USA > Indiana > Clay County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 29
USA > Indiana > Owen County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 29
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English and German. His public spirit and his interest in others, to- gether with his personal merit, were recognized by the people of Clay County, who twice sent him as their Representative to the State Legisla- ture (1841-42), and who imposed upon him other important trusts. In later years he was urged by his party to run for Congress, and twice re- fused a nomination for the position."
Among other early settlers deserving of mention can be named John Cagle, Isaac Mace, Casper Rader, Thomas Sloane, Uriah Hicks, Alexan- der Highnot, Nathan Clifton, Jacob Reed, Samuel Owen and James Cash, all of whom obtained land by entry.
The early pioneers of Cass were, perhaps, more fortunately situated than the first settlers in any other part of the county. The soil was more easily tilled, and produced more abundant crops, and with the exception of the ague during a small portion of the year the county in the main was very healthy. There were no hostile Indians to encounter, and no very ferocious beasts to guard against; yet, notwithstanding these advan- tages, the pioneers were compelled to undergo many hardships, as the distance from market places made it difficult to obtain wearing apparel, groceries and other conveniences necessary to sustenance and comfort. They practiced self-denial, for they left behind them the comforts and abundance of their old homes. Few in numbers at first, they were strong in faith and courage, and developed a character of which their descend- ants need not feel ashamed. Their necessities made them ingenious, their hardships made them brave, and their fewness made them sociable. Their community of wants and dangers made them sympathetic and help- ful of each other. However scanty their fare, it was shared with the neighbor or stranger with a free-heartedness that gave relish to the plain repast. However small and unsightly their cabin, its room and bed and genial warmth were divided with a cordiality that sweetened the welcome. Their social life was adorned with the graces of liberality and true friend- ship. They did wisely and well their peculiar work of laying the foun- dations, that their posterity might build upon them.
IMPROVEMENTS.
The first mill in the township was made by Samuel Rizley for his own use, and operated by "man power." The buhrs were manufactured from two "nigger heads," and set in a large gum, and when operated by a strong man could make a fair article of meal. The mill was placed at the disposal of the neighbors, who used it for several years.
About the year 1842, Michael and Henry Nees erected a mill near the central part of the township, on Dyar's Branch, from which it received its motive power. This mill supplied a long-felt want in the community, and during the time it was operated did a good business, having been extensively patronized by the settlers for many miles around.
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It was a small building, contained three set of buhrs and was in opera- tion about two years, at the end of which time it was allowed to fall in- to disuse on account of the creek dam washing out.
A water-mill was built on Eel River, in the north part of the town- ship, as early as 1844, by John Acrea and son. The original building was a small frame, and the machinery was of the simplest description, and used only for grinding, or rather cracking corn. It did a good busi- ness for a mill of its capacity, and during the early years of its history was kept running almost constantly in order to supply the extensive demand for meal.
In later years, it passed into the hands of other parties, who improved the machinery by adding wheat buhrs, and in time it became the chief source of supplies in the northwestern part of the county. It is still in operation, the present proprietor being Adam Carpenter.
Several small distilleries were in operation in an early day by Samuel Stigler, Luke Dyar, - Sturdevant, Samuel Rizley and Casper Rader. They were all conducted upon a primitive plan, and their pro- duction was principally consumed by the community, as whisky, in those good old times, was the common beverage of young and old, male and female. It was the genuine article, made without the use of poisonous compounds, and was exchanged for corn at the rate of one gallon for a bushel.
The first brick house in the township was built by Samuel Rizley, about the year 1840. The second brick house was built some years later in the village of Poland, and is still standing.
William Cromwell erected the first frame residence and still occupies it. An early frame house was built in Poland, by Samuel Stigler.
The first orchard was set out by John Latham shortly after he set- tled in the county. Nicholas Cromwell, Reuben Anderson, Joshua Cromwell and Samuel Rizley set out orchards in an early day, the latter bringing seeds and grafts from North Carolina, and supplying many of the neighboring farms with trees in after years.
EARLY BIRTHS.
