USA > Indiana > Carroll County > Recollections of the early settlement of Carroll County, Indiana > Part 1
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ENEALOG Y COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00827 3846
RECOLLECTIONS
OF THE
EARLY SETTLEM
OF
CARROLL COUNTY,
INDIANA.
BY
DR. JAMES HERVEY STEWART, County Clerk for Twenty-five Consecutive Years.
"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind."-Burns
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CINCINNATI: PRINTED BY HITCHCOCK AND WALDEN, FOR THE AUTHOR. .
1872.
1120703
cdication.
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TO ALL OF THE
OLD SETTLERS,
WHO HAVE
DEVELOPED THE MATERIAL AND GENERAL INTERESTS OF CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA,
This Work
IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY
James Merbry Stewart.
..
.
PREFACE.
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W HIEN the author wrote and published the first call, requesting the carly settlers of Carroll County to assemble in 1855, he little dreamed that a book would grow out of the meetings of the early pioneers.
The author having been appointed secretary of the society organized at the first meeting, he took down in writing the substance of the remarks made by the members at the annual gatherings, and thus a mass of facts, connected with the early settlement of the county, accumulated in his hands. The items of in- formation acquired in this way, in the opinion of the members of the society, were too valuable to be lost, and the idea then suggested itself, that the only way for their preservation was to have them printed in a book. As very many of the persons who took part in the early meetings of the society are now dead, the his- tory each one gave of the incidents connected with his settlement in the county could not now be ob- tained from any source.
The biographical sketches, it seems to the author, can not fail to be interesting. These statements were
6
PREFACE.
taken from the lips of the several persons as given to the writer, and, of course, are authentic.
It was thought that the publication of the list of the soldiers, who served in the wars of 1846 and 1861, would add interest to the book, and the author has been at great pains to make the list as accurate as possible.
As this work has been prepared in moments snatched from his official duties as clerk of the court, and from his professional duties since the expiration of his term of office, he is aware of its many imper- fections.
The most of the manuscript has been written for some time, and remained untouched until now. In fact it might have lain much longer had not my brother-in-law, the Rev. John O. Foster, of the Rock- river Conference, Illinois (author of "The Life and Labors of Mrs. Maggie Newton Van Cott," the lady evangelist), kindly offered to take the work and super- intend its publication.
JAMES H. STEWART.
INTRODUCTION.
A SHORT time since, DR. JAMES H. STEWART placed in our hands a manuscript, the principal part of which was prepared before the late war.
On looking it over, there was unmistakable evidence of its great local value for Carroll County, Indiana.
The scenes herein described are of sufficient interest to attract the lover of romance, while the few remain- ing "old settlers" will be glad to see their names per- manently recorded, and a brief sketch of their early struggles.
And to the kindred of those who have gone before, this book will speak, with a silent yet potent speech, of those who opened the lines of travel, and with heroic efforts changed a wilderness into a city, and beautified all the land.
The farmer, the mechanic, the physician, the attor- ney, and the clergy, all have a record here, that will be of great value in years to come.
It was not necessary to bring all of the lines of events down to the present date; but, " having estab- lished the corners and corrected back," the rest of the work may be done in subsequent years.
8
INTRODUCTION.
It is very fitting to close the volume with the soldier's muster-roll. Of many we say :
Their deeds are passed ; their work is done, Their marching and their might ; The step they took while here below, Is changed from left to right. But hark ! we can not call for those Whose crimson tide is shed ;
Their lights went out at tattoo's beat, To glow again with wonted heat, At the reveille of the dead.
In the two wars named, Carroll County bore no mean part. Would that at the county-seat there was a monument in proportion to the high honor the soldiers deserve ! But their names must not perish from our pages, nor from our memories.
Dr. Stewart has done his work well. He declined to furnish the reviser a sketch of his life, though often requested ; yet the correct steel portrait, and the mem- ory of his efforts for nearly two generations, as he has helped to develop Carroll County, must suffice.
The genial face of Abner Robinson will please familiar friends, and the well-cut picture of the court- house can not fail to satisfy. With assurance that the book will be a valuable souvenir, we close with a few thoughts of
FORTY YEARS AGO. TUNE-" Auld Lang Syne."
" In what a wondrous age we live, Not many seem to know; But few the mighty change perceive, Since forty years ago.
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9
INTRODUCTION.
Our fathers never had a dream, When things moved on so slow, Of what the boys would do by steam, Not forty years ago."
