History of Hamilton County, Indiana : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 46

Author: Helm, Thomas B. cn
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Kingman Brothers
Number of Pages: 428


USA > Indiana > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Indiana : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 46


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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The fine business talents, shrewdness and good management of Mr. Walton assured success from the start, and he was soon in command of a large and Inerative trade. lo 1862, his father-in-law berame associated with him in the mercantile trade at Buena Vista, in which he continued until 1867, when Mr. Wolff retired from the firm and Mr. Daniel Whetstone became a partner.


Mr. Walton has become widely known as one of the most prominent busi- ness men of Indiana. In the stave and luiher trade, he is associated with Daniel Whetstone, and their business has grown to immense proportions, rench. ing in some years to 8150,000. In the mercantile trade, his partner is Mr. J. M. Whisler, and they have a successful business. In 1867, Mr. Walton, in co-partnership with Mr. William A. Neidhmmner, creeted a Inrge flouring-mill and elevator containing five run of stone, and they are doing a large business in the manufacture of flour and in purchasing and handling nenrly all the grain of the surrounding country. In addition to the above, Messrs. Walton &


Whetstone are largely interested in real estate, owning several valuable farms and tracts of land, besides several farms owned individually by Mr. Walton.


Mr. Walton has achieved n success in business life, to which he is justly entitled, by honorable dealing and industrions perseverance, and he has the sat- isfaction of knowing that every dollar of his wealth came to him in n legitimate and honest way. Although not a politician, he takes no netive part in the issues and controversies of the day, voting and neting with the Republienn party.


He is a member of the order of Odd Fellows, and he and his wife are both honored member of the Christian Church. They are the parents of four children, named Cora, Rose, Edgar S. and Shirley-all nt home with the parents, except Rose, who is attending Eminence College, Kentucky.


Mr. Walton nod his excellent wife own and reside in one of the finest homes in Hamilton County. By reference to another page of this work, n beautiful view may be found of their home, contributed by them to the History of llamilton County and its renders,


JACON STELIMAN


has been a resident of Hamilton County since 1840. During that year, he settled on the farm he still owns in White River Township. Heis n native of Lancaster County, Penn., having been born there Angust 21, 1813; is the son of John and Mary Stehman, and is the youngest of four brothers-all yet living. For education, his carly opportunities were limited, affording but moderate acquirements in that direction ; yet, by largely employing his leisure at reading, he has become well versed in the entrent topics of the day. He is thought to be a man of excellent judgment, and, from practical experience, bas nequired good Inisiness attainments. He has boro pursuing the vocation of agriculture, in most part, during life. Now owns 350 peres of land, his farm ranking among the best in the county. Mr. Stehman, in fact, is remarkable for systematic thoroughness in his every business transaction. April 23, 1810, he wedded Miss Elizabeth Mundorff, daughter of Isane nud Catherine Mun- dorff, and also n native of Lancaster County, Pern. By this marriage they have berome parents of nine children, as follows: Catherine, born Feb. 21, 1812: Mary Ann, Jan, 11, 1844; Delilah, Oct. 6. 1>15 ; Margaret E., April 7. 1847; Almeda, June 23, 1>50; Henry M., April 19, 1552: Martha E., June 5, 1854: Amanda, Oct. 27. 1836; Lydia E., Der. 30. 1858. Their children were all born in Hamilton County, and are now all residents of the same. But, alas! that amiable, faithful wife, that loving Christian mother is no more in their midst to bless the domestic fireside. She departed this life .Jan. 29, 1859, at the old homestead. In life, she was a consistent member of the Methodist Church, her husband walking in close fellowship with her, and who still holds steadfastly to the faith. In politics, Mr. Stolman is a zealous Republican. Elected by that party. he served one term as County Communis- sioner, and in that capacity he neted with ability and with strict fidelity to the best interests of his fellow-citizens. Thus earning a deserved popularity in n trying position, he has recently been selected again by his party ns the nominee for the same trust. Aside from farming interests, he and his son Henry are proprietors of the steam flonring-mill nt Cicero, in this county. He is an active member of the Masonic Fraternity, also, at Cicero; with the temperance interests of his county, he ever identifies himself' enruestly. In truth, he is an industrious, enterprising, upright citizen.


