USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock County, Indiana, from its earliest settlement by the "pale face," in 1818, down to 1882 > Part 15
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CENTER TOWNSHIP.
only intended to join through the sickly season." Mr. D. is in harmony with the doctrines of the Christian Church, and has ever been liberal in the support of the same. He is a democrat in principle, though not dogmatic in his views, and was always opposed to slavery. Mr. D. is president of the New Palestine gravel road, and has several times served as president of the Hancock Agricul- tural Society, and has ever been an enterprising, ener- getic citizen.
CHAPTER XIII.
GREEN TOWNSHIP.
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MAP OF GREEN TOWNSHIP.
SHOWING THE SECTIONS, TOWNSHIP AND RANGES OF WHICH IT IS COMPOSED.
Name and Organization .- This township took its name from John Green, the first settler, or at least one of the first settlers thereof. It was organized in 1832. and then consisted of sixty sections, the same territory now embod- ied in Brown and Green. It was taken from the north
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209
GREEN TOWNSHIP.
part of Harrison and Jackson, which in 1831 extended to the north line of the county. their southern boundary being the same as shown on map, page 89. In 1833 Brown was taken from the east part of the original Green township. leaving it composed of thirty sections, the pres- ent size. *
Location. Size. Boundary. ctc .- Green township is located in the central northern portion of the county. and in extent is five miles north and south and six miles east and west. being uniform in size with Brown and Blue- river. It is bounded on the north by Madison county. on the east by Brown township. on the south by Jackson and Center, and on the west by Vernon. It is located in township seventeen north and in ranges six and seven east. The west tier of sections is in range six east, and the remainder in range seven east. The range line runs one mile west of Eden. and forms the east line of Thomas McClarnon's farm.
Surface, Soil. Drainage, and Productions .- The sur- face is generally level and slightly undulating. with the exception of a small portion bordering along Sugar Creek. The greater portion of the soil is a black loam, rich and productive. and portions of the uplands a good clay. both red and blue. There is but very little third-rate land in the township at this date. since the recent attention given to tile draining and public ditching. The chief produc- tions are hogs, cattle. wheat, corn. horses, oats. flaxseed. and Irish potatoes. She has no factories. and owing to her distance from the railroad heretofore. she has not drawn so heavily on her forests as her sister townships have done. In 1830 she produced from 3.094 acres. 52.598 bushels of wheat; from 3.362 acres. 92.796 bushels of corn ; from 349 acres. 8.027 bushels of oats : being about an average township of the county. For the same year she reported 753 tons of hay. 265 bushels of Irish potatoes. and 905 lbs. of tobacco.
*For a fuller history of the organization and boanlarles see pages 31 and p.
210
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Streams. - Sugar Creek* takes a general diagonal course across the township. It enters on the east line, one and one-half miles south of the north-east corner, and runs one mile north-west; thence two miles south-west into section twenty-two, in the middle tier of sections ; thence in a general westerly course, passing Eden on the north, through sections twenty-one, twenty and nineteen to the center of section twenty-four ; thence in a south by south-west course, passing out of the township at the north- west corner of section thirty-six.
A small stream rises on the south line of section thirty- two, runs north by north-west, and flows into Sugar Creek on the west line of section nineteen.
Swamp Creek extends through sections thirty-two and twenty-nine, and enters Sugar Creek near the center of section twenty.
First Land Entries and First Settlers .- The first land entered in Green township was by William Shortridge, on the 26th day of May, 1829, being the northeast quarter of section nineteen, township seventeen north, in range seven east, lying north of Eden. John Green and Andrew Jack- son made entries a little later in the same year.
The first settlers were John Green, from whom the township was named; William Rickard, Miles Walker, Thomas Dorson, John Hanger, Vincent Cooper, John L. Alford, Abraham Rhue, Robert Walker (father of Rev. Miles Walker), Thomas L. Fuqua, and John Denney ; all of whom settled prior to 1833. Afterwards came Jona- than Horniday, Isaiah and Jesse Jackson, John Forgy, Willliam Thomas; Joseph, William and Jesse Roberts ; Jacob and William Amack, James Walker, Edward Bar- rett ; George Henry, associate judge ; Samuel Henry, William Galbreath, and John Myers. Most of the above have long since bid adieu to terrestrial scenes ; but are still green in the memory of many of the older citizens who will read these names. Many of them we are unable to
*To locate the streams accurately, observe our section map at the head of this chapter.
