USA > Indiana > Greene County > Early history of Greene County, Indiana : as taken from the official records, and compiled from authentic recollection, by pioneer settlers including brief sketches of pioneer families. > Part 11
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In 1814, he entered the army as a substitute, and served under General Jackson, at the battle of New Or- leans.
In 1822, he returned to Indiana again, and settled in Monroe county, near Harmony. In 1825, he moved to Lawrence county, near Spring- ville. He moved to Greene county, in 1827, and settled on Indian creek, near Owensburg. In the year 1833, he settled on a farm in Richland township, adjoining the farm of Da- vid. Heaton. In 1835, he moved to Bloomfield, and resided there until his death, which was in 1864.
In 1828, he was elected Associate
the office until 1834, when he resign- ed. He was Assessor for the east side of White river for the year 1834.
In 1835, he was elected Clerk, and entered upon the duties of the office in 1835, and held that office continu- ously until 1855.
He raised nine children to be grown, and had several to die in in- fancy.
He was well known throughout the county for his hospitality and liber- ality, and especially remembered for the numerous instances in which he befriended the poor.
Honorable Elijah H. C. Cavins, one of the best lawyers at the Bloom- field bar, furnished us with a correct copy of the records of the county for this book, for which he has the thanks of all the old pioneer settlers in our county.
CHAPTER XXIV. CENTER TOWNSHIP.
MONG the many old settlers in this locality, we will name old Uncle Stephen Riddle, Grand- father William Carter, Jesse Rain- bolt, Rev. Thomas Oliphant, Rev. George Burch, William Brummet, Edmond and Frederick Bingham, Isaac, John and Joseph Storms, Wil- liam Cole, William and Enoch Stone, Joe and Enoch Shelton, Harden War- ren, Beverly Bays, Henry Fulk, Isom Johnson, Joseph and James Burch, Thompson Brenham, Robert Heg- wood, William Brisco, Wm. S. Bays, John Gallon, Abraham Young, Peter Luntsford, Abner McHergue, Law- son Oliphant, Ephriam Jackson, Rafe Martindale, David and James Bul- lock,. John Fodrell, John and A. Harthash.
Old Uncle Stephen Riddle was born in Gifford county, North Caro- lina, and was married to Miss Mary Quiett, and they came to Greene county in the year 1818, and settled at the Big Spring, on the old State road, built the house, entered the
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land, made the farm and set out the old orchard at the place where James Combs now lives. Mr. Riddle and wife had twelve children. The old man died at the age of seventy-one years, and was buried at the old Storm cemetery. The first murder in Greene county was committed at the house of Uncle Stephen Riddle.
Mr. Abner McHergue was born on Lynn Camp creek, Knox county, Kentucky, and came to Greene coun- ty about forty-five years ago, and shortly afterwards was married to Mary Riddle, and commenced work in this township. Several years ago his first wife died, and left a pleasant family of little orphan children. Mr. McHergue married again, and has also buried his second wife. He is now a widower, having had two wives and nine children. Mr. McHergue is a common, plain Hoosier farmer, about sixty-five years old, with a clear head, and his large heart is just about in the right place.
Among the old pioneer preachers were Revs. Thomas Oliphant, Joseph Wilson, Samuel Doty, Elder George Burch, Richard Wright and Eli P. Farmer.
Among the first weddings were Abner McHergue and Miss Mary Riddle; William Doolen and Eliza Bingham ; John Uland and Polly Bays ; William Stone and Matilda Chaney.
Thompson Branham came from North Carolina, and settled among the pioneers at an early day, in this township, and, with a good resolution and a sharp axe, he has made a good farm and lives on it yet. We will speak a good word for him.
Uncle Wm. Carter was born in Old Virginia, and came to Greene county about fifty-seven years ago, and then built a house, entered the land, made the farm and set out the old orchard and lived out his days at the place where his son, Wm. Carter, now lives. Mr. Carter died last Jan- uary, aged ninety-two years.
