USA > Indiana > Grant County > Centennial history of Grant County, Indiana, 1812 to 1912 : compiled from records of the Grant county historical society, archives of the county, data of personal interviews, and other authentic sources of local information > Part 29
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
eaten a mess out of the back of her neck, but the wound was pretty well healed up. On the 19th of November the Lewis family moved into a cabin on the MeCormick farm, a few days later taking their belongings to the John Weston cabin, near by.
In 1829, according to official records, the first settlers came to Fair- mount township to make their permanent homes. On June 10th of that year Josiah Dille purchased from the government the south fraction of section 10. James 11. Clark, about 1834, bought this land of Dille .* Joseph Winslow, on Derember 28, 1829, entered the northwest quarter of section 17, the farm now owned by Aneil Winslow. On the same date Matthew Winslow, son of Joseph, entered the west hall of the north- east quarter of section 17, the farm now partly owned by John A. Jones and partly by John Devine. Seth Winslow, another son of JJoseph, on the same date entered the east half of the northwest quarter of section 20. This farm is now owned by Mrs. Ruth Winslow Elliott, a daughter who lives in Fairmount. Exum Newby on the same date entered the south. west quarter of section 17. This land is now owned by the heirs of Lewis Fankboner. These men came from Randolph county, North Caro- lina. They formed the nucleus for a settlement which grew in numbers and prospered. They cherished high ideals. They possessed rugged physiques. They were hopeful of the future. They were cheerful and they were helpful. They were made of the kind of material that did not hesitate to brave hardships and to surmount obstacles. They "toiled, and suffered and died that we might inherit the promise." Of these patient pioneers let the words of the poet speak :
"The world can easily spare the man Who panses a moment here or there To make a promise or form a plan, Or to pluck some flower that may be fair; But the world has use for the man who gives His best for the joys that he wins away -- The world with a welcoming cheer receives The determined man who has come to stay.
"There are few rewards for the pioneer Whose thoughts are only of sudden gains, Who camps for a day on the far frontier, Then journeys backward across the plains; But wood and valley and plain and slope Yield their best to him who has blazed his way To the scene on which he has set his hope, Who, having arrived, is there to stay."
Among others who came in the early part of the '30s and entered land were: Charles Baldwin, August 4, 1830; Solomon Thomas, Angust 9. 1-30; Iredell Rush, March 16, 1831: John Benbow, November 30, 1831; Nathan Morris, April 9. 1832: Thomas Morris, April 9, 1832; Thomas Harvey, October 10, 1832; Jesse Harvey, October 10, 1832; Henry Osborn, August 27, 1833; Thomas Baldwin, Ortoher 7. 1>33;
* Josiah Dille was a brother to James Dille, who at one time lived in Fairmount. Josiah was a younger half brother to lebabod Dille, who was many years ins semor. Josiah lived for about five years where he first bought land, then moved to what was known as the Dille neighborhood, two miles north of Jonesboro, on the river. In later years he moved west with his family, where he died. As he rarely ever wrote letters, it is not definitely known in what state he settled, and there appears to be no information regarding his people now in po-ression of his Grant county relatives.
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
Daniel Baldwin, December 16, 1833; Benjamin Benbow, December 16, 1833. These are the first men who entered land in the township. The majority of the number came from North Carolina, and practically all of them were of Quaker ancestry.
When the writer began his research for material for this production he encountered a fact which seemed to him particularly significant. Nathan Morris, one of the pioneers whose name has just been mentioned, was the father of twenty-two children. He was married twice. His first wife was the mother of fifteen children and his second wife gave birth to seven. Carrying the inquiry a little farther, it was learned that the eldest daughter, who at this writing is living, at the age of eighty two. was the mother of nine, seven of whom survived to marriageable age. The seven sons and daughters are parents of seven children, six sons and a daughter. At this rate of retrogression, if Nathan Morris, father of the original Family of twenty-two sons and daughters, should return within one or two generations he would find his progeny practically extinet. It is when we are confronted by these extraordinary facts that we are disposed to share with Theodore Roosevelt his deep concern re- garding the apparent indifference of the present generation to the prob lem of race suicide.
