USA > Indiana > Boone County > Early life and times in Boone County, Indiana, giving an account of the early settlement of each locality, church histories, county and township officers from the first down to 1886 Biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and women. > Part 7
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they had better form a co-partnership. While in that mood an old man came along, and in conversation with him they were put in the possession of the agreeable news that he was a justice of the peace, and he was asked if he could unite them in marriage. He replied that if they wished it he could, and the ceremony was soon said, when they went on their way rejoic- ing. After struggling together, barely having a competency on which to subsist, and being the parents of five children, they held a consultation and decided that twelve years was long enough to sojourn in this out of the way mountainous country, where a wagon could get no nearer than five miles to their habitation, and where those who owned slaves were the only persons of worth or fit associates. They were firm in the faith that God directs the acts of mer nd kingdoms as well as the channels of the great waters. At that time no wagon roads were open to emigrants from their place of abode, so gathering up their worldly possessions and placing them in skin sacks, each secured to a horse on which was a pack-saddle, and being provided with a tent for camping out, father, mother and five children mounted the horses and drove before them twelve head of cattle. We journeyed 350 miles over hills and moun- tains, through valleys and swamps, and through a wilderness the greater part of the distance, grazing our animals, we sub- sisting on game. It took us four weeks to make the trip, being frequently lost from the trace. Reader, I opine that the use of a small amount of superfluity, not pertinent to the epistle, will not be amiss. The augmentation is to show that there can be no new faculties made in a person-only a change can be wrought.
When I made my debut in the Hoosier State I was a comely looking lad of about four years of age, and of light weight. I had an old mare called " High-flyer." The leather sack of pot-ware was lashed to her and I was the monitor on the sack. My raiment consisted of copperas colored muslin pants, tow-linen shirt, butternut wammus, and a striped cotton
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bonnet. The first few days of the trip everything went off lovely, until the day we were passing over the Rough-and- Tough Mountain, when Highflyer cast her pedestals into a hornet's nest and, having no hair where the hair ought to grow, could not switch off her tormentors. Here trouble be- gan, for she sought relief in a thicket, and rid herself of hornets, pot-ware, leather bag and pack-saddle, putting the monitor's head in juxtaposition with a stone, and from the demoralization and injury or some other cause, it has never since been just right. My father only skirmished on the picket, having a brother of mine not three years old, who was im- ported on the rear department of the horse that he rode. My mother did not fare so well, having an infant three months old, which she carried in her arms the whole distance, and in the trouble had to cast anchor with him, but coming in contact with a soft spot of earth prevented serious damage from being done. That evening we bagged a fine wild turkey, which as a viand was quite recuperating. We roosted high that night. Next morning we pursued our journey with great anticipa- tions.
As poor wanderers seeking a home, Traveling among savages, with their tribe alone; Longing to see the western, vine-clad hills, The rich lands and bright, gushing rills, With her forests and valleys so fair, With her flowers that scent the morning air.
I am almost persuaded to desist writing any more for fear my rough manuscript, being void of excellency, will be a mar- a-natha to the reader.
While on the trace there was a circumstance which gave me much uneasiness about how I was to meet emergencies, and the pressure on my young mind marred my peace during the remainder of the journey. The occurrence took place on Indiana soil hard by Blue River. The night that we were on bivouac to keep our cattle and horses from straying away, change of country, atmosphere and water, and being the mon- itor of the pot-ware, had brought about an unhealthy condition
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in my internal department. Every mother knew how to ad- minister to the ills of her children, for there were no regular physicians where we lived, and after depositing the litter in the tent she thought the immersion of my copperas in Blue River would result beneficially, so she gave them many dips and hung them on a spice brush near unto the camp-fire to have them dry and healthy next morning. The recollection yet torments me. When I made a dive in the morning for my pants, I found that purification had been entirely effectual, for the camp-fire had consumed them. I wept, and refused to be comforted; but I had a long tow linen undergarment, wammus and bonnet, and made the remainder of the journey with as much comfort as could be expected under the circum- stances. The next pair of pants that I was heir to was after we were domiciled in Indiana. Father killed a deer, dressed its skin, and mother made me a pair from the skin. Shawnee prairie was the intended place for our future home, but after pitching our tent here we came to the conclusion that we would remain, thinking the winters were too cold in a prairie coun- try where there was no fuel.
