USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 62
USA > Indiana > White County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 62
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
The township now has six frame schoolhouses, and the following teach- ers are employed for the school term of 1882 and 1883: William Boyles, District No. 1; Melville Rathbun, No. 2; Maude Campbell, No. 3; Michael Boyles, No, 4; Lizzie Dunn, No. 5, and John Roads, No. 6.
Churches .- The first preacher that ever held service in the town- ship was of the United Brethren in Christ, distinguished by the name of Slite, who is referred to in the history of Franklin Township as having been the first minister who found his "sandy " way through the town- ship. In Rich Grove Township he preached first at the house of the Widow Gundrum. An old settler says of Rev. Slite, that he always took all the "preachin" jobs he could get, for he (Slite) would remark : "The more 'preachin' the more chicken."
The German Lutheran Church, the only church in the township, was built in 1875 on Section 12. This church is a neat frame structure, 22x40 feet, and cost $550. The first families belonging, or the organizers, were those of Joseph Kraught, Christian Lawrence, Christian Boulow, John Teede, John Kraught and Mr. Sabel. The first who preached in the new church was Rev. J. H. Cox, and the present minister is Rev. Henry Jungkuntz ; the society has a membership of thirty-two. This sanctuary is in good repair. and the congregation in a prosperous condition. Other denominations hold services in the township at private houses, or in the township's schoolhouses, a custom that has long since been deceased in the best counties in the State. The Catholics held meetings for about eighteen months at the house of John Seezich, but service was discontin- ued here as soon as their church was completed at North Judson.
Road .- The Winamac & North Judson road, surveyed in 1859, was the first highway in the township that was placed on section lines.
Justices of the Peace .- The first officer of this kind elected in Rich Grove Township was William Kyle, who was elected in 1856 and served four years, or until 1860, when George Reader, his successor, was given the office, and held it for two years, and in 1862 his successor, Jonathan Lambert, was elected, and retained the office until 1868, since which time the township has been without a Justice of the Peace.
Trustees .- In 1854, at the organization of the township, the County Commissioners appointed George Huff, Perry Campbell and Daniel Goble as Trustees ; these served one year, when George Huff was elected
.
621
RICH GROVE TOWNSHIP.
Trustee of the township, and then followed the Trustees of the township, in the order here named : Perry Campbell. Thomas Ell, B. W. Goble, George Reader, Daniel Haws, John Hathaway, Patrick Emmett, Watson Morgan, William Sabel, and Charles Becket, the present Trustee. Some of the above held the office for quite a number of terms.
Gundrum is a station in the eastern part of the township, on the Pitts- burgh, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad. This railway was completed through Rich Grove Township in 1860, and in honor of Paul Gundrum the station was thus named.
In 1868, there was a grocery store established at this place by Z. Heath, who conducted the business for one year, and then sold his $50- stock of goods to V. D. W. Chittenden, who increased the stock to about $500, and continued the business until 1873, when he sold out to Water- man Brothers, who were interested in the enterprise for eighteen months, when they disposed of the same to William Sabel, who has met with fair success. Mr. Sabel is carrying a stock of groceries and dry goods amounting to about $5,000. In addition to this, Mr. Sabel is running a hay barn, where are employed six men ; this barn was established in 1881, and in the same year there were shipped from the same 10,000 bales of pressed hay.
At the solicitation of Zachariah Heath and others, the post office at Gundrum was established by the department in 1868. Mr. Heath was the first Postmaster, V. D. W. Chittenden the second, and William Sabel the third and the present Postmaster. The Adams Express office was established at Gundrum in 1879, and the freight office in 1878. Mr. Sabel is agent for both offices.
Marriage .- The supposition is that Perry Campbell and Nancy Anu Goble were the first persons who were married in the township. This fact is disputed by some, and well supported by others.
Death .- Two children by the name of Holeman, are said to have been the first white persons who died in Rich Grove Township. These children were buried in what was known as Holman's Burying Ground.
Protection of Property .- In 1869, there was an organization effected in Rich Grove Township for the protection of timber, horses and other property from thieving bands and trespassers. The organization, which continued about four years, had the following officers and members : Jonathan Lambert, President; J. C. Hathaway, Secretary; Patrick Em- mett, Treasurer; B. W. Goble, Lewis M. Campbell, J. R. Goble, Alex- ander Lamb, Joseph Wright, D. C. Wright and William A. Campbell, members. The society was known as Rich Grove Vigilance Committee, organized November 1, 1869.
