History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana, Part 30

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 30
USA > Indiana > Sullivan County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 30

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).

BEAR HUNTING BY INDIANS.

While yet the Indians remained in the township, they often hunted bears with a system that was almost always successful. On one occasion at the " Big Mash," northeast of Dixon Station they killed eleven bears. It was during the warm months, when the bears had sought the marsh to bathe in the ponds, and to eat the wild berries that grew on the higher knobs. The Indians became aware of their presence about as soon as they had entered the tall grass and rose bushes, and had previ- ously prepared the marsh as follows: With their hatchets they cut paths from the edge of the marsh to the central ponds, where they knew the bears would congregate to bathe in the water, and from these paths, at right angles to their course, branch paths were cut out fifteen or twenty yards, at the end of which the Indian hunters would conceal themselves. A dozen or more of the hunters would there lie in wait for their oppor- tunity. When all was in readiness the bears would be scared by dogs and Indians from the opposite side of the marsh from where the paths were, and the frightened animals would shamble for the woods at their best pace, following the long paths as the easiest way of making their advance and escape. As they passed the openings to the side paths where the hunters were concealed they were shot. As said above, in about the year 1819, eleven were killed in this manner on one occasion by the Indians. After the first few years of white settlement, these animals became so rare that this method could not be followed so well, though John H. Dixson says that as late as about 1842, himself and ten or twelve neighbors, on one occasion, assisted by a pack of fine hounds, killed seven bears in and on the borders of this marsh. This was unusual at that late day, and the bears were probably moving their headquarters. The Dixons were great lovers of all the early sports. They kept on hand a large pack of hounds to hunt foxes and other wild animals, and kept the best and fastest horses in all the country around the old village of Fairplay. One mare named Flip was a famous racer, rarely if ever being beaten. Great crowds would assemble to see the races. Fighting, wrestling, jumping, drinking, shooting at a mark, were freely indulged in. The Dixons kept

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fine stock horses. One called Young Sidahamet was a direct descendant of the famous horse Janus, on the sire's side, and the wonderful race horse Eclipse on the dam's side.

OTHER INTERESTING EVENTS.

Nathan Dizon was a hunter of great skill and courage. He became noted as a panther hunter, and killed many of those dangerous animals. He understood their nature and habits, knew of their haunts, and could find and kill them better than any of the other pioneer hunters. On one occasion, he shot one which was spotted like a leopard, and the skin was kept in the family for many years and used as a sleigh and carriage robe. As late as 1858, George B. Staloup killed three deer in one day. One day during the fall of 1863, a large panther was seen in the north- ern part. It was seen by several women and children, who were greatly frightened, but it eluded pursuit and escaped. In the earliest times, Thomas Smith, David Fields, Ben Henshaw, Hiram Howard, Bill Lem- mons and Thomas Clark hunted through the township, often killing bears, deer, panthers, wolves, etc. They were semi-professional hunters. The old Solomon Dixon ferry across the river at Fairplay was established as early as 1823. It is used to this day. Fairplay and vicinity was famous in early years for its Fourth of July barbecues. Large crowds would assemble to hear some local orator apostrophize the national ban- ner and the American eagle. At one of these barbecues, Eli F. Stalcup agreed to furnish (beforehand) a deer newly killed for the public feast, and on the day fixed, the 3d of July, had the animal on the ground dressed and ready for the roast. Old Dr. Pegg built the first cotton gin, for, dear reader, the early settlers of the township raised cotton, and a good article at that, so the Doctor started a " gin " which was used by the neighborhood for several years, or until the crop failed. It is said that Elias Crance kept the first tavern. Wickliff Wines and old man Dilley started a tanyard just south of the village at a very early day. Hiram Howard started the first blacksmith shop. Mr. Smith operated a little corn-cracker on Latta's Creek south of Dixon Station at a very early day. It was quite well patronized. Dr. Pegg built a brick house and opened an apple nursery west of Fairplay.

VILLAGE OF FAIRPLAY.

