USA > Indiana > Madison County > Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, Indiana: A Detailed History of the. > Part 63
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three semi-circles about three feet above the bed of the stream. This masonry may answer the purpose for which it was in- tended, but adds nothing to the primeval beauty of the Falls. In fact, every change, every improvement that has been made in their surroundings since the white man first settled in this vicinity has detracted from their native grandeur. No farther back than forty years ago the Falls and their environment pre- sented a scene of picturesque beauty rivaled only in the idle visions of the romancer and poet. What they were in the solitude of long ago when the Mound Builders were here, can only be imagined.
The mills owned by the company were swept away by fire June 1, 1865, and a large two-story flouring-mill was afterwards built upon their site. This property is now owned by B. F. Aimen, one of the oldest and most enterprising of Fall Creek township's citizens.
The raising of flax in Madison county has nearly become a thing of the past. It was for many years one of the leading industries and yielded large and ready profits to the farmer, but as the soil became worn it was no longer a paying busi- ness, and now it is a rare thing to see a field of growing flax. It takes strong, fresh land to grow a paying crop, and it will not grow a second time on the same ground to a profit. In the flax-raising period all of the towns of importance had flax mills, where the straw was manufactured into jute for bag- ging and similar uses. Pendleton, not behind its rival towns, had one of these mills erected by J. Casely & Son, in 1869, at a cost of $5,000. It did a flourishing business until the pro- duction of flax ceased to be profitable, when it was abandoned.
Just above the Falls and west of the Big Four railroad, on the north side of the creek, is the spot where Hudson, Bridge and Sawyer expiated their brutal crime-the murder of the Indians-a crime which caused the greatest alarm throughout the settlement at the time and aroused to the highest pitch the indignation of the pioneers against the murderers. Just below the Falls is where the noted negro politician and ex-slave, the Hon. Fred. Douglas, was assaulted by a mob of pro-slavery men in 1843, a full account of which will be found elsewhere in this work.
TOWN OF PENDLETON.
A large per cent of the first settlers of Fall Creek town- ship located along the creek near the Falls, and the proximity
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
of their homes gave the locality the appearance of a town. The ground upon which the town of Pendleton now stands belonged to Thomas M. Pendleton and the density of popula- tion in that vicinity suggested to him the idea of founding a town. With this end in view he had his property surveyed and divided into town lots on the 13th of January, 1880. He had entered this land in 1828. The lots were platted and duly recorded. Several additions have since been made to the original plat and the town to-day is one of the prettiest in the State. But few of the old landmarks of the original village remain ; the buildings devoted to business, to worship, to education, to private residences-all impress the beholder with the fact that while improvements have been going on in other parts of the county, the citizens of Pendleton have kept pace with the times. To one not familiar with the history of the place it would be difficult to believe that it is the oldest town in the county, and that for many years it was one of the most important business points in central Indiana. There is an appearance of refinement, an air of independence and progress that is presented by but few towns of its size in the West.
The Bellefontaine railroad (Big Four) was completed to Pendleton in 1850, and on the 24th of December, 1858, a vote was taken to determine whether the place should be incorpor- ated as a town or remain a village. Nathaniel Richmond, G. M. Rogers and T. G. Mitchell were the inspectors and the vote stood 37 for, to 4 against the proposition. The first Board of Trustees was composed of Nathaniel Richmond, T. G. Mitchell and John Houston and the first meeting of the Board was held March 31, 1854. David Bowsman was the first Marshal of the town. The first street Commissioner was John Houston, who was elected in 1855. John Taylor Wall was the first School Trustee.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
The Pendleton Methodist Episcopal church was the first religious society organized in the county. Its organization -occurred in 1823, before there was a frame building in the Town or township. The first members of this society were Thomas M. Pendleton and family, Mrs. Thomas McCartney, Mrs. Samuel Holliday, Mr. and Mrs. Elias Hollingsworth, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Hundley and Mr. and Mrs. James Scott. Religious exercises had been held in the township, however, two years at least before this society was organized, by a Rev.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Mr. Taylor, who preached at the house of Elias Hollingsworth to the early settlers. Whenever a circuit rider would visit the settlement a courier would be sent out to inform the settlers that religious services were to be held, designating the time and place. Uncle Jimmy Hollingsworth, mention of whom has been frequently made by the authors, was then a mere lad and often discharged this office. Rev. Nathan Fairchild also preached to the early settlers of the township and is still kindly remembered by the few remaining old-timers.
