USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 24
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262
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Township 15 North, Range 12 East.
Section 4-Sold in 1817, 1821, 1822 and 1823 to Joel Rains, Thomas Reagan, Henry Thornburg and Chancey Ridgeway.
Section 5-Sold in 1821, 1822, 1823 and 1824 to James Swofford, Henry Thornburg, Peter Wails, Daniel Mills, Nehemiah Stanbrough, Andrew Pentecost, Michael Spencer and Isaac Galbraith.
Section 6-Sold in 1822, 1824, 1826 and 1836 to Rachael Frazier, David Galbraith, James McConkey, William Moore, John Frazier, Ezra Hunt and Benjamin Griffin.
Section 7-Sold in 1823, 1824 and 1829 to James Kirkwood, James Gilleland, Thomas Kirkwood, Robert Harrison, James S. Kirkwood, Levi Charles, Andrew Pentecost and Garrison Miner.
Section 8-Sold in 1821, 1823 and 1828 to Joel Rains, Henry Thorn- burg, Elizabeth McColum, James Gilleland and Joseph Gard.
Section 9-Sold in 1817, 1825. 1828 and 1829 to John Bell, Henry Thornburg, Thomas Butler and John Beal.
Section 16-Reserved for school purposes.
Section 17-Sold in 1821, 1822 and 1823 to Samuel Bantham, John Whitehead, Micajah Ferguson and John Ingles.
Section 18-Sold in 1821 and 1822 to John Higer, John Ingles, John Higer, John K. Munger, William McCann and John Weaver.
Section 19-Sold in 1821 to Lawrence Ginn, Trueman Munger, Hugh Dickey, and Edward K. Munger.
Section 20-Sold in 1821 and 1823 to John Gilleland, John Huston, John C. Cook, Prudence Manlove, Laurence Ginn and James Gilleland.
Section 21-Sold in 1812, 1813, 1814 and 1821 to Elisha Dennis, William Lowry, Amos Ashew, Samuel Heath and John Gilleland.
Section 28-Sold in 1811, 1812 and 1814 to George Manlove, R. Kolb, Manlove Caldwell and John Caldwell.
Section 29-Sold in 1814, 1821 and 1822 to John Loder, Philip Srader, David Sprong, John Huston and Charles Legg.
Section 30-Sold in 1821 and 1822 to John Higer, Philip Srader, John Huston, William Sutton, John Murphy and Bennett B. Cook.
Township 15 North, Range II East.
Section 1-Sold in 1821, 1822, 1823 and 1824 to Stephen Hull, Joseph Evans, Solomon Waller and John Finney.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Section 2-Sold in 1821, 1822 and 1823 to Joseph Evans, John Walters and Conrad 'Walters.
Section 3-Sold in 1822, 1823, 1829 and 1830 to William Walters, Isaac Metcalf, Charles Smith, R. Spencer, Peter Voorhees, John G. Eaton and Thomas K. Stiles.
Section 10-Sold in 1821, 1826, 1830 and 1831 to Noah Fouts, Thomas Smith, Edward Frazier, John Moffitt, Edward Fryan, William Shaw and Thomas Knipe.
Section 11-Sold in 1822, 1824, 1826, 1829 and 1833 to Mary Wetter- field, George Merrick, Catherine Heck, Godfrey Heck and John Slinks.
Section 12-Sold in 1824, 1826, 1830 and 1833 to Peter Kemmer, John W. Waterfield, William Henry, Charles Campbell and Joseph Evans.
Section 13-Sold in 1821, 1823, 1824 and 1827 to Thomas K. Stiles, John Treadway, Enoch Warman, Jane Gilleland, John Norcross and Jesse Dobbins.
Section 14-Sold in 1821, 1822, 1824 and 1825. to Robert Dollahan, John Banfill, Isaac Metcalf, William Beard, Samuel Alexander and Casper Stoner.
Section 15-Sold in 1821, 1822, 1824 and 1826 to L. French, Jacob Lonen, John Hillis and Thomas Woodman.
