History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana, Part 75

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 75
USA > Indiana > Sullivan County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 75

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).

READING ROOMS, SOCIETIES, BIBLE CLASSES, PAINTING, ETC.

There is a convenient reading room, where students are permitted to spend all the time they may choose reading. There are found on its tables dozens of the latest magazines and newspapers. There is also a collection of several hundred books on various subjects. The lit- erary societies are an interesting feature of the institution. There are two of them-the Franklin and Lincolnia. These societies hold their meetings on Friday night, and at these meetings may be heard a very high order of recitation, oration, debate and music. Each society owns its hall in the college building, and has placed furniture in it worth sev- eral hundred dollars. There is connected with the other departments in the school a Biblical clase, composed of several young men, and taught by the President. The painting and drawing is under the instruction of

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Mrs. McHenry. The music is taken charge of by Miss Georgia Harvey. Elisha Mudge, President; B. F. McHenry, Secretary and Professor of Mathematics; Prof. Woodworth fills the Latin chair; Miss Lib Hatten occupies the position of Professor of Greek. . The Executive Committee consists of Thomas Stanley, Parmer McClain, Rev. Graves, J. T. Phillips, B. F. McHenry and President Mudge.

THE FIRST RELIGIOUS MEETING IN THE TOWNSHIP.

In 1818, the first meeting was held by Rev. Shrader, a Methodist minister, at the house of William Burnett. Class was formed of the following persons: William and Mary Burnett, William and Annie Gill, Berry and Elizabeth Taylor, Deborah Graham, Catherine Strain, Patty Hollenbeck and William Burnett. In 1816, Rev. McCord succeeded Shrader, and in 1828 the Mount Zion Church was built and a Sabbath- school was established in the same year.

OTHER CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.

The Lebanon community has been from 1813 a Methodist community. In 1880, the Methodist Church in Lebanon was built, at a cost of $1,000. It was the scene of many wonderful revivals, and continued in use until 1871, when the floor gave way and ,a new brick church was built at a cost of $8,000. It is said to be finest church in the county. The church at East Chapel was built in 1861, at a cost of $300. There are three churches in this circuit-East Chapel, Walker's Chapel and Lebanon (Church. There are some three hundred members. Prayer meetings and Sabbath schools are sustained, and the minister's salary is about $800 yearly. Donations and festivals have been of frequent occurrence. The Lebanon Church conducted camp meetings several years ago, which were attended by large numbers of persons from quite a distance. The old frame church in Lebanon was dedicated by the celebrated Bishop Simp- son. The new brick church was dedicated by Bishop Bowman. The present pastor is Rev. Walls. In 1837, the Methodist Church in Merom was erected at a cost of $000. The church numbers between thirty and forty members, and comes under the charge of Rev. Hawse, who has charge of the Graysville Circuit. At different times, Sabbath school bas been organized at this church and a small library collected, but the town being small and there being another Sabbath school. the Methodist school was discontinued. In 1854, there was preaching in Merom by the Christian ministers, Humphreys, Hayes and Mckinney, but a Christian Church was not organized until 1860. The following members composed the church at first: Leonard Shoemaker, Margaret Shoemaker, James Richey, Hiram Daugherty, Elizabeth Daugherty, Harrison T. Buff, Rosan- na C. Buff, N. G. Buff, Martha E. Buff, J. N. Halstead, Mary J. Halstead, Margaret Gurneey, Emerson Barber and Callista Barber. From time to time since, members have been added, and membership of the church since

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the first meeting, including students who have joined the church, numbers several hundred. At present there are some seventy-five -active members. The pastors of the church have been the Presidents of the college, except Rev. Sneathen and Rev. Collins, each of whom served one year as pastor. Within the history of the church several revivals have occurred, the most important having been conducted during the time of Presidente Summerbell and Holmes. An interesting Sabbath school of over 100 members has been maintained. At one time a very interesting library was in circulation in the Sunday school. The books all having been read, the interest in them has somewhat slackened. There are papers and lesson leaves, however, which are always new. Officers are: Super- intendent, Prof. McHenry; Assistant Superintendent, Henry Shideler; Treasurer, Lib Hatten; Secretary, Betty Hanchett.

CEMETERIES.

