USA > Indiana > Johnson County > A historical sketch of Johnson county, Indiana > Part 7
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TURBULENCE.
The inquirer after the facts of the past is constantly reminded of the exhibition of lawlessness on the part of some at the begin- ning, and for many years after the county was organized. This arose, in a great measure, from the sentiment of personal inde- pendence that burned in every bosom, for there were but few of the pioneer settlers who were not ready on occasion to vindicate their own wrongs. Batteries and affrays furnished the Circuit Courts of the county with a large part of their work for many years. For a period of seven years after the county was organ- ized, the number of cases on the Circuit Court dockets, repre- senting batteries and affrays, stood as two to five against all other causes, criminal and civil.
RELIGIOUS.
But it must not be supposed that the reckless element in society had it all their own way. The courts were actively at work from the beginning, and the church came into the wilderness with the first comers. John P. Barnett, who came to the county in 1821,
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
was a Baptist preacher; and when he got here he found that Joseph Bishop, who had preceded him, was of the like faith with himself. Others followed, and, in 1823, a Baptist Church was planted in Blue River Township. Early in the history of Nine- vah Township, a Baptist Church, under the preaching of Mor- decai Cole, was organized at the house of Daniel Mussulman ; and when Richardson Hensley moved into Hensley Township, he carried with him a Baptist faith, and a Baptist Church was soon planted on Indian Creek.
In 1823, the Rev. James Scott, an itinerant Methodist minister, a young man of unbounded zeal, unlearned in the books but clear headed, with horse and saddle-bags, Bible and hymn book, made his way to the settlements on White River and began the work of the ministry. He preached the first ser- mon ever uttered in White River Township, standing in the door- way of a cabin built near the bluffs, with the females of his con- gregation seated within, and the males lounging upon the earth or leaning against trees without. For many years he visited this place, and by his hand was planted the parent Methodist Church of the county.
In the fall of 1823, a Presbyterian clergyman, whose name has been lost, came to the house of David McCaslin, near Frank- lin, and stopped over for the night. Word was sent out to the few settlers' cabins in the vicinity, that he would preach that evening, and when the hour came, a little congregation was there to hear. Seated at the fireside, the stranger preached the first sermon heard in that township. The first settlers of Franklin were generally Presbyterians, and, in November, 1824, the Presbyterian Church of that place was founded, and, in 1831, Hopewell Church was established.
In 1823. the first settlement was made in Pleasant Township, and, soon after, the Rev. Isaac Reed, a Presbyterian, superin- tended the organization of a Presbyterian Church, the first organized in that township.
The first sermon preached in Union Township, was at the house of Peter Vandiver, in 1827, by Elder William Irving ; and in 1831, we find Elder James Ashley preaching at Gwinnie Ut- terback's, and the following year a Baptist Church was organ- ized in the Utterback neighborhood. And no sooner had Serrill Winchester, Jesse and Joseph Young and Jacob Banta put up their cabins in the same township, when they joined together and built a meeting-house of hewed logs, and awaited the arrival of a preacher to organize the Shiloh Presbyterian Church of that place. This was the first church house built in Union.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
But the limits of this work forbid the recital of many things, and among others, a brief sketch of the various church organiza- tions of the county. The aim is to show that the pioneers held to the precepts of the Christian religion, and that while laying the foundations of a material prosperity, they failed not to lay the foundations of the Christian Church.
And, besides that, it may be observed that the Baptist socie- ties took a firmer root on the south side than any others; that the Presbyterians colonized a broad belt through the middle region of the county, while the Methodists took possession of the northwest quarter.
EDUCATIONAL.
The pioneers of Johnson County were no less zealous in the cause of education than in matters of religion. Themselves, gen- erally, indifferently educated, they nevertheless felt the want of it keenly, and sought by every means in their power to do better for their own offspring than had been done for them. School- houses were accordingly built whenever the number of children within reach was sufficient to support a little school. These houses were of the most primitive style, and all built of logs. Commonly, a cabin of round logs, sixteen by eighteen feet, was erected, with a huge fire-place in one end; while a log, the entire length, cut out of the side or other end, served as a window. Usually, this window was covered with oiled paper. Benches, made of split logs, served as seats, and boards laid upon pins driven into the wall, with an upward slant, were used as writing tables. One schoolhouse, the most primitive of all, stood in the south side of White River Township. The chimney of this cabin rested upon four posts set in the ground, about six feet apart, in the middle of the cabin. The fire was built on the earth in the center, and the smoke arose to the chimney above of breezeless days. The seats were arranged on the four sides of the fire. Primitive as these houses were, they were nevertheless dedicated to learning. Schoolmasters were employed, and the rudiments of knowledge taught to a generation that proved to be not unworthy sons and daughters of worthy fathers and mothers.