In 1828 John Gibson entered the land where Jamestown is now situated, which was entirely in the wilderness. We . lived in a tent until a small log cabin was erected. The sheep- skin certificate of entry was signed by President Jackson. Not a nail was used in putting up and finishing the edifice. In the midst of a dense, untamed forest, no neighbors were near, the chief inhabitants being wolves, bears, panthers, rac- coons and tribes of the Miami and Pottawattami Indians. Quite a number of wigwams were on the land where James- town now stands. Eel River took its name from the tribe that occupied the lands along the creek; Straps-brauck from a chief by the name of Strap, Raccoon from the Raccoon tribe. While referring to Indians in this narrative, it brings up inci- dents very vivid to the mind of the author of the many sleep- less nights and fearful days that were worn away in expectation of loosing a scalp by it being snatched off by those savage
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Indians. My fear of Indians was greater at that time than it was when serving an enlistment in the regular army forty years ago in the Rocky Mountain country, having many engagements and my comrades at various times being scalped in plain view and no way of giving them succor.
I was then bordering on five years old and my raiment consisted of a tow linen shirt, dressed buckskin pants, one large pewter button at waist, home made hog skin moccasins, butternut wammus, and the only thing that was bought to make me a full dress was an imported seal skin cap. I was as well dressed as any of the inhabitants.
You can readily see the proverbs that are wrote, From a treacherous memory I had to quote ; In my writing all these acts, I am not certain that all are facts.
Nearly all the pioneers were Kentuckians and Virginians, who had settled where water could be had without digging wells, coming from a country where there could be no wells dug on account of the rocks. They knew nothing of wells, and pumps did not come in use here for many years after a portion of the country was peopled.
There seems to be a mistake made by those who have given a treatise heretofore, for the person's names given as the old- est settlers are not those that came here first. The Davises, Calhouns, Mallets, Hughes, Scammerhorns, Turners, Smiths, Walterases, Johnses, Lewises, Penningtons, Coveys, Trotters, Taulbees, Youngs and several families of the Gibsons were those that made the first settlement in this immediate neigh- borhood. At that time, and for several years after, there was not a church, school house, mill of any kind, wagon shop, or any improvement of that kind nearer than Danville, in Hen- dricks County. My father soon started a tannery in a large trough for sole leather, and dressed skins for uppers, and with a leather whang made the moccasins. Without going into detail for years, what we used was gotten like unto the pro-
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duction and utilization of leather. Being a neophyte in writ- ing history, and not in possession of a neologist, what I might indite would be monotonous, therefore, I leave the subject of what we wore and how procured.