The old Lebanon Cemetery has been in use for a great many years. The Webb Cemetery, on Gill's Prairie, is the oldest in the township and is still in use. There are, besides these, several family burying grounds. The old Merom Cemetery, southeast of town, a spot almost inaccessible, has not been used for twenty years. It contain graves marked with rude stones, and the names carved upon them are strange to the present gener- stion. The present Merom Cemetery was selected and bought in about 1861 or 1862. The first person buried in it was Mrs. Ashley. Arrange- ments have been talked of for enlarging the present grounds. It contains many handsome monuments, and some portions of it are exceedingly well kept.

OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Financial panics have not been of a serious nature. A few business failures have occurred which affected several farmers who were security. In the early settlement of the country vegetation was very rank, causing the otherwise malarial tendencies to assume the form of epidemic in the shape of malarial fever: People coming from Down East were unable to withstand the deadly attacks. Two brothers, named Hubbs, came to Merom and went into business, and in a short time took on severe mala- rial trouble, and died within three days of each other. No attempt at counterfeiting is known to have been made, but two or three parties are known to have sent off money to buy counterfeit money to circulate, and it is furthermore known they received in return the traditional box of sawdust and blank paper. Occasional burglaries have been committed in the dry goods establishments. Petty thieving occurs, as in all other towns and communities.

SERIOUS CRIMINAL OFFENSES.

In 1872, an inoffensive man, named John Stanbaugh, was set upon by three desperate and half drunken men in the streets of Merom, and

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was stabbed in several places, from the effects of which he died in a few days. The three offenders were tried and convicted of manslaughter, and were sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of years: In 1875, a des- perate character moved to Merom and began to threaten citizens in vari- ous ways. It was learned that his name was Newman, and that he did not sustain a good name at his former home. He was a good workman, a skillful thief and a great bully. Finally, in August, 1876, while mak- ing an attempt to kill a young man of Mrrom, Newman was shot down by the Town Marshal, and lived only a few hours.

A DEFIANT ROBBER.

In 1860, a man rode into Merom and stopped at the hotel. He gave his name as Paul Lindsey, and claimed to be from away East. In a short time Lindsey had selected the worst and lowest people in the country 88 his associates, and finally married a woman of low character, noted for her size, immense strength and terrible temper. It was believed by many of the citizens of Meron that Lindsey harbored thieves and gam. blers, and he openly threatened any citizen who would dare interfere with him. Finally, however, he concluded Merom would no longer tolerate him, and took possession of the island in the Wabash River, and in plain view from Merom's promenade ground. This island belongs neither to Indiana nor Illinois, and here Lindsey felt safe. He defied the law, built him a strong house, threatened all of the prominent citizens of the town and county, and constituted himself the receiver of stolen goods, and his house the harbor of thieves. No man felt his life or property safe, and it was decided that some measures must be taken to rid the community of such a dangerous person. Accordingly, one Sunday morn- ing the children on their road to Sabbath school were surprised to see such numbers of men riding into town. It was learned that the island was to be taken that day. The men armed themselves well and took the way to the island. Several men took skiffs and started for Lindsey's home. It being Sunday, the bold robber felt safe and had lain down to rest and was soon fast asleep. The first intimation he had of any intrusion was to suddenly find himself confronted with loaded revolvers. He surrendered at once. His house was burned, his. wife and children were brought over to Merom, and he was disposed of-no one knows how except those who were present. A few days later one of Lindsey's gang was pursued and killed. Since that time the island has been turned into a productive farm, and Paul Lind- sey and his gang are almost forgotten.

SLAVERY, TEMPERANCE, ETC.

Previous to 1860, the introduction of slavery was looked upon with favor, especially by those from Southern States. Since 1860, the anti- slavery feeling has grown until hardly a man can be found who is in svor of slavery, no matter what his political views may be.

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The temperance question has been agitated and discussed, temper- ance leagues have been organized, public sentiment .no longer permits men to treat their work-hands with strong drink, and saloons are not allowed to exist, and the saloon-keeper is considered among the outcasts of society. With all this temperance feeling in active existence, drunk- enness is alarmingly prevalent. The subject of prohibition is present- ing itself to the minds of those who favor and work for temperance. The ease with which strong drink may be obtained is surprising to those who wish to believe in the strong temperance sentiments so universal in Gill Township, where not one man in a hundred has one word to say in favor of strong drink of any kind.

