USA > Indiana > Hamilton County > A history of the formation, settlement and development of Hamilton County, Indiana, from the year 1818 to the close of the Civil War > Part 10
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The school taught by George Boxley in the cabin on his land was the first school taught in the township prior to the year of 1838.
The following persons formed a settlement in this township near the present site of Bakers Corner, be- tween the years 1831 and 1837: Christopher Williams, Mr. Hodson, Stephen Masters, James Lackey, George Rushton, William Davis, Daniel Smith, Leroy Fitzpat- rick, George Ramsey, James Higbee, John B. Ham- mock, Nathan John Baldwin, J. Dunn, N. Pearson and James Hawkins. For some time after this settlement was formed schools were taught at private houses until a cabin was built for that purpose near Bakers Corner. These schools were supported by the parents of the pupils on the subscription plan. A majority of this set- tlement belonged to the Friends' church. They had no meeting house of their own, but attended at Hinkle Creek church until the West Grove church was built. There were a few Wesleyan Methodists among them and they held services at private houses and at the school house until the Mount Pleasant church was built. These settlements comprised the population of the township at that time. They had their milling done at
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the Shryock mill, five miles north of Noblesville, and at the Fallis mill, two miles south of Noblesville, until a mill was built on Cicero Creek in Jackson Township.
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.
About the year 1859 the present system of doing township business was established. Between that date and the year 1866 the following named persons served as trustees :
Adams Township.
Caswell Boxley from 1859 to 1862.
Fred Smith from 1863 to 1864.
Wash Mckenzie 1865.
Jackson Township.
E. Summer 1859 to 1860. A. E. Teal 1860 to 1864. A. W. Dewey 1865.
White River Township.
W. Dick 1859 to 1864.
J. C. Peck 1865.
Washington Township.
B. M. Smith 1859 to 1863. Addison White 1864.
P. Cardwell and Henry Bray 1865. 6
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Noblesville Township.
T. T. Butler 1859 to 1860.
J. L. Evans 1861.
E. K. Hall 1861 to 1866.
Wayne Township.
Abraham Nicholson 1859 to 1861. Jacob Crull 1861 to 1864. George Paulsel 1865.
Clay Township.
Jonathan Wilson 1859 to 1861. Alfred Jessup 1861 to 1863.
S. Carey 1864. A. G. Jessup 1865.
Delaware Township.
Samuel Campbell 1859. Tra Mendenhall 1860 to 1861. C. W. Heady 1862. .A. Myers 1864.
Fall Creek Township.
John C. Kinnaman 1859 to 1866.
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CHAPTER XI.
Cities and Towns.
Noblesville.
The city of Noblesville is the county seat of Hamil- ton County. It is situated on the east bank of White River and on the west half of the southwest quarter of section 31, township 19 north, of range 5, east. It was laid out by William Conner and Josiah F. Polk in Janu- ary, 1823. There were twenty-six squares in the origi- nal town plat, exclusive of fractional lots. The lots were 66x132 feet. The alleys were 161% feet. Additions to the town have been made from time to time by differ- ent persons to meet the demands for lots.
After the town had been laid out Josiah F. Polk, one of the proprietors and who was at the time engaged to a Miss Noble, of Indianapolis, asked the privilege of naming the town. This was granted and he named the town Noblesville in honor of the lady to whom he was engaged. This was before Noblesville was chosen as the county seat.
In March, 1824, a majority of commissioners ap- pointed to select a site for the county seat of Hamilton County, to-wit: Martin M. Ray, Benjamin J. Blythe
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and John Sample, after examining all the sites offered as well as inducements offered, except Strawtown, lo- cated the county seat at Noblesville, since which time Noblesville has remained such. As an inducement to such location Conner and Polk donated one-half of the lots owned by them to the county to aid in the erection of county buildings. They also donated all of the frac- tion of land lying between the original plat of the town and White River to the county upon which to erect county buildings. They also donated the public square.
A postoffice was established in Noblesville in 1823. John D. Stephenson was appointed postmaster. His sticcessors up to the year 1865 in their order were as follows: F. W. Emmons, Catesby Dale, James G. Brown, James Springer, John H. Butler, Joseph A. Messick and T. W. Oliphant. The establishment of the postoffice was the first business done in the town.
