USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock County, Indiana, from its earliest settlement by the "pale face," in 1818, down to 1882 > Part 7
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BROWN TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER VI.
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Scale: Two miles to the inch.
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MAP OF BROWN TOWNSHIP.
SHOWING THE SECTIONS, TOWNSHIP AND RANGES OF WHICH IT IS COMPOSED.
THIS township took its name from Prior Brown, one of the first settlers. It was organized and incorporated in the year 1833, at which time it was struck off from Green. of which it had formed the eastern part for one year, prior to which it had been a part of Jackson for a similar time, and preceding that a part of Blue-river for three years.
BROWN TOWNSHIP.
89
Brown not being one of the original townships, like Blue-river and Brandywine, just described, and Sugar- creek, yet to consider, it now becomes necessary to digress a little and introduce a map and explanations, in order to make clear to the mind of the young reader the origin and early history of the township now under consideration, and of the other non-original townships to follow.
GREEN.
BUCK-CREEK.
HARRISON.
JACKSON.
CENTER.
SUGAR-CREEK.
BLUE-RIVER.
BRANDYWINE.
Scale: Six miles to the inch.
HANCOCK COUNTY IN 1832.
Explanations, Suggestions, and Historical Facts .- In order to comprehend the descriptions of the origin and early history of the county and several townships, the reader should study carefully our outline maps and history connected therewith ; also the wall map published in 1875 by the senior member of this firm. To show the number of the townships and their exact size and location by maps, would require eight illustrations. We hardly deem it necessary to give all : but with what we shall introduce,
7
90
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
together with the printed history, the student may easily comprehend the various political changes.
Let the reader ever bear in mind that the county con- sisted of-
In 1828, three townships-Blue-river, Brandywine and Sugar-creek.
In 1831, seven townships-Center. Jackson, Harrison and Buck-creek being added.
In 1832, eight townships-Green being added.
In 1833, nine townships-Brown being added.
In 1836, ten townships-Vernon being added.
In 1838, twelve townships-Jones and Union being added.
In 1850. thirteen townships-Worth being added.
In 1853, nine townships-Harrison. Jones. Union and Worth being annihilated.
With this brief outline, in connection with the maps given, to which we shall often refer, the reader may readily locate any and all of the civil and congressional townships, present and historical.
Location, Boundary. Size. Topography. Timber, ctc .- Brown township is located in the north-east corner of the county, and is bounded by Madison county on the north, Henry on the east, Jackson township and Henry county on the south, and Green township on the west. It is the only township in the county that is not partially bounded by Center.
In dimensions, Brown is six miles east and west and five miles north and south ; and, consequently, consists of thirty sections. It is all located in township seventeen north and ranges seven and eight east, the west tier of sections being in range seven and the remainder in range eight east.
In topography, the face of the township is mainly level, though somewhat undulating in the vicinity of the streams ; soil, limestone deep, rich and lasting ; subsoil. gravel and clay.
It was once heavily timbered with beech, sugar-maple.
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BROWN TOWNSIII'.
oak, elm, walnut, cherry, and poplar, and especially abounded in fine oak. The destroying angel passed over this township and selected out the fine walnut and poplar and claimed them for his own.
It is almost wholly an agricultural and grazing district. The only manufactories in the township, outside of the flouring mills, are a saw-mill and a tile factory.
Streams .- Sugar Creek enters the township at the north-east corner and flows south-west three and one-half miles to the center of section twenty-one, and within half a mile of Warrington ; thence north-west, dipping into Madison county at the north-west corner of section eight : thence south-west, passing out on the west line of the township, one and a half miles south of the north-west corner, on the west middle line of section thirteen. Brandywine rises west of Warrington, in section twenty. runs south by south-west and passes out of the township one and a half miles east of the south-west corner, and near the middle southern line of section thirty-one. Wil- low Branch rises in the Western central part of the town- ship, in the eastern part of section twenty-four, and flows south two miles ; thence west, passing out a half mile north of the south-west corner. The Pedee rises in the south-east part of the township, flows north-west four miles, passes Warrington on the north-east, and empties into Sugar Creek in section seventeen. Brandywine, in Brown, is a small, torpid stream. The first of these streams once furnished limited water-power for " corn-crackers" and " muly saw-mills," but has no mills on its banks to-day. The last two are short, sluggish brooks, rising in wet, marshy land and flowing through level territory. are of little use save for drainage.
Earliest Land Entries .- The first land entered in the township was on July 3rd, 1830, by Prior Brown, being the east half of the north-east quarter of section thirty- three. in township seventeen north, and in range eight east. The second entry was made on December 2d of
92
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
the same year, by Isaac Davis. This land was then in Blue-river township.
First Settlers .- Among the first settlers of the township were : Prior Brown, after whom the township was named ; John and Ezekiel Morgan, Geo. Nance, Mr. Davis, Perry Wilson, Sarah Baldwin and her family of seven children, Morgan McQuery, the Johnses, Nibargers, Sparkses, Hiatts, Seth Walker, Mosby Childers, Stephen Harlan, and Thomas Collins. All of whom are gone to the happy hunt- ing grounds beyond the rolling river, and with the spirit's eye look with pleasure on the pleasant surroundings of their posterity, now enjoying the fruits of their labors. At a later date came Alfred and John Thomas ; Jonas Marsh, the father of William, Montgomery, Ephraim, and Dr. John L. Marsh : William Bussel ; Aaron Cass, grandfather of Annetta Cass, murdered in Green township : John Hays and Joel Cook, steady, prosperous farmers.
