History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 11

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648

USA > Indiana > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 11

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Bath, the railroad station of the township, is situated in section 27, township 10, range I west. The railroad was constructed through the town- ship in 1902-03, and the station at once became the feature of this portion of the county. A two per cent. tax was voted in Bath township to aid in building this line of railway, and this brought about twelve thousand dollars in way of aid for the construction company. The first buildings in the vil- lage were the grain elevator and a residence of John Stout. The pioneer store of the village was that of John C. Hunt, a railroad engineer, who con- tinued to run his locomotive until a year or so ago, since which time he has. devoted his time to the store of general merchandise, which has been oper-

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ated largely by his wife since first opened, in 1903. F. A. Rigsby, an early factor in the building up of the town, came in as soon as the place was platted and soon opened a small general store, and continued a few years, then sold to its present owner, Adam Kunkle. Mr. Rigsby removed to Colorado.

The grain business has been in the hands of Rigsby & Stout, who sold to the Inter-State Grain Company, and they in turn sold to the Willey, Brown Company, who now have a line of five grain elevators along the line of road running through Bath.

O. S. Dubois & Son came in 1905 and have been the only ones engaged in buying and selling live stock. They bought and shipped before the rail- road was finished by driving the stock to Cottage Grove.

The first blacksmith in Bath was George Collier, who fired his glowing forge about as soon as the town had an existence. He was succeeded by several other smiths. The present blacksmith is Ward Loper.

J. C. Hunt, before mentioned, built a hotel in 1913, but its landlords have not been successful and today the house is vacant. At one time it was conducted by Ed. Peek, and later by the telegraph operator, John Gormaine. It is a good two-story frame building.

Soon after the town started a tile manufacturing company was formed and operated for a while and then failed, causing a loss to many of the stock- holders.

H. E. Majors is the only person who has run a meat business ; he opened his meat shop in 1909 and is still running the market.

The livery business is in the hands of Dubois & Son, who keep five horses and attend to all the livery demanded in the village.

Adam Kunkle, the general dealer, also handles lumber.

Milk is bought and shipped daily to Richmond. Both the local and long distance telephone systems are to be had from this point. Lands sell from one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars per acre, and not much chang- ing hands at this time ( 1915). The chief products are corn, hogs and wheat.

As to schools, it may be stated that the patrons of schools here send their children to the new graded school building, a brick structure erected a half mile west of the village in 1911. It is modern and has a basement and is heated with steam.

The nearest church is the one at Colter's Corner-about a mile to the west-(see church history ).

Mixerville is a small trading hamlet in the southeastern portion of Bath township, in section 36. Here the first postoffice in the township was estab- lished, but long since it has been served by the rural free delivery system.

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The only business there at this date is the general merchandise store of Mrs. Wilson. A town was platted here in 1846 by William Mixer, but it never materialized into a place of much importance.

POSEY TOWNSHIP.

The extreme northwestern subdivision of Franklin county is Posey town- ship. It is west of Laurel and north of the western portion of Salt Creek township. It derived its name from Thomas Posey, governor of Indiana Territory 1812-16. Posey township was one of the three townships in the county on January 3, 1816, the other two being Brookville and Bath. At that time Posey included all of the land between the middle of town 12 north and town 14 north, lying between the treaty lines of 1795 and 1809-an area approximately twelve miles square. On July 16, 1816, it was cut in two in order to form Connersville township on the north. Somerset township was cut off from it May 14. 1821, but before the end of the year ( November 12, 1821) this township ceased to exist and its territory again became a part of Posey. Blooming Grove township was cut off of Posey on May 12, 1817. The formation of Salt Creek ( May 8, 1844) and Laurel (March 5, 1845), reduced Posey township to its present size, six miles in length by three in width. It is composed of eighteen sections of township 12 north, range II east, or the east half of congressional 12 township., The township was settled by pioneers who came late, and as a rule followed the streams, as this loca- tion was best suited to pioneer life. The population of Posey township in 1910 was 713, as against 810 in 1900, and 882 in 1890.

ORGANIZATION AND BOUNDARIES.

