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 76
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This graveyard is now enclosed by a wire fence in the midst of an open woodland pasture field, grown up with weeds and vines and sadly neglected as are the majority of the small pioneer burial places in Cass county. It is now seldom used and most of the people in this neighbor-
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hood have lots in the new cemetery north of Galveston and many remov- als have been made, but there are probably two hundred graves remain- ing. We copy the earliest inscriptions on markers :
Wife of E. Davis, June 12, 1850.
Peggy, wife of Isaac Thomas, 1851. Wife of Dennis Watkins, 1851.
George and Byron Knight, who were killed by the Lucas brothers, while resisting arrest by United States officers during the Civil war are buried here.
List of soldiers: Henderson Berry, Company F, Twelfth Indiana Cavalry; T. B. Martin, Company H, Thirtieth Indiana Cavalry; L. B. Lee, Company B, Fortieth Indiana Cavalry ; B. K. Knight, Company A, Fifty-fourth Indiana Cavalry ; T. B. Knight, Company H, One Hundred and Fifty-third Indiana Cavalry; Noah Snyder, Company D, Eighth Indiana Cavalry.
Mc WILLIAMS CEMETERY
Robert L. McWilliams, on July 1, 1850, deeded to the commissioners of Cass county 1/2 acre out of the E. 12 of the N. E. 1/4 Sec. 21, Jackson township for a burial ground. On December 14, 1888, the heirs of R. L. Mc Williams platted an addition adjoining the above grounds on the east, and James McWilliams now controls the sale of lots in this addition. This is a very old burial place, probably the first white person buried in the township, lies in this graveyard. It is finely located on the south bank of Deer creek on the edge of an open woodland, is fenced and has some evergreen trees and good monuments but is poorly kept at this time, 1907. The road used to run along the north side of the grounds but has been changed, and is now reached by a private driveway, a quarter of a mile east to the road running south to Galveston.
First burial was William Dale in 1843. Mr. Dale cut his foot with an ax. His brother went to Logansport, eighteen miles distant for a doctor. It was dark when he reached there and it was impossible to find their way back along the Indian trails after night as there were no regu- lar open roads and not a half dozen houses between Logansport and Galveston. The messenger was thus compelled to stay all night in town and by daylight next morning the doctor and messenger started for the long journey through the forest to Mr. Dale's cabin; but before their arrival Mr. Dale had bled to death. He was the first white man to die in the township and the first buried in McWilliams' cemetery.
Freeman Daggett, who died recently, lived in the neighborhood at that time, gave the writer an account of this fatality.
About the same time Daniel Bickel and Mr. Frush were buried here. A son of Peter Frush, 1848, and daughter of J. and M. Dixon, 1850. This is the resting place of many old pioneer families as the Bickels, Graves, Sperrys, Winns, Frushes, Logans and Dixons. Soldiers: G. W. Manes, Company H, Twenty-ninth Indiana ; William Speece, Company H, Ninth Indiana; died, 1894.
SPRINKLE CEMETERY
On June 3, 1857, George Sprinkle deeded to John Kemp and James Atwood, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church, one acre of ground in the N. W. corner of the S. W. 1/4 Sec. 20, Jackson township, for church and burial purposes. Again on January 16, 1874, Wm. H. Faris, of Hamilton county, Indiana, conveyed to the Cass county commissioners a strip of land 3x13 rods on the east of the above tract, and on April 4,
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1859, George Sprinkle deeded to the trustees, Nearcy Jump, Samuel B. Sprinkle, Andrew Wiseman, Joseph M. Weaver and George Sprinkle, one acre adjoining the above mentioned tract for the use of the Sprinkle graveyard and the Methodist Episcopal church. A church was erected here but it was abandoned and torn down when the Lincoln church was built. This is a large cemetery, well located on a bluff, on the west bank of the south fork of Deer creek, near where the old Sprinkle sawmill stood in early days. The grounds are interspersed with evergreen trees and has some fine monuments.
