USA > Indiana > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Indiana : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 6
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At one time, while Mr. Stansel was ont here looking for land, he had been attending the sales of land at Logansport. and started back homeward. There being no road cut along the route he proposed to travel, he took an Indian trail. Before reaching the place where he expected to put up for the night, darkness overtook him and he lost the trail. Depending upon the instinctive knowl- edge of his horse for guidance through the woods and thick un-
derbrush, he brought up safely at the cabin of " Old Man Har- ness," on the located line of the Michigan road, where he passed the night, partaking of the hospitable entertainment of the old "host," so universally known. appreciated, and proverbially recog- nized by all the carly travelers through this portion of the Wa- bash Valley. Having, the night previons, wandered abont so long before reaching Mr. Harness', without any definite knowledge of his whereabouts, he became so badly lost that he did not know which end of the road brought him there, nor which one ho should take in pursuing his journey: and in the morning, also, when he came to make a start, he was so bewildered still that he took the wrong end of the road, back track toward Logansport. and it was with great diffienlty that he could be prevailed upon toturn about. When he did so, it was with no small misgivings as to the pro- priety of so doing, being fully impressed with the belief that he was going wrong when he did so,
At the time Mr. Gregg came from Ohio, accompanied by his wife and brother, as before noticed, while on the road. they camped out every night. for there were but few settlements along the route traveled by them. and these were so far distant from each other that it was inconvenient to depend on finding shelter in houses during the night. And again, the fall being dry and pleasant and the roads good, it was nsnally more agreeable and certain to sleep under cover of the woods than in honses. When they landed here, they immediately set themselves about putting up a cabin. This being done, they commenced clearing off a
August 12, 1828, the second day of the session, on the petition of sundry citizens interested, a county road from Delphi to Ben- jamin Baxter's, another from Delphi to Nathaniel Hamilton's, were ordered to be located. Hugh Manary and Aaron Dowey were appointed to view the aforesaid routes, and at the next sos- sion to report the routes respectively that would best meet the wants of the public. On the same day, a road was ordered to be ; piece of ground suitable for a yard and " patel," so that, by Christmas or before, they had more than an acre chopped off almost clear. Between Christmas and New Year's, they started back to Ohio: but, owing to. the bad traveling at that season of the year, they did not reach home until after the middle of Jan- nary sneceeding, the journey occupying one-half a month in its performance.
Any person who has had any experience in traveling over these Western roads during that season of the year when there is so much moisture in the ground. can well imagine why half a mouth might be consumed in making the journey. At that time. when the black and clavey soils were not frozen, and teams were frequently passing along, the mud was deep. so that heavy teams often made but a few miles --- from five to ten, and sometimes fif- teen - per day. Often six miles was the longest distance that could be made after traveling hard from sunrise to sunset. Iu winter, when the ground was frozen, the roads, at first. were rongb and knobby, but gradually they became smooth by loug passage. and, of course, solid.
A great many anecdotes have been related by old wagoners of their hardships, difficulties and wondrous experiences on the road. which would appear almost incredible when compared with the present, and yet, no doubt, interesting. especially to the inter- osted. We shall endeavor, erelong, to give the reader a brief ro. cital of some of those personal experiences and recollections of traveling facilities in those days, as compared with the more recent.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
CHAPTER VILL.
PIONEER REMINISCENCES-CONTINUER.
DRY WEATHER INDECES A DEARTH IN BUSINESS-STEAMBOATS- MORE NEW SETTLERS ARRIVE-ISEARL. ROHRBAUGH. SANTEL LENON. WILLIAM MCCAIN, ISAAC ROBBINS-" DELPIN MILL" BUILT -SAW-MILE - CONTEMPLATED QUAKER SETTLEMENT -- ENOCH CON. JOHN BECENER. JOHN M. GULAM-GRAIN BROUGHT FROM FOUNTAIN COUNTY-CHILDREN LOST. ETC.
