USA > Indiana > Blackford County > Biographical memoirs of Blackford County, Ind. : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography embellished with portraits of many well known residents of Blackford County, Indiana > Part 34
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Vermont, and was here before the county was formed; he was a Methodist class-leader. and an ardent Whig. Other Vermonters among the early settlers were Thomas Fi. Edson. Nathan C. Rice, Samuel Brown, a soldier of 1812, John S. Bliss, Thomas Eaton, Ira. Rice and Abel Byam. William Ellsworth, a New Yorker, and his wife, Betsy ( Platt), came to Abel Baldwin's in Montpelier, in September, 1837, and built the second house in that village. In March of April, 1839, they moved to their land, three and one-half miles east of Montpelier, which was thenceforth their home. William died in February, 1893. lacking a month of being eighty years old. Mrs. Ellsworth is still living on the old homestead at the age of eighty years. Lyman Simpson, a Massa- chusetts man, was among the first in the vi- cinity of Montpelier. His wife having died he married Clarissa Putnam, a sister of Abel Baldwin and widow of Kendall Putnam, who died in 1838. Simpson built the water power, grist and saw-mill, a mile east of Montpelier, one of the largest mills of the kind in this part of the state. He was after- wards a merchant and hotel keeper. and later a justice of the peace in Montpelier. In the spring of 1839 Michael Maddox settled on the tract of land north of the river about two miles east of Montpelier ; his son Joseph C., then recently married, had preceded him a few years. Michael died September 10, 1845, seventy-two years of age; his son-in- law, Charles Mays, came about the same time and his son Silas located in Hartford City soon after. Of his other sons, Wesley H. is in Wells county ; William McK. and Wilson went to Nebraska, and James J. died recently in Hartford City. Henry Householder and Daniel Wood were for a time near neigh- bors of Michael Maddox. Mr. Householder
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF
clied in the fall of 1842. About a mile further cast John Wells located in May, 1839, coming from Guernsey county, Ohio, but being a native of Pennsylvania, where he was born in 1800. He was a tanner and carried on that business extensively while clearing up and cultivating his farm. His wife.Sarah, was a sister of Michael Teterich, who lived some four miles south of them. James McF. Wells is the oldest child of the family, and, at the age of seventy-four years, is still liv- ing on a part of the land once owned by his father. The oldest daughter, Martha, married William Clevenger, another pioneer in that neighborhood. Just north of John Wells was Elihu Hillis, and a mile farther north, in the northeast corner of the county, Hyman and Darius Shinn located in the fall of 1841. Across the river south of the Maddox farm, William Crossan settled about the time that Maddox and Wells came. He was from Pennsylvania, and died in 1856 at the age of sixty years. Joshua B. Cass and John B. Gouldsberry were among the first in this township, as were also David Fox, Joseph Penrod, Thomas Simonton, John Ferrin, Emanuel Hirst, Robert Duffee, Samuel Wilson, James Bowman, Joseph C. David, David Daugherty, Elias Hawkins, William Wilson and John and Benjamin Lowrey. In the southwestern part of this township George H. Houser must have been one of the first settlers. Soon after the county was formed he was elected a commissioner. Like the ancient Nimrod, he was a mighty hunter. He could take his gun and go out into the forest and bring in a deer of any age or de- scription that might be desired; he was a zealous member of the Methodist church and was probably an exhorter. The writer remembers of seeing him once or twice at religious meetings at Montpelier or at the
residence of Michael Maddox, and remem- bers how he sung with an enthusiastic aban- don that was inspiring, while he displayed conspicuously a single, very large front tooth. John Houser, another pioneer, was his son ; one of his daughters married Jona- than Havens, and another married Arthur Badley, a young Methodist itinerant, who in later years was a presiding elder in Iowa.
