USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
232
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
partner at Brookville. JJohn Woods, mentioned above, also operated a distillery. as did Joseph Owens, and it is said these were quite liberally patronized, this fact prob- ably accounting for the "unenviable reputation" borne by the place in the pioneer days, to which reference has been made above. The first tavern was conducted by one Hays and Samuel Harney presently put up another tav- ern which became quite noted in its way in its day. An organized band of horsethieves operated in the Moscow neighborhood many years ago, making their rendezvous there a distributing point for their plunder.
Bearing on conditions in and about Moscow in an earlier day, the following under the head of "Letter from Moscow," published in a county seat paper in 1872, is informative: "Orange township is called the dark corner of Rush county. Somehow our township has never taken the stand in education, religion or enterprise that has been accorded to some other parts of our county. Moscow is the seat of government for this region. It is little and lifeless, and is no larger than it was twenty years ago, and has only a sad prospect for the future. Once a week the mail comes and the outer world is heard from. Saturdays are great days in our capital. because then we get the mail and all the surrounding country conies in to get the news." That was fifty years ago, and happily, a great change has been made in community con- ditions during the half-century that has elapsed since then. Ten years ago a consolidated township school was erected at Moscow at a cost of $30.000, and the influence of that school on the community has been a transforming one, indeed. The commity has been drawn more closely together by the daily associations of the children in a com- mon motive and in other ways conditions have been bet- tered. R. H. Glenn, who has been associated with the school almost ever since it was established, is now prin- cipal of the same, and is extending the work, the plan now being to ereet an addition to the building. It is a matter
233
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
of note that the longest wooden bridge in the state spans Big Flat Rock at Moscow. Though social conditions at Moscow have been wonderfully improved since the days referred to above by the older chronicle, the town has not grown in size and is but a typical rural hamlet, one store, that of Barlow Bros., being sufficient to supply the com- mercial needs of the community. The old mill that has stood there along the river bank for near a century, was recently sold out and has been abandoned. The one church in the village, that of the Christian denomination, has been established for many years, but the congregation is worshiping in a handsome new edifice erected within the past few years, the pastor, the Reverend Mr. Selig, of Butler College, coming once a fortnight to minister to the congregation. The complaint uttered by the plaintive writer of the "Letter From Moscow" above noted, that mail reached the village but once a week lost its force when rural free mail delivery was established throughout the county and daily mail brought to the doors of the farmers and villagers now keeps them fully informed. Certainly Orange township no longer can be "called the dark corner of Rush county." The township school and the daily newspapers forbid.
Among the pioneers of Orange township whose names have been preserved by the older chronicles were George Shoppelle, Richard Shaw, Israel Hewitt, Joseph Owens, John Woods, Nathan Allison, John Machlan, Ab- salom Milligan, Robert Hungerford, William, John and Henry McCarty, John Waggoner, Robert McDuffy, John Mullens, Robert Bowling, Thomas Wilson, Michael Eze- kial, Josiah Kelly, Jesse Barlow, Jesse M. Barlow. John Little, Jerome Buffingham, Abraham Rhue, Benjamin Moore, Daniel Querry, David, Joseph and Nathan Frakes, Uriah and Reuben Farlow, Millikin Owens, John Selby, Harm Farlow, Richard Hungerford, John Hewitt, Isaac Conde, Andrew Stiers, Nathan Aldridge, William Dodson, Elias Hilligoss, Matthew Allison, Absalom Sli-
234
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
fer. Thomas Prill. John Griffith, Josiah Bishop, Daniel Tevis, Robert Waggoner, David Alter, Alexander Simp- son. Sr., and Peter, Aris and Milton Waggoner.
POSEY TOWNSHIP
This is another of the "square" townships of the county, being made up of thirty-six sections, and lies on the western edge of the county, being bounded on the north by Ripley township, on the east by Jackson and Rushville townships, on the south by Walker township and on the west by Shelby county. Arlington, a thriving station on the old C. H., & D. railroad, now known as the C. L., & W., is the only village in the township. The town- ship is traversed by Little Blue river and by North Fork, Meadow and Mud creeks and one or two other small streams. These are sluggish streams, however, and the generally flat character of the surface has necessitated considerable ditching.
Settlement in Posey township began about the year 1822, and it was not long until all the land in the town- ship was taken by original entry. Levin Birt, who laid out the town plat of Burlington (present Arlington) about the year 1830, opened the first store in the town- ship and also is referred to as having been the first school teacher there. A second store was opened by Carr, Woo- ster & Co., and the first physician was Dr. Erastus Bus- sell. The coming of the railroad through the township not only afforded a rail shipping point conveniently ac- cessible to all parts of the township, but gave an impetus to development along other lines and what had before that time been regarded as a somewhat "backward" township stepped up into the front rank and has re- mained there. The later coming of the trolley cars also was a valuable contributing factor in the township's progress, as it has been of all townships touched by this convenient mode of transportation.
