USA > Indiana > Bartholomew County > History of Bartholomew County, Indiana : From the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc. : Together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 32
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These men had simple ways. Their only cooking utensil was an iron pot, and out of it they ate their meals without the medium of plate or pan. The second winter they had a bed of leaves in a sack resting on bed cords made of hickory withes. Samuel Chap- pell and a Mr. Smith settled in the same year near the old Jim Gab- bert place on the eastern Hawpatch road. John Lindsey settled a little southeast of where the Lambert grave-yard was afterward 1 laid out, and at his cabin an event, the first of its kind, occurred, to mark the spot and give it some local historic interest. There in 1819, the first white child born in what is now Bartholomew County, commenced his career. General John Vawter was among the numerous prospectors who were then looking over the new country. A welcome guest, he stopped at Lindsey's cabin, to spend the night, during which John Tipton Lindsey was born. The elder Lindsey afterward moved to the settlement that grew up above the present site of Columbus and became prominent in public affairs, first representing the new county in the State Legis- lature. The younger Lindsey in later years, lived at South Bend, Indiana, and was County Clerk for a time at that place. Judge William S. Jones first came here on a prospecting tour in 1819, about the time the lands were being surveyed. He purchased a tract of land at the first sale in June, 1820, and soon after removed his family from Kentucky, and settled about six miles north of Columbus on the western side of Flat Rock. Judge Jones was born in Nelson County, Ky., in 1790, and from the date of his set- tlement in 1820, to the date of his death, led a useful and honor- able life in this county, holding at various times stations of honor and trust. He had been a soldier in the War of IS12, and partici-
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pated in the battle of the Thames. In the same locality the Stein- bargers settled in IS19. They became an influential family and did much to develop the wealth of the new country and improve the moral tone of society. Eli Pence and Benjamin Irwin came in 1820. The fertile soil of the Hawpatch attracted the settlers and caused the northern part of the county to fill up rapidly with cabins and settlements. The country east of Haw Creek was rather wet, there being a large pond or lake on sandy ground near where the Hinches settled, called Hinches' pond. But here the Coxes, Park- ers, Fosters, and others established their homes. West of the old State road another settlement was made by Mignon Boaz, Benja- min Crow, John Hill, and Joshua Sims, from east Tennessee, who came in 1820 with his boys, Russell, Lewis, Noah and Joshua, Jr. Judge Tunis Quick came in 1819, and afterward settled between the State and Hawpatch roads. He was a man of note and be- came conspicuously identified with the subsequent history of the county. Allen Wilson, John Connor, Jacob Gabbert, David Tay- lor, Jesse Ruddick the elder, Jacob Cook and Adam Cook, were among the carly settlers in that locality. The McQueens settled further up the creek, nearer the Cox neighborhood. Between the Hawpatch and Columbus were Jonathan Bunnell, Hans Irwin, John Singleton, and others. Most of the first settlers came in from Kentucky, some being natives of that State, and others having previously emigrated from Virginia and the Carolinas. The new lands were rapidly occupied and it would be impossible at this time to state with absolute certainty what settlements were first made except those above referred to.
