Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 74

Author: F.A. Battey & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 976

USA > Indiana > Noble County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 74
USA > Indiana > LaGrange County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 74

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).

It is the design in these pages to record township history, with enough incident to lend attraction to the narration. Those who look for interesting incidents merely, or for the romance of backwoods life, have no right to expect such when history only is promised. People must distinguish between history and biography, and also between these on the one side and romance and sickly sentiment on the other. The latter will be left to the novelist, who may or may not find a fruitful field in Sparta Township, in which to labor. History is not poetry, nor romance, but records with unvarnished emphasis the sober facts which control the destiny of communities. It is a record of man's experience, as one of a social family ; and is expected to be of value, as the past is an index of the future.

The historian in the Noble County Atlas says that the first school in Sparta Township was taught in 1837 by Achsah Kent. The writer has been unable to learn anything regarding this school. If such a school was taught, it was undoubtedly the first, although others sprang up soon afterward. Nathaniel Prentice says the first schoolhouse was built near where the depot stands at Cromwell by Messrs. Baker, Upson, McAfee, Duncan, Morrow, Converse, Doug- lass, Murray, and others, in the year 1840. The building was constructed of round logs, and was about twenty feet square. It was similar to all the early ones, descriptions of which are found in this volume. Ross Rowan was employed to teach the first term, which he did for $10 per month and board. Rowan had a family, and lived out of the neighborhood, and, therefore, was compelled to submit to the indescribable punishment of "boarding around." Those who have not passed through that ordeal can have no idea of the tortures which man can bear. The punishment is severe enough, heaven knows, in civilized communities ; but in the backwoods, among backwoods people, tongue fails to paint the picture in fit colors. Mr. Rowan was the fortunate possessor of a good constitution, and survived. He knew how to use the rod, as his scholars often found to their sorrow; and when his stentorian voice thundered com- mands, implicit obedience was promptly rendered. The school was a success for that day, and gave satisfaction, a statement that is not true of some of the other early ones. This house was used but a few years. The wife of John C. Johnson taught in this building in about the year 1841. During the winter of

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1841-42, David Bauckman taught. On Christmas Day he was barred out by the scholars, and as he refused to furnish them what was desired, he was kept out of the schoolhouse for several days. He lingered in the vicinity hoping to catch the scholars off their guard, but they were vigilant, fastening the door and windows, and keeping possession of the building during the night. Finally, the teacher agreed to a modified proposal of the scholars, and school began again. Leander Eagles was employed to teach the session of 1842-43, which he did for $10 per month and board. On the occasion of his birthday, which was the 20th of December, the scholars barred him out, and handed him through the window a paper, upon which was written a demand for a peck of apples, a peck of candy, and a gallon of whisky. There were several large scholars, among them being Jackson Morrow, Frank Duncan and two young ladies, sisters of Jackson Morrow. Mr. Eagles refused to furnish the whisky, but agreed to treat to apples and candy if the scholars would admit him ; but they positively refused unless the liquor, as well as the other articles, was forth- coming. After the teacher had tried several flank movements on the scholars to gain possession of the room without success, he repaired to the Trustees for instruction and advice, and was informed that he had properly refused to fur- nish whisky, and was told to break down the door with an ax, if the scholars still refused to admit him. Under the stimulus of this advice, he again appeared at the schoolhouse, armed with an ax, and after again promising the scholars a treat of apples and candy, but no whisky, and being again refused admittance, he deliberately battered the door down, and strode into the midst of the astonished children with uplifted ax, ordering them to take their seats immediately or there would be trouble. The scholars saw that their citadel had been taken, and realizing that discretion was the better part of valor, they sur- rendered unconditionally and took their seats. They missed getting the expected treat on that occasion; but as they behaved themselves thereafter, their teacher treated them on Christmas to apples and candy ; but the large boys were not contented, for they went into the woods where they had hid a gal- lon of whisky, and were soon under the blissful effects of King Alcohol.

The sessions of school in this house were not the first in the township. It was a common thing all over the county to transform vacated dwellings, and sometimes those that had not been vacated, into schoolhouses. During the summer of 1838, Zillah Eagles, then in her thirteenth year, taught school in the New Hope District, in an unoccupied part of a double log cabin. She received $1 per week and boarded around, and to this day the old settlers speak of her school as having given excellent satisfaction. The children of Richard Bray, Richard Stone, Henry Miller and others were in attendance.

