Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 17

Author: Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: 428, 502 p. : ill., ports. ;
Number of Pages: 962

USA > Indiana > Whitley County > Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 17
USA > Indiana > Noble County > Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 17

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).

Edwin Cone was born April 30, 1805, at Middletown, Middlesex Co., Conn. His father and family removed to Madison County, Ohio, and where he was married to Salima Wilson, who was a native of Pike County, Ohio. In the summer of 1836, he determined to cast his lot in the wilds of Indiana, and arrived at his new home in Section 5, September 30, 1836. Mr. Cone was early a professor of religion, and became a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Plain and unassuming in his manner, upright and down- right in his words and actions, never favored by fortune, yet he held a high place in the regard of all who knew him. First Justice of the Peace in the Township, constant in season and out of season in the discharge of duty. The funerals and marriages of the neighborhood were generally solemnized by him in the early days. The grave of an Indian excavated in the trunk of an im- mense log and covered with a slab near his residence, was a point of attraction to the youngsters. The children of Edwin and Salima Cone, surviving, are Margaret Adams, Appleton W., Chester L. and Gilbert J. Cone. Mr. Cone died, aged forty-nine, February 12, 1854. Mrs. Cone died at the age of sixty- one. Their ashes rest in Lakeview Cemetery.

Daniel Cone, father of Edwin, was born at Haddam, Conn., March, 1769 ; Ruth Rich, his wife, at Middletown, Conn. They removed to Madison County, Ohio, thence following Mr. Cone and Mrs. Hayden. Their children removed to Richland in the fall of 1837, and settled in Section 5. Daniel Cone passed away December 11, 1847, aged seventy-eight. Ruth Cone died May 26, 1849, aged seventy-seven. They are at rest in Lakeview Cemetery.

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HISTORY OF WHITLEY COUNTY.

Harlow Barber was born at Simsbury, Conn., May 8, 1798; was married to Alcey Case in 1824. She died at Sheldon, N. Y., February, 1833; children of these, living, are Virgil, Scott, Frederick and Edwin. Mr. Barber was mar- ried a second time, about 1837, to Sophrona Case, who was born at Simsbury, Conn., and was an elder sister of the first Mrs. Barber ; so that she has almost completed the century, being ninety-six years old, and quite active, physically and mentally. She survives her husband, and is the oldest person in the county, with a good prospect of rounding the century ; long may she continue. Mr. Barber died July 11, 1881, at Larwill, and was buried at Lakeview Cemetery. Thus terminated a long and useful life. He was for fifty years a member of the Methodist Church, in politics a Democrat until 1856, since then a Republican, zealous for the right, ready to declare his opinions, straightfor- ward and helpful to friend and neighbor.

Jacob Halderman was born July 31, 1801, in Virginia ; leaving home, he first located in Preble County, Ohio; was married to Miss E. Swihart, at Eaton, Ohio, in 1822. The children of these are Mrs. S. B. Clevinger, Daniel, Lewis and John Halderman, and Mrs. Sarah Read, of Richmond, Ind. Mr. Halderman began coming to Whitley County in 1836, bringing woolen goods, flannels, jeans and other merchandise, which he sold and traded to the settlers round about. He afterward settled near Richmond, Ind., farmed awhile, then entered into the lumber business, buying mostly black walnut, and came to do a very large business therein. From 1850-70, he was very largely engaged in buying flaxseed in addition to his lumber business; removed to Whitley County (Larwill), in 1862, and continued his business operations from this point; was married to Miss Elizabeth Dimick, 1867. The children of this marriage are one son and two daughters. For many years a member of the Dunker or German Baptist Church ; a Whig, and afterward a Republican ; upright and just in all his dealings; his word his bond, kindly and social, generous to the poor and unfortunate. Such was the character of Jacob Hal- derman ; his life was useful and beneficial to his fellow man; he died 29th of June, 1875, and was buried at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, near Liberty Mills, Ind.

