USA > Indiana > Boone County > History of Boone County, Indiana : With biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families, Volume I > Part 8
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The first settler in this township was George Harness with a regular
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gospel family of twelve children. The date is given as 1830. He settled on the east half of the southeast quarter of section 3, township 20 north, range 2 west. It must have been as early as 1828. His first abode was in an Indian hut near the famous Big Spring. He cleared about twenty acres around his home and when the land sale came in 1829, he bought what he thought was his home; but being illiterate he bought the land north of his home and Wil- liam Kenworthy bought where Harness lived. Afterwards when Mr. Ken- worthy told him that he owned the land upon which he lived, there was a difficulty between them which was settled by Mr. Kenworthy paying Mr. Harness one hundred and ten dollars. Among other troubles that came to Mr. Harness was the death of his daughter, Jemima, who fell from a fence and so injured herself, that she died October, 1829, and was buried in the northwest quarter of section 31, township 20 north, range I west. There it remains to this day, a lonely grave on the south banks of the run and un- marked. For a long time it was enclosed but even that has passed away. Mr. Harness soon afterwards moved to Carroll county, on the Old Michigan road, and later to Deer Creek township, Cass county, and died there January, 1876, at the advanced age of one hundred and eight years.
Soon after the election of 1832, a number of families flocked into this garden of the young county, Joshua Burnham, James Scott, Joshua and James Van Eaton, Jolin Skeen, William and Isaac Gipson. Later there came Samuel Brenton, Hugh and Jeremiah Moffitt, John Miller, Adrian Ball, Isaac Corbet, Benjamin Lewis, John Ferguson, Abraham Utter, Robert Cook, Robert Morrison, Thomas and Eli Goldsberry, Adam Boyd, Asa Fall, Elisha Riley and Oliver Craven followed by others that laid the foundation of the township. The first saw mill was built by John G. Pierce on Prairie creek. The first grist mill on Sugar creek was built by Silas Kenworthy. Bonham Kester built the first carding mill 1837. The first steam flouring mill was built by David Binford and Henry Wetherald. The first white child was born at the home of Green Foster, 1831. The second death was Mary A. Westfall, who was the first person buried in the old cemetery. The first marriage, John Pauley to Miss Emily Sweeney, occurred July, 1832. The first religious meeting was held at the home of Cornelius Westfall by Clay- bourne Young. The first church organized was the Methodist Episcopal, 1832 Rev. Stephen Ball, pastor. The Presbyterians organized in 1833, Reverend Clayburn as minister. In 1835, the Friends built a log house on the site of
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the present church at Sugar Plain. The Christian church came in 1842 and the Missionary Baptist later. First tan yard, Zachariah Gipson; first mer- chant, A. H. Baldbridge ; first hotel, Isaac Morgan; first tailor, Robert Hamill; first carpenter, John Alexander; first blacksmith, Moses MaClure; first shoe- maker, Thomas Young; first hatter, Samuel Daily ; first wagon maker, George Mclaughlin, first potter, Oliver Craven; first saddler, Mark A. Micham; first doctor, Doctor Farmer ; first attorney, Rufus A. Lockwood ; first postoffice at the house of William Kenworthy. Robert Hamill was the postmaster in Thorntown. The first school teacher was Jefferson Hillis. Oliver Craven served as justice of the peace for forty years.
These are among the first foundation stones, the very mud sills of Sugar Creek township.
EDUCATION.
Since the days of Jefferson Hillis, who taught the first school, there has been a commendable spirit for advancement in education in this township. School houses were erected at convenient places over the territory as soon as settlements were made. First the round log cabin that has so often been described and so well impressed upon the memory of the people. This was followed by the hewed log cabin which was a better and more substantial structure. Next came the frame and last of all the modern brick. Schools were multiplied until there were ten distributed over the township. Under the concentration system now in vogue there are seven active schools which enrolled during the school years 1913 and 1914 one hundred and seventy- three pupils and graduated during the year seven pupils. The enumeration of school children the spring of 1914 was two hundred and thirty-nine, not quite one school child for each eighty acre farm in the township. There has been a decline of the number of children for the two last decades. In addi- tion to the rural schools there was the Thorntown Academy (see separate sketch elsewhere), which attained to a wide reputation in its day and titled Thorntown as the Athens of Boone county. It was finally changed into a public school and is so continued to this day, and has in its 'system a com- missioned high school which graduated this year a class of twenty-three.