This town, the first in the county, was founded in 1819; just how, under what circumstances, or by whom, cannot be stated. It was the largest and about the only town in the county when the county was or- ganized, and it was thought would certainly become the county seat, but sufficient inducement was not held out by the land owners, and old Bur- lington, about a mile east, secured the prize, but lost it in 1823, when it was permanently removed to Bloomfield. When the removal took place,

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Fairplay could have secured the seat of justice had the proper offers of land and money been made. It would have been much better for the county, as the Vincennes Railroad would have come to the place, and the objections existing against Bloomfield would have been avoided. Among the early residents of the town were the Dixons, the Pierces, the Golds. bys, the Inmans, the Ingersolls, the Crances, Dr. Paton and others. M. H. Shryer was in business there later. Crance kept the hotel; Paton and Pegg were the Doctors; Solomon Dixon ran the ferry. The first steam mill in the county was built at Fairplay not far from 1832, by Daniel Ingersoll. It would be laughed at nowadays, but then people went miles to see it. It was a good mill and was well patronized. M. H. Shryer owned an interest in this mill a little later. It is said that Coffin & Kimble were the first merchants, though this is disputed. James Greene sold gonds in the village early. John and. Robert Inman com- menced merchandising late in the twenties, and Boggs & Co. began business there about the same time. William Smith and George Hooker also sold goods there about 1829. Dr. John A. Pegg began to sell liquor about 1830 or a little later. Young, Clark & Co. opened a store in 1833, as did also Samuel Owens. C. F. & B. Spooner started a store in 1835, and Samuel Hartley the same a year later. At this time also, the store of Crenshaw & McTaggart was started. Samuel Pierce opened his store in 1838; he sold large quantities of whisky and merchandise. Lemmon & Cavins conducted a store in 1838 and later. Lucien Lemmon succeeded this firm. Pierce paid $30 license in 1841, to conduct his big store. He continued many years. Michael Schwain and Preston Richabaugh were in business late in the forties. Taylor & Osborn began with a general stock in 1850. Others came later, but the town had lost much of its former prominence; it gradually died out. The tanyard, built by Wickliff Wines and Mr. Dilley, was conducted a number of years. Eli Dixon's tread mill and distillery were about half a mile east of the village .. Blacksmiths, carpenters, coopers were there. The old village is now de- serted. The town was regularly laid out and recorded by Hugh L. Liv- ingston, agent of the proprietors-Solomon, Samuel and Eli Dixon-in July, 1835, there being laid out a total of 288 lots. James Galletly, of Owen County, was the surveyor.

PLEASANT HILL AND DIXON STATION.

The first of these was a little village which sprang up in 1851 on the old canal. It was laid out and recorded by W. L. James and Barton S. Elliott, proprietors, in September, 1851, on Section 20, Township 7 north, Range 5 west, near where the Narrow Gauge Railroad crosses the bed of the old canal. A total of thirty-five lots was laid out. A little store was kept there for a time, mainly for the accommodation of the canalmen, and a few families lived there, but the village soon became

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non est. The last-named town-Dixon-was founded at the time of the building of the railroad, and was laid out and recorded in November, 1872, by D. G. Dixon, on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 1, Township 7 north, Range 6 west. There were laid out on both sides of the railroad track 125 lots. The village consists of half a dozen families, a small store and a post office.

LEARNING.

The first school was taught in the northern part about 1820, by Mar- tin Wines. A rude log cabin was fitted up for the purpose with the necessary seats, desks, etc., and here Mr. Wines taught the following scholars among others: Daniel Ingersoll, Peter Ingersoll, Rachel Inger- soll, Nathan Dizon, Stephen Dixon, Margaret Dixon, George B. Stalcup, Louisa Patton, John Padgett, William Solsberry, James Craig, Lucene Pegg and others. Mr. Wines was an intelligent man, and taught a good school. His learning was not great, but was abundant for the school. His chief characteristics were his strong personality and good sense. He was molded on no narrow plan, but had naturally a ponderous, com- prehensive mind. Owing to his lack of culture, due to a want of suf- ficient schooling, he did not husband well'his stalwart brawn of brain. He taught several terms in the township. The school near Fairplay was continued quite regularly after 1820. A good hewed-log schoolhouse was built late in the twenties, which was used many years not only for schools, but for religious and other important public gatherings. An- other early school was started east of Switz City.

MORALS.

