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 12
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
vote for Freemont that the "path- finder" received in Cass township.
The old time preachers were, old John O'Neal, the Friend Quaker, the old Mormon Prophet, Joe Smith, the founder of the old Mormon Church, at the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, Joe Wilson, Wm. Plusky, Ephraim Hall, and Mr. Lynn. Old Wm. Roach, just over in Daviess county, must not be omitted here, as we have been told that he was a very noted man, seven- ty-five years old, six feet and seven inches high, and had the biggest feet of any white man in this country .- He always had to send to Louisville, Kentucky, for number fourteen boots, every time he wore anything except Indian moccasins. He would cut five acres of wheat with a scythe and cradle for a day's work.
James Madison O'Neal was born in Newbury District, South Carolina, and came to Greene county over for- ty years ago. He married Miss So- phia Bynum, daughter of William Bynum. Six children was the result of their union-three boys and three girls. After the death of his first wife, he married Miss Ellen McElroy. Mr. O'Neal is a well-to-do farmer, and a manufacturer of tobacco, and lives on the farm where Hugh O'Neal settled, nine miles from Bloomfield, on the Newberry road.
Old Father Richey settled on the creek, about a mile above the Doan place, on the Lester farm. The old man and all of the family were mem- bers of the Methodist church, and the Richey boys were the most active, stout menin all the country. At three jumps, they could make forty feet forward or thirty feet backward, with the greatest of ease.
William Bynum and sons settled at the Widow Bynum place, at an early day, where the wife now lives. One of the boys, while carrying pumkinsout of the corn field, on a sharp stick, in climbing a fence, the pumkins slipped off of one end of the stick, and by some means the stick was run through his body, killing
77
The Early History of Greene County.
him almost instantly. Old John Grandfather Thomas Plummer .- O'Neal settled just east of Newberry, Clifty creek for the rocky clifte along its banks. on the well known O'Neal home- stead farm. Mr. O'Neal was a noted old Friend Quaker preacher, and his CHAPTER XXVIII. STOCKTON TOWNSHIP. house was the home for all the old Indians and preachers for many yoars. He entered the most land and made HIS township was named by Wickliff Wines, because of its great place for grass and stock range. Among the first settlers was Thomas Breece, who built a little log cabin where Linton now stands. the best farm, and entertained all of the candidates in this part of the State; and it was also a stopping- place for all the oldon-time judges, lawyers, preachers, prophets and dis- ciples, Jews and Gentiles.
Old Benson Jones and family set- tled at the place where Dr. Stoddard now lives, near Newberry. Mr. Jones has passed to the other world many years ago. John Jones married Miss Katie Stalcup, of Highland town- ship. Mr. Jones died in Cass town- Robert Harrah was born in Vir- ginia, and married Miss Elizabeth Baldwin, and came to the Nine-mile prairie, in Greene county, about fifty years ago. Mr. Harrah and wife ship, with the milk-sick, several years since, and the widow after- wards married Mr. Ballard. He has also gone beyond the river of death. Old Aunt Katie Ballard is a very in- I had six children-four boys and two dustrious woman, and a noted old weaver of good cloth.
Peter R. Lester was born in South Carolina, and married Miss Hainey O'Neal, and they came to Greene county in 1819. Mr. Lester and wife were the parents of five children, and they live one inile cast of New- berry. He is now eighty-five years old, and yet makes common contracts for five or ten years to come.
Old man Richey and sons first built a mill at the present Barker mill seat, in Cass township.
Anthony Ferguson is eighty-five years old, and lives on the John F. O'Neal farm. He came from Colum- bia county, Ohio, at an early day.
Old Grandfather Clark came to Greene county in an early day, and is one among her oldest men.
The big camp-meeting shed was on the old Uncle Billy O'Neal farm.
NAMES OF THE CREEKS.
Slinkard creek was named for old John Slinkard, the man that built the first water-mill on that stream.
