History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana, Part 25

Author: Goodspeed Bros. & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 901

USA > Indiana > Greene County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 25
USA > Indiana > Sullivan County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 25

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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tinued for some time, and much good was accomplished. Mrs. S. B. Harrah was at the head of the movement. Blue, Red and White Rib- bon Clubs were organized.

CHURCHES OF POINT COMMERCE AND WORTHINGTON.

The Methodist Church, built at Worthington early in the fifties, is yet occupied. The class is the same that was organized at the house of Mr. Griffiths in Eel River Township about sixty years ago. The Sanders family belonged; also the Jessups, the Spooners, the Archers and many others. When Point Commerce was founded the class was moved then to the combined church and schoolhouse erected by the Allisons. The latter became the leading members. The class grew and prospered, and finally their large church was built at the Point in 1850. Soon after this, the members began to meet at Worthington, and the present church was built at a cost of about $1,800. S. B. Harrah, Robert Scott, S. H. Lockwood, M. Hays, were leading members. The church is pros- perons.

The Episcopal Church was the first built in Worthington, about 1851- 52. Among the first and leading members were W. C. Andrews, Dayton Topping, Philander Burr, Romeo Andrews. Fairs were held to raise the means to build the church, which cost over $1,000. A rectory was built later at a cost of about $1,200, and a charicel was added soon after the church was built. The rectors have been Abram Reeves, Daniel Shaver, H. H. Hollis, C. Easton, Mr. Eichbaum, Mr. Reeves. The present mem -. bership is about thirty-five.

The Protestant Methodists organized a class just before the war and built. a neat frame church at a cost of about $1,000. Samuel Motz was a leading member, as was William Ward. The lot upon which the church was built was donated by Mr. Motz, who obtained it free of charge from Andrews & Barrackman. The class has prospered and now has quite a respectable membership.

The Baptists next organized after the war and built a frame church in town at a cost of about $900. The Keiths were prominent in this church. Within a short time after they organized, they numbered over thirty members. Much of the means to build their church was obtained as the other churches obtained theirs, by subscriptions, donations and fairs. The class is prosperous.

The Christian Church was built after the war. This is the only brick church in town. It is a small, fine building, and is said to have cost about $1,300. Among the leading members were the Howes, the Watsons and others. The class almost died out at one or more times, but was revived and still are prosperous and assemble regularly.

The class of Presbyterians was organized about the time the Baptists started up, and erected their church about the same time also. The

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McKees were leading members, as were also the Conants. The church is frame, and cost about $1,000. This class also almost died out more times than one, but is still in existence, with excellent prospect for long life.

CHAPTER XIII.

JACKSON TOWNSHIP-ORGANIZATION AND FIRST OFFICERS-PURCHASE OF LAND-COMING OF THE PIONEERS-STORIES OF ADVENTURE-BEAR HUNTERS-MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS OF INTEREST-THE EARLY SCHOOLS- LATER EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES-OWENSBURG-MERCHANTS-MANU- FACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS-SECRET SOCIETIES-THE TOWN SCHOOLS- THE CHURCHES OF OWENSBURG-NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISES.

W HEN the county was organized in 1821, Burlingame Township was created, and comprised the present townships of Beech Creek, Center and Jackson, and all elections were ordered held at the house of Abel Burlingame. The earliest settlers of Jackson Township went there to poll their votes. In the month of May, 1829, Burlingame Township was divided by the line three miles north of the present northern bound- ary of Jackson Township, into the two townships of Beech Creek and Jackson, thus making the latter nine miles north and south, and eight miles, as at present, east and west. John B. Ferrell was appointed In- spector of Elections, which were ordered held at the house of Hiram Ferguson. Raleigh Hopper and John Storms were appointed Overseers of the Poor; and Isaac Storms and Nathaniel Goode, Fence Viewers; and Charles Lewis, Samuel Riddle, John Wilson, Peter Harnstutler and Charles Shelton, Road Superintendents. Elections were also ordered held at the house of Joseph Wilson.

PURCHASE OF LAND.

The following early entries of land were made in what is now Jack- son Township: In Congressional Township 6 north, Range 3 west, John Johnson, on Section 1, on December 13, 1816; John Rainbolt, on the same section in July, 1819; Mark Dugger, on Section 12, in February, 1817; Julius Dugger, on Section 12, in February, 1818; Benjamin Black- well, on Section 24, in January, 1818; Robert Beaty, on Section 24, in December, 1818; James Beaty, on Section 24, in January, 1819. All these entries were along Indian Creek, and here it was-if accounts are correct-that the first settlements were made. The above were the first entries in the township.

