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

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

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During the War of 1812 Boxley was given a position of honor and re- sponsibility which he filled with such credit as to be tendered a silver-hilted sword by the United States government in recognition of his signal service. He was loved and honored by the entire community in which he lived. Then owing to his conscientious convictions on slavery he committed an act which placed him in the light of a criminal whose punishment was death. An early historian gives the following account of his crime :

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"THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD."

One night in the winter of 1814, two negroes stole up to his house, know- ing his sympathy for the fugitive slave. They were endeavoring to make their escape from a cruel master and Mr. Boxley's sympathies were at once enlisted in their behalf. He concealed them in his mill and as soon as cir- cumstances permitted conveyed them to Greenbriar county and started them on their road to liberty. By this act he compromised his own liberty. Some one had heard of his deed and he was arrested and cast into the county jail, where he was bound down with chains. A court convicted him of the felony with which he was charged and sentence of death was passed upon him. Shortly before the day set for his execution his wife and children were ad- mitted to the jail to take an eternal farewell of the loved husband and father, but the watchful guard little thought that the gentle, tearful woman who came as a mourner was to be the power through whom their condemned fellow- citizen should be restored to life and liberty ; yet such was the case. In the agony of her soul she had determined to brave the terrors of the law in one last desperate effort to release her husband. On this last occasion she came with a fine spring-saw concealed in the hem of her skirt and delivered it to her husband during the visit. That night he sawed his shackles apart and escaped from the jail through an aperture previously made in the wall during his confinement and which had been carefully concealed during the day time. He reached the prison-yard safely, and looking up saw the guards pacing the walls. At this he felt a chill of fear, but pushed bravely on, knowing that death awaited him in either event and that his discovery by the guards would only hasten the inevitable. He reached the wall and scaled it safely, dropping quietly on the outside of the prison bounds and breathed the air again, a free man.

HOUNDED BY THE LAW.

Traveling by night and by obscure routes, he reached Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania, where he changed his name to Burke and engaged in the vocation of school teaching. During his sojourn here he wrote two pamphlets which were widely circulated-one in opposition to the banking system of that day and one in opposition to the institution of slavery. During this time he con- trived to inform his wife that he was still living, but, believing that locality to be too near his former home for her to join him with safety, he determined to go to Missouri, where he was shortly afterward joined by his family.

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Subsequently he removed to Fayette county, Ohio, where he hoped that he was safe from his persecutors, but his hope was suddenly dispelled. Two men, named respectively Jury and Walls, passed through the vicinity of his Ohio home with a drove of horses for Virginia, and recognized him. Upon their arrival in that state they saw an advertisement offering a large reward for the capture and return of the fugitive, and, arming themselves with a copy of this paper, they started for Ohio, thinking to enrich themselves by return- ing him to the authorities. As they neared his house they saw him in the field, and approaching him one of them took him roughly by the shoulder, exclaim- ing, "You are my prisoner!" and presented the advertisement in lieu of a war- rant. They overpowered him and dragged him from the field and into the woods, but his sons, Thomas and Addison, knew where to go for assistance and lost no time in giving the alarm.

NEW HOME IN THE WILDERNESS.

Two friends, John Howe and Jona Marchant, armed with guns, started in pursuit of the kidnappers and after a chase of about two miles overtook them. An exciting scene ensued and, in view of the danger that menaced them, the drovers concluded to surrender their prisoner. Mr. Boxley re- mained at home that night. but, knowing that his whereabouts could not long be kept secret, he fled the next day, again going to Missouri. After a few months he received a message from his friends in Ohio persuading him to re- turn and pledging themselves to stand by him and protect him. He did as they suggested and lived quietly in Fayette county for several years. He lived in dread, however, and determined to seek greater security in one of the new settlements of Indiana. He started west, reaching Strawtown, and then decided to go farther, to the settlement on the Wabash in Tippecanoe county. His route led him past the land upon which he subsequently settled and which he marked at the time, intending to return to it if not satisfied with the loca- tion on the Wabash. The latter proved to be the case, and in the fall of 1828 . he came to reside on the land where he passed the remainder of his life.