ELLIOTT SUMNER


is the descendant of an old English Quaker family who emigrated to America in the days of William Penn. Thomas Sumper, the grandfather, settled in North Carolina, and, in the year 1800, removed to Ohio and settled in High- land County, where he remained until his death, in 1835, nt the age of eighty- two years. He reared eight children. His son William was born in North Caro- lina in 1785. On reaching manhood, he was married to Nancy Cornelius, in Virginia, and, soon after, removed to Highland County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming, and in 1814 be removed with his family to Indiana and settled in Wayne County, near Centerville. He remained there until 1832, when his wifo died of cholern, at the age of forty-nine years. She was the mother of eight children, four of whom grew to manhood, named Elliott, Elizabeth, Thomas and Grecobury C., who are all living at this time. After the death of his wife, William Sumner broke up his household nod resided at various pinces until his denth, in 1869, at the residence of his son Greenbury, in Marshall County, Ind., at the age of eighty-four years.


Elliott Sumner was born in HighInnd County, Ohio, on the 23d dny of Octo- ber, 1813. He obtained a common-schonl education in his boyhood days, sod, st


130


HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA.


the age of eighteen years, left home and went to learn the trade of cabinet-making. He continued nt that for eighteen months, when he gave up that occupation, and then went out to work at farming during the summer seasons, and attended school in the winter. He continued working out on farms and at brickmaking and various other employments until 1839, when he was married to Eliza Albertson, daughter of Joshun and Abigail Albertson, a Quaker family, of Wayne County, Ind. They were united on the 25th day of July, 1839. After his marriage, he pursued farming on leased lands in Wayne County until 1853, when he removed to Hamilton County, Ind., nad settled on R trart of wild land in the township of Jackson, which he had pur- chased a few years before. Here he has ever since resided, cleared und


improved his farm, and reared his children. He has a beautiful location, and his farm is justly considered one of the best in the county, and is well adapted to the production of all the various erops and fruits that are common in this Inti- tude. They live in a comfortable residence, surrounded by convenient out- buildings, orchards, etc.


Mr. Summer and his execlient wife enjoy the respect and esteem of all their acquaintances and the love and reverence of their children and friends. They are the parents of eight children, named Nabey A., George C., Ann E., Sarah J., Martha E., Thomas E., Benjamin A. and Albert II., all living except Ann E. and Martha A., and all married except Benjamin and Albert. On another page may be found a fine view of the residence of Mr. Sumner.


WHITE RIVER TOWNSHIP.


THE ORIGINAL TOWNSHIP.


A' T a session of the Commissioners of Hamilton County, held at the house of Wm. Conner, on Monday, the 12th day of May, 1823, it was ordered by the board "that the following territory be established and known as White River Township, to wit : Beginning at the most casterly boundary of Hamilton County, on the line dividing Sections 17 and 20, in Township 19 north, Bange 5 cast, then on said line until it strikes the west line of said county, thence north, running with the said county line to the northwest corner, thence cast to the northeast corner, thence with said line to the place of beginning." The present boundaries of the township were established in November, 1833. having been reduced by the organization of other townships from the territory included within the original boundaries,


LOCATION AND BOUNDARY.


White River is in the northeast corner township, and has an area of fifty-six square miles. It is bounded on the north by Tipton County, cast by Madison County, south by Noblesville and Delaware Townships, west by Jackson Township.


SI RFACE, SOIL AND STREAMS.


White River, the principal stream, flows through the southern portion of the township ; Duck Creek flows in a southwesterly direction through the eastern part ; Deer Creek flows sonth through the center, and the East Branch of Cicero Creek waters the northwestern portion.


The surface in the vicinity of these streams is of an undulating nature; there are several flat places, which, in carly days, were accounted of but little value, and passed by unheeded by the seekers for homes in this locality. These lands were purchased in later years, and a thorough system of drainage instituted, by which process their productiveness has been developed, and they are scarcely excelled by the rich bottom-lands of White River.


The soil is principally loam and clay, with a mixture of sand in the neigh- borhood of the streams,


EARLY SETTLEMENTS.


Probably the first white man who came to reside permanently in the town- ship, was ,John Shintaffer. He settled about the year 1818 or 1819, and began trafficking with the Indians, who had a village immediately west of the present village of Strawtown. An ancient carthwork, the remains of which are still visible, was located at the Indian enmp, but nntedated their occupancy by so many years that they were unable to give any information touching it.