The older chronicles carry quite a list of the names
235
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
of the early settlers of this township, among which are noted Rev. James Havens, Adam M. C. Gowdy, Jefferson Arnett, William Davis, Hiram R. Tribbey, Recompense Murphy, Levin Birt, Obed Meredith, Garland B., George and William Allender, James Eaton, John Alsman, Will- iam Collins, John Jordan, John Spencer, Samuel Gordon, George Moore, Thomas Gruell, John Stapleton, William Drysdale, George Hamil, John Moore, Sabert Offutt, Jonathan Ball, Henry Ball, John McMichael, Jesse Leon- ard, Hezekiah Clark, Capt. Christian Nelson, Henry Bogue, Wiley Bogue, Jesse Morgan, William McHatton, James Allender, Eli Claville, Jesse McDaniel, James Walker, Morgan and Ransom Baity, Drury Holt, James Junken, John Junken, Alexander Woods, Thomas Hea- ton, Obed Worth, Obed Swain, Jesse Adams, Archibald Kennedy, Lewis Bravard, Henry Beckner, Jacob Beck- ner, Sr., James Smith, Caleb Doudge, Daniel Bebout, Jesse Kellum, Hugh S. Fleehart, Rev. Gabriel McDuf- fie, William Brun, Thomas Swain, Peter Sapp, Wright Smith, Richard Rutter, Wright Donnelly, Samuel Swin- hart, Nimrod Adams and George W. Leisure. Uncle Jeff Arnett was the first justice of the peace in the commu- nity. He was also postmaster, the profits of the office amounting to about $1 a quarter. Mr. Arnett also was proprietor of a tannery, which offered a local market for hides. The first physician was Doctor Clark, and it is said that the first church building erected in the village was a structure twelve by fourteen feet put up by the pio- neer Langden, who had settled there in 1824.
Arlington-The town of Arlington in sections 19 and 24 of Posey township is a pleasant village of about 450 population. It was platte'd by Levin Birt and James Col- lins in April, 1832, and was given the name of Burlington, but presently was changed to Beech Grove, its first post- office name, on account of another postoffice of the name of Burlington in the state. This name later was changed to Arlington and so remains. Additions to the original
236
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
plat have been made by Fletcher Tevis, C. C. Lee and James W. Green. Levin Birt, founder of the town. men- tioned above as the first merchant and schoolteacher. also operated a carding mill in the early days of the town, the site of the mill having been on the present site of the Christian church, and later added a corn mill. Joseph Hamilton also was an early merchant: Peter Sapp was the village blacksmith: JJefferson Arnett carried on a tannery and Robert Ford had a harness shop. Business since those days has developed until now all essential lines are represented. The town has a commissioned high school and two live churches, the Christian and the Meth- odist Episcopal. The Arlington Bank offers an admir- able medium for local exchange and Hutchinson & Son's grain elevator affords convenient facilities for marketing the products of the farm. Fred Woods, the postmaster, has a grocery store, and other mercantile lines are repre- sented as follows: D. M. Baldridge, hardware and im- plements: Perry Reddick, general store: J. M. Eaton, general store: C. F. Cline, grocer; C. M. Kuhn, grocery and restaurant : Stella M. Davis, drugs; Charles L. Stout, restaurant : Lee Silvers, vulcanizing and motor accessor- ies : O. F. Downey, garage : W. T. Newhouse, W. B. Hin- ton and L. Snider, blacksmiths, and two poolrooms. There are two physicians in the village, Dr. A. G. Shauck and Dr. Fred H. Finlaw. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is represented by a subordinate lodge, a lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah and the encampment and the Improved Order of Red Men has a lodge and the auxil- iary Daughters of Pocahontas. Arlington has the oldest brass band in the county, the same having been a continu- ons organization for more than twenty-five years, now under the leadership of C. Earl Downey.