NEWSPAPERS, STATISTICS, ETC.

In 1850, the poll of Gill Township was 181, and in 1882, it was 429. In 1875, a literary magazine entitled Our Work was published by members of the college faculty at Merom. It had a considerable circu- lation, and treated of the subjects taught in and pertaining to Union Christian College. Our Work was published two years, and was then discontinued. At present the College Record is a lively little college paper, published by the Alumni and students of Union Christian College. The social growth and improvement have kept even with other advance- mant. The horse-races and other amusements have given place to more refined pursuits. The young people are mostly possessed of moderate education at least, and a good education is within the reach of every one of them. Gill Township ought to be somewhat in advance of some other portions of the county, from the fact that she has from an early day 'possessed such good educational advantages.

The last ten years nas witnessed the greatest improvement, both in town and country districts. The publication of several newspanera has been undertaken, but only for short periods.

CHAPTER XV.

BY J. E. NORRIS.

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP-EARLY TRIALS AND HARDSHIPS-PRIMITIVE IMPLE- MENTS-CLIMATE AND TIMBER-VERY EARLY SETTLERS-FIRST HOUSE -SOME PIONEER NAMES-FIRST CHURCH AND PREACHERS-A PRIXI- TIVE SUNDAY SCHOOL-SCHOOL AND TEACHERS-THE FIRST MILL-VA- RIOUS MATTERS - PLEASANTVILLE - BUSINESS INTERESTS-SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES.

O N the 8th day of March, 1854, Jefferson Township was created out of Haddon with its present territory, except Sections 5 and 8 in the western part, which have since been added, and an election was

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ordered to be held at the house of James S. Reid, James F. Harvey being appointed Inspector of Elections. The name, of course, was given the township in honor of the great apostle of Democracy, the immortal Jet- ferson, and the citizens have steadily maintained the doctrines of that party at all elections ever since.

EARLY TRIALS AND HARDSHIPS.

Settlements were made early, and the trials and hardships through which the settlers passed are almost beyond belief at this late date when every- thing, even farm machinery, is largely propelled by steam. The land is excellent, there scarcely being any superior to it in the State, and all the productions with which Nature su bountifully blesses the industrious husbandman can be produced in abundance here. The implements with which the early farmer had to till his acres were few and very simple in construction. The plow was the old " bar-share," with a wooden mold. board and long handles; and the team had to be stopped sometimes two or three times in going across the field to clean off the clogging soil. The hoes and rakes and axes and harrows were exceedingly primitive, but the yield was so great that there was ample compensation for the hard- ships and inconveniencos attendant upon the labors of the tiller. The first little crop consisted of a patch of corn, potatoes, beans, pump- kins, and a strip or two of flax for the women; a little tobacco, also, was raised, and cotton enough for home purposes. The flax and cotton brought into use the spinning wheel, and many a bright striped garment finished for the Sunday's wear has set the heart of the anxious wearer almost wild with delight as she donned it and went off to meetin' in the log schoolhouse three or four miles away, and many a hardy youngster has thought himself dressed as finely as a Chicago dude when he stepped : out in a spick and span new pair of tow-linen pants, with genuine store " galluses " to hold them up. Oh, those were grand old times, when everything was what it seemed to be; when butter was made from cows, and the storekeeper didn't have to give a prize to sell his coffee.

CLIMATE AND TIMBER.

The climate in this section of the State being mild, the pioneers were greatly favored, for they could work late in the fall and early in the spring. Timber was very scarce, however, and it was difficult to get the proper logs with which to build cabins withont going many miles. It is said that at one or two raisings, when the matter had been overlooked, the " raisers " had to go several miles away to cut saplings to make hand- spikes. Firewood, consequently, was scarce, but it was not long till Na- ture's great storehouse of fuel was utilized, and coal became and is now almost as cheap as dirt. The whole surface of the township is, doubtless, underlaid by immense deposits of the best of bituminous coal. It crops out in almost any ravine, and from ten to twenty feet of digging exposes

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veins of three to ten feet in thickness. Some day this rich field of the useful mineral will make Jefferson as independent of all other sources of wealth as some sections of Pennsylvania. At present, there is no rail- road here, and as for other roads don't mention it. Sullivan County is far behind in this regard, yet there is no stone in this section with which to build a road, the only substitute being the gravel away off in the Wa- bash bottoms.

