USA > Indiana > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Indiana : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 53
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The family of John Love were probably the next white people who come to the township. Mr. Love was a native of South Carolina, but removed to Missouri in 1818, remaining there until his removal to Adams Township. in March, 1830. On the 1st day of October, 1832. he entered the enst half of the southeast quarter of Section 21. in Town 26 north, Range 2 wost. and. on the 1st of January. 1535, entered another tract in Section 2 of the same range. On this latter tract his son William now resides. Mr. Love was an honorable man and a good citizen. He lived for thirty-seven years in the township. during which time he was identified with many of its publie improvements. He died in April, 1867, at the home of his daughter. Mrs. John Cochran.
When Mr. Love came to the township, he was accompanied by a relative. Samuel A. Tomb. The latter purchased a small truet of land, and, after partially clearing it, located at Lockport. Some years later, he removed to one of the Western States, where he died. In the full of 1830, Jolm Crowell and Joseph Nowman settled in Section 15, and Newman immediately entered the tract upon which he located. His entry comprised the west half of the southeast quarter and the east half of the southwest quarter of that section. Crowell held his land by the right of pre-emption until October 2, 1832, when he purchased it. Peter Specce came in the fall of 1830, and his brothers, John and Jacob. came about the same time. They purchased land in the township. and were long identified with its interests. Amusa Straight came late in the fall of 1830, md settled upon a tract of land in Section 4, which he entered in 1835. . Jacob Riegel was probably the first of a number of settlers who came in 1831. In the preceding October he had visited the township in quest of a location, and en- tered the fractional northwest quarter of Section 24. It was npon this tract he settled in 1831, and here cleared and improved a farm. In March. 1831. Thomas, John. William, James and An- drew H. Barnes, with their widowed mother, came from Parke County. Ind., and located upon a tract of land in Section 11. which had been entered by John Barurs in the preceding year. Samuel Neill and Samuel Growell came in 1531 and both entered land -- Neill in Section 6 and Grewell in Section ?. Both cleared and improved the lands they purchased, and both remained citi- zens of the township until death. Charles Wright, Eliab Forbes and Jacob Sager were among the settlers of 1831. and Daniel and Frederick Hoover came early in 1832. They entered land in Section 21, and were successful farners. Nathaniel Ingles came in 1832, and entered a tract of land in' Section 1. He was n minister of the Associate Presbyterian Church, and was identified with the early history of that denomination in this township. James Small came early in 1833. and entered a tract of land in Section 1. Hore he cleared and improved a farm, upon which he resided until death. 'His wife, who survives him, now owns and occupies the homestead. Among others who came in 1833 were Joseph Henderson, who located in Section 6; Samuel Galloway. in Section 8; Thomas Ireland, in Section 3; Jesse James, in Sec-
tion 12; Thomas Martindale, in Section 21; Andrew Sinks, in Section 22; Richard McGriff, in the same section; John Grant- ham, in Section 23, and Stephen McPherson, in Section 28. It would be difficult to present a list of settlers who came after this date, or make personal mention of the numerous families who found their way to the settlement und identified themselves with its history. : By the year 1836, all the public lands in the town- ship had been purchased. and there was a population of several hundred persons within its limits. Orchards had been planted, and many of them were bearing fruit at that date. Thousands of acres had been cleared, and were then under successful culti- vation. So the actual pioneer history of the township properly ends with the time when the labors of its first settlers had begun to make the progress of civilization felt in the wilderness and the forest had given place to fertile fields.
The following is an obstruct from the original tract-book of Carroll County, and gives the name of each person who parchased land in Adams Township. while these lands were still the property of the Government. . Among the following names are many who were never residents in the township, but entered public lands with the view of selling them at advanced prices to others, who, in later years, came here to find homes und assist in the work of civilization and improvement. The majority, however, are names of actual settler's who bore a full share of the hardships incident to pioneer life. Following is the list:
TOWNSHIP 26 NORTH. RANGE 1 WEST.
Section 4-Daniel Neff. July 8, 1831 : Amasa Straight, January 13. 1835: Jonathan Laish. Jannary 15, 1835: Benjamin Greathouse. January 20, 1835.'
Section 5-Anron and Rebecca Hicks, October 13, 1830: William and Andrew Gibson, May 14, 1834: M. F. Barker, June 14, 1836.
Section 6-Samuel Neill. June 13. 1831: William MeMillen, June 15. 1831: Christian Apple. November 5. 1832; Joseph Henderson, November 10. 1832: William Ireland, October 3. 1834; David Barnes, November 1835.