THE weather, during the fall of 182% and the carly part of the winter suceceding, was unusually dry, as, also, the spring following. The merchants and tradesmen usually shipped their goods from Cincinnati by steamboats for the Wabash; but the with and overcome by early settlers of the Wabash Valley.
river was so low that boats eould get no farther up than the :
traveling with a six-horse team, and some time prior to the date of his removal to this county. bridges across the streams on their route were scarcely known, so that the only way. often. to obtain a transit from one sido to the opposite was by swimming --- a method not always very satisfactory, and frequently attended with more or less difficulty and inconvenience. One night, hav- ing oncamped in a low piece of bottom. there was a heavy fall of rain. and so much water upon the ground they were compelled to ent saplings and form platforms of them. raised sufficiently high that when their beds were placed upon them there would be no danger of being overrun by the waters before morning. These were but a few of the difficulties. in number or kind. to be met
The winter before Mr. Gillam moved to this county, he brought "Rapids," at Mount Carmel. The result was that goods brought ! np here from Fountain County a wagon-load of corn-meal, a large to that point by the easy and expeditions conveyance of steam- boats had to be transported thence by wagons to such points higher up the river as wore designated in the orders of shipment. This oepasioned minch inconvenience and loss, not only to the mer- chants themselves, but was the source of much delay aud disap- pointment on the part of the settlers. who had no other depend- ' once for their supplies of groceries and clothing .. Such mishaps. though not very frequent in their occurrence, were, nevertheless. seriously felt. and the remembrance of them has continued fresh in the minds of many whose experiences in this direction have left an indelible impression. Among all those adversitios. there were some redeeming prosperities attendant thereon. portion of which he lent to the settlers, who had not raised grain sufficient the previous season for their bread, and were illy con- ditioned to buy. He did this with a conseionsness that there was no necessary hazard. for. in now settlements, where union and harmony were the prevailing characteristies, a favor so well timed as this could in no wise go unrewarded. In this community. unbroken faith, and good fellowship was the order of the day. In the fall of the year 1529. the children of Thomas Gillam, Sr .. and of his brother, John M. Gillam, started out into the woods one morning for the purpose of digging ginseng. which was then very abundant in the neighborhood, and a source of considerable rovemie when obtained: but they had not been out very long ---
During the fall just then passed. several new settler . made . rambling abont from place to place. hunting and digging alter- their appearance here and commenced settlements in, different : nately, without thinking in what direction they were going -- before parts of the conuty. Among these were Israel Rolabangh. who emigrated from Virginia and settled here on the 4th day of Oe .... tober. 1828: Sammel Lenon, formerly of Ohio, came here in Octo .. ber. 1829; William McCain. also from Ohio, settled here onthe. 10th of Deeember. 1825: Isaae Robbins settled here about the: same time that season, and became a permanent resident. they got lost, and. when night came. the children were still absent. The families by this time had become greatly alarmed for their safety in these wild woods, and the nearest houses at that time were William Bishop's and John Briggs. Three or four persons started immediately in search. Mr. Thomas Gillam went to Bridge Creek and followed it np some distance, but learned no. The improvement of the site of the " Delphi Mill " was com- menced this spring, somewhat after the plan proposed by the Quakers. and noticed elsewhere. Saw-mills were erected and put into operation this year (1829). by Isaac Griffith, Samuel Williamson and Sammel Wise --- all of them of easy access by the settlers. These improvements formed additional links in the as- cending chain of circumstances which have led to the occupancy of that independent position so familiarly recognized and enjoyed by our people at the present day- - links which, having been united. by the strong cement of popular friendship. formed a chain of stich tenacity that revolution itself conld scaree rupture it. All these influenees seem to have worked together for the common good. tidings of the lost little ones. Morning came, and still they had. not been found. nor had there been any fraees discovered which might indicate their whereabouts. By this time. the whole com- munity was in a state of alarm and apprehension for the safety of the wanderers. The excited neighbors wore early aronsed. and started for the woods. with horns, guns, and other implements by which natural and significant communications could be passed between the different parties in scareb. and. if within reach, to give information to the children that assistance was near at hand .. Allen Gillam, son of Thomas, who was among the lost ones, and a little older than the rest of them, in the meantime. however, had Aggested to his friends the propriety of pounding upon a tree In the early part of 1829, Enoch Cox, from New York. and John Beckner, of Virginia, moved here and. made permanent set tlements: with a elub. in order that the persons seeking for them might be attracted by the noise and come to their relief; they did so, and it had the desired . effeet, for the noise thus made did strike the eagerly listening ears of some of those who were scouring the At this time, the settlements had so extended that the whole country began to wear the aspect, in many portions, of an old- settled country. The energy manifested by the citizens was such as to warrant success, which was readily achieved. woods in search, and the children were found by the means, after having laid out all night. When they had been found, the joyful tidings were made to re-ceho from point to point. until the wel- come fact was announced at the door of every cabin in the neigh- borhood.