In 1838, Mrs. Edgerton, daughter of John Spear, taught the children of T. H. Wilson, James Mael, John Johns and a few others, in an addition to Mr. Mael's house; but this was the only term there, as a vacated log dwelling was fitted up and used a few years. It was located on the south side of Indian

John Barnhart SPARTA TP.

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Creek, and was used until the erection of the first schoolhouse in the district (No. 9), in about 1844. The first teacher in this house was Augustus Frink, who received $12 per month and board. No real schoolhouse was built in the New Hope district until about twenty-five years ago. Mr. Stone's old log dwelling was used several years, as was also a tannery building owned by John Davis. The second term taught in District No. 9 was during the summer of 1839 by Myra, daughter of Nathan Frink. She received $1.25 per week and boarded around. The session was held in an old dwelling. During the winter of 1840-41, William H. Prentice taught in the last mentioned building, re- ceiving $10 per month and was offered his board free, but chose to board at home. The first school in District 4 was taught, in about 1855, by William Hersey, in an old log dwelling. After the old log schoolhouse at Cromwell was abandoned, no other was built where the village now stands until about 1860, when a frame structure was erected, which was used until about four years ago, when a two-storied brick house, about 28x48, was built, at an esti- mated cost of $2,000. Two teachers are now employed in the village. When the citizens of Cromwell desired to build themselves a separate schoolhouse from Districts 4 and 5, they met with bitter opposition, and it was only after several years of maneuvering that the desired results were accomplished. The village now has an excellent school. It is known as School District 10. Al- most every district in the township now has a fine new brick schoolhouse and creditable schools.

There are two churches in Cromwell, Lutheran and Methodist, the former being built a year earlier than the latter, and both about twelve years ago, at an approximate cost, each, of about $2,200. Efforts were made at first, by members of both organizations, to build a union church; but it was soon dis- covered that this could not be accomplished, owing to the rigid views of several of the most prominent members. Among the leading Methodists were Abraham Mayfield, David Pollock, Porter Green, Dr. H. G. Tucker and Richard May- field. Among the Lutherans were A. D. Maggert, Thomas F. Taylor, George W. Reed, Adam Conner and Jonathan Houtz. The Lutherans first organized in the schoolhouse, about sixteen years ago. Each society has a prosperous little Sunday school. In about the year 1860, the United Brethren, assisted by outsiders, built a frame church, about 24x38, at Indian Village. Among the leading members were Henry Shulty, John Hartzell, David Stoll, James Miller and their families and others. This house was used until three years ago, when a fine new brick church was built at a cost of nearly $3,500. The society is at present in a prosperous condition. Ten years ago, the Christian denomina- tion, with the help of outsiders, built a fine brick church in the southern part, at a cost of some $2,000. Leading members were the Olilwines, Nathaniel Prentice, William Weed, Perry Galloway, Harrison Galloway and others. Their first minister was Rev. Henry Winebrener, of Noble Township, who preached for the society once a month. They have a fair organization and are

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doing well. The first United Brethren minister was Rev. Joseph Miller, but he was soon succeeded by Rev. Mr. Forbes. Sparta Township thus has four churches, and all are doing well.

CHAPTER XV.

BY WESTON A. GOODSPEED.

NOBLE TOWNSHIP-NARRATIVE OF ISAAC TIBBOT-NAMES OF EARLY SETTLERS- A BEAR STORY-JOHN G. HALL'S "CORN CRACKER" AND SAW-MILL-OTHER INDUSTRIES-THE LEADING TOWN OF THE COUNTY-BRISTOL AND NOBLE- VILLE-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