Abraham Young, Mr. Carter's son-
/ in-law, was born in Frederick county, Maryland, and came to Indiana in the year 1811, and settled in what is now Floyd county, on tho Ohio river, before the forest timber was cleared away, at the place where the city of New Albany now stands. Mr. Young came to Greene county at an early day, and settled at the old Rock Bluff Bingham mill-seat, at the noted old time over-shot wheel water-mill. Mr. Young is seventy-five years old, and has been married fifty years, and he and his wife had no children.
Old Frederick Bingham built a house, and afterwards he worked for many years, making little mills at the place where Mr. Abram Young now lives.
Old Uncle George Burch was a very noted Elder and local preacher in the Baptist Church for a half cen- tury. Rev. George Burch made the farm and lived on the place where his son, George Burch, now lives. The old pioneer preacher was both blind and helpless for many years before his death.
Henry Fulk built the house, made the farm and set out the old orchard where his son, Moses Fulk, now lives, in this old neighborhood.
Old Uncle Billy Brummet built the first house, and established his old-time blacksmith shop, at the place where Cincinnati now stands.
Jesse Rainbolt settled the place and built the house, made a farm and set out the old apple orchard where his son, Elisha Rainbolt now lives.
Dr. Vene Targleton built a horse- mill on the old Bloomington road, at the place where William Sandborn now lives.
Old Grandfather Oliphant built a horse-mill where Jacob Nellenger now lives, and a Mr. Gannon also built a horse-mill near where Mr. Lawson Oliphant's barn now stands.
Old Charlie Shelton built the first distill house, and made whisky and good peach brandy, at the place where Andy Nellenger now lives.
William Stone settled on the place
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The Early History of Greene County.
and made the farm where John Hash | from Paoli, in Orange county, to the now lives.
Harden Warren built a house and made the farm at the place where Mrs. Delilah Martindale now lives.
Old Grandaddy Edmond Bingham settled on the place and made a small farm where Sarah Bingham now lives.
Joe Spelts settled the place and built a house where Henry Messer how lives.
Mr. Lawson Oliphant is one of our old pioneer farmers, and came to Greene county forty-five years ago. He built the first brick house in Cen- ter township, and lives at home, en- tertains his friends, and boards at the same place, on his excellent farm, near the little village of Jonesboro.
John Gainey established the first dry goods store in Screamersville.
Mr. Enoch Stone, Esq., was born in Surry county, North Carolina, and came to Greene county many years ago, before the first farms were cleared up, and is sixty-three years old. He and his wife have had eight children-six boys and two girls- and they live on the old Louisville road, eighteen miles from Worthing- ton.
William S. Bays was born in Surry county, North Carolina, and came to Greene county fifty years ago, and settled in this old neighborhood. Mr. Bays and wife have had eleven chil- dren, and old Uncle Billy Bays is now considered the champion tobac- co smoker in Greene county.
The first wool carding machine at Jonesboro was built by our old pio- neer friend, Lawson Oliphant.
The first school teachers were the old man Mill, John Tilley, Jacob Young and Rafe Martindale.
We will explain many names in this locality, such as these : Scream- ersville, Dividing Ridge, Sway Back, Ridge Port, Bridge Creek, Panther Cave, Eagle Nest, etc.
The old State road from Woods' ferry to Smith's ferry, was made by Ephraim Owen and Old Tommy Clark, about fifty-seven years ago,
mouth of Eel river. That old road has always remained in the satny place, on the Dividing Ridge, be- tween Beech and Bridge creeks, down to Richland creek, a distance of about twelve miles ; and that road can never be changed from the old trace. The dividing ridge is a high hill, very narrow and twelve miles in length-just room for a road.
Ridgeport is a hewed-log church- house, on that ridge, west of the vil- lage of Cincinnati.
Bridge creek was named for the natural ground bridge over it, at the old Hans Stalcup water-mill and carding machine place, where the creek runs under the ground for nearly two miles.
