USA > Indiana > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Indiana : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 4
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Arising at an early hour of the morning. they commenced the labors of a new year with an earnest purpose to economize time by pushing forward the work of building as rapidly as circum- stances would permit. At the end of the day ending the week that preceded the first Sunday of these first settlers in Carroll County, the logs had been ent, brought to the spot, the foundation laid, and the building was left five rounds high wlien the night ended their labors. Sunday was observed with all due propriety, and with as much humility as the situation would permit, thank ing the Giver of all good for the opportunities thus afforded them.
The work of building continued on Monday, assistance being received occasionally from persons prospecting for lands who chanced to pass that way. In the meantime, provisions growing
scarce, Abner Robinson, Mr. Starks and his son were sent back for more, with instructions to bring, on their return, such mem- bers of the family as might feel willing to brave the perils of the situation. Abner, his wife, and Sarah B. Robinson. his eldest sister, set out for their new home on Tuesday, the 4th of January, camping for the night on the same spot where the party of the first expedition encamped the second night. On Wednesday, the 5th, these three members of the family arrived here between 1 and 2 o'clock, the two females being the first white women who settled in the county. During the two days following, four men were busy at the cabin, completing it, so far as the inclosure was concerned, with a chimney started and doorway cut out, in the evening of January 7. Much more difficulty was encountered by the builders in preparing the material for and making the floor. No saw-mills nor whip-saws were within reach, and it was neces- sary to resort to other expedients to produce lumber adapted to the purpose of flooring, and for doorway and window facings. The idea of lewing out planks with a broad-ax suggested itself, and was adopted. Though somewhat tedious, and occasionally. vexa- tious, the method was attended with success, and accomplished in due time. The floors, it is true, were a little less even than if the lumber had been sawed and planed, but equally solid and very satisfactory. Indeed, that process of making lumber for floors became very popular among the subsequent settlers, being gener- ally adopted by them, from motives of necessity, if not from choice.
On Saturday, the 8th of January, Henry Robinson, with his son Coleman and Mr. Starks, returned to the Wea settlements for the remaining members of the household, Abner, his wife and sister remaining the sole occupants of the new cabin. The absentees returned the following Wednesday, when the two families became tlie joint occupants of the round log domicile thuis erected for them in midwinter, under circumstances not the most pronitious. All, however, made a virtue of necessity, and enjoyed the situation with a becoming satisfaction akin to. real _comfort. The expe- riences of the Robinson family in their efforts to find and secure a home in this wilderness were, in the main, typical of what other families that came soon after necessarily passed through, the ad- vantages being in favor of the later adventurers, who not only had the way marked ont for them, but the example of genuine forti- tude and perseverance manifested by those who had come before.
Breaking, for the moment, the thread of our narrative of events in the order of their occurrence, the following register of- the deaths that occurred in the settlement during the rest five years from its commencement. kept by Miss Elizabeth. Robinson, a daughter of Henry Robinson, is inserted in this place as a. valua- ble appendage to our record of events in primitive Carroll County:
Names.
Date of death.
James Gilbreath,
. September'8: 1825.
Benjamin D. Angell.
.September 16: 1825 .:
John Nelson Newman. .July 11, 1826,
Robert Mitchell.
August 27, 1826.
William Sims. .September 5, 1826.
Henry Alexander Robinson.
January 20, 1827.
Mrs. Merriman
. Februarý ---. 1827.
Sarah Odell. May 20, 1897.
Elizabeth Odell.
June 11, 1827.,
Mrs. Hamilton.
1827.
George Baum.
November -4 1897.
Mary Baum.
. December 5, 1827:
T. Hughes.
. May, 20,. 1828.
Andrew Forbes.
.September 11, 1828.
John Bean .. .September 20, 1828.
Melinda Bozarth.
.September 23, 1828.
Sarah ('lister.
.October 3, 1828.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
Names.
Date of death.
William Wangh Griffith.
.October 5. 1828
Rebecca Lowther ..
.October 6, 1828.
Infant of Mr. Hamilton.
James McCain ..
January 1, 1829.
Emanuel McCombs.
January 17. 1829.
Infant of J. Adams.
January 27, 1829.
Benjamin Lowther.
. March 30, 1429.
Mrs. Metcalf.
.May 26, 1829.
Margaret Adams.
.hime 12, 1829.
Infant of Mr. Thornburg.
June 30. 1820.
Hervey Dewey.
.August 19. 1823.
Infant of Mrs. Bross.
Angu4 24, 1829.
James McChillan
August 26. 1829.
Mr. Bross. .
Angust 31, 1829.
