History of Hamilton County, Indiana : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 9

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 9

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).

Little Weasel is one of the tributarios of Cierto Creek, and. from its sonter in Section 1. Township 20, Range 5, it flows in a southwesterly course, and empties into Cierro, in Section 1 of Jackson Township; the other tributarios of Cicero Creek are the West Civera, which has its saurer in Section 3. Town- ship 19, Range 3, and forms in junction in Section 15. Jackson Township; Hinkle Creek, which has its souree in Sertion 2, Township 19. Range 3, atel. after forming a junction with Lick Creek at Deming the latter being formed by a union of its waters with Indian Branch, in Section IS Township 19. Bange I, then flow - into Cierre in Section 22, Noblesville Township.

Finley Branch rise in Section 5. Township 19. Range %, and flowing thence in a southwesterly direction, passes through the west side of Section 38, of the some township and range, into Boone County. Little Eagle Creek rives in Sertioas 22 and 23, in the same township and range, whence it runs in a somdowesterly direction, and passes into Boone County from the northwest corner of Section 19, in Clay Township.

Lam Branch rises in Sertion 29, and run- southwesterly direction inte Bonne County, from the northwest corner of Section 6, in Township 17, Range #1.

Williams' Creek has its sommer in Section 22, Township Is, Range 3. From thence it runs southward, and. after forming a junction with MeDatley's Crock in Section 11, Township 17, Range 3, it passes into Marion County on the south side of the same section.

Town Ron rises in Section 35, Township 18, Range 3, and rous southeast erly through Delaware Township; leaving the county near the southeast Porner of Section 8, Township IT, Range 1, it passes into Marion County.

Cold Creek has its sover in Section 26, Township 19, Range 3, and run- east and south, forming a junction with tirassey Creek in the suntheost quarter af Surtion G, east of Westfield.

This last named crock has its source in the northeast quarter of Section 30. Township 10, Range 3 ; after firming the junction with Cool Creek, it How- seth and east, through Washington inte Delaware Township, where, war the northwest corner of' Section 3, in the latter township, it flows into White River.

Mod Greek rises in the northwest corner of Section 21, in Delaware Town ship, and flows thence southeast into White River, in the northwest corner of Section 3, in the same township. Sena Creek rives in Section to in Delaware Township, and runs nearly in n west course, putting inte White Hiver nent the southwest corner of Section 3.

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Box Eller

Diştryja Vurgutra .. .

Paulus monobfera.

Wild Bed Plum.

.Siberian Cinb Apple.

quercus alba ..

Sweet Gium

Magnolia cardatt.

Water ich

HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

The tributaries of Fall Creek on the south are Flat Fork and Bee-camp, and Thep's Creek on the north ; the latter has its source in Section 20, Town- whip 18, Range ti, Bast.

Sand Creek rises in Section 5. in the same township and range, and runs southwesterly, forming a junction with Mod Creek, which, from its source in

the southeast quarter of Section 29, Township 19, in Range 6, flows in a southwesterly direction to its junction, whence, the water flowing sonth and west, they are known as Mud Creck, and pass into Marion County from Section 7, in Delaware Township.

PIONEER PERIOD.

CHAPTER L.

sidents, Etc.

? V treaty with the Delaware Indians, concluded at. St Mary's, Ohio, un 1) the shi day of October, 1518, the lands eminared in the territory ocen- pied by Hamilton County were ceded to and became the property and under the control of the United States. Pursuant to the terms of that treaty, the Delawares, having been allowed the right to orenpy the immovements before made by them, during a period of three years subsequent to the date thereof, yielded up all their possessions so guaranteed to them, exerpt such tracts as had been reserved by personal designation, in 1820 and 1821, and moved to the hands appropriated to their use and beenpancy west of the Mississippi River. In the mean time, however, early in the year 1819, after the ratifica. tion of the treaty by Congress, occasional adventurous pionerismen, seeking homes and employment, made settlements within these borders. Among the first of these, after Willin Commer, perhaps the very first, were the family of George Shirts, consisting of himself, wife and three children, who are said to have come here some time in the year 1818, probably in the fall after the tresty, and settled on what is now known as the " old William Conner prairie fum," and, soon after. Solomon Finch aml Sarah, his wife, who, with five eluldren, on their way hither, crossed White River at the mouth of Stoney Creek, on the 19th of April, 1819. & With his family came also Israel Finch, Aaron Finch, Amasa Chapman, Junes Willison, William, John and Jared Bush. In September following, John Finch, Father of II. G. Finch, came here also and made a settlement. In the spring of the same year, possibly not until the spring of 1820, Charles Lavey, from Fayette County, in this State, selected a homestead, and, after " cutting off a patch of ground," he planted corn. Having done this much, he returned to his former home, and rame back with his family. This early homestead continued to be owned and occupied by him up to the time of his death.