On the 28th of April, 1882, or nine years after this society was organized, Thomas M. Pendleton and wife deeded to F. M. Richmond and others, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the north half of Lot 82, in the town of Pendleton, forever, in trust, "in consideration that they erect, or cause to be erected, a house of worship for the use of the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church." Up to this time services were held at the homes of members. A log church was at once erected on the lot donated by Mr. and Mrs. Pendleton, where services were held until 1889, when it was torn down and a frame building, with a seating capacity of about 600, erected in its place. This building was enlarged and re- modeled in 1877. Among the early pastors who have minis- tered to the congregation of this church were : Revs. James Reeder, James Havens, Edward Ray, F. M. Richmond, J. H. Hull and W. H. Goode. Many of the ablest and most elo- quent ministers connected with the North Indiana Conference have visited Pendleton and preached from the pulpit of this is church. The congregation is the largest in the township andd is composed largely of the best and most prominent citizens im Fin this part of the county.
The Baptists at one time had a small congregation at Pen- en- dleton, and in 1834 erected a house of worship, but in 187 5 872 the society united with the Baptists at Anderson and disposezsed of the building. Nathaniel P. Richmond, Martin Brown and sand wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Irish and Susannah Richmond were Is ere among those who organized this society.
The Society of Friends once had a place of worship a3 o at Pendleton at an early day, but it was abandoned, and there i i -e is now no regular place for holding religious services in this the township, although there are a good many Friends in this the locality. John Middleton was the first minister of the society ety. and held services at the house of Jonathan and Ann Thomas rias as far back as 1836.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
The First Universalist church of Pendleton was organ- ized February 20, 1859, at Huntsville, a previous meeting hav- ing been held on the 6th of that month at Pendleton for the purpose of taking preliminary steps towards organizing a society of those who believed in the doctrine of Universalism. A committee was appointed at the Pendleton meeting to draft a constitution and by-laws for the government of the society, and at the Huntsville meeting the report of the committee was. received and adopted. Those who participated in this meet- ing were James Cassady, Joshua Crawford, John Tillson, John Houston, David Bowsman, Jacob Weford, Lewis Cas- sady, John Wert and T. G. Mitchell. A board of trustees, consisting of John Houston, John Tillson and David Bows- man, was elected, and preparations were begun at once for the erection of a church. Meetings had been held by mem- bers of the society previous to this in the second story of the seminary and other places. The late Rev. B. F. Foster, of Indianapolis, the memory of whose gentleness, benevolence and Christian effort is still fragrant throughout Indiana, preached the first Universalist sermon in Pendleton. Rev. Gibson was called to the pulpit soon after the church organiza- tion had been effected, and during his incumbency a place of worship was erected on the corner of Main and Water streets. The paper circulated for subscriptions to the building fund de- clared that this church " shall always be open to moral, scien- tific, religious and political lectures so long as and whenever they are conducted in an orderly manner." The building was a frame, but in 1895 it was reconstructed and is now a brick edifice, of neat and substantial appearance. Many of the leading citizens of the town and township are connected with this society. The present pastor is the Rev. Forshire.
This church occupies the site of the first court house erected in the county.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The school enumeration for the present year shows that the number of persons in the township eligible to the privi- leges of the public schools is 928, of which 465 reside with- in the corporate limits of Pendleton. The enumeration also shows that there is but one colored child of legal school age in the township. The township has eleven school houses and thirteen teachers exclusive of the corporation of Pendle- ton, which has two buildings and employs nine teachers. The
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
buildings at Pendleton are eligibly situated, and besides being commodious are supplied with everything necessary for the comfort and convenience of pupils. For many years Pendle- ton had but one school building, a two-story brick structure, known as the Pendleton Academy. This building was erected in 1864 upon the site of the second school house built in the town. The first school house stood just east of the Big Four 11
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railroad near the present thoroughfare known as T'ariff street. et The new building erected in 1895 is modern in every respect =C and one of the handsomest in the county.
FRATERNAL SOCIETIES.
