USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 13
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haven of safety; and the other structure, the one built in 1812 as a block- house for the soldiers near Fourth street, had an equally fine sweep of the portion of the river bank which led down to the ford at the foot of Water street. A seemingly conclusive proof that a path passed over the described district will be found in the fact, that, when the town was founded the next year, the first store to find a home for itself was on the south side of the alley between Fifth and Sixth streets' and on the west side of Eastern avenue. It was conducted by Joshua Harlan, who came up from Brookville that year. In this early trading place will be found a true index of what The Trail stood for in its inner history. The military phase of our history is happily a minor incident. But with Harlan's store, as a beginning in the new town's activities, The Trail again asserts itself as the one main artery opening out upon the 'world; for the Harlan store is midway down from the post toward the site of the blockhouse. This neighborhood constitutes the incipient town of Connersville.
Harlan (who had been a territorial judge before locating here) was destined to fill a large place in the affairs of Connersville during the period now entering. He was a man past middle life, of large stature and of wide experience, beside antecedents and ancestry and early training that peculiarly fitted him to help bring about a safe fruition of the new venture undertaken at this point. His services were of much value to John Conner, and they seem to have been used freely by the latter. Harlan oversees the erection of a brick building for Conner which was the largest, if indeed not also the first, to grace Connersville's streets. It is located also on the old. route of The Trail, and can still be seen in the older part of the hotel building on the north- east corner of Fifth street and Eastern avenue. Harlan took over from Con- ner the land lying west of the plat of 1813, and opened up Harlan's Addi- tion, in 1819. As the organization of the county, in the early months of that year. transferred "the seat of justice" to the present site of the court house, which is in Harlan's Addition, the older section, of which Eastern avenue was "Main street" in reality. as well as in name, found a strong rival for the business and honors of the village.
-. BUSINESS. GROUPED . ABOUT THE TRAIL.
In glancing back to the period which represents the formative stages of Connersville's life, it is plain that the first enterprises group themselves about The Trail. Before the creation of Fayette county and the resultant growth which came to Connersville. the original part of the town and the route of
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The Trail just above it contained all there was of improvement and progress. The improvements may have been inconsiderable at first. In fact, only four separate buildings can be vouched for as belonging to the second year of its existence. These were : the post, the block-house, Harlan's store, and prob- ably a log house on the site of the present old Heinemann corner. The dura- tion of this state of civic development may have been very brief, but it was sufficient to show hy its associations the priority of an earlier condition in which The Trail was paramount. It is The Trail that brings the travel which resulted in John Conner's coming. And the central position of his post, on the route, is the explanation of its selection for the purpose of a main station. "Conner's Post" is a name that came to it by easy process, in the language of the first settlers. It was Fort Conner in the brief period of militancy, although posterity will know it as Connersville. There are many other developments that trace their origin directly to the commerce which followed this primitive path. And yet, with all the supremacy of The Trail, measured by the valuations of those days, it is soon to be replaced by other distinctions to which the locality aspires. The town spirit fully possesses itself of the community's ambitions when Connersville is made the county seat. And many new ventures are planned, which soon change the whole tenor of things.
It is well established in the early history of Connersville that an old house existed on the southwest corner of Fifth street and Eastern avenue. John Sample owned it from 1820 to 1824, and conducted an inn there, which has received frequent mention in the early traditions. As Sample was village postmaster in 1822, and for several years thereafter, it is a safe inference that this site was also Connersville's postoffice during that period. Joshua Harlan had been postmaster in the years 1818-1822, at his place of business, one-half block further up "Main street." Previous to 1820, the corner site was owned by Absalom Burkham and in some statements of the history of the corner, it is said that Burkham built up the place. But this probably means that he added to it: for it is known, also, that Arthur Dickson was merchandising there at a somewhat earlier day than Burkham. Later on, Dickson, jointly with another person, bought the adjoining lot to the south, and set up a store there.
ONLY A MEMORY OF A LONG PAST.