A MAN named Joel Bristol, well known by every one, was the first white man to enter what is now Noble County, for the purpose of perma- nent settlement .* The following concerning this important event is narrated by Isaac Tibbot, of Wawaka, who, though at that time a stripling of seven- teen, came to the county with Mr. Bristol : " After the death of my mother, we (her children) found ourselves stripped of about everything, whether by fraud or otherwise I will not say. Mr. Joel Bristol, who had married my mother's sister, took charge of us, and we accompanied him to what is now Noble County, where we located on what is known as the Bristol Farm, three and a half miles southeast of Wolf Lake, on the 4th day of April, 1827, since which time I have been a citizen of Noble County. After we settled here, the census of what is now Noble County, if taken, would have been as follows : Joel Bristol and wife, Samuel Tibbot, Isaac Tibbot, William Tibbot and three sisters, in all eight persons. Our nearest neighbor was on the Blue River in the direction of Fort Wayne, six miles distant. The nearest on the west, on the South Bend trail, was near Benton, in Elkhart County, about twenty-five miles distant. Days and weeks would pass, and we would see no human being except our own family and the natives, who were plenty all around us, and who were generally. friendly ; but they would sometimes pilfer what they could get hold of. Of those who came with me, Bristol and his wife are dead, all my brothers and sisters have left, and I alone remain of those who first located in this wilder- ness, which has since become one of the most desirable counties of Indiana. We were shut out almost from the world, but we saw in the future a better state of things. Our nearest post office was at Fort Wayne until 1831, when an office was established on Perry's Prairie, at Henry Millar's, but was shortly afterward removed to Jacob Shobe's. I think the first family that settled in the county after we came was that of Levi Perry, which settled on the south side of the prairie. The next was John Knight ;. the third, John L. Powers; the fourth, Richard Stone ; then Isaiah, Samuel and James Dungan, and Charles

*Mr. Prentiss, of Albion, states that the village of Wolf Lake was laid out much earlier than is generally sup- posed, and before any written or printed authentic date recorded of the fact. The editor has been unable to discover traces of any such settlement. If Mr. Prentiss is correct, it is unfortunate that the facts either have not been recorded before this, or have not been discovered by some of the historical force.

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Murray, a son-in-law of Isaiah Dungan. The principal reason why I think Perry settled first is that I helped to raise all the cabins, far and near, and Perry's was the first I helped to raise. It was in the winter, either the latter part of 1829 or first of 1830. I went on foot from where I then lived about twelve miles, through snow one foot deep, and carried a piece of bread and meat for my dinner, which was frozen solid when I was ready to dine. I carried up one corner of the building. There were but few persons present, and the men on the corners had to come down and help put up the logs. This was no unusual case. We went to help raise all the cabins within ten or twelve miles, and here I publicly make the assertion that I have helped to raise more cabins, have carried up more corners, and built more stick chimneys than any other man in Noble County."

No other settlers located in the township until some two or more years had elapsed from the time of the Bristol settlement. Several families then came in. Prior to 1836, the year the county was organized, the following men appeared and settled in the township : Joel Bristol, John G. Hall, John Skinner, John Shannon, Humphrey Nichols, Jacob Busz and his sons John, Simon, Henry and Jesse, S. Sandford, Peter Becker, David, William and Washington Sandford, David Winebrenner and his sons Peter, Jacob and David, S. W. Murphy, Mr. Benner and a large family, Newman Scarlett and his sons Horace and Almon, Barney Scarlett and his sons Henry, William, Chester and Albert, Jacob Marker, Samuel Jones, J. W. Elliott, Alexander Swaney, Thomas J. Pickens, Rolan Stewart, Ephraim Scarlett, John Skinner, Ephraim Skinner, Mr. Driver, Mr. Lonker, John Muncey, McIntire Seymour, Patrick C. Miller, Thomas Smith, Esquire Knowles, Thomas Shepard, Jacob Haynes, Dr. Elias Jones, Andrew Humphrey, and many others. In 1844, the following men, the greater number of whom lived in the township on land outside the vil- lage of Wolf Lake, then the only village in the township, owned land in the township : Otis D. Allen, Henry G. Allen, Cyrus Armstrong, Joel Bristol, Jacob Busz, Richard L. Britton, Robson L. Broome, T. K. Breckinridge, James Baird, Joel Benford, Samuel Butterbaugh, John Butterbaugh, T. H. Botts, Leonard Collier, James Carter, Julius Coleman, Henry Cooper, David Douglass, Jonathan Elliott, Jonah Evans, John Edgar, Robert E. Fleming, Joseph Foster, Benjamin Grabille, John G. Hall, Jacob Haynes, Arba Harda, John M. Herndon, Andrew Humphreys, Joseph Hackman, John Horning, Mr. Henderson, F. A. Harris, Elias Jones, Thomas Mitchell, John Muncey, John Mayfield, Patrick Miller, Abel Millington, G. W. Moore, Humphrey Nichols, Lewis Nichols, John Olinger, Martin Overly, William Perry, John Rollins, Sylvester Ross, A. L. Rose, Madison Roice, Jesse Rider, A. L. Rider, William Rider, Jonathan Rollins, Matthew M. Rollins, Charles G. Swain, John Smith, John Skinner, Ephraim Skinner, Alexander Stangland, McIntire Seymour, Newman Scarlett, Barney Scarlett, Ephraim Scarlett, Thomas Smith, F. E. Starkey, John Utt, Abraham Utt, John Voris, Mrs. Elizabeth Sandford, Har-