Section 22-Sold in 1824, 1825, 1826. 1828 and 1829 to John Coleman, Isaac Personett, Robert Moulton, G. Pattison, A. J. Veatch and Willian Jackson.
Section 23-Sold in 1821, 1823, 1826 and 1828 to Micajah Jackson, John Mallins, John Peanell. William Pattison, Matthew Marland, L. White- head, Henderson Bragg and Nathan Wilson
Section 24-Sold in 1821, 1822 and 1823 to John Stephen, William Dickey, James Russell. Elijah Haymon, James Gilleland, and Robert McCann.
Section 25-Sold in 1821, 1822 and 1823 to John Huston, John Dauben- speck. William Alger, William Pattison and Henry Conkling.
Section 26-Sold in 1821 to Matthew Howard.
Section 27-Sold in 1821, 1823, 1824 and 1826 to Michael Brown, John C. Cook, Reason W. Debriler, Samuel Knotts, Jonathan Hatfield, and Green- bury Lahine.
The earliest settler of whom there is any authentic information was. George Manlove, who came to this country from North Carolina in October, 18II, and settled on the northwest quarter of section 28. However, it seems that he remained on his. purchase only a short time, as he feared trouble
264
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
with the Indians and consequently returned to Preble county, Ohio. He remained in Ohio until 1814 and then returned to the place of original set- tlement.
The Mungers, among the first to enter and settle upon land in the "New Purchase,' came from Rutland county, Vermont, and settled about one and one-half miles southeast of Bentonville in the fall of 1821. Among others who settled in this territory were, Isaac Galbreath, David Galbreath, both from Kentucky, and Jehu Vickroy, from North Carolina.
The years of 1821 and 1822 were periods of greater settlement up to that time and included settlers from many parts of the Eastern and Southern states. Among the number were, John Chapel, Micajah Jackson, Henry Thornburg, Reason Reagan, Bennett B. Cook, John Mullins, John Coleman and John Frazier from North Carolina; John Hallis, William Beard, Rob- ert Mitchell, James McConkey, Daniel New. William Patterson, Godfrey Peck, John and Peter Kemmer, Lawrence Quinn and Amos Goff from Ken- tucky; Thomas Legg, Randall Brewer, Peter Voores, John G. and William Eaton from Ohio; Peter Marts, William Alger, John and James Gilleland from Pennsylvania; John Middleton and Thomas B. Stiles from New Jersey ; Isaac Metcalf, from England.
Following is a copy of a poll-book of an election held in 1826 and includes the names of many of the pioneers. "Poll-book of an election held at the house of Thomas K. Stiles, in Posey township, Fayette county, Indiana, on the eighth day of April, A. D. 1826, for the purpose of electing one justice of the peace for said township, agreeable to an order of the board of Fayette justices at their March term, at which time and place the following persons appeared and gave their vote: Henry Thornburg, Paul Coffin, Randall Brewer. John Thornburg, Aaron Youke, John Frazier, William Russell, Thomas H. Stiles, John Huston, Peter Kemmer, Joseph Spencer, Thomas Dancen, Abijah Haman, George Weirick, Robert McCann, John Rasher, George Raines, Andrew Penticost, John Treadway, Jacob Shinkle, Nehemiah Stanleydogh, Barnes Claney, Samuel Ridgeway, Tittman Kolb, James Kirkendall, Daniel New, Micajah Jackson, Masters Vickroy, George Shinkle, John Norcross, David Canady, William Sutton, Isaac Suther- land, Solomon Sprang, Samuel Minanda, Jehu Vickroy, Jacob Watson, James Denkearad, Thomas Legg, Nathan Billson, James Sprang, Samuel Peaks, John Shinkle, Moses Gard, Thomas Kirkwood, John Weaver, Law- rence Guinn, Cornelius Wadword, John Mullins, Thomas Patterson, Peter Shepler, Edmund K. Munger, Samuel Banther, James Gilleland."
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
The candidates for this election were Thomas Kirkwood, Jacob Shinkle and John Treadway, and the number of votes cast for each was seventeen, twenty-one and sixteen, respectively.
SOME FIRST EVENTS.