On the 4th day of March, 1829, the day upon which Andrew Jackson entered upon the discharge of his duties as President of the United States. John M. Gillam, brother of Thomas Gillam. Sr., before noticed, formerly of the State of Pennsylvania, then recently from Fountain County, Ind., settled in this county. At the time when Mr. Gillam was on his way to Fountain County.
At another time: not long after this, a child of David Gillan, another brother of Thomas. wandered away.and got lost while. its mother was engaged in getting dinner. Its absence was not dis- covered until after dinner, when all parties started in search and hunted nutil dark. Rumors were sent to Delphi to raise the
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
alarm and procuro assistance. The people turned out en masse. and roamed over and through the woods at night in misnecessIn! search for the little one lost. Next morning there were at least tifty persons engaged traversing the country, making inquiries and calculating what next should be done. Finally, they all formed themselves into a long line, separated one from another from fifty to one hundred yards, and took a "sweep " over the country in this connected form. About noor that day. they found ' had been wet and disagreeable. considerable quantities of rain the child. asleep beside a tree, but almost famished with langer. having had nothing to eat since the morning of the day before.
On the 4th day of April. 1529. Thoidas Gillam. Sr., romoved with his family to this county, and settled down in the midst of what was then was an almost unbroken forest ; particularly so in the immediate neighborhood where he located. built his cabin and commenced his clearing. At the time of his settlement here. Mr. Gillam was possessed with little means with which to com menceoperations and make rapid progress in improving his land -. and was compelled, by the force of cirenmstances, to make extraor- dinary exertions toward raising " produce" enough to supply the demands of his family. Possessed. however. with unconquerable resolution. he commenced his clearing with a hearty good will. and, instead of taking the usual method of cutting down the trees. a young man would climb them and begin at the top branches. lopping off the limbs until the trees were entirely stripped, while Mr. Gillam. in the nicantime, would throw the branches upon a fire and buru them as they fell from the trees. In this way he got nine aeres in cultivation the first spring, and, from the prod. ; from any habitation. in the midst of a dense forest and surrounded
nets of the first clearing, had, the following fall. corn enough for home consumption and some to sell besides. Yet Mr. Gillam constituted but one example among the many that could have then been found in Carroll County, in which exertions like his were rewarded so abundantly. The times and circumstances demanded the exercise of all the efficient energies that could be brought to bear in opening the way for civilization. by creating surphis nongh to meet the required wants of new settlers, in the way of provisions necessary to subsistence, and of inducements such as would tend to improve the lands and advance the growth of their social polity.
CHAPTER IX. PIONEER REMINISCENCES-CONTINUED.
CHRISTOPHER VANDEVENTER'S NARRATIVE CORNELIUS WILLIAMS -DR. JAMES II. STEWART -- SAMUEL D. GRISHAM -- ROBERT D. ROYSTER-THE - OLD POMERON," WELL REPRESENTED AMONG THE EARLY SETTLERS-NANCY ANN. JACOB UND AMOS B.I.L. ARRIVE FROM PENNSYLVANIA-ENOCH STANSEL AND AARON GREGG-DEATH'S DOINGS.
