USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock County, Indiana, from its earliest settlement by the "pale face," in 1818, down to 1882 > Part 21
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Bonge. For a number of years they cleared up, fenced, and made a home in the swamps. Mr. Lange sold his 160 acres eight years after, and settled in Terre Haute, where he was mayor of the city for a time, and auditor of Vigo county for a number of years. He was three times the nominee of the republican party for auditor of state, to which position he was elected in 1860, and filled the place of trust with credit to himself and honor to the peo- ple. Indeed, Mr. L. was a prominent citizen of the state until his death. Mr. B. sold his quarter section also about twelve years after entering. He then settled over the line in Cumberland, Marion county, where he resided and engaged in the mercantile business. Here he lived, a useful citizen, to a good old age, and died only a few years since ; and his pioneer wife, the first German woman that ever located in this prosperous German settlement, is still living. She was born in 1813, at Heil Bron, in the kingdom of Wurtemburg. Germany, and was married to said Carl Julius Leopold Albert Von Bonge in the year 1831, at Dayton, Ohio.
By the location and influence of Mr. Bonge and Mr. Lange, a German doctor, by the name of Ronenberg, who came from Buckeburg, Schaumburg-Lippe. Ger- many, established himself near them. Through the influ- ence of these three worthy, prominent men, numerous others were induced to follow. Among the first were Geo. Nolener, John Schreiber, Mr. Wolframm, Chas. Oswold, Mr. Linbricht, Anthony Wishmeier, Benj. Rothe, Jacob Schramm, Andrew Finck, Christian Schildmeier, Wm. Reasoner, Charles Brewer, Ludwig Richmann, Wilhelm Rushaubt, Anthony Kirkhoff, Anthony Meier. Daniel Faut and John Grene. These were a few of the pioneers who settled here from 1830 to 1840, followed by many of their relatives, friends and acquaintances, each of whom cast in his might to make the German settlement what it is to-day-the garden spot of Hancock county. As before stated, they have their churches and schools, and are taught honesty, industry and frugality. Let the young
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
from the above history learn the lesson that " it is an ill wind that blows nobody good ;" that a kite rises against the trial current, and not with it. The hanging of John Brown was the hanging of slavery ; religious persecution in England planted the pilgrim fathers on Plymouth Rock, and political differences in Prussia, Germany, drove Carl Julius Leopold Albert Von Bonge and the Hon. Albert Lange to America, to form the nucleus around which should chuister the persecuted and poor, the young and old of their native countrymen, to aid in converting the marsh into the meadow, the forest into fields, and the deep. tangled wildwood into beds of roses and broad acres of golden grain. Long live their memory.
WILLIAM C. BARNARD.
The subject of this sketch, a native of Hancock county, was born May 31, 1843, and was the third son of Reuben Barnard, a prominent citizen, farmer and stock-raiser of Sugar-creek township.
Educational advantages being limited at the time he was growing up, he received instructions from his father during the winter months, and worked on the farm in the summer. In the year 1862, he entered Butler University, and remained there three terms, gaining the esteem of the faculty and advancing rapidly. In the fall of 1863, he entered Bryant's Commercial College, at Indianapolis, and completed a regular course of book-keeping, with its col- lateral branches, March the 5th, 186.4.
He was married May the 29th, 1867, to Amanda Gib- son, of Marion county, Indiana, since which time he has been actively engaged in farming and stock raising, and has been very successful. His thrift and industry have gained for him the admiration of the community.
Mr. Barnard has been three times elected trustee of the township, and as often elected secretary of the county board of education, and perhaps has done as much to raise
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WILLIAM C. BARNARD.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
the standard of our common schools as any person that has held the office of township trustee in the county.
Mr. Barnard is a young man, of nervo-bilious tem- perament, medium height, dark complected, strong and vigorous, with black hair, a piercing eye, and an active mind.
AARON POPE.
The subject of this sketch was born in Shelby county, about five miles south of Palestine, on September 16, 1844. ITis father was in moderate circumstances, and unable to give his son a collegiate education ; but might have given him an opportunity to attend the public schools of the district, had he fully appreciated the importance of an education. Hence young Mr. P. was compelled to live in comparative ignorance until large enough to labor with his own hands, and thereby obtain means to purchase books and enter school of his own accord. But being allowed to attend school in the winter only, when the weather was too bad to work on the farm, his education reached no farther than the elementary principles of the fundamental branches.