FIRST INTERMENTS
Ursula Foster Campbell about 1850; Emma, wife of J. Elder, 1851; Wm. P. Campbell, 1851; Sarah, wife of Daniel Bell, 1855; Major Daniel Bell, November 7, 1874; age 86. This was the anniversary of the battle of Tippecanoe in which he bore an honorable part.
Soldiers buried here :
Maj. Daniel Bell, died November 7, 1874; War of 1812.
David Douglass, Major; War of 1812.
Michael Curtis, Thirty-first Illinois.
Nelson Shelly, died 1897; Company H, Eighty-fourth Indiana.
N. W. Turner, died 1874; Company D, Third Indiana Cavalry.
George Kemp, died 1865; Company H, Thirty-fourth Indiana. R. R. Pierce, died 1869; Company H, Seventy-third Indiana. Noah Snyder, died 1864; Company D, Thirty-ninth Indiana. T. B. Martin, died 1863; Company H, Thirty-fourth Indiana.
Hiram Armstrong, Company G, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Indiana.
B. H. Knight, died 1863; Company H, Fifty-fourth Indiana.
PATTERSON CEMETERY
Joseph Gray, on September 27, 1888, deeded to the board of commis- sioners of Cass county, a tract of land about 7x12 rods in the N. E. 14 of section 24, Jackson township, for a burial ground. This little burial ground is beautifully situated on the north bank of Deer creek and south of the road. It derives its name from the Patterson family, who lived near by. The ground was appropriated for burial purposes about 1844. The land was then owned by Hugh McHenry, a speculator who did not live in the township. Many years later Joseph Gray bought the land and conveyed the cemetery to the county. The ground is now (1907) nicely enclosed by a wire fence in the edge of an open woodland; is neatly kept and has a few good monuments.
First interments : Mrs. Thos. J. Edwards and infant, June 15, 1844; Thomas Patterson, 1845.
Soldiers buried here are :
Ed. E. Croxford, Company L, Twentieth United States Infantry.
B. A. James, died 1882; Mexican war and Company K, Ninth In- diana.
KEMP FAMILY BURIAL GROUND
About 1850 the wife of John Kemp was buried on the N. E. 14 section 25, Jackson township, on the farm since owned by Joseph Gray. There were probably two or three other interments made here in an early day. No markers were ever erected to indicate the place but Freeman Dagget, now deceased, and J. W. Stauffer remember the circumstances and the exact location of the graves but the occupants of these solitary, unmarked
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and soon to be forgotten graves sleep as peacefully as though they were within hearing of the chimes of some great cathedral bells.
GALVESTON CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
April 2, 1875, Galveston Lodge No. 225, I. O. O. F. for the sum of $1,666.66 purchased three acres of land in the S. E. corner of the N. E. 1/4 section 28, Jackson township, of Jacob S. Garretson, for a burial ground.
November 8, 1892, Matthew Miller, A. J. Shirley and Jacob Collins, trustees of the I. O. O. F. lodge platted this ground. There is a new ad- dition on the north that, is now being improved by the association. This cemetery was managed by the trustees of the Odd Fellows lodge until April 3, 1901, when on petition of Z. U. Loop and others it was incorporated and known as the I. O. O. F. cemetery. In September, 1907, on petition to court the name was changed to the "Galveston Cemetery Association," and is now incorporated under the state laws.
The ground is maintained as a lawn cemetery, there being no banking of lots or graves permitted, but a uniform level grade, so that it can be mowed and kept as a lawn. No trees are permitted to be set out on the lots but the association sets trees along the driveways. The lot owners are taxed each year, usually $1.00, and the association mows the entire grounds every week during the summer or as often as is necessary to keep the grass in a neat appearance, which would be impossible to do if lot owners were permitted to bank up their lots or graves or were intrusted to keep their lots mowed neatly. Now there is uniformity and system in the improvements and caring for the lots. This is undoubtedly the most beautiful and best kept cemtery in Cass county and has the reputation of being the nicest in the state. There are some very large and fine monuments that compare well with those in Mt. Hope in Logans- port. The driveways are graveled and rolled, the gutters cemented, cement walks leading through the center and cement steps leading up to the elevated circle in the center of the grounds. The trustees expect to sell the lots in the new addition at such a profit that a permanent endow- ment fund will be created which, in time, will be sufficient to mow the lawn and care for the whole cemetery without taxing the lot owners as is now done, and thus the upkeep of the cemetery will be provided for for all time.