. On January 6, 1816, Posey township was defined by the commissioners as "all that part of Franklin county which lies within the following bound- aries, towit: On the north by so much of the northern boundary line of said county as lies between the northwest corner of township II, range 2, and the northwest corner of the county, on the west by so much of the western boundary line as lies between the northwest corner of the county and a line to be drawn so far south that the same by running east will strike the line dividing the ninth and tenth township in the first and second range, on the south by the last described line, and on the east by the western boundary line

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of the tenth and eleventh township of range 2-shall compose a township, which township shall be called and known by the name of Posey township."

The next change was on February 10, 1817, when the county commis- sioners ordered the county of Franklin to be divided into six townships, White Water, Brookville, Posey, Bath, Union and Connersville. Posey town- ·ship was ordered bounded as follows :

"Beginning at the northeast corner of Brookville township; thence run- ning east to the old boundary line at the corner of ninth and tenth town- ships ; thence along the said boundary line in a northerly direction to the center of township 13 and range 13; thence west to the western boundary line of said county, thence to the place of beginning, running on the western boundary line of said county."

The same year, in the month of August, (See book E, p. 45), the fol- lowing change was made in the territorial lines :

"Ordered, that all that part of Brookville township lying west of a line drawn due south from the southeast corner of Posey township, until it inter- sects the north line of White Water township be added to Posey township."

In October. 1818. the central part of the state was purchased by the United States government from the Indians, and this immense tract of land now comprising all or parts of thirty-eight counties, has always been known as the New Purchase. New counties were organized out of this territory as fast as the population would justify, and many of the counties already formed which were contiguous to this tract were enlarged by incorporating parts of the territory in question.

The state Legislature of 1823 added part of the New Purchase to Frank- lin county, and on February 11, 1823, the commissioners of Franklin county "ordered that all that part of Franklin county which has been attached to Franklin by a late act of the Legislature, which lies west of Posey town- ship, be and the same is hereby attached to the said township of Posey."

In 1828, in describing the bounds of all the existing townships, the commissioners' record shows the following on Posey township :

"Ordered, that the fifth township be bounded as follows: Beginning at "the southeast corner of township 12, in range 12 east; thence due west along said township line to the western boundary of Franklin county ; thence north along said boundary line to the northwest corner of Franklin county ; thence east along the northern boundary of said county to the northeast corner of township 12 in range 12 east; thence south on the township line to the place of beginning, to be called Posey township."

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PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Its streams are Little Salt creek, which takes its rise near the northwest angle of the township and courses in a southeastern direction through more than a third of its area. Bull's fork of Salt creek drains the southwest corner of the township. The South fork of the Little Salt creek crosses much of the territory and passes out near the southeast corner. The streams afford a good acreage of rich bottom land. The general surface of the township is gently rolling, with some level table land in the central portion. Its soil is substantially the same as that found in Salt Creek and Ray town- ships.

The first white man to invade this portion of what is now Franklin county was a Revolutionary soldier who was present at General Braddock's defeat. The name is Joseph Mires, who settled on Seine's creek. He was a model frontiersman, and his name is frequently referred to by older resi- dents and writers of local history. Just what spot he located on is not known, but that it was near the township line is usually conceded by histor- ians It is likely that he was a "squatter," as his name does not appear on the government land office records. The following entered lands, at gov- ernment prices, at the dates indicated in the subjoined list of land entries :

1820-Simon Barbour, Atwell Jackman, William Wilson. Eliphalet Barbour.

1821 -- Jared Lockwood.

1822-Ephraim Goble, James Miller, Stephen Hamilton.

1823-Daniel Neff, Joseph Rash, John Lewis.

1827 -- Eli C. McKee, Morgan Lewis.

1829-Timothy Allison, William Hite.

1831-Alexander Power.

1832-Charles Malone, Edward Scott, James Wallace, Joshua Watkins, William Brown.

1833-Abraham Miers, John Ryan, James S. Grimup, William Nichols, Mason Palmer.

1834 -- John Morgan, James Cox, John Bishop.

'1836-John Linville, Thomas Moore, Buckley C. Harris, William Car- penter, Elijah Misner. John H. Scott, John Thomas, Thomas Flint, Henry H. Partlow, Thomas Sims, Jacob Partlow, William Simonson, Jacob Part- low, William Pruet.