The country was populated rapidly, and settlements quickly multi- plied. In 1835 Dugan Rush, Thomas Ratliff. William Payne, Clark Willentts, Timothy Kelly, Elijah Lucas, Lewis Moorman, James S. Wil son, Bingham Simons, Nathan Dieks, John Weston,& Charles Henshaw, Solomon Parsons, Franklin Davis. John Lee, Jr., John Lee, Sr .. and Jonathan Willentts entered land. In 1836 came Henry Harvey, Thomas Winslow. Thomas Edgerton, William Osborn, Eli Moorman, Charles Smith, Otho Selby, William Il. W. Reeder, Lewis Harrison, Harvey Davis, Jabez Moore, John Fanboner. William Leach, Jonathan Reeder. David Stanfield. Moses Benbow, Lancaster Bell, Cartier Hastings. Joel Hollingsworth. William Harvey, David Bates and Lewis Joues. In 1837 Phineas Henley. Peter Rich, David Lewis, Morris Payne, Joseph Weston, Sr.," Amaziah Beeson, John Baldwin, Thomas Osborn, James W. Davis and Henry Simons entered land. In 1838 Nathan Davis came to cast his fortunes with the people of the new country, and in 1839 Charles Beeson followed.
Corn, oats, wheat and flax were the products of the pioneer farm Max was raised for its qualities in making articles of wearing apparel for both men and women.
There are three prime necessities of life, namely, clothing, food and shelter. These necessities are common to all mankind, and in all stratas of civilization. In this connection the writer is quite certain that it will be interesting to the reader of the present day to know how the earliest settlers grew and manufactured their own clothing. The Following excellent description of the manner in which fax was converted into garments for the women and into trousers for the men will be found appropriate. It is From the pen of John T. Morris, + than whom there is no survivor of that early period better fitted to perform the work :
"During the first years of the settlement it was common for the people to produce nearly everything they consumed. Indeed. this was
- John and Joseph Weston were un des of Captain Hugh Weston.
t John T. Morris, at the time this article is being prepared. lives at Carthage. Indiana. Mr. Morris was born near Pountam City, Indiana, November 22, 1-21. With his parents, Aaron and Nama Thomas Morris, he moved to Grant county in March, 1630. He taught a number of terms of school and in numerous ways con- tributed liberally of his time, his talent, and las energy to building for the present generation. Earl Morris, the present clerk and treasurer of the town of Fairmount, is a grandson of John T. Morris.
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necessary, as most of the settlers were in limited circumstances-only able to command money enough to enter a small tract of land at $1.25 per acre. I suppose about eighty aeres was an average entry for those who settled on the land at once. Some men who had the money to do so would take up larger bodies of land and hold it for speculation. So the situation demanded economy. The people manufactured most of their wearing cloths from the raw material. It was counnon for each family to cultivate a small plat of ground in fax, from which to manu- facture their summer clothing and such other articles as towels, table linen. ete. The flax seed was sown early in May, and by some time in July it was ripe enough to pull. When Bax was grown for the fiber it was always pulled by hand-pulled out of the ground and spread in swathes on the ground where it grew and left to cure, after which it was taken up, bound into bundles, and put under shelter to remain until the fall rains commenced. It was then taken to some grass plot and unbound and again spread in swathes and left to take the rain and sunshine. This process was called 'rotting the fax.' This was necessary in order that the fiber might the more readily separate from the woody portion of the stalks, and at the same time the woody part of the stalks was rendered more brittle, hence more easily worked out from the fiber. When the action of the weather had sufficiently rotted the flax, it was again taken up, bound into bundles and put under shelter to await the farmer's pleasure to break and seuteh it. The first machine in this proc- ess was called a 'flax break.' This was made entirely from wood, not even a nail being used in its construction. The tlax was first put through the 'flax break.' then to the seulching board. By the use of this and the sentching knife the schives were worked out from the fiber. After this the flax fiber was handed over to the women to complete the work , of making it into cloth, or linen, which they did by the use of different machines, the first of which was the hatchel, an instrument used to comb ont the coarse from the fine fiber. This machine was made by using a board seven inches wide and two feet long, in the center of which about thirty-six spikes were made fast in a space five by six inches. These spikes, or teeth, if you please, were about tive inches long, made smooth and sharp at the point. This combing done, the fiber was ready for the 'little spinning wheel.' The reel was now brought into requisition, as it was always used in connection with the wheel. Reeled, spooled, warped and drawn through the sley, or put in the loom, the process of weaving was now in order. A nice fabric for men's pants and shirts was made by using cotton thread for the warp, filled in with flax thread. Trousers made from this, after it was nicely bleached, were fit for Sunday, and, indeed, your humble servant has worn such trousers when he went to see his 'best girl.' In those frontier times the women did the cutting and making, as well as spinning and weaving. It was some years after the first settlement was made before a fashionable tailor was in demand."