At that time there were scarcely any cereals produced. Crawfordsville, sixteen miles distant, then contained about fifty souls, who dwelt in cabins. This was the nearest point at which a grist mill and bread stuff could be found. I hope that the ladies of to-day will not think it incredible when I tell them that it was a common thing in that day for a married woman to go several miles into the woods (for neither stables nor pastures had an existence), hunt a horse, bring him in, lash a pack-saddle on him, mount him, travel the trace to Crawfordsville and return the same day with a half barrel of meal. Many a trip have I made with my mother to Craw- fordsville for meal, each having a horse, and at times having to wait for our turn, we would be out until midnight in the dense forest, while thunder and lightning, the war-whoop of the savages, the howling of wolves and screaming of cata- mounts, panthers and other wild animals was anything but agreeable. Few to-day would like to go through the ordeal, but many have, in times of yore, traveled the same trace. I cau not, on paper, dissemble all their acts, but from what is written the reader can judge other acts. Our nearest postoffice was Danville, Hendricks County. It then took thirty days to get news from Washington City ; twenty-five cents was the postage on a letter. The territory that now composes Boone County belonged to Hendricks, and all our county business was transacted there until an act of the legislature to organize Boone County was passed in 1829. In 1830 the county was organized, and in 1832 Jamestown was laid off by James Mat- lock and John Gibson. The first inn was run by John Gib- son ; Jacob Tipton was the first blacksmith ; Sayres & Burk engaged first in the dry goods business; Ephraim Rudisille, eight years later, was the first physician, and was also a Luth- eran preacher. By the sale of lots and other means my father
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bought the first wagon he ever owned. We then had a State Road, town and mail route, and procured the establishment of a postoffice here. Samuel Hughs and Jacob Tipton were both wanting the honor of being appointed postmaster. They agreed that the legal voters interested should decide by a vote who should be the one. A vote was taken, which resulted in a tie. I, then being quite a big, good-looking boy, beginning to notice, they agreed that they would impose the onerous task on me to settle the matter. Tipton, with evil intent, put about my person a beautiful six-pence handkerchief of many colors, which was enticing, and I voted for him. Perhaps it was the first vote sold in Boone County, but there was no trouble made about it, and very little has been made since for selling votes, for I verily believe that when the votes of the parties are nearly evenly balanced votes are bought yet.
The following Sabbath, a mile distant, over the way, on the creek, was a small cabin that had been evacuated by a family, who, for fear Black Hawk and his warriors would pounce upon them and relieve them of that portion of their normal inheritance where the hair took root, had skedaddled for old Virginia. The divine who was to preach talked on the subject of " Simon Peter, feed my sheep." The chorus of the hymn that was sung was " Fare you well, my dear broth- ers ; fare you well, my dear sisters-though I go, I will come again," and then there was shaking of hands. It is easy to tell what were their tenets of faith. I was very anxious for the time to arrive, and when it came around, I had soap used on me, my new tow-linen shirt, cottonade pants, with buek- skin suspenders and a straw hat, all of which were made at home-not any store goods to complete my dress, except my handkerchief of many bright colors, for which I sold my vote. When I hid one half of it in my cottonades and left the other portion floating in the breeze, I came to the conclusion that I was dressed to my entire satisfaction and had a better outfit than any boy in the country, and I looked in the mirror and found it so. At the proper time, off I went to the first meet-
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ing house that I ever was at, with all the boys following, to behold that lovely annex beyond what was common to the dress in those days. The dignity in my strut excelled and cast a penumbraical shadow on all former displays. Going into the church, I walked directly to the center, elevating my important self upon the log seat, taking my hat off, standing erect in order to make a display, so every person could see my handsome rig. I remained in that position until the preacher arose to take his text, and he said aloud : "The young man standing on the seat will please sit down, then the people's attention will be directed to what the preacher says, and not to him." The ordeal wilted me.
Oh, the contraction that it worked in my frame ! All my elongation never made me the same ; My outcome was as Zachariah that climbed the tree To get above the multitude his Savior to see. But it is not thought to be becoming for one of my age, In telling such stories for me to engage; Still there are many who love to hear us tell
Of the time we came to this country to dwell- Their journey on horseback many a mile,
Traveling the lonely trace like Indians in single file.
Perhaps it will not be out of place to treat of the knowl- edge that some of our officials had at that time of jurispru- dence, and what I may say is without malice to any and with the most cordial feelings to all. About fifty-four years ago, at a gathering of the people here, two men had a fight, and the old justice of the peace, being prepared for the emergency, had brought his docket with him. There being no constable, he made the arrest. He preached the doctrine, what is to be will come to pass, so he aided in making the violation of law a terror to evil-doers. Near by was a rail pen, which was utilized as a pound after the milk cow had been brought in at night, to have her safe until morning. There was where he held court. It was the first court I was ever in, and, after hearing the evidence, he found them guilty and assessed a fine of fifty cents against each, and ruled that they should remain
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in his custody until satisfaction be rendered. Then sallied forth to the lady, who was a physician at times, engaged in the sale of ginger-cakes and matheglem. This beverage was a decoction of wild honey and rain water, made in the old cedar churn, and she carried the churn, full of the fluid, with one arm, and the cakes in her apron with the other, to get to the place of rendezvous. The price of a cake and a gourd full of the drink was a fourpence-hapenny, and the old lady had heard that two of her neighbors were in duress, which awakened a feeling of sympathy. She told the old man she would graciously give him one of her cakes and a gourd of matheglem if he would release those men. It being the time of day that men's bread-baskets need filling to prevent con- traction, he agreed, and quaffed the filling, then stretched forth his arm and said, " By the authority invested in me by the great state of Indiana, I remit the fine and give you liberty." Tearing the leaves out of the docket, all was over.
