USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 19
USA > Indiana > White County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 19
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Schools .-- The first school in the township was taught in 1834, by Clinton Munson, in a cabin that stood on George A. Spencer's land. This was a rude. round log structure, 12x14 feet, and had been previ- ously occupied by a family, but Mr. Spencer had seats put in it and prepared for school purposes.
Of this school building, Milton M. Sill, of Monticello, had this to say a few years ago in an essay on " History and reminiscences of the schools and teachers of White County," read at one of the teacher's in- stitutes :
The first schoolhouse built within the limits of White County was located on the banks of Big Creek, in what was known as the Robert Newell neighborhood. It was erected in 1834, by the resident families, consisting of George A. Spencer, Benjamin Reynolds, John Burns, Rob-
Geo. Armstrong, Spencer
FOR NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
.
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BIG CREEK TOWNSHIP.
ert Newell, William M. Kenton, Zebulon Dyer, James Shafer, John Phillips, and perhaps a few others. It was a log structure, with a log left out on the south side to admit the light ; two puncheons, fastened together with wooden pins and hung on wooden hinges, formed the door, which was securely closed with a wooden latch in a wooden catch ; a string passed through the door above the latch, and served to raise it from the outside at all times, unless the pupils caught the master out, when it would be drawn in, and by barricading the window with benches often succeeded in delaying the routine of study, and certain to bring upon the daring culprits the dire vengeance of the master, whose authority was thus set at naught. The first teacher who occupied this temple of learn- ing was Matthias Davis. the father of Mrs. David McCuaig, of Monti- cello, a man of rare mental qualifications for that period, and a genial, kind and conscientious teacher, who delighted in his work, and who was universally beloved by his pupils. He could be severe, however, and would not "spare the rod" whenever his rules, which were few and easily obeyed, were grossly violated.
The first frame schoolhouse in the township was built in 1850, on Section 12, in the territory that was designated as District No. 1. Lucius Peirce was the first teacher. There are eight good schoolhouses in the township at present, the last one built in 1882, at a cost of about $600. The teachers for the schools this year are as follows : District No. 1, E. Porch ; No. 2, Lydia Orth ; No.3, J. P. Simons; No. 4, R. L. Young ; No. 5, Anna McGee; No. 6, Dr. S. A. Carson; No. 7, C. E. Greenfield ; No. 8, Robert Smith. The township has seven months' school each year, and this year its teachers receive an average per diem of $2.21. The excellent condition of the schools in Big Creek Township is largely due to the unceasing interest taken in them by Vaus Dobbins, the present Trustee of the township. The rude log schoolhouse of forty years ago, with its huge fire-place, its seats of puncheon and desks of the same, and its one window with its light of greased paper, has been ex- changed in this township for good, comfortable, well-furnished frame houses.
The old pioneers of Big Creek Township have nearly all died or moved away. The only living old settlers in the township are Calvin C. Spencer, John Burns, William Burns and Louis Wolverton.
The Deer and Wolf Hunt of 1840 .- The greatest known hunt in the history of the township was the one in the year above mentioned. The district in which the chase occurred was bounded on the north by Monon Creek, on the east by the Tippecanoe River, the line between White and Benton Counties was the western boundary, and the Wabash River was the southern line. Men and boys were stationed all round this line, about a quarter of a mile apart, and at 8 o'clock on the morning of the 12
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HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY.
" drive" each was to move forward with a gait sufficient only to " close in" at 2 o'clock, in what now is known as the Reynolds Grove. In this grove three scaffolds had been erected, on which the marksmen of the day were positioned. No guns were allowed in the ranks. It is said that men attended this chase from great distances, some of them coming as far as twenty-five miles. When the spoils were counted, it was found that fifty deer and a great many wolves had been killed. Both pro- visions and whisky had been hauled to headquarters, and was as free as air to the hunters.