William Manlove, born January 19, 1815, son of George Manlove, is believed to have been the first white child born in the township.
The first wedding is believed to have been that of John Case to Mary Caldwell and occurred at the home of the bride's father.
The first death in the township is thought to have been that of Willian Manlove, Sr.
The first house constructed with a shingle roof was the dwelling of George .Manlove.
The first and only grist-mill in the township was built about 1830, in section 5, on Simon's creek. The mill was in operation for nearly twenty years. Located on the same stream in section 4, and about the same time, was a saw-mill operated by the father of J. A. Baldwin.
EARLY SCIIOOLS.
The first school house in the township was located in section 28, in what is commonly known as the "Twelve-Mile Purchase." The exact time that the school house was built is not known, but it is known that school was held there in 1818 and that George Manlove, who settled in the vicinity in 1811, was the first teacher. Another one of the early schools in this community, but which stood just over the line in Wayne county, was the one in the Loder settlement, erected about 1826, Joseph Williams being one of the first teachers there. During the period from 1820 to 1830 as many as five school houses were built in various parts of the township.
The first school house erected in the Van Buskirk settlement, just west of Bentonville, was on the land owned by one of the Van Buskirks in 1831. The house was of the usual primitive type-round logs, large fireplace, greased paper for windows, etc. Among the first teachers here were John Treadway. Merchant Kelley, John Legg and Lavinia Church. This build- ing had not been in use many years until it was supplanted by a more mod- ern one, located about a quarter of a mile farther west.
266
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA. .
BENTONVILLE
Bentonville, named in honor of Thomas Benton, of Missouri, is located near the center of Posey township on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis railroad, twelve miles northwest of the county seat, and six miles from Dublin, the nearest banking point. William Dickey surveyed and platted the site of the village for the proprietor, Joseph Dale, December 7, 1838. The original plat consisted of thirteen lots. A small addition was made . in 1844 by Thomas K. Stiles.
William Young, a tailor, built a house on the townsite before it was surveyed and doubtless was the first business man on the ground. Among other business men were Bradley Perry, a blacksmith ; Samuel Dickey, Joseph McCauley, Woodford Dale, Alfred Loder and a man by the name of Wood- son, merchants; William Stockdale, tanner.
The business interests of the present time are represented by the fol- lowing: Van D. Chance, general store and postmaster; Smullen Brothers, groceries: Mason & Hackleman, farming implements ; Connell & Anderson, Grain Company.
The Bentonville postoffice was formerly known as Plum Orchard and was established under the latter name November 28, 1827, with Moses Ellis as postmaster. On February 13, 1838, the name of the office was changed to Bentonville and Samuel Dickey was the first postmaster. In connection with the office is one rural route.
WATERLOO TOWNSHIP.
Waterloo township came into existence after the creation of Union county, the organization of which by the legislative act of January 5, 1821, resulted in the detachment of several sections from the eastern side of Fayette county, leaving the latter county with its present limits. When the commissioners of Fayette county divided it into townships at their first meeting, February 8, 1919, they organized the northeastern part of the county as Brownsville township. This township, which disappeared with the organization of Waterloo township, was given the following limits: Beginning at the southwest corner of section 16, range 13; thence north four miles to the Wayne county line; thence east to the Indian boundary line of 1795; thence with the said line in a southwesterly direction until it meets the line dividing sections 17 and 20 of township 14, range 14; thence due west to the place of beginning.
267
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
As before stated, the creation of Union county brought about the organization of Waterloo township, the new township including all of that part of Brownsville township in Fayette county, to which was added that part of the original Harrison township east of White Water river. This was done at the February, 1821, session of the county commissioners. No change has been made in the limits of the township since the organization.
All of the land in Waterloo township had been entered prior to the organization of the county in 1819 with the exception of part of section 2. A complete list of the land entries of the township follows :
Section 31-(Fractional)-Sold in 1811 to Samuel Grewell and John Hardin.
Section 32-Sold in 1811 to John Tharpe, Mathias Dawson, Thomas Sloo, Jr.