Our warmuses and roundabouts Gave plenty room to grow, And boys were strong and rugged then, Full forty years ago. The " youngsters" dressed in homespun clothes, And made but little show ; And " linsey woolsey" dressed the girls, Some forty years ago.
Those girls could spin and knit and weave, And have as good a beau As any lady's heart could wish, Since forty years ago. And grandpa's heart was always green, Although his locks were snow ; And grandma knit and darned the socks, Some forty years ago.
But time has deadened many a tree, And " logged up" many a row, Since we began to clear the land, Some forty years ago. And when the " covered wagons" come, And we are called to go, We'll settle in a better land Than forty years ago.
May, 1872.
JOHN O. FOSTER.
RECOLLECTIONS
OF THE
Early Settlement of Carroll County,
INDIANA.
CHAPTER I.
0 1 N the 21st day of December, 1824, Government land was purchased in the office at Crawfordsville, which afterward formed the boundaries of Carroll County, Indiana. The following persons made the first pur- chases between December 21st and 27th, 1824: David Mount, Daniel Baum, Samuel Williamson, James Thornton, John Beard, Henry Robinson, Jesse Clark, and Hugh Manary.
Henry Robinson and his son, Abner Robinson, were the first settlers. A narrative of the emigration of these families from their former home near Dayton, Ohio, can not fail to be interesting. The following ac- count of the journey and incidents connected with the first settlement, is taken from a paper read by Abner Robinson to the "old settlers'" meeting, on the 9th day of June, 1855.
On the 12th day of October, 1824, Henry, Hezekiah, and Abner Robinson, with their families, accompanied
12
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
by Joseph Clymer and his son, and a Mr. James French, started for the Wabash Valley. On passing through Richmond and Centerville, they were annoyed by the croaking predictions of "ill luck " uttered on all sides. " You will never get through," says one. "You will die if you go to the Wabash; every one that goes there dies in less than a year," joined another. "You will never get along with that wagon, 'Old Sampson ;'" referring to a wagon for hauling saw-logs, used for a great many years after the settlement by the family in this county.
From Centerville the route lay through Jacksonbor- ough, two or three miles north of Newcastle; thence to Makepeace, or " Old Bucktown," on White River; thence down the south side of the river, through Ander- sontown, to Strawtown. From Strawtown to Thornton was a dense wilderness, and for three or four days the party suffered greatly for want of water. After cross- ing White River, the party had much trouble in finding their cattle; nor did they recover all of them for several days, they having evidently been driven off by some marauders.
On the fourteenth day after commencing their journey, they were much rejoiced at again seeing corn- fields and log-cabins; this was in the vicinity of where Lafayette was afterward located. The inhabitants -were greatly pleased at the arrival of "new-comers." At this place Hezekiah Robinson left the party, and purchased a residence near Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Such members of the families of Henry and Abner Robinson as were not otherwise employed, had five or six weeks in which to look for land. There was much difficulty in "looking for land" in what now constitutes Carroll County, for they had no other directions than to follow the Indian trail, which in many places would not admit of two horses abreast. All provision, camp equipage, etc., had either to be carried on the back or
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CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
on horses from the settlement before mentioned, abont twenty-five miles from the point were Delphi now stands.
In accordance with the advertisement (at the land sale), the lowest number of section, township, and range was first offered. The first land sold was E. 3, S. E. }, Sec. 20, T. 25, R. 2 W., and was purchased by Henry Robinson, on the 21st day of December. Most of the "squatters" purchased their land with little or no ad- vance on Government price.
The Quakers near Richmond had made up their minds to make a settlement on this part of the Wabash. They made a mistake in the order in which the land was to be sold, which accident prevented Carroll from being a Quaker County.
The Robinsons, having secured the land for their fu- ture home, proceeded to cut a wagon-road and build a cabin. For this end, on Tuesday, the 28th day of De- cember, 1824, Henry Robinson and his two sons, Abner and Coleman, assisted by a Mr. Starks and son, cut out a road, taking their ox-team along. On the first day, after a hard day's work, they crossed Wild-cat Creek, and encamped in the evening on the bluff. Not know- ing the situation of the country, they did not obtain a very good crossing. On the 29th, the party left Wild- cat, and commenced cutting their way through a dense forest, without pilot or guide, avoiding the creeks running toward the river on the left, and the swamps on the right. During this day Benj. D. Angell (father of Dr. Angell, of Pittsburg,) overtook the Robinsons, and remained with them two or three days; encamped on the evening of the 29th, about one mile beyond Sugar Creek. Thursday, the 30th, they proceeded with the same caution as on the day before, and were over- taken by a Mr. John I. Davidson (for many years afterward a leading citizen of Tippecanoe County),
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
and encamped that night on "Walker's Branch," or " Bridge Creek." They passed a cheerful night in company with the new friends. Friday, the 31st, they started early, and had considerable difficulty in cross- ing an almost impassable swamp that ran parallel with Deer Creek, three-fourths of a mile south of Delphi. Arrived about the middle of the day at their proposed new home (the farm now owned by General R. H. Milroy), the first thing was to find a section line, to ascertain if they were right, and fix the encampment ; then, having cut a few bushes, concluded the day, the month, and the year.