The first lodge of any order instituted in the county was af Madison Lodge No. 44, F. and A. M., at Pendleton, on the he 10th of February, 1841. A meeting of Master Masons habad been held, however, previous to this for the purpose of taking the initial steps necessary to the organization of a lodge. =h, This meeting was attended by Henry Wyman, William Roach J. L. Bell, J. H. Cook, S. D. Irish, Thomas Adamson, W. H. Mershon, Thomas Silver and Archibald Cooney, the origi-
nal promoters and members of the lodge. Henry Wyman pre.
sre.
sented the petition for a dispensation authorizing that organi- zation of the lodge to the Grand Master, and on the above ve stated date the lodge was organized. The first officers were -e,
James L. Bell, W. M. ; W. H. Mershon, S. W .; S. D. Irish J. W. ; J. H. Cook, Sec. ; Thomas Silver, Treasurer ; Joseph Chittwood, S. D. ; Thomas Adamson, J. D., William Roach Tyler. This was not only the first lodge in the county, bu unut among the first north of the old national road and the parem .nt of nearly all the Masonic lodges in this portion of theThe State. Bernard Thomas was made a Mason on the 15th of Mayay, 1841, by this lodge, being the first person in the county initt iti- ated into the mysteries of the order, The early meetings of the lodge were held in the second story of a dwelling hous use owned by J. H. Cook.
Madison Lodge has experienced many vicissitudes sino rance its reorganization, but to-day is one of the strongest lodge ·ges in the county, financially and otherwise, owning one of th the finest temples in the State. This building was complete =ted and dedicated in February, 1893. It is situated on west Star State street, is constructed of brick and stone, and is three storie fries high. It will stand for years as a monument to the enterpris ise of the membership of Madison Lodge.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
I. O. O. F.
Pendleton Lodge No. 88, I. O. O. F., was instituted on the 11th of September, 1850. The first officers were : G. W. Bailey, N. G .; James Beck, V. G .; W. N. Lummis, Secretary ; George Brown, Treasurer.
The lodge was organized in the hall of Madison Lodge F. & A. M., and continued to hold its meetings there until the Masonic Fraternity completed its lodge building on State street, when an arrangement was made by which both lodges occupied the same hall for a number of years. In 1880 the Trustees purchased lot 12 (original plat) as a site for a new hall. A two-story brick building was erected on this site in 1890 and in January, 1891, the new home of the lodge was dedi- cated with appropriate ceremonies. The lodge is in a flour- ishing condition, having an active and constantly increasing membership.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
Sicilian Lodge, No. 234, was instituted December 19, 1889. It has a large membership and is in an excellent con- dition financially. The meetings of the Lodge are held in the hall formerly occupied by the Masonic Fraternity.
I. O. R. M.
Oconee Tribe, No. 159, Improved Order of Red Men, was instituted November 26, 1892. The Lodge is in a fairly pros- perous condition. The meetings of the Order are held at pres- ent in Cook's hall.
U. A. O. D.
Pendleton Grove U. A. O. D., No. 20, was instituted April 5, 1895. This was the first lodge of Druids organized in the county. The membership is active and the Lodge is in a flourishing condition.
J. O. U. A. M.
Pendleton Council, No. 18, Junior Order United Amer- ican Mechanics, was instituted October 8, 1892. The Lodge is growing.
MAJOR HENRY POST,
Major Henry Post, No. 230, G. A. R., was organized August 28, 1883. This Post was named in honor of the gallant Major Henry, who was murdered by guerillas in Mis-
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
shot in the side and dangerously wounded. The man recov- ered, however. Bates was tried upon a charge of shooting with intent to kill, but was acquitted on the ground of self- defense.
Some time after this, a temperance mob made an attack upon his place of business with the intent of destroying his stock of liquors. The mob was in front of the hotel, the doors of which were securely bolted, when Col. Hervey Craven happened along on the opposite side of the street. Curiosity led him to join the crowd and just as he stepped into the outer circle of the excited throng, Bates fired a rifle from an upper window, inflicting a painful, but not serious, wound in the Colonel's left arm. Bates was arrested but Colonel Craven refused to prosecute him, insisting that it was an unlawful assembly and that he had no business there.
HUNTSVILLE.