The Hands of this township were placed in market in the year 1821, but there were several pioneers who came and settled prior to that date, with the intention of entering the land nt the first opportunity. Some were fortunate enough to secure the tract upon which they first located, while others, unable to compete with wealthy speculators, were out-hidden, and compelled to leave places upon which they had labored for one or two years and made valuable improvements. Vienas Beckwith was one of this eluss; he settleil on n traet of land at Strawtown, in 1819, and cleared a portion of it. At the land sales, however, he was out-bidden by some enpitalists, who gave him the use of his improvement for another year, in order that he might gather the erops then growing on the farm. ITo afterward entered land on Section 2, in October, 1822.


Just prior to the arrival of Mr. Beckwith, Lambert and Jerry Heath and A. Johnson settled oear Strawtown. Jacob Hyer came in the same spring and embarked in trade with the Indians. Benjamin Fisher came from Clermont, County, Ohio, in the fall of 1819, and settled on the farm now owned by Thomas Caster. Hle planted a erop on the occasion of his first visit, and in June, 1820. brought his family to live on the land. Henry Shatterly came from Clermont County, Ohio, in the same year. He was a brother-in-law to Mr. Fisher, and set- tied on an adjoining tract of land, where he resided for upward of ten years. He removed from here to Madison County, and in 1850 removed to the State of Iowa.


Spencer Blackmore enme in 1821, and settled on a tract of land entered hy Jesse MeKay, about two miles northeast of Strawtown. He subsequently removed to the State of Illinois. Michael French settled near Strawtown carly in the year 1821, and William Peck and Elias Hoddy came in the fall of the same year. Mr. Peck settled on the farm now owned by James Webb, north of Strawtown, and Mr. Hoddy, then an unmarried man, settled south of the village, where he remained several years. He then entered the land on which he now lives. Benoni Freel settled in 1821, near Strawtown, and Samuel Mull settled on Section I in the same year.


George Foland came early in 1822, and, in September of the same year, entered a tract of land on Section 9. Jesse Wood came soon after Mr. Foland, and entered the land upon which the town of Woodville was subsequently laid ont. The name Woodville was scarcely recognized by the citizens, and the village lost its identity in Strawtown. Jacob Sigler settled nt Strawtown shortly after Mr. Wood. In the year 1823, there were other settlements effected in various portions of the township by the following persons : James Cochran, Joseph Wilson, Jacob White, Arthur Davidson, James Lee, Solomon Wise, Matthew Coy and William Dyer. During the years 1824-26, settle- ments were made by Nathan Blackmore, William S. Dickson, George Peck, John Elliott, Robert Sims and John Wickoff. During 1826, 1827 and 1828, the settlers were .James Carey, on Section 4, Jonathan Carey, on Section 35, and John Allman, on the same section. Isaac Sterns, Elliott Lee, Andrew Me- Clintock, William Lee, J. and Abisha Holloway settled in 1829; William Hick- man, William B. Hart, Jonathan Newby, Samuel Etherton and Elijah Brittenham in 1830. The lands along the margin of the streams were the points at which settlements were first made, and this was especially true of the White River bottoms, The interior of the township was settled and im- proved slowly, and, up to the year 1838, there were several sections in this portion of the township still remaining uninhabited. Entries were made in various portions of the township, between the years 1830 and 1839, by the following persons : Homer Brooks, James Tucker, Peter Auekenbaugh, l'eter Carey, Amos Gough, John Dever, Jesse Justico and George Hollowny.


EARLY EVENTS.


The first election nt Strawtown was held in the spring of 1825. Jerry K. Leaming and Michael French were appointed Overseers of tho Poor, and William Dyer, Inspector of Elections for one year. At this oleetion, J. K. Lenming was chosen Justice of the Penco, and was the first who held this office in the township.


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WHITE RIVER TOWNSHIP.


Henry Shatterly, son of Henry and Mary Shatterly, was the first white chill born in the township. He was born in 1820, and, in early manhood, removed to the State of lowa, where he still resides,


The death of Mra. Esther Freel, wife of Benoni Freel, in 1820, was the first ‹loath in the settlement, and the union of her surviving husband with the widow of Benjamin Fisher in December. 1821, was the first marriage ever celebrated here. There was then no civil government in the county, and the nearest poiot at which the marriage license could be procured was Indianapolis. Thither the bridal party repaired, and there the marriage was solemnized.


The first brick house was erected by Zenas Beekwith in 1827. The brick for this purpose were manufactured on his farm. This house is the present residence of his daughter, Mrs. Leaming.


The first store was opened by Jerry K. Leaming, at his farm near Straw- town, in 1825, and Bicknell Cole opened a stock of merchandise at Strawtown later in the same year.


The first tavern was kept by William Wallace in a building which still stands on the corner opposite the store of Coy & Ross, in Strawtown.