Elijah L. Scott was born in Greene County, Tenn., May 6, 1818; thence came to Union County, Ind., in 1829; came to Richland October 12, 1837, and located on Section 20. His wife's maiden name was Livonia DeWitt ; born in Muskingum County, Ohio; deceased, February 5, 1869. The chil. dren of these, living, are Ellen, Emily, William, Elizabeth, Lucinda, Walter and Henry. Mr. S. still survives, and is this year, as he has often been before, Assessor of Richland Township. In the early days, when game and peltries were to be found, he was a Nimrod and a successful one. Woodcraft he un- derstood, and is a more active man to-day than most men of his age. Long may he wave !

Andrew Compton was born in New Jersey February 22, 1808; thence he

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removed to Coshocton County, Ohio. His wife, Mary A. Stafford, was born in Maryland in 1808. They came to Richland October, 1837, and settled on Section 21. He died October 29, 1852, aged forty-four years eight months. Mrs. C. still survives. The children of these, living, are Rhua M., Isaac N., Stephen J., Jennie, Phebe, Matilda E., Aaron L., Cettatta D. and Francis W. Mr. Compton was a rough and ready man, prompt, energetic, level-headed in business affairs. A good lover and a good hater. It was at his house that the earlier elections were held. A Whig of the Whigs, whatever he was he was known to be. He gave no uncertain sound.

John Burns was born, January 14, 1814, at Utica, N. Y. His wife, Mary E. Letson, was born, September 29, 1820, in Orleans County, N. Y. Early in the thirties, they removed to Oakland County, Mich. In the spring of 1837, John came to Indiana, entered his farm in Section 29, built a cabin, and the following year brought his family. No remarkable events or wonderful occurrences have marked his life. It has been the hard and laborious life of one whose best days were surrounded by privation and care, whose house was full of children; but it has been the life of the "noblest work of God-an honest man," and his life has been useful to his fellow-man. In the church and in the community, John Burns was never an unknown quantity. Mrs. B. deceased September 17, 1875. The children of these are Julia, Ann, Justus, Lovina, Abram, Maria, Rufus, Hannah, Ellen, Jane. Mr. Burns survives, hale and hearty for a man of his years.

William Guy was born in Allegheny County, Penn., December 28, 1802. His wife, Elizabeth Steele, was born in 1812, a native of Summit County, Ohio. They removed to Richland May 8, 1838. A social, talkative man, with ideas of his own on all ordinary topics, Mr. Guy was just short of being a money- maker. He was a Democrat in politics and held to the Methodist Episcopal Church; was well regarded among his fellow-men. He died October 22, 1880. His widow still survives. The children of these, living, are Mrs. Louisa Kelsey, Henry and Francis Guy. William Guy was buried in the cemetery at Summit.

Price Goodrich was born December 17, 1799, in the State of Connecticut. His wife, Julia Ann Black, was born in the State of New York in 1806. They first settled in Delaware County, Ohio; came to Richland June 16, 1838, and located on Section 25. The children of these, living, are Fanny, Silas, Minerva, Chauncey, Martha, Jane and Fletcher. Mr. Goodrich is a mason by trade, and built the court house at Columbia City, and many other buildings years agone. He was one of the Inspectors of the first election held in Troy Township at Mr. Tinkham's shop; has been repeatedly County Commissioner ; for many years a professor and "practicer " of religion ; for some time a local preacher of the Methodist Church ; Democratic in politics; has lived a long and useful life, and he and his consort are descending the last steps of it in peace and comfort, with the high regard of all who know them. There are a number of other pioneers of whom it has not been possible to get data sufficient to base

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HISTORY OF WHITLEY COUNTY.

even the briefest sketch: Zebulon P. Burch, David Payne, Jacob Kistler, Sr., Jacob Kistler, Jr., John Buck and Lorin Loomis are of this character. Response failed to applications for data concerning J. R. Anderson, John Jones, Samuel Andrews, Levi Curtis, William Rice, early settlers all, and well worthy of a niche in the history of this township; and many others who have lived that this generation in this vicinity might enjoy their pleasant ease and state, and, be it said with due reverence, have emigrated to a land where the hardships of a frontier life will never obtrude themselves.

nelle

yours very truly fin Images SMITH TP.