The citizens of Fairplay Township mostly belong to church organiza- tions in other townships, and this has been the case since the earliest time. A class of Methodists was organized in the vicinity of Fairplay at a very early day. The start was made at a famous camp meeting in the oak woods north of the village. Rev. Eli P. Farmer was the leader of the meeting, and many were converted and joined the church. Meet- ings were held in that vicinity for many years. The Methodists had a class years ago near the center of the township, but later the members went west into Grant Township to attend The Baptists also once had an organization, but were too few in numbers to continue long. The citizens are moral and industrious.

THE GERMAN SETTLEMENT.

Over forty years ago, a number of families of Germans, directly from the old country, came to the township for permanent settlement. They possessed all the characteristics of their people-hardihood, indom- itable perseverance and frugality, and erelong had comfortable homes

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and large farms. The present leading German families in the township are the descendants of these old families, who came here when the coun- try was yet wild and sparsely inhabited, and filled with various wild and dangerous animals.

CHAPTER XVIII.

CASS TOWNSHIP-COMING OF THE PIONEERS-THE EARLY PREACHERS- . MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS OF INTEREST-EARLY FARMING CUSTOMS -KING COTTON AND QUEEN TOBACCO-INCIDENTS OF THE CHASE- THE FIRST MAIL-INDUSTRIES-THE EARLY WEDDINGS-EARLY NEW- BERRY-THE WABASH & ERIE CANAL-NEWBERRY IN CANAL TIMES -SCHOOLS OF THE TOWNSHIP-ST. PETER'S CHURCH-THE METHODIST CHURCH-THE CHURCH OF CHRIST-THE HIGH SCHOOL.

I T.is thought that Isaac Doan was the first settler in the present Cass Township, but the date of his location cannot be given. His log cabin stood near the eastern boundary of the township on the creek which bears his name. He settled at the Hattabaugh field, near the bridge, on the north side of the creek. It is said that he was a famous hunter, not only of deer but of bears and panthers, and was a dead shot with the rifle, an attainment of which all the noted hunters could boast. Among the earliest settlers were the Richeys, Mr. Howell, William By- num, Samuel Bynum, John Bynum, Daniel Bynum, William Bynum, Jr., James Bynum, John O'Neal, Benson Jones, Peter R. Lester, John Slinkard, Andrew Slinkard, Frederick Slinkard, Moses Slinkard, Henry Slinkard, John Slinkard, Jr., Daniel Slinkard, Robert Clark, Abner Bo- gard, Samuel Ewing, the hatter, W. D. Lyles, Bazil Lyles, Nathan Chandler, Joseph Beals, Dr. Dennis. Several of these became prominent and useful citizens, whose descendants remain to honor their eventful lives. Henry O'Neal, father of William and John F., came from South Carolina and settled on the Skomp place, and then moved to Daviess County. His children and grandchildren have been among the most respected citizens of all that locality. John F. O'Neal became a leading politician of Greene County, serving in the Lower House of the State Legislature, and in the Senate. He had been a Democrat, but in 1856, at the Presidential election, he changed his vote and was one of the only five in Cass Township to help the "Pathfinder" toward the White House.

THE' OLD-TIME PREACHERS.

John O'Neal was a Quaker, and preached many of the early sermons in the township. He was a man of strong personal magnetism, and pos- sessed a rude eloquence which found its way to the hearts of hundreds of his neighbors. The Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith, the founder of a

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religion which has become strong in the land in more meanings than one, and which is yet destined to cause serious trouble in the affairs of the nation, was one of the early preachers of Cass Township. He endeav- ored to secure proselytes to his faith, but so far as known did not succeed in Cass Township. One wife was enough. The people, though rude, ig- norant and impulsive, could not accept Joseph Smith as the Prophet of God or his Bible as the work of divine inspiration. So the famous or infamous Joe sought other and greener pastures. Heis said to have been a speaker of unusual power and persuasion. Joe Wilson was another early minister; so was William Plusky, and Ephraim Hall, and John Lynn, and John Wilson, and William Roach, the latter being a resident of Daviess County and a man of gigantic stature and stentorian voice. He was well advanced in years, and is said to have been six feet and seven inches high, and big and heavy in proportion. His voice was like a deep-toned steamboat whistle, and could often be heard at camp meet- ings two miles away. He wore number fourteen boots, which were pre- pared expressly for him, at Louisville, Ky., but these were really too small for him, and he was forced to wear moccasins made, it is said, by himself. The extraordinary size of his feet, however, did not affect the vigor or pathos of his sermons.

