USA > Indiana > Cass County > History of Cass County, Indiana, from its earliest settlement to the present time; with Biographical Sketches and Reference to Biographies, Volume I > Part 65
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A comfortable frame church building was erected in 1888 at a cost of $2,500 and a Sunday school was organized this same year and has been successfully maintained ever since, together with the Women's Mission- ary and Aid societies. From the original charter membership of thirty- six the society has steadily grown until the present membership is nearly two hundred.
Ministers who have served the congregation, with the approximate years of service: Revs. J. B. Bair, December, 1887 to August 1892; J. B. Morgan, October, 1892 to February, 1895; C. F. Dame, May, 1895 to May 1896; A. E. Knight, September, 1896 to November, 1897; S. M. Cramblet, January, 1898, to September, 1899; A. E. Clem, March, 1900 to July, 1901; E. Sanford, January, 1902, to March, 1904; H. F. Mc- Donald, December, 1904 to March, 1907; W. E. Grinnell, September, 1907 to March, 1908; F. A. Carlisle, October, 1908 to June, 1910; A. L. Tidrick, July, 1911 to date.
CHRISTIAN (DISCIPLE) CHURCH
In the year 1874 Elder H. Z. Leonard held a series of meetings in the Methodist church in Royal Center and organized a society with nearly a hundred charter members. Dr. Leonard labored energetically for over two years with this newly formed Christian society but when he left the congregation took no steps to secure a successor or erect a house of worship and the congregation gradually disintegrated and was en- tirely abandoned and the Christian denomination had no organization in Royal Center for many years but occasionally a minister of this faith would hold services in a hall or other church until March 22, 1900, by the efforts of Elder E. E. Rogers, a new organization was perfected in Runkle hall with the following charter members: O. P. Kistler, J. E. Holmes, E. E. and S. A. Applegate, Linnie S. Rogers, Alma C. Kistler, H. B. Allen, Nils Ringdall, Tilda Ringdall, E. E. Rogers, Wm. H. Wal- ters, Cordelia Walters, G. W. Beckley, Margaret Beckley and Sarah E. Holmes. A church edifice was built in 1902 and dedicated to the serv- Vol. 1-83
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ices of the Lord by Elder L. L. Carpenter July 13, 1902. The date of dedication was fixed before the foundation was laid. The building was finished only twelve hours before the hour set for the dedicatory serv- ice. The church is a handsome frame structure, situated on West Cen- ter street and costing $2,500, which has been promptly paid; the society owes no man anything but to love him. "Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ." There were twenty- two resident members, only three of whom owned their homes when the church was built, which shows what a determined congregation can do when trusting in the Lord. Names of ministers, with date of service : Elder C. R. Taylor, 1901; J. H. Vinson, 1903-4; F. A. Coyle, 1905-6; O. M. Eaton, 1907; M. F. Rickoff, 1908; James Teeter, 1909; A. F. Bar- ber, 1910; E. W. Brikert, 1911. A Sunday school was organized April 6, 1900, by O. P. Kistler and others, which has been maintained ever since; also a ladies' auxiliary, both of which have been great aids in securing an increase of membership, which is now 121.
GRACE EVANGELICAL CHURCH (ROYAL CENTER)
This church was organized in 1889 through the efforts of Rev. James Wales, who had held a series of meetings in Royal Center and secured a charter membership of thirty. This little band of earnest Christian workers, under the energetic leadership of Rev. Wales, held regular meetings in the schoolhouse, halls and other churches, and gradually increased the membership until 1901 they were strong enough to build a church of their own and erected a substantial frame building on lots 15 and 16 in Wiseley's and Terrel's addition to Royal Center. The original cost of the church was $2,000. A Sunday school was established in 1889 and later a Young People's and Ladies' Aid societies, all of which are well attended and doing good work in the Master's cause. The present church membership is 140. List of pastors, with time of service : Revs. James Wales, 1889-1900; James Weisejahn, 1901-3; Rev. Tracey, 1903; Daniel Heil, 1904-5; Rev. Kaley, 1906-7; J. S. Kroft, 1908-12, present pastor.