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SMITH TOWNSHIP.

CHAPTER VIII. BY EDWARD A. MOSSMAN.

SMITH TOWNSHIP-AN INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRST WHITE SETTLE- MENT IN THE COUNTY-ANDREW MACK AND JOHN B. GODFREY-WHO WAS THE FIRST WHITE SETTLER IN THE COUNTY ?- THE HARD TIMES OF PIO- NEER LIFE-DISTRESSING ACCIDENTS-MILLS AND OTHER INDUSTRIES- INCIDENTS-GROWTH OF THE VILLAGE OF CHURUBUSCO-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES-SECRET SOCIETIES.

" Men married women then Who kept their healthful bloom, By working at the churn, And at the wheel and loom ; And women married men Who did not shrink from toil,

But wrung with sweat their bread From out the stubborn soil."

-R. H. Stoddard.

MITH TOWNSHIP was so named in honor of Samuel Smith, a very worthy gentleman, who became a resident of the township in the autumn of the year 1834, and settled on the farm on which William Van Meter now resides, where he lived until his death, which occurred April 27, 1863, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. The first white settler in the township (in the county, in fact), was Andrew Mack, who settled in the township prior to the year 1827 .* It seems to be the prevailing opinion that John B. Godfrey was the first white settler ; but, evidence to the contrary is too strong to admit of a reasonable doubt. Alpheus B. Gaff, a gentleman whose veracity none can question, says that Jacob Baker and Jehu Skinner, both reliable gentlemen, have frequently told him that they traveled from Fort Wayne to Elkhart, the former in 1827, and the latter in 1831, and that Andrew Mack lived there

*The evidence that euch a man as Andrew Mack ever lived within the borders of Smith Township is cer- tainly very unsatisfactory. Mr. Gaff remembers that two other gentlemen told him on divers occasions that they had seen Mack in Smith Township at an early day. Here, then, is doubly-distant hearsay evidence. The liability and the probability of the treachery of memory, are multiplied by the lapse of time, aod by the transmission of the evidence from mouth to moulh. No reflection should be cast upon the honest intention of Baker, Skinner, Gaff, or Mossman, the writer of this chapter. The question is, can the obscure and meager evidence (if such it can be called), be relied upon as given ? The fact is, that Mr. Mack's residence in Smith Township prior to (say) 1830, or even at all, is extremely doubtful aud unreliable, and should so be considered by the reader.

Adam Hull told the writer of this note that, when he came to where he now lives, in 1830, John B. Godfrey was then living just north of Blue River Lake. Mr. IIull says he remained days at a time at the log cabin of God- frey, and during the winter of 1830-31, roamed frequently throughout the surrounding woods in search of game. He became well acquainted with Godfrey, who had for a wife a fine-looking French woman. Godfrey sold goods from a small stock, to the Indians. The dispute as to whether Godfrey was an Indian, a half-breed or a full-blooded French- man, atose from the fact that each of a few of the earliest settlers desired the distinction of being the first white set- tler in the township, and, of course, in the county. They could, therefore, question with perfect consistenry, whether Godfrey was an Indian or a Frenchman ; as his habits, mode of life and seclusion or avoidance of white society gave color to such questioning. Adam Hull is satisfied that Godfrey was a Frenchman, and that not a drop of Indian blood ran in his veins. Handsome French women, such as Godfrey's wife, did not marry Indians in those days; neither did they marry half-breede. Indians rarely, or never, kept a store of goods to trade with Indians. It was unusual to find even a half-breed trader. French traders, however, were numerous. An Indian or a half-breed (the latter being considered in all respects an Indian in the cession treaties at that time) could, at the treaties, reserve por- tions of land from the tracts ceded the Government. If Godfrey was an Indian or a half-breed, why did he not re- serve as much land as he wanted? No, he waited until 1835 or 1836, and then entored two small tracts of land on Section 9, as can be seen elsewhere in this volume, or can be seen in the patent book at Columbia City. Neither Indiane nor half-breeds entered land in those days. They were not citizens. All these facts lead to the conclusion that Mr. Mack should be regarded as a traditionary settler, and that John B. Godfrey, a Frenchman, should he ac- corded the honor of being the first white settler in Smith Township and in Whitley County. Absalom Hyre would then be second ; Jesse Long third, and Francis Tulley fourth .- ED.