Rich Grove Township may properly be termed the "Cranberry
622
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
Township" of Pulaski County, for there are more extensive marshes of this kind in the township than in any other township in the county, per- haps. In the early days of Rich Grove, some of the inhabitants made their living by gathering and selling cranberries. In one season, Daniel Goble gathered and sold $175 worth of cranberries.
CHAPTER XII.
BY ED A. MOSSMAN.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP-THE PIONEERS-LIFE IN THE WOODS AND ON THE PRAIRIE-ELECTIONS -- INCIDENTS -- WILD GAME-FIRST BIRTH, MARRIAGE AND DEATH-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES-THE LANDS- FATALITIES.
J EFFERSON TOWNSHIP was named in honor of the Sage of Mon- ticello, Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and founder of the Democratic party. Hence the inference may be fairly drawn that the Democratic party was the dominant party here at that time. Jefferson is still regarded as one of the Democratic strongholds, and gen- erally gives a Democratic majority equal to about one-third of the whole number of the votes cast, and therefore remains loyal to her first love.
The territory which is at present comprised within the limits of Jef- ferson Township, remained a part of Monroe Township from the date of the organization of the county, in 1839, up to March, 1851; at which time Jefferson Township was created, by order of the Board of County Commissioners, upon application of Roland T. Parkhurst, Samuel D. Riggs, Willet Tyler and sundry other persons. The Commissioners ordered a township election to be held on the first Monday in April, 1851, for the election of one Justice of the Peace, one Constable and one Inspector of Elections. At that time the Commissioners ordered Sec- tions 27 to 34, inclusive, of Township 31 north, Range 3 west, and Sec- tions 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 34, 35 and 36, and the east half of Sections 22 and 27, of Township 30 north, Range 4 west, to be attached to Jef- ferson Township for civil purposes. The territory attached as above specified remained a part of Jefferson Township until about the year 1859, when it was detached from Jefferson, by order of the Board of County Commissioners, and attached to the adjacent townships, Rich Grove and White Post.
Names of Voters .- The following are the names of all who voted at the first election held in the township, as shown by the original tally- papers and poll-book on file in the Clerk's office at the county seat :
623
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
Calvin S. Rice, Isaac Hoback, Truman Holman, George W. Glover, Willet Tyler, William L. Shigley, Elijah Parkhurst, Samuel D. Riggs, D. H. Parkhurst, Roland T. Parkhurst, Wilson T. Riggs and Samuel Glover, Sr. The election was held on the first Monday and 7th day of April, 1851, at the house of Elijah Parkhurst. The following officers were elected : Inspector of Elections, Elijah Parkhurst ; Justice of the Peace, Samuel D. Riggs ; Constable, Wilson T. Riggs. Of all those who voted at the first election, not one resides within the bounds of the township to day. Samuel D. Riggs is the only one, so far as could be ascertained, who continues to reside in the county. And he, although he does not now reside within the limits of Jefferson Township, as at present constituted, still lives just where he did at the time when he did reside in the township. He lives in White Post Township, just across the line that separates that township from Jefferson, and within one of the sections that were detached from Jefferson about the year 1859, as before stated. Of the others, some have " gone over to the majority," whilst others have moved away. Mr. Riggs is still hale and hearty, at the age of sixty-three, looks half a score of years younger than he really is, and is truly a well-preserved specimen of the hardy pioneer. His extensive and well improved farm, upon which a commodious and neat ap- pearing residence, and good farm buildings, indicate that he has not been lacking in industry, or the ability to manage his affairs successfully. He came from Johnson County in the fall of 1850.