In a few years immigrants came in from Ohio and Pennsylvania, and some who had pushed further north at first, came back and lo- cated within the boundaries of this county. The northeast corner of the county was settled mostly by people from North Carolina, though a Kentuckian, Hugh K. McKalip was among the first to push his way into these parts, reaching there in 1820. Benja- min O. Robertson came in 1822, the Harker family in 1824, Joseph Holder in 1825, Eli Zeigler in 1826, the Spaughs and Edridge Hopkins in 1827. Martin Hauser a young Moravian minister, burning with zeal, came from North Carolina in 1829
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and there lived a leader among men, beloved by all, until his death, in 1876. Others who came in early days were W. H. Chitty, Lewis Essex, David Fulwider, the Lamberts from Pennsylvania, Lewis Reed, the Romingers, Peter Rothrock, John P. Blum, Jacob Clouse, John Drouberger, Peter Fry, Isaiah Carter, Wiley Pow- ell, Robert Carter, Henry Clayton and many others. The vener- able Rev. Albert Carter, now of Newbern, was the first white child born in Haw Creek Township, and probably the second was William Powell, now a resident of the State of Kansas. Johnson Joiner and Thomas Bonnell came to the county in IS19 and are still among the living. Daniel Aikin, a Virginian, came in the spring of IS19, from Kentucky, with four or five children, and settled a short distance west of where St. Louis crossing now is. The Yealeys and Kell- ers were early settlers near Clifty Creek. In 1821, the Millers, from Kentucky, came. in: there were Ephraim and Mina, and their sons, Frank, Robert, George and Nelson. Soon after, came the Rolands, George and Dr. H. B., both good citizens, but with pro- nounced aristocratic tendencies. A settlement west of Columbus was early made; the Glantons and Gabberts were the more promi- nent people there - Francis J. Crump is said to have driven one of the wagons belonging to the Glantons, from Woodford County, Ky. He was a poor carpenter who afterward became one of the wealthiest men in Bartholomew County. John Day, Sr., now one of the oldest men in Sand Creek Township, was one of the early settlers in that locality. In 1821 the Quakers settled in Sand Creek Township, and ever since have kept up their religious organization there. Among those who first came were David, Willis and Joel Newsom, Samuel Nicholson, Isaac, Walter and Jonathan Cox, Isaac, William, Benjamin and Phineas Parker, John Hall, John S. and Chalkley A. Chawner, Solomon Stout and William Ruddick.
Among the first to settle in Wayne Township were John and David Prather, sturdy young pioneers, and their wives. Soon after came the Walls, Richard, Samuel and John; and then the Forgu- sons and Vanzandts. Two young men named Williams, and their brother-in-law, came into this settlement and built cabins, but be- came dissatisfied and pushed on to other fields. Their deserted cabins were immediately occupied by the families of William
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Thompson and Jacob Lane, the former coming from Kentucky, the latter from New York. The size and appearance of these cabins may be imagined when it is known that they were raised by one man and his wife. Peter Mckinney was an old settler in those parts and built the first still house there -- about one mile south of where Waynesville now stands. The Whalens, a widow and three sons, William, John and Thomas, early settled between Waynes- ville and Walesboro. Near the site of the latter place were the Wales family, Samuel and Charles Dougherty and Moses Sweeney, who now is probably the oldest resident in the southern part of the county. The southwestern part of the county was not settled until late-probably not earlier than 1830. William Sutherland, father of Bluford Sutherland, was probably the first to permanently locate in that section. Ezekiel Sutherland, now living at a ripe old age, was also among the first. Most of the settlers came direct from Europe, principally from Prussia, though among the pioneers here there were a number of Americans. Noah Cooley, Emanuel Burgett, William Linson, Thomas Mclaughlin, Noah Wantland, George Borstede, John F. Kobbe, Isaiah Watkins, George Sneiveley and Newel Stiles were among those who afterward became prominent in the neighborhoods where they resided. Farther north Aaron Crouch, Carter Harrison, Joel Ayers, Washington Haislop, Turner Haislop and Thomas Haislop were among the first. In the north- west the Tannehills were prominent and influential early settlers.
The first settler on the present site of Columbus was William Chapman, who was living in a small log cabin near where Bunnell's tannery was in later years, when Judge Jones and other land hunters came through the county in 1819. Hauser and Lochenour helped to raise the cabin. The next house was that of Luke Bonesteel, a double log house, which stood on the bank of the river near where the bridge now is, and was afterward used by the county for a court house. Luke Bonesteel and John Lindsey had previously settled in the Hawpatch, but they bought the land upon which Columbus was afterward located and deeded a part of it to General John Tipton, hoping to induce him to take up his residence there. As soon as the seat of government was located a village com- menced a growth which is elsewhere desribed in the history of the
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city of Columbus. The men of marked ability residing here who were instrumental in developing the county's interests, are named as fully as possible in other connections.
