USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 13
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Benjamin Chambers, one of the civil engineers employed to make the sur- vey of the territory obtained by Wayne's treaty, was a native of Chambers- burg. Pennsylvania, and was commissioned by the Continental Congress an ensign in the First Pennsylvania Regiment in 1778. In 1779 he was made a lieutenant and saw active service until the close of the war. He was said to have been a very intelligent man and very courtly in his manners.
Following is a list of the county officers of Dearborn county from the date of the county's organization to 1915:
TERRITORIAL JUDGES.
Benjamin Chambers, from March 7, 1803, to December 14. 1810; Jabez Percival, March 8, 1803, to January 6, 1814; Barnet Hulick. March 7, 1803,
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to December 14, 1809; John Brownson, March 7, 1803, to January 6. 1814; Jeremiah Hunt, March 7, 1803; Richard Stevens, March 7, 1803; William Majors, March 7, 1803, to January 6, 1814; James McCarty, March 7, 1803 : Isaac Dunn, March 17, 1812, to February 14, 1817: Elijah Sparks, January 16, 1814 (died in May, 1815) ; James Noble was appointed to fill the vacancy and served until 1816. Jesse L. Holman was also a territorial judge when the state was admitted into the Union.
CIRCUIT JUDGES OF DEARBORN COUNTY.
John Test, of Franklin county, 1818-19; John Watts, of Dearborn county, 1819-20; Miles C. Eggleston, of Jefferson county, 1820-45; Courtland Cush- ing, of Jefferson county. 1845-47; George H. Dunn, of Dearborn county, 1847-50; William McCarty, of Franklin county, 1850-53; Reuben D. Logan, of Decatur county, 1853-65; Jeremiah M. Wilson, of Fayette county, 1865-69; Robert N. Lamb, of Switzerland county. 1869-71; Henry C. Hanna, of Franklin county, 1871-73; Omar F. Roberts, of Dearborn county, 1873-79; Noah S. Givan, of Dearborn county, 1879-85; William H. Bainbridge, of Dearborn county, 1885-91 ; Alexander C. Downey, of Ohio county, 1891-97; Noah S. Givan, of Dearborn county, 1897-1903; George E. Downey, of Dear- born county, 1903-09; George E. Downey, of Dearborn county, 1909-13, re- signed to accept position as controller of the United States treasury ; Warren N. Hauck, of Dearborn county, 1913-15, appointed by Governor Ralston to fill unexpired time; Warren N. Hauck, of Dearborn county, 1915.
COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.
William S. Holman, of Dearborn county, 1853-56; Charles N. Shook, of Ripley county, 1856-61; Francis M. Adkinson, of Switzerland county, 1861-65; Robert N. Lamb, of Switzerland county, 1865-69; Scott Carter, of Switzerland county, 1869-72.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
Solomon Manwarring, 1816-30; John Livingston, Isaac Dunn, 1830-38; John McPike, 1830-35; Samuel H. Dowden, 1835-38; John Livingston, 1838- 45; Alfred J. Cotton, 1838-45; David Conger, 1845-51; John A. Emrie,
PROBATE JUDGES.
George H. Dunn, 1829-31; John Livingston, 1831-37; John McPike, 1837; John Palmer, 1837-43; Theodore Gazlay, 1843; William S. Holman, 1843-47; Alfred J. Cotton, 1847-52.
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THE TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE.
The first territorial Legislature met at Vincennes on July 29, 1805, and Benjamin Chambers of Dearborn county, was the presiding officer. Jesse B. Thomas, of Dearborn county, was speaker of the House of Representatives. The second Legislature met on September 26, 1808. Jesse B. Thomas, repre- senting Dearborn county, was again speaker of the House. The third Legis- lature met on November 10, 1810. The fourth Legislature met on February 1, 1813. James Dill, of Dearborn county, was speaker of the House at the first session, and Isaac Dunn, of Dearborn county, was speaker during the last seven days of the second session. The fifth and last territorial Legislature met at Corydon on August 14, 1814. Jesse L. Holman, of Dearborn county, was elected president of the legislative council.