Joseph Willison soon after that time opened a blacksmith shop on the corner of Eighth and Cherry streets. Dr. John Finch located on the last lot on the south side at the west end of Connor street. J. D." Stephenson and J. F. Polk lived at Noblesville. In 1824 F. B. Cogswell settled in Noblesville. The lot upon which his cabin and tan yard stood has been described. John D. Stephenson was married to Lavina Ross in' 1824 or 1825 and settled in Noblesville about this time. Dr. H. W. Clark settled here. His cabin was erected on the north side of the square.
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In the year 1827 George Shirts, Sr., opened the first tavern in town. It was situated upon the lot south of the Hotel Wainwright on Eighth street. A part of the building is still standing and is occupied by George Hollenbach as a barber shop. Other early tavern keep- ers were Bethel Dunning, James Grovers, Joshua Cot- tongham. A. Thompson, Thomas Demoss and Mr. Good.
R. L. Hannaman taught the first school in a log cabin on the corner of Maple avenue and Eighth street. A Mr. Thompson taught the next school in the same cabin. The next school house was a cabin on the cor- ner of Tenth and Clinton streets.
One Mr. Simpson taught school in this house for several years. The next school house was a frame building situate on what is now Sixth street. It is now occupied by Jack Smith (colored). The next school house was the brick on East Logan about two squares from the court house. The next was the seminary. Simpson was succeeded as teacher by T. J. Kane and he by P. C. Lawyer.
Among the early blacksmiths were Joseph Wille- son, William Finch, Israel Finch and John Pontius. At that time the blacksmith from an iron rod forged and turned all the horseshoes and forged and turned all the horseshoe nails used by him. He pounded iron and manufactured from it all bolts and taps used. In like manner he made log chains and all other things inci- dental to his business.
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Among the early shoemakers were George Shirts, Jabez Ross, Joseph Messick, Nathan Messick, Ebenezer Ridgeway, Joseph Messick, Jr., and L. N. Granger. They were compelled to manufacture the pegs they used in the following manner: A stick of sugar tree was taken from the wood pile and sawed into blocks the length of the pegs to be used. These were split into pieces the width of a peg. They were dried by the fire, then taken in bunches and held in the left hand. With the right hand the point of a shoe knife was inserted in a lap board, the handle remaining in the hand. The material held in the left hand was then placed on the board immediately under the knife blade. The knife was worked with the right hand splitting the material into pegs. They also manufactured the wax used in such trade.
Some time in the early fifties a mill with two rims of burrs, one for wheat and one for corn, with carding ma- chine, was erected by W. W. Conner on the corner of Conner and Sixth street. The mill was a custom mill. The factory did all kinds of custom work, carding rolls, spinning rolls into all kinds of yarn, flannels, jeans and frilled cloth blankets of every variety were manufac- tured. This mill was operated by different persons un- til some time in the sixties. In about the year 1855 J. L. Evans and W. N. Evans erected a steam mill on lot 8 in block 8 of the original town. This mill was con- structed for three rims of four feet burrs, each of which
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was put up in first class style, according to the mechan- ism of those days. In August, 1856, a few days before this mill would have been ready for operation, it was consumed by fire, evidently the work of an incendiary. The loss was about $11,000, being without insurance. Undaunted, however, Mr. J. L. Evans immediately after this disaster began the. erection of a new mill using the engine and boilers that had passed through the conflagration, overhauling them to serve the pur- pose. In 1861 Mr. Evans sold the mill, after a success- ful operation of it for about four years, to Messrs. Sohl and Wild, who as a firm continued business for about three months, when Mr. Levi Sohl was admitted as a partner and about three months thereafter Mr. Wild retired, Messrs. N. and L. Sohl continuing until about six months afterward. At that date they sold a one- third interest to William Harvey. This arrangement not proving satisfactory, a further change took place some ten months later. Then by purchase from Mr. Harvey A. J. Sohl became the possessor of a one-third interest in the establishment. In the course of time Messrs. Sohl and Sohl sold a fourth interest to Leonard Wild, formerly one of the proprietors. This occurred in 1864, at which time the firm took the name of L. Sohl & Co. The firm of L. Sohl & Co. continued to operate this mill until 1865, when L. Sohl disposed of his inter- est to Wild and Sohl, the firm remaining unchanged. About six months after this sale these gentlemen trans-
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ferred one-third interest to John C. Conner, operating still under the same name. Not long afterward Messrs. Wild and Sohl sold a third of their interest to N. Maine. After the lapse of four months N. Sohl was again ad- mitted into the partnership, the business being con- ducted as before. Next Mr. Maine disposed of his one- third interest to Hugh Smith and at the same time Wil- liam Spotts purchased a third interest. This change made the firm of Smith. Spotts & Co., N. Sohl retaining an interest.
