USA > Indiana > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 12
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
VILLAGES OF THE TOWNSHIP.
New Trenton, situated in section 32, was laid out in December, 1816, by Solomon Manwarring, as surveyor, for Samuel Rockafellar and Ralph Waldridge, proprietors. In September, 1847, William B. Cox made an addi- tion of a small tract of lots. This old village is on the Whitewater river and was one of the important points on the old canal. It was popular on account of being where the Rockafellar tavern was situated. Here Thomas Manwarring also kept a tavern and conducted a general store, entertained the public, both "sacred and profane." He was a well-known class leader in the Methodist denomination ; attended camp-meetings; opened his doors to all traveling preachers; made a good grade of whisky, and sold it to all who desired it.
A Methodist church was erected here in 1835. Benjamin Lewis was one of the leading spirits in this church-building enterprise.
For a list of the early physicians of the village the reader is referred to the medical chapter in this volume.
The first militia officers in the place were: Major George Rudicil and Capts. John P. Case. Joseph Harper and James Scofield.
The first schools were kept in the cabins of the pioneer settlers. The first regular school house was a log building at New Trenton; the next was on Elkhorn creek, a mile and a half to the west of the village.
At New Trenton the following is a list of postmasters who have served from the establishment of the office in April, 1817, to the present. This list was furnished by the postal department at Washington especially for this history, and the dates indicate time of appointment : Samuel Rockafellar, April 5, 1817; Thomas Manwarring, November II, 1833; Eliphalet Barber, September 5. 1836; Joseph Sizelove, February 20, 1838; Moses Hornaday, February 7, 1840; J. B. Sparks, March 31, 1840; George Barber, January 27, 1841 ; Earl Power, February 18, 1842; Samuel Boateher, May 7, 1845; J. B. Campbell, May 19, 1847; Samuel Davis, June 15, 1849; J. B. Carter, June 25, 1852: Fred Deike, April 28, 1853; J. R. Cooley, August 20, 1860; H. J. Carr, January 27, 1864; Samuel Davis, February 21, 1865; Fred Deike. February 8, 1868: Samuel Davis, September 20, 1869: E. K. Rocka- fellar, Jr., July 13, 1870; Conrad Hull, November 8, 1871 ; George M. Lewis, December 20, 1880; Conrad Hull, June 14, 1881 ; Hannah Miller, August 7, 1885; Conrad Hull, April 15, 1889; Hannah Miller, June 24, 1893; A. R. Greatbach, December 24, 1897 ; James A. Mabis, July 6, 1914.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
At New Trenton, in fact in various parts of the township, there were two classes of settlers-one known as the "Tuckahoes," from the two Caro- linas, and the others the "Easterners," and when these two met in arguments and dickerings over business affairs, they frequently disagreed. At general training occasions and house raisings, etc., especially in political campaigns and election times, both sections were warmed to fever heat by the free use of liquors, when encounters ensued, resulting in many black eyes and not a few loosened teeth.
It is believed that the first to engage in merchandise at New Trenton was William Walker, in a log building, which was still standing twenty-five years ago, possibly partly in existence today. It was later weatherboarded and painted, making it look like a modern frame structure.
All of the pioneer merchants have long since been gathered to their fathers and in many cases their names have been long forgotten to the com- munity of which they were once a part.
AN OLD LAND-MARK.
The old Manwarring tavern in this township was one of the most prominent "meeting houses" in early times. In the same room in which Mr. Manwarring sold whisky, of his own make, by the dram, he also preached the Gospel on the Sabbath to a score or more old settlers. The bottom step of the stairway served as a pulpit and from this improvised rostrum the early ministers wielded a wide influence for good. This old brick tavern still stands and with its large "L" of rooms extending from the side of the building, it is practically as good as it was more than a century ago. This old bar room and "meeting house" is now used as a general store room. It was built in 1810, hence it antidates the little Cedar Baptist church building which was erected in 1812.
The business of New Trenton in the years 1914-15 was as follows : General dealers-Albert Witt, Miller Sisters, successors to their mother, Mrs. C. Witt ; hardware, Clarence Lake, John Sintz ; hotel, August Widan; saloons, Omer Brown, August Sintz; postmaster, J. A. Mabis; lumber and planing mill, Louis Brown, who had a yard and mill at this point until the flood of 1913, when all his property was washed away, even the lot on which his plant stood. He then removed to the village of Cedar Grove where he is now located; blacksmith, John Sintz.
The Methodist Episcopal is the only denomination having a building at this place now.
OLD-TIME GRIST MILL IN BUTLER TOWNSHIP.