The descendants of William Sparks; who entered land in 1812, just below Fast Connersville, have preserved the tradition that in the earliest asso- ciations of their family with Connersville, John Conner's trading place was
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the corner spoken of above. Because of the well known custom of Conner to use the services of other persons to attend to the details of his business, it is easy to conclude that Conner used this site for his headquarters, after the town was platted in 1813, with Arthur Dickson as a helper. It would be natural enough for Conner to establish himself at this location. From a business standpoint it would serve his interests very much to do so; it puts him in a position which is across the street from the "public square," and one that is central between Harlan's store and the blockhouse. So far as public meetings entered into the plan of village life, in the beginning, the block-house must have been used for that purpose. There are no known records of any form of town government before the organization of the county in 1819; and during all of this period John Conner was the guiding power of the settlement. It is plain that his activities in the promotion of his venture, the starting of Connersville, could be best directed from the location described, and doubtlessly it was so used by him.
It is not surprising to find, consequently, that changes creep into the renown which The Trail had enjoyed up to this time. Glory is ever fleeting, and the high estate of the path made by the Indians, in coming down from the northwest and continuing on down the valley, has seen the limita- tion of its honors. There was a period of usefulness for it, and even fame, but it now enters into a term of recession. Its doom is not long delayed.
What helped the most to its effacement was the changed character of the population. Another race of people, with other equipments in life, have been attracted by the abundant wealth in nature's storehouse. In point of time, the Indians were the first to enjoy the largesses Divine Providence scattered with a lavish hand up and down the valley; they were alone and were in the midst of plenty, and in their prosperity they left a trace. It was a humble means of disbursement and of travel. But civilization learns of it, and comes in; and the coming of the latter brings changes. It alters the primal complexion of the whole country. Where trackless forests once were, and where a dense undergrowth held sway, now there are soon to be open patches of soil for husbandry, and there are to be known points where settlements are forming. The white race rearranges things, and, in doing so, follows a new standard. As a result, cultivated fields, section roads, established homes, village and town life abound! Our history truly begins. But with the beginning of history, alas, The Trail ends-it vanishes. It is too elusive to be held in perfect metes and bounds, it is too transitory to leave a deep impress ; unless, perchance, as a memory, and, at that, only a memory of a long past.
CHAPTER IV.
JOHN CONNER.
There is considerable obscurity surrounding the career of John Conner. the founder of the city which bears his name. As far as is known, there is no contemporary account of his career, the best account being that of O. H. Smith in his "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches." Smith knew Con- ner personally and what he has to say about him may be taken as the words of a man who knew him intimately, and for that reason his narrative pos- sesses more value than any of the other accounts of the old pioneer.
In 1916 Mrs. Sarah Conner Christian, of Indianapolis, a grand- daughter of John Conner, prepared a sketch of the pioneer's life which is given in the succeeding pages. Her biography, as she explains, was writ- ten from information handed down by members of the family and for this reason is particularly interesting to the readers of Fayette county.
Probably the best living authority on the life of John Conner is J. L. Heinemann, of Connersville, who has been collecting historical data concern- ing Conner and the early history of Fayette county for a number of years. In the course of his investigations he has unearthed the diary of David Zeis- berger, a Moravian missionary, who was acquainted with the Conner fam- ily while they lived in Ohio, and after they reached Detroit, following their capture by Indians. Such parts of this diary as pertain particularly to the Conner family have been translated and preserved by Mr. Heinemann, who also has, added the result of some of his investigations in the life of Con- nersville's founder.
Still another view of John Conner is presented by Baynard R. Hall in his interesting volume. "The New Purchase, or Seven and a Half Years in the Far West."
CONNER'S INDIAN WIFE.