Among the early tailors of the town were Mr. Cot- tingham, father of W. H. Cottingham ; Stinson Massey, Jesse Sparks, Emery Powell, A. J. Passwater and Wil- liam Granger. Among the early physicians were John Finch, Jr., H. W. Clark, Amos Palmer, T. T. Butler, Dr. Perry, Dr. Shaw, Dr. Westerfield, Dr. Hull and Dr. Haines. Among the early merchants were William Conner, J. D. Stephenson, F. B. Cogswell, R. J. Con- ner, Moses Massey, J. K. Leaming. R. L. Hannaman, J. Lutz, Joshua Cottingham, A. P. Casler, Ross, Cole, Evans, McDonald, Mahen, Thompson, Kingsberry, J. F. Cottingham and others. The early harness makers were Mr. Guy and Charles Swain. J. M. Mallery oper- ated a turning lathe, manufactured chairs and all the kinds of furniture in use in those days. In connection with this business he did the undertaking of the town and vicinity. Other furniture manufacturers were Ross and Martin. The Wainwrights were the pioneer
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tinware, stove and agricultural implement merchants. They first located in a frame building on the corner of Conner and Eighth streets on the west side of Eighth street. More than half a century has passed since Wes- ley Hare established a wagon and buggy manufactory in a small log building then situated on the site now occupied by George Heylmann. Mr. Hare commenced this business in a small way. All of his work was done by hand. There was then no machinery to help him. With his broad axe, mallet, chisel, augers and like tools he did his work. It was slow business, but he perse- vered. Gradually his business increased and it became necessary for him to have more room, so he removed from the old log building into a frame building on the corner of Connor and Tenth streets. After this re- moval his business increased more rapidly than before. He did good, honest work and soon acquired a reputa- tion that assured success. Some time in the fifties J. G. Heylmann was associated with him under the firm name of Hare & Heylmann. This firm continued to do business for a number of years and built up a large and lucrative trade. Mr. Hare has continued in business in one line for a longer period than any man in Hamilton County.
About the year 1830 the first jail building, hereto- fore described, was moved to the northwest corner of the public square. In 1832 the brick building known as the recorder's office was erected on the southwest cor-
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ner of the public square. About this time the frame court house was removed to the public square. Be- tween the years 1830 and 1840 a number of cabins were erected in various parts of town by persons moving in and were used as residences. Business rooms were also erected at different points around the public square. In about the year 1835 B. F. Cogswell sold his tan yard, heretofore described, to Pleasant Williams. He then built a frame building, part residence and part business room, on the north side of the square. Mr. Williams removed the log cabin and erected a frame residence upon the lot, which residence is still stand- ing. About this time Albert B. Cole erected the first brick residence in town. It was a one-story building sit- uate on the corner of Eighth street and Maple avenue and is yet occupied as residence property. About the years 1840, 1842 and 1843 the frame business rooms now standing on the west side of the square were erected respectively by William Conner, T. T. Butler, Guy, Daubenspeck and W. Wooster. In 1848 or about that time Daniel Hare erected a frame business room on the corner of Conner and Ninth streets, in which he did business until his death in 1850. In about the year 1850 the brick building now occupied by the Old Cor- ner Drug Store was built by Dr. Shaw, and about the same time a frame business room was built on the cor- ner where the Citizens' State Bank is located, by J. L. and W. N. Evans. The timber and lumber for this
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building were sawed and framed at Augusta, in Marion County, and hauled from that point to this on wagons. A brick building about this time was erected on the corner of Ninth and and Logan streets on the west side of Ninth. A brick building was also erected by Conner and Massey on the corner now occupied by Carlin & Peck. The building still stands. Other brick buildings were afterward erected on at least three sides of the square, the dates of which I cannot now give.
In the year 1850 L. N. Emmons, on his way from Washington City to his home in Noblesville, was at- tacked by the cholera. He died in a few days after his arrival. As soon as it became known that Mr. Emmons had been attacked by the cholera fear and consterna- tion overcame many of the good citizens of the town. Some of them made their way as soon as possible to the country; others remained away from where they sup- posed they would be likely to be infected. Especially did they remain away from the stricken district and from those who were infected by the disease. There were, however, many noble men and women who gave aid and comfort to the stricken ones during all their days of sorrow and trouble. Among those who suc- cumbed to the disease I recall the following: Mrs. Ross, mother of Mrs. Joseph Messick, and her brother ; Daniel Hare, wife and mother ; Mr. A. Hare and one of his children; Andrew Passwater, Eliza Garver and two children. The citizens of Noblesville were again
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attacked by cholera in 1853, but the attack was not so fatal. It was a long time before the people recovered from the shock. Aside from the fearful loss of life, the town suffered in the loss of trade. It was a long while before the people of the surrounding country could be induced to visit Noblesville.