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP
This township. situated in the southeast corner of the county, is a township of thirty sections, and is bounded
237
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
on the north by Noble township, on the east by Franklin county, on the south by Decatur county, on the west by Anderson township. It is well drained, Clifty creek mak- ing a loop in the south central portion of the township, the North Fork of Clifty traversing the northwest section and Salt creek and Bull Fork creek draining the eastern section. By reason of its situation with respect to the older counties to the east and south Richland was one of the first centers of population in Rush county, a settle- ment having been effected on Clifty creek in this town- ship as early as 1820, George Brown, Jesse Morgan, James Henderson, John Ray, John Ewick, Joel Craig and James and John Gregg having located there in that year. Jacob Fisher came in the following year, and in 1822 and 1823 quite a number of other families had lo- cated thereabout, making quite a settlement in the Rich- land neighborhood. Joel Craig started a store at the cross roads dividing sections 10 and 15 for the accommo- dation of the pioneer settlers and around this trading center the village of Richland grew up. Larrimore & Eyestone, afterward Eyestone & Hackleman, opened the second store, and in 1824 Harvey Bros. also started a store. Jesse Morgan, who later represented this district in both houses of the state legislature, was the first just- ice of the peace. His brother, Jonah Morgan, was a pio- neer schoolteacher and Methodist preacher. The Hope- well Methodist church, organized by the Greggs in this township in 1821, is commonly regarded as having been the first formal church organization in Rush county. It is noted that Lorenzo Dow in his itinerary through this section of Indiana preached to the pioneers in the Hope- well grove. The first white child born in the township was Hannah, daughter of Jacob Fisher, whose birth oc- curred in September, 1821. The first marriage, in that same year, was that of Jonathan Richeson and Ann Wheeler. It is well to note that this pioneer couple raised thirteen children, an evidence, as an older chroni-
288
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
cle notes. of their "good citizenship." The first teacher was Mr. Ricker, who conducted a pioneer school in a cabin in the Richland neighborhood. Doctor Bradshaw was the first physician and he was followed by Doctors Bracken and Howland. The presence in this township in the old days of Richland Academy gave an impetus to the cause of education in that community which was reflected throughout this whole region.
Among the pioneers of this township may be noted the names of Jesse Morgan. George Brown, James Hen- derson, John Ray, John Ewick, Joel Craig, John and James Gregg. Jacob Fisher, John Stewart, Abraham Bever, Joseph Washburn. Peter and Joseph Miller, Charles Robinson, Charles and Archibald Miller, John Cook and John Walker.
Richland-Though this village, as noted above, had been a trading point since the day of the beginning of a settlement in Richland township, it was not formally platted until in 1854 when A. P. Butler and others "laid out" the town, the original plat consisting of sixteen lots When the railroad came to Milroy, about four miles to the west. that village became the natural center of trade for that region and Richland's commercial development went into a decline from which it never recovered, a further decline ensuing when the postoffice was taken away, mail being brought by rural delivery from Milroy. Richland has a population of about 150. The Methodist Episcopal church is the only one there, but there formerly was a congregation of United Presbyterians. the old Richland Academy having been conducted under their auspices, but they gradually were absorbed by other communions. The United Brethren have a church in the southeast part of the township. When it first became a community center this village was known as Harvey's Corners. Later it took the higher sounding name of Palmyra and it was not until the '70s that it became known as Richland. There are two stores at Richland, Messrs. Lusk and Hawkins being the merchants.
239
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
RIPLEY TOWNSHIP
This township is situated in the northwest corner of Rush county and is bounded on the north by Henry county and two sections of Hancock county, on the east by Center township, on the south by Posey township and on the west by Hancock county. Carthage, a town of about 900 population on the Big Four railroad, near the center of the township, is the trading center and has been so from the beginning, the Quaker settlement which sprang up on the Big Blue at that point in pioneer days having maintained its dominance as a social and commer- cial center. Farmers, a station on the Big Four in section 33, is a trading point in the southeast corner of the town- ship. Ripley township is well drained, being traversed from the northeast corner to the southwest corner by Big Blue river, which gave power to the mills in pioneer days. Six Mile creek drains the western portion of the town- ship and Three Mile creek enters Big Blue in the north- eastern portion.