Many years ago a practicing physician, a justice of the peace in Jamestown, was an important witness for one of the parties in the first case brought in his court, and the attorney convinced him that it was legal to give his evidence to him- self. He therefore arose, facing his chair, gave the evidence, sat down and decided the case on his own evidence. The attorney for the other party declared it was not necessary to elect men and pay them to go to the metropolis to enact laws, for it could be done more expeditionsly and cheaper at home. The 'squire afterwards was nominated and made the race for representative to the State Legislature. He was a brother of a man who was elected to congress from one of the most im- portant districts in the state, and made the race for Governor afterward. Another 'squire was a theologaster, who having a note for the payment of money dne him, sued in his court, took judgment for the amount in favor of himself, taxed cost on case, issued an execution and had the money collected ; in a few years made the race for representative. About the same date an aspiring young man who afterward soldiered with me
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during the Mexican War, wearing a grego as I did, was elected constable, and having to make a levy on a steer thought it would not be legal unless he laid his hand upon him ; there- fore he took off his coat, shoes and socks and ran down the animal to make the matter lawful. He, in after years, was elected and filled with good capacity one of the most important offices in Boone County, serving with honor as colonel of one of the regiments during the late rebellion. If ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise. Imperfections are often hidden from others eyes. A 'squire and preacher who was among the first that settled here, not very able in ethics but skilled with his gun-a good old man and the grandfather of a gen- tleman who was asking the nomination from the Democratic party in 1886 to make the race for representative-concluded, as meat was getting low in the trough, he would take his gun and dog, go into the woods and secure a wild hog. He was dressed fashionably for this country, wearing a coon-skin cap, hogskin moccasins, no socks, wammus, flax-shirt, and having only one large pewter button at the waist which was to do the substantial business of keeping the pants in their proper place. The dog was also an annex to that button by being looped to it by a long leather whang. After scanning the woods for about two miles distant, he hove in close proximity to a gang of hogs. He shot and wounded one, ran to it in order to dis- patch it with his butcher-knife. The other hogs rallied and were in the act of taking him in. Trees being plenty he utilized one for safety, but his ascension was not very high for a time, for his dog was hanging to his pewter button with hogs cutting at his narrative, so that he did not make much progress in getting up there. Things were becoming ugly, and for quite a while the 'squire could not decide the case, whether he would be able to eat the hog or the hogs cat him and the dog, but to his great relief, he became so much contracted from fright that the great effort the dog was mak- ing to get released, he snaked the pants off of the man in the fork of the tree, making for a log of a fallen tree, which he
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reached in safety, climbing up to where the hogs could not molest him. Imagine the dog over there tied to those pants, the 'squire up in a tree surrounded by wild hogs which would devour him if he came down without his leather trousers. It being a very cold, snowy day in mid winter it soon caused the old gentleman to catch an opportunity to make a drive for a warmer climate, and it soon was favorable. He leaped from the tree as nimble as a catamount, made good time reaching home, did not check up but ran against the door, breaking it open and landing in the middle of the floor in the presence of wife, family and two neighbor women who were visiting there. Being nearly exhausted and out of wind his voice was warb- ling like that of the nightingale when charming the forest with her tale. The good wife could not comprehend what he said, but being a lady of large conception she soon clothed him as Jeff Davis was when taken a prisoner, until his ward- robe was replenished.