Plummer creek was named for old
Robert Harrah and sons built the next cabin, on the old Terhune farm, half mile northwest of the Harrah Chapel. Afterwards came William Osborn, John Osborn, Grandfather Hale, M. Pool, Stephen Stone, J. Robison, William Humphreys, etc.
girls. The old people are both bur- ied in the Terhune grave yard.
The first person that died in this township, was Miss Elizabeth Har- rah, daughter of Robert Harrah, and she was buried just south of the Methodist Chapel, in Scaffold prairie, where those graves are being plowed over by Isaac Dayhoff's work-hands. . Rev. Aquilla Moss first settled on the McNaught farm.
Grandfather Hale built a log cabin about five miles from Linton, in the Buck neighborhood, this township.
Old Uncle Jesse Powell built the first house on the farm where Alex- ander Beasley now lives. Several of the Powell family yet live in Greene county.
Honorable Butler was among the leading cattle dealers in this county. He was a common farmer, and was a member of the Constitutional Con- vention of our State, and a faithful servant of the people. Mr. Butler and wife had four sons-George, John, James and Simeon.
William Ellis is also one of the
The Early History of Greone County.
old settlers in the township. He is a | J. Moss, Japhthat Moss, Laban Mose, good farmer, about seventy years old.
Old Uncle Billy Stephens, the man that fought at the battle of New Or- leans and rode the old General's horse, could just beat any body spin- hing out long yarns-William Moss not excepted.
The Goose pond, near Mr. Jordan's, is a great place for wild-geese, rac- coons, mink, otters, wolves and bears.
Hart's trace was the name of the old road from Smith's ferry to the Shaker mill on Busron.
Nine-mile prairie was nine miles from the election precinct at Fair- play, fifty years ago.
Buck creek was the best place for the old settlers to kill deer. Bee- Hunter creek was a great place for milk and honey, plenty.
Wagon Hollow, over near the Jesse Walker farm, was named on account of the fire in the prairies-burning up the old wagon, where a fellow left It stuck in the mud.
Many years ago, the horse of Rob- ert Hensley was found mired down in the Latta creek marsh, near where Mr. Lewis Dowell now lives, and it took six men to get him up to the top of the ground.
The three first log school houses in Stockton township, were all burnt down, by fire set out in the prairies by hunters.
There never was a distill house in this township.
Wickliff Wines built a horse-mill and tan-yard at Linton. He also es- tablished the first dry goods store.
The olden-time elections were all held at Fairplay.
The first weddings were James Armstrong and Miss Eveline Harrah, William Osborn and Miss Eleanor Wines.
Aquilla Moss was one of the first settlers of Stockton township, Greene county. He was a farmer and a Hard-shell Baptist preacher. He had several sons and daughters, re- spectively, Nathaniel Moss, C. M. Moss, Stephen Moss, W. G. Moss, J. | place.
D. H. Moss, Joseph Moss, Elijah Moss, Mary Moss and Sarah Moss.
Aquilla Moss was born in With county, Virginia, and was raised in Flemman county, Kentucky,
C. M. Moss came to Greene coun- ty in 1826. He is a farmer and hun= ter. He has killed eight grown deer at four shots with a rifle-gun, in his hunting excursions. He hunts in southeast Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and Wisconsin. He has ten living children-four boys and six girls, all of which are mainly grown. His wife's maiden name was Miss Sarah P. Dougherty, daughter of William Dougherty. Charles Moas is fifty-six and his wife fifty-three years of age, and live two miles northeast of Lin- ton, on the Linton and Worthington road.
Mr. Thomas Mason is rather an old citizen of Greene county, having came to Linton when a young man, and commenced business with Wick- liff Wines, in a tan-yard, which he carried on for a number of years suc- cessfully. He married Miss Fields, whom Wickliff Wines raised. He is about forty-five years of age.
Andrew Humphreys came to this county about the year 1886. He was formerly a citizen of Putnam county, He is the oldest son of Henson Hum- phreys. He first commenced busi- ness in Wright township, in a black- sthith shop of his own, and made shovels and plows for the boys, and shod their horses. Finally he set up a one-horse distillery, and made a few runs of whisky for the natives; but it did not do so well as politics, so he quit it and practiced the latter. He married Miss Louisa Johnson, of Putnam county, this Statc.