William Cale and his son Conrad and their wives. Elizabeth and Barbara, were all native Germans, as were Lewis, Peter and Christian Hiser, Margaret, the wife of the latter, being born on the sea. Thomas & Markin and his wife, Frances (Sumter), au came from Lawrence county, Ohio, to this township in February, 1837. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, had been a justice of the peace in Ohio and was one of the first ‹ justices in Blackford county. George Sumter, who came with them, was a brother of Mrs. Markin. Jose K. Hobson and Elzy Silor (or Sailor) were in this neighborhood and Abraham Thompson, Robert Hays and David Hughes, the miller, Joseph Beymer and William Davidson were other first set- tlers. John Beal, school teacher and associ- ate judge, went to Missouri. Michael Te- terich was one of the first in southeast Har- rison township. coming from Guernsey county, Ohio. His family suffered a calamity similar to that which twelve years later be- fell the Covault family. John Teterich, a son of Michael, took away a drove of horses in the spring or summer of 1847, and on his return took down with typhoid fever and soon died. In the course of a few days the mother, three daughters and the other son, Jacob, were all taken away by the same ter- rible disease. Jacob was engaged and was soon to have been married to a daughter of William Davidson. He was taken sick at
273
BLACKFORD COUNTY, INDIANA.
her home and died there and she took the fever and died soon after, and three of An- drew R. Blunt's daughters became victims of the plague about the same time. The neighborhood was alarmed. This form of disease was comparatively new and little understood, and was spoken of as the to- terich fever. In some other families there were a few cases somewhat similar and the neighbors were afraid to go near to render any assistance. Michael Teterich was left alone, his family being swept away, with the exception of his married daughters, Eliza- beth Paxson and Sarah Hays. He survived
until June, 1848, when he died at the home of his sister and brother-in-law, Sarah and John Wells.
James Havens was another pioneer of : this corner of the township, and also his sons, Sealy and Jonathan; his daughter, Nancy, was the wife of Joseph Reymer. Mr. Havens died about the end of the year 1849. There was also the Liestenfeltz fam- ily. Conrad and Susanna, and their children. Jacob and Daniel being natives of Germany. The other children were Peter M., Catharine. Conrad and Susanna.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP.
The settlement of this township had just fairly begun when the county was organized. James Ransom came in October, 1836, from Belmont county, Ohio. He had a family of twelve children,five of whom were born in Ohio and eleven of whom grew to man- hood and womanhood. As several of them were somewhat prominent in the county, we give their names.
Dr. William C. Ransom, Robert, Jane, wife of William Jenkins, Bazel B., Mary, wife of Moses S. Stahl, Dr. James G., Sarah, wife of William Landon, Dr. John A., Har- riett, wife of Joseph Landon, Matthew W., and Rosanna, wife of James Kessler. About the same time or soon after, James Ran- som's father-in-law, William Clark Ander- sonn, came, having also a large family. His wife's name was Eliza, and the children who came to Indiana were Mary Dean, Elizabeth Ransom, Asa, Humphrey, Bazel, William
T., John K. and Ann, wife of Thomas H. Bowen.
Joseph Creek came from Highland coun- ty, Ohio, in 1839; his sons were Joseph, Jr .. deceased, Jacob and Reuben, the latter of whom are well known. David Creek came soon after.
William Cortright, one of the first jus- tices in the township, and his wife, Huldah, were natives of New Jersey, but came from Ohio here. Johiel, Isaac, Henry, Jackson, Hiram, William and George were their sons and Delila, wife of Jacob Creek, was their daughter. Ezekiel Lanning, Robert Lanning, Sr., James and Robert, Jr., and Matthew M. Thompson, came from Guernsey county, Ohio. Martin Bear (or Bare) was also a pioneer, and Henry was here soon after. George W. Porter, now of Montpelier, and nearly ninety years old, came from Jay coun- ty; his father, Elias Porter, and his uncle,
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274.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF
Thomas Shalor, were among the first white men in Jay and Blackford counties. All the foregoing, except the last two named, locat- ed in the vicinity of Trenton. Farther north was John Havens, another son of James Ilavens, already mentioned. In the north- 1 est corner of the township were Thomas Langdon, who died soon afterward, and the three patriarchal Emshwiller brothers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Abraham died many years ago; his widow, Em- · ily, and his son, Moses, have recently died, while his other children, John, Jacob, William T. and Ann R. Morris, are still liv- ing in the county. Isaac was a bachelor and school teacher. Jacob was county treasurer nearly ten years; his tragic death in Febru- ary, 1849, occasioned by his team running away, was universally regretted by the peo- ple of the county.
