USA > Indiana > Clay County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 22
USA > Indiana > Owen County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 22
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Coal underlies the greater portion of the township, forming an inex- haustible supply, a fact which has led to the development of many rich mines, among which are several of the most extensively worked ones in the State.
The most important water-course is Croy's Creek, which flows a southerly course through the eastern part of the township, entering in Section 7 and leaving from Section 35. The south branch of Otter Creek rises in Section 17, flows a southwesterly course, and plays an important part in the drainage of the county. Beside the above-named streams, there are several other creeks of minor importance traversing the county in various directions, none of which are designated by any particular names. The surface of the township was originally covered
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with a dense forest growth, the leading varieties of timber being black walnut, several kinds of oak, hard and soft maple, hickory, beech, ash and elms. The best part of the timber was cut away many years ago, much of that standing at the present time being of recent growth. Much valuable timber was destroyed by the early settlers in clearing their farms, which if standing to-day would be worth more money than the lands would bring at the highest market price.
PIONEER SETTLEMENT.
Three-quarters of a century ago, the present area of Van Buren was a wilderness, undisturbed by the innovation of the white man. Predatory savage tribes were the sole possessors of the soil, and wild beasts, both numerous and ferocious, lurked in the woods and among the hills which afforded them natural hiding places. Occasionally a few adventurous hunters and trappers, lured by the presence of abundant game, would locate along the streams, where they erected temporary habitations, but made no further improvement, spending their time in the enjoyment of their favorite pursuit.
They were sojourners rather than settlers-the spume which crested the tide of advancing civilization-and, having a large region wherein to choose, soon drifted to other localities. Their names and history have alike been forgotten. In the year 1825, appeared the first actual settlers in the persons of Matthew Cox and James Roberts, who made a tour of observation through the country for the purpose of selecting sites for homes. They were natives of Henry County, Ky., and made their first journey on horseback.
After selecting claims, and erecting thereon the necessary improvements to hold the same, they returned to their native State, where Cox remained one year, moving back with his family in the fall of 1826. Roberts entered the land, where the village of Knightsville now stands, but did not move on to it until the fall of 1831.
In the meantime, Green Mckinley, a Kentuckian also, came to the new county, and entered land one mile southeast of Harmony Village where his son-in-law, Richard Pell, lives. The date of his arrival is fixed in the spring of 1826. He moved his family to their new home in a small cart, an undertaking attended with many serious difficulties owing to the wild condition of the country through which they were obliged to travel, and the absence of anything like a well-defined roadway. Much of the way led through unbroken forests, where roads had to be cut out, which occasioned much delay, and many days were consumed before their destination was reached. Upon his arrival, Mr. Mckinley went to work, and soon had a temporary pole cabin erected which served as a habita- tion until the following autumn, when a more comfortable and commo- dious log house was built. Our pioneer seems to have been a man of
Jours July Dempsey Sey bold
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rare energy, a true type of the frontiersman, and no great time had elapsed before he had a comfortable home carved out of the wilderness. For fifty-five years he was an honored citizen of Van Buren, and did as much as, if not more than any other person for the moral and physical de- velopment of the township. Mr. Mckinley was a leading and influential member of the Methodist Church, and may be appropriately termed the father of Methodism in this division of the county, giving liberally of his means for the dissemination of the Gospel truths, and for the building of houses dedicated to the worship of God. He died in the year 1881, leaving descendants in this and adjoining townships.
The journey of Matthew Cox to his possessions in the new country was replete with many incidents, and twelve days were required to make the trip. The different members of the family were obliged to walk and cut out roads for the one small wagon on which were loaded the few household effects and provisions necessary to begin life in the backwoods. Mr. Cox settled near the present site of Knightsville, and used his wagon for a habitation until a cabin could be erected. His first house was unique in pattern and design, having been constructed upon a very simple plan, four forks being driven into the ground, upon which as many poles rested, the whole inclosed and covered with rough clap- boards, made with a common chopping ax. At the end of six months, Cox succeeded in clearing three acres of ground upon which small crops of corn and potatoes were raised, being the second successful attempt at farming in the township. At the first election in the township in 1828, Mr. Cox was chosen Constable, a position he filled for many successive years. He was a resident of Van Buren until the year 1846, at which time he died while working on the Wabash & Erie Canal in the south- ern part of the county. Samuel Cox, a son of the preceding, came to Indiana with his father, and has been a citizen of the township fifty- seven years. During that long period, he has resided within one mile of the original homestead, and is the only original settler of the town- ship living at the present time.