2II
GREEN TOWNSHIP.
learn much about, except that they were representative pioneer men, modest, unassuming, never aspiring to office. industrious, hardy and hospitable. Their names are doubtless written in the Lambs Book of Life, and are now found in the history of the county, to be handed down to the third and fourth generations, and remembered as the forerunners of a brighter civilization. There are doubtless others who might, with propriety, be placed in the list : but to name all would be tedious.
First Election, etc .-- At the first election held in Green in her original size, as shown on page 89, there were but nine votes cast. The election was held at the residence of Morgan McQuary. The first election in Green after Brown was struck off was held at the residence of John Hanger. The votes were cast in a hat, and covered with a kerchief. We hear of no complaints and serious charges of stuffing the ballot-boxes in those primitive days.
Historical Anecdote .- In June, 1833, Rev. Miles Walker, John Walker and Vincent Cooper, caught thirteen young wolves, about the size of a six months' cur dog, in the hollow of a log. They brought the scalps to Greenfield, and the county gave them a credit of fifty cents per scalp on their taxes, and the state paid a reward of the same amount in money. Before they could avail themselves of the bounty of either state or county, however, they had to comply with the law requiring them to take an " iron-clad " oath that they had never raised a female wolf, nor owned a male dog part wolf, for the last ten years. The policy of this requirement was to prevent citizens raising wolves for their scalps, and the reward obtained therefor. Wolves were numerous at this early date. and very destructive to sheep, and especially to lambs and pigs, insomuch that it was impossible to raise them without penning.
A Few First Things .- The first preacher in Green township was Stephen Masters, one of the pioneer preach- ers of the county, who is reported as the first and one of the first in all the north-western portions of the county. The first teacher was Miss Eliza Moore. The first physi-
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
cian was Paul Moore. The first death was that of Samuel Walker, buried at the Baptist church, in the west part of the township ; being the first burial also. The first road was the blazed route from Greenfield to Pendleton, the county-seat of Madison county. The first miller was George Mason. The first school was near Eden. The first church building was by the Baptists. The first church organization was by the Methodists. The first merchant was George Henry, father of Attorney Charles Henry, of Anderson. The first post-office was at Eden. The first tanners were Dudley Eakes and J. Price.
Mills .- In 1835 George Mason had erected the first water-mill, grist and saw mill combined, in the township, located on Sugar Creek, north-east of Eden. Indeed, it was the first mill of any kind in the township.
In 1836 William Beeson erected the second water-mill in the township. It was located about two and one-half miles east of Eden, and cracked corn and scratched logs for several years.
Subsequently Bragg & Guy built the first steam sash saw-mill in the township, near Eden. It was traded and sold several times, burned down in 1856, rebuilt by Sam- uel Archer, and finally moved away.
Dr. Samuel A. Troy, in 1865, put in operation a circu- lar saw mill, three miles east of Eden, operated it for a time, and then sold to Trueblood & Barrett. Barrett sold to Walker, and the new firm, Trueblood & Walker, moved it on the Henry land, south-west of Eden. It was then run for a time by Cooper & Roberts, and finally moved away.
A steam saw-mill was operated on II. B. Wilson's farm. three miles east of Eden, for a few years. It was moved away about 1878. -
About 1873, a steam saw-mill was set in operatlon at Milner's Corner, by Walton, Rule & Milner, which required about eighteen months to devour the saw timber in that vicinity, when it departed. A steam saw-mill was built at Eden, by C. Mingle, about 1875, and is still in operation.
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GREEN TOWNSHIP.
Stephen V. Tucker erected a steam saw-mill at Mil- ner's Corner in 1880, which is still running.
There are no factories nor flouring mills in the town- ship ; though there is a good opening for both, and espe- cially should the North and South railroad come through. as contemplated.
Roads .- Green township has twelve miles of toll pike, and ten miles the charter to which has been surrendered. The Greenfield and Pendleton pike extends across the township from north to south. There is a line extending from Eden to Warringotn ; one from Eden to McCords- ville : another from Eden to Fortville : and one from Eden to Milner's Corner. The last three lines do not extend to Eden directly, but intersect the North and South pike, near thereto, so that the several points mentioned are reached by pike.
Green is the only township in the county without a rail- road, and she recently voted $10,000 to the prospective Anderson and Shelbyville road, which, it is thought, will pass through Eden.