Section 33-Sold in 1813 to Jonathan Higgins, James Parker, Jonathan Coleman and Nathan Roysdon.
Section 34-Sold in 1814-1816 to Abraham Vanmeter and James Sleeth.
Section 35-Sold in 1814-1815 to Robert Huffman, Andrew Huffman, Willis P. Miller and John M. Layson.
Township 14 North, Range 13 East.
Section 2-Sold in 1815, 1818 and 1819 to James N. Chambers, James Montgomery. Uriah Farlow, Robert Holland and Isaac Miliner.
Section 3-Sold in 1814 to Mordecai Morgan, Josiah Lambert and Abraham Vanmeter.
Section 4-Sold in 1814 and 1815 to Abraham Vanmeter, George P. Terrence, Lewis Whiteman and Mathias Dawson.
Section 5-Sold in 1811 and 1815 to James McIntyre and George P. Terrence.
Section 7-Sold in 1814 to James Sutton, Jr., Anthony Wiley ( frac- tional).
Section 8-Sold in 1814 and 1816 to Ebenezer Heaton, Samuel Vance, Aaron Haughham.
Section 9-Sold in 1815 and 1817 to Daniel Heaton, James White and William and John Demstor.
Section 10-Sold in 1814 and 1815 to Charles Collett, Isaac Dawson, Benjamin Dungan and Garis Haughham.
Section 11-Sold in 1815 and 1817 to Mathew Nico, John Riters, James Montgomery and Christopher Wamsley.
268
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Section 14-Sold in 1815 and 1816 to William Heins, Thomas Cooper, James Montgomery and Joshua Simpson.
Section 15-Sold in 1814 and 1815 to Thomas Dawson, Henry Hol- land, James Runilley and Aaron Delelon.
Section 16-Reserved for school purposes.
Section 17-Sold in 1812, 1814 and 1816 to Samuel Wilson, Archi- bald Reed, James Sutton and Samuel Vance.
Section 18-Sold in 1811, 1812 to Archibald Reed and Zadoch Smith ( fractional).
The name of Matthias Dawson is perhaps the best known of any in connection with the early history of this township. He was a native of Virginia and, when a small boy, was captured by the Indians. He remained a captive for many years and in the western trend journeyed to this region when it was yet the unrestricted home of the red race. The story is told that the chief promised Dawson the land which he subsequently had to buy from the government, in the vicinity of Waterloo. After the battle of Fallen Timbers Dawson was released and settled on his possessions, liv- ing here for a number of years, finally removing to St. Joseph county, where he died.
The state. of Ohio doubtless furnished more settlers in this part of the county than any other. Among those who were early settlers are the following: Jonathan Higgins, 1812; Jonathan Coleman, about the same year; Ebenezer and Daniel Heaton settled on their land in 1814. Daniel, after remaining here for many years, removed to Howard county, Indiana; Abraham Vanmeter and James Sutton were also early settlers from Ohio.
From Pennsylvania came some sturdy pioneers among whom were the following: Sammuel C. Vance, one of the earliest; Daniel Fiant, 1820; Henry Henry, of Irish descent. but a native of Pennsylvania ; Daniel Kline, 1825; William Hart, 1817; John Hubbell, 1817; Daniel Skinner, chosen the first justice of the peace of the township, settled in 1919.
John Tharpe, a native of Kentucky, settled on his land at an early date. He was a brother of Moses Tharpe, who resided west of the west fork of White Water river and in 1813 had a child stolen by the Indians.
One of the early pioneers was Joseph White, who in the very begin- ning of the century, started out from his home in Maryland and journeyed to Warren county, Ohio, where he made a purchase of sixty acres. This he sold during the War of 1812, in which he was drafted, in order to pay a substitute. In the fall of 1814 he removed his family to what is now Water- loo township.
260
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Nathan Roysdon removed from North Carolina to Indiana Territory in 1808, and not long thereafter settled in the south half of the southwest quarter of section 33. He died in Waterloo township in 1832. The Hardin and Grewell families were very early settlers in the northern part of the township, near the Wayne county line. The Farlows came from North Carolina and settled over the line in Union county. In 1814 Benjamin Dungan and family settled in the township and entered land, and at the same time his brother, Isaac, settled on a part of the same. Another family from Carolina was James Rumbley. He sold his entry to Erwin Boyd. The widow of Erwin Boyd, with several children, settled on the land in 1822.