In 1826, there were living in the township, in addition to those enumerated, the families of John Darting and Moses Parr, both of whom settled in the fall of the year mentioned. The first named was a native of Virginia, and a pioneer of the original backwoods type. He entered the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 35, upon which he made a few improvements, but by far the greater portion of his time was spent in hunting, and he early acquired the reputation of being a skilled rifleman. He reared a large family of sons, all of whom par- took of the father's adventurous nature in a very marked degree. In the year 1848, he disposed of his farm, and moved into the adjoining county of Putnam, where several of his descendants are still living. Parr came from Kentucky and settled in the southeast part of the township on
12
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Croy's Creek, where he took a claim and made a few temporary improve- ments. He derived his chief subsistence from hunting and trapping, and lived a wild, free life in the woods untrammeled by the fetters of society, for the usages of which he had the most profound contempt. He re. mained a resident of the township for seven years, when he sold his im- provements and moved to Western Illinois.
During the year 1827, the population of the township was increased by the following additions, i. e., John Graves, Isam Steed and George Williams. Graves moved to this State from North Carolina, and settled two miles northeast of Harmony on the farm at present owned and occu- pied by his daughter, Mrs. Williams. Steed came from Carolina also, and settled on Graves' claim, where he lived until he entered land of his own. He was a man of intelligence and culture, and taught the first school in the township as early as the year 1836. Williams immigrated from North Carolina and entered a tract of land near the village of Car- donia, where his widow still lives.
The following year Mark Bolin, David Murphy and Joseph Mostetler became residents of the township. The first named entered land east of Harmony, where James Morgan lives. He earned the reputation of be- ing a good citizen, and was one of the earliest Justices of the Peace in Van Buren. Mostetler located on the northeast corner of the township, where he entered a good tract of land. He was an unmarried man, or in common parlance, an old bachelor, and lived by himself, deriving his chief support from the sale of cattle and hogs, of which he raised large numbers.
He associated but little with the other settlers, and had been dead four or five days before the fact became known throughout the neighbor- hood.
Other settlers who came in an early day and shared in the hardships of frontier life were Elias Owens, who settled in Section 25, where he is still living; Reuben Yocum, who settled in Section 32; Jacob Bell, who located near Calcutta Village, and Joseph Case, an old man, who settled in the northeast corner of the township, and Isam Wright, who entered land in Section 13, all of whom became residents prior to the year 1832. In the latter year, Addison Pratt settled a short distance east of Har- mony in Section 34, and entered eighty acres of land, which he sold a few months later and moved to Illinois. He was a near relative of Orson Pratt, one of the leading lights of Mormonism, and joined his fortunes with the "Latter-Day Saints" at Nauvoo. He was with Joseph Smith when the latter was killed, and crossed the plains to Salt Lake City where he afterward became a prominent man in the church.
Joseph Mostetler, a relative of David Mostetler, was an early settler also. He located in the northern part of the township, where he con- structed one of the first distilleries in the county. Elias Stallcup came
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about the same time as the foregoing, and was joined a few months later by Jacob Girton, both of whom located in the eastern part of the town- ship, where they secured real estate and became prominent citizens. Jonathan Branson and John Deakin both came in 1834, the former of whom is still living where he settled in the northeast part of the town- ship. The latter was a character deserving of special mention, a very Hercules in strength, whose greatest delight was hunting, by means of which he supported his family. He was a peaceable man, but when once aroused nothing suited him better than a rough-and-tumble knock-down, out of which his antagonist was sure to come with a mashed head or broken bones.