Section 1-Samuel Grewell, June 20, 1831; Charles Wright, July 16, 1832: Lewis Gilson, January 11. 1834: Sanford Wood. O.tober 1. 1834; John Barnes, November 5. 1334; Thomas MeGriff. December 31, 1835; John Shultz, January 21, 1836.
Section & -David Miller, October 9. 1:30; Samuel Galloway, October 9. 1830.
Section 9 -- James W. Williams, October 3, 1832: Stephen Yam, March 18. 1834: Jonathan bish, June 16, 1834: Royal Grosvenor, February 18. 1835: J. S. Hanua and Andrew Ingram. March 13, 1835.
TOWNSHIP 26 SORTI, RANGE ? WEST.
Section 1-Charles Wright, October 2, 1830; Samuel Cromwell, Febru- ary 2. 1532: William Henderson, February 26, 1833: Nathaniel Ingles, March 23. 1833; James Small, Angust 12, 1833; Andrew Gibson, February .17. 1834: John. Tedford., February 18, 1834.
Section 2-William Fincher, April 27. 1831: David Allen, June 30, 1834: John Love, January 1, 1835; James Hillis, October 31. 1835.
Section 3-James Coffey, October 6, 1830; Thomas Ireland, Novem- ber 8, 1830: William Gibson, June 14, 1831; George Hornbeck, June 19. 1834; Robert P. Gibson, November 4. 1835: George Anderson, December 1. 1835.
Section 4-James Harvey, October 1, 1834: Aquilla Donovan, October 14, 1834: Matthew II. Rayhill. April 23, 1835: Samuel Grimes, November 18: 1835: Saminel Dille, August 26. 1835.
'Section 9-Joseph Newman, April 20, 1835; Jonathan Galoway, July 1. 1835; Cyrus Rayhill. November 17, 1835; Jeremiah Sullivan and Joseph Beers, January 23. 1836; Thomas Barnes, February 4, 1836; Thomas New- man, February 9, 1836; John Clark, February 15, 1836; Francis G. Ken- dall, February 23. 1836.
Section 10-Thomas.Shaw, November 21, 1832; Alexander Henderson, May 28, 1833: Jacob Crowell, November 7, 1833; Peter S. Galoway, October 14, 1834; Hutchins A. Barnett, October 17, 1834; Thomas Barnes, October 3, 1835.
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ADAMS TOWNSHIP.
Section 11-John Barnes, November 1. 1830; David Williamson. June 6. 1835: William Barnes, May 2. 1833: Elisha Quilla. August 13, 1834; Nathaniel Ingles, February 2, 1835; John Tedford, May 20, 1835.
Section 12-Benjamin Turner, October 5. 1830: Charles Wright, Octo- ber 9, 1830; Andrew Sinks, October 15, 1830; Jesse James, December 3 1830.
Section 14-John L. Neal, November 1. 1830; Andrew Barnett, Sep- 1ember 5, 1833: John Barnett, October 14, 1834; John Houser. October 18, 1834.
Section 15-Joseph Newman, October 5. 1830: John Coplinger. Octo- ber 15, 1830. John Crowell. October 2, 1832; H. A. Barnett. October fi. 1834.
Section 21-Frederick Hoover, October 1. 1832: William Love, Octo- ber 1. 1832; Thomas Martindale, October 2. 1832: Sammel Grewell, October 2. 1832.
Section 22-Andrew Sinks, October 6. 1830; Richard MeGriff. October 6. 1830: Jonas White. October 9, 1830; Thomas T. Newman, October 2. 1832
Section 23-William Sears, October 2. 1832: John Grantham. October 8, 1833; George M. Riegel, October 15, 1833; Jacob H. Riegel. October 15, 1833: Henry Riegel. November 15. 1533: Benjamin C. Sumton, October 13. 1835.
Section 23-James White. October 2. 1832; Jacob Riegel and Henry Riegel. October 12. 1832.
Section 28-John Newman, October 6. 1830; Stephen McPherson. Or- tober 30, 1830; James Newman, April 2, 1833.
There were many who settled in the township at a later date, who were entitled to be enumerated among the early settlers: bnt, in view of the impossibility of obtaining a full list of such names, it is deemed advisable to make no personal mention be- yond the source from which they can be obtained with accuracy, viz., the public records. For twenty years or more after the settlement began, there were large tracts of land in the township still unimproved, and the settlers by whom these lands were opened for cultivation were subjected to all the hardships and in- conveniences experienced by those who settled here in the begin- ning. The same purpose brought them here and the same energy characterized their labors.