At the age of twenty. Mr. P. was married to Miss Nancy J. Murnan, of his native neighborhood. Here, on a rented farm, he began his efforts for an independent living. His wife lived but little more than a year, leaving her husband the care of an infant child, which lived but three months after its mother's death. Mr. P. being now left alone in the world, and feeling unsatisfied with his preparation for life's duties, he resolved at once to prepare himself for teaching. Though his education was so very limited, yet, by close application at leisure hours, and without attending school, in a little more than a year he was enabled to obtain license, and began teaching. He first held forth at Fairview school-house, in the fall of 1867, in which, as in subsequent terms, he was very suc- cessful. In January, 1871, he was again married. This time to Miss Louisa W. Vernon, of Shelby county. In
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1873, he moved to Palestine, and was engaged in the employ of Eaton & Gates for three years, and in that of Schreiber & Brother for two years, with the exception of two winters devoted to his favorite pursuit. In the fall of 1877, he was elected principal of the McCordsville graded schools, which position he filled with entire satisfaction to all parties interested. While residing here he was elected county superintendent, to fill the unexpired term occas- ioned by the death of W. P. Smith. This position he
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AARON
held to the date of his death, being twice re-elected and twenty-seven months in office. During all of this time Mr. P. was in harmony with the progressive educational spirit of the age, faithfully and conscientiously carrying out the advanced movements of his predecessors and inaugurating others as necessity and the spirit of the times demanded.
Mr. P. was a young man of great energy, enterprise, and considerable originality, and was the proprietor and chief founder of the Home and School Visitor. Mr. P. from the age of sixteen to the date of his death was a faithful member of the Methodist Protestant Church, and
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for ten years was a devoted Mason. He was twice master of the lodge at Palestine, took the chapter degrees at McCordsville in the summer of 1879, and the council degrees in May, 1881. He died at his residence in Green- field. Thursday, July 21, 1881, aged thirty-seven years. and his remains peacefully repose in the New cemetery in this city.
BENJAMIN F. FREEMAN,
a native of the " Buckeye State," dates his earthly career to 1827, October 12. At the early age of two, in company with his parents, he came to Marion county, Indiana, where they remained until the fall of 1855, when, at the age of twenty-eight, he came to Palestine, sugar-creek township, and engaged in merchandising with Burk, Espy & Co., at which business he continued for about nine years, being a member during this time of different firms. In 1864, Mr. F. moved out on his farm, adjoining the town on the east, where he has resided ever since, and has been engaged in farming, stock-raising, merchandis- ing and stock-trading. Mr. Freeman has been constantly in the goods trade since entering the county-though una- ble, from a pressure of business, to give it his personal attention-but has devoted the major part of his time to farming and stock trading, being one of the most exten- sive stock dealers in the county and the owner of over eight hundred acres of first-class land.
Mr. F. was married in 1855 to Mary Ann, daughter of John Maple, of Rush county. The fruits of this union are four children, three boys and one girl, all of whom are unmarried, except James A. Mr. F. has been a consist- ent member of the M. E. Church for more than forty years. Ever since the organization of the republican party, in 1856, Mr. F. has been a staunch member thereof. Not from policy, but from principle, though never in office nor aspiring in that direction, prefering the quiet seclusion of rural pursuits. In person. Mr. F. is tall, strong and
JAMES C. HAWK.
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portly, of a sanguino-nervo-bilious temperament, has light complexion, light hair, blue eyes, and a dignified bearing, nearly six feet in height, and two hundred pounds in weight.
MISS CLARA LOUISE BOTTSFORD,
a native of Johnson county, Indiana, removed with her parents to Sugar-creek township about the year 1860. when but a mere child. Here she has remained ever since. Her parents dying some few years ago, together with her elder sister, made her pathway rather a rough one for a while, but it is smoother now. Though her opportunities for an education were limited, being confined mainly to the public schools of the township, yet, by industry and close application, she has prepared herself for teaching, and has had some eight years' experience in the public schools of the county, but is now giving her attention mainly to literary work ; from a small beginning in the county papers over a nom de plume, then in numer- ous sensational works, Frank Lesley, Chimney Corner, and New York Ledger, and not until more recently has she appeared over her own signature in the Indianapolis Fournal and Herald, Chicago Inter Ocean, New York Sun, and other metropolitan papers.