Samuel Gochnatter was one of the early commissioners of the county. Of his daugh- ters, Catharine married Jose K. Hobson ; Eliza married David Hughes, and Mary Ann married Jacob Emshwiller. John and Jacob Wentz were native Germans. Frederick Beall, the first sheriff elected after the county was organized, lived east of Hartford City. The Stewarts, John and Henry, have already been mentioned. In the southeast corner, near Dunkirk, the first settlers seem to have been Leonard Clouse, George Clouse and Thomas H. Bowen, both of whom died at an
carly date, William Bowen, Ozias Barnes, the father of William Jonathan, Solomon M. Thomas and Orange L., William C. Bun- drant, Edward M. Crumley and John Kitts . miller.
Among others located somewhere in the township were Emanuel Fuller, William James, R. R. Kelley, Ephraim Murray, Jo- seph Tyler and James Walker. In a very few years the foregoing pioneers were large- ly reinforced, a few of the additionals being Thomas and Daniel Brown, James G. Baird, William H. Boyd, John Cunningham, John Everett, Ebenezer Edwards, Lois Evans, William Fulkerson, Josiah Gates, David Huffman, Aaron Hackney, John Hudson, Andrew Harris, Mary W. Kline, Dennis Lowrey, Augustus Logan, another Robert Lanning, the Mill Grove merchant, Reuben Rousseau, John H. Snyder, William Tip- pen, David Tilton, George and William Whetsel and Abraham Wilson. The last mentioned Robert Lanning is said to have been an expert marksman. Dr. A. W. Hen- ley, of Hartford City, agreed with him at one time that he would buy all the squirrels that Lanning would kill in one day by shoot- ing them through the head with a rifle, at three cents apiece. He brought in fifty of the gray variety, all shot through the head, and the Doctor dressed and salted them down and said it was the cheapest meat that he had ever bought.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
Of the pioneers of this township the writer has but little knowledge, and can do but little more than mention the names of some of them. John Miller, in section 1, and his son Jonathan were here very early; there was another John Miller and also a Peter and a Jonas. John Cave, the associate judge, and Absalom Shrader were neighbors, and Jeremiah Lockett, Jonathan Cartwright and Levi C. Eartridge; the first justices, were in the same locality, as was also Edward Hughes and Roderick Craig, of whom men- tion has been made. Peter Bonham, Henry Balsley, and the Palmers, Christopher and Samuel, were farther west. William Patter- son, Peter McKee, David and James Mc- Conkey, and Thomas Cochran, and probably Thomas Downard, were others who settled along the northern side of the townhsip. Besides Henry Balsley, there was Jacob Balsley, Sr., and Jacob Balsley, Jr., some- where in the township, and in a few years there were Samuel H. Palmer and Martin, David and Joseph Palmer. Along in the central part of the township there were Cy- renius J. Boyles, Lemuel Leffingwell and Judge William Hadden. Daniel Watson and Samuel West married daughters of Henry Balsley. John Watson, father of Daniel, and Stephen Willman, a native of Germany, were among the old men who located here at an early date. Nicholas Willman, the eccen- tric justice of the peace, and his brother, Peter, afterwards in business for many years in Hartford City, were sons of Stephen, and located early in the township. Lewis Will- man, a native of Germany and a distant rela.