Settlement .- The first smoke of civilization within the limits of Jefferson Township curled above the log cabin of William L. Shigley. This is a fact that is uncontroverted. It was in the month of February in the year 1844 that William L. Shigley, with his family, settled within the present borders of Jefferson Township. Mrs. Shigley died in the summer of 1854, and Mr. Shigley soon afterward removed to White County. He returned to Pulaski County, however, in a few years, and settled in Tippecanoe Township, where he died in the month of Febru- ary, 1879. Mrs. Vansandt Morgan and Mrs. Theresa Hosier, daugh- ters of William L. Shigley, still reside in the township, and it was from them that the foregoing facts in regard to their father were obtained. Mr. Shigley was highly esteemed by his neighbors, and, although not a noted Nimrod, was something of a hunter. Probably the greatest hunter that ever lived in the township, or even in the county, was Vansandt Morgan. He moved into the township October 15, 1863, from Cass Township, where he had been residing for a good many years. He came to the county from Tippecanoe County. He has never kept any account of the number of deer he has killed, but thinks that he has probably killed about 400 during his residence in the county. The last deer that was
624
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
killed in the township were killed in the winter of 1880-81. During that winter, George Stonaker, of Francesville, killed two or three, and John Baker killed one.
Accident .- A very sad accident, whereby Franklin Lincoln lost his life at the hands of a comrade, while deer hunting, occurred within the township, about the year 1878 or 1879. It was on Sunday morning. Thomas Mills and Franklin Lincoln had been following the deer the day before, and on Sunday morning resumed the chase, in opposition to the earnest protestations of Mrs. Mills, who, it seems, had had a presentiment of the sad ending of what they regarded as simply a harmless pastime. After pursuing the deer some distance, they routed it from its lair. It appears that when the game was first routed, both the hunters squatted down in the grass, and that each told the other to shoot it. The deer ran so as to bring Lincoln gradually into range between Mills and it. Each must have come to the conclusion at the same instant, that the other was not going to shoot. Unfortunately, just as Lincoln came into range be- tween Mills and the deer, Lincoln rose to shoot, and Mills fired, the entire charge, consisting of several buckshot, striking him in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Mills, it is said, came near losing his reason, so greatly did remorse for the act, although purely accidental, prey upon his mind. He left the township very soon afterward, and returned to the place whence he came, for the purpose, as it is supposed, of getting away from the scenes that would recall the circumstance to his mind.
First Birth, Marriage and Death .- The first child born in the town- ship was probably Rachel A. Parkhurst, daughter of Elijah Parkhurst. The exact date of her birth could not be ascertained, but it was probably about 1846.
The first marriage was that of Leonard Wilson and Theresa Shigley, which was solemnized January 2, 1852.
The first death of a white person in the township was that of George W. Riggs, an infant son of Samuel D. Riggs, aged about three months. This death did not, however, occur within Jefferson Township, as at present constituted, but within the present limits of White Post Township. The first white person who died within the limits of Jefferson Township, as at present constituted, was probably William Artist; the second, Mrs. William L. Shigley, and the third, Milton A. Woodruff. The death of William Artist occurred in the month of March, 1854.
Liquor License .- There is one fact concerning the early history of Jefferson Township which deserves to be indelibly recorded upon the pages of history, and to which the progeny of those who participated in the transaction referred to can point with just pride. The fact alluded to is the fact that on the 5th day of April, 1852, an election was held in.
625
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
Jefferson Township for the purpose of electing certain officers, and to decide the question whether license should be granted to any person to sell intoxicating liquors within the bounds of the township, under a local option law which was then in force in the State, and the vote on the question of license or no license stood, no license, seven ; license, none. The same subject was again voted upon in the following year, and resulted as follows : No license, eight votes ; license, one vote ; and one voter did not vote upon the subject at all. Thus it seems that the temperance cause had waned somewhat within a year, and what the position of the township may be to-day upon this all-important subject is somewhat prob- lematical.
Schools .- The first schoolhouse in the township was built in the fall of 1853 on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of Section 18, and was a hewed-log house, rather better, perhaps, than most of the early schoolhouses were, yet having the same seat of slab ; the writing-desk, a plank resting upon pins driven into the wall ; and, withal, finished and furnished very much the same as were a large majority of the school- houses in the early days. The first school taught in it was by either Eliza Williams or Sarah Briggs. The house was torn down in 1859, dur- ing Theodoric Lizenby's term of office as Township Trustee, and was removed in a northeasterly direction to the land of Theodoric Lizenby, where it was re-built. It continued to be used as a schoolhouse until about the year 1876, when it gave place to a new frame building. Will- iam J. Burroughs built the second schoolhouse that was built in the town- ship. It was a hewed-log house, and was erected on the northeast quarter of Section 15, on land owned by John Kelly. The first teacher in this house was Elias A. Grafton.