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First interments : George Winninger, August 6, 1877; Mary, wife of Crawford Griffith, 1858, probably removed from the old cemetery. Soldiers:
Baldwin, Thos. E., Lieutenant, Company H, Thirty-fourth Indiana. Burch, Philip L., Company E, Seventy-ninth Indiana; died 1905.
Baldwin, Thornburg, Mexican War and Surgeon, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Indiana; died 1901.
Crisler, John, Company G, Seventy-third Indiana; died, 1902. Crisler, Lewis, Company H, Thirty-fourth Indiana; died, 1904.
Davis, W. R., Company E, Eighty-seventh Indiana; died, 1885. Culver, David, Captain, Company F, Fifth Ohio; died, 1885. Crawford, J. H., Company D, Thirty-third Indiana; died, 1905. Gehart, S. A., Mexican War.
Garver, Andrew, Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth In- diana; died 1894.
Garrettson, Reed, Company D, Twenty-eighth Indiana; died, 1875.
King, B. L., Company B, One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Ohio; died, 1904.
Kelly, Daniel, Company C, Thirty-fifth Indiana; died, 1893.
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Lott, Hiram, Mexican War; died, 1899.
Myers, Ed., Company H, Seventh Indiana.
McConnell, J. H., Company H, Seventy-third Indiana; died, 1890.
Manis, George, Company H, Twenty-ninth Indiana; died, 1879.
McIlvain, Wm., Company H, Thirty-fourth Indiana; died, 1874.
Philapy, J. H., Capt., Company H, First Maryland; died, 1903.
Phiester, S. L., Company E, One Hundred and Seventy-eighth Ohio; died, 1894.
Page, George, Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Indiana; died, 1879.
Radabaugh, Company H, Fifty-fifth Indiana; died, 1862.
Oldham, Bryant, died, 1899.
Shepherd, W. H., Company G, Seventy-third Indiana; died, 1863.
Stevens, Geo W., Company C, Sixth Maryland; died, 1903.
Thomas, Minor G., Colonel and Brigadier General, Eighth Minne- sota; died, 1897.
Yakey, J. A., Company H, Thirty-fourth Indiana; died, 1862.
INDIAN BURIAL GROUND
Prior to 1840 when the Indians were the only occupants of Jackson township, there was an Indian village on Deer Creek and they had a burial ground near the west line of the S. E. 1/4 of the S. E. 14 Sec. 16 north of Deer Creek, and on the east side of a ditch or creek in that locality and about half a mile north of the Mc Williams cemetery. Mahlon Bell says he remembers the graves, but they are unmarked and the ground is being farmed regardless of the Indian braves lying beneath the plowman's feet.
I. O. O. F. CEMETERY
The Odd Fellows cemetery laid out in the seventies has been trans- ferred and is now managed by the Galveston Cemetery Association and . the present I. O. O. F. cemetery, consists of a new plat of ground adjoining their old cemetery on the west.
August 18, 1898, Rachel E. Garrettson deeded about eighteen acres of land in the S. E. 14 section 28 to Freeman Daggett, J. A. Robinson and John Bitler, trustees of the I. O. O. F. lodge, No. 225, and on May 27, 1904, the trustees plat this ground. This is a beautifully laid out ceme- tery, on the lawn plan, a circle in the center, with curved drives but not now fully improved.
First burial : Rhoda, wife of John D. Moss, December 8, 1899.