It is not known whether Jolm Conner married his Indian wife in Ohio . or Indiana, nor is the date of their marriage known. It is certain, how- ever, that Conner married his Indian wife before he became of age. She died in 1814. leaving two sons, John and James. John seems to have been enamored of Indian life and after his mother's death was reared by the Dela-
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ware Indians and when they were taken to Missouri he went with them. He communicated with his half-brother, William Winship Conner, in 1862 from Missouri, where he was then living. At that time he was a wealthy landowner, with a large estate along the Missouri river. He died sometime during the sixties. James Conner, the other son of John Conner by his Indian wife, remained with his father, who often remarked that James was the best boy he ever saw. The boy died of typhoid fever while still a youth.
After the death of his Indian wife, John Conner married Lavinia Win- ship, a daughter of Judge Winship of Franklin county. There were three children by the second marriage, two sons and a daughter, the latter dying in early childhood. The two sons were Henry I .. and William Winship. Henry Conner became a lawyer and formed a partnership with James B. Ray for the practice of his profession, but died while still a young man. The career of William Winship Conner, the father of Sarah Conner Christian, is related elsewhere in this volume.
It is not generally known that John Conner was one of the best educated men of his day, but such is a fact. He was a great student and had a fine library in his home. He was the righthand man of Governor Harrison for many years and was invaluable to the governor because of his ability to speak twenty-two different Indian dialects. He could also speak and write in the French language. In his service in the state Legislature, as a member of the commission to select the site of the present State Capital, and as an interpreter at the signing of various Indian treaties, John Conner proved himself to be a man of unusual ability.
A SKETCH OF CONNER BY O. H. SMITH.
(Early Indiana Trials and Sketches, page 174)
John Conner, the proprietor of Connersville, was one of nature's strong men. Taken by the Shawnee Indians when a mere youth, he was raised and educated in Indian life, language, and manners. When dressed in their costume, and painted, it was difficult to distinguish him from a real savage. On one occasion, as he told me, he came to Andersontown, then the lodge of a large band of Indians under Chief Anderson. He was dressed and painted as a Shawnee, and pretended to be a representative of Tecumseh. As is usual with the Indians, he took his seat on a log barely in sight of the Indian encampment, quietly smoked his pipe, waiting the action of Anderson and his chiefs. After an hour he saw approaching the old chief himself, in full dress, smoking his pipe. I give his language: "As the old
GRAVE OF JOHN CONNER.
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chief wałked up to me I rose from my seat, looked him in the eyes; we ex- changed pipes, and walked down to the lodge smoking, without a word. I was pointed to a bearskin-took my seat, with my back to the chiefs. A few minutes after, I noticed an Indian by the name of Gillaway, who knew me well. eyeing me closely. I tried to evade his glances, when he bawled out in the Indian language, at the top of his voice (interpreted) 'You great Shawnee Indian, you John Conner.' The next moment the camp was in a perfect roar of laughter. Chief Anderson ran up to me, throwing off his dignity. 'You great representative of Tecumseh,' and burst out in a loud laugh." Mr. Conner was an active, prominent, honest man; represented his county in the Senate, and gave the casting vote in favor of the ballot system of voting. He was father of William W. Conner, of Hamilton county. He long since departed this life.
A SKETCH OF CONNER BY MRS. SARAH CONNER CHRISTIAN.
I deem it a very great honor to have the privilege of preparing this brief sketch of my grandfather, the man who founded the city of Conners- ville. What I shall have to say has very little of the traditionary in it. I shall give the plain facts gleaned from historical accounts and records, or related by my father, who was but six years old at the time of the death of his father, John Conner. In his (my father's) childhood memories were many pleasing incidents, but his mother who lived until he was twenty-one years of age was his reliable informant. I shall not endeavor to go back of Richard Conner, the father of the subject of this sketch, but shall begin with his sojourn at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in fur trading. In this capacity he often came into contact with the Indians, among whom he met Margarita Bovoir, a French girl, who at the time of the massacre of her family, was stolen by the Indians, she being about six years old at the time. She was sixteen years of age when Richard Conner mar- ried her.