tive of the others, lived some years in this township. He was the father of J. P. and Lewis Willman, of Hartford City, and of Mrs. Christena Ervin. Peter Wadle, another German, settled in the midst of the most im- penetrable swamps of that time and the school house in that locality has always been called by his name. The extreme southeastern cor- ner of this township was settled by the Stall- smith brothers, Jacob, John and George, who came from near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Fullers, Alfred, Allen and Jonas, were also pioneers of this region. Barnett Dewitt and his son Elisha were among the first. Barnett is said to have been a man of strong common sense, but of quite limited educa- tion. He was a hunter of remarkable skill, not only of the wild animals, but of wild bees as well. It is said that while he was a com- missioner of the county it was necessary at times to keep a close watch over him to keep- him in his place during the session of the board, because if he observed a bee he would watch its flight, take its course and start off into the depths of the surrounding forest in search of the "bee tree," leaving the coun- ty business in charge of his colleagues. His great weakness was his love for intoxicating liquors, which he frequently drank to excess, He was an old acquaintance of John M. Mar- lay, the village blacksmith of Hartford City, and also of the Dildine family. Mrs. Marlay was a sister of Samson Dildine, and Dewitt always called her Mrs. Dildine. Early one morning he called at Marlay's house on his way home, having been to mill somewhere on the Mississinnewa or White river. He rode
276
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF
.
up to the house and his presence was an- nounced by the horse putting his head in at the open window. He was quite intoxicated but wanted his breakfast. After being assist- ed from his horse and into the house Mrs. Marlay proceeded to get breakfast and Mr. Marlay went to his work at the shop near by. In honor of her guest "Aunt Abbie," as she was called, put her best dishes on the table, a set that she greatly prized. While she was in the kitchen the guest of honor concluded that he would take a seat at the table. His unaided efforts in this endeavor were attended by a tremendous crash. Aunt Abbie rushed in and was horrified at seeing the table overturned and her supply of table ware "gone to smash." Dewitt pulled him- self out of the wreck and looked at Mrs. Marlay and observing the expression of grief and despair depicted on her countenance he inquired, "Mrs. Dildine, have you lost any of your near relatives lately ?"
In a few years white settlers became too numerous and wild game too scarce for the old hunter and he emigrated to the wilds be- yond the Mississippi.
Asher Van Cleve and Frederick and Henry Seelig located from two to three miles north of Hartford City. John and William Kemmer were also in this township and Wallis Benedict, the father of Peter and
Daniel, in Licking. In the southwest corner of Washington were Gilbert Townsend. Sr., already referred to, and his sons, Charles, Gil- bert, Jr., and John, Charles Householder, and the Lefflers, George Leffier and his sons, Daniel and Jacob. In this neighborhood also were Thomas Miles, a Revolutionary sol- clier, and his son William and William's sons, flammond and Adam W., and his nephews. Alfred and Joseph. William Casterline and Edward Middleton were also among the first to locate here. Other pioneers were David Hains, Jonathan Leffingwell. Abel Nichol- son, Joseph Richardson, Barnabas Toler, his son, Tira Toler, and Burrell Toler, probably another son.
A few years later there had come to this township Jacob Bugh, Sr., Barnhart W. Bugh, John Bailey, James W. Baird, William Burchard, James Bocock, James W. Camp- bell, Abraham Cranell, Jacob Clapper, George Downhour, Thomas L. and John M. Downard, George Folkenroth, Aaron Hedge. Bowen Hart, Enos Hall, Isaac Johnson, Fred Kesner, G. W. Kingsley, John A. Low, Zephaniah McConkey, Eli McConkey, Will- iam Gregory, Wiley Morris, Jonas Nelson, George Overhiser, Mathias Roll, Thomas Raplee, Henry Roby, Lewis Raudabaugh, Adam Shields, William Spear, Leander Tarr, Moses Tatman and William Trostle.
CONCLUSION.
Necessity compels the abrupt termina- tion of this sketch, leaving many interesting topics unmentioned.
As had been stated the organization of the county was effected in 1839. The na- tional census of 1840 showed the following to be the population of the entire county.