ON LITTLE CEDAR.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
Among the first events of this village may be named the following: The first cook stove brought to the village was in 1832 by Z. A. Nye. The first piano of the place was that purchased by Z. A. Nye, about 1852. The first sewing machine was that purchased for the family of Dr. Samuel Davis, in 1860. The first railroad ticket and freight office was erected and opened to the public in August, 1866. The substantial wagon bridge was built over the swift-flowing waters of the White Water at this point in 1877-78.
Drewersburg, originally called Edinburg, now has a population of about seventy-five. It was platted in November, 1833, by John W. Hancock, William Ramey, Joseph Stevens and John Russell. It is located on the southeast quarter of section 33. It took the name Drewersburg from Will- iam S. Drewer, who resided there at the time of the platting. It has a few business houses and affords a trading place for those living along the eastern line of the county.
Sharpstown was originally a postoffice on the Mt. Carmel and Johnson Fork turnpike. A store or two and a few shops were all that ever went toward making up a village. The population is placed at thirty. It is sit- uated on section 3.
Rockdale is an interesting little village, situated at the foot of a large hill, and it is safe to say that no village of the county can rival it in natural scenery. This is one of the newer towns of the county and its buildings indicate that its people are possessed of thrift and prosperity. The mercan- tile interests of the town are in the hands of James Stewart and David Jaisle, both of whom have well-stocked general stores, doing a flourishing business in the town and immediate vicinity. One of the best rural school buildings in the county is found here and the people take a just pride in their excellent schools. A United Brethren church serves the religious interests of the town and has exerted a wholesome influence in the community ever since it was established.
BUTLER TOWNSHIP.
On the southern boundary of the county, second from the western border, is Butler civil township, with Metamora and one section of Brook- ville township at the north, Brookville and Highland townships to the east and to its south is Ripley county, while to the west are Ray and Salt Creek townships. It contains thirty full congressional sections in townships 10 and II north, ranges 12 and 13 east. The township was erected by the board of
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
county commissioners September 5, 1849, by taking nine sections of town- ship 11, range 13; nine off of township 11, range 12; six off of township 10, range 12; and six from township II, range 12, which sections were pre- viously, respectively, in Brookville, Highland, Ray and Salt Creek townships. This change was effected on account of the inconveniences of getting to and from elections when the water was at a high stage in the creeks. It was named for Butler county, Ohio, from which many of the settlers had emi -. grated. At the same time the township was set off as a separate subdivision, its first officer was appointed, in the person of Aaron B. Line, who was made inspector of elections for the newly created township.
The surface of Butler township is somewhat broken and in many places extremely rough. Yet within the bounds of the territory there is a sufficient amount of both bottom and upland to afford a good farming district. The soil, which is largely clay and drift soil mixed, is well calculated to produce good crops of the grains and grasses common to this latitude and climate. Originally, the township was covered with a good growth of timber, espec- ially valuable trees of oak of various varieties. On Pipe creek there is a grove of cedars, which for many years attracted the passer-by. There stood, in the eighties, a huge cucumber tree, measuring fully two and a half feet in diameter and sixty feet high-the only one known in this section of coun- try. It stood on the farm owned then by Mrs. Grinkemier.
The streams are Pipe creek, a branch of the West fork of White Water river ; Wolf creek, which rises in the central portion, runs north to the north- east part of the township, turns directly east and from Brookville township falls into Blue creek. Cedar fork takes its rise in the southwest part of the township, finally finding its way into Pipe creek. Little Walnut fork of Pipe creek and a few more lesser streams afford an abundance of water and good drainage for the adjoining lands.
PIONEER SETTLEMENT.
The records show that the first land was entered in this township by James Alley, who settled in the northwestern quarter of section 19, township II, range 13, in October, 1812. Regarding the actual settlement, it is known that John Alley, father of Samuel, Thomas W. and Rev. David Alley, moved into the township in 1814. John Gibson came the same year. The mother of James T. Osborn (then a widow) settled near where St. Mary's church now stands, in 1816, or possibly as late as 1817. So far as can be learned the first white man to effect a settlement and remain a resident of Butler
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
township was William Russell, who settled at the mouth of Russell's branch, and remained there some forty years, then removed to Morgan county, Indiana, where he died at a ripe old age, respected by all who knew of his many manly virtues.
In 1813 James Jones was shot by John Gibson, who mistook him for an Indian or for a deer.
In 1816 William McCafferty settled; he married the sister of John T. Osborn. These all located on Pipe creek, or very near that stream.