SACRED HEART (CATHOLIC) CHURCH (ROYAL CENTER)
This church was organized in 1880 by Rev. G. Flesh, of Winamac, with a membership of about fifteen families. A small frame church was erected in 1880. This little flock was fairly prosperous for some years under the guidance of Rev. Flesh and later Rev. Dominie Shunk, of Winamac, but gradually dwindled down and the organization was aban- doned and the church sold in 1909 and converted into a storage room.
EMANUEL EVANGELICAL CHURCH (COMMON CENTER)
This church dates its history from the year 1859 and its organization was brought about largely by the untiring efforts of Rev. Withaupt, who labored unceasingly and finally secured the names of twenty charter members, all of whom were Germans. The organization was perfected at the house of Jacob Kennel in 1859. For the two following years meetings were held at Mr. Kennel's home and later at the schoolhouse until the year 1868 when the congregation erected a substantial temple of worship about two miles southeast of Royal Center. This is a hand- some frame structure, 34 x 46 feet, and the contract price was $1,200. This building was blown down during a cyclone in 1906 but was im- inediately rebuilt, and the society may well feel proud of their beautiful
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house of worship, at an expenditure of more than $2,000. Some of the charter members were: Jacob Kennel and wife, Mr. Criplever, L. Demp- sey, D. Heil, J. Fleuck, J. Kennel, John Newman, Jos. Moug, Jacob Lusher. Emanuel Lusher, Jos. Powlen and D. Heil were church officers for many years. Pastors who served the congregation from time to time: Rev. Withaupt, 1859; Rev. Shimel; Rev. Fisher; N. Alberts; J. S. Smith; Rev. Dustman; Wm. Snyder; Rev. Tracy; Rev. Caley; W. A. Stowell; Rev. Kieper; Rev. Brehtle; Wm. King; Wm. Wildermuth ; James Wales; Rev. Smith; Rev. Wistjohn; D. Heil; J. S. Kropt. W. A. Stowell is the present pastor.
Common Center church is the mother church of surrounding Evan- gelical churches. She has sent forth some very able ministers into the Master's vineyard. Rev. Levi Newman, now conference evangelist of Evangelical Association of Indiana and Rev. Daniel Heil received their first communion here.
TRINITY EVANGELICAL CHURCH
Trinity Evangelical church was organized in Star schoolhouse, Boone township, in 1887, by the Rev. Overmeyer, with the following charter members: Jackson' Holmes and wife, Wm. Gundrum and wife, H. Burton and wife, Sarah Knapper, Mrs. John Stout, Mrs. Ellen Hamil- ton, Wm. Lutes and wife, E. Burton, Elmer Kistler and wife, Mrs. Jesse Martin, Mrs. Oberla, Mrs. Clarissa Button, B. Kistler and wife, Jos. Hollis and wife. This earnest band of Christians for two years con- tinued to hold religious services in the schoolhouse until 1889 when they erected a plain but substantial frame church on the southeast quarter of section 9, Boone township, the contract price being $1,200. A Sunday school was organized with the church society and it was a source of spiritual awakening to the neighborhood for several years. Owing to some differences and apathy on the part of the members, the organization disbanded in 1898 and the church building was removed and the society ceased to exist. The following preachers administered to the congregation during its existence : Rev. Overmeyer, 1887-9; Rev. Holderman, 1890-1; Rev. Lacy, 1893-6; Rev. Speicher, 1889-90; Rev. Bucklin, 1891-3; Rev. Snyder, 1896-8.
