perry, in 1814, until the formation of Spencer County, the west line of the former was the line dividing the present townships of Ohio and Hammond, Grass, Jackson and Clay. Mr. Lamar was the first commissioned Justice of the Peace of Spencer County after its organization, receiving his commission from Jonathan Jennings, bearing date February 27th, 1816. He was also Sheriff of the County during its infancy. The first land entered in the County was where the town of Rockport is now situated, the same being entered by Daniel Grass, May 9th, 1807. Mr. Grass was among the very early settlers, and was in the state convention of 1816, which framed the first state Constitution, he being at that time the Representative of Warrick, Posey and Perry counties in the State Senate. He served in the capacity of Justice of the Peace and County Commissioner for a number of years. In the year 1833, we find in the record of the proceedings of the County Commissioners that Daniel Grass is allowed one dollar and thirty- seven and one half cents, for appraising the lots in the town of Rockport. It cost $37.50 to assess the entire County the same year. William Spencer also entered from the government, a tract of land in luce Township, Sept. 25th, 1807. Oct. 11th, 1811, Ezekiel Ray entered a tract of land in Ham- mond Township, a part of which extends into the present limits of Grand- view. March 10th, of the same year, the first land was entered in Huff

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Township, by Samuel Iamar. Reuben Grigsby entered the first in Clay Township, Oct. 20th, 1815. These constituted the first entries of land prior to the formation of the County. Shortly after this, settlements were made in different parts of the County, viz. : Abraham Harmon, cleared a few acres of ground on the bluff near "Enterprise. " Jacob Garrett, cleared a few acres near what is known as the "Baldwin Pond, " in Ohio Township, near the present site of "Stryker's Ferry." Enoch Perry, set- tled on a farm about two miles west of Rockport, south of the Evansville road. John Smithers cleared a few acres, where James S. Greathouse now lives. The first land cleared in what is now known as the "Jonathan Parker Settlement," was by Jesse Tinkler, who came to the county at a very early day. lle came from Warren County, Ky., crossing the river at "Yellow Banks," now Owensboro, being two days in making his way from the ferry to the point now known as Star Mills, as he was compelled to cut a wagon-road through the cane-brakes, underbrush, &c. James Tinkler, the only survivor of the family, was but a small boy when he came to the County. Thompson Jones and several others settled in Grass Township, in what is known as "Tippecanoe Settlement. " Aquilla Huff, Capt. Wright, Judge McDaniel and several others, settled near Troy at an early day. In the month of May, 1811, Altha Meeks - an early settler in the County - was killed by the Indians. At that ime a remnant of a tribe lived at or near the present site of Boonville; their hunting and trapping grounds being in the bottoms of "Little Pigeon" Creek. They claimed exclusive jurisdiction over all the grounds bordering upon the creek, but a compromise was effected between them and the Meeks family, each to have his own side of the creek; the Meeks being on the east side, near where the iron bridge now stands, on the Rockport and Boonville road. A party of white men were seen on the west side, and the Indians supposing them to be the Meeks family, conspired to murder them, and in which they partly succeeded; by killing Meeks early in the morning as he opened the door of his cabin. The report of the rifle aroused the family. One Indian was killed, the chief being subsequently captured, and while being taken to the Justice of the Peace, near Troy, was killed by some unknown person. In the fall of 1816, Thomas Lincoln immigrated to Indiana Ter- ritory, landing at Troy, near the mouth of Anderson River, now the boundary line between the counties of Perry and Spencer. Lincoln's family consisted of four members, vix. : himself, wife, daughter and son. Their personal effects consisted of a horse and cart (a very poor one), one milch cow, such household goods and cooking utensils as could be packed in the cart, and one large dog; the latter being considered one of the "ne- cessaries" of the frontiersman. At this time, Troy was the County seat of Perry, being also the oldest as well ad the largest town in the "Pocket" except Vincennes. Thomas Lincoln remained at the mouth of Anderson, until the fall of 1817, and during his stay here kept a ferry, which was established at a very early day by Judge McDaniel, but at that time owned by James Taylor, father of Capt. Green B. Taylor, of Evansville. Many of the old citizens remember vividly numerous anecdotes of Thomas Lin- coln's son Abraham, while he was keeping the ferry. Mr. Lincoln, as has been stated, was a very poor man, consequently, the life of his son during his youth was one of hard labor, and great privation. In November, 1817, he entered 80 acres of land in Spencer County, within the present limits of Carter Township. In 1818, his wife died, and was buried in a dense forest about 200 yards south of the dwelling. This forest of oak, walnut, hickory and dogwood, stands as majestically as it did 60 years ago, when the grave received the remains of the mother of the weeping boy, who subsequently became the ruler of a nation, and died a martyr to freedom.

