History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 14

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 14

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Later settlers were: Louis Shockley, William Sturwold, Conrad Schomler (who was killed by a falling tree), Christian Floor, John Stock- inger (who was bitten by a rattlesnake in the harvest field, and from it lost his life), Catherine Ripp, John R. Dirkhuesing, Henry Holbert, Joshua Bacher, Philip Waldorf, John H. Ellerman, Henry Beckman, Henry Mires,

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Henry Poppe, Valentine Dill, Valentine Fuller, Sarah Keeler, all of whom settled here previous to 1837. John Bath settled in section 33 in 1837.

In 1838 Godfrey Seibel built a brewery on the branch of Blue creek. This was the first brewery in all this section of the country, save one in Springfield township.

Among the English-speaking settlers may be named James Robeson, of Kentucky, who came in 1809 to Brookville township and to Highland in 1816. William Robeson, who settled in 1831, was justice of the peace and county treasurer two terms, as well as county commissioner.

The first school house in the township was on Joshua Baker's land, built of buckeye logs, which persisted in sprouting for a long time after the logs had been laid up. George W. Matthews was one of the first teachers.

The first meeting house in this township was built of logs, situated west of present South Gate village. . It was first used by the Methodist denomination.

TOWNS AND VILLAGES.

The towns and postoffices of this township are, Cedar Grove, with a population of 185; St. Peters, with 150; Blue Creek, with 75; South Gate, with 100, and Highland Center, a mere hamlet.

Cedar Grove is situated on the White Water river, on the railroad and the old Valley pike. It was platted and christened "Rochester," by John Ward, in September, 1837. In 1844 D. F. Cooley made an addition to the town. This place sprung into existence on account of the construction of the old canal, and was formerly a very important point along that water- way. The Wards erected a large flouring mill on the opposite side of the river and were important factors in building up what was at one time a busy commercial center.

James Roseberry, another pioneer, there conducted one of the earliest taverns of the place.

The great flood of 1847 destroyed the Ward mills, and parts of the saved machinery were taken to the Cedar Grove side of the river and placed in operation as a mill by Withers & Knote. The present mills, built about twenty years ago, are operated by Casper Fohl.

The first church of the town was a union building erected in 1850, and built by subscription, and it is still used by any Protestant denomination who chooses to use it. The churches of today are the Catholic and Meth- odist Episcopal (see Church chapter).

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Canal boat building was at one time quite a profitable industry in this town. A large number of the boats used on the White Water canal were built there. The following from a newspaper published in October, 1842, is self-explanatory :

"Canal Boats .- The subscribers have established a Boat Yard, for build- ing Canal Boats at Rochester, on the White Water Canal. Two of the Com- pany are regular ship-builders of long experience, and will be engaged in the construction of boats in a few weeks. They solicit the patronage of the public. They have good lumber ready, and boats will be built on reason- able notice. The business will be transacted under the style of 'T. Morse & Co.'

"T. MORSE, "U. KENDALL, "S. COFFIN, "B. G. CHILD."

Cedar Grove was incorporated in 1907 and its first officers were: John Fohl, president ; Charles Jonas, Charles Wiwi. Its officers in 1915 are : Thomas Moore, president; John H. Schuck, Charles G. Jonas; clerk and treasurer, Alfred Moore; marshal, E. Merkel. The council meets at the townhall.

In the spring of 1915 the business interests of Cedar Grove were con- ducted as follows :

General Dealers-John Doerflein & Son, Charles Jonas, Shuck Brothers and Defner & Fohl.

Blacksmithing-Thomas Doerflein, John Witherlin.

Lumber and Wood Work-Louis J. Brown, who for years operated at New Trenton, but the flood of 1913 swept all he had away, including the land on which his plant stood, causing a total loss to him of all that he had accumulated by years of toil. He is an ex-county commissioner of Franklin county. He is now installing modern wood-working machinery and has a fine lumber business.

Hotel-Peter Hirsch, Joseph Munchel.

Saloon and bar-Frank Schneider, and the two hotels.

Bakery and Meats-Thomas Moore.

Stock Dealer-Frank Schneider.

Flour Mills-Casper Fohl.

Tobacco Warehouse-Owned by Fred Reese, but leased by Kentucky

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operators. As many as three carloads of leaf tobacco are shipped from this warehouse in a single day.

The postoffice has a rural free delivery route extending out into the surrounding country.