INCIDENTS OF INTEREST.

In many respects, the Richey family were remarkable. The girls were pretty, were wooed by the pioneer youth, and were the belles of the neighborhood. The boys were of great strength and activity, possessing rare combinations of nerve and muscle. They became noted wrestlers, and were rarely vanquished. They were not quarrelsome, but when in- sulted or wronged could and would resent with a force that was irresisti- ble. It is said that several of them could stand, and at three jumps forward, clear forty feet, and three jumps backward clear thirty feet, and and at one running jump clear twenty-one feet. You that boast of your activity take these measurements and endeavor to equal these distances and see how easily and surely you will "light too soon." The Richeys were Methodists, and were among the best of the early settlers. The Bynums were prominent, and were connected by marriage with the O'Neals and others. One of the boys, while carrying pumpkins from a field on a sharpened stick, fell, and in some unaccountable way, ran the stick through his body, killing him almost instantly. Peter R. Lester first came to Salem, Ind., but in 1820 moved to Greene County, locating on the bluffs of White River near the mouth of Doan's Creek. He was thus one of the first settlers in this locality. At this time, the township was sparsely settled. It is probable that Doan reached the township as early as 1817, coming, it is said, from Washington, Daviess County, near where he had previously located. The main portion of the earliest set- tlers came from 1818 to 1824.

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EARLY METHODS OF FARMING.

By 1828, there were probably fifteen cabins scattered over the present Cass Township. All were of logs with the traditional cat-and-clay chim- ney, the huge fire-place, the rude chairs, benches, floor and door, and the hanging herbs, skins, dried venison and beef and the rifles and axes. The ground when cleared was rich, and on the lower lands fifty bushels of corn could be raised to the acre. The old wooden mold-board plow was the principal agricultural implement, or perhaps that ancient implement, the hoe, was, as the stumps and roots were too thick for plows. Corn . was ground at Slinkard's mill, or at Washington, Daviess County, where the settlers usually went, when the winter's supply of flour was to be ob- tained and where the marketing was done, the trip consuming several days. There it was that the first plows were sharpened. The cutter could be taken off and sharpened by a blacksmith, and re-attached. The old wooden mold-board plow mostly in use was called " Bull's Plow," and was regarded as a high type of art. Blacksmiths made them. In a short time, shops were established nearer than Washing- ton, and home mills, stores, etc., as good as could be found any where in the wilderness, rendered useless the long and harassing trip to Daviess County. Wheat was raised in small quantities, and was threshed with the flail on a puncheon floor, or in some cases tramped out after the custom so old that the memory of the man runneth not to the contrary. It was the custom in the reign of the Pharaohs of Egypt and in the old Assyrian and Babylonian dynasties in times antedating authentic history. Cattle were driven round and round upon the grain in the stock until all was cut in pieces, when the grain was separated from the chaff by the tedious process of winnowing. Corn was raised easier by the early set- tiers than wheat, and was the "staff of life." "Hog and hominy" have become household words in the Hoosier dialect. Pumpkins were grown in large quantities and sweetened and prepared for the table with maple sugar or syrup, or fed to cattle. The peavine pastures of early years were famous places for the herds of cattle. Cattle eagerly sought this vine, and though it imparted a strong taste to milk and butter, still it was not unpleasant after a few weeks' use. Hogs ran wild in the woods, sub- sisting the year round on the rich "mast " which covered the ground.

COTTON WAS KING.

It seems strange, but the fact is that in early years cotton was quite extensively grown in Cass and other townships of Greene County. The early settlers, many of them, had come from the Southern States, where cotton and tobacco were the principal staples, and where it was thought that "cotton was King," and tobacco Queen, and that their kingdom was bounded on the east and west by the oceans, and on the north and south by the British possessions and Mexico. It was not dreamed that the