1841-Silas Andrews.

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EARLY AND LAST SAW-MILL OF THE "SASH" TYPE.

There were numerous saw-mills and corn-crackers scattered here and there throughout this township at an early day, but owing to the uncertainty of the water power and other reasons they have-all disappeared. The last saw-mill in the township-the old John Barber mill-erected in 1849, two and a half miles south of Andersonville, was found one morning in Septem- ber. 1914. to have collapsed and in ruins. It was not operated after about 1898. The dam went down stream in 1913. It was a typical old sash saw- mill, whose long, upright saw could handle very large logs. It was pro- pelled by the waters of Salt creek, running through a double-turbine wheel, giving sixty-horse power. M.r. Barber cut thousands of feet of the finest black walnut lumber over seen, and at first he shipped it to Cincinnati, by the old canal. and later by rail. It is believed that this was the last of the many saw-mills propelled by water power that ever run in this county.

FIRST EVENTS.

A store and tavern was opened at a very early date by Thomas Ander- son at the forks of the Brookville and Shelbyville state road. His tavern was a popular one and he soon became an influential, prominent pioneer.

Atwell Jackman, a wheelwright and farmer, settled a short distance from Anderson's, and was the first to work at wagon-making.

The first tannery in the settlement was established by a Mr. Redpath. He remained only a short time and removed from the township. He was succeeded as a tanner by Alexander Power, whose tannery was a little dis- tance east of "Bull Town." He also made shoes and horse-collars.

The first saw-mill in this township was on Little Salt creek and was put in operation by Samuel Jinks. A steam saw-mill was next set in motion by Simpson Barbour, who continued to cut lumber many years.

The earliest physician was Dr. R. D. Logan, who subsequently studied law and became a circuit judge. Another pioneer physician was Doctor Gillin.

The first school in the township was kept by a Mr. Sally, in a hewed-log house. which had a clapboard roof ; the windows were exceptionally high and very narrow. This was, of course, a subscription school. More concerning the schools of the township is found in the Educational chapter.

Rev. John Morgan, who came to the township in 1828, wrote as fol- lows in the early eighties :

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"At our log-rollings and raisings we used to have what they called 'good whisky,' which made them feel very funny sometimes and would oc- casionally cause friends and neighbors to get into difficulty and fight. In 1831 I thought something ought to be done about it, so I made an appoint- ment to deliver a temperance lecture at a certain time and place. When the time arrived there were quite a number out and I delivered the first temper- ance lecture I ever heard and the first one in the township. We soon had a strong temperance society, and the practice of using liquors at public gather- ings soon ceased to a great extent."

The first religious society in the township was the United Brethren in Christ. ( See chapter on churches of this county. )

VILLAGES OF THE TOWNSHIP.

Andersonville, a part of old Buena Vista and, Bull Town, are all the attempts made at town building in this township. Buena Vista is only a small hamlet, while Anderson is a thriving village of about three hundred and fifty inhabitants. Bull Town has ceased to exist and is only known in memory.

The following description of this place occurred in the Brookville Am- erican in May, 1852:

"As to the improvements at Bulltown we might say that there are in and near the place three very respectable water saw-mills (one of which has just been rebuilt), all owned and run by very worthy, industrious, respectable men, and in which large quantities of lumber are annually manufactured, both for home consumption and for the Cincinnati market, besides a steam saw-mill, which we hear has recently been sold for over two thousand five hundred dollars. Besides this, the workmen are now actively engaged in constructing through the place one of the finest turnpikes in the country, the grade of which in no one place exceeds three degrees ; and that neighbor- hood does its full share of the work."