TOWNSHIP'S FIRST SCHOOL.

His family joined him here and he took up the life of a pioneer, feeling secure from any further pursuit. He was never again molested and passed to a peaceful old age and death. On a portion of his farm he erected a little log cabin in which he conducted a daily school for the instruction of his own

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children, and as new settlers came to his neighborhood at a later date, he offered to their children the benefit of his fine attainments free of charge. Under his training his children grew to honorable and useful maturity. One, however, met a violent death while in the midst of happy, innocent boyhood. After school hours the children used the building for a play-house. On this occasion a violent storm passed over this section, destroying crops and tear- ing away trees. The absence of the son was marked by the family, who, however supposed him to be safe in the school house; but after the storm the parents learned his fate. He had started to the house and the wind had up- rooted a tree which fell upon him as he ran, imprisoning him among its branches, where they found him mangled and dead. This was the first death of a white person in the township. He was interred on his father's farm.

NEIGHBORS STOOD BY HIM.

Other stories illustrative of George Boxley's peculiarities after he lived in Hamilton county are also related. He was opposed to banks and to the collection of debts by law, and to all taxes imposed by the government. At one time B. F. Cogswell persuaded him to buy some cloth for a coat on credit. When the debt came due he refused to pay it. Cogswell sued him and re- ceived judgment by default. An execution was issued and placed in the hands of an officer who levied upon and advertised for sale some of Mr. Boxley's cattle. When the day of the sale came the cattle could not be found and the sale was postponed. A second advertisement was made and the cattle were taken to Noblesville for safe keeping, but on the day of the sale were driven back to the Boxley place to be sold. Evidently the officer feared trouble for he deputized nine other men to go with him to conduct the sale. Cogswell sent W. W. Conner as his representative, with instructions to bid on the cattle in payment of the debt. But Boxley's neighbors decided if Boxley was op- posed to that sale they would stand by him. So during the morning, before the sale began, about fifteen pioneers fully armed, as was the custom in those days, assembled to the defense of their friend. When the officer in charge stepped up to begin the sale the neighbors informed the would-be pur- chasers that any one bidding on the cattle "would be in danger of bodily harm." A hint to the wise was sufficient in this case as the odds were very much in favor of Boxley. Conner did not bid on the cattle and the sale failed. Cogswell never collected his debt. Mr. Boxley was a very ready help to any of his neighbors in time of need. He had more cattle than his neighbors, and often loaned his milch cows to his friends, exacting only the increase in pay-

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ment. He taught their children free of charge and in many ways was a model of generosity. Whenever he needed help his neighbors, whom he had befriended, were only too glad to come to his assistance.

OUTWITTED TAX COLLECTOR.

Another story is told of Mr. Boxley outwitting a tax collector. An officer levied on some cattle of Mr. Boxley's for delinquent taxes and the said officer rode over from Noblesville and was returning driving the cattle before him. Mr. Boxley followed the officer unseen and upon the arrival of the cat- tle at a particularly bushy thicket uttered a peculiar call which the cattle under- stood. They broke from the officer who was unable to control them, and he was forced to return to Noblesville without the cattle which went safely home with their master.

THE SECOND SETTLEMENT.

In 1829 Thomas Spencer, John Blanch, James L. Masters, L. Acord and Washington Mckinsey made a settlement a little west of the present site of Boxley. They were later joined by James Mann, Thomas and William Har- baugh, Payton Harris, Reuben Tansey, James Harbaugh, Even Teter and others. There were but two roads or trails in the township, one from Nobles- ville to Lafayette, and the other from Strawtown to Lafayette. These early pioneers, when not traveling on either of these trails, made their own roads, keeping to the high ground when possible, for much of this territory was a swamp in those days. When they came to the "slashes," as the streams were called, corduroy bridges were built by laying logs parallel and crossing these with other logs laid horizontally to the first until the entire "slash" was bridged and the party crossed in safety.