The public lands in Bartholomew County were surveyed in 1819 by A. C. Looker, Bethuel F. Morris, Abraham Lee, and Basil Bentley, and were put on sale at Brookville and Jeffersonville. The land system then required the lands to be publicly sold at not less than $2 per acre, of which one-fourth was to be paid in hand and the balance in three equal annual installments. Previous to the first sales the county had been thoroughly explored and examined by " land hunters" with the view of securing the best tracts. Among these were Luke Bonesteel, George Doup, Gen. John Tipton, John Lindsey, Charles Edwards, William S. Jones, Joseph Lochenour, Joseph H. Vanmeter and many others. For three months after the land office had been opened for the sale of the lands in the new purchase, they were crowded with buyers. Those who entered lands in Bartholomew County in 1820 were John Mulberry, Pristley Peak, David Shepperd, Basil R. Prather, Richard Wall, John Prather, Jr., David J. Prather, Joel Cooper, James Bean, A. Johnson, John Smiley, Robert Owens, Charles Dougherty, Samuel Dougherty, John Brown, George Brown, Samuel Wilson, Pleasant Paggett, John Davis, Solomon McKinney, William Ruddick, Will- iam Whaler, John Ruddick, James Godwin, William Kirkman, Henry Rogers, William Arnick, William Davis, Thomas Conner, James Vanzant, William Thompson, William Morris, Samuel Richardson, William Packwood, Abner Conner, Allen Collins, Enoch Parr, John Parker, Samuel White, Joseph H. Vanmeter, William Gabbert, Alex Vinyard, George Doup, Jacob Hauser, Samuel Mounts, William Delap, Joseph Lochinour, John Rider, Thomas Mounts, Nathan Carter, Aaron Bevis, Joseph Fassett, George Cummings, Ephraim Arnold, Michael J. Myers, Daniel Row, Ezekiel Hughes, Isaac Gale, John Carr, James McEwen, J. Osbourne, Jonathan Bonnell, Jacob Cook, Joseph Cox, Abraham Fry, Ransom Perry, Samuel Merriwether, Luke Bonesteel, John Fowler, John R. Shoemaker, John Tipton, Peter Troutman, Will- iam Maskall, John S. McEwen, James Parker, Salmon Buell, Nathan Cox, George Kurts, Peter Cox, George Gabbert, An-
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thony HIcad, Absolom Elliott, Nathan Kyle, Archibald Gordon, Allen Williams, Noah Wright, John Pence, David Atherton, James " Lash, James Wilson, Isaac Wilson, Hampton Queen, Thomas Lowey, Isaac Hand, Andrew Cox, Hannah Shiver, John Adams, William Cox, Jacob D. Marsh, Job Gardner, John Berry, Enoch Warman, William Will, John Lewis, Benjamin Sailors, John Fancher, James Jacobs, William Swisher, John Nowman, Nathan Farlow, Alexander Denman, Zachariah Groves, Joseph Dawson, David McCoy, Cyrus C. Tevis, John Conner, Samuel Lindley, John Newland, Andrew W. David- son, George Becker, Nathan Underwood, Thomas Harker, Labon Records, William P. Records, David Hall, Thomas Russell, David Goble, Archibald Guthrie, Powell Scott, John Young, Benjamin McCarthy, John D. Lutz, Henry Nichols, Edward Wilcox, Joshua Sims, James G. Blair, Jesse Ruddick, William Summers, Abraham Music, Robert Wilkerson, Alloys Backman, Thomas Cox, Joseph McQueen, Wight Saunders, John Lee, Obed Keller, Carlton Kent, Anson Bennett, George Zuvers, Elijah Sloan, Henry Saunders, William Maxwell, William Bonnell, John Atkinson, Elijah Atkin- son, Henry Sharp, John Campbell, William Kelley, Shadrack Barnes, Nathan Thompson, Stephen Robinson, John L. Davidson, Michael Waggoner, John Vanblaricum, Sylvanus Holsey, William Carter, William Campbell, Allen