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Thomas Lincoln was a large man of dark complexion. Mrs. Lincoln was of middle height, slender in form, of fair complexion, with black hair and large black eyes.

During the early part of the year 1820, Lincoln returned to Kentucky, and contracted his second marriage with Mrs. Johnson, a widow with three children. Mr. Lincoln was a member of the Baptist Church at Little Pigeon. He united with this church by letter June 7th, 1823, and re- mained an exemplary member until the year 1831, when he withdrew by letter to join another church of the same faith and order. Abraham Lin- coln was born in Hardin County, Ky., Feb. 12th, 1809, and was but a little above seven years of age, when his father removed to Indiana Territory, which was, in a short time after the arrival of this humble, though after- wards distinguished family, admitted as one of the states. It was in Spencer County, that "Abe" acquired the foundation of an education. From the time of Lincoln's arrival in 1816, to the time of his removal from Indiana to Illinois in 1831, the facilities for acquiring an education were very poor indeed. The country being sparsely settled, there was little or no demand for teachers. The only teachers of those days were those who "boarded around the neighborhood;" the principal qualifica- tions requisite to obtain a school, were "to be able to make a quill-pen, and handle a beech limb adroitly. " When a teacher made application in a neighborhood to "make up a school," he was usually furnished with a number of goose-quills, and if he could made a good pen, that was satis- factory evidence of his proficiency. Such phrases as "make up a school," and subscribe to the school, will soon be numbered among the things that were, and quill-pens have long since ceased to be a test of qualification. The school buildings inthose earlier days were generally rude log-huts, with chimneys built of mud and sticks, the windows consisted of greasy paper, pasted over the spaces where"the chinkin and daubin" had been left for that purpose. But this was the best that could be afforded, and with an iron will on the part of the teacher and pupil, a moderate educa- tion was acquired even under such unfavorable circumstances. In Carter Township, the home of Lincoln, as late as 1849, we find that the schools were very inferior, as the following official report of Allen Medcalfe, turstee, will show. "In Districts Nos. 1, 3 and 4, there is a round log school-house. In District No. 2, there is a hewed log-house with plank floor and seats. The house is in bad repair. No library, no furniture in the Township. Branches taught: spelling, reading, writing, ciphering and geography." "That we may estimate Abraham Lincoln in his true cha- racter, as chiefly a self-educated man, it should be stated, that summing up all the days of his actual attendance upon school instruction, the amount would hardly exceed one year. The rest he accomplished for himself in his own way. As a youth, he read with avidity, such instructive works as he could obtain, and in winter evenings, by the mere light of the blazing fire-place, when no better resources were at hand. As a boy, he displayed an honorable conscientiousness, integrity, industry and an ardent love of knowledge." In his nineteenth year, young Lincoln made his first trip down the river to New Orleans, as one of the hands on a common flat-boat. Soon after his return, the family left Indiana for a new home in the State of Illinois; locating near the town of Decatur in Mason County, where "Aba" remained with his father one year, assisting him in clearing and fencing his farm. At the expiration of one year his father removed to Coles County, Ills., where he resided until his death. Young Lincoln, being now of age, did not remain with his father longer. In 1830, he made a second trip down the river, from whence he returned, and for a short time "kept store" for a man in the little village of Salen, Menard

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County, Ills., also serving as postmaster at the same time. At the breaking out of the "Black Hawk war" in 18123 a call was made for volunteers, and a company raised in Menard County, of which young Lincoln was elected captain, and served through the period of that war; after which, he teturned and began the study of surveying as an auxiliary to the study of law, which he subsequently began. In 1834, he was elected to the Legislature of Illinois, being at that time in his 23rd year. Such was the beginning of his brilliant career as a public man, of which it is not necessary here to speak, except to regret that the great result should be sealed with the sacrifice of his life. "Ile served the people. He saved the nation. He gave his life for his country."

EARLY HABITS, CUSTOMS, ETC.

Among the many incidents and particulars of frontier life, those con- nected with the domestic affairs may prove interesting. It will be remem- bered that when Southern Indiana was first settled, the pioneers were entirely isolated from the conveniences of manufactories. Bread stuffs and wearing apparel consisted almost solely of home manufacture. There were no mills in this section except hand-mills, until about the year 1816, at which time horse-mills were introduced. Flour mills were unnecess- ary, as there was no wheat in the country, all of the bread for a number of years, being made from Indian corn. A majority of the people were com- pelled to pound their corn in mortars. The mortars thus used were made of large logs; the ends having been cut square, a fire was built in the centre of it, and kept burning until a cavity was made in the end of the log to the depth of from twelve to eighteen inches, care being taken not to burn too near the outer part of the log. After burning to a sufficient depth, the charred wood was removed, leaving the mortar smooth and solid. The corn was then placed in the mortar, and pounded until the grains were cracked, or sufficiently small to make hominy, this constituting the bread- stuff of many of the settlers for a number of years.

