USA > Indiana > Clay County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 69
USA > Indiana > Owen County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 69
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 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114
At Gosport, Abner Alexander, the Gosses, William Alexander, Lemuel Dunnigan, Judge Fritts, Drs. Wooden, Stucky and Smith were leading men in the formation of the early business interests and politics of the township. The man who did more, however, for Gosport and the east- ern half of the county than any other was the late Hezekiah Wampler. He was a self-made man, a man of broad gauge, of excellent judgment and fine business habits. Far-seeing, honest, generous and upright in all his dealings, he amassed a great fortune, one not built up on a found- ation of widows' tears or wrongs to men. His hand was always open to the poor. Many a man in Owen County who to-day owns his little farm and has plenty for wife and little ones, owes it to the generous help and trust of the great kind heart of the lamented "Ki Wampler," as he was familiarly known and called. If a life made up from first to last of kind, generous deeds, strict honesty in all the affairs of life, and a hand ever open for the relief of the poor and the needy, fit a man for the future, surely, "on the other side of the river " our old friend, Hezekiah Wam-
34
616
HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
pler, has a place as pleasant as the dearest of his friends on this side could wish him. The memory of such a man is better than great riches.
Many other names come to memory who have had much influence in public affairs-the venerable William Combs, the Devores, the Steeles, the Montgomerys, of Harrison and Taylor; John R. Black, Jack Hutson, the Meeks and others, of Jennings; John Croy, the Cochrans, Harrisons and others, of Jackson; the Spears, Evanses, Carters, Gibsons, Kings and others, of Morgan; the Noths, McCrearys, Kerrs, Everlys, Phillipses and others, of La Fayette; the Livingstons, Mayfields, Coopers, Coffeys, Freemans, Browns and many others, of Clay. All those names and many others equally well known constantly recur in the township and county business. They and their descendants have borne honorable parts in the affairs of their respective localities, which will more fully appear in other places in their township histories.
.
617
HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
MILITARY HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
BY CAPT. DAVID E. BEEM.
TT is an evidence of the higher cultivation and improvement of the present age that war has become the exception rather than the rule among the nations of the earth. In ancient times, and, indeed, up to a very recent period in the world's history, war and rumors of war filled the earth with their dread alarms. But, happily for mankind in the present day and age, the milder forms of diplomacy and arbitration in many in- stances effectually accomplish settlements between nations, which, in former times, the sword alone could have decided. The patient reader of history has not failed to note that few nations in the years gone by en- joyed the blessings of peace for any considerable length of time. In the present age, however, there are considerable periods of time during which the whole civilized world is almost undisturbed by the clash of arms. Not that the millennium of universal peace has come, by any means. On the contrary, we see to-day the extraordinary spectacle of immense stand- ing armies throughout christendom; and, perhaps, nearly every one of the first-class powers of Europe could, in the week's time, line her fron- tiers with a million men fully drilled, armed and equipped for aggres- sion or for defense. The passions of men, or the ambition of rulers, may indeed at any moment hurl these great masses of men into close and deadly conflict. So strong, however, is the sentiment for peace through- out the world, that the appeal to arms is only justified after all milder means have been exhausted, and few nations are so reckless as to go to war without seeking the moral support of the world.
History is very largely made out of materials furnished by war. The movements of great armies, the stratagems of commanders and the conflict of opposing forces, are her most fruitful themes. And it must be confessed that there is a fascination in the stories of war, to the old no less than to the young, which is scarcely found in so large a degree elsewhere. The marvelous exploits of Alexander of Macedon, of Frederic of Prussia, and of Napoleon of France, though prompted by the most selfish interest and the basest ambition, are read with scarcely less interest than the deeds of Kosciusko and of Washington, who fought for freedom and for native land.
It would seem, therefore, that the history of no country or locality would be complete, which did not give some adequate account of whatever military deeds may have been performed by its people. With this view, has been prepared the following military history of Owen County.
It might be thought that there could be very little military history to write of a county whose soil has never been vexed by the tread of con- tending armies. While this is true, the county has furnished a home and burial place for many of the heroes who bore arms for their country; and her native sons have rallied to their country's call, some to fight on for- eign soil, and many to bleed and die in the sacred cause of the Union of our fathers.