Educational. - " "Tis education forms the common mind ; as the twig is bent the tree is inclined." The first settlers, though void of a finished literary and classic edu- cation, and not even possessing the rudiments in many cases, yet they began early to give some attention to the education of their children, and small schools were sus- tained in the winter months in the more thickly settled neighborhoods where enough children could be gotten together to constitute a school, and a teacher could be secured to teach the young idea to shoot at from twenty to forty dollars per quarter and " found," or " board round." Among the first " school-masters " and " school-marms" of this section were Miss Eliza Moore, a relative of the present resident Moores of the township : George Henry, afterwards associate judge and representative ; David Mckinsey, a faithful, efficient instructor for the time, but now among the unfortunates faring in the county infirmary : and Sanford and Jehu Lewis, brother pedagogues. The
1
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
first school-house was built in 1836, and located a short distance north-east of Eden. It was one of those primi- tive " educational institutions" made wholly of saplings and split boards, without paint, putty, glass, iron, or mod- ern patent fixtures of any kind. Soon after this there was one of a similar kind in the north-east part of the township.
Green, however, like other townships outside of Cen- ter, was opposed to the establishment of free schools. In the vote of the county on the free school question in 1848. she cast seventy-five votes for " free school " and ninety- one votes for " no school"; and in 1849 the vote stood. " free school," forty-five ; " no school," one hundred.
The following table will show the names of the public school-houses in Green and the present instructors :
District No. 1. . . New Hope. . Wilson Dobbins.
District No. 2. . . Cass J. H. Barrett.
District No. 3. . . Christ. W. S. Porter.
District No. 4. . . Walker's W. W. Stanley.
District No. 5. .. Eden. J. W. Ryckman.
District No. 6. . . Ferrell. Rena Wilson.
District No. 7. .. Crane Pond . Charles H. Shank.
District No. S. . . Michigan J. E. White.
District No. 9. . . California Howard E. Barrett.
District No. 10. .. Purdue Lafavette Trittipo.
Green township has ten small frame school-houses. valued at, including grounds, furniture and outbuilding. $4,000. Her maps, charts, globes and other school appa- ratus are valued at $100. Total value of school property in the township, $4, 100.
There has been a gradual, steady decline in the num- ber of school children in this township since 1853, the first enumeration. The enumeration for 1853 was 474; for 1860, 406 ; for 1870, 388 ; for 1880, 384 ; and for 1881, 353 ; a decrease of 121 in the last twenty-eight years.
Township Trustees. - The following list shows the names of the trustees and their date of appointment from 1859, at which time they were empowered by law to levy
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GREEN TOWNSHIP.
a local tuition tax, and the office assumed some dignity and significance :
Meredith Gosney 1859 Andrew H. Barrett. 1869
Edward Valentine. IS6I William L. McKinsey. IS74
Joseph Barrett. I 865 Sidney Moore. ISSo
Edward Valentine. IS66
Remarks: Meredith Gosney, who figures extensively in the early history of the township, was the first trustee under the improved school law. He held the office for two terms of one year each. Edward Valentine carried the township through the perilous times of the civil war. being four times elected. Andrew H. Barrett was the first trustee who had the opportunity of voting for county superintendent of schools. We have dipped salt with "Andy" more than once. May he live long and prosper. William L. McKinsey held the office longer than any other trustee who has filled the place. Sidney Moore looks after the poor and pedagogues at this date.
Churches .- This township, for reasons unknown to the writer, is not as bountifully supplied with good buildings especially dedicated to the worship of the author of all good as her sister townships ; but possibly what she lacks in numbers she makes up in the efficiency of the few. Green reports three church buildings, viz. : Two Meth- odist Episcopal and one Christian. But it must be borne in mind that Green has no saloons or billiard halls, and. perhaps, less evil to counteract.
Population and Poll .- An examination of the United States census reports for the past few decades shows a slow growth for a time, and recently a decline in the pop- ulation. The report for 1850 gives her 1,019 souls ; for 1860, 1,076 ; for 1870, 1,177 ; and for 1880, 1, 166 ; a growth in twenty years of one hundred and fifty-eight and then a decline in the last ten years of eleven, for which we are scarcely able to account, considering her steady growth in wealth, good roads, and other improvements. But
216
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
there is a great tendency among the young in this fast age to leave the monotony of the country and seek the town and city. The railroad enthusiast would make an argu- ment in favor of railroads out of the circumstance ; and. indeed, it is rather a singular circumstance, if such it may be called, that the only township without a railroad should be the only one declining in population. The stickler for plain dress, rather than frivolous fashions, would say that it is owing to her having no dress-making establishments and milliner shops. The falling off in numbers seems not to have been among the men and boys for the last ten years. There was only a loss of four school children during the decade, while there was an increase of thirty-one taxable polls, the numbers standing thus : Taxable polls for 1870. 190 ; for 1880, 221 ; and for 1881, 231 ; showing an increase of forty-one taxable polls in eleven years. But we will state the facts and figures, and leave the reader to draw his own conclusions. The polls in Green for 1840 were 130 ; in 1850, 149 ; in 1860, 178.