The first birth, to which reference has already been made, occurred in the year 1819, in the family of Samuel Rizley, and was the earliest event of the kind in the county.
The child born on that occasion was Eliza Rizley, now Mrs. Stacy, who is still living near Bowling Green. Susan Rizley, wife of William Cromwell, and sister of the preceding. was born August 13, 1821, and is still living a short distance from her birthplace; Mary Ann Cromwell was born in the year 1826. Other early births occurred in the families of Luke Dyar, Reuben Anderson and Parnell Chance.
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EARLY DEATHS.
It cannot be ascertained with any degree of certainty whose was the first death in the township, though it is supposed to have been a man by name of Beaman, who died prior to the year 1828. He was buried on the Rizley farm, where a graveyard was afterward laid out. Polly Rizley, daughter of Samuel Rizley, was buried in this cemetery as early as 1831, and Charles Scammahorn was laid away about the same time. The Dyar Graveyard was laid out near the central part of the township in the year 1830, and is the resting place of many of the early pioneers mentioned in the preceding pages.
Among the first buried here were Alexander Willy and wife, Reuben Anderson and Isaac Anderson and their wives, Luke Dyar, Mrs. Dyar and a man by name of Green
The Wilkinson Graveyard was an early burial place, though not so old as the ones mentioned. Here were buried Robert Wilkinson and wife, Uriah Wilkinson, together with their respective families, all of whom died in an early day.
In addition to the cemeteries enumerated there are two others in the township, one on the Latham farm and one on William Cromwell's land.
EARLY MARRIAGES.
The earliest marriage traceable was solemized in the year 1828, the contracting parties being James Crafton and Sarah, daughter of Joshua Cromwell. The ceremony was performed by Squire Samuel Rizley. Wesley Peyton and Nancy Chance assumed the responsibilities of mat- rimony about the same time; as did also Christopher Brannem and Tabitha Chance. Other early marriages were Nathan Clifton to Nellie Chance, and Esau Presnell and Nancy Green.
ROADS.
The first highway through Cass was the road leading from Green- castle to Bowling Green. It was laid out as early as 1826, and crosses the township from north to south, following the river. A road on the opposite side of the river was established about the same time, and in the same general direction. They are both state roads and extensively traveled at the present time. The Martinsville & Terre Haute road was cut out in 1826 or 1827, and passes through the central part of the township from east to west. It is a State road also, and in good condition.
ELECTIONS.
The first election within the present limits of Cass was held at the Nees Mill before the township was formed. The first voting place after the township organization was at the residence of Luke Dyar. The first election took place in 1843, and was for the purpose of electing a Jus-
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
tice of the Peace. The successful candidate upon that occasion was Wesley Myers, who received in all about fifty votes, enough to make a handsome majority.
The place of voting was afterward changed to the village of Poland, where the polls have been kept to the present time.
SCHOOL NOTES.
Education received early attention in this township, and as soon as there were children enough in a community a school was established. The first sessions lasted from two to three months of the year, and were supported by subscription, the teacher frequently taking corn, deer skins and other articles as a part of his remuneration, which at the best was but meager. Among the first pedagogues, if not the first, was one Har. vey Pease, who taught in a little cabin near Eel River, where Henry Kizer lives. Benjamin Payne taught in a rude hut which stood on the Rizley farm, and Jared Peyton wielded the birch of authority in an early day where the village of Poland now stands. Peyton was a man of cult- ure, and earned the reputation of being a fine teacher. He was after- ward the county's representative in the State Legislature, being the first person honored with that office. He was identified with the schools of the township for several years, and exerted a good influence in the cause of education.
An early school was taught near Poland by a man by the name of Mc- Guire, while David Herald taught as early as the year 1830 in the old Baptist Church which stood on the Chance farm. A log schoolhouse was built in an early day on the farm of Nicholas Cromwell, and first used by Elisha B. Peyton. Timothy Lucas was an early pedagogue at the same place, as were several others whose names were not ascertained. In the year 1843, the township was divided into several districts, and frame buildings erected. Public money was first drawn that year, and since that time the schools of the township have been advancing until now they are among the best supported and most ably conducted in the county.