Next to the last named, perhaps, was John D. Stephenson, who came here Sor permanent settlement about the year 1821. Prior to this date, however, in the month of September, 1819, Hiram G. Finch, son of John Finch, above named, came here from Fayette County, Ind., and settled on " Horseshoe prairie," two miles south of Noblesville. Mr. Finch is said to have chopped the logs for the construction of the second cabin in Noblesville. In that department he was especially proficient, and numerous specimens of his handi- craft were to be seen in the neighborhood fifty years ago. This second cabin was built for Dr. John Finch, in 1821, near the " elm trees," on the bank of White River, just above the Medical Spring " Of all the pioneers of 1818 and 1819, only two remain, * * * Sidney Shirts, now a resident of Towa, nud James G. Finch, one of the live children of Solomon and Sarah Finch,"

Jonathan Colburn, wife and one child, landed here on the 11th of March, 1823, and became permanent settlers. Mr. Colburn is still alive and in the enjoyment of substantial health-a well preserved man. On the 1 1th of Feb- ruary, following, Sammel Walls, father of Barton Walls, settled on what is now known as the " Conrad farto."

" THE FIRST."

Sidney Swift Shirts is claimed to have been the first white male child boru in Hamilton County, the exact date of whose bisth, however, is not now known, but sometime before 1820; and Laura Finch was the first female child, the daughter of Solomon and Sarah Finch. The second white male child was Solomon Finch, Jr., born November 20, 1820, on " Horseshoe prairie." The second female child, white, was Lavina Conner, daughter of William Conner. -- The third white male child born in the county was A. ...

Lacy, born August 1, 1822. "The first male white child born in Noblesville wax Milum Cogswell, sometime in the year 1825, the first frmale white child born in Noblesville, Eliza A. Stephenson," daughter of John D. Stephenson.

"The first house built in Noblesville was built by William Hash for a Mi. { JJasiah F. ] Polk, one of the original owners of the ground where Noblesville now stands. Mr. Pulk was then a single man, but report has it that he was engaged to be married to a Miss Lavina Noble; and, it is said, he caused veg ctables to be sown in his first garden in letters that spelled her name, and she went back on him. This house, or rather cabin, was built. nut far from where the seminary building now stands."

"The first white peram buried in this ementy, thit we have any record of, was Mrs. George Shirts," who died sometime early in the year 1819, s mon after the arrival of the family iu this county. " A rude coffin was made for her by the Indians, from puncheons, and she was buried by them in an Indian graveyard." "The first white person buried in the old graveyard was Lawrence Willison, the father of Fames."

The first mill in the county was built by John Finch, run by horse-power, and known as " Finch's horse-mill;" it stood a few rods above his house, on the prairie. The belt by which the power was transmitted from the "trend- wheel" to the machinery was made of rawhide, and answered the purpose well. The power thus generated, however, was not very great, nor was the machinery ruo at very high speed; hence, as a consequence, the grinding proc- cas was very slow, but then there were only a few customers to be necomino- dated in the immediate vicinity. That class of mills was very common in those days. The first water mill in the county was built by Mr. Foster, on Stoney Creek, just below what is now known as the " Dill mill dam," between that and the fording-place on that creek. This "ohl mill" was washed nway by a freshet, in 1824. Under the circumstances, this mill being the only one in the vicinity to be relied upon for the necessary supplies of "cracked corn " and menl, the neighbors, as soon as the fact became known to them, came in from miles around and worked two days, faithfully, to avert the calamity as far as possible, and compensate, by their labor, for the damage sustained. Their active zeal in the work was rewarded by a complete restoration of the dam and mill at the end of that time, and the "grinder" was turning out "grista" as if nothing had happened, on the second day after the accident. It was long known as " Betts' mill ; " it stood about twenty rods below the site of the present mill on that creek.

" Old Father Mallory " was among the early settlers of the county. Besides being about the first of the pioneer schoulteachers, he was the first Sunday- school Superintendent. llis efficient work in this department is a lasting monument of his zeal and activity in well-doing.