COMING OF THE PIONEERS.

It is said that either John Johnson or Mark Dugger was the first per- manent settler in the township, while some accounts show that the Beatys

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were the first. James Beaty settled in the township in 1821, according to his son, John Beaty, who was born on the old place in 1830. The county has had no better family. Among the first settlers were the above and John Ferrell, John Stone and Robert Kizzee; also, a little later William, Lank and David Hudson, Raleigh Hopper, Isaac Cope- land, old Isaac Bledsoe, Thomas Kizzee, Jacob, Willoughby and Isaac Lewis, and Joseph and William Hatfield were in the township among the very first. The Lewises were in as early as 1818. They settled on Plummer Creek. Armstead Hatfield, Emanuel Hatfield, James Corbin, John Brown, father of Noah Brown, and many others, came in later. By 1825, there were about twenty-five families in the township. There were two principal settlements-one on Plummer Creek, and one on Indian Creek.

STORIES OF ADVENTURE.

At the time of the first settlement, Indians and the larger varieties of wild animals were abundant. In the grottos and caves along the creeks could be found bears, panthers and wolves. Hundreds of deer roamed the woods or cropped the rich verdure of the glades. It was thought nothing to see a bear or kill a deer, and the poorest hunters could do the latter. The Hatfields-several of them were famous hunters. They were men of great strength-several of them being, as was customary in that day, quasi-professional fighters. Territic fights occurred between men simply to settle which was the better man, after which neighborly relations were resumed. A great fighter hearing of another would often go miles to "try him." Several of the Hatfields and others were of this class-that is, while they did not seek an encounter they would not avoid one, and were always ready. Emanuel Hatfield was one of the most noted hunters of his day. He had come from the wild, mountainous region of East Tennessee, and from infancy had been familiar with the rifle, and had heard endless tales of adventure with wild animals. He was a noted turkey hunter before he was twelve years old, and when he was fourteen had an adventure which established his reputation for personal courage. At that age, he went out early one morning to kill a wild turkey for breakfast. He passed along the edge of a ravine where the stony cliff descended almost perpendicularly to the bed of the small stream which lay below, and uttered the turkey call several times, wait- ing to listen between each call. At last he heard an answer, when he called again, and a large turkey flew down near him, which he shot and hung in a tree to keep from any stray animal that might happen along, while he continued on, thinking he had time to kill another. As he passed along the edge of the almost perpendicular cliff, he suddenly noticed that in one place all the small bushes had been broken off nenr the ground and had disappeared, while on the edge of the cliff the stone had been scratched by some sharp object. Though a boy, young Hatfield did

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not need to be told that these marks were "bear signs." Upon going to the edge,he saw several strong roots projecting about three feet below, at one side of which there seemed to be a cavity extending back under him. He reached down and struck his rifle on the roots, and a fierce growl was heard in the cave, which caused him to draw back rather hastily. There was no mistake now; a bear was in the cave. The boy deliberated a mo- ment, and then resolved, if possible, to kill the animal. He prepared his rifle so there would be no flash in the pan, and then used various devices to bring the bear out far enough to get a shot at it. At last by shouting 'and throwing objects down, he enraged it so that its head appeared and it began to clamber out, growling wickedly and showing two rows of long white teeth. The boy cocked his rifle and stepping to the edge waited until the bear's head had come within easy reach, when he sud- denly pushed the muzzle forward against the side of its head and pulled the trigger. The gun barrel, closed at both ends, recoiled so heavily that it felled young Hatfield to the ground, but the bear fell back dead on the lower edge of the cave. After recovering himself, the boy, to make sure of his shot, cautiously descended to the bear and with his knife cut out its eyes. He then went home and secured assistance. The animal was rolled over the cliff and dragged home with horses. It was one of the largest of its species and weighed almost 600 pounds.