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CHURCHES.
The first church established in Sugar Creek township outside of Thorn- town, was the Friends' church at Sugar Plains. This society was organized December, 1833, and met at the home of Hugh Moffitt. They continued to meet at this place twice a week until 1835, when a small log house was built near the site of the present Sugar Plains church, which served the double purpose of school and meeting house, until the growth of the members in- creased. The log house was too small to hold the people and a frame building was erected. The monthly meeting was established in 1840, em- bracing a territory of a radius of six or eight miles. The people came on horseback regularly and the interest grew. The third house, a spacious frame, sixty-four feet square with an eighteen foot ceiling was erected into which throngs of people weekly gathered. This house served the society for about forty years, when it was replaced by a more modern and smaller build- ing which still serves the people for worship. There was also a Friends' church established at Walnut Grove in the southwest part of the township, which served for a long period of years and finally was discontinued. The Methodists organized and established a church three and one-half miles northwest of Thorntown known as Sharon. This society flourished for several years in the Colfax circuit and many spirited meetings were held and precious souls saved. It finally met the fate of rural churches, discontinued services and finally died. The neighborhood is still in mourning over the death of the church. This malady has overtaken all the rural churches in this township until but one remains, Sugar Plains.
ROADS.
No township in the county is blessed with better roads than Sugar Creek. It has good drainage and abundance of road materials. All the leading roads are graded and graveled, the streams great and small are bribed. The first gravel road was made between Thorntown and Darlington and was a toll road for many years, afterwards turned into a township road. All other roads have been built by taxation. The excellent condition of the roads,. (7)
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the high cultivation of the farms and the beautiful and well arranged homes are making rural life pleasant and desirable and is doing much toward solv- ing the question of keeping the young people on the farm.
JEFFERSON.
Jefferson township is located on the west border of the county being the middle township. It is bounded on the north by Sugar Creek and Wash- ington townships, on the west by Montgomery county, on the south by Jack- son and a small portion of Center township, on the east by Center and Wash- ington townships. It contains 46 square miles of land. Sections 13 to 36 inclusive, in township 19 north, range 2 west and sections I to 12 inclusive, in township 18 north, range 2 west, also sections 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32, in township 19, north, range I west and sections 5, 6, 7 and 8, in township 18 north, range I west. It is drained by Walnut creek in the southern part, by Muskrat creek in the central and by Wolf creek in the northern and east- ern parts. The farm land is excellent, rolling enough to be drained without difficulty. The streams flow into Sugar creek; thence into the Wabash and on to the Gulf and the wide sea.
Settlements began as early as 1829. It is stated that James Scott entered the first land, followed by William Young, who was elected justice of the peace; Michael W. Campbell, Allen Lane, Ed. Cox, William Hill, John Thompson, Lewis Denny, Wm. M. McBurroughs, Abraham Utter, R. Cox, Clayburn Cain. Following these came the Caldwells, Taylors, John Hill, Adam Kern, John Stephenson, Wm. Darrough, Thomas M. Burris, Samuel Moore, Sampson Bowen, Gid Jackson, Rural Jackson, Erskins Threilkelds, James A. Thompson, James Davis, Samuel Hollingsworth, Nathan Cory, Manual Heistand, Wm. Sanford, Jesse Jackson.
CHURCHES.
The first religious services held in Jefferson was at the home of William Young and the services were conducted by his brother Claybourne, 1831. Re- ligious services were held in private houses for several years. The Pleasant View church was the first organized in the township. The meetings at first
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were held in the home of Adam Kern. Benjamin Beeman conducted the meetings. This was in the fall of 1836. The following eight persons were the parties that organized the church: Adam Kern, James Hall, Jane Hall, Arice Pauley, John Bowen, John Pauley, James Kern and Miles Hall. This church has been one of the most substantial country churches of the county. Over one thousand persons have been enrolled among its members. The fiftieth anniversary of the church was held November 6, 1886, at which time over one thousand persons attended. This church is located three miles east of Dover, and six miles west of Lebanon. This church is reported in the Rural Church Survey 1911, with one hundred and sixteen members and losing ground. There are six other churches in the township, three at Dover and two at Hazelrigg. At Dover are the Disciples with one hundred and seventy-six members, losing ground. Baptists, members, fourteen, losing ground; Presbyterians, dead. At Hazelrigg there are two churches, Dis- ciples (non-progressive), twenty-one members, standing still. Presbyterians dead. In the southeast part of the township is the United Brethren church with a membership of seventy-five, losing ground.