The first permanent settlement in the township was made by a colony of Quakers from North Carolina, who settled there in 1821. Even before the lands were opened by the Government for sale Joseph Henley, Samuel Hill and a party had come out here into the wilderness from North Carolina to "spy out the land" and had selected lands along the Big Blue in the vicinity of where Carth- age later came to be laid out. At the land sale Robert Hill, son of Samuel Hill and brother-in-law of Joseph Henley, acting as agent for the colony, purchased the tract and in 1821 several families settled, including those of Thomas, Jonathan and Nathan Hill, brothers of Robert Hill; Andrew Thorp, Dayton Holloway, Benjamin Snyder, William Wilson, Pearson Lacy, Benjamin Cox and Nathan White. In the next year others came and by 1825 there was a quite numerous settlement in the rich lands of the township. The first birth of a white child in
2-10
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
the township was in the family of Nathan Hill in 1822 and the first marriage in the township was that of Will- iam Binford and Mary JJessup. It was not long after their arrival on the scene before the colony of Friends had a log meeting house erected on Walnut Ridge and in this pioneer meeting house the first school was conducted, Nathan Hill being the teacher. Robert Hill opened the first store and this early commercial center became the nucleus around which Carthage grew up. Robert Hill. who had acted as the agent for the colony in the purchase of their lands, also was the first miller and was an active factor in the development of the community. The first blacksmith was Dayton Holloway, who some years later also started a mill. Until the coming of the Shelbyville & Knightstown railroad in 1848 the development of the community was about that of the normal rural com- munity, but when the railroad gave Carthage a proper outlet it began to expand and has ever since been the second town in point of population in the county. Among others besides those above mentioned who were classed as pioneers of Ripley township were John Addison, John Walker, William James, Samuel Moore, Isaac Tullis, Henry and Thomas Henley, Reuben Bentley, Nathan Pettijohn, Luke Newsom, Jonathan Pierson, Jonathan Phelps, John Dawson, JJacob Siler, John Reddick, Sarah Commons, Hannah Earnest, Thomas Draper, Henry Newby, Thomas Cogshall, Lindsey Hearkless, Elias Hen- ley, Stephen Bentley, John Gates, Mahlon Hockett, Abra- ham Small. Thomas Thornburg, Joel Pusey and William Johnson.
Carthage-In point of size and business importance Carthage is second only to Rushville as a commercial center in Bush county. It is beautifully situated on the banks of Big Blue river about the center of the township and is an important shipping point on the Big Four rail- road. The big plant of the American Paper Products Company at this place is regarded as one of the most
FRIENDS MEETING IN 1880
-
CARTHAGE CORNET BAND IN 1877
241
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
extensive industrial concerns in Rush county and employs about 150 persons. Though Carthage had been established as a trading point in the early '20s, as noted above, when Robert Hill opened his little store there, it was not officially recognized on the map until August 18, 1834, when John Clark and Henry Henley filed a plat of the village. This plat which was laid out in the north- east corner of the northwest quarter of section 19, town- ship 15, range 9 east, comprised thirty-two lots, sixteen on each side of Main street, the cross streets being named First, Second and Third. Five or six additions have since been made to this original plat and the town now has a population in excess of 900 and is substantially built. Natural gas is provided by the Carthage Natural Gas Company, William Bundy, president, and light is pro- vided by local electric light plant of which F. F. Brennan is the proprietor, he getting his power from the paper mill. The Carthage Bank and the Carthage Building and Loan Association are important commercial factors in the town, while the grain elevator operated by the Hill Grain and Coal Company offers a market for the local cereal crops. Otto O. Griffin, who was commissioned in 1918, succeeding the late L. B. McCarty, is the postmaster. The township commissioned high school is one of the hand- somest school buildings in this part of the state and is ample in equipment for the needs of the town's public schools. There also is a school for colored children, called the Booker T. Washington school. The considerable colored population in and about Carthage is descended from the families brought there in the days before the Civil war by means of the "underground railroad," a station of which was maintained by the Friends in that vicinity. There are also two colored churches, one for the Methodists and one for the Christians. The other churches are those of the Friends, of which the Rev. A. J. Furstenberg is the pastor; the Fletcher Methodist Episco- pal, Rev. Arthur Jean, pastor; the Wesleyan Methodist,
16
242
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
Rev. H. T. Hawkins, pastor, and the Christian, Rev. Sumner, pastor. The very attractive Henley Memorial Library erected in 1902 is an admirable social center for the community. It was constructed by volunteer contri- butions of publie spirited citizens. Henry Henley, one of the founders of Carthage, moved by a desire to benefit the people of that community, gave $1,000 to establish a free public library. This gift was added to by private persons, the W. C. T. U., the Carthage Monthly Meeting of Friends and by a small tax authorized by law. A board of directors was appointed, composed of W. P. Henley, J. M. Stone, N. C. Binford, Levi Binford, J. F. Publow, Eunice H. Dunn and Luzena Thornburg, and an organization effected under the law. For some time a room in the Carthage Bank building was used, but the de- mand for more books and more room led to an effort to supply both. The children of Henry Henley gave $2,000 to the building fund, other subscriptons were made and the additional sum required was raised by taxation. As a result the present beautiful building was erected at a cost of $6,500.