Chalmers .- This enterprising village of about 150 inhabitants is situ- ated in the southern part of the township, on the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Railway. This place was first known as Mudge's Station, but the name was afterward changed to Chalmers. The plat of Chalmers was surveyed July 24, 1873, and is on the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 34, Town 26 north, of Range 4 west, and was platted by Jacob Raub and wife. It consisted of 103 lots and the following streets : Main, which was seventy feet wide ; Earl, sixty-six feet wide ; First, Second and Third streets were each the same width, sixty-six feet, while Chestnut was fifty-six feet and Walnut fifty feet in width. The alleys were fourteen feet wide. The first improvement made on the pres- ent site of Chalmers was a dwelling-house, erected about thirty years ago by Shaw & Mudge. The first business house was established in the place by Clark Johnson about the time the railroad was building through the town. Mr. Johnson kept groceries and a few dry goods. R. P. Blizzard was the first blacksmith of the village. The business interests of Chal- mers at present are represented by W. T. Dobbins, dry goods and grocer- ies ; C. F. Moore, groceries and boots and shoes ; J. and W. W. Raub, grain dealers ; Clarrage & Cowger, blacksmiths ; D. H. Shank, carpen- ter ; Lafayette Mitchell, painter ; W. J. Daugh and A. J. Kent, physic- ians. The citizens of Chalmers did much in the interest of the gravel road, which will soon be completed to the village. Vaus Dobbins is the
present Postmaster at Chalmers. The village is blessed with a good church. The structure is a new frame one, that was commenced in Oc- tober, 1881, and completed the same fall. This church is 36x45 feet in size, and cost $1,500. The trustees of this sanctuary are Vaus Dobbins, George Stephens and W. T. Dobbins. The congregation has about twenty-five members, and Rev. J. C. Martin is the present minister. The church is well furnished, and has a seating capacity for about 500, and is called the Chalmers Methodist Episcopal Church. Previous to the erec- tion of this place of worship, services were first held in private houses, and then in the schoolhouse of the village. Ira Chineworth and wife, Mr. Vanscoy and wife, and a few others were the first persons to hold re- ligious services in the vicinity of Chalmers.
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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER X.
BY M. T. MATTHEWS.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP-EARLY SETTLERS-SOCIAL CUSTOMS-ELECTIONS -LIST OF TAX-PAYERS-LAND ENTRIES-CHURCHES AND PREACH- ERS-SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS-POST OFFICES.
CARCELY had the "Dusky Race" quit the forests of Liberty Town- 2 ship and paid a last tribute to the peaceful old river that meanders noiselessly through a portion of the township, than appeared a race of greater intelligence, which possessed higher ideas of life and civilization, and laid the foundations of improvement and cultivation. Almost a half century has elapsed since the first appearance of the white man in Liberty Township. As early as 1834-35, Crystal D. W. Scott began settlement in the township on Section 11, and about the same time came Greenup Scott, and began an improvement on the same section. These men were among the very first in the township to make improvement. The squat- ter's shelter and the Indian's wigwam were the only buildings known in the history of the township until 1834. In 1836, Jonathan Sluyter left the old Empire State and came to the township, and at the same time came Hiram and Abraham Sluyter, and began settlement. 3 This year brought into the township a man by the name of Funk, Squire Hall, John McDowell, William Fisher, Joseph James and George J. Baum. Baum
entered a tract of land, cleared ten acres of it, built a cabin, but soon left the township, and the very miniature improvement that he had made fell into the hands of a man who was contented to have his lot cast in the wild woods of Liberty Township. Lewis Elston and a man by the name of Louder came into the township in 1836. Abram Sneathen began im- provement in the township in 1837, as did also James Hughes and John Parker. Peter Prough and a man by the name of Gebferlin, were among
the first settlers in Liberty Township. Moses Karr came into the town- ship in 1837, and entered a tract of land and returned to his home in Butler County, Ohio, but in the spring of 1839, he, with his family, came into the township and began improvement on the land that had been entered in 1837. William Conwell began settlement in the township in 1839. Thomas Macklin was one of the first men to begin improvement in the township. The year 1840 brought David Lucas, and at the same time came John Shields and Edwin Perry. Jonn C. Hughes came in 1846, and settled on Section 35. There were others who came about this time.