The town has two schoolhouses, one built in 1873, a one-room brick building, and a more recent structure of brick, with two rooms.

The following have served as postmasters at Cedar Grove since the office was established in January, 1833. The list and dates of appointment were furnished by the postal department at Washington, especially for this history: Hezekiah Coffin, January 30, 1833; Charles Coffin, November, II, 1833; William McClure, March 18, 1834; Isaac G. Morgan, December 6, 1836; James Rosebery, January 3, 1838; Thomas Filton, July 3, 1849; J. C. Knecht, July 14, 1853; E. H. Chambers, December 16, 1854; J. S. Whitney, July 16, 1856; B. Y. Boyd, January 16, 1858; J. S. Rockafellar, January 6, 1859; Thomas Filton, September 29, 1859; J. S. Rockafellar, June 15, 1861 ; George Barber, April 9, 1863; S. M. Ryker, November 30, 1864; John Linegar, April 28, 1865; E. H. Hayes, September 20, 1869; J. A. Hardy, January 5, 1872: Ebenezer Cooley, January 22, 1886; E. M. Collier, June 29, 1889: Casper Fohl, September 19, 1890; A. R. Ryman, January 10, 1891 : Belle Cooley, April 22, 1893; A. R. Ryman, May 12, 1897; John Reister, September 17, 1902; E. W. Becker, March 9, 1907; E. J. McClafferty, December 7, 1908; Alfred Moore, May 4, 1909.

Another village is South Gate, situated in the southeast portion of Highland township. This was platted in September, 1850, by Richard Wood. The postoffice goes by the same name. The population of the vil- lage is about one hundred. The usual amount of stores and shops of a hamlet of its size are found there. In February, 1915, the list of business places were : General dealer, Jacob Shuck; blacksmith, Peter Emerein; the postoffice is a star-route office, and its postmaster is Adam Stinger. The place has a brick school house. The following have been postmasters at South Gate since June, 1843, date of the establishment of the office: James Tread, June 7, 1843; John E. Shilling, September 29, 1852; Joseph Saner, March 23, 1855: J. J. Ripperger, October 31, 1856; Albert Knabe, April 29, 1858; Jacob Schuck, December 5, 1859; Philip Eschemback, February 19, 1862; Jacob Schuck, April 9, 1862 ; Adam Stenger, November 8, 1878.

St. Peters is another little village of this township; it is the seat of a large Catholic church and a German settlement established in 1853 and added to later by that nationality. The moving spirit in establishing this colony was Rev. Maurice de Palais. It is located at the corners of sections

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25, 30, 31 and 36 in township 8, ranges 13 and 14. Its present population is about one hundred and fifty. It receives mail over the rural free delivery route from Brookville. Its present dealers are: General stores, Anthony Gillman and Zeigler Brothers. Zeigler Brothers also conduct a hotel, or at least accommodate travelers passing to and from the village.

Highland Center is situated between South Gate and St. Peters, in this township. It is on the rural free delivery route from St. Peters and has but few residents. Its business interests consist of a general store, con- ducted by Joseph Schuck, who also runs a small saloon. Mr. Strothman is the village blacksmith.

Klemme's Corner (old Blue Creek) is on section 17, township 8, range 14, and receives its mail from Brookville over the rural free delivery system. There are two Lutheran churches there, an account of which will be seen in the chapter on churches. There is one general store operated by Albert Klemme. The village has a population of about seventy-five persons.

ST. PETER'S MUTUAL FIRE ASSOCIATION.

The St. Peter's Mutual Fire Association was organized in 1869 by a number of prominent citizens in the vicinity of St. Peters. The first officers were as follow: Godfried Huber, president; Mathew Fussner, treasurer ; Joseph Boehmer, secretary; Conrad Weiler and George Zimmer, appraisers. According to the incorporation articles, the membership was restricted to those living within a radius of eight miles from St. Peters. This means that the company does business in Ripley and Dearborn as well as in Franklin county. The company insures both personal and real property against fire, whether caused by incendiaries, spontaneous combustion or lightning.

This company has done a safe and conservative business for more than forty-five years and now has a membership of more than four hundred. The present officers are as follows: John Hornberger (Dearborn), president ; Henry Rauch ( Franklin), secretary ; George A. Ripperger (Franklin), treas- urer : Frank Rosefeld (Franklin) and John Huber (Dearborn), appraisers.

FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP.