PHYSICIANS
Doctors are so intimately associated with man's entrance into the world, and often with his exit, are so identified with the daily life of the people, and aid in making history as no other class of citizens, that history would not be complete without a brief notice of the medical profession.
Since the coming of the white man into the wilds of Jackson town- ship in 1841 there have been over thirty doctors located within its border from time to time, and they will be mentioned in alphabetical order.
Dr. Thornburg Baldwin was probably the first doctor to locate in this township. He came to Galveston in 1853, less than a year after it was laid out and three years before any railroad was completed into Cass county. He was one of the old-time country doctors, whose knowledge
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of medicine was gained from practical experience at the bedside. He was born in Ohio in 1820, was a soldier of the Mexican and Civil wars and died at Galveston in 1900, leaving a widow still living.
Dr. John S. Beall, born in Ohio in 1828, attended the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical School in 1853 and 1855, practiced in Illinois in 1863 at Walton, and in 1867 located in Galveston, where he continued in practice until his death in 1895.
Dr. Michael Bitler, born in Pennsylvania in 1813, attended one course of lectures at Cincinnati Medical College, practiced medicine in Galveston from 1868 to 1875, moved to Arcanum, Ohio, where he died some years later. He was married to Elizabeth Van Trees in 1833, and had nine children. He was a surgeon in the Union army.
Dr. Samuel Bitler located in Galveston in 1870 and practiced three years, then one year at Walton, and moved to Howard county and soon after became paralyzed and was in the Soldiers' Home at Dayton. He partially recovered, moved to Arcanum, Ohio, then to Elwood, Indiana, where he is doing a little office business. He was born in Ohio in 1840, married to Salina Campbell and had three children. Mrs. Bitler died and he remarried.
Dr. J. Frank Cornell, one of the leading physicians of Galveston at this time, is a native of Cass county, born in Deer Creek township, Feb- ruary 9, 1870. Educated at Marion and Valparaiso normal schools, taught several terms of school, was superintendent of schools of Cass county one term and then studied medicine and attended the Indiana Medical College and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Chicago, in 1902, and since then he has been in active practice at Gal- veston. He was joined in marriage to Berlind D. Williams, November 7, 1900, and they have two children.
Dr. Samuel Carr. Some time in the fifties there was an erratic doctor by name of Carr, who lived on a farm east of Lincoln. He was an herb doctor, gathered his remedies in the woods and manufactured his own medicines and did quite a business for several years. He sold out about 1860 and moved to Nebraska. He was married and had sev- eral children.
Dr. D. K. Fickle came from Clinton county, Indiana, about 1863, and practiced in Galveston and Walton. He resided here for several years and married Rebecca High, of Tipton township. Some years later he abandoned his wife and profession and became a rover, and when last heard from was working on a United Fruit Company vessel sailing between Boston and the West Indies about ten years ago.
Dr. Theodore Kern, according to Helm, lived and practiced in Gal- veston prior to 1886, but nothing further is known concerning him.
Dr. James C. Loop, one of the first doctors to locate in the south part of the county, was born in Ohio in 1825, attended medical lectures at Cincinnati in 1850, and soon after settled in Cass county, and about 1854 located in Galveston, where he became a leading physician and citizen until his death in 1900. He gave some attention to law and was admitted to the bar. He was an ardent Democrat and his party honored him by sending him to the legislature in 1884. He was a hunter and often went to the wilds of Wisconsin to hunt. He was united in marriage to Sarah Wirts' of Virginia in 1844, by whom he had ten children. Two of his sons, Dr. Z. U. and William M. Loop, followed their father's profession.
Dr. Z. U. Loop, son of the above-noticed James C. Loop, was born in Indiana in 1851, and a few years later came with his parents to Gal- veston, where he has spent practically his entire life. In 1882 he gradu- ated from the Kentucky School of Medicine and has been engaged in
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active practice and running a drug store in Galveston to the present time, although in the past year has somewhat retired and is president of the Galveston Bank. The doctor has been twice married, his present wife was Mrs. Laura A. Darragh, and they have three children. Dr. Loop has affiliated with the Democratic party, but is liberal in his views and is a worker in the cause of temperance and all moral reforms.