The first blacksmith was Israel Finch, who came here and settled, as we have seco, in the year 1819. The first work done by him was making bells and knives for the Indians, and hoes, and other necessary implements in his line, for the settlers. His reputation extended fur nud wide, being especially skilled in the manufacture of bells, knives and hoes. In significant apprecia- tion, the Indians designated his bells as " heap much good."

George Shirts, who, while he was probably the first of the permanent settlers, was also the first shoemaker in the county. His business was chiefly confined, in those early days, to shoe, pack and mocensin making, in which maintaining a monopoly, he was recognized as excellent.

The first sermos preached to white people in Hamilton County, was at the house of John Finch, on Hurseshne Prairie by whint was then known and commonly called, n " Hard shell " Baptist prencher, in the summer of . 1820. llis name was either Childers or Corbly, and the result of his labors, then and thero, was the addition of two members, Sarah and Margaret Finch, to his church. Tho first Sunday school cvor held in the county was at tho

IHISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

house of " Old Father Mallory," whose cabin theo stood just above the old house, on that portion of the Voss farm, now known as the " Mallory farin," one mile below Noblesville.

The first building erected in Noblesville for hotel purposes-a "tavern"- was by Milburn Davis, but was kept by George Shirts. Mrs. Shirts was said to be capital on " coro prone," as it was called, and the travelers inquired in after days for the landlady that made good " corn-pone bread." Corn bread was the recognized " staff of life " in this locality, because con. being the staple production, suppdied bread material for home consumption, flour from wheat being rarely, or never, in demand. Wheat was not raised, and, as a con- sequence, there was no flour except as it was brought from Connersville, and that was infrequent, because it was an expensive luxury and not well adapted to the habits and wants of primitive settlers. Corn, however, for immediate consumption, in advance of its being raised here, was purchased and brought from distant settlements. At a later date, as early as 1820, the surplus prod- ueta of this grain in Hamilton County territory were soll chiefly to " new comein " to this settlement. Subsequently, when permanent settlements were begun at Indianapolis and the country adjacent, the needy settlers came here, parchased corn, and transported it down the river in canoes,

While these first days of the new settlement wie passing in the quiet enjoyment of fare incident to pioneer life, pressing wants for a more compre- hensive "bill of fare," were often supplied from the adjacent forests, " Wild game and wild hogy were plenty " and fish abundant. An incident in point in related by Mr. A. F. Shirts, the author of some reminiscent notes recently published in one of the county papers " I remember on one vecasion, when we had company but no meat, my father asked my mother how long she could wait for ment. She said half an hour. He then threw off his sharmaker's apron, took his gun from the rack, walked down to what is now called Corner street, to the elm trees on the bank of the river ; stood there-say ten min utes, when I saw him cautiously raise his gun, heard the repent and saw him run. He had shot a fine young doe in what is now called the ' medical spring,' and we had venison for supper. The young deer had come from P'inm I'rairie, as we called it, for a good rool drink, and thereby lost her life. The Plum Prairie was what is now called the Prairie Farm, and owned by leonard Wild. Such plums as grew there! My mouth waters get, when I think of the large red and yellow plums, and so rich ; the plminy of this day, although cultivated, will searrely bear a comparison. There were strawberries there also, with such delicious flavor ; not as large as those cultivated in the present age, but far superior in flavor. I would much prefer going into that natural garden for plums and strawberries than to the gardens of the present day. But 1 may be prejudiced in favor of these ancient customs and times." And who, of all that have in times past lived amid such surroundings, and ns he enjoyed the beanties of nature in their primitive naturalness, would not ? The retrospect is contagious. Among the early births, next to the first in the county, we note Amos P. Finch, son of Subunun and Sarah Finch, March 21, 1824; William 1. Shirts, February 23, 1823, and A. F. Shirts, his brother, Novem- her 26, 1824. The following incident, from which Cierro Creek is said to have derived its name, is thus related : "The lands in this county were sur- veyed by Judge [ William B. ] Laughlin, of Brookville, in 1821. He had a som named Cierro. One day the son undertook to drink from the stream, and, losing his hold, he plunged into the creek, and his father at once named the crerk Cicero."

The first physician in Noblesville was Dr. John Finch, an account of the building of whose cabin, the second one within the original limits of the city, has been given. He seems to have enjoyed a monopoly, if such it might be called in that day, in the practice of his profession ; yet, however, in view of the sparseness of the population, it is not probable that he passed many sleep- less nights in attendance upon the calls of the sick and the afflicted.

THE FIRST TRADER.