Other settlers came in from time to time, but the limits of our space forbid any more than a mere mention of the names of some of the ear- liest ones. In the year 1835, the following settlers obtained land by entry, to wit: Benjamin Bell, John Britton, John Dunne, James Town- send, John Cromwell, Jacob Wagle, James Yocum, Henry Yocum, Da- vid Barber, James Edwards, D. T. Hedges, David Murphy, Thomas Ho- gan, George Snodgrass, James Logan, George Myers, Thomas Small and Jacob Savage. Other early entries were made by Stephen Girton, M. Canby, Arnold Nandern, Edward Tatnall, Samuel Poff, Miles Lauder- baugh, M. Stallcup, David Earber, Samuel Graves. Charles Earber, Charles Butler, Solomon Vancammon, John Denney, Solomon Carpenter, John Wilson, B. H. Boling. John Deane, W. C. Hall, James Burke and Joshua Batts.
EARLY EXPERIENCES.
This comprises the early settlement of Van Buren, as far as we have been able to learn its history. The early struggle of the pioneers, with hardships, trials and other objects calculated to deter them, is but a rep- etition of those exper enced by all early settlers in a new and uninhab- ited country. Those early times cannot be reproduced by any prose of the historian. Many daring deeds performed by unknown heroes have passed into oblivion, and many of nature's great men who won signal vic- tories in the hard-fought battles with nature in the wilderness now lie in obscure and unknown graves. The first year in the new settlement was generally the most difficult, as the little stock of provisions frequently gave out and many hardships were endured in order to obtain the neces- saries of life; but after the first crop was gathered there was generally a sufficiency for home consumption, husbanded away with scrupulous care. The forests generally supplied the meat from the bountiful store of game, in quantity and quality according to demand. Deer were so numerous that it was no uncommon sight to see as many as fifty in a herd, and settlers have been known to shoot three and four while stand- ing in their door yard. Deer skins and venision hams, with wild honey and ginseng, were the principal articles sold by the early settlers, or
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
exchanged for groceries and dry goods, with the "hucksters " who made semi-annual trips through the country for the purpose of collecting such produce. Like all new countries, this part of the country was greatly overrun by wolves, which proved very destructive to the settlers' stock, so much so that pigs and calves had to be penned in tight inclosures to save them from being killed. Perhaps the most dangerous animals and the ones most greatly to be feared were the wild hogs which infested the woods in great numbers. They were fleet of foot, very ferocious, and, when annoyed, were formidable enemies, before which the bravest hunt- ers would have to flee. Upon one occasion a hunter shot and wounded one of these animals, and its cries soon brought several others to the spot. Before the sportsman had time to reload his piece, they were close upon him, and he was obliged to take refuge in a tree. His dog fought them for a short time, but was soon overpowered and literally torn into shreds by the savage beasts.
After killing the dog, they turned their attention to the hunter, who was compelled to remain the greater part of one long afternoon in his airy perch waiting for the beasts to take their departure, which they did when night came on.
Many of these hogs were slaughtered by the early settlers and the meat marketed at Terre Haute, where it sold for about $2 per hundred.
As settlers increased in numbers, a common cause was made in meet- ing the wants of each other, helping for help again. The idea of assist- ing another for a pecuniary consideration never intruded itself into the minds of the pioneers in those early days. No greater insult could have been offered than a hint that money was required to pay for a neighbor's help. If a cabin were to be raised, or a field of logs to be rolled, all the occasion demanded of the neighbors far and near was a knowledge of the time and place, distance being nothing, and other less pressing engage- ments had to succumb in order to render the needed assistance.
INDUSTRIES AND IMPROVEMENTS.
For a couple of years after the date of the first settlement, considera- ble difficulty was experienced by the pioneers in obtaining breadstuffs, and many devices were resorted to in order to procure the "staff of life." The most common way was to crush the corn in a mortar made by hollowing out the top of a firm oak or hickory stump. The pestle was usually an iron wedge made fast to a sweep overhead which could be worked up and down with considerable force. Families who had no such contrivances soaked corn and grated it upon a common tin grater, one of which was found in almost every household.
The first mill in the township was constructed by Green Mckinley, on his farm, and operated by hand. It was a very rude affair, the machinery consisting of two home-made buhrs, one of which was turned by a stick.