On another occasion, the two boys, Emanuel and Armstead, when they were only about fifteen or sixteen years old, were out bunting in the mountains of Tennessee, when their dogs off some distance encountered an animal under or near a cliff, which they treed. The boys hurried forward and saw a big "painter " in the branches of a tree. Emanuel fired at the beast, which only received an ugly wound, and it instantly scaled down the tree like a cat and bounded off, but was seized by the two or three dogs and partly held. Emanuel had no time to load his gun, and Armstead could not shoot for fear of killing the dogs. Eman- uel drew his knife and ran up to save his dogs, calling for Armstead to follow, but the latter exclaimed "I'll be danged if I'll go any closer," and stood where he was, but near. The panther and the dogs were fight- ing terribly, scattering the leaves in every direction, and the latter were being mangled badly by the fangs and claws of the former. Emanuel ran up and struck at it several times with his knife, but the blade, owing to the slanting strokes and the activity of the beast, was bent almost double and rendered worthless. He ran back and seized his brother's gun and. returning at full speed, quickly placed the muzzle to the panther's head and blew out its brains, just as it was in the act of tearing the life out of one of the dogs. The panther measured nearly twelve feet from tip to tip.

BEAR STORIES.

On two different occasions, after coming to the township, Emanuel

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Hatfield killed or captured, or both, four bears. He had a well-trained dog and went out one day to kill deer. After going some distance from his cabin, he noticed his dog some distance ahead of him, stop, with its forefeet upon a log, and sniff the air, and he knew that some animal was near. He walked on up to the dog, keeping sharp watch and holding his rifle ready for a shot, and stepped on the log, and for some time stood motionless, looking around, but could see nothing, although the dog still stood with its feet on the log, sniffing the air. At length he looked at a large hollow tree, the opening of which was only partly exposed to view, and, with surprise, saw protruding the partly concealed head of a large bear. He drew up and shot the beast through the nose, and away it went out of the tree followed by the dog, which had been told to "catch it," and by the hunter who loaded his rifle as he ran. The dog caught and partly detained it, and the hunter came up on the run, and before he could use his rifle he was almost on the struggling animals. He drew his tomahawk and with one blow sent it crashing down through the head of the wounded bear, which sank down, and, after a few feeble kicks, was dead. He went back to the tree and found three cubs about as large as cats, which growled and scratched when taken up, but they were taken to the cabin. One was kept for some time by the family and the other two were given to the neighbors.

On another day, when out hunting in the township, and while pass- ing along on the crest of the ridge, he saw below him a mother bear and t bree cubs about one-third grown. The animals had not seen him and were playing. They would double up like a ball and roll down a short, steep hill, and then scale up a small white oak at the bottom. After watching their freaks for some time, Mr. Hatfield took careful aim at the mother and fired, killing her instantly, and the cubs in great fright ran up the oak. Mr. Hatfield ran down where they were, loading his rifle, and in succession, as fast as he could load, shot the three from the tree. Mr. Hatfield, with one gun which carried a ball " thirty-seven to the pound," during the first twelve years of his residence in the township, killed 978 deer. He often had a dozen in his yard at one time. The hides were worth 50 cents each. He told the writer that one-half of the 978 deer was killed within one mile of his log cabin. Ile killed 50 bears in Greene County. At a little later date, he would be gone for weeks on the west side of the river on hunting excursions with com- panions, and would return with wagon loads of deer. He said that Sam- nel Simons, who lived in Washington Township, was one of the best deer hunters he ever met-could circumvent and shoot a deer when others could see no " signs." John Brown, of Jackson Township, was a success- ful deer hunter. He, with Emanuel Hatfield, went to watch one night for deer at Pond Lick, near Dresden. They soon killed one, and Mr. Brown in looking around for materials out of which to make a fire, thrust his

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hand in a hollow tree, and drew out a pine stick about two feet long, chopped off with an ax at the ends, and about as thick as a man's wrist. As no pine grew in all that region, how did the stick come there?

SUNDRY EVENTS.

John Johnson entered the first tract of land on Section 1, in Decem- ber, 1816. Silbern Owens, established the first blacksmith shop, and be- fore that smith work was obtained at Springville. The first horse mill was on the old Chestnut place, and William Chestnut was the first tav- ern keeper on the famous old Evansville & Terre Haute road, about a mile and a half east of Owensburg. A water mill was built quite early on Indian Creek, probably by James Sloan. It was a log mill with an up-and-down saw mill attached. A dam was built across the creek, upon one end of which stood the mills. Mr. Stone owned the mill for a time, as did Mr. Scar, upon whose hands it is said to have run down. One of the first weddings was Wesley Ferguson to Frances Stone, by Squire Hopper. Dr. Dowden built the first brick house in Owensburg. Many of the early elections were held at Screamersville. A child born to the Bledsoe family is said to have been the first birth in the township. In the thirties. Emanuel Hatfield bought the distillery of John Moser, which stood across the line in Lawrence County, and moved it to his big spring near Owensburg, where, for about five years, he manufactured considerable corn whisky from Christmas to the following spring. He could make, and did, from sixteen to twenty gallons a day. Some of his neighbors would stand around with cups, and spend the last shilling for a " drink " of the liquor. Each probably thought

" If I had a cow that would give such milk, I'd dress her in the finest silk; I'd feed her on good corn and hay; And milk her forty times a day."