A couple of years later. Richard Conner pushed his way westward into Ohio. The Reverend Simpson in his history says that Richard Conner came to Coshocton county, Ohio, about 1770, bringing with him a small colony of friends for the purpose of engaging with him in the fur trade. They built their cabins close together and the little group was known as Conner- town. James, the eldest of the three sons born there, was, according to the Reverend Simpson, the first white child born in what is now the state of Ohio. William was born in 1775 at the same place, and in 1786 or 1787, John Conner, the founder of Connersville. Indiana, first opened his eyes (10)
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upon this world at Connertown, Coshocton county, Ohio, in what was known as Wyoming Valley.
In 1789 occurred the massacre from which the Williams family es- caped, while the Conners were taken into captivity by a band of Delaware Indians under the leadership of Simon Girty, a renegade, and one Elliott, also a renegade. The Conners were taken to Detroit, making the journey on foot. Upon arriving there they were thoroughly exhausted and almost dead. They were held for ransom by the Indians under the British. Their ransom was accomplished by Rev. James Heckwelder, a man of noble birth and a devoted Moravian missionary at Detroit. The ransom price paid for the Conners was four hundred dollars in cash, two kegs of powder, fifty pounds of lead and one keg of brandy. The Elliott who assisted in their capture was also instrumental in procuring their release.
The family, with two exceptions, settled at Detroit, where some of their posterity still reside, but the older members are sleeping in the cemetery at Mt. Clemens, Michigan, where the cross above their resting place attest the faith that was their anchor throughout their tragic and romantic career. At the time of the massacre John Conner was between two and three years of age, with blue eyes and light hair. It was the custom of the Indians to kill the light-haired children, and the mother, knowing this, procured a piece of lead and rubbed little John's head and eyebrows. When morning came he was the black-headed one of the family.
As the captors journeyed on, footsore and weary, William, who was about fourteen years of age, took little John from his mother's arms to rest her. No sooner was this done than one of the Indians snatched the boys up, put them on a horse, and galloped through the forest to central Indiana, the hunting ground of the Delawares. The father and mother gave the children up for dead, supposing the Indians would kill them.
I have no record of how William cared for little John, holding his hand while his delicate feet stumbled over the ground; how he quieted his cries, relieved his hunger, or protected him from the cold and rain; who made his moccasins or provided them with clothing to keep them warm. Perhaps the squaws of the tribe gave them the help they required.
When John was old enough the boys made the trip to Detroit on horse- back in quest of their people. They were fortunate enough to find them in that city, and it is understood that their father, Richard, put the boys in a Moravian mission school, where they acquired what education they received. The boys returned to Indiana some time before 1800 for the purpose of
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carrying on fur trading and establishing trading posts. They were among the first, if not the very first white traders in the White Water valley.
John Conner had a supply store and trading post at Cedar Grove, in Franklin county, as early as 1804-and he was not more than seventeen years of age at the time. This post, in his absence, was carried on by a Frenchman in his employ known as Pilkey. In 1808 John Conner made his first appearance on the present site of Connersville, and there is little doubt that the trading post he established here that year was the first white man's cabin in Connersville.
Connersville was platted March 4, 1813. He is on record as having entered the northwest quarter of section 27 (range 12, east, township 13, north). In 1808 he became of age and as he came to, Connersville in that year, it is natural to suppose that the entry was where he built the post. [This varies slightly from the county record of entries, for which see page 223 .-- Editor. ] Fayette county at that time was a part of Frank- lin county, not being organized until January 1, 1819. In the first Legis- lature that met at Corydon (after the state was admitted to the Union in 1816) there were only ten members of the Senate and John Conner was one of the ten, being a member from Franklin county, and he was still a member of the Senate when Fayette county was organized in 1819. It is said that he cast the deciding vote for the ballot system of voting.
John Conner was married on March 13, 1813, to Louisa Winship, a daughter of Jabez Winship, of Cedar Grove. It is unnecessary for me to speak of his life at Connersville for of that you know more than I do. The evidence of his labors and ambition is here. The site of one of the first mills in the White Water valley is here, and it was John Conner who built it.