618
HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
The people of the United States have been frequently called upon to take up arms. From the earliest settlement, even down to the present day, they have been called upon to wage an almost incessant border war- fare against aboriginal foes. Our freedom and National independence were secured only by a long and bloody war; the injustice and insolence of Great Britain made the war of 1812 a necessity; the war with Mexico called many of the patriotic sons of the South and West to arms; and finally, the most causeless rebellion that was ever organized against a good government had to be crushed by more than a million of men.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
While the tract of land now embraced within the limits of Owen County was still covered by the primeval forests, and inhabited only by roaming Indians and wild beasts, the war of Independence was fought. The story of the Revolution grows more interesting, as generation succeeds generation. It cannot be told too often. The sacrifices, the endurance, the daring and bravery of the forefathers in the great conflict with tyran- ny; their heroic determination to be free, and the wisdom displayed by them in the formation of this grand Republic, are well calculated to fill the youthful heart with a burning love for freedom, and an inexpressible hatred of oppression.
As far as can now be ascertained, only one hero of the Revolutionary struggle settled in Owen County and died here. James Bryant came to this county at a very early period in its history. He died a few miles north of Spencer about thirty years ago, and was buried with the honors of war in the old cemetery of that town. Very little can be learned of his nativity, parentage and history. It is known, however, that he served seven years as a soldier in the immortal struggle for Independence. The particulars of his marches, his privations, his sieges and his battles we may never know; but the soldier and the patriot will forever turn to the place of his burial as a hallowed spot.
INDIAN WAR OF 1811.
During the Territorial existence of Indiana, the inhabitants were much of the time greatly vexed by Indian hostilities. Up to 1812, the whole border was a scene of almost continuous danger and bloodshed. Em- boldened by impending hostilities between the United States and Great Britain, and with the view of carrying out a long-settled plan in oppo- sition to the whites, the greatest leader the Indians ever produced, Te- cumseh, assisted by his brother, Elkswatawa, who claimed to be a prophet, attempted in 1811 to unite all the tribes in the Northwest Territory in a final effort to destroy the whites. At that time the settlements in In- diana Territory were contined mostly along the Ohio and the Wabash Rivers, but as early as 1810 settlements were made in Jackson County, and at other interior points. To guard against Indian depredations and to protect the settlers, military companies were organized along the border. Their campaigning consisted in frequent long marches, visiting distant points in the interior and along the border. On account of the peculiar nature of their service, they were called Rangers. Several of these rangers became citizens of Owen County.
Phillip Hart, a Virginian by birth, but a resident of Kentucky at the time, was a member of one of these companies. He came to Owen Coun- ty, or to what is now Owen County, in November, 1816, the first settler
619
HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
within her borders. He entered the land and made a farm which is now a part of the Calvin Fletcher farm, adjoining the town of Spencer. On this place he built the first brick house in Owen County. He died and was buried on the farm in 1832.
John Dunn was a member of a company of rangers from Clark County. The circumstances of his settlement, death and burial in Owen County are fully set forth in another part of this volume.
Neely Beem was a soldier in Capt. James Bigger's company of rangers. He was born in North Carolina in 1790. At the time of his service, he lived in what is now Jackson County. In the year 1810, he with his company made a campaign to a point on the Illinois, near where the city of Peoria now stands. Capt. Bigger and Neely Beem both came to Owen County in the spring of 1817. Bigger entered a part of the northwest quarter of the section of land on which Spencer is now located. A house built of the logs which composed Capt. Bigger's cabin in 1817 is still standing on the farm of Levi Beem, in a fair state of preserva- tion. Capt. Bigger only lived in Owen County a short time. He sold out to Neely Beem and moved to Illinois. The latter died in Owen County in 1831.
Among the first settlers in the town of Gosport was John Van Bus- kirk. He was born in Ohio, emigrated in a very early day to Clark County, Ind., where he joined a company of volunteers, which formed a part of Gen. Harrison's army at the battle of Tippecanoe, on the 7th day of November, 1811. Van Buskirk was one of the soldiers in that celebrated Indian fight, and during the engagement was severely wounded in his side. He was borne by his companions in arms from the battle field of Tippecanoe to Vincennes, where he endured a long period of suffer- ing before he was able to return to his home in Clark County. He moved to Owen County about the time Gosport was located, and purchased a lot on which he built a house, where he lived until his death in 1845. His aged widow, the companion of his pioneer toils and struggles, still survives, and resides in the town of Gosport.