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HISTORY OF WHITLEY COUNTY.

then. His, they say, was the only house on the Goshen road, between Fort Wayne and Elkhart. Jehu Skinner told Mr. Gaff that the finest and largest potatoes he had ever seen, either before or since that time, he saw at Andrew Mack's, when he stayed all night with him in 1831. He said the bill of fare consisted of corn bread, venison, potatoes and stewed pumpkin. Jehu Skinner died in 1864. Jacob Baker was still living in the summer of 1879, and possi- bly may be yet. Mack's cabin stood very nearly, if not exactly, on the same spot that Thomas Whitney's dwelling now stands. John B. Godfrey subse- quently built a log cabin on the opposite side of the road, but a few rods from where Thomas Whitney's barn now stands. Godfrey possibly lived in the house that Mack built, for a time, before he built the house across the road. Just when Mack went, or whither, or when Godfrey came, or whence, the writer has not been able to ascertain. It is pretty certain, however, that Mack was the first settler and Godfrey the second. As stated, Godfrey built a cabin near where Whitney's barn now stands ; and a few years later, he built the log house in which James S. Craig now lives, on the east side of the river, and there lived until his death, which occurred about the year 1845. Those who have seen Godfrey frequently and were well acquainted with him, differ in opinion somewhat, as to whether he was a purely white man ; but the better opinion seems to be that he was, notwithstanding he was rather dark-complex- ioned. He was a Frenchman. It is said that he sold "heap much fire-water" to the Indians. He is said to have been very eccentric in his actions, and to have lived in almost utter seclusion for several years before his death. The third white settler in the township was Absalom Hyre, who located on the farm on which David W. Nickey now lives, in the fall of 1833. Jesse Long came in the spring of 1834, and Francis Tulley, Richard Baughan and Samuel Nickey came during the same year. Samuel Smith came during the fall of 1834. Wyatt Jeffries, Benjamin Jones and Jacob Van Houten came in the year 1835, and Otho Gandy came in the same year, or the year following. George C. Pence, Janus Gordon, James Zolman, William Cleland, David Wolf and Jesse Speer came in the year 1836. Talcot Perry and Enoch Magrate came some- time prior to the year 1836, though the exact date is not ascertainable. Daniel Miller does not recollect in what year he came, but, as William Miller, his old- est child, was born in the township forty-four years ago, it is certain that he must have come into the township as early as the year 1837. Zachariah Gar- rison came in 1837, Jacob Nickey in 1839, George W. Slagle and Appleton Rich in 1840, and Uriah Slagle in 1847. It is not known just when the fol- lowing-named persons settled in the township, but they were all early settlers, some of them having been here over forty years, perhaps, and none of them, probably, under thirty years : Addison McGuire, Alpheus B. Gaff, George Gaff, Henry Pence, Abraham Pence, John Pence, Joseph Pence, Brinton Jones, Benjamin C. Jones, Peterson Jones, Feilding Pompey, Nathan Jeffries, David Jeffries, Marcus L. Jeffries, Augustus W. Jeffries, Wells Smith, Lemuel Devault, Joseph