Dearborn county was represented in the constitutional convention of 1816 by James Dill, Solomon Manwarring and Ezra Ferris. In the con- stitutional convention of 1851 the county was represented by William S. Hol- man, John D. Johnson and Johnson Watts.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
The senators representing Dearborn county in the state Legislature are as follow :
1816-18, Ezra Ferris ; 1821-22, at Corydon, John Gray; 1825-30, at Indi- anapolis, John Watts; 1831-32, James T. Pollock : 1833. D. V. Culley ; 1834- 35, Daniel Plummer; 1838-43, Johnson Watts; 1844-45, George P. Buell; 1849-51, James H. Lane, president of the Senate; 1846-51, James P. Milliken : 1852-57, Richard D. Slater; 1859-61, Cornelius O'Brien; 1863-65, James W. Gaff: 1867-69, Elijah Huffman; 1871-73, Richard Gregg; 1875-78, Noah S. Givan; 1878-82, A. J. Bowers; 1882-86, Columbus Johnston; 1886-90, Fran- cis M. Griffith : 1890-93. Columbus Johnston : 1898-1902, George H. Keeney; 1902-06, William H. O'Brien; 1906-10, Evan L. Patterson; 1910-14, Warren N. Hauck ; 1914, Joseph Hemphill.
REPRESENTATIVES IN THE LEGISLATURE.
1816, Amos Lane and Erasmus Powell; 1817. Amos Lane: 1818, Eras- mus Powell and John Watts: 1820. Ezra Ferris and Erasmus Powell; 1822, Pinckney James, Horace Bassett, Ezekiel Jackson ; 1823. Samuel Jelley. Ben-
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jamin J. Blythe, David Bowers; 1825, Abel C. Pepper, Horace Bassett, Eze- kiel Jackson; 1825, Ezekiel Jackson, Abel C. Pepper, Thomas Guien; 1826, Ezra Ferris, Ezekiel Jackson, Horace Bassett; 1827, Horace Bassett, Ezekiel Jackson, Joel DeCoursey, James T. Pollock ; 1828, Horace Bassett, James T. Pollock, Arthur St. Clair, George H. Dunn; 1829-30, Horace Bassett, James T. Pollock, Thomas Guien, Walter Armstrong; 1830, James T. Pollock, Wal- ter Armstrong, Ezra Ferris, Samuel H. Dowden; 1831, David V. Culley, William Flake. Warren Tebbs; 1832, George H. Dunn, David V. Culley, Oli- ver Heustis; 1833, George H. Dunn, Thomas Guien, David Guard; 1834, Nelson H. Horbet, James Walker, Thomas Howard; 1835, Henry Walker, Thomas Howard, Milton Gregg; 1836, David Guard, Pinckney James, John P. Dunn, Abel C. Pepper; 1837, George Arnold, Abram Ferris, Enoch W. Jackson, Alexander E. Glenn; 1838-39, George Arnold, Jacob W. Eggleston, William Conaway, Ebenezer Dumont; 1839-40, Amos Lane, William Lanius, William Conaway, William Perry; 1840-41, Abijah North, John B. Clark, Isaac Dunn, William R. Cole; 1841, Ethan A. Brown, James P. Milliken, James Rand; 1842-43, Ethan A. Brown, John Lewis, James P. Milliken; 1843-44, Pickney James, David Macy; 1844. Oliver Heustis, John Lewis, William Lanius; 1845-46, George Cornelius, Richard D. Slater; 1846-47, A. G. Tebbs, John D. Johnson; 1847, George W. Lane, Richard D. Slater; 1848, John D. Johnson, Alvin J. Alden, George M. Lozier; 1849-50, Daniel Conaway. Joseph A. Watkins; 1850, Ebenezer Dumont (speaker of the House) John B. Clark; 1850 (special session), Oliver H. Torbett, William S. Holman; 1853, Oliver B. Torbett (speaker of the House), Noah C. Dur- ham; 1855, Alvin J. Alden, John Crozier; 1857, John Lewis, George W. Lane; 1858, Noah C. Durham, Warren Tebbs; 1859, Warren Tebbs, Noah C. Durham; 1861, Omer F. Roberts, Charles Lods; 1863, Omer