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HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY.
Tax Payers of 1843 .- The following is a list of persons who paid taxes upon land in Liberty Township in 1843: Isaiah Bradick, George Byers, Perry A. Bayard, Mary Boughmen, William Barcus, George Boze, Alexander Briggs, Jabez Berry, John Berry, Mercer Brown, John Bitton, George Brown, Benjamin Ball, John Bell, Samuel Brown, P. A. Briggs, Benjamin Ball, William Conwell, Phillip Conwell, James Cross, C. W. Cathcart, David Crom, H. B. Cowles, Marcus Clark, Amos Clark, . Edward Cowley, Jacob Dibra, Isaac Davis, Thomas Downey, James Dugan, William Dowell, Lewis Elston, Samuel Funk, John Frazer, Rob- inson Grewell, Samuel Grewell, James Grewell, Thomas Grant, Benjamin Grant, Jonathan Grewell, Caleb Hutt, Elisha Harlan, John Hughes, Isaac Holmes, John Hathaway, E. M. Hall, Henry Hanawalt, William Ingrim, Isaac Ingrim, John W. Jackson, Moses W. Karr, Robert C. Karr, Jesse Lazier, Abraham Large, Samuel Laferty, R. K. Lockwood, Joseph Linzy, Charles Lowe, John Lyman, Arnold Lowther, David Lucas, Sr., David Lucas, Jr., William Lucas, Jonas Munpeck, Thomas Macklin, David McConahay, John Middaugh, John McDole, John Mc- Conahay, William McDole, Ballinger Mikesell, Lindley Moore, Jacob Myers, Adam Moore, R. M. Miller, Job Martin, William Miller, John B. Niles, Jonathan Oats, John Parker, Samuel Patten, J. R. Poindexter, Edwin Perry, Silas Pedan, William Ross, Joseph Rothrock, J. C. Rey- nolds, Enos Stewart, Ezekiel Sneathen, Dennis Springer, C. D. W. Scott, Elizabeth Stark, Joseph Smith, J. W. Sluyter, William Stewart, Greenup Scott, Elijah Sneathen, Joseph Stewart, Abram Sneathen, Samuel Simons, John Smith, William Stitt, Joseph Shock, Peter Smith, John Sneathen William Sneathen, Elias Shortridge, C. Smith, Samuel L. Steel, William Site, Enos Thomas, Robert Thompson, T. W. Thompson, John J. Til- man, Christopher Vandeventer, John Willey, James Willey, Nimrod Warden, William Warden, Charles Wright, George Warner, Phillip Will- iams, Michael Williams. Daniel Wolf, Moses T. Williamson, R. Witting- ton and Daniel Yunt. Most of the foregoing had made settlement in the township in 1843.
First Entries of Land .- The names of the persons and the dates of the first entered land in Liberty Township, are as follows: Crystal D. W. Scott, 13th of August, 1836 ; William Fisher, 18th August, 1836 ; Samuel Simmons, same date ; George W. McIntire, 11th November, 1836; Abram Sneathen, 10th October, 1836; John Britton, 27th October, 1835; John Parker, 21st July, 1836 ; George J. Baum, 19th February, 1838; Jacob Dipany, 14th December, 1837; George Merkel, 20th De- cember, 1837; Abel Sim, 19th March, 1835 ; Harvey Sellers, 15th May, 1837; Lewis Elston, 15th April, 1846; Henry Hannawalt, 3d August, 1837 ; John S. Hughes, 14th August, 1837 ; William Caswell,
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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
3d October, 1837 ; Rodney M. Miller, 17th May, 1838, John McNutt, 18th October, 1838.