My father, William Winship Conner, was born at Connersville, May 27, 1820. In 1822 John Conner moved to Hamilton county, Indiana, where he purchased one thousand acres of land on the west fork of White river about two miles south of the present site of Noblesville. There was a small mill- site on the river on his land, and he at once built a large flouring mill and woolen factory at the same place. He built a large and comfortable resi- dence there and lived in it until the day of his death. He died in 1826 at the age of forty.
Throughout his life he was the trusted friend of the Indians, never defrauding nor betraying their interests. At the outbreak of the Indian war
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in Indiana (War of 1812), he used all of his influence to avert trouble between the Indians and whites; always telling his Indian friends that in case of trouble he would stand by the United States government and the settlers.
Early in 1808 Governor Harrison addressed a speech to the chief of the Shawnees. This speech was delivered by John Conner, the messenger and interpreter, before an assemblage of Shawnee chiefs. The Prophet dictated an answer which Conner put in writing and delivered to Governor Harrison. The reply was a denial of the charges, and affirmed good will and faith toward the whites. The growing dissatisfaction of the Indians and their increasing hostility began to alarm the people, and John Conner was chosen, as being the most influential man, to bear the governor's mes- sage to the Indians, assuring them of the friendship of the United States and to use his influence to promote harmony and peace.
On November 25, 1812, Governor Harrison placed Colonel Campbell in command of a detachment of six hundred men, and in giving him instruc- tions, said: "Inform yourself from Conner of the locality, of the place and situation of the Indians." John and William Conner acted as guides to Colonel Campbell's expedition to the Mississinewa (Grant county, Indiana ). They knew the country well and were conversant with Indian methods of warfare. Both brothers could speak twenty-two different Indian dialects.
John and William were two of the commissioners appointed by the General Assembly to locate the capital of the state. The commissioners were instructed by Governor Jennings to meet May 22, 1820, at the home of William Conner, on the west fork of White river (in what is now Ham- ilton county ).
John Conner was a scout and carried the dispatches from Ft. Wash- ington, now Cincinnati, to Ft. Wayne. He was a member of the state militia and fought under Governor Harrison at Tippecanoe. He was a non-commissioned aide to Harrison in that battle.
Oliver H. Smith, in his "Early Indiana Trials and Sketches," in speak- ing of John Conner, said: "John Conner, the founder of Connersville, was one of nature's strong men, active in the interest of the people, prominent in affairs of state, a man of integrity and honor, of dauntless courage and indomitable energy."
John Conner now sleeps in Greenlawn cemetery at Indianapolis, and the Indian trail, the pack horse and canoe are replaced by the nation's race tracks, automobiles, locomotives and interurbans. The dear old mill that gladdened the settlers has given way to the high-class manufactories that
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help to make your city. When I see the magnificent residences, the exten- sive factories, the schools and churches-when I see the faith the people of Connersville have in their city and their ambition for it, I know that . the spirit of John Conner is marching on.
On John Conner's gravestone is the following inscription: "Blessed are the dead from henceforth : yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." Originally there were other lines on the stone, but exposure to the elements has effaced them, the above lines being preserved through the fact that for many years they were covered with soil.
FURTHER LIGHT ON THE PIONEER.
The article of Mrs. Christian was submitted to Mr. Heinemann in order, for him to compare the facts stated therein with the result of his investiga- tions. He does not hesitate to pronounce her sketch a good statement of the Conner family traditions; however, Mr. Heinemann is of the opinion that additional light on the life of Conner can be gleaned from the diary of David Zeisberger, who kept a day-by-day account from 1781 to 1798. As has been stated, Zeisberger was acquainted with the Conners in Ohio, knew of their capture by the Indians and was evidently well acquainted with them after the family lived in Detroit. Mr. Heinemann's extracts from the diary of the Moravian missionary, together with his comments on the diary, are given in the succeeding paragraphs.
DIARY OF DAVID ZEISBERGER.
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