My gossip about men is wearisome, I fear ; I'll give an essay about ladies that were here. . Ginseng roots dug by women of the land, Beeswax extracted from wild honey were in demand.
About fifty-five years ago an old man and wife occupied a lonely cabin four miles from any neighbors. Their estate con- sisted principally in a numerous offspring, and among the number were two young ladies aged eighteen and twenty. In autumn their time was employed digging ginseng, procuring beeswax and getting their products ready for the market. Their facility was two bovines of the male kind in a natural state, having a bodily make up similar to the bison of the western plains, except the lack of horns. Those girls would go into the woods, hunt the animals, put halters on their heads to guide them, ride them home, throw a sack of one hundred pounds of beeswax and 'sang onto them, mount and ride them to the store, alight, hitch the transportation train to a tree, take their exchange, each enter the store with a load and trade it to the merchant for coloring materials and cotton yarn to be
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manufactured into a web of eloth to elothe the family, proceed home and turn loose their steeds in nature's great pasture until wanted for use again.
In those days women did not think of voting, Not politicians belonging to the ring ; For Paul said many years ago, It was not right for ladies to do so. But development has had a wide range,
And in the minds of people wrought a change ;
Fifty years more in the calendar may tell Of the many changes to those who may dwell.
In 1832 the Black Hawk war was to be right here in a very short time. The many accounts given of the success of the savages produced a big seare among the settlers, for as there was a greater amount of F. F. V.'s. and Kentucky blood in their system than patriotism and bravery, caused many to give away what they had and save themselves by flight to the mountains of their native state. One man gave eighty acres of good land for an old horse to carry his paek, he and his wife walking. Another gave a good cow for a new wool hat, and many others did likewise with their property, making the trip, women, children and all that were able to walk, back to the old coun- try, for they verily believed that all who remained here would be murdered by the Indians. After the war was over the most of them returned, and many of their children are living here yet. Fifty-six years ago I have a vivid recollection of a family that domiciled near the creek, and in the most frigid winter weather, when there was ice on the creek, I have known their boys to be out skating on the ice one mile from fire, with but little clothing to keep them warm and entirely barefooted.
The first church that I have any recollection of being erected here was built by the Regular Baptists, and was used by their flock exclusively. Shortly after the house was completed a Methodist minister, in passing through the country, applied to those of the church that had taken the bishopric of the Apos- tles for the use of the house in which to deliver one sermou. After a consultation, they informed him that the heresies that
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he might preach would so adulterate the walls that the people who were the chosen of God never could do any good by preaching in it, therefore they refused to let him have their house.
May no walls be erected in the way, To prevent truth from having its full sway. On the sine qua non they certainly stood,
And iu preaching the tenets had to be the same to do good.
When talent becomes universal this country will be a good place to stay in ; but it is not born in all. The first three dis- tillers who engaged in the business of making what is known now as sod corn whisky, at an early day were all in the manu- facture about the same time, and leading members of churches would go to meeting on Sunday, and put on their sanctimoni- ous harness, take a seat near the sanctum sanctorum, and their reverential appearance excelled that of the meek old Patriarch Moses ; but during the sickly season-and that was all the year with some-they would take a few bushels of meal to the distiller and exchange the meal, one bushel for one gallon of whisky, take it home, put roots and barks into it, and have all the family to exercise their imbibation functions in order to drive off the noxious and pestilential vapors that might engen- der disease in the system. More persons, according to the number that used alcoholic drinks excessively at that time, died from the effects than at this time. It was a good remedy for snake bites, and an overdose got up many fights.
The preachers then taught that it was a blessing from Goi, Yet the blessing put many under the sod.
Over half a century ago we were very much in dread of the many large and poisonous snakes that were here, but it would be too tedious to give a detail of the persons that suf- fered from their bites. The largest were the yellow rattle- snakes, many of them measuring six feet, and when killed and cut open, inside of them one had a fawn, another a rabbit and another a grown grey squirrel. A species of the black racer
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