The settlement in 1818-19 included Eli Stringer, who claimed a tract on the uplands of this township, in section 21, township II, range 13. In 1836 this tract was occupied by a Revolutionary soldier named Richard Smith, who later purchased the land where stands St. Mary's church, and at that place he died.
In 1822 John Longacre effected his settlement; his family consisted of his mother, two sons and two daughters. This property was sold in about 1835 to Jesse Woodward.
Rev. Josiah Coen located in section 20, township II, range 13, in 1823 ..
In 1832 Bernard Myrose, a German, located in the township, and it has been said that he was the first of his nationality who claimed land and established his home in Butler township.
The Ronnebaums, Ackermans, Michael Schafer. Quirin Volz and Henry Crusa came in a little later. Others came in, but not very many, until 1836. when the building of the White Water canal attracted many home-seekers to this part of the state. This caused most of the vacant lands in Butler town- ship to be taken up for actual settlement or for speculation. It was during 1836 that two men named Roberts, residents of Cincinnati, entered all the remaining vacant lands in the county, except a few small tracts. These speculators held these lands for higher prices, and the result was that settle- ment was retarded west of the boundary line for a number of years. In 1846 this land syndicate was broken, after which actual settlers had a better chance to procure lands. William McCarty purchased the interests held by one of the Roberts brothers, and George Holland, of Brookville, was made the agent of the other interests. Soon the lands were sold out in smaller tracts to settlers at reasonable prices. The last lot entered was an eighty- acre piece in section 33. township II, range 13, by John D. Shryer, about 1845.
· The early schools and churches have all been treated in separate chap- ters, hence need not be further mentioned in this connection.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
About 1830 John Aller erected a mill on Pipe creek, but, owing to the wash-outs of his dam, it never amounted to much and was soon abandoned. The same year James Alley built a saw-mill on the creek running across. section 30, township II, range 13. Later there was added a corn-grinding attachment and, between the saw-mill and corn-grinder, for many years the enterprise proved of great usefulness to the pioneers. It was still in opera- tion early in the eighties, when it was owned by Jeremiah Jones.
It was not far from 1830 that William McCafferty built his saw-mill and corn-cracker on section 8, township 10, range 13. A Mr. Clark built another mill on the same stream further up than McCafferty's, and a corn- cracker was put in operation on Pipe creek by Mr. Batzner about 1841. Other mills were erected by Jacob Jones on Wolf creek in 1851, and Law- rence & Flemming started their steam saw-mill in section 32, township II, range 13. Later two run of stones were put in operation, and both flour and corn were ground in large quantities. It was in 1857, or possibly a year later, that John F. Dickman commenced to operate his steam saw-mill. About that date William Eiglehoff operated another steam mill, both having circu- lar saws, an innovation in the saw-mill business in the county. The Jerry Jones grist-mill was early and long since gone, save a trace of the race and mill-posts which can still be seen on Pipe creek.
OTHER INTERESTING EVENTS.
The first mowing machine was brought to Butler township in 1864, but threshing machines had been in use a dozen years before that. Foster & Alley brought the first grain separator from Hamilton, Ohio.
George Ertel, Sr., and George Ertel, Jr., father and brother of Jacob Ertel, were killed by falling trees near the old salt works. These accidents occurred a year apart and cast a gloom over the settlement.
A Miss Kemp was drowned while crossing Pipe creek on her way from Brookville, where she had been engaged to work.
About 1852 a young man named Hutchinson was drowned in Clear creek fork on a Sunday while bathing. A Mr. Coleman was drowned in the same stream while attempting to cross in a high stage of water about 1847.
In 1882 it was stated that the oldest inhabitant of the township who was born here was Mrs. Squire Harvey, who was born in the village of St. Marys in 1851.
The first person buried in the township was Washington Osborn, son of James and Ruth Osborn. He died in childhood.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
Very early in the settlement of the township there was much excitement over a supposed "find" of salt, a commodity then much more appreciated than now, when it has come to be such a cheap article. Wells were sunk and there was much exploring for the saline product. John Shaw, in 1832, made and sold salt from wells at the mouth of Salt Well branch of Pipe creek, in Butler township. He died in the autumn of that year and there. were no further developments in the salt industry he had started.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
At one time or another there have been the following villages in Butler township: Oak Forest, Haymond (Jennings), Franklin, New Vernon.
Haymond was made a postoffice in 1861, with Henry Moorman as post- master. This is also known as St. Mary's, after the Catholic church at that point, and has a population of about fifty. It is located in section 5, town- ship 10, range 13 east. Its present interests are inclusive of these: The large Catholic church, a history of which appears in a chapter on this de- nomination; a general store by Joseph Ronnebaum, who also conducts a saloon. Then there is another saloon by Henry Kruthaupt, and a blacksmith. shop run by William Jansing. The village is on the rural free delivery route from Batesville.