"The township originally was heavily timbered. There was an abun- dance of spice-wood, walnut, hickory, beech, cherry, sugar, ash, oak, sycamore, poplar, hackberry, etc. The dense forest served as a refuge and hiding place for all kinds of wild game, which was abundant in the early '30s. Bear, deer, porcupines, wild cats, raccoons, squirrels, 'pos- sums, turkeys and quail were plentiful. The supply of meats was milim- ited. The hunter and trapper had his choice "without money and without prive."
Having referred to the manner of procuring necessary articles of clothing, the writer is again indebted to Mr. Morris for the following well written description of methods employed by the pioneer in secur ing his food. Mr. Morris writes entertainingly of his knowledge gained
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by personal observation, which makes the narrative all the more correct and instructive. He says :
"In 1830 Martin Boots owned and was operating a corn mill, located a short distance above the mouth of Boots creek. At the same time Jesse Adamson was running another such mill on Griffin's creek, about half a mile above the mouth of the creek. For a few years the settlers were dependent upon these corn mills to get their corn ground into meal. The water wheels were so made that they were liable to freeze up in the winter, and remain so for some time, and in that case the people would run short of bread stuff, and have to fall back on Irish potatoes and lye hominy as a substitute for bread. Corn bread was the rule. and flour bread was the exception. Sometimes the neighbors would make up a team and go forty miles up the Mississinewa river to what was known as Lewellin's Mill and bring down a load of flour. Then, for a time, the settlers would have bisenits occasionally on Sunday morn- ing. The diet throughout the community was plain and simple. Meat was had the easiest of anything that entered into a living. Game was plentiful and hogs lived upon the range and were at almost no expense. There were but few groceries bought. Each family made their own sugar and molasses from the maple trees. A few people used coffee, but a substitute for store tea could be found within a few rods of every man's house-spice-wood. So Far as hogs were concerned, when left on the range they were ahnost no expense, as they would live and do well all the year. During the fall and early winter they got fat on the mast. Acorns and hickory nuts were in such abundance that a large amount of this mast was still on the ground when winter came on. This would become covered with leaves, and maybe with snow, and be preserved, so that hogs could find it and feed on it all winter. There was, however, one trouble with the hogs. They became as wild as deer on being left at large in the woods, where they would seareely see any person. Those who had hogs on the range tried to keep then located by going out occasionally and finding their bed, which the hogs moved as occasion required. As the mast became searce in their beat, they would move over into new territory. But the excitement was on when the men went out to butcher their meat. After deciding whose hogs should be killed tirst, a few neighbors would be on the way carly, with dogs. guns and horses, prepared for the chase. They aimed to surprise the hogs in their bed. (A good suow was the prerequisite to this wild hog slaughter.) Arriving at the bed, the hogs were routed and the dogs turned loose. A hog was soon caught and held till the men came up and stuck it. This one was left to die, while the dogs caught another. And so the chase went on until all were killed, or as many as were wanted. Of course the dead hogs were somewhat scattered, but at least one horse was provided with harness, singletree and loose chain, in order to drag the dead hogs together at some suitable place where they could get to them with a wood sled and haul them in where the dressing was to be done. In this manner of hog killing guns were not brought into requisition, only as the hogs would rally and make a stand to fight, as was sometimes the case."