James Records started the first tobacco factory in the township. He came to the county in 1840, and soon afterward, finding that on his place tobacco of the finest quality could be grown, he soon built his shop and commenced the business. His son, James M. Records, near Dresden, still raises large quantities of the weed. He has on his place an apple orchard of 1,000 trees, and a peach orchard of 2,000 trees. William Hert, father of James G. Hert, of Owensburg, was an early resident of Owens- burg. He worked for many years at the blacksmith trade, and afterward began selling merchandise in that town. He was County Commissioner, and served in various other capacities, always with the highest credit to himself. For many years the Sexson Mills, in the northeast part of the township, have been noted for their usefulness. Excellent flour is man- factured. The tobacco interests of the township have been very exten-

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sive for many years. The Records first started the business. Valentine Shryock thirty or forty years ago, and for many years later, manufactured some years as high as 100,000 pounds annually. Mr. Jamison did a business equally as large. He kept four or five wagons on the road all the time, and during the war often had on hand over 100,000 pounds. The principal sales were to Louisville houses. Many men were em. ployed. John E. George also manufactured extensively, and several others. The coal, limestone and sandstone intrrests are of the greatest value to the township. Some five or six or more coal mines are being worked, and stone of the very best quality is to be found in abundance. The tunnel for the Narrow Gauge Railroad, on Section 28, is over 1,300 feet long.

SCHOOLS.

No doubt the first school in the township was taught on the Hitchcock farm, near Owensburg, in about the year 1823, by a tall man named Samuel Short. His legs, it is said, were so disproportionately long, and his head so disproportionately large, that he seemed to have next to no body at all. His face was an abuse of homeliness, but he was not to blame for that; it was a birthday present. He taught an excellent school in a little round log cabin, one entire end of which was a fire-place, which sent its smoke and sparks up a broad stone chimney. Rude clapboard seats and deska and a long greased-paper window completed the furnish- ing and architecture. He tanght reading, writing, arithmetic and spell- ing. The Hatfields, the Copelands, the Beatys, the Shorts and others sent children to him. He had an enrollment of about twenty-five, sev- eral coming from Martin County. Another early school was taught in the Beaty neighborhood, by whom it is not remembered. The building had been used previously as a dwelling. A man from Tennessee taught several terms, very early, in the neighborhood of Owensburg. A school was taught in the northern part, in the Hudson neighborhood, as early 88 1825. It is said the house had been built by the Hudsons. One of the early teachers here was a man named Thomas Hill. There were four schools in the township in 1830, and siz or seven in 1840.

OWENSBURG.

. On the first Monday in August, 1842, Silbern Owens commenced work on his blacksmith shop in this town. At the same time, he got out tim- ber for a dwelling and a stable. As soon as the dwelling was finished, the family moved in, and this was the beginning of Owensburg. Thirty or forty men from far and near, who were wanting a blacksmith shop nearer than Springville, turned out and helped put up the buildings- done all in one day. William Owen probably built the next house at that point. The presence of the shop and the distillery of Mr. Hatfield had the tendency to attract to the place a few families, though the dia-

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tillery could not have been operated much later as it was removed to Richland Township. The families living very near the shop when it was built were those of Elias Copeland, Emanuel Hatfield, David Miller, John Brown, half a mile east. Sidney moved to the place in 1843, but as yet it was not regarded as a village-only a country blacksmith shop. In 1843, John Gainey brought to the place about $200 worth of goods and opened a " store." Ed Strosnider was the next "merchant," coming in a few years later and continuing until his death. Gainey did not re- main longer than about two years. Mr. Paris came in with goods late in the forties, and Samuel Evans did likewise not far from the same time. John George also sold goods there early. By March, 1848, the place had so nearly the appearance of a village, that Emanuel Hatfield, owner of the land, employed F. B. Cressey, County Surveyor, and had laid out a number of lots on the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 27, Township 6 north, Range 3 west, and in honor of Silbern Owens named the place Owensburg. Some time before this, a post office had been established there. It was designed at first to call it Owens- ville, but when it was found that another office in the State was called that, the name Owensburg was adopted. And thus the town was called Owensburg instead of Owensville. About the time the town was laid out, Silbern Owens had surveyed an addition of twenty-two lots.