Trustees. - Among the earliest Trustees of the township were Samuel Rizley and Col. John B. Nees. Since 1859, the following persons have had charge of the office, to wit: John B. Nees, Frederick Ahlemoire, Elias Syster, William Tenney, Frederick Tapey, Adam Trussell and Thomas Burns.
RELIGIOUS.
The pioneer preachers in this part of the county were of the Old School Baptist denomination, and held public worship from house to house several years before any permanent organization was effected. The Eel River Church was organized on the farm of Parnell Chance, prior to the year 1830, and is said to be the oldest religious organiza-
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tion in the county. A log house of worship was erected in an early day, and was in use until a few years ago, when a neat frame edifice was erected. The church has always sustained preaching, and has been a great power for good in the country, numbering among its communicants at the present time many of the substantial citizens of the community. The present membership is about fifty, and the organization is reported in good condition. Elder Joseph Coldtharpe is the present efficient pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Poland dates its origin from about the year 1843. A brick house of worship was erected in the year 1852, and used until the year 1875, at which time it was torn down, and a more comfortable and convenient frame structure built on the same spot .. The house is 35x45 feet in size, and is a model of neatness, cost- ing the sum of $1,600.
The number of communicants at the present time is forty-two. Rev. William Switzer is pastor.
The officials are John J. Huffman, Class Leader; John R. Foreman and John J. Huffman, Stewards; Robert Smith, Charles J. Wilkinson, John R. Foreman, John J. Huffman and Solomon Reynolds, Trustees.
The Poland Presbyterian Church was organized about the year 1865 by Rev. Thomas Milligan, with a small membership. Services were held in the Methodist house of worship for about four years, at the end of which time the society found itself in condition to erect a building of its own. Their edifice, a substantial frame structure, stands in the west- ern part of the village, and represents a value of $1,500. Rev. Thomas Milligan was pastor of the church for a period of about twelve years, and during that time did much toward establishing the society upon its present firm footing. Rev. E. W. Fisk succeeded Milligan, and has been the regular pastor ever since.
There are at the present time the names of about fifty members upon the church records.
VILLAGE OF POLAND.
This neat little city is situated near the central part of the township, and owes its origin to the general demand of the community, for a trad- ing point and post office. The survey of the original plat was made in the year 18-, the enterprise being brought about chiefly through the ef- forts of Col. John B. Nees, who was always the warm friend of the village, and one of its proprietors. The town site occupies a portion of the lands formerly owned by William Crafton, Isaac Anderson and Tillman Chance, who assisted in laying the village out.
The town's first houses were rude log cabins of the most primitive fashion, but after a few years a better class of dwellings was erected, and in time the village became quite a prominent trading point, and gave considerable promise of becoming a flourishing city. The absence of
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railroad communication, together with its location, prevented business men from locating here, and the town's growth has, as a consequence, been rather slow.
Robert Anderson and Elisha Peyton were among the first to purchase lots and build residences in the new city, and a man by name of Whit- tenberg kept the first store. His place of business was a little log house which stood on Lot 2, in Block 4, where he sold goods for about three years, when he erected a brick store room on the corner of Main and Jackson streets, where he continued his business one year longer, at which time he closed out and left the town.
From R. L. Keith's " Reminiscenses of Early Merchandising in Clay County," we copy the following concerning Mr. Whittenberg: "He kept a little store and wagoned all his goods from Terre Haute in an old one-horse wagon. He traded for such ' truck' as the people had to sell, and did quite a nice business for those early days. Now, this man Whitten- berg was a fly leaf in the history of Clay County. He spoke with a broken accent, and at times tore the 'Queen's English' to pieces in an alarming manner. Among other things Whittenberg bought, was butter. An incident is here connected with his early merchandising which will explain how an old German established the bottom of the scale on which the greasy substance has since slid up and down. Early in his career as a buyer, he paid at the rate of 83 cents per pound or three pounds for 25 cents. But he soon found that whenever he told anybody what he was paying for butter, owing to his broken accent, he made a laughing stock of himself. All of his customers could not understand German, and he could not successfully quote the prevailing price to the English-speaking ones. This was very embarrassing to him and he finally declared that from now, henceforth and forever, as long as time should last, the price of butter should never be less than 10 cents. The boys around the vil- lage used to play all manner of pranks on the honest old Dutchman, and ' rile' him just to see how mad he could get, until finally he swore that if they did not 'let up,' he would import a genuine Limburger cheese, cook it in a kettle in the middle of the street, and poison every mother's son of them."