SCHOOLS.
There are no towns or trade centers in Jefferson township except Hazel- rigg in the northeast corner. The district school is the people's college. It grew first from the primitive cabin school-house through the frame to the brick of this day. From the private or subscription school through the half- free to the public schools of the present. To supply this want there were erected over the township thirteen district school houses, through which the youth of the township for a generation received the instruction necessary to fit him for the duties of life. Under the present system of concentration, the number of schools has been reduced to eleven.
ROADS.
There were no state thoroughfares in Jefferson township to aid the people in the early development of the country. The road leading from Crawfordsville to Lebanon, running on the section north of the line between
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townships 18 and 19 north was the first principal road. All others have come up through the Indian trail, blazed way of our fathers, the cut away, corduroy and grade to the splendid gravel roads of the present that mark most section lines and many half-section lines. It is a pleasure to drive over these splendid roads and view the handsome farms on either side with the attrac- tion of beautiful homes and landscapes.
The Big Four railway runs across the northeast corner of the township and the Indiana Central across the southeast corner. The Terre Haute & Indianapolis Traction line runs across the township on the line between townships 18 and 19 north, and affords very convenient accommodation for the people.
JACKSON.
Jackson township is bounded on the north by Jefferson and Center town- ships, on the west by Montgomery county, on the south by Hendricks county and Harrison township, and on the east by Center and Harrison townships. It is the southwest corner of the county and contains forty-seven and one- half sections of land. It is composed of sections 13 to 36 inclusive, in town- ship 18 north, range 2 west, and sections I to 12 in township 17 north, range 2 west; also sections 5, 6, 7 and 8 in town 17 north, range I west, also half of section 17, also 18, 19, part of 20 and 29, 30, 31 and 32 of town 18 north, range I west. The township is drained by Raccoon creek in the northeast flowing towards the southwest and passing into Montgomery county about the middle of the west line of section 31. It belongs to the Wabash system. The southeast part of the township is drained by Eel river which belongs to the White river system. The water shed between the two systems of drainage enters the township at the northeast corner and passes out at the southwest corner. To say that this township is the best land in Boone county is paying a high tribute. It was covered with the largest and tallest timber of the county. It is stated that there was one Tulip (poplar) tree nearly nine feet in diameter and tall in proportion. The soil is mostly the flat phase type of silt loam, very rich and enduring.
Settlements were made in this township long before the organization of Boone county, while it was yet a part of Eel river township, Hendricks county. Among the first to arrive were John Gibson, Young Hughes, Lewis
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Dewees, Washington Gibson, William Farlow, Isaac Miller, David Bush, John Porter, James Davis, Robert Davis, Andrew Hudson, Abijah Brown, Samuel Jessey. Andrew Long, George Walters, William Walters, Hiram Young, John Whitely, William and George Nicely. A few years later came Simon and William Emmert, John McLean, John C. Hurt, Mekin Hurt, John Crisman, Edward Herndon. In 1832 came John Cunningham, Thomas Caldwell, Samuel Miller, James Davis, Robert Walker, Samuel McLean, William Duncan, Isaac M. Shelly, Anderson Trotter, John and Henry Air- hart, Isaac H. Smith, W. H. Coombs, S. T. Dewees, W. B. Gibson, George L. Burke, Samuel Penry, Elisha Jackson, Henry D. Myers, W. W. Emmet and the Galvins.
CHURCHES.