During Indian hostilities, the settlers along the border, from 1810 to 1813, erected forts at convenient points for protection against the Indians. One of these was located near where Brownstown now is, in Jackson County. In this fort a considerable number of families resided the greater part of the time for two or three years. Two of the surviving oc- cupants of that fort now live in this county. Levi Beem, born in 1803, and John McIndoo, born in 1807, were living there with their parents when the battle of Tippecanoe was fought. Levi Beem came to Owen County in 1817, and John McIndoo in 1836, and have both resided here ever since.
WAR OF 1812.
When the Congress of the United States passed a resolution on the 7th day of June, 1812, declaring war against Great Britain, there were only eighteen States in the Union, and the entire population did not exceed 8,000,000 souls. Indiana Territory was sparsely settled, and contained no town worthy of being called such. But although the population of the country was comparatively small, and its resources limited, the re- peated acts of wrong and injustice which had been perpetrated against the United States aroused the patriotism of the people, and the determina- tion of the Government to resent these repeated wrongs and insults of a proud and insolent nation, met with a hearty response. The Government
620
HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
was poorly prepared for war, and had a powerful foe to contend against; but the manner in which it was conducted, the patriotism displayed by the people, and the results obtained, justified the cost in treasure and blood. For seventy years the flag of the United States has protected her humblest citizens, on land and on sea, and no nation has dared to offer it insult. The valor displayed by the American sailors on the lakes and on the ocean, the heroism of her soldiers from Lundy's Lane to New Or- leans, convinced Great Britain and the world that the young Republic would faithfully assert and boldly maintain her rights by whomsoever as- sailed.
The brave men who bore arms in the cause of the Republic in 1812, 1813 and 1814, and survived those campaigns, sought homes for them- selves and families in all parts of the mighty West. We have succeeded in obtaining the names of the following soldiers of the war of 1812, who settled in Owen County and died here:
Capt. John Johnson, William Chaney, Thomas Jones, Joseph Clark, Antony S. Foster, Samuel Scott, David Fain, Isaac Brown, John Lay- man, James D. Medaris, Peter H. Roberts, Samuel McCormick, William Mannan, Isaac Wood, Willis Wood, Isaac Boling, Heronymus Speas, William Scott, Hugh Barnes, Thomas Elliott, William Mason, William Hunt, Ike Boling, Thomas T. Franklin, -- Grim, James Cheatwood, Jonathan Wright, Francis Parrish, Abram Parrish, Alfred Pace, Jesse Hensley, James Sill, Patrick Sullivan, Joseph Landrum, Fontleroy Dow- dall, William Marshall, Jacob Summers, Robert Middleton, Jacob Furry, David Kerr, John S. Steele, Samuel Evans, - - Rumple, Richard
Of these, Francis Parrish is the sole survivor. Greene, Joshua Kelley.
It is believed that the above is a complete roll of the soldiers of 1812 who made their permanent home in Owen County. Space does not allow of a detailed history of these noble men, and the facts connected with their service. Their bones, which lie moldering in the soil of Owen County, are a sacred deposit, and their memory shall endure to the latest times to strengthen patriotism and incite to noble deeds.
THE WAR WITH MEXICO.
Whether the war with Mexico was necessary and justifiable is not a question now to be discussed. Perhaps it was not much discussed by those brave and noble men who volunteered at their country's call to fol- low her flag across the gulf and fight her battles on Mexican soil. How far the call of one's country is the call of God may never be precisely settled; but the true patriot will generally be found on his country's side, and, if need be, fighting her battles. So, when the news of Gen. Tay- lor's battles with the Mexicans on the Rio Grande, at Palo Alto and Res- aca de la Palma, in the month of May, 1846, was borne through the Union, and when Congress on the 11th of that month declared that war existed between the two Republics, the war spirit overcame all opposition, and all agreed that it must be fought out. Volunteers were called for to the number of 50,000. In the month of June, 1846, a company of vol- unteers, under the command of Capt. John M. Sluss, started from Bloom- ington, Monroe County, to join the Third Indiana Regiment, commanded by one of Indiana's best men, Col. James H. Lane, at New Albany. The second day after the company left Bloomington, two young men from Spencer, Owen County, one nineteen, the other twenty-two years of age, all aglow with the patriotic spirit of war, without asking the consent
1
621
HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
of their friends, left their homes, overtook the company on its march to New Albany, and identified themselves with it. The name of the first mentioned was Thomas A. McNaught; the name of the second was John T. S. Moore. These young but noble spirits were the only representa- tives of Owen County in the American Army in Mexico during the first year of the war.