In 1851 the Peru & Indianapolis Railroad was com- pleted (flat bar) to Noblesville. Prior to this time the farmers had been compelled to haul their wheat to Law- renceburg or Lafayette and sell it for 371/2 to 40 cents per bushel, and their hogs and cattle were either driven to Cincinnati or sold to men who did drive them to that market. Our merchants also, prior to that time, had been compelled to employ teamsters to haul their goods in wagons from the Ohio River. In expectation of a change in this business, warehouses were erected by the business men of the town in sufficient numbers in which to store all grain that would be likely to come to this market, ready for shipment over the line of this road and its connections. Some of the men who early engaged in this business were: J. L. and W. N. Evans, Lawyer & Hall, Philip Stoops & Sons and Leonard Wild. J. L. and W. N. Evans were also engaged in the shipment of hogs and cattle. Soon after the arrival of cars to this point the business of buying and shipping corn and wheat began in earnest. Grain was brought to this point from almost all parts of the county. The Evans brothers erected in 1854 a large merchant flour-
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IIAMILTON COUNTY, IND.
ing mill in the town. The flour was shipped to the Eastern markets. From this time forward Noblesville had a gradual but healthy growth in almost every way.
Pursuant to an act of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, approved January 15th, 1851, Nobles- ville was incorporated and known by the name of the "Corporation of Noblesville" and as provided by sec- tion 2 of that act an election was held for the purpose of determining the favor with which the proposed incor- poration was received and for the further purpose of electing the necessary corporation officers. The vote for incorporation was 54, while the opposition vote was only 2. For corporation officers the result of the elec- tion was as follows: Mayor. David Moss ; Councilmen, J. M. Mallery, J. B. Loehr, Jesse Lutz, J. D. Stephen- son, William Bauchert ; Treasurer, John J. Cox; Secre- tary, J. J. Patterson, who subsequently resigned, and E. R. Cole was appointed; Marshal, Emery Powell ; Street Commissioner, Joseph .\. Messick. On the fifth day of April following the first meeting was held, at which no other business was transacted than perfecting the or- ganization and appointing a committee to draft ordi- nances composed of the following persons : J. D Stephenson, Jesse Lutz and David Moss. On the 21st of April Douglas Dale was appointed town engineer, and on the 8th of May the committee on ordinances reported and their report was adopted. At the meet- ing of June 26th Jesse Sparks was appointed sexton of
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the burying ground and Elijah Cottingham was ap- pointed Town Engineer. Ordered also that the regular meetings of the Council be held on the first Thursday in each month at the office of David Moss. May 21st, 1853. it was resolved that the town of Noblesville be henceforth incorporated in accordance with an act passed by the Legislature of Indiana entitled "An act for the incorporation of towns, defining their power. providing for the election of officers thereof and declar- ing their duties," approved June 11, 1852. May 28th the board met at the court house and adopted a seal. Under this incorporation trustees were chosen in- stead of councilmen.
CHURCHES.
First Baptist Church.
The first meeting place for the members of this church was at the house of John Finch, Sr., at Horse Shoe Prairie, in the year 1820. They continued to meet at this place until 1832, at which time John Finch re- moved to Wayne Township. After this period the members met at the house of Dr. John Finch, in No- blesville, and at other private residences until the year 1827, when William Conner donated to the Baptist Church the lot on the corner of Ninth and Cherry streets. Upon this lot a log cabin was built and in the
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same year an organization was effected on the second Saturday of December as follows :
"The undersigned brethren and sisters met, having previously requested help from the Lick Creek and In- dianapolis churches, and did adopt the within covenant and articles of faith; and in token of our love to each other and to God, have given ourselves in a church compact.
(Signed) "ISAAC HURLOCK, "ANN HURLOCK, "CAREY W. HARRISON, "ROBERT COLBORN, "MARGARET FINCH, "MARY HEATON, "JORDAN PAYTON."