The first religious services were held at the home of John Porter, con- ducted by George Walters, a Baptist minister. For years they continued to worship in the cabins of the settlers. The first church house that was erected was by the Methodists in the year 1832 and it was called Brown's chapel in honor of Thomas Brown. The Methodists established several other churches in the township and other denominations, so there was an abundant supply of houses of worship in the township for the early settlers. At the time of the survey of the churches in Boone county, 1911, the Methodist church at Jamestown was in a growing condition and numbered two hundred and thirty-three members. The Disciples, members, two hundred and eighty- three. The Methodist Episcopal church at Advance, membership, one hun- dred and eighteen, growing. The Disciples church at Advance, membership, two hundred and sixty-nine, growing. Christian church, membership, two hundred and six. Primitive Baptist, membership, eleven, losing ground. The Christian church in the east part of the township, membership, one hun- dred and eighty-eight, growing. The Disciples church in the northeast part of township, membership, sixty-five, losing ground. Primitive Baptist in the northwest part of the township, membership, twenty-five, losing ground. Methodist Protestant in the west part of the township, membership, one hun- dred and sixteen, growing. In the general decline of rural churches, Jack- son township has fared better than her sister townships. There are more live and growing churches there than in any other township in the county.
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BOONE COUNTY, INDIANA.
SCHOOLS.
The first school was in the regulation round log puncheon floor and benches, big fireplace, paper windows of the pioneers, and erected on the banks of Eel river, near the county line of Boone and Hendricks counties. There was another similar school house west of Jamestown. These schools were supported by subscription and the teacher boarded around after the fashion of the Hoosier schoolmaster. The schools would continue from six to eight weeks, possibly on special efforts for twelve weeks in succession. These pioneer schools were all after the same pattern pretty much as in this day and when you have one described it will do for all. As the population in- creased, schools multiplied under the public school system until there were twelve distributed over the township, affording convenient school facilities for every pupil. Under the concentration system of these latter days there are nine schools outside of Jamestown and Advance.
ROADS.
At the first it was the Indian trail, then blazed ways of the settlers, lead- ing from settlement to settlement, and from the home to the school and church. Then came the highways leading from town to town. The first of this latter was the state road from Indianapolis .to Crawfordsville. This road entered the township at the southeast corner of section Io, runs in a northwest direction and passes into Montgomery county at the southwest corner of section 31. The next important was a highway leading up Eel river and twisting through the woods around bogs and marshes until it reached the capital of the county. This road was in such condition that in bad weather it would take all day to pass from one town to the other, and another day to return and at times so bad as to be impassable. As the country developed some of the kinks were taken out of the road but enough of the crookedness remains to give the traveler an idea of its serpentine course through the woods at the beginning. Since that day a great change has been wrought and Jackson township has kept pace with her sister town- ships and now has good roads leading in every direction. She also has two steam roads. The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis which enters
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the southeast corner of section 10 east of Jamestown runs in a northwest direction and passes into Montgomery county at the southwest corner of sec- tion 31. The Central Indiana passing through Lebanon and Advance enters the township at the northeast corner of 13, runs in a southwest direction and enters Montgomery county at the southwest corner of section 30. The Ben Hur traction parallels the Big Four through Jamestown.
HARRISON.
Harrison township is one of the southern tier of townships lying be- tween Perry and Jackson. It has an area of a little over twenty-five sections, the boundary at the northwest and northeast corners being irregular. It is bounded on the north by Center township, on the west by Center and Jackson townships, on the south by Hendricks county, on the east by Perry township, and in the United States survey contains a part of sections 21 and 28, also sections 22 to 27 inclusive, and sections 33 to 36 inclusive, in town 18 north, range I west. Also sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 to 12 inclusive, in town 17 north, range I west. Also sections 19, 30 and 31, in town 18 north, range I east and sections 6 and 7, in town 17 north, range I east. The second prime meridian passes through this township. The surface is nearly level and is drained by the headwaters of Eel river flowing south- west into Jackson township, thence into Hendricks county. Other small streams in the south and southeast flow into the same county. In Harrison township there is quite a prairie, known as Stoner's. It is the only one in the county. The early settlers avoided the prairie and took to the woods think- ing that the former would never be tillable. There were two great obstacles confronting the pioneers of Boone county, viz : the almost impenetrable forest with its heavy timber and dense undergrowth of brush and the water that abounded everywhere. The battle was two-fold, clearing the forest and draining the land. The arduous labor was performed and the beautiful farms in Harrison township today are a monument of the toil of these brave men and women. James S. Dale bears the honor of driving the first stake for a home and he erected the first cabin. He was followed by George John- son, William Buttery, R. M. Cumels, Philip Sicks, Caleb Sherley, John Scott, A. Hillis, John McCormack, William Abner, William Joseph, Nick Yant,
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James and Noah Chitwood, William and James Edwards and many others until the land was reclaimed. The first death reported was the wife of David James in March, 1837. Among the early marriages were William Johnson to Isabella Dale; G. T. Buttery to Barbara Scott and Jeremiah Craven to Miss James. The first election was held at the cabin of W. Logan, in 1836, when William Buttery was elected as justice of the peace. The first meeting was held at the home of George H. Johnson in 1835 where a few pioneers gathered to hear a Baptist minister. Early religious meetings were also held at the home of George Sheeks. Soon after the pioneer log house was erected for worship and served its day. In this way homes, schools and churches came up out of the woods and water.