Thus we see, from this description of an eye-witness, how food was procured. Deer meat was another delightful article of food for the pioneer. Mr. Morris has told how the settlers hunted deer, and the writer is again indebted to him for this first-band information :
"In those early times game was so plentiful that it afforded both sport and profit to those who engaged in hunting. In the summer hunters would go ont on night expeditions on the river. They would equip a canoe for this purpose by placing a blind on the prow of the
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
canoe. This was formed by using a few short boards. One was put down flat, eross-wise. Immediately behind this was boarded up some twenty inches or more. The board planked down was for a candle to stand upon. The upright back was to break the light of the candle from shining upon the men. Their craft being ready, the next thing was to start up the river. This was called 'fire hunting.' It was their purpose to start early enough in the day to work their craft several miles up the river before nightfall. At that time the hunting was wont to com- mence. So they would stop and light their candle and turn about. The deer did not frequent the river much, only at night. It was supposed that there were two things that caused the deer to go to the river. One was the need of water, and the other was that they fed upon a moss which was found growing in the water upon the rocks. This was called 'deer moss,' and was found only where the water was shallow. Those hunters asserted that they had seen the deer go down with their mouths into the water after this moss. Whatever may have been the inducement, the deer were largely found in the river at night. On starting down the river one man would be seated in the stern of the canoe, paddle in hand. He made but little effort to give the craft headway, except to shape its course. The other man stood behind the blind, gun in hand, and far enough back so the candle would not shine upon him. By this arrangement the men were completely hid behind the blind. The hunters said that the deer would appear to be wholly oblivious to everything except the candle. They would stand and gaze at the candle until the canoe would approach within a few yards of them. It was also stated that a man could see a deer eighty rods or more from the light of a candle placed on the blind. When the man that was on the look-ont saw a deer, he would simply point towards it and the man who was working the canoe shaped its course accordingly, carefully avoiding noise, till the eraft approached to within easy shooting distance before the old musket was turned loose. An old army musket was the style of gun used in this manner of hunting. They were wont to have the gun well charged with buek-shot, as it was a random shot, not being able to see any sights. I remember to have seen one of those night expe- ditions on its return, in charge of Thomas Branson and Reuben Over- man, with the canoe fairly loaded down with deer, lying on their backs with their legs up. It was claimed that the hofter the weather and the worse the flies the more the deer would be found in the river at night."
The coming of the pioneer for permanent settlement created the ne- eessity for homes. These homes took the form of log cabins. There could be no homes without shelter. As the cabins multiplied in mumber and the work of clearing the land progressed, trees began to disappear and timber became searcer. Log rollings and house raisings were of frequent occurrence. Neighbors were, indeed, neighborly. Co-operation in the building of homes was the rule. The spirit of mutual helpfulness extended to quilting bees, corn buskings, spinning and weaving. The real diversion for the boys was town ball and bull pen, while jumping the rope, hide and seek, and "William a trim-a-toe" were a few of the games in which both boys and girls participated.
The writer has touched upon the means of providing clothing and food. It now seems important to describe the methods of our ancestors in providing shelter and preparing food for their families. Again we are relying upon authority which cannot be called into question. The following is from the pen of Asa T. Baldwin,* now residing at 2311 South
* Asa T. Baldwin is a native of Fairmount township. He was born March 16, 1835, on the lot now owned by Clinton Winslow, corner of Mill and Jefferson streets, in Fairmount. Mr. Ballwin taught several terms of school in bis young manhood. Vol. 1-13
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Meridian street, Marion, Indiana. Being one of the few survivors who learned how this was done by his own personal experience, this detailed account will be read with interest :
"The log cabin was made by cutting poles or logs sixteen to twenty- Your feet in length and notehing the ends with an axe by men selected to carry up the four corners of the building, so that they would tit closely together and make a solid wall not easily thrown down. The open spaces between the logs were chinked with wood and daubed with ind or mortar to keep out the wind, rain and snow. The roof was covered with clap-boards or strakes, as the Yankees call them. These were split three or four feet long, with a frow, and put on as evenly as possible, lapping them and breaking the joints so as not to leak. They were held on by weights called ridge-poles, secured in their places by large wooden pins, as nails were too scarce and high-priced in those days for the average settler to think of affording such an expensive plan as that of nailing on the boards. The stick and clay chimney was built a little higher than the comb of the roof and well lined with innd from top to bottom to prevent getting on fire. The large open fire- places had jambs and