The second stock of goods was brought to the village by Col. John B. Nees and E. B. Peyton, who erected a business house on the southeast corner of Main and Jackson streets, now occupied by John Stwalle & Son. They conducted a flourishing business for several years, and were afterward succeeded by Robert Wingate, who ran a branch store, his main business house being at Bowling Green. The branch store was conducted under the management of Elisha B. Peyton, now the Hon. E. B. Peyton, a prominent jurist of Emporia, Kan. Mr. Keith in his rem- iniscences relates the following amusing incident: "Peyton had sued one of the good class leaders of his church, and the old fellow felt con-
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siderably hurt over it, so he gathered up his Testament and church Disci- pline, went to Poland, called at the store and told Brother Peyton that he would like to have a word with him. Peyton asked him up stairs, and when they got there, the good old Deacon said, 'Let us have a word of prayer.' So they both bowed down upon a lot of old rags, and the old man prayed long and loud for Brother Peyton and afterward read him a lesson from the discipline. 'Lish' began to feel uneasy, and asked the old fellow what he was driving at, and he told him that he had committed the unpardonable sin of suing a brother. After a deal of exhortation, Peyton ordered the suit dismissed, renewed the old man's note, and everything went sailing again as usual." Other merchants who did bus- iness in the village from time to time were F. Geiger, William S. Walker, Lawrence Athey, Adam Trussell, John C. McGreggor, John Huffman, Reed & Strauch, Philip Nelson & Son, Nelson & Foreman, Stwalley & Huffman and several others.
Business Pursuits .-- Peter Rodenberger, Philip Fritz, Silas Watts and William Black were early mechanics. The mechanics of the present time are William Teany, William Keiser, Samuel C. Hoover and I. B. Anderson, blacksmiths; Henry Werrenyer and Thomas Admire, wagon- makers; Willaim Werrenyer, John ;Anderson, James Anderson and George Admire, carpenters; Tressell & Kattman, harness-makers; Lewis Baumunk, shoe-maker; John H. Schwer, house and sign painter.
The mercantile business at the present time is represented by the fol- lowing firms: Tressell & Kattman keep a large stock of general merchan- dise, and have a flourishing trade; Stwalley & Son handle a general stock also, and report their business good. There is one fine drug store kept by Frank Spellbring.
Since its origin, the village has been blessed by the following disciples of the healing art, viz .: Drs. Hoffman, Collins, Browning, Muntz, Mulinix, Kiser, Cornell, Fisher, Hendrix, Bryan and Stone. The pres- ent medical men are T. A. Elliott, W. L. Chamberlain and Newton Bartholomew.
The first schoolhouse in the village was a little log structure, and stood on the northeast corner of Main and Jackson streets. It was built in an early day and was in use until about the year 1872, at which time it was vacated and the present large two-story building erected. The present house contains two rooms, and cost the sum of $1, 300. The last teachers were Samuel Nees and J. M. Dollison.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 4
DICK JOHNSON TOWNSHIP.
BY G. N. BERRY.
ORIGIN OF NAME, CAPABILITIES, ETC.