Churches .- The first church in the township was built by the Baptist denomination in 1851, and was the only Protestant church ever built in the township. It was a log house, and stood, probably, not far from the southeast corner of Section 17. There were eleven members, whose names were Willet Tyler and wife, Roland T. Parkhurst and wife, Eli- jah Parkhurst and wife, Joseph Witham and wife, - Patterson and wife, and - McBroom. Sometimes Joseph Witham and sometimes Willet Tyler served the society in the capacity of pastor. The society was dissolved, however, several years ago, and there is not now a Pro- testant society in the township. About the year 1870, the Catholics built a small but neat frame church on the Francesville road, about eight miles west of Winamac, at a cost of about $500. Father Christian, of Winamac, visits this church once a month, and ministers to their spiritual wants. There is no cemetery in connection with this church, and in fact there are but two cemeteries in the township, one of which is on the
626
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
farm of William J. Burroughs, about eight miles west of Winamac, on the Francesville road, and the other about three miles west of the one just mentioned. Both are Protestant cemeteries.
Land Entries .- There was no land entered in the township prior to the year 1848. The following are the names of all those who entered land in the township during that year, as shown by the tract book in the Auditor's office. at the county seat : David H. Parkhurst, Elijah . Parkhurst, James N. Applegate, James M. Jackson, John S. Burton, Michael Hagan, Calvin S. Rice and David Klingaman. The first entry was made by John S. Burton, on the 17th day of October, 1848. He entered seventy-one acres in Section 17.
A large portion of this county is owned by wealthy land speculators, who reside in the East, which fact has greatly retarded the development and improvement of this country. Within the past few years, however, since the new ditch law has been in operation, there has been a very marked improvement, and it is pretty safe to predict that Jefferson Town- ship will, in the course of a few years, become one of the best townships in one of the best counties in the State. True, there are a good many sand ridges that are probably worthless; yet, after all, these constitute but a very small portion comparatively of the whole territory. The larger portion, by far, consists of rich, alluvial bottom lands, which, when properly drained and cultivated for a few years, will be as productive land as can be found anywhere. One of the early settlers of the township-perhaps the earliest of those yet remaining-says that when he first came the whole country, except the ridges, was covered with water the greater part of the year, and that even on the ridges, horses and cattle would mire down when the frost first came out of the ground in the spring of the year. Things remained in this state, he says, until the summer of 1854, at which time a con- siderable ditching was done, and from that time up to the present the interest of the people in the matter of ditching and reclaiming the wet land has seemed to increase. But, whilst the country has improved, by reason of the numerous ditches that have been dug, more than can be readily imagined by any but those who have resided there and have wit- nessed it, yet there remains much to be done to bring it to the highest state of perfection attainable. The ditches dug have mostly been, so far, open ditches. Many thousands of rods of tiled ditches are yet required before the country can be properly drained.
Mills .- So far as the manufacturing interests of the township are concerned, they are simply nil. There has never been a stationary saw mill, a grist mill or woolen mill, or a tannery, distillery, ashery or manufacturing establishment of any kind or description whatsoever with-
John J.Holsinger
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR LA TILDEN FOUN (4) x
629
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
in the bounds of the township. There have been a portable steam saw mill or two for short periods at various times; but, at present, there is not even one of these in the township. The reason of there being no saw mills in the township is, no doubt, the scarcity of timber suitable for the manufacture of lumber. In most parts of the township, the greater part of the timber is scrubby, and nearly all of it that would be suitable for saw logs is needed for fencing purposes. This scarcity of timber is the cause, no doubt, of there being so few good frame houses in the township. One who settled in the township in the year 1854, says he does not think there was a frame house in the township at that time, and added, that there are not very many even now-which any one traveling over the township will discover to be a fact.
This is an excellent stock-raising district, and it seems to be the opinion of many of the most competent judges of such matters that the soil is better adapted to that line of business than to the cultivation of crops.