The writer is well acquainted with the subject of this sketch, having been associated with her in the first normal school of the county and as superintendent of the Green- field graded schools, and also had the honor of licensing her to teach in the public schools, and can freely credit her with manifesting the will to rise under adverse cir- cumstances.
After the death of her father, E. S. Bottsford, Esq .. she was appointed administratrix of the estate, and has taken the responsibilities of the head of the family.
We give an extract from one of her poems, for want of space here, in a future chapter.
CHAPTER XIX.
VERNON TOWNSHIP.
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MAP OF VERNON TOWNSHIP.
SHOWING THE SECTIONS, TOWNSHIP AND RANGES OF WHICH IT IS COMPOSED.
Name and Organization .- This township, which bears the name of the final resting place of the mortal remains of the first President of the United States, was organized in 1836, and was taken from the north part of Buck-creek. In 1838, four sections were struck off from the south-east corner to form a part of Union township, but in 1853 were replaced, since which time she has maintained her present size and boundaries.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Location. Boundaries, Size, ctc .- Vernon townsnip is located in the north-western part of the county. It is bounded on the north by Hamilton and Madison counties, on the east by Green township, on the south by Center and Buck-creek, and on the west by Marion county. In extent it is seven miles in length and five miles in width, with four sections out of the north-west corner, and is, therefore. composed of thirty-one sections. It is one of the two townships in the county with an irregular outline. Its greatest length is east and west. It lies in township seven- teen north, and is in ranges tive and six east, two tiers of sections on the west being in range five and the remain- der in range six east. The range line runs one mile east of McCordsville, one-third of a mile west of Woodberry, and forms the east line of II. Caldwell's and John Mc- Cord's farms.
Surface, Soil, Drainage, and Productions .- The sur- face is exceedingly level throughout almost the entire township, and especially in the western part ; indeed, it is the only township in the county in which we have been unable to find a few hills. Along Flat Fork, and for a short distance back therefrom, the surface is slightly undu- lating, and section nine, in which Fortville is located, and through which Flat Fork passes out of the county, is con- siderably rolling and somewhat hillv.
The soil is of black or brown loam, deep, rich and exhaustless in resources, with the exception of three or four sections, which have more or less a clay soil.
Prior to the use of tile, a considerable number of small wooden ditches and a few open ditches were sunk in the township. Since the location of a tile factory within her borders, a number of tile ditches have been put in by her more enterprising citizens. But she is still in need of vastly more. Indeed, in comparison with other townships as to drainage, she is behind ; and we would suggest the construction, by her liberal citizens, of a few broad, deep outlets under the new ditch law, approved April 8, 1881, which provides not only for the construction of a ditch,
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but the keeping in repair, and, in short, is simple and complete in itself, and superior to any other drainage law ever placed upon our statute books, not excepting the act providing for the draining and reclaiming of wet lands, approved March 9, 1875. In drawing these comparisons between the townships in surface and drainage, we speak not from guess-work or hearsay, but actual observation. The writer has a number of times been on every public road, in many of the residences, and all of the school- houses in the county, and know whereof we speak.
The chief productions are wheat, corn, hogs, cattle, flaxseed, potatoes, fruits, flax straw, lumber, horses, oats, and the products of the hennery and dairy. In 1880, Vernon township produced on 2,644 acres, 39,660 bushels of wheat ; on 3,727 acres, 77,200 bushels of corn ; on 332 acres, 9,960 bushels of oats ; on 509 acres, 763 tons of hay ; being the fewest acres and fewest bushels of wheat of any township in the county, and also the fewest bushels of corn.
Streams .- Sugar Creek, the largest stream in the town- ship, passes through the south-east corner to the extent of about one mile, cutting off a small portion of section thirty-five. Buck Creek rises in the central portion of the township, flows south by south-west, and passes out near the south-west corner of section thirty-two. Flat Fork, a very small stream, rises near the south-east cor- ner of section twenty-seven, meanders north about two and one-half miles ; thence north-west, passing out of the township about three-fourths of a mile west of Fortville. near the south-west corner of section nine. It is ditched nearly the entire length, and has no banks.