When the settlers first began to raise wheat they experienced many difficulties, as there were no mills near at hand. The whole country was an unbroken forest. There were no roads leading from the ferry landings to the interior; no bridges over the streams; hence it was next to an im- possibility to get mill accommodations. The wheat was put through the same process as the corn, after which it was put to soak in hot water, being then converted into articles of diet. The clothing was nearly all "home-spun."

Small patches of flax and cotton were raised by nearly all of the settlers. Flax-brakes, swingle-knives, hackles, looms and spinning-wheels were useful articles in all well-regulated families, and almost every home was a manufactory without license, revenue, or tariff. The youth of the present day knows but little of the processes by which fabrice were manufactured from the raw material. Take the flax for instance. After it has ripened in the field, it is pulled and spread in swaths until cured, then stored away in the dry until spring, when it is again spread on the ground, to receive the spring rains in order that it may "rot." After going through the process of "rotting," it is then taken through the "break," then to the "swingle-board, " and to the "hackle, " where the tow is separated from the flax, next to the wheel, and lastly to the loom, where it is made into linen. The cotton also passed through a tedious process, before it was converted into fabric. The aged citizens refer to the "cotton pickings" of

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the early days with great satisfaction. It was the custom to invite all the younger members of the neighborhood together at a neighbor's house for a "cotton-pickings."

After the youngsters had picked until the old folks were satisfied, a supper was then served, after which came the dance. The old-fashioned "reel" was the dance of those days; the cotillion, or quadrille, were un- known, while the "round dances" would not have been tolerated. Reader, if you have never danced a reel, and "chased the squirrel," you have no idea of rural dancing. The manufacture of woolen goods was attended with no little difficulty. Cwing to the depredations of wolves, it was difficult to raise shecp. Of the wild animals with which the country was infested, the wolf was the most annoying, and its depredations were the most frequent. In order to protect the pigs and lambs from their nocturnal visits, the settlers were compelled to build log-pens, with a coverning of the same material. Around these pens the wolves would gather and make night hideous with their yelps and howls; warning voices of danger to every thing that chanced to be without the folds of safety.

There were no public roads; the Indian path served the purpose, for the single horse and his rider. There was no commerce in the territory, so when any article of merchandise was obtained by the settler, it was from some enterprising individual who had transported it on pack-horses. The meat was nearly all procured by hunting and trapping. The bread was baked in what was called "Dutch ovens," and sometimes in the ashes. After horse-mills came in use it became fashionable to bale "Johnny cakes," which were made of corn-meal and water; salt and lard were added when they could be procured. These cakes were baked by spreading the dough on a board, and standing it before the log-fire.

When the country began to get more thickly settled and men began to open farms, it was the universal custom to aid each other, and if a man wished assistance, it was only necessary to inform his neighbors and appoint a day on which to meet. The women also worked on the co-operative plan. The "clearin, " "rail-splitting, " "Log-rolling, " "quilting," "spinning and knitting matches," were places where the men and women gathered toget- her to assist each other. These were the social reunions of those days, being profitable and highly appreciated by the participants. When the pio- neers thus met it was not for the purpose of sport, but to do an honest day's work, in assisting a neighbor to do that which would require several weeks to accomplish alone. In one day several acres of land would be made ready for the plow, and rails enough made to fence the whole. Sometimes a whole set of house-logs would be cut, and a house built from the ground in one day.

This may seem to the reader of the present day incredible, but it is true nevertheless. While the men would be engaged in their arduous labors, the women would be quilting, knitting, or spinning, thus advancing the work of the good housewife, enabling her to have more time to assist her husband in raising a crop. One must not infer from their apparent close application to their duties that they had no time for a joke, or to take a "simile" - the "smiles" especially, for these gatherings, were hilarious occasions.

The costume of the pioneers was very novel indeed. Buckskin pants were the prevailing style, the seams of which were sewed with "whangs" made of dressed deer-skin. The chapeau was a graceful article manufac- tured from a fresh coon or fox skin, and generally ornamented with the tail of the animal. The bonnets worn by the women resembled more the covering for a Conestoga wagon, than for the head. The women made their own clothing from flax and cotton for summer, and from wool for winter.

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The children were dressed in comfortable home-spun, made by the hands of their mothers, who took great pride in being able to manufacture cloth from the raw material.