White male inhabitants. 623
White female inhabitants. 590
Colored inhabitants 13
Total 1,226
There were employed in agriculture. 316
In commerce.
5
In manufactures and trades. 15
Pensioners, Revolutionary or military services. . . 2
At public charge as insane or idiots. . 1
White persons over twenty who could not read or write. 55
In 1850 the population by subdivisions was as follows:
Males.
Females. Total.
Harrison
388
858
746
Jackson
209
210
419
Licking
496
479
975
Hartford
135
115
250
Washington.
240
230
470
Total. 1,468
1,392
2,860
This includes a colored population of 11, 5 males and 6 females. The number of adults who could not read or write was 166.
The total population in 1860 was, males 2,153; females, 1,969; total, 4,122. These figures would indicate that during the Civil war one-twelfth of the entire population of the county was in the military service.
Total population in 1870 and 1880 by civil divisions :
1870.
1880.
Harrison township
1,680
2,163
Jackson township
1,399
1,756
Licking township
1,307
1,358
Hartford City town.
878
1,470
Washington township .. 1,008
1,273
Total .6,272
8,020
The colored population in 1870 was 14, and 1880, 17.
In 1880 the population of Montpelier, which was included in Harrison township, was 618.
Population in 1890:
Harrison township 1,900
Montpelier town. 808
Jackson township 2,075
Licking township. 1,668
Hartford City town 2,287
Washington township 1,723
Total. 10,461
Classified as to sex and nativity :
Males, native. . 5,288
Males, foreign born.
112
Females, native. 4,978
Females, foreign born. 83
Total. 10,461
Population of the county in 1900. As the figures have not yet been given to the public they can be written in the proper place by the owners of this volume.
Harrison township.
Montpelier
Jackson township
Licking township.
Hartford City ....
Washington township
Population of Indiana and the United States from 1820 to 1900 :
- ---
278
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF
Indiana.
United States.
1820.
147,178
9,683,822
1830
343,031
12,866,020
1840.
685,866
17,069,453
1850.
988,416
23,191,876
1860.
1,350,428
31,443,321
1870.
1,680,637
38,558,371
1880.
1,978,301
50,155,783
1890.
2,192,404
62,622,250
1900
·
The present commodious and beautiful court house of Blackford county, the pride of all her citizens and the admiration of all strangers, was erected in 1893 and 1894. The corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies November 3, 1893. The outside walls are constructed of Amherst stone, quar- ried in Lorain county, Ohio.
Below is a statement of the total cost of the building :
C. Boseker & Son. $97,200 00
I. D. Smead & Company. 4,510 00
Frescoing, J. Chas. Hahne 1,350 00
Vosburg Manufacturing Company. 1,142 00
Howard Clock Company ... 2,000 00
M. Ohmers Sons Company, Furniture. 7,000 00
Herring Hall Marring Company. 1,600 00
Office files.
4,543 79
Tablets for hall. 140 00
Extra-Foundation.
417 45
Main entrance
292 00
North entrance
Belt course. 80 00
522 50
Copper roof
750 00
Gutter and down spout. 483 00
Corner stone.
28 95
Wiring and gas fitting. 521 48
Walling up door. 30 00
Painting and graining. 112 50
10 per cent. on fresco and hardware. 255 00
Hardware
2,000 00
5 per cent. for architecture. 6,158 94
Total.
$129,337 83
A comparison of the taxable wealth of the county in its early years and the present year will indicate its material growth.
In 1839 the total value of all taxables was $40,830. In 1840 there were but 7,559 acres assessed for taxation. The assessed value of lands and improvements was $35,- 821 ; personal property, $16,778; making a total of $52,599. The whole amount of tax on property was $187.89. In 1842 the number of acres assessed was 46,577.58; value of lands, $141,085; value of improve- ments, $24,180; value of personal property, $45,020; total, $210,285. 1842-state tax, $568,98; county tax, $1,630.55; road tax, $141.56; total taxes, $2,341.09.