First Land Entry and First Settlers .- The first land entry in this township was made by George Crim, on the 16th day November, 1826, being the east half of the south- west quarter of section twenty-nine, in township seven- teen north, and range six east. The second entry was made by Samuel Henry, in the same section, and in the same month and year.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Among the first settlers were John Brooks, Joe Winn, Richard Stokes, Nathan Blackburn, Micajah Shull, David Fisher, the Crossley family, the John Robb family, Tarle- ton Walker, William and Sarah McCord, George Pritchet, Jacob Smith, Hiram Duncan, John Caudel, George Chappel, George Jackson, Jehu Denney, and Arthur Mor- rison. There are doubtless others who are entitled to a place in the above list, but their names have escaped our observation. The reading of the above will call to the minds of our readers pleasant memories of earlier days and hallowed associations with these brave frontier men, almost all of whom have gone. Forever gone! but not forgotten. They have left " foot-prints on the sands of time : foot-prints which, perhaps, another, sailing o'er life's sturdy main, seeing, shall take heart again."
A Few First Things .- The first preachers in the town- ship were Rev. Wyman and Thomas Jenkins ; first doc- tors, J. W. Harvey and Hiram Duncan ; first merchant. Perry Fort : first school-house, near McCordsville : first road, Noblesville road ; first mill, at Fortville : first post- master, Thomas Noel; first postmaster at Woodbury, David Brown ; first postmaster at McCordsville, II. M. Thompson ; first pike, Noblesville road ; first land entry. by George Crim; first graded school, at McCordsville : first lodge, Masons ; first teachers, foreigners ; first railroad station, at Fortville : first marriage, David Caudel and wife, in 1836: first teacher, Thomas Sherman. The first election was in August, 1836 ; the ballots were thirteen in number, twelve democratic and one republican, all cast in a hat.
MMills and Factories .- The first mill in Vernon town- ship was a steam saw-mill, built in 1849, by Noel & Co., at Fortville. In 1853, said Noel & Co. erected a steam flouring mill in Fortville, and it was run for several years, when it met with the common fate of mills and factories in Hancock county, and returned to mother earth in dust and ashes.
In 1854, E. II. McCord erected, in McCordsville, a
DR. J. G. STUART.
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steam flouring mill, which was successfully operated for a number of years, when it met with a similar fate, and succumbed to the forked flames of the ferocious fire fiend.
In 1854, Hooker & Son built a steam grist and saw mill in Woodbury, which soon met with the like fate, being overcome with the warm embraces and enveloping sheets. of fiery flames.
In 1857. John Sample built and operated a shingle fac- tory for a time.
There was a heading factory and woolen factory suc- cessfully operated for a time at Fortville, but each non est at this date.
There is running at this time, in the suburbs of Fort- ville, a steam flouring mill and a saw-mill. There is also a steam saw-mill in operation at McCordsville.
Aaron Littleton operated a tile factory for a number of years, using the machinery formerly used by Eb. Steele in Buck-creek, in a tile factory in that township.
An extensive tile factory has been in operation for several years a short distance south of Fortville, which has supplied the township with almost all the tile she has ever used. There is also a planing mill, a flax factory and a stave factory located near this same town.
Andrew Hagen, ex-county treasurer, has an extensive flax-straw factory and grain elevator in Fortville. There is also a heading factory at Fortville, and an extensive- grain elevator at McCordsville, operated by T. J. Hanna.
Roads and Railroads .- The roads in this township, like Buck-creek and other smaller sections of low, wet ground, were, until within the last few years, merely dirt. and corduroy roads slightly improved, and at times almost impassable. During the pike fever which swept over this. county, this township, like others, was similarly affected, which resulted in the construction of about twenty-five miles of toll pike, nineteen of which are now tollable, in addition to a few miles which have been returned to the road district. It has a line running from Fortville to Greenfield, one from Eden to McCordsville, and one from
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Fortville to Pendleton pike, in addition to a few other short lines.
This township has one railroad extending diagonally across the township a distance of about seven miles, known as the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis R. R., or " Bee Line," for short, on which the company has three stations in the territory under consideration, viz. : Fortville, Woodbury and McCordsville. Tele- graph lines also extend along the track of this company.