Martin Wines, Esq., was an old citizen of Stockton township, and a very useful man. He died on his farm at a ripe age. He was a Mason and was buried by that Order, at the Linton grave-yard. A monument of marble seven feet high, marks his resting-
79
The Early History of Greene County.
Sanders Pigg, one of the oldest set- tiers of Wright township, came from East Tennesse with his father, James Pigg, about the year 1826. Sanders Pigg has three sisters and two broth- ers, respectively Carroll Pigg, An- drew J. Pigg, Joseph Pigg, Susan Pigg and Alzena Pigg. Sanders Pigg has been a citizen of Wright town- ship thirty-eight years. Ile married Miss Hannah Gambell, old grandfath- er Gambell's daughter, who emigra- ted from East Tennessee about the year 1827.
Old grandfather Bartlett Goodman lived west of Linton, on the head- waters of Black creek and west of the Goose Pond. He came here at an day, and had several children, viz : John Goodman, Wesley Goodman, James Goodman, Washington Good- man, Narcissus, Matilda and others.
Old Unele Billy Humphreys came to this country about the year 1825. He located and made a farm one mile north of the Goose Pond, which lies south of Linton three miles. He was a wagon-maker and carpenter by trade. He had three sons and one daughter, namely, Madison Ium- phreys, Wilson Humphreys and An- sle Humphreys.
CHAPTER XXIX.
GRANT TOWNSHIP.
HE first old settlers in this part of Greene county were, David O. Harrah, Hiram Howard, Noah Wagoner, David Osborn, Dan- iel Frields and others.
When this settlement was first made (about fifty years ago,) the neighbors were some distance apart ; and Mr. David O. Harrah says that M. Thomas Flannagan went from where Linton now stands to old Un- cle Robert Harrahs', on a very cold morning, for fire, a distance of three miles.
the public attention, and the news- papers of that carly day : Mr. David Osborn was a farmer, and was at work cutting buckwheat, over in the edge of Wright township, and, as lic always started from home early, he was sure to see or hear the wolves and bears in the woods, about the north edge of the Nine-mile prairie. On one occasion, as Mr. Osborn was going to work as usual, he heard a hog squealing in the woods. Upon going to the relief of the hog, he found him in the clutches of a huge bear. As he came up, he hissed at the bear which caused him to let the hog go, and start for Mr. Osborn. Being a very active man, he ran up a little bush with the bear right af- ter him. The bear chawed and eat the man's shoes off, and tore the flesh in many places. The only thing that Mr. Osborn could do was to break off little switches and whip the bear over the head, when he climbed down and took a scare at the man, and left him bleeding and weak in mind and body. Mr. Osborn then returned home bad- ly hurt ; but he finally recovered from that sore conflict. He after- wards joined the Mormons, and was in the fight at Nauvoo, at the time the Prophets Joe Smith and Riggs were killed.
The first little log cabin school house was built at the northwest cor- ner of the township, where Mr. Shep- ard lives.
Hiram Iloward came over here from Fairplay, and built the first blacksmith shop near Mr. Buzan's. He was a native of Vermont and ful- ly enjoyed frontier life. He was also a great trapper and caught many wolves and bears. He had one steel bear trap that weighed just one hun- dred and ten pounds.
Mr. Osborn Harrah first settled on the place where he now lives in the northwest corner of Grant township, where the old Hart trace crossed the old Buffalo trail near the Harrah
Mr. David Osborn, the son-in-law of Honorable Thomas Butler, was a great hero in this neighborhood. We; chapel. He is a weaver's reed maker will here state one fact that attracted by trade and has yet a great quantity
50
The Early History of Greene County.
of the olden time reed cane on hand. [ northwest of Marco. Mr. Stafford He was also the legal constable for many years.