Pioneer Homes and Early Days .- The cabin homes in the first days of Liberty Township are yet remembered. Around each one of them is entwined the vine of sweet memory, and the old logs in many of them seem to send forward through the lapse of remembered years a history undying. The houses of the long-ago in the township were of two kinds, viz., round and hewed logs. The common or ordinary size of the round-log cabin was 16x18 feet, while that of the other was 18x20 feet. An old pioneer, in describing one of the first cabins, says, in sub- stance : "The little old 16x18 round-log cabin yet lives in the recol- lections of all those who occupied them ; the old fire-place, around which the family would gather during the long evenings in winter time, yet re- mains unforgotten. The puncheon floor, the one miniature window that possessed not a window-pane, except one made of greased paper, the old leather-hinge door, with its ponderous wooden latch, and the old stick-chim- ney, are some of the unforgotten things connected with the first cabin homes of Liberty Township." The early comers in Liberty Township sought two places mainly, the northern and the southwestern parts of the township. There are numerous marshes in the township yet, but- measures have already been adopted for a more extended system of drain- age and, erelong, wet and unprofitable land in Liberty Township will be unknown. The country was densely wooded, as a general thing, but there were large tracts of openings. The pioneers settled in the thick wood and cleared their farms, and now, when the farms are cleared and well improved, and the farmer has so adjusted his affairs that he could enjoy life, his time on earth is well-nigh done. The old log house to live in and the new frame or brick one to die in is the story emphat- ically told. The trading of the early days was done at Chicago, Michigan City and Logansport. Most of the grain and produce was. hauled to Michigan City, many days being required to complete a trip to market and return. Much of the hauling in those early times was done with oxen ; sometimes there would be three or four yokes hitched to one wagon. There were about thirty Indians in the township in 1836, but they soon left.
In 1837, game of all kinds was very plenty. In was not an uncommon thing to see twenty or thirty deer in one herd. The old settlers were nearly all good hunters, and would kill from fifteen to twenty deer each winter. The deer from the forest, the chickens from the prairies and the huckleberries from the marshes, afforded the carly settlers means of sus- tenance. John C. Karr used to kill deer and salt them down after the manner of salting down pork in these later days. In that way, Mr. K. would have venison all summer.
192
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY.
Creation of Township .- At the September term of Commissioners' Court in 1837, it was ordered that all that portion of White County lying east of the Tippecanoe River, and north of the north line of Section 16, Township 28 north, of Range 3 west, constitute a new civil township and to be designated as Liberty Township ; and it was further ordered that all that portion of Pulaski County, lying immediately north of the new township be attached thereto. The house of Crystal D. W. Scott was designated as the place for holding elections. At the May term of the Commissioners' Court in 1838, a petition, bearing the name of Jonathan Sluyter and divers other citizens of Monon and Liberty Townships, was presented, praying a change in the boundary lines of the township, and it was ordered, thereupon, that the east side of Monon Township be at- tached to Liberty Township, and to be bounded as follows : Leaving the Tippecanoe River at the point where the south line of Section 16 crosses said river, thence west, parallel with the section line to the southwest corner of Section 16, in Township 28 north, of Range 3 west, thence north, parallel with the section line to the north boundary line of White County. Liberty Township is in the north tier of townships, and is bounded on the north by Pulaski County, east by Cass and Jackson Townships, south by Union, and west by Monon and Union. In 1839, the township was divided into two road districts. All that portion of the township lying north of Section 16 constituted Road District No. 1, and all south of this section line, District No. 2. Christopher Vande- venter, Supervisor of Road District No. 2, in 1840, made his annual report to the Commissioners, which was approved by them and they ordered that Mr. Vandeventer be allowed the sum of 75 cents for extra service for the year 1840. In 1848, John S. Hughes was allowed the sum of $4 for services rendered as Overseer of the Poor in the township, from the first Monday in June, 1848, until the first Monday in June, 1849. The "spoil " system was not so thoroughlyintroduced into politics in those early times as it is at present.