Vote .- Green township for 1860 cast 184 votes ; for 1870, 229 : for 1880, 286; with a democratic majorty of fifty-four for 1880. The vote stood: Democratic, 170 ; republican, 116. The voting precinct is Eden.
Value of Real and Personal Property .- Green town- ship is assessed on 19,194 acres of land. valued at $372,- 110, and improvements on the same valued at $101.050, being an average of about $25 per acre. Value of lots, $1,625 : value of improvements on same, $9.120. Value of personal property, $129,670. Total value of taxables, $613.595. The total value of taxables for 1839 was $60,- 930. less than one-tenth of the amount for 1881.
Taxes .- Green township paid taxes to the amount of $599.19 in 1842, $836.18 in 1850, $3.465.52 in 1860, $5.652.34 in 1870, and the levy for 1881. to be paid in 1882, is $6,528.44 ; an examination of which shows a rapid growth in taxation. The levy on each $100 is ninety-four cents.
The following list shows the heavy tax-payers in Green
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GREEN TOWNSHIP.
township : being a complete showing of those who will pay $40 taxes and upward in 1882 :
Alford, John $ 41 38 Jarrett, Neri. $ 63 78
Alford, S. L
41 00
Keller, E. E
100 S3
Barrett, E. H.
53 32
Keller, J. W 61 34
Barrett, William, heirs 66 79 Keller, J. M.
83 15
Barrett, Isaac S
54 95
McCarty, J. P.
60 22
Boots, Joseph 44 37
Mingle, Adam 43 69
Barnard, R. Y
152 43
Moore, P. J., heirs 71 91
Baity, D. HI.
64 03
Martindale, J. N 50 43
Bulett, G. A.
40 00
Olvey, L. D.
S2 63
Collins, William. 47 72
Piper, J. M.
58 86
Crist, John. 67 97
Ryon, J. S. 4º 35
Cupp. Peter.
43 77
Roberts, Leander. 90 17
Cass, James F
84 48
Smith, Jonathan 47 34
Franks, M. L
61 69
Trueblood, J. M +4 39
Franks. G. P
41 51
Troy, C. H.
74 65
Henry, Samuel.
65 20 Wilson, H. B ..
82 69
Hunt, Jehu.
104 54
Wilson, Archibald 62 90
Jackson, John
55 57
Wilson, William. 70 06
Law and Esquires .- The policy of our law is to bring justice near the door of every man, to offer an opportunity for the convenient adjustment of petty grievances at the least possible expense to the people. For this purpose Indiana, following in the wake of the English custom, wisely embodied in her constitution a provision for the election in each township of a competent number of jus- tices of the peace, who shall continue in office four years. These officers are empowered to act in both a ministerial and judicial capacity. Ministerially. in preserving the peace. Judicially. as when he convicts for an offense. In the prosecution of said policy, the following men have filled the office of justice of the peace for a time, being elected at the dates set opposite their names :
John L. Alford IS33
Miles Walker IS50
Andrew J. Hatfield. Unknown Michael Copper IS53
John Furgason . .. . Unknown Wm. Cook . . . IS58, 1862, 1866
15
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Elijah S. Cooper. . . 1841, 1846 R. M. Fuqua. IS63 James Jones .. IS43 Isaac Barrett. 1 867
W. R. Ferrell,
J. M. Trueblood,
1846, 1855, 1859, 1878
1869, 1873, 1877
John Price. 1848
M. M. Addington 1848
William Barrett .. 1849, 1854
W. T. Hamilton. 1870
William Collins 1 SSo
Remarks: John L. Alford was the first justice in the township. Twelve of the above number served one term each. Elijah S. Cooper and William Barrett filled the office for eight years each. William Cook and J. M. Trueblood were each three times elected. W. R. Ferrell. who was first elected thirty-five years ago, is now on his fourth term. Ferrell and William Collins preside at the scales of justice in the township at this date. About half of the above have bid adieu to earthly courts, to appear at the bar Divine before the Judge Supreme of all the earth.