There were several who entered land, but whose date of settlement is not known. Among them are the following: Henry Holland, John Sleeth, William Hiers, Abraham Vanmeter.
Other permanent settlers of the township of whom little is known were James Hamilton, William C. Jones, Robert Holland, William McGraw and John Ruby.
At a general election held at the home of Joseph Ruby, on the first Monday in August, 1825, for the purpose of electing a governor and lieu- tenant-governor, one senator for the counties of Fayette and Union one representative, clerk, two associate judges, recorder and coroner, the follow- ing men appeared and voted: Alfred Coleman, Joseph Dawson, Thomas Williams, Jonathan Williams, Jacob Vanmeter, John Brown, Benjamin Williams, Samuel Dawson, Joseph Camblin, Thomas Dawson, Nathaniel Blackburn, John Swazey, Mathias Dawson, Charles Wandle, Jonathan Cole- man. Daniel Skinner, William Port, Isaac Stagg, Francis McGraw, Eli Dawson, Abijah Holland, Steven Wandle, William Robinson, Matthew Robinson, Henry Henry, Joseph White, William McGraw, John Blackburn, James Beeks, Isaac Dungan, Benjamin Dungan, Cornelius Cook, Robert Holland, Elijah Dills, Zachariah Dungan, Aaron Haugham, Nathan Roys- don, Enoch Chambers, Hezekiah Bussey.
EARLY SCHOOLS.
The first school in the township was most likely erected in section 16 in the fall of 1815, the first teacher being Elijah Holland. Only a year or two later school was-held in. a cabin in section 17 and it is possible that Absalom Heaton: and aman by the name of Taylor were among the first teachers there, as they were among the very first in the township. In the north- western part of the township, not far from 1821, the people were very much
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
interested in education, and instead of erecting the usual primitive type of school house, a frame building was erected. A man by the name of Gray was one of the pioneer teachers.
WATERLOO.
The village of Waterloo, located on the east bank of Nolan's Fork, one of the most thriving commercial and social centers in the county. has gradually faded into history and now nothing remains of the place with the exception of three or four houses. William Port, a merchant and grocer of 1825, appears to have been the first business inan in the village; Josepli Flint was a grocer and liquor dealer in 1829, as was also Robert Scott and Louis Beaks the year following; John M. Turner was the keeper of a tav- ern and a saloon in 1837.
The first physicians of the village were Doctors Chapman and Richard- son, who were there in 1839 and for several years after. Doctor Richardson, during the years of his practice, erected a saw-mill on Nolan's Fork. The mill was subsequently owned by John Grewell and later by John Troxell. in whose hands it fell into disuse.
The village reached the crest of its prosperity in the decade preceding the Civil War. During this time there were two hotels in the village that had more than a local reputation. One was known as the Turner hotel, of which "Dad" Turner was the proprietor. and the Eagle, of which Joseph Forrey was the owner. The building of the latter hotel is still standing. Robert Watt conducted a dry goods store, and John Gruelle was the owner of a grocery and saloon. Two physicians, whose names were Gillum and Rose, the latter also a dentist. practiced in the period just before the war. The saw-mill was owned and operated by John Fawcett and the blacksmith was Jacob Heider. The greatest number of people the village ever had is estimated at seventy-five to one hundred.
The village lost its existence much more quickly than it gained it. On the night of May 14. 1883, it was visited by a cyclone and only three build- ings in the entire village were left standing, they being at the north end of the one street that the place afforded. Every other building, barn or dwell- ing, was either unroofed or totally destroyed. About seventy-five people were rendered homeless yet, marvelous as it may seem, only one person was injured.