Sway Back is rather a flat, low place, on the top of the dividing ridge, near Ridgeport church-house.
Eagles' Nest and Panther Cave are both in the bluff of rocks near the old Indian look-out, on Richland and Beech creeks.
Screamersville was the name of the first election precinct at Jonesboro, and was named by the old settlers on all the roads for the great noise made by the people on nights after elec- tions.
CHAPTER XXV. JACKSON TOWNSHIP.
MONG the very first old settlers here were old Uncle John Bea- ty, John Ferrell, old John Stone, (father of Jeremiah and Jack Stone) and Robert Kizzic. After- wards came Emanuel Hatfield, Wash. Hatfield, Isaac Copeland, Armstead Hatfield, James Corbin and others.
Up in the north end of the town- ship, east of old Colonel Levi Fellows, were Jacob Lewis, Rawley Hopper, Joseph and William Hatfield, and others.
THE NAMES OF THE CREEKS.
Indian creek was named for its first settlers up and down that water course. That creek empties into the
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The Early History of Greene County,
east fork of White river, in Martin ; now stands. That village was named county, near Harrisonville, Indiana. for Mr Owens. Fuss creek was named by the old pioneer hunters, on account of the frogs, in the spring of the year, mak- ing so much fuss.
Pond lick, near the little log-cabin town of Dresden, was the best place in all that part of the township, in early times, to kill deer. When the first white people came to Greene county, old Emanuel Hatfield and John Brown went to the pond to watch for deer, in the night time. They had not been there very long when Mr. Hatfield shot and killed a very fine one. The two men com- menced to strike a fire, in order to have a light in the woods, and Mr. Brown went to a sugar-tree to obtain some kindling-wood. Upon running his hand into the hollow of the tree, he caught hold of a hard stick of wood, about two feet long, and as large as a man's wrist. The stick was that of pine, and was chopped off at both ends, with an axe. There tras no pine timber nearer than nine- ty miles, and that was on the knolls, near New Albany.
Armstead Hatfield made the first land entry in Jackson township. He has made a good farm, and lives on the same place yet, just east of Ow- ensburg.
John Ferrell built a log-cabin, and settled at the place where old Uncle Emanuel Hatfield now lives.
Afterwards John Ferrell sold his Congress improvement to Mr. Hat- field, and the same old log house is yet standing, and is being used for the kitchen at Emanuel Hatfield's, just west of Owensburg. This is the oldest log house in Greene county, having been built and occupied over a half century.
John Beaty was born in Virginia, and came to Greene county at a very early date.
Our first blacksmith shop was es- tablished by Silbern Owens, on the corner of Mr. Emanuel Hatfield's land, where the town of Owensburg!
Our first school was taught by Samuel Short, in a little log cabin at the place where Samuel Hitchcock now lives-or on that farm-and among the pupils were Jerry Hat- field, William Hatfield, Thomas, Ma- ry and John Copeland, and about twenty-five others.
Among the first weddings was one on the head waters of Plummer creek, at John Stone's, by Esquire Hopper- Mr. Wesley Ferguson and Miss Francis Stone.
Our old-time distill house was built at the John Ferrell place, where old Emanuel Hatfield now lives. Mr. Hatfield built the second distill house, and made the best whisky and brandy in Greene county.
The first little horse-mill was built on the old Chestnut place.
Emanuel Hatfield, father of Ale Hatfield, was born in old Virginia, and afterwards went to Tennessee and remained there about 30 years, then came to Greene county at an early day, and settled on the place where Wash. Spears now lives. Mr. Ale Hatfield had two wives and twelve children-seven boys and five girls. Mr. Emanuel Hatfield was the third son in this family, and was born De- cember 22d, 1805, in Campbell coun- ty, Tennessee, and came to Groene county, with his parents, at an early day. He married Nancy Anderson, of Wayne county, Kentucky. Mr. Hatfield and wife have had fourteen children, and raised eleven of them to be men and women. Mr. Hatfield bought the Congress improvement and entered the land where he now lives, and made a good farm of about two hundred acres. He now owns three hundred and thirty-six acres of land. Within the first twelve years he cleared, in the heavy white-oak, poplar and hickory timber, one hun- dred and ten acres of land for his home farm; and, in the same twelve years he killed nine hundred and seventy-eight deer, with one rifle-
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The Early History of Greene County.
gun. In the same length of time, al- so, with the same gun, at shooting matches, he won over three hundred dollars' worth of beef, besides the other kinds of game, etc.