F. Roberts, Alfred Brogan; 1865, John C. Stenger, Richard Gregg; 1867, Edward H. Green, Warren Tebbs, Jr. : 1869-71, Warren Tebbs; 1872-73 (special), Noah S. Givan; 1875. Columbus Johnston; 1876-78. Columbus Johnston; 1878-80. A. J. Alden : 1880-82, Edward Jackson ; 1882-84. Hugh D. McMullen; 1884- 86. Hugh D. McMullen; 1886-88, Hugh D. McMullen; 1888-90, Joseph Vandolah : 1890-94. John W. Johnson; 1894-98, John Feist: 1898-1902, Omar F. Roberts : 1900-04. Charles H. Conaway: 1904-08. Victor Oberting : 1909-10. Warren N. Hauck : 1910-12. Cassius W. McMullen : 1912-14. Edgar Sale : 1914-16. Edgar Salc.
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DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
At the time of the burning of the court house on March 5, 1826, the county was governed by a board of supervisors, composed of a justice of the peace from each township. The first meeting of which there is any record was on March 26, 1826, the board then consisting of Mark McCracken, pres .. ident; John Porter, James Lewis, William Brundage and Laban Bramble. In 1827 Cornelius Falkner and Job A. Beach took the place of two of the board. In 1828 Philip Eastman, James Murray, Dele Elder, Isaac Caldwell, John Godley, James W. Hunter, Martin Stewart and William Flake constituted the board. In 1829 David Bowers, John Glass and Israel W. Bonham took the places of three of those serving the year previous. In 1830 Joseph Wood. Ulysses Cook, John Columbia and John Neal were the new members.
In 1831 the law had changed and the county was divided into three dis- tricts, with one man elected from each district, who was called a commissioner. The member from the first district was elected for one year, the member from the second district was elected for two years, and the member from the third district was elected for three years. Afterwards each member was to serve three years. In 1831, under this new law, Joseph Wood was elected from the first district, Mark McCracken from the second, and George Arnold from the third. From that time on the commissioners were elected to serve for three years each, as follow :
1832, William Conaway; 1833, Charles Dashiell; 1834, George Arnold; 1835, John Neal; 1836, Benjamin Sylvester; 1837, David Nevett and William Conaway ; 1838, David Walser; 1839, Aaron B. Henry; 1840, William S. Ward; 1841, Charles Dashiell; 1842, John Columbia; 1843, William S. Ward; 1844, David Walser; 1845, James Grubbs; 1846, Daniel Taylor; 1847, Mar- tin Trester; 1848, Jonathan Hollowell; 1849, William S. Ward; 1850, Zerah Winson; 1851, Jonathan Hollowell; 1852, John Heimberger; 1853, Benjamin Burlingame; 1854, Mason J. McCloud; 1855, Asahel Tyrrel; 1856, Benjamin Burlingame; 1857, John Anderegg; 1858, Asahel Tyrrel; 1859, Francis Buf- fington : 1860, John Anderegg; 1861, Charles Briggs; 1862, Francis Buffing- ton: 1863, Charles Briggs; 1864, John Anderegg; 1865, Francis Buffington ; 1866, Frederick Souders: 1867, Smith Platt; 1868, Asahel Tyrrel; 1869, Frederick Souders; 1870, John C. Stenger; 1871, Asahel Tyrrel; 1872, Fred- erick Souders: 1873. James Grubbs-Smith Platt : 1874, Frederick Slater : 1876, Michael Hoff-Abraham Briggs: 1877. Frederick Slater : 1879, Abra- ham Briggs-Michael Hoff; 1880. Garrett Bosse; 1882. Charles Lods, to fill