Jennings postoffice was established in 1838. Franklin was laid off on Pipe creek, where about a dozen buildings, including a school house, were erected. The school house burned in 1858. New Vernon was laid off by Jacob B. Lawrence about 1839. There were erected a few cabins and one. large frame building. It is the site of St. Mary's Catholic church. The his- tory of this, with all other churches of the county, form a separate chapter in this work.
Oak Forest, in the northeastern part of this township, now has a popu- lation of one hundred and twenty-five. There one finds, today. a general store, for many years prior to 1913 operated by Fred Stumpf : two blacksmith shops, one by William Becker, to the west end, and George Williams, to the north side of the village, which is on the rural free delivery route from Brookville : there is also a saloon run by Joseph Vonderheide. There have been churches of the Catholic, Methodist and United Brethren denominations located at this point.
The population of Butler township in 1910 was only 876; it had a population of 1,073 in 1900 and in 1890 it had 1,243.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
The present (1915) township officers are as follow: Trustee, Ben H. Vonderheide; assessor, Henry Flaspholer; advisory board, Joseph T. Lan- ning, Ben Langfermann, Charles Amberger; justices of the peace, Henry Pulskamp: constable, Joseph Wallpe; supervisors, Henry Friese, Herman Fleddermann, Frank Laker, Jacob Hildebrand.
BLOOMING GROVE TOWNSHIP.
Blooming Grove township is on the northern line of the county, midway east and west, with Fairfield and Brookville on the east, Brookville and Metamora on the south and Laurel on the west. It consists of twenty-four sections from congressional township 12, range 13 east, which are numbered from one to twenty-four. Four of these sections are fractional-1, 12, 13 and 24-being so made by the Indian boundary line of 1795, which divides the Ohio and Indiana system of surveys. There are twenty-one and one- half square miles within the limits of Blooming Grove township. But prior to the date when the above boundaries were set, and really the first mention made of this subdivision of Franklin county, we find in volume E, commis- sioners' records, page 7, under date of Monday, May 12, 1817, a statement, part of which reads as follows :
"This day came Isaac M. John and presented to the board a petition signed by thirty and more signers praying for a division of Posey township. in the county of Franklin, aforesaid. And it appearing to the satisfaction of the board that it is expedient and necessary that the division should be had of the township aforesaid, it is therefore ordered that the following shall be the boundaries of the said new township: Beginning on the Brook- ville township line, at the southeast corner of Posey township, thence with the boundary line between Bath and Posey townships to the center of town- , ship 13, range 13; thence west with the line dividing Posey and Connersville townships to the line dividing township 13, range 13, and township 13, range 12; thence south to Brookville township line: thence east to the place of be- ginning."
"Said township to be known and styled Blooming Grove, and that all elections in said township shall be held at the house of Ezra McCabe, in the town of Greensboro." Later there were three tiers of sections detached and placed in Fayette county, leaving the present territory of Blooming
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
Grove township, as above stated, consisting of twenty full and four frac- tional sections.
The first officers of the township in 1817 were as follow: John Wal- ter. lister : James Craig, overseer of the poor; Isaac M. Johnson, inspector of elections : John Brown and William Skinner, constables; William Goe and Christopher Swift, supervisors of the roads of the new township. All these above officers were appointed by the county commissioners. Among the early justices of the peace were Samuel Miller, John Allen and Joseph Evans.
In 1828 the commissioners defined the boundaries of the eight town- ships in this county and Blooming Grove was given the following limits :
"Ordered, that the fourth township be bounded as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of section 32, in township 10, range 2 west ; thence north on said section line to the south boundary of Union county ; thence west along said county line to the old boundary line; thence northwardly along said boundary line to the southeast corner of Fayette county ; thence west on the line of said county to the northwest corner of township 12, range 13 east; thence south along said township line to the southwest corner of section 18 in said township; thence east on the section line to the old bound- ary line : thence northwardly to the line dividing townships 9 and 10 in range 2 west : thence east along said section line to the place of beginning, to be called Blooming Grove township."
The population of this township in 1890 was 664, in 1900 it had dropped to 653, and the last federal census gives it 651.
STREAMS, SOIL, ETC.
The most important stream in the township is Duck creek, which takes its rise in the north-central portion of the township, among a cluster of never-failing springs and creeks, and takes its course in a general southwest- erly direction, leaving the territory less than a mile from the southwest corner, near where it received the waters of James creek, or commonly called "Jimmie's Run." Wolf creek heads in the central part and flows eastward to the East fork. All other streams mentioned are branches of West fork.