A settlement was made at Baker's Corner between the years of 1831 and 1837 by the following: Christopher Williams, Mr. Hodson, Stephen Masters, James Lackey, George Rushton, William Davis, Daniel Smith, Leroy Fitz- patrick and others. This settlement was made up largely of Quakers, who, having no church of their own, attended at Hinkle Creek church until West Grove was built. They had their milling done at the Shryock Mill and at the Fallis Mill until a mill was erected in Jackson township.

THE FIRST ELECTION.

The first township election was held at Boxley. There were thirty voters present, but the voters were not the only persons in attendance. The streets

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were crowded with women and children who wished to be present at the first election. While they were debating what should constitute the ballot box Robert Collins offered his hat for the purpose. His offer was readily ac- cepted and the election proceeded with the following results: James A. Lackey and Reuben Tansey were elected justices of the peace and John McKinsey and Joseph McMurtry were elected constables. Two political parties were repre- sented in this first election, the Whig and the Democrat.

LEVELING THE FORESTS.

After the first settlement was well established the industrious farmers began to cut their way back into the dense forest and by slow but steady de- grees to transform this vast, dreary wilderness into the beautiful country it is today. They struck out boldly in all directions and presently, here and there over the township, sprang into life the busy villages of Millwood (later Sheridan), Ekin and Bakers Corner. Later, fine commodious homes and big roomy barns replaced the early log cabins, and a network. of gravel roads re- placed the Indian trail and the corduroy roads. Where once the Indian hunted and his camp fires gleamed, the waving fields of corn, oats, rye and wheat, now flourish abundantly, while orchards of apples, plums and peaches lend their charm to the picture.

SCHOOLS AND INDUSTRIES.

The important industries of the township include milling, dairying, rais- ing hogs and cattle, manufacturing tile and brick and sawing lumber, and making condensed milk. The township is rich in gravel which is used on the . pike roads.

As recorded above, George Boxley taught the first school in a little log cabin on his own land sometime in the early thirties. The early schools fol- lowing this one were maintained by private subscription. The township schools were established after 1852 and at first were few and far between. Their number gradually increased till a school had been established in every district. At present there are two excellent high schools in the township, situated at Sheridan and Boxley. There are graded schools at Ekin and Baker's Corner and five one-roomed buildings.

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CHAPTER VI.

CLAY TOWNSHIP.

TOPOGRAPHY.

Clay township was established by the county board of commissioners at the November session of 1833. It is situated in the southwest corner of the county with the following boundaries: Washington township on the north, Delaware township on the east, Marion county on the south and Boone county on the west. It is six miles from east and west and five miles from north and south, containing thirty square miles. It is the smallest township in this county in size, though not the least in importance. The surface is almost uniformly flat and the soil is composed of clay and loam. The township is a rich agricultural district, as evidenced by its beautiful and highly productive farms.

At the same session in which the township was organized, it was ordered that an election be held in December, 1833, at the home of Robert Marrow to elect two justices of the peace. Robert Marrow was appointed inspector of the proposed election.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Some nine years previous to the formal organization above noted, the first white settler came to Clay township which then was a virgin wilderness, inhabited only by the four-footed denizens of the forest and one Indian named Ketchem and his family. This Indian is supposed to have begun clearing his land not later than 1824. About this time Francis McShane, a farmer from Harrison county, Kentucky, started on horse-back with a friend for the west, with the intention of moving thither if a suitable location was found. Mr. McShane's friend stopped at Brookville and we hear no more of him, but Mc- Shane continued on his way undaunted and, visiting the site of his future home, entered two tracts of land in Clay township. After his transaction he returned to his home in Kentucky where he remained a year. In December, 1825, he left Kentucky with his family, intending to settle on his newly ac- quired land. Leaving his family, consisting of a wife and two sons, in Marion

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county he proceeded on his journey. Arriving on his new land, he cut logs which he hewed into timbers for the new home. This log cabin soon was completed and he and his wife and two sons presently were comfortably estab- lished under the new roof tree. In June, 1826, another member, a daughter, was added to the family. This child, Sarah L. McShane, was the first white child born in Clay township. The task of clearing the timber from the land and preparing it for cultivation fell almost entirely on the father, as the sons were mere lads at this time. Though the heaviest years of toil thus fell on Mr. McShane, he lived for seventeen years after coming to this county to enjoy the fruits of his labor which were apparent to some degree, at least, before his death. At his death the remains were not laid to rest in his home town- ship, but were interred in the Farley cemetery in Delaware township.