"Whereupon from Lick Creek Church came Elder Abraham Smock, Deacon Archibald C. Reed, James M. Laughlin and Henry Bowland, who were cordially re- ceived and invited to a seat in the council, and upon mature deliberation and examination, had according to the gospel, did proceed to give the right hand of fel- lowship, and thus constituted them a church. (Signed) Abraham Smock, moderator; Archibald C. Reed, James M. Laughlin and Henry Bowland."
Organization being completed, C. W. Harrison was chosen clerk and Isaac Hurlock, moderator. The church was without a minister. On the 8th day of May, 1830, Nathaniel Richmond was called to preach once a month.
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In the month of August, 1834, John Jones and Chauncy Butler preached the new doctrine called the "reformation" in the frame court house in Noblesville. At this meeting Garret Wall, Nancy Wall, his wife, Al- bert B. Cole, Michael Reveal and Elizabeth Wall made confession and were immersed on the 8th day of No- vember, 1834. Jones and Butler preached again, after which the above named persons, together with Jordan Payton, Purity Payton, his wife; Stephen Carey and wife and Margaret Byron, who had been previously im- mersed, associated themselves together and organized a Christian Church. Payton was selected to act as bishop and Colburn to act as deacon. A. B. Cole was chosen church scribe.
On the 5th of August, 1835, the Baptist Church ap- pointed a committee to examine the rules and inquire as to the faith and practice of the Christian Church with a view of uniting with them. Isaac Hurlock, a member of the Baptist Church, and also a member of the com- mittee, was given full power, if the investigation was satisfactory, to transfer the property of the Baptist Church to the Christian Church. On September 13, 1835, this committee made formal application for the admission of the members of the Baptist Church into the Christian Church, and as the basis of the proposed union was entirely consistent with the doctrines of the Christian Church, the proposition was accepted. Whereupon Isaac Hurlock, Anna Hurlock, his wife; C.
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W. Harrison and Matilda Harrison, his wife; Robert Colborn, Ebenezer Hurlock, Joanna Granger and Mary Wood, of the Baptist Church, being present, presented themselves for membership and were received into the Christian Church and thus the Baptist Church was merged into the Christian Church and completely lost its identity as a Baptist Church.
Methodist Episcopal Church.
The members of this church residing in and near Noblesville prior to the year 1828 met for worship at the residence of George Kirkendall, very nearly five miles southwest of Noblesville. The first quarterly conference that included Hamilton County was held at Wise's school house in December, 1828. This school house was in Delaware Township, six or seven miles from Noblesville. It was called the Fall Creek Circuit. Its boundaries included Madison County on the east, the Indiana reserve on the north, the Michigan road on the west and included a part of Marion County on the south. At this time Allen Wiley was presiding elder, Charles Bonner circuit preacher, Jeremiah S. Williams local preacher, Stephen Masters and Thomas M. Pen- dleton exhorters, Thomas M. Pendleton circuit supply, and Charles McCarty, James Vest and William Bell class leaders.
The financial report during this quarter was as fol- lows: Strawtown class, 75 cents; Noblesville, $1.50;
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McCarty's, $1.00; Vest's, $1.48; Anderson's, 25 cents; public collections, $2.953 :total, $7.932. Out of this Bon- ner was paid traveling expenses, $1.50; for wine, 373 cents; A. E. Wiley, P. E., quarterage, $1 ; O. Bonner, P. C., $6.061; total, $9.933 ; total received as support of the ministry for the fiscal year, $68.69; of this Wiley re- ceived $10.731 ; Bonner received $57.623.
Allen Wiley served two years as presiding elder, for which he received as quarterage $21.24, while the preacher in charge for the two years received $115.203. Fall Creek Circuit thought the circuit was strong enough to support two preachers. James Armstrong and William Evans and Charles Bonner were the preachers in charge.
During this conference year James Armstrong re- ceived $8.00, William Evans $38.572, Charles Bonner $31.502.
In 1835 the name of the circuit was changed from Fall Creek to that of Pendleton Circuit.
The first quarterly conference of the Noblesville Circuit was held on the 12th day of December, 1835. James Havens was presiding elder and J. C. Harbin cir- cuit preacher. The following is a partial list of the offi- cials at that time: Silas Igo, local preacher; William Perkins, local preacher; Thomas Hare, Jacob Mahen, Henry Shetterly, Jonathan Carey, George Foland, Bethel J. Dunning, Pleasant Williams and John Lutz.
In 1853 Noblesville held its first quarterly confer-
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