Wilson, Abdiel Parsons, William Dickens, Squire D. Ensley, Benjamin Ensley, James N. Bell, Samuel Stovecypher, William Sparks, Charles Collett, David Scott, John Spotts, Henry Surveh, Nathan Bass, Isaac Pancake, Frederick Redenbaugh, Jacob Kizer, James Burch, James Quick, James H. Vanmeter, Henry Saunders, Jr., John Underwood, Joseph Saunders, Jacob Gabbert, Benjamin Crow, Solomon Cox, David Hager, William Dudley, James Gabbert, Daniel Barber, David Keller, Joseph Robertson, William Abbott, Samuel Phil- lips, James C. Tomlinson, Ranson Davis, John Henry, George Craig, James Henry, Frederick Ford, John Barlow, William S. Jones. Some of these bought extensively for speculative purposes, others entered only enough to constitute a home farm upon which they expected to live and rear a family. These entries contin ued to be made with considerable activity during the first few years,
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and afterward more slowly until all the land passed from the own- ership of the government. Many of those named above continued their entries and some possessed large estates.
Others who came in 1821 and entered land were: William Martin, James Rogers, Tristam C. Lambden, William Royse, Nicholas Criss, James Crutchfield, Samuel Hulick, Thomas Epper- son, Daniel Gaines, William Richards, William Wilson, Joseph Grantham, Samuel S. Moore, Newton C. Jones, William H. Cham- bers, Jonathan Peddrick, Joseph Pownal, John Fowler, Samuel Partheman, Felix Redman, William Bowman, Aquilla Rogers, . James Spurgin, William Pace, Benjamin Smith, Jacob McIndo, Henry Farmer, William Robertson, John Glanton, Burwell Glan- ton, Giles Mitchell, James Dulaney, Jacob Gabbert, John S. Mitch- ell, Edward Carvin, John Drybnad, Andrew Richard, Peleg Gifford, Joseph Drybnad, Zephaniah French, Warner Heath, Henry Soper, Henry Boswell, Henry Steambarger, James Jacobs, Spencer " Records, James Smith, Thomas Esra, Jacob White, John McLain, John Whitehead, Stephen Frank, Right Saunders, Elisha Pack- wood, Thomas Prather; Thilman Howard, Jacob Crezlous, Richard - Hall, Willis H. Dollens, Baker Johnson, Henry Smith, Daniel New- som, John Newsom, William Chapman, Alex Donaldson, John Ep- pler, John McCutcheon, Alex Blackketter, Hardy Wilson, William Wilson, Martha Wilson, Martin Wilson, David Deitz, Morgan Parr, Joel Newsom, James McKinley, Samuel Packwood, John P. Wailes, Philip Pedro, Leonard C. Wailes, Jesse Evans, Stephen Gudgle, Willis Newsom, James Kindle, James Starkey, Benjamin Wailes, Benjamin Duncan, Evan Thomas, Oliver Hampden, Matthew Pace, Benjamin Bennett, William Newsom, Alex McClintic, John Ogle, Ephraim Miller, Samuel Nelson, Thomas Foster, Andrew Rogers, Joseph Heart, Daniel Delter, Samuel Bull, Samuel Warner, James H. Sarvin, Silas Howard, John Karns, Uriah McQueen, Isaac' Ranis, : Jesse Henderson, Thomas Robertson, John Morris, Joseph M. Ed- wards, John Tulley. Those who made their first entries in IS22 were: John Newsom, Thomas Alloway, William Brooks, John Si- bert, William Christie, Fenney. Cartney, William Parker, Isaac Parker, Phineas Parker, Ephraim Cook, William McFall, Jonas
. Miller, John Powner, Benjamin Griffith, John Miller, Jacob Miller,
перестриму
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George Miller, Elijah Richardson, John Cox, Robert Kenady, Mar- tin Way," John M. Gourd, Thomas Woods, Daniel Gaines, John Wilson, Isaac Pence, John Campbell, Daniel Hillman, Brooks Mag- ness.