MARKETS.
It need be no surprise if wealth increased slowly at first. How else could it be with men who began life in humble circumstances. and who had to fight nature for a living. But there was, never- theless, an increase. Farms were opened out, and, after a time, a surplus of grain and stock was produced. Markets, however, were unhandy, and prices low. Wheat was wagoned to Madison
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
or Lawrenceburg, on the Ohio River, and often sold for 37} cents per bushel. And it was not an uncommon thing that two neighbors joined teams, and one wagon, laden with wheat, car- ried the surplus of both to the distant market. Corn was fed to hogs, and the hogs driven to the river markets. Think of the hogs fat enough at this day to be marketable, setting out on a hundred miles journey on foot. In the fall of 1824 or 1825, Jacob Lowe came to White River, from Ohio, and bought a drove of hogs. The price paid was $1.25 per hundred, gross weight, but no hogs were weighed. The buyer and seller guessed at the weight, and afterward, when men began to weigh, it was learned that the more experienced buyer had bought his hogs at about 75 cents per hundred. The hogs bought by Lowe were penned on the farm of Jacob Whetzel, in the White River bottom, and men were employed to drive them around the field for several days to train them for driving on the road. After being properly trained, they were driven through to Cincinnati.
The price agreed to be paid by Lowe was high for the times. For many years after that, dressed pork often sold in Johnson County as low as $1 per hundred pounds. But $1.50 seems to have been the prevailing price. Good work horses were worth from $25 to $50 each; milch cows from $5 to $10. Joab Wood- ruff bought twenty head of one and two year old cattle, when he came to the county, for $50, which was $2.50 each. Chickens sold for 50 cents to 75 cents per dozen. Fat turkeys, tame or wild, from 15 to 25 cents each; butter, 5 to 8 cents per pound ; eggs. 3 to 5 cents per dozen; saddles of venison, from 25 to 50 cents; maple sugar, 6} to 10 cents per pound; coon skins were worth from 20 to 40 cents, depending on quality; deer skins, 20 to 30 cents, but about 1824 or 1825, Samuel Herriott bought 500 at 6 cents each. Farm labor was worth from $8 to $10 per month. while 25 cents per hundred was the customary price for cutting the timber and making rails. In 1825, Henry Mussul- man made rails for a bushel of meal per hundred, and the meal was worth 25 cents per bushel. Corn brought from 10 to 20 cents per bushel ; oats, from 8 to 123 cents, and ginseng 25 cents per pound. This last article was for many years one of the chief articles of exportation. All ages and sexes hunted for and dug ginseng with great perseverance and industry, sure of a certain sale of all they could find, at a good price for that day.
Foreign stuffs were of high price. Samuel Herriott bought four pounds of coffee at 50 cents per pound, as he came through. Madison to this county, in 1820, and when George King moved out in 1823, he paid 623 cents per pound in the same market. On
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
the authority of the late Thomas Williams, it may be stated that Daniel Taylor, the first merchant in Franklin, sold two and a half pounds of coffee for $1, but the quality is not known. From the books kept by Daniel Mussulman, of his mercantile transac- tions in 1835 and 1836, it appears that prices ruled at that time as follows: Coffee, 20 cents per pound; tea, $1.50; pepper, 25; salt, 2}; sugar, 12} to 163; indigo, 16} per ounce; iron, 10; nails, 91; sugar kettles, 5 cents per pound; book muslin, 75 cents per yard; calico, 37} to 403 cents ; flannels, 75 cents, and blue jeans, 37}; wall paper (for window shades), 12} cents per yard; bed tickings, 30; domestics, 163, and shirtings, 25 cents ; tin cups, 6} each; almanacs, same price ; meal sieves, 75 cents ; grass scythes, $1; sickles, 62} to 75; wool cards, 37} to 43; paper of pins, 123; paper of tacks, 25; foolscap paper, 25 cents per quire; letter paper, 37}; saddle blankets, $1.50 each; a "Leghorn bonnet," $2.25, and "trimmings for same," $1.43.
The natural result of men's surroundings was to foster a spirit of industry and economy. The scarcity of money and the great difficulty of getting it, made men thoughtful in spending it. Luxurious living was not thought of, and extravagant expendi- tures were seldom indulged.