A DISGUSTED ABORIGINAL.

For about a year the only settler beside the McShane family was the Indian, Ketchem. It is not known how long this aboriginal had lived in this section prior to the coming of the white man. He learned many things from his white neighbors, including the willingness to live somewhat as the white man did, as well as to clear and till his land. An early history narrates the following story of this Indian: "The old man, however, did not know how to take bees from their tree-top homes, for, on one occasion he tried it when the insect warriors commenced battle upon him, and he had to save himself by jumping, which broke a leg." A few years of white man's civilization appar- ently filled old Ketchem with disgust, for it is known that he finally sought the more congenial society of his own people. His rude cabin has been gone for years and no trace of the old Indian chief remains, though the land records tell of the land on which he lived having been entered for him by Benjamin Mendenhall, which land he afterwards sold.

EARLY COMMUNAL LIFE.

Franklin Hall and family came to the settlement late in the year of 1825. In 1826 Hall entered a tract of land partially in Marion and Hamilton counties. Robert Barnhill and Benjamin McDuffy were the next comers, in 1827. Dennis Power and Daniel Warren came in 1829 and in the following year about a dozen more settlers followed. There were now a sufficient number of families in the settlement to take part at log-rollings and house-raisings, in which all the men in the neighborhood assisted each successive newcomer.

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As in all new settlements, every settler had to build his home, clear the land, hunt or fish for his meat, and make clothing and shoes for his family beside assisting his neighbors in any or all of these tasks when necessary. The pioneer men and women had to be "jacks-of-all-trades" and masters of many. When one man became more proficient along one line of endeavor, besides his own regular work, he assisted the whole settlement in this specialty. It is recorded that Barnhill was quite accomplished ; he made tubs and buckets and shoes, beside repairing gunlocks for the neighborhood. Henry Davis made chairs and looms and was also a wheelwright. Much of this specializing in work had to be done at night, as all these mechanics were farmers while day- light lasted. The women furnished the clothing for the family by carding and spinning the wool and then weaving it into cloth and finally making it into garments for the family. Thus were the days and years of these hardy men and women occupied in patient earnest work for themselves and their neigh- bors. We see the fruit of their labors in the hardy generation of men and women who sprang from such noble parentage and in the bountiful farms and fine homes of Clay township.

EARLY STATISTICS.

The first death in the township occurred in 1830, the one thus stricken being a child of James Gray. Interment was made in Whitinger cemetery, Marion county, as there were no cemeteries in Clay township for several years following the settlement. In the year 1838 the first cemetery was laid out on the farm of Isaac Sharpe near the present site of Pleasant Grove church. A daughter of James Hamer was the first whose body was given interment in the new cemetery. As already mentioned, a daughter of Francis McShane was the first white person born in the township. The second birth on record was that of a child of Daniel Warren and wife in 1830. In 1831 a son was born to John Harden and wife.

John Harden and John Smith built the first saw mills in the vicinity at different points on Williams Creek about 1836. These early mills were rather clumsy, viewed in the light of today's amazing industrial achievements, but they served "their day and generation" well by furnishing rough timber for the homes of the people in the country thereabout. Both of these mills were operated by power furnished by the waters of Williams creek. In after years they outlived their usefulness and were abandoned. There were no grist mills in the township in the early years of its settlement, as mills of this class were situated both in Marion county and Delaware township at a rea-

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sonable distance from the settlers of Clay township. The first flouring mill was erected in 1865 by the Carey brothers on the land owned by J. G. Mc- Shane.