Mr. Hatfield has killed more squir-' rels than two boys could count in a month. He has no education ; but he says he knows what is right among honest men-and rascals, too.
Edward Page is a shoemaker by trade, and is seventy-three years old, but looks much younger. He was born in Fayette county, Pennsylva- nia, and came to Jay county, Indiana, and from there he came to Greene county, many years ago. Mr. Page and wife have had ten children-five boys and five girls.
David Baker is a common farmer, und came to Greene county over thirty years ago, and settled about three miles east of Colonel Fellows' old mill.
Mr. Alfred Howell is sixty-two years old, and came to Greene county in time to raise ten children-one boy and nine girls.
Mordica Hatfield came to Greene county about the year 1823, and set- tled in this neighborhood, and mar- ried Milly Richison. They raised fourteen children- four boys and ten girls. Three pair of them are twins, six girls, and two pair of those girls were about thirty months apart-all of the fourteen children are now liv- ing, but their parents are dead and buried at the old Flynn grave-yard, in Center townsnip.
- Jerry Hatfield is a common farmer, fifty years old. He married Miss Nancy Spears, and lives on the coun- ty road, half a mile south of Owens- burg.
Old Uncle James Corbin and wife are about seventy-five years old, and live on a farm near the Kentuck church, five miles west of Owensburg.
Old Grandmother Quick is the oldest knitting machine in Greene county. She is a very small woman, eighty years of age, and has knit socks enough to buy a small farm.
Aquilla Hardesty is seventy-eight years old, was born near the city of Baltimore, Maryland, and came to Ohio in 1810, and to Greene county about twenty-five years ago, and set- tled on the Hilburn farm. Mr. Har- desty's father died on Plummer creek, at the age of ninety-five years, and was buried at the Mood cemetery, in Richland township.
Our first preachers were Revs. John Goodman, Joseph O'Dell, John Nance, Thomas and Wesley Fergu- son, Joseph Wilson and others.
Our old time physicians were Granny Hudson, Dr. Rafe Norvell and Dr. Woodard.
Our first brick house was built by Dr. Dowden, at Owensburg.
All of our olden time elections were held at Screamersville.
CHAPTER XXVI.
TAYLOR TOWNSHIP.
HE first old settlers in this neigh- borhood were old Daniel Wal- lace, George Anderson, Robert Anderson, Abel Westfall, Thomas Barker, and his son, Obediah T. Bar- ker, John Summerville, James, Na- thaniel, William and Henry Cochran.
Over in the north end of the town- ship, were the families of Colonel Fel- lows, old man Lewis, Joel Benham, James Cox, William Cox, John Ruth, Cornelius Bogard and Silas Fellows.
Over in Daviess county were old Philip Miller and Uncle Davey Ledg- erwood and a few others.
Old Uncle David Wallace built the first log cabin on the farm where John Summerville now lives, about a half mile south of Scotland. David Wallace and the two Anderson broth- ers came direct to Greene county from Edinburg, Scotland, and made the first entry of land in this settle- ment.
Joel Benham first settled on the farm where his son, Isaac Benham now lives.
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The Early History of Greene County.
Joel Benham was born in Lee county, Virginia, and married Miss Rebecca Hicks. They came to Knox county, Indiana, in the year 1814, and to Greene county about fifty-five years ago. Mr. Benham and wife had thirteen children-eight boys and five girls. The old man died about seven years ago, and was bur- ied at the Simpson Chapel.