And men were careful to look after their just dues. Not a few instances appear in the old records of claims being filed against the county for 122 cents, 182 cents and 25 cents. It is in mem- ory that a customer at a store was found on settlement indebted to the merchant in the sum of 183 cents, and had not the money wherewith to pay. The merchant wrote a note which the cus- tomer signed and afterward paid.
With the habits of industry and economy appertaining to the pioneers of this county, there could be but one result. They improved the county and accumulated wealth, and their well- improved farms, and the great material wealth of to-day, are the necessary outcome of all this primitive toil and thrift.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
CHAPTER XI.
CONDUCT OF COUNTY BUSINESS.
By an act of the Legislature of January 31, 1824, the law providing for a court of Commissioners was repealed, and a Board of Justices provided for, charged with the duties theretofore per- taining to the Court of Commissioners. Every Justice of the county was ex officio a member of the board, and it was made the duty of each Justice to attend at the county seat on the first Monday in September, 1824, and organize by electing one of their number President of the Board for one year, and thereafter they were to meet on the first Monday in every alternate month. The board so organized was to appoint Listers, Constable, Over- seers of the Poor, Supervisors of Roads, Inspectors of Elections, Superintendents of School Sections, County Agents, County Treasurers, County Collectors, Fence Viewers, grant licenses to venders of merchandise, to clock peddlers, dealers in ardent spirits, and to tavern-keepers, organize townships, levy taxes, lay out and change roads, select juries, make all allowances, and, in fine, transact the main part of the general business of the county. By way of compensation, these Justices were exempted from militia and jury service, from working the roads, and payment of a poll tax. No other compensation was allowed.
From the time when the law went into effect in September, 1824, up to the 1st of May, 1826, a period of twenty months, no record of the acts of the Board of Justices is to be found, and whatever they did has not been remembered.
At the May meeting in 1826, Archibald Glenn, Joab Wood- ruff, David Durbin, John Israel, Thomas Low, Patrick Cowan and Spencer Barnett, Justices, appeared and took their seats. Glenn was President, having been elected in September before. The first business done by the board was the granting of Thomas Carter, of Edinburg, a license to keep a tavern. Next came "sundry citizens of Nineveh and Blue River Townships." asking for a review of that part of the Indian Creek road which lies be- tween Daniel Mussulman's land and Edinburg. The review was granted, and Arthur Robinson, Jesse Young, Hezekiah Davison, Hiram Smith and Jefferson D. Jones appointed Reviewers. After that, an allowance was made to George W. Blankenship and Henry Byers of $1.50 to each, for three days' service in attending the poor in their township. Then comes William Hunt,
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
who is described as an agent for Robert and Joseph Brackenridge, who has leave to establish a ferry across Blue River, where the Madison road crosses the same; but whether it was intended that this privilege should inure to the benefit of the agent or his principals, the record does not disclose.
This being done, the board proceeded to district the county for road purposes. In that day, and for many years after, this was an important matter. Roads were new and needing careful attention to enable persons at some seasons to travel over them at all, and, as the county was settled up, constant changes in the boundaries of districts were found to be necessary. At this time the county was broken up into ten road districts, and as many persons appointed to supervise the work done on the roads; and while no one would be curious to know the boundaries of these districts, it might be of interest to know that Jesse Young, Isaac Smock, Nathaniel St. John, William Etter, James Hamner, William W. Robinson, Thomas Henderson, Henry Burkhart, Jefferson D. Jones and Charles Martin were appointed the Supervisors. After this the board proceeded to consider the claims on file. One of $4, in favor of William Barnett, for work done on the court house, was allowed, and he was privi- leged to "lift his bond filed in the Clerk's office for the completion of the work to be done to court house." Patrick Cowan and Thomas Russell were each allowed $1.50, their fees in the case of the State of Indiana vs. Richard Neal; Lewis Bishop came in for $1 "charges for keeping Richard Neal while a prisoner," and John Barnett got 50 cents, and Joseph Hickerson $1, for standing guard over the said Richard; and John Smiley, the Sheriff, got $41.10 for "guarding, dieting, etc.," said Richard Neal, and two others, Nathaniel Bell and William Barlow.
Richard Neal was proving himself an unprofitable citizen. A special term of the Circuit Court had been called on his account, and a grand jury impaneled to consider a presentment to be made against him, charging him with having sent a challenge to fight a duel; but the jury ignored the bill, and Richard drops out of sight, leaving these bills to be paid by the county. John Campbell, the County Agent, was then allowed $2.612 for whisky and stationery furnished for county use while Agent. This whisky was for the benefit of the buyers of the town lots. These and some other allowances being made, the board next made up the traverse and grand juries to serve at the ensuing Sep- tember and March terms, and as the men chosen on these juries included so large a proportion of the voting population of the county at that date, their names are herewith given.