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VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.
Mr. Mckinley made it for his individual use, but it was afterward placed at the disposal of the neighbors, who kept it running pretty con- stantly until other mills were erected. About the year 1842, several neighbors constructed a small water mill on Brush Creek, three miles from Harmony, and operated it successfully for seven years. The machinery consisted of two buhrs, and a simple bolting apparatus which had to be operated by hand. It ground very slowly, and persons bring- ing grists were often obliged to wait one or two days for their respective " turns. "
The first frame house in the township was erected by Green McKin- ley about the year 1845. He built the first brick house also, which is still standing on the National road a short distance from Harmony. James Townsend planted the first orchard shortly after his arrival, many trees of which are still standing. The second orchard was set out by Elias Stallcup in the northern part of the township.
SCHOOLS.
The first impulse of the people, upon whom devolved the responsi- . bility of giving form and character to society in primitive Van Buren, was to inaugurate a system of education which should in the future insure a safe foundation for permanent prosperity. Hence schools were established at an early date, and were well sustained and patronized. The first sessions were held in private dwellings, but, as the population increased, more roomy buildings were required, and a number of log schoolhouses were erected in different localities.
The first term was taught by Isam Steed, in a small vacated cabin which stood a few miles north of the village of Harmony.
This school numbered perhaps ten or twelve pupils, was supported by subscription, and lasted two and a half months.
Previous to the schools, the settlers living in the northern and eastern parts of the township sent their children to school in Dick Johnson Township, where a couple of terms were taught as early as 1834-35.
Mr. Cox states that he walked from his father's house, which stood on · the present site of Knightsville, to a school on Frank Yocum's place in Dick Johnson Township, a distance of five miles. He attended school there one entire winter, missing but two or three days during a three months' term. The first building set apart especially for school purposes was a small log structure built by the neighbors, on Green Mckinley's farm. It was first used by Benjamin Carman, who taught several suc- cessive terms. It was used a great many years, and finally rotted down. An early schoolhouse stood in the northwest part of the township, on John Pell's farm. It was built as early as 1845, and first used by Isam Steed. Joshua Howard was an early teacher at the same place. The first frame schoolhouse was erected by Green Mckinley about the year
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
1862. It stood on his farm, and was in use until quite recently. The first public money was drawn by the township in the year 1849.
At the present time there are twenty four schools in the township, to support which required for tuition, during the year 1882-83, the sum of $4,000. The enumeration taken in the spring of 1883 returns the names of 1,362 pupils. The following list comprises the teachers who had charge of the schools in 1882-83:
Harmony Schools-A. L. Boor, Principal; Sallie Prather, Della Steed and Anna Ferguson, Assistants.
Knightsville-J. W. Love, Principal; Alice Wilson, Mattie Dickson and Emma Dickson, Assistants.
Cardonia-C. W. Crouse, Principal; Laura Hendricks and Mary Mc- Crary, Assistants.
Benwood-A. L. Somers, Principal; Scott Pell and Emma Ellis, Assistants.
Carbon-D. J. Pell, Principal; names of assistants not learned.
Other teachers in the township were W. E. Carr, Miss Jacks, William Rawley, Mrs. Jennie Grady, William Pell, A. J. Braden, John Rawley, Hiram McQueen and Belle Jones.
The Township Trustees, since 1859, have been the following, to wit: John Frump, H. R. Hice, John Steed, John Trippett, John Orme, L. C. Turner and Harry Hice.
CHURCHES.
The history of Christianity in Van Buren may be termed coeval with its earliest settlement. The first preacher of whom there is any authen- tic account made his appearance in the country about the year 1830, and was of the Christian denomination, among which were found many of those pioneer soldiers of the cross who preceded or followed close in the wake of civilization in Southern Indiana. Elder Case, the pioneer min- ister of the township, preached his first sermon at the residence of George Lucas, an early settler who lived a few miles north of Harmony, where he continued preaching at intervals during several ensuing years.