LIBERTY CHURCH (PROGRESSIVE DUNKARDS)
Representatives of this church began to hold meetings at private houses in an early day. Later the services were conducted in the old log school houses. in the neighborhood. For many years these meetings were continued at irregular intervals. In the year 1889, through the efforts of Rev. Uriah Patton, assisted by Wm. McCorckle and Robt. Million, an organization was perfected and the same year a neat little frame church was erected on the southeast corner of the southeast quar- ter, section 29, Boone township, costing $1,600. We find the following list of names on the charter roll of this organization: Chas. and Eliza- beth Berkshire, Alice H. Thompson, May Vernon, Emeline Berkshire, D. B. and Martha Antrum, C. C., Rebecca A and Chas. Bingaman, Mary E. Shields, S. P. and Alice Hoffman, Jonas Kistler, Bertha, John, Chas., Edward and Sarah Berkshire, Ellen Ward, Martha Kistler, M. Callo- way, Ellen Hicks, Milton, S. M. and Geo. Kistler, Geo. and Tirza Berk- shire, John Davis, James and Emma Leezenbee, Felix Kistler, J. Fry, Adaline Fry, T. Calloway, Naomi Thompson. When the church was dedicated impressive services were held and the following ministers assisted : C. Berkshire, Geo. Burkit, J. Eyman, J. Hannah, W. Shull, Henry Ireland. The following preachers have served the congregation
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from time to time: Wm. C. McCorkle, J. Fross, Chas. Berkshire, Robt. Million, Frank Andrews. The present membership is about twenty-five and services are held at irregular intervals with no regular pastor.
CEMETERIES
Kline and Weyand Cemetery. This burial ground is situated about a mile southeast of Royal Center. On April 8, 1853, Andrew Kline donated and deeded to Boone township and the public in general for a burial ground. one-half acre in the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of section 24, Boone township. On the same day Daniel Weyand donated one-half acre adjoining the above tract for the same purpose (Rec. L. page 197).
When the original ground above described was occupied, Amos Fultz laid out and platted one-half acre adjoining it, but it was never recorded and still later G. W. Weyand has platted three additions, but has never placed them on record. These parties sell the lots and man- age the additions themselves.
As is the case with a majority of burial grounds in Cass county, there were interments made here long before any deeds to the ground were made or recorded. This is a large and well kept cemetery. The first burial was said to be Susannah, the thirteen-year-old daughter of Geo. Hamilton, in 1840. The coffin was made by John Beckley and the grave dug by Solomon Berkshire; but we copy a few inscriptions from markers, to wit:
Harriet, wife of Wm. Fairchild, died 1835.
Mary, wife of David Lytle, died 1843.
Mary, daughter of H. and L. Kline, died 1843.
Soldiers who lie here:
Geo. W. Fickle, War of 1812.
Samuel Baker, Company G, Eighty-ninth Indiana.
Albert McCombs, Company K, Ninety-ninth Indiana.
John A. Gehr, died September 11, '95, Company F, One Hundred and Fifty-first Indiana.
Hezekiah Burton, died November 19, '04, Company G, Seventy-third Indiana.
Jos. Terrell, Company F, Twentieth Indiana.
Jacob Hood, Company B, One Hundred and Fortieth Ohio.
Geo. Griffin, died April 12, 1896, Company A, Twenty-fifth Indiana. Francis M. Grauel, Company H, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Indiana.
J. J. Graves, Company I, Fifty-eighth Indiana.
Jonas Krupper.
John M. Schley, killed on railroad, Company K, Ninth Indiana.
Nelson Kistler, died November 24, 1865, Company F, Forty-second Indiana.
C. D. Foskett, died November 19, '04, Company F, Twelfth Indiana. Wm. C. Bliss, Company F, Twentieth Indiana.
Elijah Fickle, Company B, Sixteenth United States Infantry.
H. J. Nolan, Company K, Twentieth Indiana.
W. J. Lytle, died at Chickamauga, 1862, Company I, Twentieth Indiana.
J. W. Walters, died July 10, 1864, Company F, Forty-sixth Indiana. Andrew Tickfer, died April, 1908, United States Navy.
S. S. Hopkinson, Company K, One Hundred and Fortieth Indiana.
E. C. Mead, Company E, Forty-sixth Indiana.
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J. L. Masters, Company E, Twenty-ninth Indiana.
I. N. Longbrake, Company G, Twenty-first Ohio. John Fultz, Company B, One Hundred and Forty-second Indiana. John B. Fultz, Company F, One Hundred and Forty-second Indiana.