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vacancy caused by death of Michael Hoff; 1882, Henry Bulthaup, to fill va- cancy caused by death of Garret Bosse; T. T. Annis, John Buchert and Henry Bulthaup, elected; 1883, Charles Fisk and John Feist, the latter appointed to fill vacancy caused by death of John Buchert; 1885, Nicholas Vogelgesang ; 1885, George A. Swales; 1886, George W. Johnston; 1887, Nicholas Vogel- gesang; 1888, George A. Swales; 1889, George W. Johnston; 1890, Joseph Buchert : 1891, John Axby ; 1892, Eben T. Heaton; 1895, Benjamin P. Wai- ser; 1896, Frederick Wolber; 1897, Frederick Albers; 1898. John Renck (three years) ; Rufus Abbott (two years) ; 1899, Fred Albers (three years) ; 1901. John Renck; 1903, John E. Heustis; 1904, George W. Brown; 1905, Henry J. Meyer; 1906, John E. Heustis; 1907, Ralph Conaway ; 1908, Henry J. Meyer; 1909, Edward Barker; 1910, Ralph Conaway; 1911, George T. Wolf; 1912, Edward Barker ; 1913, John Nolte; 1914, George T. Wolf; 1915, Frank Bittner.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
1829. Daniel Hagerman; 1829-31, Thomas Palmer; 1831-36, Walter Armstrong : 1836-38, Robert Moore; 1838-40, William G. Monroe; 1840-45, Ebenezer Dumont; 1845-47, Nelson S. Torbet; 1847-50, Cornelius O'Brien; 1850-53. Noble Hamilton : 1853-55, Strange S. Dunn ; 1855-57, Thomas John- son : 1857-61, Francis M. Jackson; 1861-63, Marcus Levy; 1863-65, William F. Crocker : 1865-70. Thomas Kilner; 1870-74, Francis Lang; 1874-78, Charles Lods : 1878-82, William H. Kyle: 1882-86. James D. Gatch; 1886- 90. John Probst ; 1890-94. Michael Maloney ; 1894-98, William \'ulber ; 1898- 1902. Henry Fangman; 1902, William Fangman, unexpired term of Henry Fangman ; 1903-06. Enoch McElfresh : 1906-10, C. William Fangman; 1910- 14, Andrew Burk: 1914. John .A. Bobrink.
COUNTY AUDITORS.
1841-46. George W. Lane : 1846-55. Reuben Rodgers; 1855-64, Elias T. Crosby : 1864-68. Richard D. Slater, Sr .; 1868-75. Richard D. Slater, Jr. ; 1875-79. Myron Haynes; 1879-83, Alexander Pattison; 1883-87, Julius Ser- erin : 1887-91. Edward D. Moore: 1891-95, Frank R. Dorman: 1895-97, Ambrose E. Nowlin : 1897-98. Charles L. Walser; 1898-1906, Charles M. Beinkamp: 1906-14. William S. Fagaly ; 1914. Harry Lutherbeck.
COUNTY CLERKS.
Samuel C. Vance. March 7. 1803. to September 6. 1813 : James Dill. Sep- tember 6. 1813. until death in 1838: son. James Dill. appointed pro tem : Will-
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iam V. Cheek, 1839-51 ; Cornelius O'Brien, 1851-56; Samuel L. Jones, 1856- 61; John F. Cheek, 1861-68; John A. Conwell, 1868-78; Warren Tebbs. 1878-86; John H. Russe, 1886-94; David Lestutter, 1894-98: John Uhlrich, 1898-1906; George Fahlbush. 1906-14; James G. Mckinney, 1914.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
James .Dill, March 7, 1803, to August 30, 1803 ; James Hamilton, August 30, 1803. to February 14, 1817; James Dill, 1817-31 ; Thomas Porter, 1831- 34; Asa Smith, 1834; Thomas Palmer, 1835-55; Tobias Finkbine, 1855; John Heimberger, 1855-63; Alvin J. Alden, 1863-67; Alfred Brogan, 1867-71 : Francis M. Johnson, 1871-79; George C. Columbia, 1879-85; John S. Prich- ard, 1887-95; George W. Turner, 1895-1903; Edward C. Fox, 1903-11 ; Clifford Haynes, 1911.