here, he was obliged frequently to travel from daylight until dark. and sometimes until late at night. without anything to eat. or a place of shelter. His fare consisted usually of " cold corn-pone." or " corn-dodger." " roon meat " and hominy. for which he had to pay Si per meal. About the 234 of December. he reached Fort Wayne, and remained there overnight with a little Frenchman. who had a squaw for a wife. Previous to that time, the weather having fallen in the meantime, and in the morning, before leav. ing Fort Wayne, his host informed him that it was forty miles to the next cabin whore he could probably find shelter for the night. This information was not very gratifying. inasmuch as . his route was through a deep forest, with no road save an Indian trail, which was indistinct and easily lost. He set out. however, and was mainly guided by the course of the Wabash River. The recent rains had raised the branches and creeks so that they were almost impassable except by swimming, which method of trans- port. at a warmer season of the year. might have been adopted with some degree of indifference: but at this time, when the water was cold. and the prospect around dark and gloomy, was not the inost agreeable. Nevertheless, the unwelcome harriers presented themselves, and the " Rubicon must be passed." In the after noon, the weather became very cold and freezing, yet he traveled on till nightfall, but found nocabin: be had missed the trail and wandered out of the way. It was dark. and he soon began to realize the painful troth that he was lost. perhaps many miles
by thick darkness. The air continned to grow cold, and show began to fall rapidly. There he was alone - wet, cold. tired and hungry, having traveled since daylight that morning withont tast- ing food or taking a moment's rest. Everything was wet around. so that he could not kindle a fire by which his condition for the night could be rendered more comfortable. He made his prepara- tions, however, as best he could. for spending the night. but his blankets were wet and frozen, and the undertaking to sleep, or even to lie down, was hazardous. He was in a dilemma from which he was in doubt how he could best extricate himself. His better judgment prevailed. and. instead of lying down in his wet clothes with the risk of freezing to death, he continued on his feet all night. sometimes running up and dowa an adjacent hill- side, at others performing such exercises as suggested themselves to keep himself warm. Morning at length dawned, and the snow that had fallen during the night covered the ground to the depth of ton or twelve inches. On looking around for his knapsack. it was no where to be found. In the night, he had wandered away from the spot where night overtook him without taking cognizance of his serpentine movements, and could not tell in what direction it might be from him. After searching in vain for several hours, he again starled upon his journey hitherward, and abont noon came to a cabin, where be tarried until morning to rest and refresh himself, that he might be in better condition to withstand the
T N the winter of 1829, Christopher Vandeventer left the State of New York for the Wabash Valley. having in contemplation a temporary sojourn, if not a permanent settlement, in this county. From New York he came by way of the lakes to the vicinity of ! fatigue of traveling. Starting early, with the advantage. also. Toledo, Ohio; thence his route lay ahnost wholly through a wil. of information received by which he was enabled to correct his latitude and lay his course to better advantage, he directed his traders located here and there for purposes of barter and traffic. stops toward Delphi, where he arrived late in the evening of that day, and was welcomed by the friends and acquaintances who had previously settled here. Upon examining the country, he found It was about the middle of December when he left the lake. Ho 'everything satisfactory, and accordingly made this the place of his future settlement. derness but thinly inhabited, save by Indians and a few French There were no roads then, such as we have now. and the Indian trail furnished the only guidance on his ronte from point to point. was alone and on foot, carrying with him a knapsack weighing fifty-four pounds. Owing to the sparsely settled condition of the On the 25th of Summary, 1830, Cornelius Williams, a Virgin- country through which it was necessary for him to travel to get , ian by birth, located in Carroll County, and made it his home
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
from that time until the period of his death. some twenty-one years since. Being a man possessed of great energy of character and judicious business capacity. he was a useful citizen at that early day, and, during the course of his long residence here, he ' huuber from them, because of the great expense attending its amassed considerable property.
Dr. James H. Stewart, a native of Kentucky. came here on the 10th of April of this year, and, from that time ouward, has been one of the permanent fixtures of the county. In succeeding pages we shall have occasion frequently to refer to him in the various positions he has occupied in times past. as they connect themselves more or less intimately with the history of Carroll County.
On the 30th of April. Samuel D. Gresham arrived here from Virginia, and settled down, in possession of the ardor and vigorous energy of youth, determined to work out for himself a fortune in this home of his adoption.
Among others who, about this time, sought and found comfort- able homes within the limits of this county, may be noticed Robert D. Royster, a son of the Old Dominion. who, in early life. emigrated thence and settled in Fayette County, in this States where he resided until the period of his location on the banks of Deer Creek. above Delphi, on the Sth day of July. 1530. He con- tinned here, in the enjoyment of the privileges secured to himself by his early settlement, until his death. many years since.
In the month of October of this year. Nancy Ann Ball, Jacob and Amos, Ball -- the first a native of Pennsylvania, and the rest of Ohio -settled in this county. and then became fully identified with its early history.