Saturday, January 1, 1825, found the party in a wilderness, without a house, in an inclement season of the year, the nearest neighbors twenty-five miles away, and provisions growing scarce. It was no time to be idle. The persons who had overtaken them on the road had all gone on their way. The settlers went to work, cut logs, and built their cabin five rounds high, the same day. Sabbath, the 2d, they observed, as far as possible under the circumstances. Monday, the 3d, the building went on, with occasional aid from land-hunters as they passed by. A. Robinson and Mr. Stark's son were in the mean time sent for more pro- visions, and also with the instruction to bring such fe- male members of the family as might feel willing to brave the perils of the wilderness.
Tuesday, the 4th, Abner Robinson and his wife and sister, Sarah B. Robinson, set out from their temporary shanty for their new home, with a fresh stock of pro- visions, encamping for the night at the second encamp- ment of the previous trip. Wednesday, the 5th, they arrived at the new home, between one and two o'clock. These were the first white women who settled in the county. Thursday, the 6th, and Friday, the 7th, four men were busy at the cabin, and by the evening of the
15
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
latter it was inclosed, a chimney started, and a door-way cut out. They found much difficulty in making floor- planks with a broad-ax. Saturday, the Sth, Henry and Coleman Robinson and Mr. Stark left for the settle- ment, leaving Abner Robinson, wife, and sister at the cabin. On Wednesday, the 12th, the absentees re- turned, and the members of the two families were all gathered into the new cabin.
Shortly after this, Benjamin D. Angell removed with his family to this neighborhood. Mr. Angell, however, died the ensuing Fall. His was the first adult death in the county. Pretty soon afterward, Aaron Merriman settled on Rock Creek. Aaron Wilds and John Carey made an opening a short distance above, where Mr. Isaac Wilson afterward resided. Some time in Feb- ruary or March, Daniel Baum, with five families in a boat, arrived. About the same time, or a little before, Craig Black commenced an improvement a short dis- tance above, where the dam is now built. During the Summer and Fall, Mr. John Odell and Thomas Stirlin settled on Deer Creek ; also a Mr. Kilbreath located on the General Milroy farm, but was taken sick with his family, and soon left.
Early in the season, the Robinsons commenced the improvement of the mill-site, afterward owned by James Roach & Co., above Delphi. It was slow, hard work, for want of proper tools. The nearest blacksmith resided at Crawfordsville, where was also the nearest mill, store, and post-office; and it generally took eight or ten days to make the trip. It was the common prac- tice for some one to go with his ox-team to mill, and to transact business for all the settlement. John R. Bal- lard and his brother, Jeremiah Ballard, arrived here on the 5th day of May, 1825. This season John Cary was bitten by a rattlesnake, which led to the discovery of their den, and some three or four hundred were killed
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
during that and the following year. There was some considerable sickness during that Summer and Fall. In September or October, Hugh Manary arrived; and pleas- ant weather concluded the year.
Sabbath, January 1, 1826, the settlers met for the first time for social prayer.
A saw-mill was raised in May or June of this year, near the spot were Roach & Co.'s mill afterward stood. All the residents of the country, from Wild-cat to Rock Creek, were invited, and were at the raising some time during the day, with some that came from beyond those limits, and they made, all told, twenty-eight men. It was the first and the last time that all the men, in what is now Carroll County, were together. The saw-mill started some time in September, and about three weeks afterward a pair of small mill-stones were put in mo- tion for grinding corn. There was more rejoicing at that event than even the erection of any subsequent mill. About the same time, the neighborhood received considerable accessions by the arrival of Isam Atkin- son, James M'Dowell, John Kuns, and General Milroy.