COUNTY SHERIFFS.
David Lamphere, 1803-04; James Hamilton, 1804-16; John Hamilton, 1816-18; William Hamilton, 1818; Thomas Longley, 1818-22; John Spencer, 1822-26; Thomas Longley, 1826-28; John Spencer, 1828-32; Milton Gregg, 1832; William Dils, 1832-37; John Weaver, 1837-41 ; Samuel Osgood, 1841- 45; Thomas Roberts, 1845-49; Frank M. Riddle, 1849-53; John Brumblay, 1853-58; John Boyd, 1858-60; Edward A. Conger, 1860-64; Richard C. Ar- nold, 1864-68; Frank R. Dorman, 1868-72; Lewis Weitzel, 1872-76; Elijah Christopher, 1876-80; John C. Sims, 1880-84; Daniel M. Guard, 1884-88; Hezron Haynes, 1888-92; Henry Bulthaup, 1892-96; William E. Teke, 1896- 98; Ira Miller, 1898; Marion Laws, 1898-1902; John Axby. 1902-06; Rich- ard White, 1906-10; Ora N. Slater, 1910-14; Daniel McKinzie, 1914.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
George C. Columbia, 1873-75; Harvey B. Hill, 1875-87; Samuel J. Houston, 1887-93; Sol K. Gold, 1893-1908; George C. Cole, 1908-14.
COUNTY ASSESSORS.
Francis M. Johnson, 1891-1900; William H. Nead, 1900-14; William Wescott, 1914.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Strange S. Dunn, 1850-54; William Patterson, 1854-58 ;- -- 1858-64; Hugh D. McMullen, 1864-68; George R. Brumblay, 1868-78; Addi- son Williams, 1878-80; Robert E. Slater, 1880-86; Edward H. Green, 1886- (10)
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88; Redman L. Davis, 1888-96; Harry R. McMullen, 1896-1902; Theodore Wulber, 1902-04; Frank D. Johnston, 1904-06; John H. Russe, 1906-14; Willard Dean, 1914.
COUNTY CORONERS.
Daniel Edwards, 1846-48; James D. English, 1848-52; William R. Green, 1852-56; Major R. Slater, 1856-60; William Green, 1860-66; Fred- erick Rectanus, 1866-68; Daniel M. Skinner, 1868-76; Robert H. Davis, 1876-80; C. J. B. Ratjen, 1880-84; Albert D. Jackson, 1884-1895; Hanson G. Freeman, 1895-96; Frederick Mauntel, 1896-98; F. H. Sale, Jr., 1898-1900; F. H. Sale, 1900-02; F. H. Sale, 1902-04; George F. Smith, 1904-06; Wilson H. Swales, 1908-10; G. Johnston, 1910-15.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
George Moore, 1846-52; Samuel M. Kennedy, 1852-56; Jesse L. Hol- man, 1856-57; Samuel M. Kennedy, 1857-62; Hugh D. McMullen, 1862-64; Samuel Allen, 1864-66; Samuel M. Kennedy, 1866-74; Samuel Allen, 1874- 78; Samuel M. Kennedy, 1878-80; Samuel Allen, 1880-82; Albert T. Gridley, 1882-1902 ; Charles H. Gore, 1902-12; Albert Karstetter, 1912-15.
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CHAPTER X.
CAESAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.