· A Methodist minister by the name of Dickeson preached at an early day in the Stallcup neighborhood, where the first religious organization was effected in the year 1839. This was known as the Ebenezer Church, and was organized at the residence of - Pell. Among the early mem- bers were John Pell and wife, Elias Stallcup and wife, Miles Lauderbaugh and wife, and others whose names were not ascertained. Early pastors were Revs. Smith, Bartlett and Dickeson. Pell's residence was used as a place of public worship until the Stallcup Schoolhouse was erected, after which services were held in that building. The schoolhouse was used for about fifteen years; when a house of worship was erected in the same neighborhood. The organization was maintained until the year 1875, at which time, owing to some difficulty with the Presiding Elder con-
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cerning "Quarterly Meetings," the society disbanded. The house was afterward purchased by the United Brethren, who organized a class into which many members of the Methodist organization were received. This society is in a flourishing condition at the present time, with a good mem - bership, ministered to by Rev. Thomas Buck. Their house of worship is a comfortable frame structure, 30x60 feet in size, and represents a value of about $1,000.
Harmony Methodist Episcopal Church .- This society was organized in the year 1855, by Rev. Joseph Asbury, at the residence of John Beau- champ, who lived in the northern part of the township. At the first meeting the following persons were enrolled as members, viz., Samuel Barnes and wife, Robert Cryer, John Beauchamp and wife, John Parr and wife, and D. J. Pell.
For one year after its organization, the little society met for worship at Beauchamp's residence, during which time many converts were added, and the organization was placed upon a substantial footing. In the year 1856, the class moved its place of meeting to the MeKinley Schoolhouse, on the National road, where services were held for two years, at the end of which time the congregation had so increased in numbers that a more commodious place of worship became necessary, and steps were taken to erect a building in keeping with the growing organization. Mr. Mc- Kinley donated ground, and a frame building, 30x40 feet, was soon erected thereon at a cost of $800. For twelve years this edifice was used, when by mutual consent of the members it was decided to move the organiza- tion to the village of Harmony. The house was taken to the village, and used until two years ago, at which time it was sold, the title to the prop- erty being made to some of the members of the United Brethren Church of Harmony.
A large and fine brick edifice was erected in the year 1881, and named Mckinley Chapel, in compliment to Mr. McKinley, who was untiring in his efforts for the good of the church, and who gave more substantial aid toward the building than any other person. The house is 50x70 feet in size, will comfortably seat a congregation of 800 people, and cost the sum of $5,000. Outside of Brazil, it is the finest temple of worship in the county, and an ornament to the village.
For thirty years, this church has enjoyed a reasonable degree of pros- perity under the charge of the many preachers sent by the conference to minister to her people. A few familiar names of some of those worthy men are called to the minds of those acquainted with the church during the years of its history-such as James Williamson, George Asbury, Brandt. Beck, Harrison, Cox, Keen, Guild, Drake, down to the present pastor, N. Green.
The membership of the church is in good condition, and the society stands to-day, as it has stood for thirty years, like a "city set upon a
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hill," radiating its light, shedding its beneficient influence all around, in harmony with the community for good, and in fellowship with its sis- ter churches. Its substantial membership and its admirable Sunday school speak well . for its continued usefulness. The present church offi- cials are R. D. Pell and -- Walls, Class Leaders; James Crooks and -- . Miller, Stewards; R. D. Pell, James Crooks, Samuel Brown, George Riddle and John Zeller, Trustees. Rev. N. Green is Superintendent of the Sunday school, which boasts an average attendance of 100 scholars.
North Union Christian Church at Cardonia was organized at the village schoolhouse in the year 1852, with an original membership of twenty-three. The first services were conducted by Eld. Isaac Nicoson, Sr., under whose labors the society increased in members and influence until ten years later, when a beautiful house of worship was erected. The majority of the members of the organization were men of limited means, and the edifice was constructed principally by voluntary contri- butions or work. Daniel M. Easter donated a desirable lot, and a frame building, 26x36 feet, was erected thereon, costing the sum of $600. Elder Nicoson was the faithful and energetic pastor at intervals for twenty-five years. Other preachers who ministered to the congregation at different times were Elders John Easter, Ezekiel Wright, -- Marshall and Price.
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