Lafayette was laid out in 1825, and late in that year, or early in 1826, a post-office was established there, and a Mr. Gay started a small mill. Lafayette was fixed upon for the county-seat, in the early part of this year, 1826. A petition was presented to the Legislature, at the ses- sion of 1826-7, for the organization of a new county ; but it was not granted.
The citizens endured more than usual hardships the Fall and Winter of 1826. The old stock of provisions, clothing, shoes, tea, coffee, and sugar, was nearly ex- hausted. As for the latter, the sugar-tree was taxed to supply a part; while sassafras or spice-wood, or milk (when it could be had), supplied the place of coffee and tea. A large emigration into Tippecanoe County
17
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
took up all the supplies from there, while onr first citizens, having settled in the heavy timber, did not raise enough produce to supply their own wants. Mr. Robinson, in his narrative, from which I am quoting so largely, says he "lived six weeks without scarcely tasting bread, coshaw squashes and potatoes being the only substitute; and nothing," he remarked, " ever afterward tasted so good." What little flour they had was brought mostly from Ohio, nor was there any to be had nearer than Terre Haute.
January 1, 1827 .- The settlement progressed as fast as could be expected. Two stores were opened ; one at Mr. Baum's, by Daniel F. Vandeventer, and the other by the late Isaac Griffith, south of Halsey & Griffith's mills. Still they had no post-office, and all legal business had to be done in Montgomery and Tip- pecanoe Counties. The settlers, however, had but little legal business ; harmony prevailed, and they were living in peace with all around them. Each one was willing to divide his goods with his neighbor. A better feel- ing prevailed than has ever existed since.
A small settlement was in progress where Logans- port now stands ; also on the west bank of the Wabash, in Deer-creek Prairie, on lands reserved by the Indians at the treaty of 1826.
In the early part of this season, many of our citi- zens were taken ont near to where Rochester now stands, to build the " Indian Mills." Politics began to run high, but not sufficiently so to disturb social rela- tions. In the Fall and Winter of this year, another petition was presented to the Legislature, asking the or- ganization of a new county, and this time with suc- cess. An act passed the General Assembly on the 7th day of January, 1828, for the organization of the county of Carroll, of which the following is a copy :
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18
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
AN ACT FOR THE FORMATION OF THE COUNTY OF CARROLL.
Approved January 7, 1828.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: That from and after the first day of May next, all that part of the county of Wabash contained within the follow- ing boundaries, to wit: beginning at the north-west corner of township numbered twenty-four north, range two west of the second principal meridian ; thence south nine miles to the center of township numbered twenty-three; thence east seventeen miles to the western boundary of the great Miami Reservation ; thence north with said boundary eighteen miles to the center of township numbered twenty-six ; thence west eight miles, to the south-east corner of section sixteen, range one west; thence north three miles to the township line, dividing townships twenty-six and
twenty-seven; thence west thirteen miles to the section line, dividing sections four and five, range three west; thence south with said sectional line, twelve miles to the northern boundary of Tippecanoe County ; thence east four miles to the place of beginning, -- shall form and constitute a county, to be known and designated by the name and title of CARROLL, in honor of Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, the only surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence ; and the boundary line of the county of Tippe- canoe, on the east and north, so far as it divides that county from the county of Carroll, is hereby established and to be deemed and taken as unalterable, unless by common consent of the boards anthorized by law to transact county business in the counties of Tippecanoe and Carroll, respectively.
SEC. 2. The said new county shall, from and after the first day of April next, enjoy all the rights, privileges, and jurisdictions which to separate and independent counties pertain.
SEC. 3. That Samuel Jessup, of Hendricks County, Asa B. Strong, of Marion County, Frederick Moore, of Montgomery County, Enos Lowe, of Putnam County, and Josiah Bryant, of Fountain County, are hereby appointed commissioners, for the purpose of fixing the seat of justice in said new county, agreeably to the provisions of an act entitled "an Act for fixing the Seats of Justice in all new counties hereafter to be laid off." The com- missioners above named, or a majority of them, shall convene at
19
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
the house of Henry Robinson, in said new county, on the second Monday in May next, and shall proceed to discharge the duties assigned them by law.
SEC. 4. It shall be the duty of the sheriff of Montgomery County to notify the commissioners herein above named, either in person or by written notification, of their appointment, on or before the tenth day of April next; and for such service the board of justices, or persons doing county business in said new county, shall allow him a reasonable compensation out of the county treasury thereof.
SEC. 5. The Circuit and other courts of said new county, shall be held at the house of Daniel Baum, or at any other place therein to which the said courts may adjourn, until suitable accommoda- tion can be had at the seat of justice thereof, when the courts shall adjourn to meet at said county-seat.