E
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
Traverse Jury chosen for September term, 1826: Hugh Williams, Robert Winchell, John McCord, Jr., David Stevens, Elias Hilbun, Isaac Garrison, Jacob White, John B. Smock. William Springer, George W. Blankenship, John Shipp, Levi Ogle, Isaac White, Isaac Walker, George Baily, Peter Titus, Daniel Mussulman, Jesse Gifford, John Gaunts, Peter Doty. Daniel Earlywine, Benson Minor, William Stallcup, Lewis Bishop.
The following persons were ordered summoned for the March term, 1827: Samuel Smiley, John Wishard, John Mozingo, George Burkhart, Thomas Brook, James Atwood, Abraham Low, William Hamner, John H. Powers. Abel Webb, Thomas Need- ham. Jacob Cutsinger, Peter Titus, Levi Hall, Gideon Drake, Benjamin Hardin, Caleb Vannoy, Perry Baily, Levi Moore. Isaac Beasley, John Wheeler, John Davis, James Smock, Alex- ander Jamison.
The following persons were selected from whom a grand jury was to be made up at the September term, 1826: Robert Moore. George Connell, John Alexander, Hezekiah Mckinney, Lewis Pritchard, Henry Koontz, William W. Robinson, Richard Shipp, Gavin Mitchel, Benjamin Culver, Ebenezer Perry, Arthur Rob- inson, Henry Burkhart, William Harter, Andrew Pearce, Thomas Hardin, George Hill, John Barnett.
The following persons were selected from whom a grand jury was to be made for the March term, 1827: Obadiah Perry, Chris- topher Johnson, Isaac Sutton, John Doty, Nathaniel St. John, James Wylie, Spencer Barnett, Edward Choat, John S. Miller, Daniel Covert, John Adams, Isaac White, Nicholas Sells, Daniel Taylor, David Baird, Thomas Carter, Jacob Sutton, Silas Koons.
After the selection of the new juries, came the allowances for those who had served on both traverse and grand juries at the last March term, and to every juror was allotted the sum of $1.50, being 75 cents per day, and no mileage. The names of these traverse jurymen are as follows: Charles Martin, George Barnett, James Hamner, William Burkhart, Perryman Wilkins, James Richey, Jonathan Hougham, David Trout, Richard Perry, Samuel Johnson, William Shaffer, Joshua Palmer.
The names of grand jurymen are as follows: Jesse Davison, Michacl Broom, George Hollenback, Ilenry Brown, Joab Wood- ruff, Nathan Culver, William Spears, Edward Bartley, William Barnett, John Foster, Robert Gillcrees, Henry Burkhart. Thomas Williams, John Brunk.
Money was necessary to carry on the county government in 1826, as well as now, and it therefore, became necessary to raise
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
a county revenue. To this end the following schedule of taxes was ordered levied by the board :
On each horse, mule or ass over three years old. $ 37 18%
On each work oxen.
On each gold watch.
1 00
On each silver or pinchbeck ..
25
On each white male person over twenty-one years. 50
On each license to retail foreign merchandise. 15 00
On each license for tavern. 5 00
On each ferry. 2 00
On each covering horse. : 00
The limits of this work forbid a further pursuit of this theme in detail. It may be observed, however, that the old records bear ample testimony of the caution shown by the Justices in their management of county affairs. Associate Judges they allowed $2 per day by virtue of a statute, and jurymen were allowed 75 cents per day, presumably by virtue of a statute also; but Inspectors of Elections, Road Viewers, Bailiff's, Overseers of the Poor, and all others doing service for the county where it was proper to charge a per diem, received some 50 cents, and others 75 cents per day, but never more than 75 cents was allowed.
At the November session for 1826, Joseph Young, the County Treasurer, made a report of the condition of the treasury, which shows at a glance the humble condition of the times:
County orders, certificates of services of jurors, and re- ceipts for money paid. $319 00
Collector's commissions. 14 04
County Treasurer's commissions. 7 973
Delinquent taxes for 1825 19 00
Cash in treasury.
29 24
On the 5th of January, 1827, Hensley Township was organ- ized, and, on the 4th day of May, 1829, Pleasant Township was likewise organized, while Union came in on the 5th day of July, 1830, and Clark not until the 8th of May, 1838.