The township is an excellent agricultural section. The northeastern portion is well timbered with the varieties of trees common to the entire county. The center and eastern parts have a clay soil, with a slight loam mixture. The central and eastern portion, however, are better as a farming section. Underdraining, in the western part of the township, has subdued and changed the soil so that it has come to be very productive of later years.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
PIONEER SETTLEMENT.
No general settlement was effected here until the close of the War of. 1812-14. There were but two entries in 1811, none in 1812 and seven in .. 1813; in 1814 and 1815 the real tide of immigration set in.
The major part of the original entries up to 1817 were as follows : Jacob Baldridge and Ralph Williams settled (probably first in the township) in 18II; David Ewing, Josiah Allen, John Allen, Jr., J. Curry, Benjamin Norwell, Christopher Swift, all in 1813; Tyler McWhorter, Michael Kin- gery, Solomon Shepard, Caleb B. Clements, James Webb, Thomas Sher- wood, James Sherwood, William and James Harvey, William Smith, Charles. Harvey, William Skinner, John Delaney, Richard Clements, Joseph Hughell, Thomas Smith, all in 1814; Samuel Steel, James Fordyce, Thomas Slaughter and Richard Dunkin, in 1815; Emory Scotton, 1816; Colvin Kinsley, 1817 ;. William Harder, 1817.
It is thought that Jacob Baldridge and Ralph Williams were probably first to enter the township. They located in section 19, in the southwest cor- ner of the township. From records and general hearsay, it is believed that such men as the following were prime movers in starting the development in this section of the county, laying well the foundation for future township. and county government : The Webbs, Swifts, Harveys, Sherwoods, Slaught- ers and Glenns, with their near neighbors.
VILLAGE OF BLOOMING GROVE.
The only village in the township is Blooming Grove, with a present population of one hundred and twenty. It is in the central part of the town- ship, and was platted in section 10 July 23, 1816, by Surveyor Joseph Allen,. for the proprietors, John Naylor and James Sherwood. During February, 1817, an addition was platted by the same men, and lots Nos. 18 and 23. were donated to the public for a "school and meeting house." The place was named Greensboro, but some who did not favor the site for a town dubbed it "Greenbrier." Perhaps no better account of the early history here can be given today than to quote what was written by Henry C. Harvey about 1881 or 1882, which article reads as follows :
"The writer came to the town on the first day of September. 1834, to begin a six years' apprenticeship at a trade, which term he fully and faith- fully served and from that date to the present time has witnessed the growth
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.
. and changes that have occurred. The oft-repeated statement about the ori- ginal name of our village being Greenbrier is incorrect. The founders of the village were natives of Maryland and they named it in honor of a town in that state. The township was called Blooming Grove. Some time between 1830 and 1835 (for want of a mislaid old diary I cannot give precise date) the people of the township petitioned Uncle Sam for a postoffice at their village, to be called Greensboro. In due time word came to them that there was already an office by that name in the state. Then they sent the name of Blooming Grove and also the name of the man chosen for postmaster, and the petition was granted. The postmaster was an alien, but he made an efficient officer. At the next session of the Legislature after getting their postoffice, the citizens petitioned that body to change the name of the town from Greensboro to Blooming Grove, which was granted, and that is the way it all came about. As far back as 1820 the directory of business would have said: Samuel Miller, hotel, west of Main street; Peter Miller, chair- maker, east of Main street; John Ply, potter, northeast corner of Main and Cross streets; Elanthan Cory, tanner and currier, north side. As yet there had been no store in the town, nor was there any until after 1825. The first store was kept by Beverly R. Youn ; the first wagonshop by Parismis Wil- kinson. In 1829 Martin W. Morris, of Ohio, bought and fitted up property for a store and hotel. He occupied it for a time and then sold the property to William King, who also carried on merchandising and tavern-keeping, . subsequently selling out to Coleman & Clements. Some time in 1830 or 1831 James Whorten, of Cincinnati, brought out a large stock of old goods and remnants and sold them at auction on long credit, greatly to the disgust of the resident merchants. The sale lasted nearly a week. Up to this time there had been no blacksmith shops in town, but shortly afterward Thomas S. Webb, brother of Squire John Webb, commenced the business. The first frame dwelling was built by Robert Runyan about 1834, and is now (1882) · occupied by William Cooper. About this time a lot of 'exodusters' from Maryland swooped down upon the town and it began to grow. As yet there , was no meeting-house in town."
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