In 1900 the total assessed value of all property for taxation is $8,069,073. The assessment on the P. C. C. & St. L. Railroad alone is $669,292, and on the Ft. W., C., & L., $234,600.
In 1839 the number of taxable polls in the county was 150, in 1840 it was 218, in 1842, 273, in 1890 it was 1,741 and in 1900, 3,054.
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PART III.
BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF
BLACKFORD COUNTY,
INDIANA.
5
E- ٠٠٠
B. S. Shum
BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF
BLACKFORD COUNTY, INDIANA.
BENJAMIN GRANVILLE SHINN.
' The name of this distinguished citizen has been inseparably connected with the his- tory of Blackford county for more than fifty years and no one has had greater influence in moulding public sentiment during that period or done more towards elevating the legal profession or awakening and keeping alive a deep sense of religion in the hearts of the people. Mr. Shinn has been a potent factor for good in the dual capacity of law- yer and minister of the gospel, to which may be added a political leadership long rec- ognized for its wholesome influence in coun- teracting partisan asperity and purifying local politics. He is essentially a man of the people, traces his family history back through many generations of honorable an- "cestors, and, with the exception of the time spent in the army, has lived his entire life within the borders of his native Indiana.
From the most reliable information ob- tainable it appears that the progenitors of the American branch of the Shinn family were among the early English settlers of New Jersey, in William Penn's colony near Philadelphia. Here the subject's great- grandfather was born, in the time of the 17
colonies, and here he lived until after the breaking out of the war for independence. His name was Clement Shinn, and his father bore the same name. One of his brothers was the father of Rev. Asa Shinn, an emi- nent Methodist divine, and one of the found- ers, in 1830, of the Methodist Protestant church.
About the middle of the Revolution Clement Shinn started to emigrate with his family from New Jersey to western Vir- ginia, but before reaching his destination was compelled, by reason of great military ac- tivity throughout the country, to stop tem- porarily at a place known as Apple-pic Ridge, near Winchester, where he remained until the close of the war. His wife's name was Ruth. Some of their children were born during their temporary residence here, one of whom was Daniel Shinn, grandfather of Benjamin G., who was born June 10, 1782. After the establishment of peace Clement Shinn procceded upon his journey westward until reaching Harrison county, West Virginia, where he purchased land and resided until his death, which probably occurred early in the nineteenth century. His children were Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Heph- zibah, Clement, Edward, Samuel and Ach-
284
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD).
1
sah. Hlis descendants are still found in large numbers in West Virginia and are also scattered through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and the states on the Pacific coast.
Daniel Shinn was reared to manhood on the paternal estate in Harrison county, and must have married when quite young, as his oldest child, Noah Shinn, was born January 15, 1802. In 1823 he changed his residence to the county of Tyler where he engaged in farming. Ile resided there until 1830, when, · lured by the prospects held out by the west, he removed with his family to Indiana, mak- ing his long journey by flat boat down the Ohio river to Cincinnati, thence by canal to Cambridge City, whence he proceeded to Knightstown, Henry county, near which place, on Montgomery's creek, he purchased land and began clearing up a farm. Here in the autumn of 1833 he had the misfortune to lose his faithful wife, who died of con- sumption. Her maiden name was Mary Whiteman. She was born in Harrison coun- ty, West Virginia, May 14, 1785. Subse- quently Daniel Shinn disposed of his farm here and bought a small tract of land in the eastern part of Rush county. He lived most of the time with some one of his children and about 1846 or 1847 he came to Black- ford county and made his home for a few years with his son Hyman, and later for a short time with his daughters, Sabra Ells- worth and Mary Ann Burchard. In the early '50s, when about seventy years of age, he went alone in his own conveyance to his son, Elias Shinn, who resided near Du- buque, Iowa, and soon becoming dissatisfied there he started to return to Indiana and was only able to reach the home of his nephew, Hiram Shinn, who resided near New Windsor, Mercer county, Illinois, where
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