Having joined Col. Lane's regiment at New Albany, they left that place with the regiment about the 10th of July, 1846, and proceeded by the way of New Orleans to the mouth of the Rio Grande, where they arrived the latter part of July. Remaining there a short time, they as- cended the Rio Grande, stopping a short time at Camp Belknap at the mouth of Palo Alto Creek, where Gen. Taylor's first battle had been fought with the Mexicans. While at this point, John T. S. Moore sick- ened and died. He was buried on Mexican soil, having paid the last full measure of devotion to his country's cause. This left young Mc- Naught as the only soldier from Owen County in the United States Army in Mexico. About the 1st of November, he went with his command to Matamoras, thence to Monterey, where he spent Christmas. Capt. Sluss' company was detailed to guard a train of pack mules from Monterey to Saltillo, a town about seventy miles southwest from Monte- rey. During the march, they had a couple of lively skirmishes with the Mexicans, which furnished young McNaught his first experience under fire. But it was not the last, as we shall see further on in the history of this war and in that of the next. He remained at Saltillo until Feb- ruary, 1847. Here Gen. Taylor found himself in command of an ef- fective force of only 4,800 men, against which Santa Anna was march- ing with an army of 20,000 men. Four miles south of Saltillo, at Buena Vista, Gen. Taylor determined to oppose the Mexican Army, and posted his little army accordingly. On February 22, 1847, Santa Anna, confi- dent of an easy victory, brought up his entire army, 20,000 strong, and demanded a surrender of Gen. Taylor. This insolent demand was re- fused in defiant terms. On the 23d, the battle was brought on by the attack of the Mexicans. Gen. T. A. McNaught, in an address delivered before the Mexican Veterans' Association, at Indianapolis, in February, 1883, gave the following description of the commencement of the battle: " Company A, Third Regiment of Indiana Volunteers had the honor of bringing on the engagement. This was the first company of Maj. Gorman's Rifle Battalion, which was composed of two companies of the Second Indiana, two of the Third Indiana, and some Illinois, Kentucky and Mississippi troops. The Mexicans had been shelling us for some time, when Maj. Gorman and Col. Marshall, of Kentucky, discovered a large body of Mexican Light Infantry advancing along the side of the mountain toward a certain spur. Company A, Third Indiana Volun- teers, under the command of Capt. John M. Sluss, was ordered to take position on the spur before the Mexicans, if possible. We started up the mountains, but were no match for the agile Mexicans in climbing. When within thirty or forty paces of the desired position, the enemy swarmed around the point and on the spur by the thousand. Our bugle sounded the recall, and all except James Davis, Owen Adkins and myself obeyed the order to retreat. I saw the Mexicans drop their guns to their hips (this being their position for firing). We stood with our faces to the enemy until they had fired their first volley, which was almost in- stantly on gaining their position. We three returned the fire, faced
1
622
HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
about and retreated down the mountain toward our command. We had retreated but a short distance when a ball struck Davis in the back of the head. It was a ball which had first struck a rock, and being flat- tened out, glanced upward, striking Davis. I saw the blood, but Davis escaped and recovered from the wound."
This appears to have been the first blood of the battle. McNaught regained his proper place in the command, and conducted himself bravely to the close of the battle. The victory over the Mexican troops was complete, and the battle of Buena Vista added luster to the American arms. It was the last engagement of Gen Taylor in Mexico. McNaught remained on duty with his company until it was mustered out at New Orleans in the month of July, 1847. He returned to his home, after an absence of more than one year.
Company B, Fourth Indiana Volunteers. - This company was organ- ized in the spring of 1846, with the intention of going at once to Mexico, but the quota of Indiana being already filled, its organization was maintained until the further call for troops in 1847. The following were the officers and privates of the company, as organized finally at Gosport, in Owen County, in the month of May, 1847:
Captain, Jesse I. Alexander; First Lieutenant, Gustavus H. Way; Second Lieutenant, Alfred Glover; First Sergeant, Sidney S. Byant; Sergeants, Benjaman F. Hayes, --- Cummins, Thomas A. Wellman, Samuel Yeakly; Corporals, Phillip McDade, James M. Campbell, William Stone, Franklin White; Musicians, David McHolland, Andrew Wilson; Color Bearer, James Campbell.