David O. Harrah has the oldest watch in Greene county and also the oldest.plow and bell, and he regulates all the watches in the family by this old time piece.
Wolf Pen Branch was the place where the old settlers caught the wolves in pens;and the branch is now called Plum Branch.
CHAPTER XXX. STAFFORD TOWNSHIP.
MONG the first old pioneer sct- tlers in Stafford township, were Josiah Carrico and Joseph Dix- on. Afterwards came Bartlett Good- man, old Mason Pitts, Isaac Hubbell and James Walker. The Carrico marsh was named for the old man Car- rico, as that swamp was his pasture, where he kept his stock.
The first log cabin was built by the oldest settler, Uncle Josiah Carrico, on the farm where James Burris now lives. Old Grandfather Benjamin Stafford was born on the Monongahe- la river, in Pennsylvania, and mar- ried Miss Eve Caress, of Kentucky, and they came to Greene county in the year 1819. Mr. Stafford and wife had eleven children, six boys and five girls, and the mother died many years ago. The old gentleman lived to see his youngest child mar- ried. He died in the year 1842, and was buried at the old homestead, Stafford Cemetery, near Marco. His son Benjamin Stafford, jr., was born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, and came to Greene county, Indiana, in 1818, and settled on Black creek, just east of Marco. He married Miss Martha Ball, daughter of Isaiah Ball, who died in the army many years ago. Mrs. Martha Stafford had five children and died in the year 1844. Mr. Stafford afterwards mar- ried Miss Nancy Ann Page, and they live at home, on a good farm in Staf- ford township, about three miles
is a good, substantial farmer and a good citizen in his neighborhood, and has made two very good farms besides his present homestead farm. He first made the farm where young George Morgan now lives, and afterwards hre made the Burch farm and his home farm of near one hundred acres. Mr. Stafford also built the first little water mill on Black creek and sold that mill to our old social friend Drn- ery B. Boyd. Honorable Druery B. Boyd sold out and moved to Illinois, and died several years ago.
Old Uncle Aaron Brewer, one of the oldest settlers, is now eighty-five years old and performed the duties of constable up to one year ago, was a soldier in the war of 1812 and draws pension for same ; also, P. M. O'IIa- ver, seventy-five years old, and Jo- seph Knowls, about seventy-fivo years old. One of the early settlers of .this township was Sinfon Ilager- man. He built a cabin and set out the old orchard where George W. Simes now lives. Old Uncle Abra- ham Garret (father of our present Trustee ), settled on Delaware fork and established a carding machine to make wool rolls, which did good ser- vice until 1851. Uncle Abe died in 1867.
CREEKS AND BRANCHES.
Delaware fork of Bogard's creek, in the west part of the township, was called so for the last tribe of the Del- aware Indians that was seen hunting there. That creek empties into the cane drain and passes out into Knox county. The Goose Pond is a very large marsh and prairie, covering about five miles of soil with water and geese. We have wild geese here every year by the thousands. Carri- co marsh was the old man Carrico's stock pasture and range for over twen- ty-five years. It has been a great place for old pioneer hunters. Mr. Carrico raised the first crop of corn in this township. Mr. Hugh Massey was a colored man, and he built the first little horse mill and the first cot-
81
The Early History of Greene County.
ton gin to pick out cotton seeds for [ the George Morgan big farm, west of our farmers. Mr. Massey and the old mill have long since passed away. The Carrico log cabin was on the place where James Buesis now lives.
The first school teachers were Thomas Cartwright and James Har- vey. Clark Anderson is a prominent man in his neighborhood, just over in Knox county. Mr. Anderson is a common farmer, fifty-seven years old. Christopher Winer, just in the edge of Knox county, is another clever old man and n Jack-of-all-trades. He is a wagon maker, shoe maker, carpenter, and very good farmer. Mr. Winer is near sixty years old, was born in Morgan county, Ohio, and married Susan Johnson. They have ten children, eight boys and two girls.