Dr. William M. Loop, also a son of Dr. James C. Loop, was born in Ohio in 1848, attended one term at the University of Michigan in 1870, but graduated from Indiana Medical College in 1874. He engaged in practice with his father at Galveston, then in Deer Creek, Carroll county, until his death in 1898.
Dr. H. H. Miller was born in Brooksburg, Indiana, in 1871, educated at the State Normal School at Terre Haute and graduated from the Louisville Medical College in 1897, and the same year opened an office in Galveston, where he has built up a lucrative practice. He was treas- urer of the town board two terms. He was united in marriage in 1902 to Miss Elsie M. Thomas, of Galveston, daughter of F. H. Thomas, and they have one child.
Dr. J. B. Moore, born in Indiana in 1841, practiced medicine in Gal- veston from 1871 to 1874, charter member of the Cass county medical society, moved to Kokomo, where he lived for many years. In 1905 he moved to Seattle, Washington, where he died in 1907, and at his request his remains were cremated and wafted by the breezes of the Pacific to the uttermost parts of the earth.
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Dr. Thomas F. Marshall, born in Pennsylvania in 1827, attended the medical college at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1850, located at Lewisburg, Miami township in 1851, where he married Mary C. Eaton, and about 1853 or 1854 moved to Galveston, where he had an extensive practice until his death in 1866. He has one son living near Galveston and a daughter, now Mrs. James W. Hill, of Logansport.
Dr. Thomas J. Maxwell is mentioned by Helm as a practicing physi- cian of Galveston prior to 1886, but we can find no trace of such a man, and it may be that this doctor was Thomas F. Marshall by an error of the printer.
Dr. Robert H. Ross, now in active practice in Galveston, was born in Virginia in 1858, educated in Westfield College, Maryland, and from Indiana Medical College in 1879, practiced at Bennetts Switch, Cassville and Kokomo, and in 1908 located in Galveston. The doctor has been twice married, his present wife being Mary O. Campbell.
Dr. J. S. Smith, born in Camden, Indiana, in 1855, graduated from the Ohio Medical College in 1882, and at once located in Galveston and has been in continuous practice to the present time. He married Anna Jump, of Jackson township, and they have three children. The doctor served on the United States pension board from 1897 to 1903.
Dr. L. A. Simmons was born in Deer Creek township, Cass county, in 1850, and educated in the Logansport and Kokomo high schools. He attended the Indiana Medical College, located in Galveston in 1876, and some years later moved to Kokomo, and in 1907 went to Florida. He was married in Missouri to Susan Hull and they have several children.
Dr. James B. Tennell attended the Eclectic Medical College, In- dianapolis, in 1893, practiced two years in Ohio, member of the Ohio State Eclectic Medical Society, was located for a time in. Galveston, had ill health and mental ailments, sent to the Cass County Infirmary until room could be made for his admission to Longcliff, but he died in the county infirmary December 31, 1910, aged seventy-seven years, an honorable but unfortunate man.
Dr. Elisha Van Buskirk was born in Wayne county, Indiana, in 1817,
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graduated from the Laporte (Ind.) Medical School in 1849, practiced at Lebanon, and Camden, and in 1852 moved to Jackson township on a farm and did a little practice, but soon turned his entire attention to farming. He was an upright, well-educated citizen, who enjoyed tilling the soil better than dosing out medicine, with all its trials and responsi- bilities. He died in 1907.
Dr. Williams, according to Helm, was a practicing physician in Galveston during the sixties or early seventies, and some years later Dr. Whitesides was engaged in practice at Galveston.