Fairfield is on the north line of the county, the second civil township from the eastern boundary. It is situated west of Bath, with Brookville on

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the south and Blooming Grove on the west. The western line of Fairfield township is the old Indian boundary line. On February 12, 1821 (the com- missioners' record F, page 75), "ordered that the tenth congressional town- ship in range 2, compose and constitute an election town in said county of Franklin and be called Fairfield township, and that all elections for township purposes shall be held in the town of Fairfield, it being taken off of Bath township, said county." This made the township three miles wider than at present and it so remained until Union county was organized. On May 6, 1828, the commissioners defined the limits of Fairfield as fol- lows :

"Beginning at the southeast corner of township 10, in range 2 west ; thence north on the township line to the line of Union county; thence west on said line to the old boundary line; thence southwardly on said boundary line to the corner of Brookville township; thence east to the place of begin- ning to be called Fairfield township." This gives the township its present limits.

The township as now constituted comprises fifteen entire and three fractional sections of township 10 north, range 2 west, of the original Wayne Purchase of 1795. The sections are numbered from 20 to 36 inclusive, while the fractional sections are 19, 30 and 31, and are made so by the boundary line.

This township is broken, with here and there a level tract of upland. Along the water courses there are strips of fertile bottom lands. This township was originally well timbered, some of which remains today, but the the greater part has been cut into lumber, split into rails and posts or burned for fire wood. The East fork of White Water river flows across the township, a little to the west of the center. Templeton's creek, a branch of East fork, rises in Union county near the northeastern part of the town- ship and flows southwesterly to its union with the main stream. Another branch of Templeton's creek rises in Bath township, running through the southeast corner of Fairfield. Bath creek empties into East fork a short distance south of the village of Fairfield. Blue Lick is a branch of Bath creek. Salt Well creek is another stream which unites with East fork from the west about the center of the township. Wolf creek also comes in from the west, after crossing the southwest corner of the township.

SETTLEMENT.

It was in what is now Fairfield township that occurred the first actual settlement of Franklin county. The first land was entered here by Robert

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Green, January 15, 1804, the same being the second entry in the county. This land was the southeast quarter of section 23. The tradition that men came in for settlement in 1803 is probably without any foundation. The "Carolina Settlement" was no doubt the first. Before giving the circum- stances connected with this colony from Carolina, it is well to note the principal land entries from 1804 to 1818, which were made in about the following order :

1804-Robert Hanna, southeast quarter of section 28 and the north- east quarter of section 33; Robert Templeton, the northwest quarter of section 28; William Logan, the northeast quarter of section 28. 1806- Obadiah Estes, the southeast quarter of section 33; Robert Glidewell, the southwest quarter of section 34. 1808-Thomas Osborn, then followed Benjamin Wilson, 1809; Thomas Worman, 1810; John Flint, 1811; Robert White, ISII; Archibald Morrow, 1811; Benjamin Nugent, 1811; Ralph Williams, 1811; John Hornaday, 1811 ; John Smith, George Johnson, James and Joseph Stephens, William H. Charlott and John Gills, in 1812.

Following these came in the remainder who settled prior to 1818: James Watters, James Johnston, Hugh Abernathy, Richard Freeman, Daniel Osborne, Joshua Butler, Abraham Rose, Daniel Powers, Jonathan Bas- sett, Thomas Harvey, Thomas Powers, Emory Hobbs. Obadiah Estes, John Dickerson. John Watts, Aaron Frakes, William Sims, all who came in long before 1816 and 1818.

The reader's attention is called to the complete list of original land entries for the congressional township of which Fairfield is a part. The list appears elsewhere in this volume, and gives the complete record from the land office books.

THE CAROLINA SETTLEMENT.

The facts regarding the advent and settlements made by the above- named pioneers, under the one common name of Carolina Settlement, has been handed down by survivors and descendants of the pioneer band who braved the dangers and made the sacrifices coincident with opening up this township more than a century ago, and to such notes the author is indebted for the following account :

In 1801 a colony from Laurens district, South Carolina, emigrated, with their families, to the Dry fork of White Water, and made a short halt. This was made near the present site of Harrison, Ohio. They remained there while the lands were being surveyed in the Wayne Purchase, ready

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to be thrown on the market. This was not accomplished until about 1803. At first not less than a whole section of land could be entered by a pur- chaser, but early in 1804 the rule was established whereby an eighth of a section, or eighty acres, might be entered, and the price was reduced as. well as provisions made for partial payments to the government.