THE VERY EARLY SETTLERS.

In 1815, Jesse Beck came to this section and settled on the spot where now is located Pleasantville, and where he lived till he was eighty-two years of age. He opened the first farm and made the or- dinary improvements of that early day. Some of his descendants are yet living in the township. In 1816, he had a son born to him, John H. Beck, who was the first white child born in the township, and who is yet living. Jesse built the first house in the township, which stood for many years on the site of Pleasantville, but which has now entirely dis- appeared. When that old log cabin was built in the then wilderness, it was indeed a palatial mansion, and the wife of the old pioneer deemed herself as happy as the most favored lady of the land. When she and her husband first came, they had to live in their wagon until the cabin was erected, and many a night the couple lay down in the bottom of it, not knowing whether the morning sun would greet their eyes, or whether the bullet or tomahawk of some lurking savage would arouse them to their deaths. The hardships and privations of those old pioneers can never be recorded in all its verity, and we can only look back to those times with a sort of wonder how they successfully passed through them, and to think of them with all the feeling and respect that one can have, surrounded as we are by the comforts and conveniences that modern prog- ress has furnished. After Beck, James Reid settled a farm and built him a cabin, and then James Mayfield came in, and he, too, settled a farm and built a cabin. And thus the community began to grow, for between 1815 and 1820 many settlers came. Wendell Hinkle came, and Uncle Johnny Bedwell, and Rev. James F. Harvey, Henry Moody, the How- ards, Jones Enochs, and a little later, Pleasant M. O'Haver, brother of J. K. O'Haver, who settled in Haddon, and who afterward became a prominent citizen of Sullivan County. Those and many others afterward came and swelled the numbers, but they are now dead. The settlers came mostly from North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky, but a few were from Virginia and other Southern States. Pleasant O'Haver came from Tennessee and was one of the most prominent men of the township; he owned 1,400 acres of land, and was a highly respected and active bus- iness man. He left six sons and three daughters, among whom is Mr. William P. O'Haver, of Pleasantville, who is one of the leading citizens of Jefferson.

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BOMI PIONEER NAMES.

Among the early settlers now living, some of whom are sons of those mentioned above, are the following: Aunt Jenny Bedwell, who is eighty- seven years of age; Benjamin Corbin, eighty two; Elias Newkirk, eighty- two; S. J. Bedwell, George Baker, Francis Harvey, James N. Enochs, Samuel Enochs, John Enochs, Cornelius Howard, James M. Bedwell, Elisha Bedwell, Lacey Wood, Benjamin Cleveland, Benjamin Sisson, James Houldson, Eli Woodward, William P. O'Haver, John Welle, John Shake, Francis Newkirk, George Mayfield, Robert McClung, J. T. Jack- son, H. Milburn, S. C. Hale, Francis Wells, and there may be several others.

Owing to the fact of there being little or no timber in the township in the early days, the country was comparatively free of marauding In- dians; they only occasionally passed through on their way to better hunting tracts. The last of the redskins to pass through the country were a band of Shawanese (now spelled Shawnee), who camped for a short time on Black Creek.

FIRST CHURCH AND PREACHERS.

The first church society was organized in 1810, by Rev. John McCord, one of those self-sacrificing and brave old pioneer Methodist ministers, who may have been found in all the early settlements of the West, and it seems that, no matter where one searches for information of the early history of any specified locality, he will be sure to find some grand old hero in the garb of a simple worker for the Lord in the wilderness. such as Father McCord and others of his type. Those pioneer preachers came to the early settlements with their Bibles in one hand and their rifles in the other, and were as quick to hold up the one as to look along the bar. rel of the other. No timid time-servers were they; no hair-splitting theologians; no sticklers for " under the water," " out of the water " or " in the water; " ah, no; they came to proclaim the word of Jesus Christ and to call all men from sin to righteousness: they cared not for creeds in the abstract, and it made little difference to them through which gate the sinner entered the hereafter, so that they did enter. The voices of these old leaders in the van of civilization could be heard on Sunday morning from beneath some shady tree, or from the steps of some hum- ble log cabin, and the sturdy listeners and their wives and children went away better prepared for the hardships on the morrow. This first church was organized with five members, one of whom, Aunt Jenny Bedwell, is still living. They met at various houses for some years, but in 1824 a church building was erected, it being a log cabin, and stood upon the spot where now is the cemetery at Pleasantville. Every vestige of that humble house of the Lord has passed away, and nothing, save the hal- lowed memories of those who worshiped there, remains. But there are