Andersonville, in the northwest part of the township, in section IO, was laid out in November, 1837, by Fletcher Tevis, and it was first known as Ceylon, later changed to Andersonville, on account of Thomas Anderson . dedicating an addition to the place in May, 1849. He later succeeded in having the postoffice named for him, adding the "ville" to his name and mak- ing it Andersonville. Anderson conducted a tavern, where liquor was freely sold and used by traders and hunters thereabouts. At present the town has numerous churches, good schools and lodges, each of which are mentioned in

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chapters relating to such topics. The United Brethren are a strong sect at and near Andersonville. The lodges include the Masonic and Improved Order of Red Men. A very unique newspaper is published there, known as the Herald, owned and edited by F. Wilson Kaler, and it is said to be the only publication at a rural free delivery point in the world, Andersonville being six miles off of the railroad, to the west of Laurel. The merchants of the village in the spring of 1915 were Messrs. Grier, Bryson, Morgan and Stevens. The physicians there are Doctors Coffee and Metcalf.

The township officers serving in 1915 are as follow: Trustee, George Meid: assessor, C. H. Mitchell; advisory board, H. H. Stevens, Thomas G. Kelso. Leroy Barber; constable, Clark Denumbrum; justice of the peace, George McBarber ; supervisors, James W. York, Luther T. Davis.

WHITE WATER TOWNSHIP.

White Water is in the extreme southeastern corner of Franklin county, and is bounded on the north by Springfield, on the west by the Indiana-Ohio state line, on the south by Dearborn county, and on the west by Highland and Brookville townships. This subdivision of the county contains thirty-six sections and comprises all of congressional township 8 north, range I west.

White Water township was created by the commissioners on January 6, 1816. The record (Book D, p. 82), shows that it was one of the four civil townships in the county at that date. Its territorial limits were described as follow : All that part of Franklin county which lies south of a line be- ginning at a point on the west side of the said county and thence running east to White Water so as to cross the river at the south of Big Cedar Grove creek; thence running along the Big Cedar Grove creek, then meanders thereof until the same intersects the line dividing the eighth and ninth town- ships : thence running east with the said township line to the east boundary of the county-shall compose a township, which township shall be known and called by the name of White Water township."

The next change in boundary appears on pages 3-7 of Record Book E. and bears date of February 10, 1817, when Samuel Rockafeller and Enoch D. John, commissioners, ordered that the township limits of White Water, Brookville. Posey, Bath, Union and Connersville be redefined. The record shows that White Water township was described by the commissioners as follows :

"Commencing at the southwest corner of Franklin county, running east

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with the southern boundary line of said county to the southeast corner of said county ; thence north along the eastern boundary of said county until it intersects the line dividing the eighth and ninth townships on range I ; thence west with the aforesaid line until it strikes the Big Cedar Grove creek : thence down this same with the meanders thereof to the mouth of said Cedar Grove creek; thence due west to the western boundary line of the county : thence south to the place of beginning."

In 1828 the commissioners defined all the township limits and at this time "ordered that the eighth congressional township, in range I west, shall compose and constitute the first township to be called White Water town- ship." And it so stands at the present time.

NATURAL FEATURES.

White Water river courses across about six sections of the southwest portion of the township. Johnson's fork takes its rise in the north-central por- tion, runs south and easterly to the White Water, which it forms junction with in Dearborn county. Big Cedar creek crosses the northwest section, and a good-sized branch of Big Cedar crosses the north-central portion and unites with the main stream in Brookville township. Dry fork crosses the extreme northeast corner, while Syers' run rises in three of the northeastern sections of the township.

The north and eastern portions of the township are quite level, but other parts are rolling, and along the streams the surface is very hilly and rolling ; yet there is but a small amount of waste land. The streams of the township are not constant in their stage of water, varying with the seasons, sometimes almost dry. For this reason it is hard to maintain and keep in good repair mill-dams, hence but little has been attempted at milling, though several early- day attempts were made, nearly all ending in failure.

SETTLEMENT.

Coming to the pioneer settlement here, it may be stated that most of the early settlers passed through this township to other townships and adjoining counties. The first land entered here was section 32, by Benjamin McCarty. in May. 1803. Then other entries were made, as shown in the "Original Entry List" of all lands entered in the county, the same appearing elsewhere in this volume, by township and range. (See township 8, range I west.)

John Seeley came in 1819. It is probable that many of the men whose

JOHN BARBER SAW-MILL.

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names are here given came sooner than these entries indicate. It is also well established that settlements were made at an early date by men who bought government lands of those who had entered them.