SEC. 6. The agent who shall be appointed to superintend the sale of lots at the county-seat of said new county of Carroll, shall reserve ten per centum out of the proceeds thereof, and also ten per centum out of all donations to said new county, and shall pay the same over to such person or persons as may be appointed, ac- cording to law, to receive the same, for the use of a county library for said new county.
SEC. 7. It shall be the duty of the qualified voters of the county of Carroll, at the time of electing a elerk, recorder, and associate judges, to elect three county commissioners, agreeably to the provisions of an act entitled " an Act to establish a Board of County Commissioners," approved January 30, 1824; who, when elected and qualified as preseribed by said act, shall have all the powers, and perform all the duties prescribed by said act; which act is hereby revived, and to be deemed and taken as in full force, as relates to said county of Carroll; and also said board of com- missioners shall have all the powers, and perform all the duties prescribed by law, as relates to boards of justices in the several counties. Said commissioners shall have power to hold special sessions, and to do and perform any duties required at any previous regular session.
This aet to take effeet, and be in force, from and after the first day of April next.
January 1, 1828 .- Some considerable excitement commenced with the year in consequence of the organ- ization of the new county, and the proposed election of
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
officers. The first post-office was opened April 3d, Abner Robinson, Postmaster.
The election for county officers was held at the house of William Wilson, on the 28th day of April, 1828. The following is a copy of the list of voters at said election :
1 Benjamin Baxter,
2 John E. Metcalf,
3 William Carey,
41 Moses Scott,
4 Moses Tullis,
42 Eli Cotner,
5 Thomas Burk,
43 Joseph M'Cain,
6 William Price,
44 James M'Dowell,
7 Jeremiah Ballard,
8 William M'Cord,
46 Henry Bingaman,
47 Hugh Manary,
10 Henry Robinson,
11 Joseph Jackson,
49 Isaac Griffith,
50 Daniel M'Cain,
51 John Phillips,
52 Peleg Babcock,
53 William Sieres,
54 Daniel M'Cain,
55 Nathan Rose,
56 William Cummins,
57 Jacob Baum,
58 Aaron Hicks,
59 Jacob Underhill,
60 William Hicks,
61 Graham Roberts,
62 Daniel Baum,
63 Moses Alldridge,
64 Samuel Wells,
27 Moses Hicks,
65 John M. Ewing,
28 John Surface,
29 Manual M'Combs,
30 John Little,
68 Thomas Stirlin,
69 Thomas R. M'Cain,
70 John Odell,
32 John Carey,
33 John Mixwell,
34 George J. Baum,
72 John Ballard,
35 Elisha Brown,
73 James Odell,
36 David Lucas,
74 Isam Atkinson,
75 Levi Sagers,
76 Aaron Dewey.
CERTIFICATE OF THE JUDGES AND INSPECTOR OF THE ELECTION HIELD ABOVE.
At an election holden in Carroll County, State of Indiana, April 28, 1828, in pursuance of a writ of election, issued by the
12 David Hamilton,
13 Richard Chabert,
14 Thomas Hamilton,
15 Coleman Robinson,
16 Christopher M'Combs,
17 William Hines,
18 Dan'] F. Vandeventer,
19 David M'Combs,
20 Stephen Miller,
21 Henry Baum,
22 Stephen Guile,
23 John Cook,
24 Nathaniel Hamilton,
25 David Baum,
26 John Mitchell,
66 Samuel Milroy,
67 Andrew M'Coy,
31 Henry B. Milroy,
71 William Wilson,
37 Joshua Whitcher,
38 John Givens,
39 Moses Thompson,
40 Moses Standley,
45 John Adams,
9 Abner Robinson,
48 John Kistler,
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CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
Governor of said State for electing two associate judges, one clerk and recorder, and three county commissioners.
JUDGES.
CLERK AND RECORDER.
Isaac Griffith received 65
Daniel F. Vandeventer rec'd 42
Christopher M'Combs
43 John M. Ewing . 22
Henry Robinson
42
John Carey . 9
COMMISSIONERS.
Jacob Baum received
47
Aaron Hieks
44
Graham Roberts “
40
Thomas Stirlin
36
Daniel M'Cain "
31
We, the inspector, judges, and clerks of the election above named, holden at William Wilson's, in said county, certify the above to be a true copy of the vote taken at said election. Given under our hands the day and date above mentioned.
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