Rebecca George.
. September 25, 1829.
Margaret Black.
.October 2, 1829.
Infant of Mr. Burket.
-. 1829.
Samuel Wise.
October 21, 1829.
Daniel Kuns.
November 1, 1829.
James Briggs.
. December 1. 1829.
Sarah Mussagee
-- , 1829.
William Wilson
January 22. 1830.
Mrs. Adkinson
. February 10. 1830.
Hugh Manary.
February 16. 1830.
M. Kennon.
March 30. 1230.
Infant of Mr. Kennon
March -. 1830.
Susan Wilson.
March 31, 1830.
Mahala Clark. .
.April 5, 1880.
Harrison Blackburn.
June 2. 182).
William Roberts
July 26. 1830.
Elizabeth Pike.
.August 15, 1830.
John Batın ..
Angust 27. 1830.
Infant of Mr. Pike.
. September 8. 1830.
Martha Hinnerickhouse
September 2, 1830.
William Seeley
.September 10, 1830.
Mr. Silvers
September 12, 1830.
Mrs. Gideon
.September -. 1830.
Mr. Clark ..
. September 24. 1830.
Mrs. Long.
.September 26. 1830.
Mrs. Olinger
.September -. 1830.
Mrs. Hulry
. September 30, 1830.
Matt. Henry Ewing.
.October 6, 1830.
Sophia Bricker.
.October 26. 1830.
Mary MeCombs.
-- , 1830.
Mr. Merriman.
-. 1830.
Two children of Mr. Thomas. -. 1830.
Mrs. Bell
-, 1830.
CHAPTER III.
PIONEER REMINISCENCES-CONTINUED.
ARRIVAL OF OTHER SETTLERS-BENJAMIN D. ANGELL, ALSO AARON WILES AND JOHN CARY-DEATH OF JAMES GILBREATH AND MR. ANGELI-SETTLEMENT OF AAARON MERRIMAN -- DAN- IEL BAUM, SR .-- ROBERT MITCHELL, SR .- ROBERT MITCHELL, JR., JOHN KESSLER AND JACOB BAEM, WITH THEIR FAMILIES -ARRIVAL BY FLAT-BOAT-KEEL OF THE OLD BOAT IN DEER CREEK-JONN ODELL AND MRS. THOMAS STIRLEN ARRIVE AND SETTLE ON DEER CHEEK-HOUSE BUILT FOR MR. BAUM-HUGH MANARY ARRIVES-MILL. BUILT, ETC.
S "YOON after the family of Mr. Robinson had arrived and become firmly fixed in their new home, Benjamin D. Angell, father of Dr. Charles Angell, of Pittsburgh, in this county, moved with his family into the neighborhood. He was accompanied by Aaron Wiles and John Cary, his brothers-in-law, the three having mar- ried sisters, the daughters of James Odell, Sr. They soon selected a location, and all settled together. occupying for some time the same cabin, which was situated a little way above where Isaac Wilson subsequently resided. Mr. Angell, however. did not live
long after this to enjoy the fruits of his lahors. for death came to claim him as its victim, and he obeyed the early summons. He expired on the 16th day of September, 1825, and was- except- ing. perhaps, James Gifbreath, who died September 8, of the sanne year- the first among the early settlers of this county who paid the debt of nature. His widow and family. consisting of four small children, continued to reside in the neighborhood. Aaron Merriman came here and settled about the same time, and made an opening on Rock Creek.
On the 7th day of March, 1825, Daniel Banm, Sr., Robert Mitchell, Sr., Robert Mitchell, Jr., John Kessler and Jacob Ban, with their families, left Chillicothe, Ohio, on a fiat-boat, en route for the Wabash; passed down the Scioto River to the Ohio: thence down that river to the month of the Wabash; thence up the Wa- bash to the month of Deer Creek, and up that creek half a mile to the place of their landing, which was ahont one hundred yards below he old slaughter house. While they were on their way down the Ohio River, Mr. Banm traded off his flat and purchased a keel boat. with which they pursued their journey to the place of desti- nation.
The old keel-boat lay tied to the shore, as it was when vacated by the voyagors at landing on the 30th day of April, 1825, until the spring of 1826, when it was sunk by a flood of ice which passed down the creek at that time. Its bottom. partially filled with stones, still lies imbedded in the sand and mud. at or near the spot where it was first drawn ashore. About this time, also. or it may be a little before, Craig Black commenced an improve- ment, above the dam, now known as the old Wells farm.