Origininally Caesar Creek township comprised a portion of the township of Clay and part of the western end of Ohio county. On the organization of Clay township it lost a considerable portion of its territory and when Ohio county was formed out of Dearborn, it again suffered a loss of territory. It is now best described as an irregularly shaped territory in the southwestern corner of Dearborn county between Hayes branch on the north, Laughery creek on the south and east, and the county of Ripley on the west. In 1826, when it was laid out by the county board of supervisors, Thomas Palmer, James Lewis, Mark McCracken and John Lyon, it was described as follows : Commencing on the old boundary line at the northwest corner of fractional section 8, township 5, range 3 west; thence east to the northeast corner of section 12, township 5, range 3 west; thence south to the south line of the county of Dearborn; thence west to the western boundary line of Dearborn county ; thence northwardly to the old Indian boundary line and western line of the county of Dearborn to the place of beginning.
ORIGINAL LAND SALES.
Township 5, range 3 west. Part of section 4 was sold in 1816 to John Watts and Nathan Frakes; in 1825 to John Watts, and in 1838 to Frederick Probst. A part of sections 1, 2, 3, 5, 9 and 10 are in Ohio county.
Township 5, range 3 west. Fractional section 20 (part of it in Ripley county) was sold by the government to Felix Brandt in 1818. A portion of section 26 (part in Clay township) was sold in 1818 to J. Embree and E. Hepburn; in 1834 to John Williamson, and in 1836 to Young Johnson and Peter Spangler; in 1838 to Henry Probst, Charles Drago, William Turner and Frederick Wabben.
The earliest land entered from the government in the township was bought by Benjamin Purcell in 1808. The next piece of land purchased was entered in 1812 by Solomon Stephens, and another in 1815 by John Dougherty. The last land to be taken up from the government was in 1839 by Frederick Probst. Quite a number of pieces of land was taken up in the
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township in 1838, but the desirable lands along the valley of Laughery were taken first. Before any land was entered from the government there seems to have been settlers who lived in the township. but who neglected to enter the land. It is claimed that George Zinn came to the township in 1805, and Jacob Zinn and his son, who moved to Missouri in 1876, claimed that there was a stockade on a place at that time owned by a man named Rudolph Winters. He said that back of an old stone house called the Spears house and near the foot of the hill, close to a large spring, the stockade enclosure was located. Mr. Zinn was a small boy during the War of 1812 but old enough to recall distinctly that there were several small cabins within the stockade, to which, when an alarm was given, the women and children would flee for safety. This stockade is supposed to have been built by Mr. Purcell in 1811, who had moved there from Kentucky in 1808. Mr. Zinn claimed to have a clear memory of the alarms that were given at several times during the war and he recalls spending several days and nights in this stockade.
Robert Rickets, who lived on a part of section 16, was a member of the company of "rangers" and his house was also built so as to be capable of defense, which made it a place where the nearby residents would seek shelter at nights.
One of the earliest settlers of that vicinity was James McGuire, and a sketch of his life is herewith appended as a tribute to one of the brave and fearless men of those times. "Major James McGuire was born on May 10, 1785, at Dundalk, a seaport town in the province of Leinster, Ireland. He early entered the British navy. He was under the command of Lord Nelson at the taking of the Danish fleet at Copenhagen in 1801. Subse- quently he enlisted in the English army. In 1802 he arrived in Ohio, having crossed from Canada, where his regiment had been ordered, and in 1808 he came to Dearborn county, making his home at Lawrenceburg until after Indian hostilities were over. He became acquainted with Adam Flake, one of the first settlers, and married Flake's daughter. On August 22. 1810, he was appointed and commissioned by the government a captain of militia of Dearborn county, with James Allen, lieutenant, and John Payne, ensign. In 1812 he went into active service and was appointed drill master, to drill all the troops that were raised in the county ; he being a perfect master of military tactics. There were two companies of mounted men with rifles called 'rang- ers.' The first company was under command of Capt. James McGuire, and the second company was under Capt. Frederick Scholtz. These companies erected some half a dozen block houses ; the most southern one was on the land
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owned by Major McGuire. One company at a time would be distributed in squads of ten men to each block house. The other company would be patrolling the wilderness from block house to block house and extending their rounds into the interior of the wilderness twenty or thirty miles; then spending a part of their time at home with their families. This guarding of the frontier was kept up until the close of the war. Captain McGuire was during the war promoted to be a major. April 17, 1811, he entered the southwest quarter of section 9, township 4, range 3. He entered this land when it was a dense wilderness. Here he moved into and occupied a block house. Prior to this there was but one tract of land purchased in the township. This was bought by James Hamilton and was the quarter section just north of McGuire."