Dr. Joseph H. Waldron, born in Iowa in 1871, graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Chicago, in 1896, licensed to prac- tice in Cass county in 1897, and located at Galveston. He was connected with a patent medicine outfit of questionable character and moved on to greener pastures.
Dr. David C. Barnett is a Cass county production, being born near Georgetown in 1839, and was educated in the public schools of the county. He studied medicine with Dr. Newland, of New London, In- diana, and practiced at Young America, Onward, Kokomo and Hemlock, Indiana, and for some years past has been in active practice at Lincoln. His wife was Virginia Stevens and they have six children.
Dr. V. L. Bryant located in Lincoln about 1886, but his patients were few and far between and he soon moved to brighter medical climes.
Dr. William Floyd was a practitioner in Galveston prior to 1886, but further information is not obtainable concerning him.
Dr. Levi Lennon, about 1890, engaged in practice at Lincoln, but moved to Nebraska and later returned to the land of his nativity, Deer Creek township, relinquished professional work and is now a respected . and influential citizen of Deer Creek township.
Dr. H. N. Parrott, born in Fountain county, Indiana, in 1867, came to Cass county in 1897, licensed to practice at Lincoln, where he re- mained until 1901, and moved to Burnettsville and later to Terre Haute. He married a Miss Myers in 1898, and they had two children when living in Lincoln.
Dr. James O. Ward, born in Clinton county, Indiana, in 1844, gradu- ated from Miami Medical College in 1867, and same year located in Galveston, where he practiced until 1869, when he moved to Peru, where he is still a leading physician of that city. He served for many years on the United States pension board. He was united in marriage to Amelia B. Clements, who died in 1910, leaving two children.
Dr. John B. Wills was born in Union county, Indiana, in 1853, came to Cass county in 1865, attended state normal school at Terre Haute, graduated from the Kentucky School of Medicine in 1880 and at once located in Lincoln in active practice; served as trustee of Jackson town- ship in 1886, and in 1891 moved to Franklin and then to Indianapolis, where he is now engaged in the drug business. He was married in 1878 to Flora E. Campbell, of Deer Creek township, and they have several children.
Dr. M. S. Watkins, brother of A. P. Watkins, practiced for a short time in Lincoln, but left many years ago and is now reported to be living in Terre Haute, engaged in other pursuits.
ROADS
When the white man first settled in Jackson township it was a wil- derness, and nothing but Indian trails along which they traveled from village to village.
The first wagon road cut out through the forests of this township
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was the Marion and Delphi road extending through the southern part of the township from east to west. Other roads followed Indian trails until the country became improved, when the roads as a rule were straightened and placed on section lines until today Jackson township has roads on nearly every section line or half section line, with seventeen miles of stone roads and twenty-four miles of graveled roads, in addition to the township line roads on the north, south and east, which are also graveled, so that her people can ride with ease and comfort, with farm wagon, buggy or automobile, to any section of the township without having their patience tried by sticking in the mud or a breakdown over corduroy roads of pioneer days.
GALVESTON
This is a flourishing little town of seven hundred inhabitants, situ- ated near the, southeast corner of the township, on the Pennsylvania Railroad and Indiana Union Traction Company's interurban line, sev- enteen miles from Logansport and eight miles from Kokomo.
The town was laid out in May, 1852, by James Carter, who had previously purchased the site, employed a surveyor and platted forty- five lots on the southeast quarter of section 28, township 25, range 3 east. There has been several additions laid out since that time to accom- modate the increasing population. At the time Mr. Carter laid out the original town a dense forest covered all that region except here and there a clearing. There was no railroad through the township, but there was a prospect of a road being built and Mr. Carter was wise enough to anticipate the coming of the railroad to his paper town in the woods. The first house to be erected was a hewed log structure built by George Bell on the lot where F. H. Thomas now resides. In this log house he opened a general store, the first business house in Gal- veston. Prior to this, however, Thomas K. Hansberry kept a small store on his farm about one-half mile southeast of Galveston, who was evidently the first merchant in the township.
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