First Elections .- The first election held in Liberty Township was at the house of Crystal D. W. Scott, on the first Monday in April, 1838, and at it the following men voted : Christopher Vandeventer, Joseph Smith, John McDowell, Greenup Scott, Benjamin Grant, Andrew Beechum, Jonathan W. Sluyter, Crystal D. W. Scott, James W. Hall, Thomas Hamilton, John Parker and James Baum. At this election, twelve votes were cast, and James W. Hall received the whole number of votes for Justice of the Peace; Crystal D. W. Scott, for Inspector of Elections ; Jonathan W. Sluyter, for Constable; Joseph Smith and Thomas Hamilton, for Overseers of the Poor ; John Parker, for Super- visor ; and Andrew Beechum and Greenup Scott, for Fence Viewers.
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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
At an election held at the same place on the first Monday in August, 1838, men voted as follows: Abram Sneathen, Andrew Beechum, Evan Thomas, Christopher Vandeventer, John Parker, C. D. W. Scott, Will- iam Davison, James W. Hall, Thomas Hamilton, Elijah Sneathen, Ben- jamin Grant, V. Sluyter, James G. Brown, Joseph Smith, William Cary and W. W. Curtis.
At an election held in the township on the first Monday in April, 1839, twelve votes were cast and John McNary received the whole num- ber of votes for Constable; C. D. W. Scott, for Inspector ; John McDonald, Supervisor for First District ; and Andrew Beechum, for Second District ; John Morris and Greenup Scott, for Fence Viewers ; and Daniel Baum and Elijah Sneathen, for Overseers of the Poor ; C. D. W. Scott, Thomas Lausing and John McNary, Judges ; S. W. Hall and Christopher Van- deventer, Clerks. At an election held in the township in 1848, there were seventy votes cast. The early elections gave the inhabitants a chance to meet each other and become acquainted with the settlers living in the different settlements in the township. Elections in those long since gone days were more of a social nature rather than strictly partisan meetings, where party politics was the leading topic of discussion.
First Marriage .- Perhaps the first wedding that ever occurred in Liberty Township took place in the spring of 1839, at the log cabin of Greenup Scott. Elijah Sneathen and Sarah Gruell were the contracting parties. The ceremony was performed by some now-forgotten Justice of the Peace. Weddings in those days of yore were " few and far between," and were generally attended by all the neighbors, even though some of whom lived five or six miles from the scene of the transaction. In those good old days, everybody not only appeared happy, but such was the fact. Those days, when everybody was poor alike, when castes were unknown in society, before the days of petty differences and neighborhood quarrels, were the constant happy days of the country.
Birth .- William Boze is the oldest man in the township that was Liberty Township-born.
First Death .- James Hall was the first white person who died in the township. The remains were interred in what has since become known as Hughes' Burying Ground.
Old Mrs. Sneathan, who died in 1838, was one of the first persons de- ceased in Liberty Township. The body was laid at rest in Clark's Graveyard.
Early-Day Schools .- One morning in the early autumn of 1837, the sounds of Jonathan W. Sluyter's ax rang clear and meaningly through the unbroken forest. The sounds seemed to say: The children must be taught. We must educate or we must perish. Schools, the hope of our
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HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY.
country. Mr. Sluyter, when interrogated by some passer- by as to what he was doing, replied: " Am building a schoolhouse." This schoolhouse was the first in the township. It was constructed of round logs, was fif- teen feet square, had a large fire-place, was supplied with backless pun- cheon seats and had one window. David McConahay taught the first school. Funks, Conwells, Halls, Sluyter and Louders patronized the school. George Hall taught a term in this house, and the school at that time numbered about fifteen pupils. In 1838, John C. V. Shields taught a school at his house. The term lasted one quarter; reading, spelling and ciphering were the branches taught. Lester Smith taught a three months' term at his house. In about 1840, Jonathan W. Sluyter built a second schoolhouse near where the first one had been erected. This structure was built of hewed logs, and in all respects was a much better house than the first one put up. In 1845 or 1846, a schoolhouse was erected on Section 22. The first frame schoolhouse in the township was what was known as the Cullens Schoolhouse.