These entries were made in all parts of the county excepting that portion lying contiguous to what is now Brown County. The Hawpatch lands were favorites, but the stream of settlers pouring in from the south and southeast, soon occupied all of the best lands from Sand Creek to the north county line. Nor did they overlook those rich acres lying west of Driftwood, where Nineveh and the north part of Union Townships now are. It was not until 1832 that the lands in the west and southwest began to be taken. In that year Aaron Crouch, William Brown and Thomas J. Richard made entries there. They were followed in 1833 and 1834 by David Cody, Oliver Hammond, David Phegley, Reuben Cooley, Vincent C. Roberts, Isaiah Carey, Josiah Carey and Thomas Lenon. From then until the close of 1839, entries were made rapidly and the entire county was soon settled.
Native Animals and Their Hunters .- Among the wild animals found in the county by the early settlers were the deer, wolf, bear, panther, wild-cat, fox, otter, raccoon, ground hog, skunk, mink, weasel, muskrat, oppossum, rabbit, and squirrel. These furnished meat for the first settlers, the deer being used most abundantly. Wild turkeys were as plentiful as the deer, and the two were the game mostly sought after by the hunter. All of the settlers had guns as a necessary part of their equipment, and all of the old settlers were good hunters. In 1819 the Delaware Indians hunted in the county. They were numerous, but quite peaceable. Their guns could be heard constantly. They had a camp on the Highfield place near Flat Rock, about two miles north of Columbus, and from there traversed the tangled and dense forests in all directions, following trails, there being then no roads. There was a trading house at Shield's, in Jackson County, where they disposed of most of their peltries. They continued hunting here through the sum- mer of 1820, quitting about the time of the land sales and leaving for the Delaware towns. By bleating like a doe they would call up the fawns and shoot them. Frequently settlers found carcasses
7
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of deer in the woods with hide and tallow only taken. The pres- ent site of Columbus was then very much tangled with bushes and briers, and about there a white deer used to range. Many tried in vain to kill it, but at last it fell a victim to the skill of Nathan Cox. The wolves were at first probably the most troublesome ani- mals, making frequent attacks upon the settlers, small domestic animals, and with most incessant and terrifying howlings, rendered the nights hideous. The woods seemed to be full of them. Bears and panthers were not numerous, but were occasionally encoun- tered. Later squirrels became most destructive pests, consuming much of the growing crops, and their slaughter became a matter of business. It is said that Peter Fay, an old North Carolinian who settled in Haw Creek Township in 1833, being a fine rifle shot, killed fifteen hundred squirrels within two weeks. General Terrell tells of a grand squirrel hunt in Wayne and Sand Creek Townships as follows :
" In the autumn of 1834, a rivalry sprung up between the squir- rel-hunters of Sand Creek and Wayne townships, which resulted in a challenge on the following terms and conditions: The two townships were to have a squirrel killing match, each township to be represented by fifty hunters, the match to continue for three days. The township killing the largest number as shown by the scalps produced, was to be declared winner, and the other town- ship was to give to the citizens of both a grand, free barbecue dinner. Crows were then also plenty, and being much more difficult to shoot than squirrels, it was agreed that each crow killed should count as two squirrels. The place at which the dinner was to be given was selected in a grove near Azalia village, and a day was appointed when the scalps were to be produced and the match de- cided. ' Uncle' Sammy Marsh, of Sand Creek, was employed to get up the barbecue - the losing township to foot the bill. Lead- ers were chosen on both sides, who were pledged ''pon honor ' sto honestly and fairly conform to the terms of the contest: The match created the wildest excitement. Women and girls backed up the men-folks by moulding bullets and keeping shot-pouches and powder-horns well filled. Every man and boy who could get hold of a rifle - then the only kind of fire-arm in common use - en-
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gaged in the sport, to the full extent of the ' quota' agreed upon, with great earnestness and enthusiasm. During the three days, from daylight to dark, the war raged most furiously; the rattling and popping sounded almost like a battle; the slaughter was enor- mous. It was no sham fight ! The air was clouded with powder- smoke, and loaded with the fumes of 'villainous salt-peter.' The day for the barbecue arrived, and all the hunters, loaded down with scalps, accompanied by their wives, children and sweethearts, flocked to the place appointed for the big dinner. ' Tellers were selected to ascertain the result. An honest count gave the victory to Sand Creek, though Wayne had no reason to be ashamed. The grand aggregate of squirrels killed can not be given. One man from Wayne brought in nearly 900 scalps, and said he could have taken 1,200, only he had to often stop to cool off the barrel of his gun. He was declared the champion of the match. The next largest number was killed by Samuel Stuckey, of Sand Creek, who produced 783 scalps. I got these facts from W. Stuckey, while he was Sheriff of the county."