As has been before noticed. Enoch Stansel settled here some time in November. having. a year or two before visited the county, in company with Aaron Gregg. with the purpose of selecting a permanent home.
While accessions were being made to the population of the county by the arrival of persons from different partsof the United States, death was making its inroads into the enjoyments of these yet infant settlements. During the month of September, 1830. there were nine deaths in the, county, and seventeen more during the remainder of the year. These adverse circumstances had a tendency somewhat to retard the progress of improvements and chill the energy of enthusiasm among the settlers: but it was only temporary.
CHAPTER X. PIONEER REMINISCENCES-CONTINUED.
EXPERIENCES OF CABIN-BUILDING AND FINISHING-SOME EXPERTS -JOHN R. BALLARD ONE OF THEM-OTHER GOOD QUALITIES OF MR. BALLARD-NURSE AND UNDERTAKER-INCIDENTS IN HIS CAREER-RECURRENCESTO THE PAST-COMPARISONS-SAW-MILL -IN DELPIHI-EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT- MISCELLANY.
TN some of the earlier chapters, reference was made to the fact that, when the first houses were being built in the county, there was a serious want of the materials necessary for the com- pletion of tenements adapted even to the wants of the times -- and that, as an evidence of the inventive power which necessity calls forth, in order to supply the deficiency occasioned by the absence of sawed lumber, boards were prepared for the various purposes of finishing cabins by the use of the broad-ax: in other words, boards were hewed out, instead of being sawed. This practice prevailed for a long time, and to a very considerable extent, in this county, owing to the fact that saw-mills in those days were
not very numerous, and that such as wore in the county occupied locations too far removed from the settlements to enable the poor and often illy provided settlers to avail themselves of the use of
transportation thither. It was a circumstance of not very unusual occurrence that boards made by splitting them from the tree, and straightening and sqnaring them with the broad-ax. were used for laying floors, making doors and door and window casings, and in the construction of corner cupboards and shelves, such as pioneer housewives were wont to recognize as kitchen furniture of superior workmanship and extraordinary durability. Not only was a large proportion of the kitchen furniture manufactured in this way, in- cluding, also, tables and chairs, but bedsteads and cradles, orna- ments of the sleeping apartments, were wrought out by the same skillful process of handiwork. Among the more cunning artifi- cers in this department of mechanies, it is proper to mention the naque of John R. Ballard, many evidences of whose ability in this particular remain to this day.
It is related, also. of Mr. Ballard, that his skill was frequently required in the manufacture of articles other than those of a house- hold nature. Here, as elsewhere, sickness and death prevailed, though to a limited extent: the one required the assistance of a careful nurse to soothe the pains and administer to the wants of the suffering: while the other, after the attention of kind friends and neighbors had ceased to be of advantage in restoring them to health. and the dread destroyer had marked them as his victims, required the services of a careful undertaker to prepare them.for their final rest. As a careful and vigilant nurse, the reputation of Mr. Ballard was co-extensive with the limits of these carly settlements, and. his example stands pre-eminent, as many now living can fully attest. Wherever sickness and want prevailed, he was always present. ready and willing to render whatever assist- ance his generous nature and vigorons manhood enabled him to bestow. Whenever a funeral occurred. he discharged the last sad duties of coffining and sepulture to the dead. At the time of the death. of Benjamin D. Angell, on the 16th of September, 1525, there was not in Carroll County a saw-mill where plank could be procured, nor a cabinet-maker by profession who could construct a coffin in which his remains could be deposited preparatory to their occupancy of the grave. In this emergency. Mr. Ballard was looked to as the only source of help, and he, by his practical skill as a " worker in wood.". took of the boards that had been prepared for covering a house in the neighborhood, and, by the use of his broad-ax, straightened and smoothed them, and con- structed therefrom a coffin, in which the ashes of Mr. Angell now rest. This is only an incident in the early history of Carroll County, which goes to show the characteristics of the times, and of the people of that age. There were privations then suffered and endured, heroically met and overcome, which would put to blush the fancied privations and hardships of the present day. The determined character of those early inhabitants was a sure guaranty against weak nerves and the inclination to abandon trial when difficulties were deemed insuperable. These qualities were adapted to the necessities of the times.
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