The township contains eleven frame schoolhouses. There were 406 pupils admitted to the schools during 1882. Moses Karr, Christopher Vandeventer and Crystal D. W. Scott were the first Trustees in the township, and George W. Riffle is the present Trustee.
The schools in the township have made great advancement in the last ten years, and they are leading the way to higher and greater develop- ment in civilization.
Preachers and Churches .- Rev. John Scott was the first circuit- rider that ever journeyed through the township, and Rev. Abram Sneathen was the second. These Gospel patriots held meetings at private houses first, and afterward at the schoolhouses.
The first denomination to organize a class in the township was the New Light. The organization was 'created at the cabin-house of Crystal D. W. Scott, in 1837. Here services were held for two years. In 1839, a church was built in the new Scott settlement. The structure was twen- ty-five feet square, and built of round black oak logs. Abram Sneathen was the founder of this church, and its minister. Crystal D. W. Scott and wife, Greenup Scott and wife, Mrs. Gruell and daughter, and Jonathan W. Sluyter and wife were some of the first members. For a time, the church here was well attended, but at the close of the first decade the work of saving souls at this old rustic sanctuary was abandoned.
The Baptist class at Sitka was the second religious organization in the township. This is a branch of the Monticello Baptist Church, and at the time of the organization of the class at Sitka the following persons constituted the total membership: J. C. Hughes, R. Hughes, Laura Hughes, Thomas Hughes, Catherine Hughes, Evaline Hughes, S. L.
195
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
Hughes, Sarah Hughes, Phoebe Myres, Violet Morgan, Mary Week. William Fleming, Phebe Funk, Benjamin Reed, Mary Reed, Luther Wolf, Lydia Wolf, John W. Morgan, Ruth Wolf, Samuel Wolf, Eliza Wolf, William L. Wolf, Terrissa Wolf, Amanda Wolf, Lydia Criswell, and Mary Benjamin. This organization was effected in 1850, and serv- ices held in the Sitka Schoolhouse. The church was built in the fall of 1873. This is a frame structure, 35x45 feet, and built at a cost of $1,100. John C. Hughes donated the ground. A. H. Dooley was the first minis- ter; then Lewis Mccrary was employed for one year, and at the end of that time Dooley was recalled and is the present minister. The church has a present membership of fifty.
The Christian Church, located about one mile northwest of Sitka, is the third church that was built in the township. The year 1874 dates the erection of this well-constructed frame edifice, which is 34x50 feet. and cost about $2,000. Phillip Conwell donated the ground. Dr. Scott and wife, William Williamson and wife, Larkin Craig and wife, Joseph Mourer and wife, and the Edwards family, constituted some of the most prominent first members. Rev. Harrison Edwards was the first regu- larly employed minister who preached in the new church, and Rev. Lilly is the present pastor. The congregation numbers about forty members.
The fourth and last church erected in Liberty Township is the Dun- kard Church at Sitka. This church is also widely known as the Church of God. The structure, a neatly built and well-furnished one, was put up in the autumn of 1880, at a cost of $1,000. The class was organ- ized about twenty-five years ago, and until 1880 meetings were held in private houses or at the schoolhouses. Joseph E. Hughes and wife, Levi Wafer and wife, J. Hoffman and wife, Robert Conwell and wife, James Conwell and wife, were some of the first advocates of the "Dunker " doctrine in the vicinity. George Patten and wife were the founders of the class. Uriah Patten was the first minister. The church has fifty active members.
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