During the summer or fall of this year. Mr. John Odell and Mrs. Thomas Stirlen settled on Deer Creek. With these came also a Mr. Gilbreath, and built a cabin on the spot or adjacent to the former residence of Mrs. Gen. Milroy. Soon after his set- tlement at that place, himself and family suffered greatly from sickness, losing a son, James Gilbreath, who died September S. 1825, and was buried on the bluff below the Milroy mansion. These early misfortunes so disheartened him that he left there a short time after.
Robert Mitchell, Sr., one of the company who came here with Mr. Baum, put up a cabin on the bank of Deer Creek. Mr. Dan- iel Banm, of whom mention has been before made, built the house afterward ocenpied by Mr. Christopher Vandeventer. John Kess- ler settled on the farm since owned by Spears & Case. adjoining the "Bondie Reserve." Jacob Bamun settled on the farm situate one mile from Delphi, on the Logansport road, owned by Peter Toughman many years after. With the exception of Robert Mitchell, Jr., who returned to Ohio, the foregoing paragraph shows the several locations of the families composing the emigrant company who arrived here with Daniel Banm. Of these, again. severally, mention will be made hereafter.
In the fall of 1825, Hugh Manary, Sr., settled in the bottom on what is now known as Manary's Addition to the town of Del phi. He sold a mill seat off his land to Phillip Starr, and after- ward moved across the creek, on the hill just above where the old slaughter house stood.
Early in the season of 1825, Henry Robinson commenced the improvement of the mill site on the creek just above town. The work progressed slowly for the want of proper tools, and the near- est blacksmith was at Crawfordsville. The mill at which the set- tlers were obliged to get their grinding done, and the store at which they did their shopping, as well as the post office where they received and deposited their mail matter, were also at Craw-
104
HISTORYOF CARROLL COUNTY.
fordsville. It was the common practice, therefore, for some one person of the neighborhood to go with an ox team to mill, and at the same time transact all the other business at that point re quired by the whole settlement, which usually occupied some eight or ten days in going and returning.
Some time in the spring or summer of this year, 1825, John R. Ballard, with .a few other young men, arrived in the settlement and commenced improvements.
On Sunday, the 18th day of January, 1526, the people of the settlement met and held their first social prayer meeting, which has been continued, with more or less regularity. ever since, At this time, there were but ten heads of families in Carroll County, and among them there was no observance of caste, but all was sociability and good feeling.
In May or June of this year, a saw-mill was erected where the upper mill now stands. The mill commenced. operations some time in September, and, in two or three weeks after, a pair of small mill-stones was placed in the mill and adjusted for the pur- pose of grinding corn. This addition to the facilities for promot- ing the comfort and lessening the uncertainties of subsistence of the settlers was hailed with delight, as an omen of good to the community. It obviated, in no small degree, the necessity they were subjected to in being obliged to go sometimes to Fountain County, other times to Crawfordsville, and then recently to La Fayette, where a mill had been erected but a short time before, to get their corn ground. This mill was the result of efforts directed to that and by Mr. Henry Robinson, to whom. in this and succeed- ing evidences manifested by him of endeavors to add to their con- venience and comfort, the early settlers of Carroll County owe a debt of gratitude.
At the time when the saw-mill above alluded to was raised, all the men from Wild Cat to Rock Creek were invited to assist in putting up the frame. There were twenty-eight persons present. ineluding three or four from beyond the limits of Carroll County. This was probably the last time that all the mon in what is now the limits of Carroll County were together, and was an occasion long to be remembered by the surviving participants on that occasion.
About the same period, the settlement received several accos- sions to the number of its inhabitants by. the arrival of Isam At- kinson, James McDowel. John Kuns, and the late Gen. Santuc] Milroy, with their families. There were also some others. among them a number of young men. James McDowel arrived here in August of. this year, from Vigo County, Indiana, and was accom- panied by David Lucas and family. Alexander Chaniberlin, for- merly of Cass County, afterward of Fulton County, in this State, came with him also.
In the mouth of October, 1826, Gen. Milroy, with his family. settled on the farm on Deer Creek above Delphi known as the Milroy farm.
that he might be better cared for. He remained sick about two weeks after being brought down, and died at the house of Mr. Baum on the 5th day of September, 1826.
CHAPTER IV.
PIONEER REMINISCENCES-CONTINUED.
DANIEL MCCAIN'S SETTLEMENT-SNOW-STORM AND HURRICANE- NOVEL DINING TABLE-CABIN-BUILDING -A SCARE-THE FIRST PETITION FOR ORGANIZATION-ITS FATE-JURISDICTION OF THE TERRITORY-A SEASON OF WANT AND PRIVATION-A METHODIST SOCIETY . ORGANIZED IN THE COUNTY-HEAVY RAINS AND CONSEQUENT FLOODS-COLD WINTER AND SCANTY PROVISIONS-LOG CABINS.