Improvements began to be made at a very early date Prob- ably the first crop in the township was raised by William Hicks. and each succeeding settler planted his first acre of cleared ground in corn or wheat. thus raising the means for the family subsistence in the forest home. From the crudest system of farm- ing this community developed. in the course of years, into one of the most systematic. Improved implements for agricultural pur- poses were readily adopted and tested by them, and a spirit of public enterprise seems to have always animated them. A fertile soil, tilled by skillful hands, has yielded generously and placed Adams among the most productive townships of the county. The endurance and energy of her pioneers seem to have been in- horited by their sons, and the work of improvement began by the former has been successfully carried out by the latter.
ORGANIZATION.
Adams Township was first invested with a civil existence by the Board of County Commissioners at a session of that body held in May. 1831. The order creating this civil division pro- vided "that all the territory west of the Wabash River and cast of the Tippecanoe River, in Carroll County, and above the section line one mile north of the line between Townships 25 and 26. be known as Adams Township." These boundaries were altered by subsequent orders of the board. and, five years later. Jefferson Township was organized from the western portion of the original township of Adams. By the act of organization, John Scott was appointed Inspector of Elections, and his house designated as the regular voting place for the township. The first election for
township officers was held on the first Monday in August. 1831. when John Love was chosen Justice of the Peace. His successors in this office have been: Samuel J. Moore. elected 1833: John Grantham and James H. Barnes, 1834: John Sidenbender, 1837: Thomas Barnes. 1841: Gideon Daggett, 1843: Solthy K. Tim- mons, 1846; Thomas Ireland, 1847: William J. Sayre, 1852: Thomas Ireland, 1853: John S. Pierson. 1856: John G. Kessler. 1857: John S. Piersou, 1860: Solomon J. Reigel. 1863: John A. Crowell. 1864: Edward J. Daggett. 1865: Nicholas Coble. 1867: Edward J. Daggett. 1869: Robert Jones. 1872: Joseph L. Grant- ham, 1874; Joseph N. Crowell, 1876: John S. Pierson. 1877: Richard Coble, 1878 and 1881.
In 1834, Daniel Young was elected Constable, serving two years. His successors in that office have been: William Barnes. elected 1836: William Clark. 1537; John T. Haff. 1938: Thomas Clond. 1841: Lancaster Fenters. 1542: Jomm H. Tilton, IS13: John McBride, 1844: David A. Thompson, 1945: Solomon Riegel, 1846: Math. Timumnous. 1847: Sylvester McFarland. 1548: Joseph Newman, 1853; John M. Ridgeway. 1854: George West. 1955; Jacob Burk, 1857: John B. Hildebrand. ISSS: John W. Ireland, 1860: Thomas B. Hicks. 1863: S. W. Bailey, 1866; R. M. Chand- ler. 1867: John B. MeKelvy, 1568; Samuel W. Bailey, 1872: Martin Dickinson. 1873: John Fanst. 1874; Jolm Frey. 1878: Lewis Temple, 1880.
A board of three Trustees managed the local affairs of the township, but the records of their meetings have been mislaid. and no authority now exists from which to obtain a list of the names constituting this board Under the provisions of the revised cou- stitution of 1851-52. the civil and school affairs were in the hands of three Trustees, who were assisted by a Clerk and Treas urer. By a later law, however, the offices of Clerk and Treasurer were abolished. and the duties of the board relegated to one Trust- oe. Under the old law. the Trustees met at statel intervals. hearing petitious relating tothe opening of new roads. levying the local tax for school purposes, or contracting with certain builders for the erection of schoolhouses. From 1958 to 1550, the town ship records contain the minutes of these meetings, but after the date last named. no meetings were held, owing to the changed law horetofore alluded to. and the books of the Trustee under the new law contain little more than memoranda of receipts and ex- penditures of the township money. The power to grant the open- ing of new roads was invested in the County Commissioners. upon the abolition of the township board. but while that authority was in the hands of the Trustees the township was greatly benefited by its use. Petitions of this nature were before the board at nearly every meeting, and Viewers were promptly appointed to traverse the site of the proposed road, to decide whether or not it would he a public convenience. They seldon reported to the contrary, and the result is a system of public highways of great importance as ontlets for the produce of the township.