The first person to embark in the Indian trade in this county was William Conter. His store was four miles below Noblesville. Prior to the incoming of white settlers, his trade way exclusively with the Indians, who had great confidence in his integrity and in the accuracy of his judgment. It is related of him "that when the Indians came in to trade, they were paid in part for their furs in whisky. They were required by Mr. Couner to pay for each article as it was sold. One gullon of whisky would be measured out to them and then paid for, and then another ; and so on until the furs were all taken up." Ho had long resided with the Shawanoco, and was also very familiar with the manners, customs and usages of both tribes, and with the White

" Water, White River and Wabash tribes generally. His word was law with all of them. In the case of the killing of Indians in the spring of 1521, for which Hadson and others perished on the gallows, it was chiefly through his instru- mentality and interposition that the laws of the State were permitted to be ex- ecuted in due course without the interference of the adjacent Indians, whuse custom it was to take such matters into their own hands and mete out savage retribution upon the perpetrators of the outrage upon their race.

Another Indian trader, named Bennett, a Frenchman, had a store stocked with trinkets and other commodities incident to trathe with the Indians, situ ated on the west side of White River, below Strawtown. His trade, though inconsiderable, supplied the wants of such of his customers as were wont to exchange their fury and peltries for whisky, blankets, powder and lead. At this day but little appears to be known of' him, beyond the fart of his having, late in the days of Indian control in this county, held a portion of their trade.

A NEURO AMONG THE INDIANS,

Another incident proper to be noted here, we copy from the " Reminis- cencex" of Mr. Shirts, as follows :

" In June, ES19, on Sunday, my grandmother had been to see some of her neighbors, and had worn the only pair of shoes she possessed. On her return home, she had pulled off her shoes and set them just outside the door of the cabin. Quite a notober of Indians were, at the time, around and abont the cabin, and when they had all departed for their camps, my grandmother's shoes were found to be missing. She was very much annoyed and troubled on account of the loss of her shoes, for two reasons . First, she did not have the money to buy another pair of shoes, and, srand, she could not procure another pair short of Connersville, a distance of sixty miles. It so happened that soon after the loss of the shoes, the negro, Smith, called at the rabin, and may grandmother made known to him her troubles. Smith, who was reported as being a good-looking negro and intelligent, said to her, 'Never mind, your shoes will come back.' Sure enough, in a short time the negro brought back the shoes. Smith, from that time on, was a great favorite with the white srt- tiers. He remained in the new purchase, as this county was then called, work- ing for the white people, until sonne time in the year 1821, when a stalwart Kentnekiun came in to look at the country, found Smith here, immediately returned to Kentucky, prepared himself with proper authority for the capture of Smith, and carried him off to bondage in the cotton licht- of the South. Smith protested that he was not the property of the persons claiming him and the settlers believed him; but they were powerless to protect him. And, in the opinion of those early settlers, the life of an innocent man was sacri- ficed to and for the peculiar and pet institutions of the State of Kentucky. Smith was a favorite among the early settlers on account of his good qualities ; was a man of good disposition, and was very kind at heart, ever ready to assist those in distress. Why he was among the Indians atthat time I do not know, and I presume never will."

The first brick house built in the county was by William Conner, in 1823, near the northwest corner of Section 15, Township 18 porth, Range 5 cast. It is still standing, and is the property of .I. D. Evans' estate.

About the year 1828, the first carriage ever seen in Noblesville, passed along the street, drawn by an ox. The vehicle was old, heavy wheeled, a large unwieldy "body," and every way clumsy in the make-up. The running gars were equally unique, and though unpretentious, were nevertheless substantial. The collar was made of corn husks; the harness was old and somewhat dilapi- dlated ; the lines were ropes, tied one to each horn of the ox, and extending back to the carriage in which the driver ant. It was a prodigy in its way.

THE PIONEER'S " CARIN."