THE FIRST SETTLER.
McGuire was undoubtedly the first settler in the township, as Hamilton never lived there. Col. Johnson Watts said: "When I moved to Laughery, in 1814, Major James McGuire lived one mile below me in the block house kept up in the time of war." His location was in Caesar Creek township on the north side of Laughery creek, opposite the mouth of Bear creek. On this farm he spent a great portion of his time, in the prime of his life, clearing up. improving and cultivating his farm, and alternately running his surplus produce to New Orleans in flatboats, and then returning on foot through the Indian nations which inhabited the dense wilderness that lay along the route. He died at the old homestead on Laughery creek.
George W. Lane, in his writings during the centennial year of 1876, refers to Major McGuire thus, "Capt. James McGuire, who settled on Laughery creek, was another of the pioneers who rendered valuable service in the defense of the early immigrants to this part of the state. and deserves honorably mention. When most of the inhabitants this side of the Ohio crossed into Kentucky under an alarm of approaching Indian bands, Captain McGuire joined General Dill and others at Lawrenceburg to defend those who had the courage to remain. In this connection it might be added that the alarm was a false one, or the preparation made by the militia to meet them deterred the savages from attacking the settlements; yet it was often referred to as a feather in the cap of those who remained, and the writer has often heard mention made of those who crossed the Ohio to escape from the sup- posed danger, rather than to remain and take their chances with their brother pioneers. If a state was disposed to make a roll of honor composed of true
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heroes who had been well tried and positively proven in times of great danger, no name would grace the list more worthily than that of James McGuire. Captain McGuire was spared to a good old age, to see peace and plenty and many happy homes in the rich valleys and on the pleasant hills, where in other days he had witnessed scenes of carnage and bloodshed and traced through the dense forest the lurking foe and deadly enemy to civilized life."
A PROMINENT FAMILY.
Judge John Watts and his family settled in the township on Laughery creek in 1815. The Judge and his son, Col. Johnson Watts, were men of prominence and leading spirits in the affairs of the county during their lives. The Judge was a native of Virginia and had lived at Petersburg, Kentucky. After the War of 1812 the family removed to Dearborn county, assuming at once an active part in the affairs of the county and state. The Judge was an elder in the Baptist church and at times served his church in the pulpit as well as in its business affairs. In the pioneer settlements he often officiated as a minister, assisting the pulpits that were without a regular preacher. He was a member of the Legislature, serving in the Senate from 1825 to 1830. Judge Watts died in 1834, aged sixty-seven years, and was laid away in a private burying ground near the mouth of Bear creek on Laughery creek.
Col. Johnson Watts was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, July 7, 1794. His parents were Judge John and Fannie (Sebree) Watts. Judge Watts was one of the pioneers of Kentucky and Indiana territory, a man of ability and of great usefulness. His wife was an orphan girl whose father's life was sacrificed in the War of the Revolution. She was raised to woman- hood by Col. Robert Johnson, the father of Col. R. M. Johnson. Johnson W'atts' boyhood life was spent among the frontier scenes along the Kentucky side of the Ohio river below the village of Petersburg. His playmates were Indian boys and he became well skilled in the use of the bow and arrow. His early years were spent in assisting his father in clearing up the farm. At the age of seventeen he enlisted in his country's service in the second war with England under Capt. Urial Sebree. He fought under Colonel Lewis at Frenchtown, near the rapids of the Maumee on January 13. and in that vicinity on January 22, 1813, received a wound by a musket ball in one leg, by which he was disabled and returned to his home in the spring of 1813. Young Watts suffered from hunger, exposure and want of attention during the marches of that winter. After his return to his father's farm in the spring
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