MERCHANTS.

Early in the fifties, W. S. Gainey started a store. In 1853, Gainey, Evans and Strosnider were selling goods. The population at that time was about 100. At this time or abont this time, William Hert, Samuel Evans, Ed Strosnider, Frank Hill, Lawrence Wharton, John George, Thomas Fisher, James Neal, William Thomas, Elias Copeland, Hezekiah Owen, W. S. Gainey, John E. George, Frank George, Wilson Graham, the Widow Walls and Noah W. Williams were residents of the town. Mr Hert was the blacksmith, Mr. Wharton the shoe-maker, John George . and T. Fisher the tavern keepers, Neal the saloon keeper, Thomas the cabinet-maker, J. E. George the tobacconist, Graham the blacksmith, and Owens the blacksmith. It was quite a thriving little town.

S. S. Odell opened a store in 1853. Aden Gainey did the same soon afterward. William Hert started a general store in 1856, which he con- ducted until his death. His son, James G. Hert, succeeded him and is yet in the business with a large stock. Among the merchants after that have been O. T. Barker, William Fields & Son, John Beaty, Noah Brown, Barker & Gainey, Barker & Hert, Odell & Winters, Marion Hatfield, McKinzie & Brown, Martin Ashcraft, Elijah Edington, Alexander & Alexander, Short & McKinzie, Short & Short, Daggey & Gainey, W. H. Dowden, Francis & Son, J. W. Graham, Dowden & Mitchell and others. The present business interests may be summed up as follows: Hert & Co.,

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Noah Brown and J. W, Graham, dry goods and general merchandise; W. H. Dowden and J. N. George, drugs; Dobbins & Mitchell, hardware; McKinzie Sisters and Henon Sisters, millinery; Ed Strosnider, harness; J. M. Boord, grist mill; John Allen, saw and planing mill; E. H. Fields, sandstone dealer; James Henon, barber; W. M. Dobbins, livery; Noah W. Williams, W. H. Dowden, Lafayette Bridwell and Henry Herold, physi- cians; Miller & Roberts, blacksmiths; Isaac Inman, jeweler; Neal & Terrell, restaurant; Dobbins House; Charles Graham, insurance agent.

MANUFACTORIES.

The distillery of Col. Stough was built twelve or fifteen years ago by Mr. Odell, and stood near the present grist mill. He had two stills and manufactured about 125 gallons of apple and peach brandy and corn whisky per day. He employed fifteen or twenty " hands " and did a big business for two or three years, when his distillery was destroyed by fire. The Love Tannery was started before the war, and was abandoned at the close. It did good business, with about twelve vats. The grist mill was commenced in 1873, by Col. Stough, and finished by Dr. Williams and J. M. Boord. It cost about $6,000, has a forty-horse-power engine, two sets of buhrs, and does good work. Dr. Williams sold his interest not long ago to Mr. Boord. John Allen started his fine saw mill not long ago. The spoke factory of Begors, Bolenbacher & Co. was built in 1877 by James Martin, and for a time about 2,500 spokes were manufactured daily. The company removed it in 1880. It is probable that Gainey was the first Postmaster. Among the others have been Samuel Evans, James Neal, William Hert, O. T. Barker, William Hert and the present agent, James G. Hert. The Herts have held the office since the time of Lincoln. The physicians have been A. W. Mckinney, N. W. Williams, William Lyons, A. W. Mckinney, W. H. Dowden, L. Bridwell, Mar- shall Beaty, Henry Herold and J. S. Blackburn. Dr. Williams has lived in the town since 1853.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

The Masonic Lodge was organized about the year 1865. John Potter was W. M .; Dr. N. W. Williams, S. W .; E. Edington, J. W .; William Hert, Secretary; and Samuel Graham, Treasurer. . They and the follow- ing were charter members: Ale Hatfield, Mitchell Noel, Abe Shanklin, L. C. Price, Elijah Edington, Jacob Miller and Reuben McCormick. The membership reached about sixty. A building was erected, which burned down. Trouble arose, and the charter was surrendered and the lodge went down in 1881.

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History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana, Part 25

Author: Goodspeed Bros. & Co. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Number of Pages: 901

Author: Goodspeed Bros. & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 901