THOMPSON CEMETERY
James M. Thompson donated the ground for this cemetery about 1843, but no deeds were made or recorded until recently, July 22, 1901. E. A. Dunn, who became owner of the adjoining farm, conveys to trustees, J. F. Fry, Jerome Fry, J. Thompson and Andrew Thompson, seven-twentieths of an acre situated in the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 17, Boone township, for burial purposes only, and on July 27, 1901, Jerome Fry, as trustee, plats the above described ground and records the same. This is a finely located burial ground, three miles west of Royal Center, on a knoll rising out of the level surrounding prairie, is well fenced and neatly kept. Among the first burials are :
James M. Thompson, May 6, 1844, age sixty-five.
Nancy A. Short, March 24, 1844.
Mary E. Thompson, 1844.
Peter Thompson, 1844.
Martha, wife of Chas. Berkshire, September 14, 1855.
PUBLIC OFFICIALS
Boone township lays claim to having furnished more public officials, school teachers and railroad men than any other township in the county, outside of Logansport. Her teachers are numbered by the score from such well known families as the Washburn, Kistler, Thomp- son, Moore, Weyand, Bliss, Clinger, Beckley, Walters, McCauley, Thomas, McCombs Antrim, Burton, Bernethy, Hamilton and other families.
Among the native born doctors may be mentioned I. B. Washburn, Geo. W. and Henry Thompson, F. M. Kistler, J. B. Moore.
Legislators: I. B. Washburn, Eli P. Washburn, F. M. Kistler, Simon Weyand, Henry Thompson, C. W. Anderson and James Thomas. Judge: Henry Bernethy.
Prosecuting Attorneys: G. S. Kistler, F. M. Kistler, G. W. Walters. County Recorder : H. M. Bliss, 1860 to '64, and clerk from 1865 to '73.
County Commissioners : H. M. Kistler, 1860-63; Daniel Kistler, 1863-66, and a host of railroad and other employees from Boone town- ship may be found doing honorable duties from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
REFERENCE BIOGRAPHIES
A biographical sketch of the following residents or former residents of Boone township may be found in Helms' History, published in 1886, and will not be reproduced here.
C. W. Anderson, Charles Berkshire, Martin V. Berkshire, Wm. H. Berkshire, Hezekiah Burton, John H. Burton, M. D., John F. Coleman, John Davis, Dr. David N. Fouts, Samuel Frye, John A. Fuller, Hiram Harvey, Henry T. Harvey, Peter Heil, Henry Heil, Daniel Heil, Nicholas Heil, Jackson Holmes, John Kennel, Henry Kramer, John W. Layne, Cur- tis Long, Hon. James Thomas, M. D., Wm. A. Thompson, Nelson Tousley, Daniel Weyand, Geo. W. Weyand, Henry Wirwahn, and Amos Wiseley.
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CHAPTER XLIV CLAY TOWNSHIP
LOCATION-CREEKS-FIRST SETTLERS-MILLS-VILLAGES-CHURCHES- SCHOOLS-CEMETERIES-INCIDENTS-PHYSICIANS-TRUSTEES.
Clay township was named in honor of Kentucky's great statesman, Henry Clay. It is the smallest township in the county, embracing a territory of only about twenty square miles, which lies in congressional township 27 north, range 2 east. It is bounded on the north by Bethle- hem township, on the east by Adams, on the west by Noble township, and on the south by Eel river and the city of Logansport. The sur- face of the country is gently rolling, but in the southern and eastern sections along the river and Spring creek, it is quite hilly, but not so . precipitous but what it may be cultivated. The township is better supplied with creeks and springs than any other township in the county. Spring creek and Tick creek are both supplied by springs and are constant streams that flow in a southerly direction, the former emptying into Eel river at Adamsboro and the latter in section 21, near the south center of the township. These are both streams of con- siderable size and in the early settling of the country furnished an abundant water-power to run the grist and sawmills, and was a great boon to the pioneer.