Educational .- The first schools in this township were subscription, or pay schools, taught by itinerant school- masters, and occasionally by a resident, for about three months during the winter season. The non-resident teachers usually taught by the term, or quarter, and boarded among the patrons, each of whom agreed to fur- nish him with board and lodging his proportionate length of time. Among the first school-houses, all of which at this early date were mere pole cabins, were: One on Robbs's farm, one-half mile south of McCordsville ; one two miles east of McCordsville, and one in Fortville. There was no public school money at this time, except a small interest income from the congressional township school fund. There was no special school tax, and hence the state did not build the houses nor furnish fuel. Wood, like board, was usually furnished by the patrons, in pro- portion to the number of scholars subscribed. Teachers usually agreed only to give instruction in spelling, read- ing. writing, and arithmetic, to the single rule of three.
This township, in the vote on the free school question in 1848-9, like her sister townships, was decidedly opposed to the inauguration of the proposed system. Her vote in 1848 stood : " Free school," forty ; " no school," seventy- four. In 1849 her vote stood: "Free school," seven- teen ; " no school," one hundred and two ; being a major- ity of eighty-five in favor of the old system, and, next to Buck-creek, the smallest vote in the county in favor of the constitutional amendment providing for a state system. in which tuition should be free and equally open to all.
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Since that time, however, Vernon has brought herself up in harmony with the progressive spirit of the times on the subject of education, and other intellectual and moral enter- prises for the advancement and amelioration of mankind.
The following will show the numbers and names of the public school-houses in Vernon, and the present instructors :
Dist. No. 1. . McCordsville
(J. W. Smith, Supt .; | Jessie S. Jackson, Frank O. Forts, Ella Thompson, Assistants. Worth Trittipo. Ed. Crumbaugh.
Dist. No. 2.
Dist. No. 3. .
Dist. No. 4. . Denney's. Frank Smith.
Dist. No. 5. . Cook's
Lawrence Durach.
Dist. No. 6. . Duzan's
Quittman Jackson.
Dist. No. 7. . Woodbury
J. W. McCord.
Dist. No. 8. . Cushman's
C. Vanlaningham.
M. Caraway, Prin .;
Fortville
A. E. Cummins, Anna Chittenden, Alice Cory,
Assistants.
This township has nine school-houses-seven frames and one brick-valued at, including ground, furniture and out-buildings, $12.000. Her maps, charts, globes and other school apparatus are valued at $400. Total value of school property in the township, including Fortville. $12,400. These buildings are mostly cheap frames of one room and no suitable out-buildings. Fortville and McCordsville each have commodious, substantial two- story bricks, well supplied with furniture, creditable alike to the people and trustees, under whose supervision they were erected. There has been a gradual increase in the scholastic population since 1853, the first enumeration. The returns for 1853 gave the township 469 ; enumeration for 1855, 635; for 1870, 712 ; for 1831, 751 ; two hundred and twenty-six of which, in 1881, were reported for Fortville.
Township Trustees .- The following list shows the
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names of the trustees in Vernon township, from the time of the election in 1859, at which time the law was so changed that one trustee performed the duties previously devolving upon three trustees and a clerk, together with additional duties, so that the law may be worthy of his- torical notice :
Perry J. Brinegar
I859 Andrew Hagen 1866
Levi Thomas. . 1861, 1865 Stokes Jackson 1876
G. W. Stanley 1863 Samuel Arnett. ISSO
Remarks: Brinegar and Stanley each held the office two years ; Thomas, three years ; Hagen ten and Jackson four years. Hagen filled the office longer than any other man in the township. The financial interests of the town- ship are now entrusted to Samuel Arnett.
Churches .- This township is reasonably well supplied with churches: The M. E., Christian and Catholic in Fortville ; one M. E. in McCordsville ; one Baptist in the eastern part of the township ; one Dunkard society in the south-east part, and one M. E. at Woodbury, a special account of each of which we will give you further on.
Population .- An examination of the census report of this township for a few decades, shows the following, to- wit : Population in 1850, 908; in 1860, 1,637; in 1870, 2,518 ; in 1880, 2,306.
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