This town was laid out May 24, 1880, by Eleazer Hunt and Enos Adamson, both of whom were early settlers in this locality. It is situated about one mile north-east of Pendle- ton, on the south-west quarter of Section 15 and the south- east quarter of Section 16. Among other prominent early settlers here were the Swains, Thomas and J. T. ; Abel John- son, John Montgomery, B. F. Gregory, John Jones, William Wright and Dr. McCain. A spirit of rivalry existed between Huntsville and Pendleton until the completion of the Belle- fontaine Railroad to the latter town, when it gradually began to die out.
For many years the township elections were held here, but in 1838 a petition was presented to the Board of Commis- sioners, asking that the place of voting be changed to Pendle- ton. This petition was strenuously opposed by the people of Huntsville, but after due consideration it was granted. The election laws were changed in 1890, the Australian system being adopted by the State Legislature, and there are now four polling places in the township, Huntsville being one of them.
FIRST MANUFACTORIES.
As remarked elsewhere in this work, every village at an early day had a tannery and Huntsville was not an exception, A. S. Underwood having established an industry of that char- acter in 1830, on what is now known as Main street. This tannery afterwards passed into the hands of many different
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. HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
proprietors, and finally was abandoned in 1868. Eleazer Hunt also started a tannery during the year 1831 and operated it for six years, when he sold it to Isaac Wright. This tan- nery was abandoned during the ownership of John and Will- iam Hunt.
In 1830 the first grist-mill was erected by Enos Adamson. The mill was located on the north bank of Fall creek, in the southwest part of the town. Mr. Adamson afterward in- creased the capacity of the mill by adding new machinery. He also operated a woolen mill and an oil mill in connection with it. The property was destroyed by fire in 1848.
Not long after the destruction of the property Nathan Wilson, Jonathan Wynn and Thomas Kocuin erected the present mill. This mill, together with a sawmill just east of it, was operated by Cook & Aimen for a number of years, and in 1872 Mr. Aimen became sole proprietor. Extensive im- provements were made to the property by Mr. Aimen, who subsequently sold out to the present owner, Mr. George Phipps. This gentleman is one of the most prominent busi- ness men in the township, progressive in his ideas and thor- oughly reliable. The first distillery in the township was erected on the mill race at Huntsville in 1831, by Robert Childers. This enterprise was short lived, as it was abandoned in 1888. The village had a hatter in the person of James Hackney, who opened a shop in 1831 and continued in busi- ness until 1838, when he removed farther west.
The first shoemaker in the place was Joseph Hair, who opened a shop on Main street in 1831.
John Conrad was the first tailor to locate in the village- 1831. He was elected Justice of the Peace and took an active part in securing the location of the Bellefontaine railroad.
Among the early carpenters, if not the first, to locate at Huntsville, were Thomas and J. T. Swain. The first black- smith was William Maul.
The first store in the village was owned by Benjamin Snodgrass. Other merchants of early times who did business here were Simeon Lewis, Dr. McCain, John Tillson, Benjamin Lukens, Nathan Wilson, H. Lewis, and William Johnson. The late William Roach, of Anderson, so well and favorably known to the older residents of the county, was once a resi- dent of the village and clerked for Mr. Snodgrass.
There was a post-office at Huntsville at one time, but the people now receive their mail at the Pendleton office. The 47
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
first postmaster was David P. Hazleton. He was succeeded by J. W. Roberts, who held the position for sixteen years. Horace Lewis was the last postmaster. Among the prominent physicians who have practiced at Huntsville are John Hunt, Joseph Weeks, W. H. Lewis, E. C. Prigg and W. P. Brickley.
MENDEN.
Save the United Brethren church, one residence and a cemetery, there is nothing at this place to remind one of the Menden of long ago. It is situated at the intersection of two country roads, three miles south of Pendleton. A post-office was located here at one time, but was abolished in 1851. Thomas Jordan established a store at this point at an early day, but subsequently sold out to Morgan Drury. Mr. Drury was appointed postmaster and served for a number of years. He was succeeded by John Pyle, and Mr. Pyle by Jonathan Wiseman, who was the last postmaster at this place.
The lands surrounding Menden are among the most fertile in the county.
POPULATION AND TAXABLES.
The population of Fall Creek township in 1850 was 2,128, in 1860 it was 2,117, in 1870 it was 2,483, in 1880 it was 2,479, and in 1890 it was 2,544, including Pendleton and Huntsville. The population of Pendleton in 1880 was 614, and in 1890 it was 996.