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rich soil of the Northern States was to create a revolution in farm prod- ucts, placing corn and wheat on the throne so long occupied by the justly illustrious cotton and tobacco. So it came to pass that the early settlers brought seed of cotton and tobacco with them to Indiana. In a short time, a large number of the first residents annually grew from one to five acres of cotton, and from a few rows to an acre of tobacco, both of which products were mainly consumed at home. The cotton was freed of seed by a neighboring cotton-gin, and was then taken in hand, and in a short time, by various and mysterious processes, transformed into garments of sundry sizes and hues. Before the gin was brought in, the seed was picked out by hand in picking bees by the girls and boys. Many a match of pioneer youth was struck and lighted into fervid flame at these pickings. Yes, your father and mother, now old and wrinkled, with palsied hands and tottering feet, were then young and rosy and strong, with warm and loving hearts under linsey-woolsey and jeans and tow, and with spirits " feather light " in the merry morning of their lives. Soon you came on the stage in swaddling clothes, very red in the face, lifting up your voice in doleful lamentations, and then father and mother were never tired waiting upon you, tenderly watching your uncertain growth and directing your' energies in healthful pursuits and curbing your abnormal passions with the specific of Solomon. Can you do too much for them now? They are standing on the brink of the river of Death, and can hear the surf beat on the rocky shore of time, and can see the dark boat in the distance coming for them. They know as the Arab beautifully expresses it, that

"The black camel named Death kneeleth once at each door And a mortal must mount to return nevermore."

There is no evasion. When the camel comes one must go. There is time but for a kind word, a clasp of the hand, a kiss, a last good-bye and the boat leaves the strand and goes out into misty oblivion. Once the old loved to pick cotton for your little form, loved to meet pioneer associates with salutations of the backwoods; but now they live only in memory-in the happy days of the dead past where their hearts lie.

WILD GAME.

Wild animals were very numerous, and were represented by some of the largest and most dangerous. Bears were often seen and not infre- quently encountered. Deer were far more numerous than sheep, and could be killed at any hour of the day or night. Their hides were worth about 50 cents each, and a "saddle of venison " brought less than that. In some cases hogs were as savage as bears, and were known to attack man when cornered, and when it seemed likely that they were destined for the pork barrel. The tusks of the males frequently attained a length of six inches, were turned up at the points and as sharp as kuives.

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Wolves were numerous, went in small packs, and it was next to impos- sible to keep sheep unless they were guarded by day and securely penned up by night. Foxes were killed once in awhile. Wild cats infested the woods. Panthers frequented deer licks. Squirrels were a nuisance. Corn had to be guarded constantly until the kernal had sent up a tall stock and rotted away. They were hunted and killed by the hundreds by companies of men organized for the purpose. Turkeys, very large and fat, were on every settler's table. Wild geese, ducks, brants, pheas- ants, otters and a few beavers were also present to afford the hunter sport and the settler subsistence. One day, Isaiah Hale, who had been away, returned home through the woods, and while walking along sud- denly came upon a large bear, which had been concealed from him by intervening brush. He was so close to it that he could not escape, for it instantly reared up and struck at him with its paw, catching his hand with its paw and badly lacerating it. He then ran back, and bruin left, seemingly as glad to escape as he was.

MAILS, DISTILLERIES, FIRST MARRIAGES, ETC.

Mail was for the first few years obtained at Washington, Daviess County. In about 1825, a mail route was established from Evansville to Indianapolis, passing through Greene County, and the route lay through Cass Township. This gave the settlers better facilities for mail. Tanneries were numerous. The work done in them was called "hog- trough tanning." The process usually required several months for com- pletion. The vats were simply logs hollowed out, and hence the name " hog-trough tanning." Thomas Plummer, after whom old Plummer Township was named, owned and conducted a distillery. It was started about the year 1826, and ran several years. It served a double purpose- furnished the settlers with a market for corn, and likewise furnished them what was considered one of the necessities of life-whisky. People actually thought they must have whisky, and no house was found without it. One of the first marriages in the township was that of Joseph Hep- ner and Susanna Bynum. The certificate was issued February 4, 1822, and the marriage solemnized by Rev. I. Stewart six days later. This was a typical pioneer wedding, and a fine supper of substantials was enjoyed at night. Another early marriage was that of Andrew Slinkard and Mary Westner, the license being issued February 22, 1822, and the marriage occurring four days later, Rev. Stewart performing the cere- mony. James Adams and Anna Wolf were united in the "holy bonds of wedlock " on the 3d of September, 1822. by Squire Frederick Slinkard.

NEWBERRY BEFORE THE CANAL.

Old Newberry was first laid out in the fall of 1822 on land owned by that fine old Quaker gentleman, John O'Neal, and the first house

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History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana, Part 30

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

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