Jacob Cook built the first frame house about 1833. The lumber for this house was sawed in Delaware township by Benjamin Mendenhall. Some- time in the next year Zimri Cook erected a frame house on his farm. James Gray has the distinction of operating the first brick kiln in the township. He manufactured the brick for his residence, the first brick house in the town- ship. Mr. Gray did not make the brick kiln a permanent affair, however, as it was torn down as soon as the new house was completed.

THE FIRST HIGHWAY.

In 1829 the road known as the Indianapolis and Peru state road was sur- veyed through the township. It is recorded of it that like many roads at that period, its name was the chief end of its identity for no effort was made by the authorities to improve it after it was surveyed; and for many years all that distinguished the Indianapolis and Peru state road from the wilderness through which it passed were the triple "blazed" notches in the trees along its course. It was a bad road at all times and during the wet seasons of the year was absolutely impassable in certain localities. Shortly after the organization of the township, roads were surveyed in all sections. First the settlers cut a strip of road wide enough to allow travel on horse back. Later this was widened to accommodate wagon travel. Gradually, all the highways of any consequence were graveled till now there are many miles of fine pike roads running in all directions over the township.

THE PIONEER SCHOOLS.

In the years prior to 1835 there were few children of school age in the township, hence there was no necessity for a school. Old and young alike were engaged in making homes and providing the necessities of life. Soon after 1832 Isaac Sharpe and others settled near the McShane farm and these neighbors banded together and organized a school which was conducted in a log cabin on Sharpe's land opposite the present site of Pleasant Grove church. This first school was conducted by Hannah Griffith in the winter of 1834 and 1835. Stephen Conner was the second teacher.

About 1835 or 1836 a settlement of sufficient size to support a subscrip- tion school organized and built a log school near the present site of the Clay

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Center school house. This was the first log school erected as such in the town- ship, and did not receive the support of Barnhill, McDuffy, Davis or Seely. The latter attached himself to the Sharpe school while the three former sent their children to school in Marion county.

Subscription schools were the vogue until 1852 when the public schools were inaugurated. There have been as many as eight district schools in the township at one time, but gradually the number of pupils in each district de- creased, till one by one the old district schools were abandoned. At the present time there is but one consolidated graded school in the township. It is a fine modern school building situated at Clay Center and five teachers are there em- ployed in giving instruction to the youth of the township. This is the second year of the school and Henry Hollenback has been the principal both years. The school has proved a decided success and more than one hundred pupils are enrolled. Clay and Delaware jointly have a township graded and high school at Carmel.

THE FIRST GAS WELL.

Sometime early in the century, long before natural gas was utilized for domestic and manufacturing purposes, the first natural gas well in Hamilton county was dug in Clay township. As has been the case with so many other discoveries before and since, the people had natural gas and did not know what it was. Ezekiel Clampitt who had moved to Hamilton county in 1832 and settled east of the present site of the Poplar Ridge Friends church, was digging a well on his land some time after his removal to the farm, when a very curious incident occurred. When the well was about completed Mr. Clampitt heard a peculiar buzzing noise at the bottom that filled him with wonder. He proceeded to investigate the cause, thinking perhaps, it was some heretofore unknown form of "damps." He lighted a candle and lowered it into the depths of the well. Of course if he had known what produced that peculiar sound a lighted candle would have been the last thing with which he . would have experimented. Down went the candle! Mrs. Clampitt, naturally enough interested in the peculiar developments in the new well was an eager on-looker with her baby in her arms. A neighbor man, also interested in developments, dressed in tow clothing which was worn till "nappy" was sitting on the edge of the well with his feet and legs hanging down in it. The setting of this picture would do credit to one of our modern "movie" melodramas. But the picture did not stay "set" very long. When the candle reached the escaping gas the interior of the well instantly was converted into a mass of flame which shot upward into the heavens. Mrs. Clampitt was thrown to the

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

Author: John F. Haines Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051