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Waugh, James Crow, Alexander Craig, Jacob Sine, Jacob Coverstone, Harri- son Grable, Martin D. Grable, Festus Grable, Martin D. Garrison, James Gar- rison, Zachariah Garrison, Jr., David W. Nickey, William Miller, David V. Miller, Thomas McGuire, William McGuire, Philip McNear, Josiah F. McNear, Isaac Van Houten, Samuel Hollenbeck, Joseph W. Pompey, Otis J. Gandy, Jere- miah Krider, Abraham Krider, David Waugh, Harrison Speer, James S. Craig, Thomas Whitney, John Coulter, George Coulter, Joseph O. Long, John Jones, Hiram Jones, William Krider, George Krider, James Maloney, Patrick H. Maloney and, perhaps, others, whose names are not at present recollected. No attempt has been made to arrange the foregoing list of names in the order of the priority of their arrival in the township. A few of them were heads of families at the time when they came, but most of them were either small boys or young men under twenty-one years of age, and came with their parents, and some of them were born in the township.

The township was organized in the year 1838, and the first election was held at the residence of John Moore, who then lived on the farm on which John Jones now resides. The first Trustees of the township were Jesse Long, George Harter and Zachariah Garrison. John Moore was the first Justice of the Peace. The names of the other officers who were elected at the first election could not be ascertained. Those who came first had difficulties to overcome that would have discouraged and disheartened any except the most resolute. Then there were no bridges across the streams or the swamps, as there are now. The streams were frequently greatly swollen by the heavy rains, and when the emigrant came to them he must cross at once. For him to wait for the waters to subside, was out of the question, for the reason that there was no. sustenance to be had for his family or his animals. It was frequently impossi- ble for the teams to draw the loaded wagons through the swollen streams, and then it was necessary to fell a tree across the stream at some point where it was- narrow enough for the tree to reach well across, and then unload their wagons, and carry everything across, after which they would drive their teams. through with the empty wagon ; or, if the stream was too deep, and too miry, as was frequently the case, they would swim their teams through, then push their wagons into the stream as far as they could by hand, fasten long ropes or chains to the end of the tongue or pole, hitch the teams to it on the other side; pull it through, reload, and resume their journey. Thus, it took some of the early settlers three days to travel the distance from Fort Wayne to the neigh- borhood of Concord, which can easily be done at the present day in three hours. And, after reaching their destination, their hardships, trials, tribula- tions and privations were unabated, until they had been here long enough to clear a few acres of ground and raise some produce. Provisions and proven- der could not be obtained except at prices that would seem to us at the present day almost fabulous ; and then they frequently were compelled to haul it from such great distances that it would take them a week to go after it and return.

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HISTORY OF WHITLEY COUNTY.

A gentleman residing in the western part of the township, who was then a boy, says he distinctly remembers the circumstance of a man coming to his father's house for the purpose of borrowing some breadstuff. He says that when his father, who had a very large family, showed the man all the flour that he had (about eighteen pounds), and told him that that was all the breadstuff he had in the world, and that he did not see how he could spare any of it, the man burst into tears, and said he had not one bite of any kind of breadstuff in his . house for his wife and children, and that he did not know where he could get any, for that he had already gone to every place he knew of where it was likely to be had. He started home crying, and the narrator says that his father called to him, and told him to come back-that he would give him the half of what he had, and that they would starve together. When he had received it, the narrator says he seemed to be the most grateful and the happiest man he ever saw. Verily, time works wondrous changes. The gentleman who gave the nine pounds of flour lived to see the day when he could much more easily have spared nine barrels of flour than he then could those nine pounds. The Indians were quite numerous for several years after the first settlers came, and were very annoying to the settlers, although they committed no depredations in or near this township. Their annoyances consisted in begging provisions of the settlers, many of whom had no more than was barely sufficient for the support (and in many cases it was a very scanty one at that) of their own families. Also the Indians greatly annoyed the early settlers by killing their hogs. They killed so many for George C. Pence, and thereby exasperated him to such a degree that, upon hearing the report of a gun on one occasion, and hearing the barking of dogs and the squealing of hogs, he hastily took up his gun and started in the direction whence the sounds proceeded. When he reached the spot, which was not more than a quarter of a mile distant from the house, he discovered an Indian in the act of drawing one of his hogs, which he had killed, up on his pony. Mr. Pence fired at the Indian, but missed him. The Indian abandoned his booty, and, giving a loud whoop, galloped away as fast as his pony could carry him. Mr. Pence loaded his gun and killed both of the Indian's dogs, which were still pursuing the hogs. It is possible that it was fortunate for Mr. Pence and for all the white settlers in the vicinity, that his aim was no better; for, as the Indians were at that time far more numer- erous than the whites, it is not improbable that, had he killed the Indian, there would have been a general massacre of the whites in retaliation. The early settlers had to haul all their produce to Fort Wayne, over roads that were almost impassable. Fort Wayne was then a mere Indian trading-post. The variety of articles, as well as the supply kept by the traders, was very lim- ited. For nails or anything in the hardware line, the settlers had to go to Piqua, Ohio, a distance of 100 miles or over. Game was very abundant when this county was first settled, although it is said to have been far more so within a few years after the Indians left the country. The early settlers