In the spring of 1855, the whole country swarmed with pigeons. There was a large roost near Waynesville. Great numbers were killed by hunters and " pigeon pie " became a very common dish. The farmers in some places turned out and battled with them, kill- ing all they could, for the reason that they consumed great quanti- ties of the mast which they were counting on as feed for their hogs. Of the hunter's equipment, General Terrell, in his remi- niscences, says: "The guns were generally home-made, every village having its gunsmith, and the implements were made to suit the particular wishes of each patron-to run so many bullets to the pound of lead, that is to say, of a certain calibre; some were · specially adapted for squirrel hunting, others for deer, turkeys, shooting matches, etc. Shot-guns were considered an abomination and derisively called ' scatter guns,' fit only for the amusement of small boys and old dotards whose defective vision prevented them from taking aim through the ' sights' of a rifle. Flint locks pre- vailed until the introduction of percussion caps, and many a deer was allowed to escape and roam the woods because of a 'flash in the pan,' and while the hunter was ' picking his flint' before 'trying
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it again.' The breech of the old fashioned rifle contained a small cavity closed with a brass or iron lid on a hinge for a bit of tallow --- to grease the 'patching,' which was a thin piece of cloth about three-fourths of an inch in diameter strung on a string and attached to the shot-pouch strap. The powder, guaged in a primer or buck horn charger holding the proper quantity, was emptied into the barrel of the gun, then the greased piece of patching was placed over the bore, the bullet placed thereon and rammed home, the greased cloth preventing the ball from sticking on its way or fouling in the rifle groove. A shot-pouch of dressed buckskin with the hair on contained bullets, flints, wipers, etc., which, with powder horn, completed the outfit. A man usually knew just about what he could do with his gun, and if the implement was reliable and accurate, it was petted as affectionately as a favorite child, and often given a pet name. Off-hand aim was the general rule - to shoot with a rest was boyish and beneath the dignity of a hunter."
Pioncer Dress .- The head dress of the pioneer for the male sex was either a coonskin cap or a home made wool hat. The feet were covered with moccasins made of deer skins and shoe packs of tanned leather, but shoes were worn by most of the pioneers of this county, except in summer, when old and young, male and fe- male went bare-footed a considerable portion of the time. The blue linsey hunting shirt was almost universally worn by men and boys. It was made with wide sleeves, open before, and so ample in its folds as to embrace the body almost twice around. It was such a comfortable and healthful garment that its wearers were
. loth to part wtth it when the time came for it to be replaced by a shirt or jacket of a different style. Pantaloons were made at a very early day of deer skin and linsey, but to the settlers of this county, cotton and jeans were most common. Women's dresses were simple, substantial, and well made. As a rule settlers raised their own flax, cotton and wool, and made their own garments. Good weavers were then the accomplished young ladies and the spin- ning wheel filled the little cabin with sweet music, as it sang its song of thrift and industry. They raised their cotton, picked it, carded it, wove it and then wore it. At the proper season the flax brake was brought into use, and its product was "hackled " and
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