During the summer or fall of 1834. the citizens of the town ship nuited in building a little cabin for school purposes on the farm of John Love. This was the first school building in the township, and nearly every family was represented by one or more pupils Thomas MeLaughlin was engaged as teachor. and the first session was held during the winter following the erection of the bnikling. A description of the house and its appointments would be only what is told of pioneer schools in general. It may be said of the teacher, however, that he was much better qualified
266."
HISTORYOF CARROLL COUNTY.
for his work than were the majority of pioneer teachers. since he was quite am able mans . His, pupils progressed rapidly, and. . Amount on hand September, 1880. :590 37 . Amonut since received. :: 673 04. some who are now prominent : citizens of the township received their first glimpses of an edneation under His instructions. ; The Amount expended since September 1, 1880. 803 14 building in which he taught was followed by another, similar to. 461 17 $1,264 31 it, in 1835 .. The second building was placed near the present Amount now ou ha site of Hopewell Church, and the first term of school was ; con- : CHURCHES ducted during the winter of that year. Shortly afterward. a sim .. ilar cabin . was erected : on the. farm of Samnel Grewell, near Lockport,' and, like the other houses here alluded to. was used for. a school building for a number of years: . Cabins were erected at a later date on the lands of Valentine: Good. James Small and;, by a church here. But, while the church itself, and the principal Nathaniel Ingles, respectively: They were all alike in appear- ance, and there was little abont. them to distinguish one from the other .:: ; Theasystentaof management was the same in each, and the limit of the teacher's ability was marked by the same bound- : ary line in nearly every case . . " the rule of; three " in aritinnetic; supported by a lair knowledge of reading and writing. When a scholar had so far mastered these mysteries that his knowledge of them: was co-extensive with those of the teacher, his education was completed. "No standard of qualification in the teacher was thought necessary, and often the older boys had attained such perfection : under the, justructions of the last teacher, that they were fully competent to teach the next man who took charge of the school, But this, state of things did not continue for many years, The sale of land in the section reserved for the schools,. and known as the " school, section." created a public fund, which was applied in partially liquidating the expenses of maintaining the schools, which had. until this time, been supported wholly by private patronage. The Township Trustees received this fund and the schools were thus brought measurably under their super- vision. The township was divided into districts. in each of which a house was erected, and as long as the public money held out the schools were free to all. This, however. was only for a por- tion of the term, and those who attended for the remaining por- tion did so at the expense of their parents. Under this new sys- tem, more care was taken in the selection of teachers than in the carlier days, and the condnet of the schools was more thorongh. and their effects ou the general intelligence more marked. The improvement thns begun culminated in the great public school system of the present day. 'The adoption of the provisions of this law began in Adams Township about the year 1853. and. during the succeeding years, the schools have progressed steadily. taking high rank among the educational institutions. of the connty. > During the year ending September 1. ISSI. there were 260 pupils enrolled in the several schools of the township. the daily attendance averaging 166.
: For teachers' salaries, an average of $2,05 for male and $1.83 for female teachers was paid during that: period. There are in" neat. substantial frame church, in which the services of the con- the township seven schoolhouses, all frame buildings, valued, to. gether with the grounds, school apparatus, etc., at $4, 100. The special school tax amounts to 15 cents on each $100 valuation of property, and the local tax for school purposes the sume. . The following is an exhibit of the financial condition of the schools:
ACCOUNT 'OF REVENUE FOR TUITION.
Amount on hand September 1, 1880.
840 86
Amount received in February. 1881. 807 14
Amount received in June, 1881. 165 02
" Mise laneous receipts
12 14
. Total.
$2.425 16
Amonut expended since September. 17-1880.
1,648 00
Amount now on hand .. $ 777 16.
ACCOUNT. OF. SPECIAL . SCHOOL REVENUE.
At an early day. occasional services were celebrated in the cabins of settlers, at such times.as ministers came to the locality to conduct them. The Associate Presbyterians were the first" religions body who formed an' organization or were represented features of its growth and development, are inseparably a part of the history of Adams Township, the organization had its incep- tion in White County, Ind. In the church record of this congre- gation appear's the following explanatory entry: ". "The Associate Synod of North America, in session at Philadelphia, Penn .. Th. May, 1828, appointed Jumos B. Miller and Jolmi Kendall mission : maries in Indiana, Kentneky, Illinois and Missouri, with authority to constitute themselves into a presbytery, as circumstances, might: require. Accordingly, a majority met in Presbytery in Randolph County, Ill., November 11, 1828, and, in answer to a petition from the congregation of Lower Raccoon, James B. Miller was appointed to hold an election for Elders. Alexander Barnes and. James Barrios were elected Ruling Elders for the congregation of Lower Raccoon."