During the wilderness period, the ambition of a pioneersmann was not so much to creet a palace as to find a home, or rather, to make one, and his life energies were dedicated to that purpose. When the distance from the ancient homestead was not great, it was common for the head of the family to make the trip to the site of his prospective domicil without the company of his fam- ily, and, having arrived there, to select the building spot, clear away the forest trees, and lay the foundation of his "cabin home." This completed, the work of building commenced, with the assistance of neighbors, if any there were, within five to twenty miles. Neighbors were generally found within there distances, a part of whose mutual obligation it was to aid and nasist their co-laborers in the work of leveling the forests nud making the wilderness give place to cultivated fielde; barbarism to civilization. Descriptively, this enbin homo consisted of one room, usually 16x18, or 18x20 feet, in dimensions, ono

HAMILTON

AREA AND NUMBER OF ACRES

Square Miles

Number of Acres

Adams

Jacksou

35338 33

WhileRiver

3+6293+

Washington

35266 2+

Noblesville

30 899 86

Warne

20 37/ 28

Clay

30-

19 213 78

Delaware _

22 649 13

Fall Creek

22012 81

Totul

++00

219.990.90

R.3 E

RAE

R. 5 E

R.6E

£19.32

615.79

510 32

50€63

590 96

566 34

562,66

622.40

265,43

505 71

5 65 48

55048

See12

54.J9

976.64

6+107

€4156

652.56

5 '800

1 30

++12.

52140

56596

-8

₭: : 48

bien Analey 14 85 1850

7 55

White

559 62 4 179

€+370

EtLIFE

575 97

59970

€/4 84

5$154

0459€

61726

€ 10 15

€ 19 14

619 43

17541

ن د

150 huiles

+3514

63197

t2ite

62467

428 80

10509

19910

072 14

DOUFy

Ean 97

490.74

19890

63175

673 /12

24 R

69925:

60798

. 61997

ALB 50

FF322

: 45

3 3

45:00

14.7

KEF 851

6$4 18

A1889

65009

512.16

679.11

£13.31

65260

69998

A86.16

697 85

€2160

€4 1 24

ROPIZZ

03563

€3700

634 79

€ 687

89 497

69190

636 39

637 +7

674-F

Send 12 laks

* First land Entered in the several Congressional Townships of Hamilton County

45714

1 38

KA 97

-1

MONarm 1814

*6505

Wilendonkn !!

Egy0 427V.

55820

JSimison

---

5 -448 Vialler

055

AP3 77

29 211 18

1499169

HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

story of about eight rounds in height, nod covered with clapboards of oak or nsh; the floor made of puncheons, either split. from straight timber, or, more generally, hewn, leveled and straightened with the broadax, and resting upon round loge straightened on one side and leveled, to make the puncheons steady. The door-way was made by cutting ont entire enough logs to make it of the proper height, frequently, to add to the perpendicular length of the aperture, entting ont one half, more or less, of the upper and lower logs to admit of casy entrance. This aperture was usually faced, or "checked, "as the term was, with a piece of timber split out or hewn to fit, and pinned to the spare ends of the logs. The door, instead of being paneled or " battened " was made of stabs rived or hewo to make them adjustable, pinned to arms, instead of battons, one end of which projected sufficiently, so that, with an ioch auger hole bored through, it could be made to turn on spiadied shoulder pieres pinned to the edge of the door " check," thus forming improvised binges. The fastening was a large wunden latch and "catch" on the inside, with a lifting string at. tached, called a " latch- string," which, after passing through the door, hung outside. While the latele-string was ' out." admittance was understood to be free, when it was "drawn in," however, " no admittance" was prochimed. The latch string, in those days, was pearly always out.

The window-way consisted of an opening made by cutting away half'n log above and below. Instead of glass, greased paper formed the covering to keep out wind and rain, and admit. the tight through its semi-transparent fabric. The fireplace usually occupied a large proportion of one end of the building, the opening for which was from right to ten feet wide by five feet high. Hearth and jamba, in the alisewer of stomme, were made of " eat and clay," or of moistened clay " pressed solid " and thoroughly dried, while the chimney was of small split sticks, built up in prepared mod or clay. This about completed the cabin. The furniture was nlike plain, adapted to comfortable ner rather than ornament. Stools were used instead of chairs, while the table was a bv. brought from the home settlement, or made of clapboards pinned on cross- pieces, with four long pins fitted and wedged into auger-holes, for legs. Sta- tionary corner bedsteads were made by having one post placed the proper dis- taner for width and length, with holes bored through at right angles, so that the peeled sapling rails coubl be fastened, one end in the post and the other in holes bored into the opposite walls, and all wedged tight. Instead of bed- cords, claphoards were laid across and fastened. On this structure the bedding was placed. A " dresser," made by driving pins into holes bored in the wall, and clapboards pdaerd on them, was the pioneer housekeeper's cupboard. Such was the furniture outfit of our fathers and mothers, who, coming here in the early days of Hamilton County, wrought out for themselves and their children comfortable homes.

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History of Hamilton County, Indiana : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 9

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

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