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those who can look back at the little building, and give thanks that it was within its sacred walls they first knew what it was to feel the divine forgiveness, and that satisfaction of mind that those only feel who have thrown themselves upon the mercy of Him who maketh the burden light.

A PRIMITIVE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

The first Sunday school was organized in 1830, by Rev. John Ritchey, and was attached to the Methodist Church. Phillip Hinkle was the first Superintendent.

SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS.

The first school was conducted in the church building above mentioned, and the first teacher was Jeese Beck, the next James Reid; then Rev. Jaines F. Harvey, followed by Isaac Owen, James W. Hinkle and others. The old schoolhouse was known for many years as the " college," and in it the most of the middle-aged citizens of the vicinity of Pleasantville secured their education or the foundation for the same. In the early times, education was not looked upon by a certain class with as much favor as it is now, and considerable currency was given to the supposed correct aphorism: "The more learning, the more rascality." But the educational history of a township should interest every well-meaning citi- zen. Nothing conduces so much to the prosperity of any section of coun- try as good schools, and although those early schools, the teachers and what was considered the curriculum were extremely primitive, yet they laid good foundations, and have gradually given the lie to what used to be said by many otherwise well-meaning persons, that " gals didn't need to know nothin' about books, and all that boys orter know was to grub, maul rails and hunt." Such senseless prejudices, born of ignorance and envy, have descended in some measure to the present time, and yet tinge the complexion of many localities. Around those old pioneer school- houses, those old-log cabins of learning, what memories cluster ! What memories of happy, sunny days, when tow-linen slips were worn by the boys, and when the rosy-cheeked girls were proud of their homespun linsey frocks, all striped with yellow and red, and when a pair of new shoes was an event in the life of boy or girl. How cheerily each pupil started off from home in the morning, carrying his little basket or pail containing his humble dinner, and what sports there were before school and at recess; and what fun it was to lock the teacher out till he promised to treat to cider and apples! Oh! those days of genuine, unalloyed pleas- ures come up from the dim past, yet linger fondly in the memory of all who enjoyed them. And the stern master, whose depth of lore was looked upon as something wonderful. He was the intellectual center of the en- tire neighborhood, and within whose cranium was supposed to dwell all the knowledge that was worth treasuring up by man. He was the oracle on all subjects, and his nod was sufficient to settle the most difficult prob-

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lems. But the old schoolmaster-him of the " olden times" -has passed away like many other good things.

THE FIRST MILL.

The first mill in the township was erected in 1830, by James S. Reid and. James F. Harvey, and it was, up to that time, the most important improvement introduced to the community. Before its erection the set. tlers had to go many miles to have their grain ground, and the trip would often occupy three days. But now they had a mill of their own, and need not depend upon the far-off settlements for their bread. The com- pletion of the mill brought business, also, to the section where it was located, and many farmers from a distance brought to it their grists. The mill, 'of course, was extremely primitive, but the meal it turned out was doubtless relished quite as highly as that produced by the new-fan- gled patent processes of the present time.

EARLY MERCHANDISING.

The irst stock of goods was brought to the township by Jackson Hinkle about 1850. A small cyclone passed through the northern por- tion c. he township in 1846, and destroyed considerable timber. Black Creek and Maria Creek, two small streams, cross portions of the town- ship. Very little drainage is done, but some efforts are being made to introduce the earthen pipe, now being manufactured at Paxton, in Had- don Township, and at other pointe. The land is very productive, and excellent crops of wheat, corn, oats and some tobacco are raised, whilst hoga, cattle and sheep are shipped in considerable quantities from Mar- co and Carlisle.

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History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana, Part 75

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

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