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rison Wood, Daniel Winebrenner, Anthony Wertz, John Warner, Joseph Whit- ridge, Jonah Wells, Harvey Westphal and John Young.

From the first of the above catalogues it will be seen that for five years prior to 1836, the settlers came into the township very rapidly. They located largely along the Fort Wayne and Goshen road, and soon the old rough log cabin could be seen here and there throughout the township. When a new settler appeared, the neighbors, for many miles around, if necessary, turned out will- ingly to assist in erecting his cabin, into which the family often moved at night. The evident reason for this conduct was that the pioneer was anxious to have the country around him speedily settled. To encourage this, allurements of all sorts were brought to bear upon the immigrants to induce them to stop in cer- tain localities. It also gave rise to the custom of erecting cabins for new set- tlers, and of refusing to erect cabins for those who were not wanted as neighbors. The lands were entered at Fort Wayne, though for the first few years no land was purchased, the settler possessing but a "squatter sovereignty " in the soil. Unscrupulous and avaricious men practiced every artifice possible to defraud the immigrants of their money or their land, and too often they were success- ful. It is stated that the land agents were in connivance with these sharks in their nefarious operations, and permitted them to have unlawful access to the land records, for the purpose of gaining knowledge detrimental to the pecuniary interests of the settler. This charge has been well substantiated. Many a poor settler has been defrauded in this manner of all he possessed.

The erection of the log cabin was the first thing on the programme of pio- neer life. The next was to clear off a garden where a few potatoes and other vegetables might be raised. In the meantime the family often subsisted almost entirely upon wild meat, which included venison, wild turkey, coon and squirrel. The best hunters could furnish the best living for their families in cases of this kind, although a few years later, when game became scarce, and vegetables and grain abundant, the conditions were reversed. Then it was that hunter's fami- lies were called upon to suffer until they were finally either driven to work or driven off into the wilderness, where game was still abundant. Thousands of deer wandered through the woods or across the "oak openings " or prairies, pasturing on the rich herbage which nature had spread for their repast. It was no trouble to shoot one of them ; even the most inexperienced, if he could take aim, could occasionally shoot one. The woods were filled with wolves, though they were not considered dangerous, except to the smaller domestic animals. Strong men, armed cap-a-pie, have been treed by them, and have remained pale and trembling for hours in the branches, when, if they had descended with a bound into the midst of the snarling group beneath, the latter would have scat- tered like chaff. There is altogether too much romance connected with many of the accounts of events in early years. They are seasoned to suit the present abnormal appetite for the extraordinary. Events were far more practical and prosy then than now. Everything was done in earnest in those days, and neces-

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sarily so. There was but little time to practice any art save the one of making a comfortable and honest living, though this was one of the " lost arts " to somne of the early settlers.

Ephraim Marker is said to have been a great deer hunter. He would kill more than a hundred during the season. On one occasion, at night, Mr. Wine- brenner heard a great commotion among his sheep that had been penned up. He hurried out, with nothing but a club, and discovered that a number of wolves had broken into the fold and were cutting the sheep's throats. He in- stantly leaped in, with his club, and the wolves were soon routed out, but not until after they had killed several of the sheep. One day, as Elder Allen Mead was traveling across the eastern side of the township, he saw a large bear out in the woods some distance from him, eating acorns. Being unarmed, he hur- ried on and told Abner Scarlett what he had seen. Scarlett was a good hunter, and immediately started in pursuit of the bear, which had left its feeding ground and gone into a swamp. The hunter followed it in, and finally, catch- ing sight of it, fired, but only wounded it. The animal left the swamp and was instantly shot by a young man named Otis Allen. Both men immediately claimed the bear, and finally resorted to blows to establish their claims. Mr. Allen probably had the heavier fists, as he finally bore off the prize.