Isaac Benham, the youngest child, was born in Taylor township, on the 22d day of August, 1823. He mar- ried Miss Emily Lester, daughter of Peter R. Lester. Isaac was married the first time at the age of seventeen years. His last wife was Amanda Clark, and they now live on the old Joe Benham farm.
Cornelius Bogard first settled on the place called Bogard farm, where William Bogard now lives.
The first school was taught by Mr. O. T. Barker, in a little log cabin that David Wallace first built .- Among the pupils were William Mil- ler, Julia Ann Miller, Ewell Barker, Charles Cochran and about twenty- five others.
Grandfather O'Daniel was the sec- ond man that built a log cabin in this township, and was a very eccentric old genius, and a good citizen.
Nathan Baker set out the old ap- ple trees, shumake and pine trees, at John A. Stone's.
John A. Stone came from Surry county, North Carolina, forty-six years ago. He married Elizabeth Bravens, daughter of Jesse Bravens. Jesse Bravens was the father of twen- ty-one children, Mrs. Stone has liv- ed to see her father, mother and all of her brothers and sisters buried. Mr. and Mrs. Stone, having had no children of their own, have adopted and raised several orphan children. They are noted for their great kind- ness to the orphans which have been entrusted to their care and hospital- ity.
first-class stone-mason. He had the best orchard and the nicest farm in all that country. He was a true Christian and a faithful worker in the good cause of education.
Uncle Davey Ledgerwood settled in Daviess county, six miles north of the old Paddy Garden. This Gar- den was a noted old pigeon roost, and was located about where Samuel Taylor now lives.
One of the most remarkable fami- lies among the old settlers, was the old man Richey and his sons and. daughters.
We have two old bear stories which are both true. They are among the noted doings and acts of the old Richey family. At an early day in this settlement, a very large old bear came up near Mr. Richey's house and canght a big hog. The men were not at home at the titne; but the girls were, and one of them gath- ered up a wooden hand-spike and went to relieve the hog. When she came upon the bear he did not let the hog loose out of his paws, so the girl struck the old bruin over the back in such a way as to break it, thus killing him.
But the next bear tale will beat all others :
At another time, John Miller and Pleasant Richey, were hunting in the edge of Daviess county, and found a big bear up a tree trying to eat off a bee-hive limb. He would gnaw at the place awhile, and then walk out upon the limb and swing it up and down and try to break it off. He then came back and chawed at the place where the bees were, whilst the bees filled his eyes and wool. But he finally went out several feet from the tree, and his weight broke the limb off, and down tumbled the bees, bear, hive and all in a heap. The boys then shot two rifle bullets into the bear and killed him.
Abel Westfall was the man that fired the first gun at the battle of Tippecanoe. The Indians came in
Philip Miller, of Madison town- ship, Daviess county, was a very no- ted old pioneer, a model farmer, and after night, driving cattle and other
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The Early History of Greene County.
stock ahead and mixed in. Whilst the Indians were among the stock, Mr. Westfall, who was on picket, es- pied them, and gave the alarm by firing his gun among them.
Cloborne C. Paris, a common farm- er, aged sixty-six years, was born near Corydon, Harrison county, In- diana. He came to Greene county some thirty years ago. Mr. Paris and wife have seven children.
William Ferguson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1793. He served in the British army for about three years, under Prince Regent George IV, and was married in Scot- land, to Christiana Cullen, and their union was blessed with four children -three boys and one girl. They came to Greene county about twenty years ago, where the old lady died. Mr. Ferguson is about eighty-three years of age. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church and Sab- bath school. He is in good health, and walks to Scotland for his mails !
Old Mother Ingles, mother of Rev. James Ingles, is now about eighty years old. She lives in Scotland with her children. She has buried five children .- all were men and women. One preacher, one lawyer and one farmer, are yet living.