ROADS.
There is no state road, no railroad or traction line in this township. It is the only township in the county that has not one or more of these outside helps in its development. The citizens have the honor of all that they possess and they have much of which to be proud. There are three good roads lead- ing to the county-seat. They are crooked, showing that they were started in the woods and had to dodge the bogs as in other parts of the county. It was a case of necessity and will doubtless always remain, to show future generations what their fathers had to do to get a start in this goodly land. It is so beautiful now we would have nothing to remind us of the wilderness if it were not for the crooked roads. It would be well to hold to the monu- ment and never straighten the roads in honor of our forbears.
CHURCHES.
As soon as the people got a little out of the brush and too numerous to congregate in the small homes for church services, they began to build log church homes for worship. It was not long until there were half a dozen scattered over the township representing different denominations. In the report of the Board of Missions of the Presbyterian church of 1911, it gives the churches of that date and their conditions, viz: In the northeast part of the township is located the Baptist (Means), with a membership of fifty-
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one and the church losing ground. A little southwest of this church is located the Methodist Protestant, membership one hundred and twenty, los- ing ground. In the east part of the township the Baptist church with a mem- bership of sixty-one, growing. West of this is the Disciples church with a membership of one hundred and eighty-six, standing still. In the southwest corner is located the Baptist ( Primitive), membership fifteen, losing ground. Towards the southeast corner is located the Brethren, membership, fifteen, losing ground.
SCHOOLS.
Pleasant Crawford is reported as the first school teacher in Harrison township. The usual round log house and subscription were provided and the school began in good hope. It is supposed that Mr. Crawford got tired of boarding around among the patrons and married and set up a scriptural ex- cuse for closing the school. Thus ended the first school in the township in the year 1837. But this did not end the desire of the people for an education for other schools were established and they continued part free and part sub- scription until the public school system of the state came in 1852. Schools were then multiplied until there were nine in the township. Under the con- centration system of our day, the enrollment of school children for the year was two hundred and fifty-five and only seven schools with seven teachers.
PERRY.
Perry township is situated in the south tier between Eagle and Harrison townships. It is bounded on the north by Center and Worth townships, on the west by Center and Harrison, on the south by Hendricks county, on the east by Eagle and Worth and contains less than twenty-one sections of land and is mathematically located as follows, viz: part of section 20, and sec- tions 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 and 32 to 36 inclusive; town 18 north, range I east, also sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 to 12 inclusive ; town 17 north, range I east. The first clearing made in this township was in 1830 by Jesse Turner who erected a cabin and batched, hunted and is said to have raised the first crop in the township. He is reported to have spent his winters in
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the city of Jamestown. Probably the second settler was Jesse Smith, who came in 1832; Alexander Fortner and Aaron Smith in 1834, followed by Joseph Poyner and family which seems to be the first in the township. Elias and Edmund Shirley, followed by John K. Edwards, and his father, Eli Smith and his father, D. W. and B. H. Smith and their father, Peter Kene, G. W. Lumpkins, Daniel Leap, Thomas Leap, E. Wollen, E. Thornly, Elijah S. Williams, Thomas Jackson, Joseph Belt, followed by the Slaigles, Glen- denings, Sullivans, Dickersons, Chambers and the Penningtons.
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