The Indians were around in great numbers when the county was first set- tled. They would bring wild meat and furs of all kinds to the cabins of the settlers, for the purpose of exchanging them for flour, vegetables and ammuni- tion. Joel Bristol and John Hall, both of whom kept tavern on the Fort Wayne and Goshen road, sold whisky to the Indians. It was found to be poor policy to trifle with an Indian when he was under the influence of alcohol. Old man Skinner was not afraid of them, even when drunk. He possessed enor- mous strength, and the Indians soon learned, from experience, to leave him alone. He visited their camps and mingled freely with them, participating in their dances and sports. The Indian has a peculiar custom. When chewing tobacco and facing you, he never turns his head to spit, and, consequently, the greater part of his saliva is ejected on your clothing. Now, if there was any- thing in the world Mr. Skinner was an adept at, it was in spitting tobacco juice. By long practice at the face of an Indian, he scarcely ever missed when within six or eight feet of the mark. The Indians were soon vanquished, and soon learned to turn their heads when in his presence. It is related that Mr. Skinner, on one occasion, was compelled to knock down two or three of the Indians to prevent being severely pounded by several drunken fellows whom he had insulted by spitting in their faces.

In about the year 1835, Mr. Elliott built a saw-mill in the northeastern part, on a branch of the Elkhart River. A dam was built across the stream, and over the end of this dam the old log mill was erected. The water from above shot through a short spout and struck the old flutter-wheel, that was connected, by shafting, with the machinery that operated the saw. All the

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machinery was extremely rude, and yet this old mill, when worked to its fullest capacity, could turn out large quantities of native lumber. Black walnut of the finest kind was used with a wantonness not relished by lumber dealers to- day. After the mill had been operated a few years, it fell to the ownership of Mr. Forker, with whose family it afterward remained. It ran for many years and was very valuable to the early settlers, as lumber could be thus obtained near home, and long journeys, through bottomless roads, could be avoided. The log building was soon replaced with a rough frame structure, and this is the mill the old settler has in his eye. In about the year 1855, a sudden freshet washed the dam away, and as the patronage had largely fallen away, it was decided unprofitable to repair the damage and the old mill site was abandoned.

John G. Hall, who had settled in the township at an early day, and who had, before any improvements were made in the county, carried the mail from Fort Wayne to Goshen on the back of an ox, it is said, built a grist-mill in about the year 1832, on the Elkhart River, where it is crossed by the Goshen road. Mr. Isaac Tibbot says that during the year 1832 he helped Mr. Hall get out the timber with which the old mill was built. If this is the case, it was the first grist-mill in the county, and Mr. Hall made the first flour. Some claim, however, that the first flour was made at Port Mitchell by Stedman Gray. Mr. Hall was an eccentric old bachelor. He was as cross as old bachelors are averred to be, but the laughter of the neighborhood had no effect on his wit and eccentricity except, perhaps, to sharpen them. The Fort Wayne and Goshen road was extensively traveled in those days by immigrants seeking homes in the West. No other road in the county received half the travel. The crossing at the old grist-mill was very bad, as the stream had to be forded in a swampy place, and wagons sunk almost from sight. Mr. Hall in a short time erected a bridge across the stream, just below his dam, and charged a toll of two shill- ings for each wagon. This bridge was greatly appreciated by the traveling public. The grist-mill was a log structure, perhaps 20x30 feet. The water from the dam fell upon a horizontal flutter-wheel, which communicated a slow motion to a set of "nigger-head " buhrs. At first Mr. Hall ground nothing but corn, but he soon introduced a better set of buhrs in his mill, and after that had all he could do. His flour is said to have been good for those days, but it would not command a very great price if offered in market at present. After some ten or twelve years, his dam was washed away, whereupon the grist- mill was abandoned. One day Mr. Hall stopped the mill, and went away a few hours, and when he returned he discovered that one of his buhrs had been carried away. He surmised that it had been stolen, and began to look around to discover traces of the thief. He soon found the stone on the ground in the woods, some ten or twelve rods from the mill; but was not strong enough to carry it back, and while wondering who had placed it there, and how he should convey it to the mill, Mr. Skinner appeared upon the scene. Hall called upon Skinner for assistance, and the latter agreed, providing Hall would set up a

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Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 74

Author: F.A. Battey & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : Battey & Co. Number of Pages: 976

Author: F.A. Battey & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 976