Privates-Joseph Anderson, James Allen, Oliver Barrows, William Bivens, James Bomen, David Blana, Washington Bradley, John Brasir, George Brenager, Jeremiah Buffington, Isaac V. Buskirk, John Buskirk, Thomas Butler, William Carson, James Cooper, Daniel Cormack, Allen Cormack, James Cutter, Stephen Crouch, Milo Davis, Adam Dittemore, Nicodemus Dorn, Joseph Dougherty, - Elrod, Enoch Foxworthy, Lindo Frasier, G. W. Glover, Columbus Goodwin, James Grady, John Grady, Benjamin Hancock, Owen Hancock, Peter Hays, William Hump- son, John Hurst, -- Hutchinson, Andrew Jackson, John Kreeger, Wesley Kreeger, Barnabas Lukenbill, David Lukenbill, Alexander Mc- Clelland, Thomas McMurry, James McNeeley, Fielding Marsh, Isaac P. Martin, Thomas Martin, Henry Mears, Matthias Mears, E. T. Mendenhall, A. W. Moore, John Mugg, Silas Petitt, Reuben Pitcher, James Prather, Martin Randleman, George Renter, James Riley, John Sackett, James Secrest, Eli Sleek, Pryor G. Stevens, William Tansey, George Taylor, Montgomery Taylor, -- Toliver, Thomas Wallace, James Watts, Allen Whitson, Isaac Winans, James Wood, Joseph Woodward, John Worman.
On the 3d day of June, 1847, the company was prepared to start on its long journey. It was drawn up in front of Alexander's store, in . Gosport, and was presented with a beautiful silk flag, the gift of the ladies of Gosport. The presentation speech was made by Hon. George G. Duun, of Bedford, in his most eloquent style, and was responded to by Capt. Alexander. The company was conveyed in wagons to Jefferson- ville, where they were immediately mustered into the service of the United States. Here they went into camp, and the Fourth Indiana was organ- ized with Willis A. Gorman, of Bloomington, as Colonel. About the last of June, the regiment embarked on a boat for New Orleans, arriving early in July. It went into camp at Carrollton, eight miles above the
62₴
HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
city, remaining there about one week. Companies A and B, with Col. Gorman, took the steamer Ann Chase, bound for the mouth of the Rio Grande, to join the army of Gen. Taylor, then operating on that river. After they had been two days on the Gulf, an explosion occurred in one of the vessel's boilers, which killed seven men and created a great panic, and as the water was very rough, it was feared the vessel would go down. Quiet was partially restored, and Company A, with a few men of Company B, accompanied by Col. Gorman, went ashore, some five miles distant, in small boats. The remainder of Company B, including the officers, determined to remain with the ship, which succeeded in mak- ing port at Galveston, Tex., in about forty-eight hours. They were re- ceived by the citizens of the place with great cordiality and many at- tentions, and were joined by their comrades and Col. Gorman about five days afterward. The two companies then embarked on a sailing vessel for Brazos Island, and after a march of about nine miles they joined the other companies of the regiment, which had come direct from New Orleans, and gone into camp here at the mouth of the Rio Grande. They remained here a few days, when the entire regiment ascended the Rio Grande, to Camargo, and landing at this place, after a march of eighteen miles, encamped at Camp Miers, where they joined a portion of Gen. Taylor's army. They remained at this place only about three weeks, when the Fourth Indiana was ordered to return to the mouth of the Rio Grande. They reached that place after a march of five days. After a short rest, the regiment proceeded by vessels to Vera Cruz, where they arrived about the 1st day of September. At Vera Cruz, Lieuts. Glover and Stemper resigned, on account of ill health, and Samuel Yeakley and Charles Tansey were appointed in their stead. At this point, the Fourth Indiana was formed into a brigade with the Fourth Ohio, a battalion of Pennsylvania Infantry, four companies of cavalry and a battery of artillery belonging to the regular army. The brigade, under the command of Gen. Jim Lane, then of Indiana, started to Puebla, for the purpose of relieving the command of Col. Childs, which was at that time in the fort without supplies, being cut off by the Mexi-
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.