CHAPTER XXXI.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
HE first old settlers in Washing- ton township were John Had- don, Henry and Madison Col- lins, old James Harrison, Benjamin Stafford, Jr .. William Pomroy and John Crooks, Afterwards came John Seeman, our first Greene coun- ty Sheriff. Old Bailey Johnson, the sheriff of Sullivan county, done the business for Greene county before Mr. Seeman's time. Next came Pe- ter Harrington, John and Edward Goldsberry and Jacob Pitzer, the one- legged man.
CREEKS AND BRANCHES.
Black creek heads up in the Goose pond and marsh, and was named for the dark color of its clear water, be- ing the color of dark glass. Buck creek was the place for all the old hunters to kill deer, but is not the Buck creek of Stockton township. Black marsh, Buck creek, Goose pond and Dog island are common household words among old settlers. Morgan prairie was first called the Hockett prairie, and was owned by the Dixons. The old settlers raised good cotton crops for many years at
Paw-paw bend on White river. Roll. ing prairie and Half-moon of Fourz mile prairie are prairies in and about Switz and Lyons stations. Where Marco now stands was the old Indian camp ground, sixty years ago.
Mr. John Haddon first settled on the Morgan prairie and afterwards he killed his mother near Carlisle while he was drunk, and then ran off to Texas. Henry Collins was the father of Elisha Collins, and died several years ago in Illinois. John Seeman first settled in the bottom close to Buck creek. The first elections were held at old Benjamin Stafford's on the old Stafford farm.
The first distill house and little raw hide tub mill was built by John Staf- ford and Joseph Dixon at the place near Wash. Hedrick's.
Our old time physicians were John W. Davis, Dr. O'Haver, Dr. Dean and Grandmother Dixon.
John Crook was born in Jefferson county, Kentucy, and married Susan Winer, and they had three children when Mrs. Crook died. Afterwards he married Miss Mary Stafford, & sister to Benjamin Stafford, and they had nine children, five boys and four girls. Aaron Haguman was born in the Indians Territory, in what is now Floyd county; in 1814. Ile came to Greene county in 1825, and married Miss Nancy Crook, daughter of John Crook, our old Sheriff. Mr. Haguman and wife raised eight chil- dren, five boys and three girls. The old man died in 1864, and was buried at the old Stafford cemetery, just east of Marco.
Samuel Plummer was born in Flemming county, Kentucky, and married Rebecca Evans. They had three children, two girls and one boy. Mr. Plummer died about thirty years ago on Licking river. The son, Mr. Alexander Plummer, was born in Flemming county, Kentucky, and came from there to Owen county, In- diana, about 1825, and then to Greene county in 1830, where he married
82
The Early History of Greene County.
Miss Nancy Plummer of another family of that name. Alexander Plummer first settled in Fairplay township. Mrs. Plummer had ten children and raised seven of them to be grown. Mrs. Plummer died and the husband married Mrs. Mary Rol- lison some years since. They live on the Marco and Bloomfield road five miles from Bloomfield. Mr Alexander Plummer has been our County Surveyor for near twenty years past, and he has made more farms and rolled more big log heaps than any other man of his age. He has also killed more deer than any- body except old Emanuel Hatfield. He has a bear's tooth and a pen-knife fifty years old.
Ambrose Rollison, a farmer fifty years old, was born in Morgan coun- ty, Ohio, and married Sarah Spencer. They had ten children, seven boys and three girls, and they live on the Marco and Bloomfield road.
David Alkire is a farmer and deal- er in fine sheep and hogs.
There are two sulphur springs in this township, about a mile apart, near to William Plummer, on the lands of Carpenter & Freeland.
Silver creek was named by Alex- ander Plummer and a Mr. Hogue finding a silver half dollar in the creek at the ford below Fairplay.
Dog island, the Big Bur Oak tree and a Big Sycamore tree are all noted places down in Paw-paw bend.
CHAPTER XXXII.