It was while waiting near Harrison, Ohio, that the would-be land seekers had ample time to explore much of the surrounding country. In their wanderings they had discovered the charming valley of the East. fork, with its fine soil, timber, water and general attractive features. So, in the early summer of 1804, the vanguard of the colony started for the land of promise. They blazed their way through the dense forests by chipping the bark from trees here and there. This trace was seen for long years afterward and was known as the "Carolina Trace."

This trace commenced on Lee's creek, then crossed the country to. a point west of the present village of Mt. Carmel, from which point they went to where later stood the Big Cedar Baptist church. There the trace crossed the creek and took a northwesterly course over the upland until it reached the valley of the South branch of Templeton's creek; thence down the creek valley to its junction with the main stream, near where later the old brick school house was situated, from which point it crossed south to the East fork, near the bridge on Brookville and Fairfield turnpike.

This trace ran along the old Indian trail which crossed from the. Great Miami to the White Water country, at least as far as it was possible to do so.

Upon their arrival, all hands were busy at selecting good building sites and in cutting down the trees from which to erect their humble. cabins. The first of such cabins was erected in 1804 in the valley of East fork. It was described in 1880 as being "about one hundred yards north of the present residence of Mrs. Keturah Templeton." It was the home of Robert Templeton and family. Some of the blue ash logs from which it was built were still in a good state of preservation thirty years ago.

Work went forward until nine cabins had been completed, sufficiently homelike to allow the families to enter for winter quarters. These cabins were scattered all the way from the first one named up into Union county, as now known, near Brownsville. This settlement was under the direct leadership of Robert Hanna and Robert Templeton. The heads of fami- lies represented in the colony from Carolina were as follow : Robert Hanna, Sr., John Templeton, William Logan, George Leviston, John Hanna,

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Robert Templeton, Sr .. John Logan, Joseph Hanna, John Ewing and Robert Swan.

Others who came in later from the South Carolina exodus from 1806 to 1809 were: James Nichols, Robert Glidewell, Thomas Glenn, James Stephens, Hugh Abernathy and the Adair family.

CHARACTER OF THE PIONEERS.

Concerning the personal history of a few of the members of the first band who entered this township, it may be said : .

John Logan was a native of Ireland, born in 1758, and settled on the west side of East fork, south of the Templeton bridge. He died in October, 1833, and is buried on his old farm.

William Logan was a native of Ireland, born in 1762. He came to America with his father, who settled in South Carolina, coming here with the colony now under discussion. He was a soldier of the Light Horse Brigade during the Revolutionary struggle. His son, Thomas Logan, is said to have been the first white child born in Whitewater valley above the "Narrows." His cabin stood a half mile south of Fairfield village. He died September II, 1838, and rests today in Sims cemetery. Robert Hanna was born in Delaware in December, 1744. His cabin was a favorite camp- ing-ground for emigrants and travelers for many years. Mrs. Hanna died in 1821. Four of his sons came with him, two of whom, John and Joseph, were married. One of his daughters was the wife of John Templeton.

Gen. Robert Hanna, Jr., was a son of the last-named pioneer. He was a member of the constitutional convention which paved the way for the admission of Indiana as a state, in 1816. He moved to Indianapolis, and was there killed by being run over by the cars in October, 1856.

John Hanna, eldest son of the pioneer, Robert Hanna, Sr., built his log cabin on the farm later owned by A. S. Carter, Esq. In his younger days he was a noted "fiddler." He became an associate judge in this county and finally died in his home at Indianapolis.

John Ewing's house was erected on the west bank of the East fork, where James Harrell later resided. He was among the first justices of the peace in Franklin county.

Joseph Hanna located on East fork, near the mouth of Hanna's creek, from which the stream was named. He was a noted politician and a "hard- money" advocate. He died in Carroll county, Indiana, at a ripe old age.

John Templeton was a son-in-law of Robert Hanna, Sr., and settled

Joyceo 4 booter Thed

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within a mile of what was later known as Quakertown, over in Union county. His daughter was the first white child born on the East fork. She was Catherine R. Templeton, born July 15, 1805, and became the wife of George Newland, who is claimed to have run a flat-boat, loaded with whisky and other produce, from Dunlapsville to New Orleans. The craft stuck fast on Churchill's mill dam, opposite the Roberts farm, and was only cleared by the united efforts of his neighbors. John Templeton, it should be added, was a member of the territorial Legislature when the act creating two new counties was passed in 1811, and is said to have given the name of Franklin to the southern portion of the set-off territory.