It does not appear from the record, or from such verbal infor- mation as can be obtained. that the congregation of Lower Rac- coon ever erected a house of, worship, and indeed"it seems prob -. able that a removal to a minore central point was contemplated from the first. "On the 28th of March. 1829, they agreed, by a vote of the congregation, to remove the seat of their organization, and locate on Burnett's Creek, withiif the present limits of Adams Township. It seems scarcely probable that this 'move was in the hope of reaching a more thickly settled region, for the settlement of Adams Township bad not yet begun. "Yet, what is now: White. Conty for, at least, a portion of this territory ). was then attached" to Carroll County, and was Known as Norway Township .. It may have been a desire to be nearer the county seat that prompted the removal, but, whatever the in tive, Burnett's' Creek became the periment location of the congregation, and herd it grew and prospered. For, several years its members met at the cabins in the settlement, and were led in their devotions byrone of the Elders, "In "1834. a lot was donated to the society by John Barnes, and upon thuis they immediately erected a house of for. ship. This structure was of ronnd logs, and stood very near the site of the present edifice. It was occupied upou all occasions of public service, until the year 1830, when it was succeeded by a gregation are still-conducted: Rev. Nathaniel Ingles, who, has been mentioned as one of the early settlers, was the first pastor of the church, and .occupied that. relation until -1858;, He was succeeded by: Rev .: John M. Snodgrass. . in 1864, the, interin. having been filled by supplies. Mr. Snodgrass retired in 1867, since which time there has been no regular pastor, although serv. ices are held quite regularly, by juinisters sent as supplies.
: - While the: Presbyterians were holding meetings at the houses of their members; the Methodists, were also holding desultory meetings at other places, principally ;in ; the neighborhood, of Lockport. .. For a time their meetings were held at private houses, and subsequently a log church was erected on. a town lot donated
267
ADAMS TOWNSHIP.
for that purpose. At a later date this was succeeded by the present church a frime building. Services are regularly con- cheted. and the church is in a prosperons condition.
In the western part of the township. Daniel Hoover began to promulgate the doctrines of Alexander Campbell at an early day. There were among his neighbors several adherents of the Chris. tian denomination, and others soon joined them. At times, the ! there 3.023 acres sown in wheat, from which 45,345 bushels were services would be condneted at the house of one of the members. but usually they were held in the schoolhouse on the land of : 375 acres in sown oats yielded 14,650 bushels. From 571 acres of
Sammel Grewell. Ever since the organization of this little band. the society has maintained its identity and continued to prosper. In 1874. a lot was donated by Hamilton Hoover, and upon this was erected the present house of worship. It is a neat frame building, which. while possessing no architectural excellence. vet charms one with its appearance. The perfect white of its exterior walis is relieved by green blinds, and. located as it is in a beautiful grove, it attracts the admiration of all passers-by. Elder James Lilly is the Pastor in charge of the congregation at this time, and the house is known as the " Hopewell Church."
INDUSTRIAL. PURSUITS.
Almost as early as the settlement of the township began, there were those who followed with milling machinery. knowing the excellent water-power afforded by Burnett's Creek, and recog. nizing the necessity of such enterprises in a community newly settled. First. a saw mill was erected at Lockport. by Jolm and William A. Barnes. in 1832 or 1833. In 1835, they began adding machinery for grinding wheat and corn. and. in 1836. the grist mill was put into operation. This mill passed to the ownership of various parties in succeeding years and has undergone some repairs. It is still standing, and the machinery is in good order. though not now in operation. S. L. Clark is the prosent pro- prietor.
A little above this mill. on the same ereck. John Shultz erected a saw mill about 1836. and. in 1843 or 1844. erected another building near it for a grist-mill. He also established a tannery at this place and manufactured nearly all the leather that was used in the settlement for several years. The tannery and the saw-maill each outlived their usefulness, and were in time aban. doned. The flonring-mill. however, proved a permanent instiin- tion, and is still in operation. It passed into the possession of varions parties, and finally to. William Townsles. the present pro. prietor.
Joseph Newman erected a saw mill on Rattlesnake Creek in 1833 or 1834. and several years later added Honring-mill ma- chinery. He operated both departments successfully for a imber of years, but the business finally declined and the mill has been idle for several years.
About the year 1838. a little saw mill was erected at the present site of the Hoover Mill. It passed from the possession of the original proprietor to Thomas MeGrew, and from him to Alexander Hoover, who removed the saw-mill to the opposite side of the ervek and erected the present flouring-will in its place.
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