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say (and no doubt it will seem very surprising to those who are unacquainted with the Indian's mode of hunting) that the Indians were very poor hunt- ers. A good white hunter, it is said, can kill more game than the best of the Indian hunters. The Indians, it is said, keep the game always wild and un- approachable by their mode of hunting, which is, to pursue them upon their ponies with a pack of dogs (the Indians whooping, and the dogs barking all the while, creating a very pandemonium) until the game is overcome by sheer exhaustion.

The first child born in the township was Rosanna Tulley, who is now the wife of John Krider. She was born September 15, 1834. The first marriage that was solemnized within the township was probably Henry Pence's, who was married in the year 1839. The lady's name has not been ascertained. The first death that occurred in the township was that of a child of Wyatt. Jeffries, which died in the fall of the year 1834.

In the year 1836, Enoch Magrate and Talcott Perry were starting out one Sunday morning to gather cranberries, and as they were going along a path, Magrate on foot and Perry on horseback behind him, the hammer of Perry's gun caught on a limb and drew it back far enough to discharge the gun, the ball taking effect in Magrate's back and coming out in front. Perry, with the assistance of Brinton Jones and one or two others, who soon arrived on the spot, conveyed Magrate to his home, where he lingered in great agony until the next day, when death released him from his suffering. Talcott Perry died November 11, 1845, and his remains are interred in the cemetery at Concord Church, the place of his interment being marked by a neat marble tombstone.

The first schoolhouse in the township was erected on the north part of the eighty-acre tract that Lemuel Devault now lives on, about the year 1840, and the teacher who taught the first term of school therein was a man by the name of Wizner. There had, however, been several terms of school taught in the township in private and vacant houses, before the schoolhouse was built. The first school in the township was taught by John Strain, about the year 1838, in a log house, owned by him (then vacant), on the farm now owned by Hiram Jones. The second school was taught by Isaac Claxton, on the farm now owned by William Krider, then owned by Eli McClure; and the third was taught by the aforementioned Wizner in Francis Tulley's kitchen, on the farm now owned by Wesley Tulley. The second schoolhouse was built very near the spot where the railroad crosses the Goshen road, and in the vicinity of the Larimore House, in the town of Churubusco, about the year 1844. The first teacher in the house was Isaac Claxton. About the year 1848, a schoolhouse was built on George C. Pence's farm, about a quarter of a mile east of where Joseph Pence now lives, in which the first teacher was either James Davis or Harrison Grable. All the schoolhouses that were erected for many years after this country was first settled, were erected by the citizens of the neighborhood, each contributing as much labor or material as his cir-

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Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 17

Author: Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: 428, 502 p. : ill., ports. ; Number of Pages: 962

Author: Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: 428, 502 p. : ill., ports. ;
Number of Pages: 962