The library is well maintained and is patronized by the whole township. The town is well represented abroad by its weekly newspaper, the Citizen, C. G. Hill. editor and proprietor. The Freemasons and the Odd Fellows have lodges at Carthage and there is a dwindling post of the Grand Army of the Republic and a vigorous post of the American Legion. The Auditorium theater, J. F. Tweedy, manager, offers the community a place of entertainment. Hotels are conducted by Mrs. H. G. Rolls and Mrs. Elmira Smith, while JJ. F. Kennedy and C. E. Rhoades have restaurants. Other business in the town is represented as follows: Grocers, Hungate Whole- sale Company, A. W. Winfield. Phelps Bros., T. E. Cooper: dry goods, F. J. Sims, F. B. Yankuner; hard- ware, C. E. White & Son, Sharer & Moore; music and musical instruments, Gates Music Company ; tailor, J. A.
243
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
Lineback; drugs. O. C. McCarty; barbers, Peacock & Kyser, George F. Winslow ; garages, H. T. Beher, Ralph Lindamood; blacksmiths, James Carfield, William Shaffer; feed store, R. C. Hill ; shoemakers, W. A. Minor, William Snyder; bakery, T. J. Passwater; poolroom, Parish Bros .; sawmill, R. T. Moore; canning factory, the DeSchipper Canning Company, John DeSchipper, manager. The industries of Carthage began about the time Robert Hill put up his store there back in pioneer days, this pioneer's second enterprise being the erection of a sawmill to which plant he presently added a grist- mill. The next merchants were Eli and Joseph Stratton, Hill & Henley, L. & F. Hill, Jabez Henley and Jason Williams. Among the early mechanics were John Sears and Isaac Nelson, blacksmiths, and George W. Pearce, wagon maker. Formerly the town supported a busy planing mill which was operated by Hiram and Jesse Henley, Theodore Moore had a sawmill, Charles Moore a cement block factory and John Dana a cannery. Cox & Cox's flour mill was a busy institution in its day and Charles R. Butler had a machine shop.
RUSHVILLE TOWNSHIP
This is the central township of the county and con- tains the county seat. As it was properly surmised that the county seat would be located somewhere near the center of the county there was considerable settlement here even before the commissioners acting for the state decided on the location of a county seat, and its develop- ment from the beginning has kept pace with Rushville, the county's chief city. Rushville township is bounded on the north by Jackson township and one-half section of Union township, on the east by Union and Noble town- ships, on the south by Anderson township and on the west by Walker township and two sections of Posey township. It is well drained, Big Flat Rock river entering the township in the northeast corner and flowing out in the
244
HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
southwest corner, while Ben Davis creek and other small tributaries afford additional natural drainage. It is said that Dr. Marshall Sexton, son of Dr. Horatio Sexton, was the first white child born in the township. That was in 1822. The first miller was W. B. Laughlin, the surveyor who cast in his lot with this community after completing the Government survey hereabout. He also was the first school teacher and in other ways impressed himself upon the community in its "day of small things." As the general history of Rushville township follows so closely that of the town of Rushville the reader is referred for further details in this connection to the chapter relating to the county seat elsewhere in this volume, though it will be proper here to give the names of those who are mentioned as among the first settlers of the township and most of whom located outside the town of Rushville. among these being Henry Thornbury, John Hale, David Morris, John Oldham, Joseph and Henry Nichols, Stephen Sims, Thomas and Benjamin Lakin, Ewell Kindall, Robert English, David McHatton, Charles Elias Poston, Elijah Hefflin, Samuel Allenthrope, William Junken, Sullivan S. Ross, Christian Clymer, Houston Morris, James Walker, Lot Green, George Guffin, Will- iam and Wesley Moffett, Daniel Smith, Rutherford J. Boyd, Amaziah and Alamander Fowler, Reuben Roland, McCormick Zion, David Fleener, Elijah Lewark, Henry Webster, Gustavus Cowger, Ivan Fleener, William Cald- well, William Lochridge, John Cavitt, John, James, Will- iam and Michael Lower, Richard Thornbury, William Dill, James Davis, Amariah Sutton, George Mull. Thomas Stewart, Cuthbert Webb, Fielding and Isaac B. JJones, John Parsons, Andrew Gilson, Artemus Moore, David Crawford, John Asher, Pressley Moore, John Phillips, Weir Cassady, Silas, John T. and William T. Hilligoss, Isaac Carr, Benjamin Sampson, Samuel Jackson, Robert Gardner, Sampson Cassady, Thomas Cassady, Sr., James Havens, William Newell, James McManus, Thomas
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.