The land was originally covered with heavy timber of oak, poplar, walnut, beech and hickory, except in the northern part, where it shaded off into the barrons, but the timber has about all disappeared before the woodman's ax and only here and there are left groves of native trees.
Clay is a rich agricultural district and in point of material pros- perity will compare favorably with other divisions of the county. The hills along its southern and eastern borders furnish an inexhaustible supply of sand and gravel for building and road making.
EARLY SETTLEMENT
Clay township, lying in close proximity to Logansport, was one of the earliest townships to be settled and the first comer was Elder John Scott, who made a tour of inspection in 1827 and selected a home on the Girrard farm in section 20. The following year he brought his family from Delaware county, his former residence, to his new home in the unbroken wilderness of this new country. At this time there were only a few cabins at the mouth of Eel river and none north of that river, Mr. Scott thus being the first settler to locate in Cass county north of Eel river. He built a log cabin and made a clearing, but only remained on this tract for a year or two, when he was compelled to move, owing to a prior claim to the land of another settler.
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He moved northeast a mile or more in section 16, where he resided until 1835, when he sold out to Nathan Julian and located in section 2, on land now owned by his son, Nelson Scott.
Elder Scott was a native of Kentucky and a man of more than ordinary intelligence, of strict integrity and moral worth and was the first Christian or Disciple minister to preach the gospel in the wilder- ness of Cass county. He died in September, 1866, and lies at rest in Spring Creek cemetery. Alexander Scott, a brother, came to the township the same year, but soon after moved to Noble township.
In the fall of 1828 Samuel Ward, Daniel Fuller and George Richard- son settled on land in section 16. In November, 1829, Joshua Shields settled on what is now the County farm in section 17 and the same year claims were taken by Reuben Covert and Jos. Sellers. In 1830 Jos. Douglass began to fell the forest trees in section 18, on the farm now owned by his son, Prof. A. H. Douglass.
The following two or three years saw Wm. Follis locating in section 7, Peter Miller on the Orwin farm in section 3, John Hamilton on the Flory farm in section 21, James Tucker in section 23, Leonard Souther- land, section 15, near Adamsboro; Geo. Smith near the center of the. township; Solomon Kelly and Zera Sutherland in section 15; Gillis McBean on Eel river in section 20; Chas. Demoss in northwest quarter of section 17.
In 1831-32 many other additions were made to the settlement, to wit: Wm. Demoss on the Horn farm in sections 20 and 21; Geo. Julian in section 16; Moses Barnett in section 23; Noah Vandever in section 20; James McClung in section 8; Archibald McGrue in section 22; John Shields, section 17; John Murphy in section 9; Wm. Murphy, on the La Rose farm in section 9; John Sutton on the Campbell farm in section 3.
The next few years brought the following persons, whose names were familiar to pioneers in all this section: James Heddens, John Plummer, Jacob Hall, Wm. Sutherland, J. L. Smith, Walter Wilson, John Hill, Wm. Rogers, Nathan Julian, Jonathan Washington; Philip La Rose, Daniel Bell, Samuel Swigart, Henry Rush, Elihu Plummer, Daniel Cox, Benj. Enyart, Alexander Wilson, Jesse Julian, Edward Johnson, Noah Castle, Jacob Julian, Conrad Martin, James Burnett, Wm. Scott, Jesse Buzan, John Simpson, David Miller, John Ward.
LAND ENTRIES
The official records of land entries were made by the earliest settlers and many entries were made by men who never occupied the land; but it is interesting to give a few of the earliest patents issued, to wit: The first entry of land in Clay township was made in 1830 by Jacob R. Hall in section 5; then Peter Miller in section 3; James Rush in section 11; Benj. Coffman and David Miller in section 13; Nancy Bur- nett and John Barr in section 22 and John Tipton in section 8. The entries in 1831-32 were made by Benj. Enyart, section 6; John Hill, section 6; Alexander Wilson and Wm. Fallis, section 6; Jacob Bow- man, section 14; Jordan Vigus, section 16, and Wm. Scott, section 22. These were the earliest entries, but nearly all the early settlers above named purchased land of the government and in many instances never procured a patent until several years after settling on the land and it is unprofitable to give the dates thereof.