D
ICK JOHNSON TOWNSHIP was named in honor of Hon. Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky, and embraces an area of twenty-one and a half square miles of territory, lying in the northwest corner of Clay County. It originally formed a part of the large township of Posey, from which it was separated in the year 1828, and organized as a distinct division. The principal cause which led to the formation was the difficulty experienced by the early settlers in reaching the voting place, which was situated near the site of Staunton Village, a long distance from the northern part of the township. No division of the county contains as much broken and unprofitable land in proportion to the number of acres as Dick Johnson, quite a large area in the southern part being too broken and hilly for cultivation. Among the hills, however, are valleys and bottom lands, rich in decayed vegetable matter, and capable of produc- ing large crops of corn, wheat and the other cereals and fruits usually grown in this part of the State. About two-thirds of the township is level, confined to the northern, eastern and western portions, where are to be seen some of the best improved farms in the northern part of the county. The township is heavily timbered with the varieties indig- enous to this part of the State, beech, hickory, oak, poplar and maple predominating. At one time there were quantities of black walnut, but of late years it has almost entirely disappeared. South and North Branches of Water Creek, with their affluents, afford the principal drainage, the former flowing a westerly direction through the southern part of the township, and the latter rising near the town of Carbon, and flowing an irregular course through the northern part.
The township is rich in mineral wealth, especially coal, large deposits of which are found in various localities. Along the line of the I. & St. L. R. R., in the northern part of the township, extensive mines have been developed, and are in successful operation at the present time.
Building stone of a superior quality is found in different parts of the township, and a large quarry has been opened a few miles from the coun- ty seat, affording employment for a number of workmen. This stone is extensively used in this county, and large quantities have been shipped to various parts of the State.
EARLY SETTLERS. The settlement of Dick Johnson Township dates back more than a
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half century. The first white people who came here were from Ohio, Kentucky and the Carolinas, and consisted of transient settlers or squat- ters, who were lured to the country on account of the abundance of game. They were hunters, rather than tillers of the soil, and made but few im- provements, moving about from place to place, and generally leaving the country upon the appearance of the permanent settlers. It is known that several of these transient residents were living in the country as early as 1820, but their names and facts concerning them have been forgotten.
The first entry of land in the township was made October, 1820, by Jesse Kisor, who obtained a patent for the east half of the northwest quarter of Section 19. Kisor lived in Vigo County, and was never iden- tified with this township in the capacity of a citizen. The first perma- nent settlers of whom anything definite could be learned were Simeon and Patrick Archer, two brothers, who moved here from Ohio as early as the year 1823. They located in Section 11, where the former entered land one year later, being the second entry in the township. But little can be said about those two men, save that Patrick was an exemplary cit- izen and a member of the Baptist Church, while his brother was the exact opposite in character and conduct, and was but little respected in the community on account of his dissipated habits. They both died many years ago, leaving descendants, a few of whom are still residents of the township. In the year 1826, Daniel Webster entered land in Sec- tion 10, and an improvement was made upon it a few months later by one Luke Acres, a Virginian, who moved to the country in the fall of 1825. Acres was a very poor man. Upon his arrival in the new country, he found himself the possessor of an ax, a couple of old horses, and a few house- hold goods representing a value of about $10. He hired to Mr. Web. ster, and worked for him four years, earning sufficient money in the meantime to enable him to enter land of his own. He afterward became a man of considerable prominence, and earned the reputation of being a man whose word was revered as law in the community where he lived. His death occurred in the year 1850. The land which he entered lies in Section 15, and is at present owned and occupied by his son-in-law, San ford Sampson. An early character of the township was a man by name of Johnson, familiarly known as " Club Foot" Johnson, on account of the almost entire absence of those useful appendages known as feet, he hav- ing lost them one bitter winter night while sleeping off the effects of a three days' spree in a quiet snow drift. He was a good type of a class of men developed by the times, whose greatest delight was roystering, drinking, fighting and in the hundred and one other amusements common among the backwoods generation of fifty years ago. To hunt a little, frolic much, steal when favorable opportunities presented themselves, go to town often, and never miss a general election day, and get "glorious," and fight till night, just for fun, was the pleasure and delight of his
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worthless life. We mean no offense to the readers of the prize-ring lit- erature of to-day by informing them that even in the early times there were men here nearly as big fools as they. Their intelligence, like these, had a strong admixture of the bull dog and hyena. Their real worship was an image of the bullet head and thick-necked tribe of bruisers. It is the base-born admiration of the thug that makes such characters pos- sible among civilized men.
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