John Hanna was a cousin of Robert Hanna, Sr., and was known as "Big John," to distinguish him from the son of Robert Hanna. He is so styled in some of the early county records. Four of his sons intermarried with the Crawford family.

Robert Templeton, Sr., who occupied the first cabin erected after the arrival of the pioneer exploring party in 1804, was born in South Carolina and died November 10, 1845. He was buried in a family burying ground on Mrs. Keturah Templeton's farm. .

One of the last of the nine pioneer cabins erected, notice of which has already been given, was finished at night, by the light of brush fires and while the snow was falling. The roof had to be put on in order to let the family in as soon as possible. They worked all night riving and placing the clap-boards on the roof. By daylight the snow was several inches deep in the cabin.

FIRST AND IMPORTANT EVENTS.

The first marriage in Fairfield was John Reed and Mary, daughter of Robert Templeton.

The first death was that of Anna Cunninghamn, who lived near Quakertown. She was buried on the old Osborn farm in 1805. The next was Mrs. Mary Hanna, mother of John Templeton's wife, buried in 1807.

The first school house on East fork was near the Sims cemetery, now in Union county. The first teacher was Thomas Harvey. The Baptists frequently preached there.

The first orchard in the township was planted by the hands of Robert Hanna, Sr., who obtained the trees at Lawrenceburg. This was about 1806, possibly a year later.

The name "Fairfield" was suggested by the general beauty of the

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country, as viewed by the pioneer band. Here the Indian tribes frequently camped for weeks at a time.

The first wagon in this township, possibly in Franklin county, was brought in here by Robert Templeton, Sr., and he also brought a cart. The old tar bucket, used to grease the wooden axle of the wagon, was still preserved in the eighties.

The following autograph letter from Hon. Thomas Jefferson was in reply to a petition forwarded, by Gen. Robert Hanna to President James Monroe, through the hands of Thomas Jefferson, asking that Revolu- tionary widows be granted a pension. Jefferson and Hanna were school- fellows at William and Mary College, in Virginia. The letter reads :

"Monticello, January 16, 1820.

"A letter from you, dear sir, comes to me like one from the tombs of the dead. So long is it since I have had any evidence that you were in the land of the living and so few are now who were fellow-laborers in the struggle for the liberation of our country. And I rejoice to find that ad- vancing years are the only assailants on your health mentioned in your let- ter. Time, as well as ill-health, bear heavily on me. Immediately on the receipt of your letter, I forwarded it to the President with the expression of interest I felt for your petition, and he will not be slow in giving his attention to Revolutionary mothers.

"I tender you my best wishes for the continuance of your life and health as long as you shall yourself wish them to continue.

"TH. JEFFERSON.

"Gen. Robert Hanna."> your grandmothers ancestors

The township officers in 1915 are as follows: Trustee, H. H. Rose; assessor, John T. Buckley; justice of the peace, Emmett Apsley.

VILLAGE OF FAIRFIELD.

This place was platted October, 1815, by Hugh Abernathy, George Johnston, Thomas Osborn and James Wilson, the four corners of their respective lands being in the center of the platting. An addition was made in 1817. It is situated in section 21, township 10 north and range 2 west.

A postoffice was established in 1820 with Charles Shriner as post- master.

The village was incorporated as a town, May 9, 1876, had a municipal existence as long as there was any demand for such corporation, and dis- banded many years since.

(II)

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The first tavern was opened on the corner of Main and Market streets. Thomas Harvey and Charles Donovan were early landlords.

In 1816, or possibly 1817, Thomas Eads (father of the now world- famed Captain Eads of jetty fame, the man who built the great steel bridge at St. Louis) commenced merchandising at Fairfield. Messrs. Emerson, Drew and Rose succeeded Eads in the store. Rose always claimed to have built the first frame house in Fairfield.

A Mr. Larimore, from Cincinnati, was the first produce dealer. He ran a wagon through this settlement and paid as low as two cents per dozen for fresh eggs.

Robert Dare was a weaver of the village and made fancy "cover- lets." The first shoemaker was John Miller.

The earliest physicians of Fairfield were Doctors Smith, Michael Mil- ler and St. John. The last named was grandfather of ex-Governor St. John, of Kansas. For thirty years and more Dr. O. H. Donogh prac- ticed medicine in Fairfield.

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History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 14

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