The total amount of taxables in the town of Pendleton this year (1896) is $518,390; the total amount in the town- ship, $1,101,445.
REMINISCENCES.
Thomas M. Pendleton, who is still remembered by Mrs. Alanson Russell, of Anderson, and others, is described as a rather courtly gentleman, who did not take kindly to modern customs, particularly in dress. He wore the continental frock coat, knee breeches, low-cut shoes with silver buckles, and a queue. Thomas or " Major" McCartney also wore a queue and continental frock, but did not affect knee breeches. These gentlemen were the only persons in the county who adhered to the continental style of dressing.
THE FIRST COOK STOVE.
In 1832 Palmer Patrick purchased a cook stove at Cin- cinnati, brought it to Pendleton and presented it to his wife.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
But few of the pioneer women of the locality had ever seen a cook stove, and when they learned that Mrs. Patrick was the proud possessor of one a great many called to see it. Mrs. Russell, a daughter of Mrs. Patrick, to whom the authors of this work are indebted for much information contained herein, says that the stove was regarded as a wonderful ap- pliance, and that the women who called to inspect it expressed a great desire to have one like it.
A PIONEER BULLY.
Nearly every locality at an early day had its " best man," or " bully, " who was always present at every meeting of the militia or other gathering to defend his title. These men were not always desperadoes, nor of ugly disposition. They simply prided themselves on their strength and ability to en- . dure punishment and would fight simply for the " glory " of whipping their man. Fall Creek township had a character of this description. He had, however, a vicious disposition and became very offensive, both in language and conduct upon the slightest provocation. His principal business was running horses, racing in that day, as in this, being very popular. His associates were men of like character, not so notorious as Rick, perhaps, but equally bad and reckless. Rick had been so successful in his fights that he had become " a terror." But his downfall came just as it always does to men of his class. He got into a controversy on a certain occasion with a Mr. Cottrell, a man much older than himself and wholly unable to cope with him in a fight. He used very abusive language to Mr. Cottrell and among other things applied to him a vile epithet. James Cottrell, a nephew of the insulted man, heard of the affair and one day met Rick whom he asked about the name he had called his uncle. Rick admitted that he had ap- plied the epithet and at once prepared to whip Cottrell on the spot, an undertaking that resulted in curing him of fight- ing forever afterwards. Young Cottrell got hold of Rick and before he let loose of him beat him almost into insensibil- ity. It is said that Rick never attacked a man after this affair ; his spirit was crushed and he was no longer a bully.
Among Rick's intimates was a man of the name of Joseph Snodgrass, whose character in the community was equally as bad, if not worse, than that of his friend. Counterfeit money had been placed in circulation, and suspicion pointed to Snod- grass as the counterfeiter. He was closely watched, and .
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA.
when sufficient evidence of his guilt had been secured to war- rant his arrest, Sheriff William Roach and a deputy went to Fall Creek township and placed him under arrest. Snodgrass `went along with the officers quietly until he came to Fall creek, which he crossed in advance of the Sheriff and his deputy. After getting across the stream he turned round, said " good-by " to the officers and dashed into the heavy underbrush and was gone. If he was ever heard of afterward by his friends it was kept very quiet. Certain it is that he was never again seen in the county. It was also noticed after his disappearance that counterfeit money did not circulate so freely in the township.
AN OLD AND PROMINENT CITIZEN.
William Cox, of Fall Creek township, ex-county commis- sioner, while not a pioneer of this county, is in every sense of the word an old-timer. He was one of those men who was built on the old-time style-came forth in a day when a man's word was considered as good as his note. Uncle Billy prides himself on always making his word good. He is as punctual as any man in the wide world in the performance of any agreement he makes. He came to this county fully forty years ago from what is called Blue Rock, Colerain township, on the Colerain pike, not far from Cincinnati.
A large settlement of the " Blue Rockers" in an early day removed to this and Henry county to seek their homes and fortunes, prominent among whom were the Williams, Hughes, Runyans and Coxes. Mr. Cox has mingled some- what in politics, always being victorious in every race he has made for office. He is a Democrat from "away back " and loves the teachings and traditions of that grand old party.
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