D ANIEL McCAIN and his wife, Magdalene McCain, landed in this county on the 28th day of April, 1856-and an inci- dont is related of their camp experience on the last night before arriving at their forest home, which is full of interest, as exem- plifying very fully some of the hardships all early settlers had to undergo in laying the foundation of the proverbial prosperity of Carroll County. They, with their company, consisting of seven persons in all, had encamped for the night near the bank of Lit- tle Sugar Creek. The weather was cold already, and the snow had been falling at intervals during that and the day previous. A little after nightfall, the wind began toblow, and soon increased almost to.a linricane. The night was dark and dismal; the snow whirled in eddying currents through the air, and the howling tempest overhead seemed to sound some dread requiem, as whis- tling through the lofty tree-tops, the creaking of branches, accom- pauied by the continnal crash of falling timber, added horror to the scene. The danger which surrounded them was imminent, es- cape seemed improbable, and death inevitable. But the storm passed away and the bright morning came, bringing with it the assur- ance of safety to all their company. With hearts full of thank fulness and gratitude for protection and deliverance from danger, in the morning they pursued their journey with renewed vigor, onward to their new home, which point was reached about mid- day. without further impediment worthy of note. Having ar- rived, they pitched their tent, prepared dinner and partook of a repast. the first in their new home, with a relish that kings might well envy, using the hind-gate of the wagon for a table.
Joseph, William and Ramsay McCain, brothers of Daniel, and John McCain, a cousin, came with them. They all set imme- diately to work to build a cabin to shelter them from the inclem- encies of the season, and in three days had it in a habitable con- dition, with a clapboard roof on it, a door cut out, and on one side and end, "chinked." but not " daubed" until a short time after. The succeeding morning, two of the mon took their guns and made their first experiment in hunting, and soon after re- turned, bringing with them a deer they had killed, which being soon dressed, all hands went off about a mile distant to raise a cabin for William McCain, who contemplated moving there the next fall. Mrs. McCain was thus left alone for the day, with no other companion than her little boy, a lad of something over two years of age. A little while before noon, feeling very lonely and on the lookout lest some danger should come upon them un- awares, she discovered two animals at no great distance from the cabin, which she supposed to be wolves, following the trail of the deer which had . been brought in by the men that morning. At first she was much frightened, but, recovering somewhat from her
Robert Mitchell. Sr., who came from Ohio with Daniel Baum, Sr., in April of the preceding year,. died on the 27th day of Au- gust. 1826, and was buried at the section corner. at what is now the foot of Front street, in the town of Delphi. which is not now. nor has it been for many years, marked by any memorial that one of the earliest settlers of the county reposes there beneath the sod; and few, if any, are there now who can recognize the place of his rest. Not far from the same spot rest the ashes of William Sims. who was a stranger in the country. stopping temporarily : Dear where Logansport now stands. He was taken sick there. and, having no one to care for him except his brother-in-law. was brought to Mr. Daniel. Baum's residence, in what is now Delphi, trepidation, began to revolve in her mind the best means of de-
105
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
fense within her reach, in case they should attack the house. With woman's ready invention, she was not long in determining that a good supply of hot water, together with the broom-stick. under the circumstances, would constitute weapons sufficiently formidable to meet the emergency. It was not necessary, however, to bring these defenses, nor any other, into operative requisition, for the enemy. exercising discretion in the premises as the better part of valor, kept at a respectful distance, and soon after loft entirely.
At the session of the Legislature of the State of Indian t of 1826-27, a petition was presented by sundry citizens, living in the jurisdiction of what is now. Carroll County, for the passage of an act enabling them to organize a new county, but, for some rea- son which does not now appear to us, the bill failed to become a law. The territory before had been, and was at that time, nnder the recognized jurisdiction of Montgomery County, subsequently. however, nuder the jurisdiction of Tippecanoe County for jndi- cial purposes, which circumstance rendered the position of the peo- ple as a community extremely awkward and unpleasant: hence their early steps toward the organization of a county, guarantee- ing to them the rights and privileges enjoyed by other counties: and, although they were defeated in the accomplishment of their object in the first instance, yet they determined to avail them- selves of the next opportunity that presented itself, and, with their purpose still in view, at the succeeding session of the General As- sembly, another petition was presented, which met with a better fate than its predecessor. The law was passed in the form and embodying the provisions set forth in the act for the organization, given at length in another place.