Early Experiences .- The experience of the early settlers upon their first arrival, and until they had been here long enough to raise crops for the sustenance of themselves and their domestic animals, was not unlike that which those who dwell upon the outskirts of civilization usually have. A gentleman who settled in the township in the year 1854, says that there was not, to his knowledge, a legally established road in the township at that time. He says he does not think that there was at that time a span of horses in the township, except his own. All who had teams of any kind, had ux-teams. The same gentleman says that he once went to Jasper County, got a load of corn, took it to the mill, and, not being able to get it ground, brought it home again, and continued to haul it to the mill and back again, until he had hauled it upward of sixty miles before he finally got it ground, so greatly did the demands made upon the mill for grinding exceed their facilities for doing the work.
A great many of the early settlers did not remain in the township very long, but moved back to the places from where they had come or else- where. In the year 1854, or about that time, there were eighteen families came into the township, principally from Boone and Hamilton Counties, not one of whom remained. The following-named persons are still residents of the township, who came at or about the dates set op- posite their respective names : Enos R. Ganson, 1852; William Bur- roughs, 1854; Patrick Maley (two of same name), 1861; Andrew Baughman, 1866; Michael Maley, 1861; David Clark, 1871, and Theodoric Lizenby, 1856. The very early settlers say that there was then no undergrowth of timber, nothing but the timber of larger growth, amid which grew a kind of coarse grass, which grew very high. The 37
630
HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.
fact of there being no underbush was attributable, they say, to the burn- ing of the grass and leaves, which was done annually, or oftener, by the hunters, in order that they might the more successfully hunt the wild game that then abounded here.
Schools .- There are five schoolhouses in the township, all of which are frame. The first of the present schoolhouses, is that in District No. 1, and was built in 1874, whilst John Kelley was Trustee. Cost not known. The houses in Districts No. 2, 3 and 4, were built whilst E. H. Applegate was Trustee, at a cost of $500 each. The houses in Districts No. 2 and 3 were built in 1875, and the one in District No 4 in 1876. It was in the summer of 1882, whilst David Clark was Trustee, that the house in District No. 5 was built, at a cost of about $400. They have no summer schools in the township, as a rule. They usually have school about five months in each year. The average wages for teachers is about $1.75 per day.
Mastodon .-- About ten or twelve years ago, a bone of very large dimensions was found by William J. Hoback on what is commonly known as the "Big Slough Ditch," on William Ganson's land, in the west part of the township. It resembled a thigh bone, and was about six inches in diameter at the smallest place, and about two and one half feet in length. It was about five feet below the surface of the ground, and had been un- earthed by the action of the water in flowing down the ditch. It no doubt belonged to some extinct species of monster, and the remainder of its bones could in all probability be found near the same spot if proper search was made.
Death .- About the month of May, 1878, George Connor was struck by lightning and instantly killed in the highway, about ten miles west of Winamac. He had been plowing, and was returning home with his plow in the wagon, and, while crossing a bridge about a mile from home, the fatal bolt descended, knocking bim out of the wagon into a ditch by the roadside, killing him instantly, and killing one of the horses, whilst the other was so stunned that it did not recover from the shock for several days. It is supposed to have occurred about noon, from the fact that a shower accompanied by lightning occurred about that time. His folks at home did not learn of it, however, until after dark, when they were in- formed of it by a neighbor's boy, who, in passing along the road, found his wagon, and upon searching about in the darkness, found the young man dead by the roadside in the ditch.
631
BEAVER TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XIII.
BY M. T. MATTHEWS.
BEAVER TOWNSHIP-CREATION AND EARLY ELECTIONS - FIRST SET- TLERS-EARLY CUSTOMS AND INCIDENTS-LAND ENTRIES - EDU- CATION AND RELIGION-THE FIRST HEWED LOG HOUSE - FIRST BIRTH, MARRIAGE AND DEATH - POST OFFICES AND PHYSICIANS.
A T the first session of the Commissioners' Court and on the first day of the session, May 27, 1839, it was ordered that all that portion of Pulaski County included in Township 29 north, of Ranges 1, 2 and 3 west, be known as Beaver Township. Thus, the township remained with Van Buren Township and Indian Creek Township attached for political purposes until the last two townships named were created. Beaver Town- ship was so designated from Beaver Creek, which finds its winding way through the township. This creek was so named by the Indians because of the number of beaver dams that lay along its course. Beaver Town- ship is bounded on the north by Jefferson Township, on the east by In- dian Creek, on the south by White County, and on the west by Salem Township.
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.