John H. and Samuel Rockafellar came in 1805, purchasing a portion of section 32, originally entered by Benjamin McCarty in 1803; the land later fell into the hands of John Allen. The Rockafellar family came from New Jersey, as did other families who located in this neighborhood. Among this colony may be recalled the names of John Allen, the Watkins, Ralph Rieley, Ralph Wildridge, Benjamin and William Lewis. John H. Rockafellar set- tled on the west side of the river opposite and above the present site of the town of New Trenton. Thomas Manwarring's place was directly west of New Trenton, across the river. Samuel Rockafellar located where now stands the village of New Trenton, at the northern part, where the main road turns to the left in passing up the valley, and there stood his famous old tavern, one of the most popular stopping places in the entire White Water valley for many years. He commenced business in a log house, which was soon replaced by a good brick structure. Hon. E. K. Rockafeller had it for a residence in the eighties. It was among the first brick buildings in the valley. Thomas Manwarring, however, kept his hotel in New Trenton, at a much later date, and was also popular.

Benjamin McCarty made experiments and sought to obtain salt from a spring which flows into the White Water near New Trenton. It is believed these experiments were carried on about the summer of 1803. It seems quite certain that some salt was produced from the waters of this spring, but the article was not of sufficient strength or purity of saline properties to make it a profitable enterprise. A deeper shaft was sunk and a strong stream of pure, fresh water came gushing in and ruined all prospects of obtaining salt at this point. McCarty had numerous workmen, who scattered here and there through the valley, became roving "squatters," and none ever became permanent settlers in the county.

On the lands of A. R. Case, Esq., a little west of the railroad station, there are several graves, supposed to contain the remains of a few of these early explorers.

In the northwest portion of the township, chiefly on sections 5 and 8, was an English settlement; the families were those of the Ashtons, Kerrs, Millers, Carters, Beesleys, Bertenshaws, Heaps, Halls, Harts and a few others.

Another English settlement was effected in the northeast quarter of sec-

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tions II and 12, and near that location. Here settled the Kirks, Jeans, Kings, Prices and other well-remembered families.

Down in the southeastern portion of the township, and up as far as Drewersburg, there was scattered a class of settlers from New York state. These included the names of Gulley, Israel Davis (an early Baptist preacher ), Seeley Russell, Hollowell Benton and Stalcup.

New England was represented by the Nyes and La Rues, all of whom located west from Drewersburg, in the center of the township.

The Jenkins families were in the extreme northwestern part of the town- ship of Whitewater, where Prince Jenkins entered land in 1814. In the eighties this family was among the most prosperous in the township.

After a sufficient number of settlers had entered and settled permanently in the township, it was legally organized as one of the subdivisions of the county. This was effected by the act of the county commissioners, February TO, 1817, at which time the territory consisted of all its present area and also the greater portion of Highland, Butler and Ray townships. It was a narrow strip running across the southern portion of the county, with a line due west from the mouth of Big Cedar creek for its northern boundary. When Highland was formed about 1822 or 1823, the present boundary ap- pears to have been established. Matthew Sparks was appointed superin- tendent of the school sections; Adolph Guiley, Lister and Ralph Wildridge, overseers of the poor, at the May term in 1817. Elections were ordered to be held at the house of John Vanblaircum; Thomas Manwarring was ap- pointed inspector of elections at the same session of the county board.

In July, 1817, Ralph Wildridge was licensed to conduct a hotel: Joseph Bennett. John H. Rockafellar and Benjamin Gulley were appointed con- stables. Ralph Waldridge kept an early tavern, for his license was issued to "keep a tavern or house of public entertainment" in April, 1812.

White Water township has had many towns and villages platted, many of which are now defunct and their names unknown to many. These in- clude New Trenton, Edinburg (now Drewersburg), Rockdale, Sharptown and Ashby.

The present township officers are: Trustee, Reed Moffett : assessor. F. M. Wright : advisory board, W. S. Stout, W. F. Winters, C. Stronmier ; supervisors, William Yauger, Albert Waltz, Louis Lenkel, J. F. Hass.

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History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 11

Author: Reifel, August J Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1648

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648