The Waterloo postoffice, established May 4, 1825, was the second one in the county. Following is a list of postmasters with their dates of service and the time the office was discontinued: William Port, 1825-1844; Amos
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Chapman, 1844-1845: William Port, 1845-1851; Isaac Forry, 1851-1854; R. Gillam, 1854-1855; Thomas G. Price, 1855-1862; R. Gillam, 1862-1863; John Troxell, 1863-1866; William T. Bolles, 1866-May 18, 1868 (discon- tinued).
. The following poem was written by William Dungan to be read before the Beeson Literary Society about 1887, and is a true picture of the ancient village of Waterloo. The author was born a mile and a half north of Water- loo, September 3, 1842, the son of Joseph and Rebecca (Chambers) Dungan. He lived on the farm until the year before the Civil War and then moved ยท to Harrisburg and lived there about four years. He then moved to Beeson's Station, Wayne county, lived there until 1892, when he moved to Conners- ville, where he is still living.
The historians are very much indebted to Mr. Dungan for his valued assistance, especially for his help in writing and securing the history of the Baptist churches of the county.
WATERLOO
(William Dungan. )
Long before the canal was made, And the railroad's rails were laid.
Before the news o'er the wires flew, Was built the town of Waterloo.
It was built on the banks of Nolands Fork,
Almost as old as great New York :
Where once the thistles and briers grew.
Now stands the town of Waterloo.
An inn was kept for the traveler weary By a man whose name was Forrey ; The Eagle sign was kept in view To all who stopped in Waterloo.
"Dad" Turner in the town did dwell; He also kept a large hotel: Thus you see there once were two Great hotels in Waterloo.
The gushing springs on the great hillside Once were her glory and her pride. The Redman's arrows once thickly flew Where now is standing Waterloo.
The old brown church that stood in town One Sabbath day was torn down. This wicked act the people did do Who lived in the town of Waterloo.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Thus the house where worshipped the great and good Was scattered abroad for kindling wood. Go, stand on the hill and take a view O'er the mouldering town of Waterloo.
Her glory and grandeur are fading away ; Her eminent structures are on the decay.
Men of reuown there are but few Dwelling today in Waterloo.
Oh, look at the creek with its rock-bound shore, Where once was heard the cannon's .roar. But the cannon bursted and its fragments. flew All over the town of Waterloo.
The greatest cities of the earth Have thrived and grown from humble hirth. But will this saying now prove true About the town of Waterloo?
SPRINGERSVILLE.
The village of Springersville, as platted and surveyed July 27, 1840, was located in the southeastern part of Waterloo township. Thomas Simp- son was the proprietor of the townsite, which was surveyed by William Dickey. About 1838, Thomas Simpson, Jr., erected the first building in what later became the village and in which he conducted a general store. On May 16, 1840, he became the postmaster of the village and served in this capacity for nine years. James Culley was another early merchant. What once gave promise of being a thriving village has now dwindled down to a mere collection of about twelve scattered houses, a church and a black- smith shop.
The postmasters who have had charge of the postoffice include the fol- lowing: Thomas Simpson, Jr., 1840-1849; Nicholas Remington, April 2, 1849-November 14, 1849 (discontinued) ; Avarenas Pentecost; November 2, 1849 (re-established) to May 22, 1850 (discontinued) ; Alvar E. Pente- cost, May II, 1852 (re-established) to May 5, 1853 (discontinued).
CHAPTER VIII.
TRANSPORTATION.
The history of transportation in Fayette county must begin with an account of the old Indian Trail which furnished the avenue along which all of the early settlers of Fayette county traveled to their future homes. This trail ran diagonally across the county from the southeast to the northwest, passing through Connersville along what is now Eastern avenue. A com- plete account of this famous Indian thoroughfare. written by J. L. Heine- man, is given elsewhere in this volume and the reader is referred to it as a most interesting account of Fayette county's first highway.
The first roads in Fayette county, as in every other county in the south- ern part of Indiana. were mere traces or bridle paths through the woods, over the hills, around the swamps and across the prairies. It was accidental if they happened to coincide with a section line, the pioneers who laid them out having only one consideration in mind, and that was to get the shortest and most easily traveled road between the various settlements or to the mills and villages of the county.
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