MIN THIS chapter we will give a brief notice of the different towns and villages throughout the county :
LINTON
Was named for Hon. William C. Lin- ton, of Terre Haute, the candidate for Congress that made the first speech there. It has three dry goods stores, one drug store, one wagon shop, one cooper shop, one barber shop, one flouring mill, one church, one school house and a post office.
JASONVILLE.
The population of Jasonville is one hundred. Business houses : one dry goods store, one drug store, one post office and notion store. It has also three harness shops, two blacksmith shops, three doctors, one school house and one church, Wright township.
JOHNSTOWN,
Jefferson township, is on the south bank of Eel river, at the old Hubbell mill place, containing one substantial school house, one grist and saw mill, particularly noted for its trade and contains a population of about forty or fifty.
NEWBERRY
Has four dry goods stores, two drug stores, two saddler's shops, one flour- ing and one saw mill, one blacksmith shop, one wagon shop, two hotels, three churches, two school houses, one tan yard, one shoe shop, one mil- linery shop, one planing mill and one cabinet shop-Cass township.
SOLSBERRY.
Two dry goods stores, one drug store, one saddlery shop, one shoe- shop, one boarding house, two mil- liner shops, one church house, one school house, one blacksmith shop, one flouring mill, one carding and spinning factory, one cabinet shop, one picture gallery and one nursery. The population at present is one hun- dred and thirty-six .- Center township
In August, 1842, Lilbern Owens built a log house and a log blacksmith shop where Owensburg now stands. Wm. Hert "set in" to learn the blacksmith trade with Owens on the day he was seventeen years old, Sep- tember 24th, 1842 (one month after Owens' settlement).
The town was laid off in March, 1848, by L. Owens and Emanuel Hatfield, is near the center of Section twenty-seven, Town 6, Range 3, be- ing one and one-half miles from Mar- tin county line and two and one-hal- miles from Lawrence county line, is a very healthy location and is sur- rounded by numerous never-failing
83
The Early History of Greene County.
springs of excellent water.
John P. Gainey kept the first dry goods store and WilliamHert was the first postmaster.
The Baptist church was built 1850. Sidney Owen built and kept the first hotel.
John George may also be classed as one of the pioneers. He has made two additions to the town since it was originally laid off, and Emanuel Hatfield has made one.
OWENSBURG.
Owensburg has, at present (Sep- tember 1st, 1875), three hundred and twenty-five inhabitants, actual count, is doing as good a business as any town in the county, according to popu- lation, has a large territory for trade, has four dry goods, one hardware, one drug and one furniture store, two coffin shops, two. blacksmith shops, one good steam flouring mill, two shoe shops, one harness shop, one wagon shop, two first-class hotels, two churches (Baptist and Christian), one graded school, one Masonic lodge, five physicians, seven carpenters and the usual number of loafers and dead beats.
NEWARK,
In Beech creek township, is a good place, for a small inland town, with n. good trade and business prospects. It has one church, one school house, one flouring mill, one blacksmith shop, one shingle factory, three dry goods stores, one drug store and two doctors. Population not given.
MARCO
was named by the official managers at Washington City, at the time the post office was established. The vil- lage is located on the west bank of Black creek, and was laid out by Dr. Benefield, on the land of Frank- lin & Fletcher, in the year 1868. Marco has three dry goods stores, two drug stores, one blacksmith shop, one .saw-mill, employing twenty hands, one church, one school house and three doctors, with a population of three hundred inhabitants.
SWITZ CITY
is situated on the Indianapolis and Vincennes railroad, seven and one- half miles southwest of Worthington and thirty-eight miles northeast of Vincennes. It has a population be- tween fifty and seventy-five and con- tains, at this time, one -dry goods store, one drug and grocery store, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one saddler shop and one saw- mill, and within a few weeks will have two or three other business houses. The town is rapidly increas- ing and will soon be one of the most important business points in the coun- ty. It is one of the largest shipping points on the I. & V. R. R., and with- in one month from this date, a new railroad will be in operation to Bloom- field. The town has a good brick school house, and it is considered a healthy location. It is destined to be a place of some note.
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.