First Business .- The first business of this section was done at Pendleton, where the pioneers went to exchange their furs, ginseng. venison, and porkers, for a few of the staple articles. For milling they went to Fall Creek. The first stores in the township were at Eden, a central point for the first settlements. Among the first merchants were George Henry, C. & J. Lewis, J. & E. McPherson. J. A. Alford, the "Squire," and Hiram Barrett. Later were Brandt & Fry and Barrett & Co. Very early in the history of the township Dudley Eakes run a tannery in the south-west part of the township, on Leander Roberts's farm. His vats consisted of large troughs made of walnut. Later John Price had a tannery in Eden. In 1850 Spea- gle carried on a blacksmith shop in the eastern part of the township. Jonathan Smith opened a store at Willow Branch in 1853, and was the first postmaster on the estab- lishing of the post-office in 1854.
Physicians .- The first settlers of Green, in case of serious sickness, called for aid on the medical talent of Pendleton and Greenfield. The first resident physician
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GREEN TOWNSHIP.
was Paul Moore, followed by William Loder, Jones & Edwards (the latter of whom is now holding forth in Greenfield), and J. J. Carter.
Ex-County Officers .- This was the home of George Henry, associate judge, county surveyor, and representa- tive. Here lived Andrew T. Hatfield, representative : Elijah S. Cooper, county treasurer ; Samuel Archer, sheriff; and Robison Jarrett, commissioner. Jonathan Smith, ex-commissioner, is still among the living.
Prominent Families,-This is the home of the Barretts. Ferrells, Mingles, Walkers, Robertses, Wilsons, Jarretts. Alfords, Coopers, Henrys, Moores, Crists, Troys, Collins, Kellers. Barnards, Franks, Cooks, Smiths, Mckinseys. Baitys, Truebloods, McClarnons, and Olveys.
Murders and Fatal Accidents .- In, or about, 1831, two men, who were from Madison county, camped out in the woods, and built a fire beside a dead tree, as a protection against the wolves, and retired for the night, during which the tree set on fire fell on one of them. The other built a . pen around him, to prevent his being devoured by the wolves, while he procured assistance to remove the log from the body.
Michael Crist, father of John and George, was found dead in the public highway, near the Crist school-house. April 26, 1876. Aged eighty-five years.
On the 8th of May, 1877, William Cook, Esquire. was found dead in the woods beside a log, near where he had been cutting wood.
A boy by the name of Johnson was killed at the Cooper saw-mill, a few years since, by a saw-log rolling over him.
The most foul, atrocious, diabolical and unnatural mur- der that we are called upon to record in the history of the county was perpetrated, on the night of June 7th, 1878, in Green township, on the persons of Mrs. Sarah Jane Wil- ¿son, aged forty-three years, widow of the late Woodford Wilson, and her little niece, Anaretta Cass, aged six years. The strange, sad news of this atrocious double murder
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
soon spread throughout the county, and before noon of the next day hundreds of people could be seen rapidly making their way to the sad scene, and surrounding the house were hundreds more, filled with anguish and anger at what had transpired. By whom and just how this scene was enacted, has never been legally determined. The plain facts in the case are about as follows: Mrs. Wilson and
SARAH JANE WILSON.
her little niece lived alone on her farm, about two miles east of Eden. They were at peace with the world, having harmed no one, and anticipated no trouble or personal violence from any body, and had only taken the usual pre- caution of locking the doors and windows, not deeming it necessary to go to the trouble and expense of having addi- tional company to stay with them of nights. Next morn- ing Mrs. Wilson was found dead, lying on her face on the
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GREEN TOWNSHIP.
floor in the sitting-room, in her night clothes, partially cov- ered with a thin comfort. Anaretta was found on the floor near the door of their bedroom, lying almost naked. The bodies were examined by good physicians, which devel- oped the fact that they had come to their deaths by stran- gulation from pressure of the thumb and fingers of the left hand of a man, the marks of the ends of the fingers
2
ANARETTA CASS.
being plainly visible on either side of the trachea. It is left to circumstantial evidence, theory and reason to deter- mine the cause and manner of this double crime. It is supposed that the party, or parties, by some means gained entrance to the rear of the house, committed the rash act, and made his, or their, exit at the front door, breaking a glass beside the door in passing out. The theory is sup- ported by the fact that the broken pieces of glass were
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
found on the porch and none on the inside of the room. Considerable effort was made to discover the guilty parties, but to no avail. Time and eternity may develop the facts, but as yet it is shrouded in mystery. We only know that two innocent lives were violently and suddenly plunged into eternity by some hellish fiend in human form. Who can look at the portraits of the innocent victims, and con- template the atrocity of the crime, without feelings of holy indignation ?
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