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ORGANIZATION
Clay township was organized on May 5, 1832. The first election was held at the cabin of Samuel Ward in section 16 and Jos. Sellers was the first justice of the peace to be elected and the following are some of the earlier justices of the peace: John Ward, W. W. Eldridge, Samuel Swigart, Isaac Aly, J. Wilds, Geo. W. Julian, J. Simpson, M. . J. Morgan.
OLD MILLS AND INDUSTRIES
Clay township, having two streams of considerable size running through its territory, has had perhaps, more water power mills built within its borders than any other township in the county. These were at first very primitive affairs and all the mills for grinding grain were called grist mills, where farmers would take their wheat or corn, generally in a sack, on horseback, before the days of improved roads and wait at the mill while his grist was being ground.
In those days there was a state law compelling the miller to give each customer his turn, first come, first served and also prescribing the amount of toll to be taken for his pay for grinding. For many years the law gave the miller one-eighth of the grain for toll. On the day the pioneer was going to mill he would get up long before day- light so as to get an early start to mill in order to be the first to get his grinding done, and it was no unusual sight to see a number of settlers on the road to mill and the mills of Clay township were in early times a place of social intercourse, while they were waiting for their "grist." Often, however, the miller would be so busy that he could not accommodate all his patrons and then the farmer would go home, returning at a future time to get his meal or flour.
JONATHAN WASHINGTON MILL
This was the first mill to be erected in the township, about 1830 or '31. It was a small log structure located in section 4 on the head- waters of Tick creek, from which it received its motive power. At first it was a sawmill, but later a mill burr was attached for grinding corn and wheat, but had no bolting cloth, the patrons sifting out the bran by hand as was the custom in the early days. This mill, although a rude and small affair, was the only mill for a time north of the rivers and was highly prized by the pioneers, for in those days there were no roads opened up to Logansport and it was practically impossible to bring grain to town and Jonathan Washington did a thriving business in his little log mill. When other and larger mills were erected this mill fell into decay. Charles and P. J. Demoss built a small sawmill about 1836-8, on what was known as Flory creek, a short distance north of the county poor asylum. It was a great convenience to the early settlers and sawed much of the lumber used by: the residents of Clay township. It was operated nearly twenty years, then was abandoned.
WAYMIRE MILLS
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About 1837-8 Andrew Waymire, who was a millwright of some ability and erected a number of mills in the county, built a sawmill for Hamilton and Taber on east side of Tick creek near where it emptied into Eel river. This was quite a large mill and did a good business, being operated by Mr. Waymire for a number of years, then by Elihu Plummer and J. S. Wiley and probably others. The build
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ing was a substantial structure and stood for many years after it ceased to be used, but all vestiges of this quaint old water mill have disappeared.
The George Julian sawmill was built about 1835 on Tick creek in section 16. A year or two later there was added a carding machine attachment and still later a shingle machine, all of which were suc- cessfully operated until 1845-6, when the entire building and machinery were destroyed by fire.
A few years later Jos. Terrell rebuilt the sawmill, which did a good local business, being operated by Mr. Terrell and later by. J. J. Julian, but fell into disuse a quarter of a century ago.
Between the Waymire mill and the Julian mill on Tick creek, Elihu
TICK CREEK
and Thomas Plummer erected a sawmill about 1840 and operated it for some time, when Sanford Fair, brother of the California millionaire, ran it for awhile, but it, like its northern and southern neighbors on 'fick creek, fell into desuetude.
Murphy tan yard with its bark grinding water wheel was built about 1834 by John Murphy. It was located in the north side of section 16, on the east side of Tick creek and did a local tanning business for the farmers in that neighborhood. Later it was operated by Buskirk and Patch. The tannery was operated for about 26 years, but finally fell into disuse and no vestige of the old tannery remains to mark the place of its former activities.
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