hearths made of clay, sprinkled with water and thoroughly pounded with a manl to make them firm and solid when dry. The cooking arrangements were nothing like what they are now. Tin reflectors were sometimes used for baking and roasting. Ovens made of a clay mortar were common. They were built on a platform of heavy plank placed on four posts abont three feet high and quite large, so that several loaves and a dozen or more pies conld be baked at onee. Johny cakes were baked on smooth boards at the sides of the jambs, and venison was dried in the fue of the chimney. There were no large, convenient cook stoves and ranges with numerous vessels to go along with them. Corn bread or wheat bread was frequently baked in a skillet by placing live coals of fire under the skillet and on the lid. Pork was boiled with cabbage or beans in a kettle hung, in the absence of an iron crane, on a wooden hook over the fire. Sqnashes and potatoes were often roasted by covering them with hot ashes in the fireplace. As a matter of economy pewter plates were used by the early settlers. since they were not easily broken. Glass tumblers were out of the question. hence gourds were in frequent demand for drinking vessels. Many a cabin had not a single sawed plank in them. The floors were made with heavy puncheons, split out of logs and hewed as smoothly as possible with a broad-axe and the loft was floored with boards similar to those on the roof. The joists were the straightest poles that could be found in the forest, and sometimes the bark was peeled off so as to make them have a clean, beautiful appearance. The doors were hung on woodey hinges, and when closed were fastened by a simple latch, which could be lifted by a string from the outside, so a neighbor could open the door on hearing the welcome 'Come in.' At night the door could be locked, if desired, by pulling the string through on the inside. Some. times double cabins were constructed so as to have two rooms and a sort of open porch between them, but generally there was only one room. which served for many purposes. It was not an uncommon thing for a room of this kind to be ocenpied by a man and his wife. with eight or ten children, and sometimes nineteen, and they seemed to be perfectly happy while there they lived and moved and had their being."
For a few years after he settled here Solomon Thomas owned what was known as the Lake Galatia farm. Thomas sold this land and on November 5, 1835, entered a traet about three miles southeast of Fair- mount, a part of this entry now being owned by David L. Payne. Here the first postoffice was established, the modest name of AJ being used.
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IHISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
Solomon Thomas thus became the first postmaster in the township. In that day the postage rate was 25 eents for a letter going ont of the state and 1212 cents for a letter addressed to a person within the limits of Indiana. The person receiving the letter paid the postage.
Previous to the opening of the postoffice called Al mail was received and sent out from MeCormick's Tavern. Upon the death of MeCormick and the beginning of a settlement at Jonesboro, in 1837, the office was discontinued.
Grant postoffice was established in a frame house built by William IIall, in 1856, at the southwest corner of Adams and Main streets. Here Hall served as the first postmaster of Fairmount.
The first public improvement recalled by the late William G. Lewis was a horse mill erected in 1840 by Solomon Thomas. This mill was headquarters for farmers who wanted their corn ground. It was a stroke of enterprise which was highly commended by the pioneer and liberally patronized. A farmer would go on horseback to the mill with his corn, and by hitching his horse to the beam, together with Thomas's horse, the pioneer could get a grist ground out "in less than half a day." "It was a fine makeshift," comments Mr. Lewis, in his remi- niscenees now in possession of David G. Lewis, his nephew.
The first election held in the township was that at the McCormick Tavern, soon after the organization of the county, in 1831. Charles Baldwin served as inspector. Ichabod Dille was the first justice of the peace. Elijah Lucas served next, and after Incas came Solomon Par- sons. Later on (big) Thomas Baldwin was elected one of the first trustees and Joseph W. Baldwin, township clerk and treasurer. In that day the law provided for the election of a board of township trustees and a township elerk and treasurer.
The first death occurring in the township was that of a child of Charles Baldwin, of scarlet fever.
The wife of Exum Newby was the first person buried in oldl Back ereek graveyard. The burial occurred in 1830.
In the carly day June Quarterly Meeting of Friends was one of the noted gatherings of the year. not only with the Quakers, but with people of all denominations. For a number of years people would attend these meetings from miles around. It was not uncommon to see preachers up in wagons ont in the shade preaching with great power. There was a platform and seats in another place where the Word was proclaimed. Vast throngs of people would assemble on these occasions. The crowds became so noisy and unmanageable as the years rolled by that the ses- sions were finally removed to Fairmount and the name changed to Fairmont Quarterly Meeting. The construction of the old Back ereck meeting house was started in 1840 and completed in 1842 .* Charles Osborn sat at the head of the meeting and preached the first sermon. The land on which it stood was donated by Exum Newby. The ground for the graveyard was donated by Henry Winslow. Nathan Morris was a prominent preacher among Friends at that time.
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