The settlers were subjected to many hardships and privations in the way of clothing. provisions, shoes, tea, coffee and sugar. The stock of articles that had been procured before was ex- hausted, and the large emigration into Tippecanoe and adjacent' connties during the fall of 1826. consumed all the surplus provis- ions and other necessaries raised by the early settlers there, which left our people the alternative, either to go great distances into older settlements to get their supplies, or otherwise to get along as best they could, on small allowances, until they could raise enongh from their own fields to suffice for home consumption. The settlers here who had come in the season before, and made small improvements. had raised no more than would meet the imperative demands of their own families. In this contingency, to satisfy the requisition for tea and coffee, spicewood, sassafras and milk were substituted with peculiar relish: for sweetening. the sugar tree was taxed in the springtime, and in the place of shoes, moc. casins, made of dressed deer-skins. were worn. Such, however, was the extent of these privations that in some instances bread was scarcely tasted for weeks at a time. Under these circum- stances, potatoes and sqnashes wore the usnal substitutes and it has since been frequently remarked. by persons who wore obliged by the necessities of the times to put up with sneh kind of. fare. that the substituted article tasted as well, or better, and answered the demands of appetite as satisfactorily as the veriest epicure could ask. Thus, many of the privations and difficulties, seem- ingly formidable in themselves, were supplied by the uncultivated productions of the forest wilds.
Flour at this time had to be brought overland by wagons, or by keel, and flat boats along the river, from Ohio: sometimes it could be procured at Terre Haute. It is needless to say that flour was not generally nsed as it is now, but the more ready substitute, corn-meal, was the staple article for making bread. . And to this day, the " corn-pone," " corn-dodger." " hoe.cake " and " johnny-
cake" are not entirely forgotten by the survivors of those who were wont, in those days, to feast upon these luxuries of pioneer life.
In November, 1826, a Methodist society was organized in this county, composed of eight persons, to wit: John Odell, and Sarah Odell, his wife; Elizabeth Angell, widow of Benjamin D. An- gell, just before that time deceased; John Carey, and Ruth Carey, his wife; and Thomas Stirlen, and Frances Stirlen, his wife- under the charge of Henry P. Buell, of the Crawfordsville Mis- sion. who preached for them about once in four weeks.
Some time in the latter part of August of this year, it has been stated by some of the oldest settlers here, there were frequent and very heavy rains, which prevented many from getting cabins in condition to be comfortable during the wet and cold season, and all from making that progress in their clearings the ciroumstances of the times demanded. The Wabash River, and all the creeks and rivnlets tributary to it, were swollen to unusual dimensions; in fact, the whole of the flat country along the margin of the Upper Wabash was inundated. The river was higher at that time, it has been often said by persons who have been longest residents here, than it was before know within the memory of the white man.
The succeeding winter was very cold, and the cattle, with other stock, suffered severely. Feed being very scarce, and with- out shelter to protect them from the inclemency of the weather, several head were frozen to death. greatly to the detriment of the settlers, who also themselves experienced much inconvenience from the severe cold. Their cabins generally were not very well con- ditioned to shield the imnates from the piercing winds, driving snows and beating rains usnal in this latitude at that season of the year. There have been. since that time, winters epually severe, but, when the poor protections against cold possessed by those early settlers are considered, it is not at all wonderful that, nnder snch circumstances, the same degree of temperature which now would be deemed moderate was then most keenly felt. Those eighteen by twenty cabins that sparsely dotted over the area of Carroll County at the period of which we are writing, although at the time, when no better habitations could be obtained. as com- fortable as necessity demanded, yet. it must be admitted. they very often were but little more. And we do not wish to be understood as saying anything in disparagement of log cabins, for they were generally the abode of contentment, and of comforts such as the times warranted; but our purpose in making allusion to them was to present a contrast between the means of comfortable living at that time and the present. That log cabins have been the scene of as much enjoyment and genuine hospitality as any other class of habitations, there is no question, for these are found in all new settlements inseparably connected.
CHAPTER V. PIONEER REMINISCENCES-CONTINUED.
FIRST MERCHANTS-DR. VANDEVENTER AND ISAAC GRIFFITH- RATTLESNAKE EXPERIENCES-ARIAVAL OF DR. J. M. EWING -" NETTLES" USED INSTEAD OF FLAX-MICHIGAN ROND EN- TERPRISE-ADVANTAGES OF THIS THOROUGHFARE NOT APPRE- CIATED -- THE INDIAN TRADE AND ITS. EMOLIMENTS-SOME OF THE EARLY TRADERS.
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