The first blacksmith was Robert Hleddy, who opened a shop in 1830 on the farmi now owned by Mr. Lytle, at the western extremity of Strawtown. For several years he was the only blacksmith in the township, but a shop was afterward operated by William Freel.


Early religions meetings were held at the houses of William Allman and James Freel, who were local preachers of the M. E. Church. About 1827, a class was organized at the house of Jonathan Carey, where meetings were held for several years. They never ererted a house of worship, but, in later years, united with the class at Perkinsville, and assisted in the erection of a church at that place.


THE MURDER OF BENJAMIN FISHER.


It is believed that none of the eye witnesses to this tragedy are now living, and like other occurrences that have been perpetuated only in traditional form, the story has become somewhat distorted by frequent repetition, rire roce ; consequently there are almost as many versions as there are people who have heard the circumstances narrated. Without attempting to correct what may be erroneous regarding it, we will give preference to the narrative of his daughter, Mrs. Simmerman, as told to the writer. It is substantially as fol- lows . One John Shintafler kept a stock of goods at Strawtown, consisting of such articles as were usually in stock among Indian traders, and of comse the inevitable whisky was a part of his merchandise. Of this the Indians pur- chased liberally and drank freely. On one occasion, in March, 1821, an Indian came to his establishment, half-intoxicated, and, after a few grumbling remarks, nerused Shintaffer of putting " heap White River " into his liquor, or in other words, diluting it with water from the river. Shintaffer, who was by no means a man of amiable temper, permitted his anger to overrule his judg- ment, and, seizing the drunken and almost helpless Indian, threw him violently into the midst of a log-heap then burning on his place, blind to, or careless of, the consequences that he knew must follow auch atrocity when the news reached the tribe. The Indian, unable to extriente himself from the fiery prison, yelled in his agony, while the white fiend stood by unmoved, unpitying, and witnessed his horrible death. Had he but pursued a different and more pacific course, the bloody sequel might have been averted ; but the Indians, whose amiable bearing toward the white invaders of their hunting grounds was far from sin- cere, were glad of an opportunity of gratifying an expression of the hatred that rankled in their breasts, under the specious plea of revenge. Accordingly, the news had scarcely reached the Indian camp, when ten or eleven braves, armed with tomahawks and clubs, repaired to the residence of Shintaffer. The latter saw them coming, and guessed the object of their visit. He made hasty prepa- rations for defense, and all the men then at home in the settlement, while they hnd no sympathy with Shintaffer in the commission of his crime, knew they must share the result of it, and formed themselves in line of battle to resist the savagea, and protect their homes. A fence divided the Indians from the settlers, and the battle began by one of the former picking up n hickory club, and throwing it at one of the white men. Some one returned the compliment with deadly effect upon one of the Indians, who then fled, pursued by the settlers. It was in this chase that Mr. Fisher received a death-wound from a tomahawk. Fearing the consequences of their raid, the Indians broke camp immediately, and left, it is said, for the neighborhood of Fort Wayne. Mr. Fisher had always been on friendly terms with them, but this friendship failed to protect him against their passion for revenge. Another account of this tragedy was contributed by a correspondent of the Anderson (Ind.) Democrat,


under the title of "A Strawtown Reminiscence," and republished in the Noblesville Ledger, of January 3, 1879. The narrative reads as follows :


" For several years after the admission of Indiana as a State in the Union, society in general was in a very chaotic and immoral condition. The trans- forming of the country and people from a state of semi-barbarism to one of intelligence and refinement could not be brought about in a short season, but must be the work of years. This portion of the State at that period was the home of several tribes of savage Indians, among whom could be numbered the Delawares, Miamis and Pottawatomies. Driven from one position to another by the continued encroachments of the whites, defeated in many bloody encounters by Wayne, Harrison, and other able commanders of the early days, and seeing the country, which for ages had heen their home, taken from them, it is not to be wondered at that they continually held deep feelings of revenge; and, although there was a quasi state of peace, there were frequent encountera between them and the first settlers, which, although not rising to the dignity of a battle, were attended with the loss of life and the shedding of blood.


" The valley of White River was a favorite home of the Indians, and there were large numbers of them residing along its banks, from Muncie's Town to Strawtown, and up to the year 1820, there were not, perhaps, a dozen white families dwelling along the country between the two pointa. Strawtown was, for many years, an important trading-post on the Western frontier, and large numbers of Indiana congregated there. * * * * *




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