John Summerville is a common farmer, to the south of Scotland, aged fifty-five years. He was born in Jef- fersonville, Indiana, and came, with his mothor, to Greene county. He married Miranda Brooks, daughter of Asa Brooks. They have had sev- en children- two boys and five girls.
James Ferguson, Esq., is a common farmer, and lives on the Owensburg road, two and a-half miles from Scot- land. Mr. Ferguson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and came across the big salt-water fish-pond to Amer- ica, over fifty years ago, and settled in the State of New York. He then moved to Beaver county, Pennsyl- vania, where he married Miss Mar- garet Baker, and then came to Greene county. 'This was about twenty-five years ago. They have ten children
-five boys and five girls. Old Grandmother Nancy Riley is the oldest woman in Greene county. She is ninety-seven years old, and does up her housework, and can milk her cows better and quicker than many of our girls of the present day.
Mr. Elza Riley is about sixty years. of age, and came to Greene county from Columbia county, Ohio.
Joel Wilson built a water-mill on Doan's creek, just below Scotland, and afterwards the mill changed own- ers several times, and finally went to waste. Lower down on the creek, old John Ritter built a mill-many years ago, and it, too, has long since gone down.
NAMES OF THE CREEKS.
Doan's creek was named for its first settler, old Isaac Doan, the no- ted old hunter at the Hattabaugh place.
Bogard's creek was so called for old Cornelius Bogard.
The Alum Cave was named by the early settlers, who went there and got the dust-and it was pure alum. This cave is a very noted place, on the old Wallace farm,near John Summer- ville's, just south of Scotland.
Bob's lick is on the Snake Hollow, near number one school house, and was named for our old bachelor friend, Bob Anderson.
Snake Hollow was named by old Jimmy, the well-digger. Mr. Webb, the old Englishman who came over the ocean to look for Katydids, found a rattlesnake in that hollow, after it had bitten his finger.
The old Saltpeter cave is on the farm of Woodson Hamilton.
At the Bogard spring was an old- time distill house.
Bennington and Cochran built a distill house one mile east of Scotland.
Our old physicians, forty years ago, were Grandmother Barker, wife of Thomas Barker, and Dr. Freeland.
Scotland is a pleasant village, just north of the corner of Daviess and Martin counties.
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T'he Early History of Greene County.
CHAPTER XXVII. CASS TOWNSHIP.
E WILL give, as some of the first settlers of Cass town- ship, the following noted characters : Isaac Doan, Mr. Howell, old father Richey and sons, David, Barney, Daniel, Pleasant and Wil- liam Richey. Afterwards came Wil- liam Bynum and sons, Samuel, John D., Daniel A., William and James Bynum. Old Uncle John O'Neal, Benson Jones, Peter R. Lester. old father John Slinkard and sons, An- drew, Frederick, Moses, Henry, John, Daniel and all the rest ; Robert Clark, from New York State, Abner Bogard, Samuel Ewing, the hatter, Warren D. Lyles, Bazil Lyles, Na- than Chandler, Joseph Beals, Doctor Dennis, and others.
Mr. Doan settled at the big weep- ing willow, in the field belonging to Mrs. Hattabaugh, near the bridge, on the north side of the creek, near where old man Richey built the little water mill.
Henry O'Neal, father of William and John F. ()'Neal, came from South Carolina, Newbury District, and settled on the Scomp place, and remained there two years, after which he moved over in Daviess county.
Mr. O'Neal's sons were Henry M., Elisha F., James Madison, Hugh and Samuel O'Neal.
Henry F. O'Neal Married Mary Miles, and raised twelve children- seven boys and five girls. John F. O'Neal married Anna Chandler, daughter of Nathan Chandler, and they had seven children.
Mr. John F. O'Neal was among the leading party politicians in Greene county, and was a member of the State Senate and House of Represen- tatives, several times ; but being raised a Quaker, and the old, time- honored Quaker religious creed being yet in the ascendancy, and when Col. Fremont was the Abolitionist candidate for President, Mr. O'Neal changed his vote, and cast the only
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