Of the families who emigrated to the "far west" during the year of 1814, many of them cast their lots in Spencer County. It was during this year that a road was surveyed from Darlington, (then the county seat of Warrick), to Troy, the seat of justice for Perry; and in the spring of the follow- ing year was cut and "blazed." This latter was done in order that the mail carrier might not get bewildered. It was also during this year that the first wagon was brought within the present limits of Spencer County. It was brought by John Small from Logan County, Kentucky.

ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.

Knox County, the first organized in the state, was laid off during the summer of 1790 by Winthrop Sargent, who was acting under instruction from Governor St. Clair. Its boundary at that time included all of the terri- tory now comprising the states of Indiana and Michigan. About the year 1798 Wayne County was organized, including within its limits the greater part of the state of Michigan, as well as a part of Northern Indiana. In 1802 Clark and Randolph Counties were organized, and in 1805. Dearborn, making at this time four counties within the limits of Indiana. Jefferson, Franklin and Wayne counties were organized during the year 1810, Gibson and Warrick in 1813. Warrick County included all the territory from the Wabash river, with the line of Gibson, to the western boundary of Harrison, embracing within its territory the present counties of Posey, Banderburg, Warrick, Spencer, Perry and part of Caswford. In 1814 Posey County was organized. By an act of the Legislature, in 1818, Vanderburg and Spencer Counties were formed from Warrick. This organization was effected through the influence of Daniel Grass, at that time a member of the Legislature, and a resident of Ohio Township. The county was called Spencer in honor of Capt. Pierre Spencer, a Kentuckian who commanded a company of mounted riflemen during the campaign of Harrison, he being killed at the battle of Tippecanoe. The county is composed of nine townships; viz. : Ohio, Luce, Huff, Hammond, Clay, Carter, Jackson, Harrison and Grass. The first courts of Spencer County were held at the house of Azel W. Dorsey, Judge Isaac Blackford presiding; John Morgan clerk, andJ. M. Brady sheriff. Mr. Dorsey came to the territory about the year 1814, and resided for several years three miles west of Rockport, on the Darlington and Troy road. He was a school-teacher by profession, and taught several "subscription" schools in Warrick and Spencer counties. "Abe" Lincoln attended one of his schools for a short time. There was a strong feeling favoring the location of the county-seat near Mr. Dorsey's place. Shortly after the organization of the county three commissioners, viz. : Isaac Montgomery, John Johnson and Joseph Paddock, were appointed by the governor to locate the seat of justice for the county. They proceeded to locate the county-seat at Rockport on thelands of W. R. Hines, Wright and Griffith, and Griffith and Mosely. The first court held in Rockport after the location of the county-seat, was held in a log-house on the "bluffs," where the residence of Judge Land is now situated. The first "Board of Commissioners" of the county consisted of Jacob Keel, Thomas Campbell, and David Luce. The first official act of the "Board" was an allowance to N. Hart, clerk, for books and stationery. The first court-house erected in Rockport, was begun in the year 1819, being situated on the north-west

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corner of the present "public square." The building was of brick, 40 x 40 feet, two stories in height. For some reason the building was never fully completed, but sufficiently for use. In the year 1827 the building was burned, the fire originating in one of the upper rooms in which a sub- scription school was being taught. The courts were then held in various places about the town until the year 1835, when another building was erected on the public square, a short distance from the site of the old one, and facing Third Street. The size and material were the same as that of the first, the building containing the offices of the clerk and recorder, a separate building containing those of the auditor and treas- urer. The first jail was of logs, built about the year 1819. Thiswas afterward replaced by a brick building, containing the sheriff's residence also, which served until the present one was erected. The present build- ing was contracted for May 20th, 1863, by C. J. Mason, John Pullen, and Michael Wagner, commissioners, with F. D. Allen contractor, for the sum of $24,600. The building was completed agreeably to contract, and re- ceived by the commissioners Dec. 17th, 1864. The sheriff's residence and jail was contracted by T. H. Lynes and Morris Sharp, as agents for the commissioners to S. Eger and Fred Hahn, April 26th, 1866. Completed Jan. 7th, 1867.

COUNTY OFFICERS.

Auditor - B. F. Bridges; Deputy, J. D. Armstrong, (Aud'tor. elect). Treasurer - Michael Heichelbech.

Clerk - James Romine; Deputy - J. B. Messmore.

Sheriff - John W. Wollen.

Recorder - Wa. Ii. Ellis.

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Excerpts from atlas of Spencer County, Indiana, D.J. Lake and Co., 1879, Part 1

Author: Phillips, Opal B Publication date: 19--] Publisher: [Indiana? : s.n.] Number of Pages: 156

Author: Phillips, Opal B
Publication date: 19--]
Publisher: [Indiana? : s.n.]
Number of Pages: 156