We have seen that the census of 1830 shows a population of 4,019, and while the increase of wealth had by no means kept pace with the increase of population, the reasons for which must appear to every thoughtful person, yet there was growth in this direction. The county revenue at this time, from all sources, was about $1,000 per annum, and a glance at the records of this year discloses the articles and persons upon which taxes were levied to raise so much of this sum as did not come through the hands of the county agents for the sale of town lots.
"It is." says the record, "ordered, that there be levied a county revenne for the year A. D. 1830, on each horse, mule or ass over three years old, 312 cents; each covering horse, $2; on
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
each work oxen, 153 cents; each pleasure carriage, 50 cents; on each brass clock, 50 cents; on each watch, 25 cents; on each poll, 373 cents; on license to keep a tavern and retail spirituous liquors, $5; on each license to retail spirituous liquors, foreign and domestic groceries, $5; on cach license to vend foreign mer- chandise, $10 for twelve months, for six months, $6, for three months, $4, for two months and under, $3; on each town lot, 50 cents on the $100 in value; on each original suit commenced in the Circuit Court, 50 cents; on each hundred acres of first- rate land, 25 cents; on each hundred acres of second-rate land, 20 cents ; on each hundred acres of third-rate land, 16 cents."
It was decided in this year that the old log court house was no longer suitable for the transaction of county business. At no time had any of the county offices been kept in this building. The lower rooms, used for jury rooms when the court was in ses- sion, were rented by the County Agent to whomsoever wanted them when the court was not in session, and the proceeds paid over to the County Treasurer. But now the Board decided to build a more commodious house, and whatever of criticism or comment their decision may have occasioned, does not appear of record. At the January term for that year, it was ordered that " Thomas Williams, County Agent, advertise that there will be let to the lowest bidder on Tuesday, the second day of the next term of this Board, the building and inclosing of a brick house for a court house, forty feet square, two stories high, with two doors, to be covered, and a suitable cupola, the foundation to be built one foot with rock." Arrangements had been made to procure "from Col. Morrow, or any other person, as soon as practicable, a suitable plan," but that was not done in time for "Tuesday, the second day of next term." Somebody had blundered. Next it appears that Patrick Cowan, Mahlon Seybold, Abraham Lowe, Thomas Henderson, Thomas Needham and George W. King, members of the Board of Justices, were appointed a committee to "attend to the court house on Tuesday, the 9th inst.," and let the new building to the lowest bidder, the plan of which the committee was to agree upon.
At the appointed time the building was let. Samuel and John Herriott contracted to do the work for $1,427, and they were given two years to do it in. In twenty months, the building was inclosed and ready for the inside work, which, not being included in the Herriott contract, was let to William Shaffer, a carpenter, for $349.50, which made the entire cost of the build- ing $1,776.50, and it was considered a superb structure when completed.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
The Justices of the county continued to serve as a County Board up to 1831, when they were retired by an act of the Leg- islature, and a Commissioners' Court of three members took that place. The following-named persons served as members of the Board of Justices from the July term, 1826, when the records begin, up to their last term, in 1831: Archibald Glenn, Joab Woodruff, David Durbin, John Israel, Thomas Lowe, Patrick Cowan, Spencer Barnett, William W. Robinson, John Foster, William Dunn, Richardson Hensley, Jesse Wells, Curtis Pritch- ard, Thomas Henderson, George W. King, John S. Sanders, John Alexander, Isaac Smock, Abraham Lowe, Mahlon Seybold, Thomas Lockhart, Thomas Needham, John James, James Thomp- son, Arthur Robinson, James Gillaspy, James Ritchey.
James Gillaspy, of Ninevah Township; James Ritchey, of White River, and Thomas Henderson, of Franklin, were elected County Commissioners. The two former held the September term of Commissioners' Court for 1831, Henderson not taking his seat until the November term. But this Commissioners' Court was of short life. On the 6th of January, 1834, they gave way to another Board of Justices, by virtue of a Legislative act then lately become a law. The Board as organized under the new law, was composed of John Foster, James Chenoweth and William Adams, of Franklin Township; Isaac Smock and John Alexander, of Pleasant ; Mahlon Seybold and Abraham Seybold, of White River ; John Bergen and John James, of Union ; Rich- ard Foster and Henson C. Martin, of Hensely ; Aaron Dunham and Arthur Robinson, of Nineveh, and James Thompson and John S. Sanders, of Blue River.
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