First Election .- The first election in the township was in 1834, held at the residence of Barzilla Rozell. The ballots were cast in a hat, and covered with a kerchief. There were no complaints of " stuffing the ballot box" in those halcyon days.
Mills, muly and modern .- The first grist-mill in the township was simply a corn-cracker. built by Stephen Harlan in 1835. and located on Sugar Creek, one and one- half miles north-east of Warrington, near where the Con- cord church now stands. This mill was run successfully for several years, when Harlan abandoned it and erected a new one on a more extensive scale lower down the stream propelled by an overshot wheel. The older citi- zens declare that the wheel was too large and set too high to secure the proper fall for the water, which in the dry season was low : so that on the occasion of letting the water into the race, it passed down very slowly till it came to a craw-fish hole, when it suddenly disappeared, to the utter chagrin of the enterprising miller and the amazement of the rural spectators.
In about 1852, Lane & Co. built a sash saw-mill in the
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BROWN TOWNSHIP.
central southern portion of the township, which they run for a number of years, when they sold to Dr. S. A. Troy. who refitted it and kept it in operation for two years, and then traded it off, and it was moved away.
Daniel Blakely, in about 1836, erected a small saw- mill on Sugar Creek, near Nashville, which fed upon the choice logs of the vicinity for a number of years.
A Mr. Jenkins built a steam saw-mill in the north-east part of the township in 1850, and run it for a considerable length of time.
Harlan & Brown, about 1855, erected a steam saw- mill near the old Harlan mill, referred to above, which was successfully operated for, probably, ten years.
Trees & Company erected a steam circular saw-mill in Warrington about 1863, just across the road east from where the present flouring mill now stands.
A little west of Nashville, on the pike, Allen Walton & Brother built, about 1868, the largest and most successful circular saw-mill ever erected in the township, if not in the county, which continued in operation till 1879, when it was removed.
Roads .- This township is reasonably well supplied with good public roads, many of which have been graded and graveled by her enterprising citizens. There are in the township nine and three-fourth miles of toll pike. besides about six miles surrendered to the public. To this township belongs the credit of having the first gravel road toll pike in the county, built in 1859. and known as the .. Knightstown and Warrington Gravel Road."
Railroads .- This township has no railroad completed. The I., B. and W. are extending a line through the county, which will pass through the township, entering at the south-west corner and passing out near the central middle line on the east.
Synopsis .- Brown township has four churches, to-wit : Baptist, Methodist Episcopal. United Brethren, and Christian.
94
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
There are three secret orders in the township-Masons, Odd Fellows, and Daughters of Rebecca.
It has two villages,-Warrington and Nashville,-and two post-offices,-Warrington and Willow Branch. The former is the only voting precinct.
She has a tile factory, flour mill, saw-mill, three pikes, one county officer, one mill stream, two border counties, and is democratic by about sixty majority.
Teachers and Schools .- The names and numbers of the schools, and the teachers at present employed, are as follows :
District No. 1. . . Sparks . Miss Laughlin.
District No. 2. . . Clifton P. H. Copeland.
District No. 3. .. Garriott W. P. Bussel.
District No. 4. . : Buchanan S. N. Ham.
District No. 5. . . Warrington. M. J. Scuffle.
District No. 6. .. Mays. Jennie Kitterman.
District No. 7. . . Brewer. Rose M. Thompson.
District No. S. . . Democrat Lucy Morris.
District No. 9. . . Spiceland W. J. Thomas.
Remarks .- These several schools are numbered similar to the numbering of the sections in a congressional town- ship, No. I being found in the north-east corner and No. 9 in the south-west, there being three tiers of houses of three each. The Buchanan school-house is located in the western middle part, near J. N. Martindale's farm. The senior member of this firm once swayed the green birch with regal authority at this point, and had the honor of having under his instruction the future county clerk, Ephraim Marsh ; Dr. John L. Marsh : . and Dr. David Myers, since deceased. At the old original Spiceland school-house, Dr. J. G. Stuart, of Fortville ; Wm. Sagers, and Montgomery Marsh, also received his instruction.
In 1838, Montgomery Marsh attended a school located just north of the Buchanan, the building of which was made entirely of buckeye logs. The teacher was David McKinsey, now in the poor-house of this county.
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BROWN TOWNSHIP.
Population and Polls .- The scholastic population of Brown for 1881 is 489. Polls, 243. Population for 1850, 878 : for 1860, 1, 161 ; 1870, 1,329 : for 1880, 1,400.
Vote .- The number of votes cast in Brown in 1836 were 52 ; in 1840, 110; in 1860, 205 ; in 1870, 235 ; in 1880, 328. Her vote for President in 1881 stood : Republican, 125 ; democratic, 186 ; independent, 17.
Value of Real and Personal Property .- Brown town- ship has 19,248 acres of assessed land, valued at $423,620. Her improvements on the same are valued at $53,810. Value of town lots, $2.330; with improvements on the same valued at $6,380. Personal property, $158.605. Total value of real and personal property. $644,745.
Taxes .- This township is assessed for the current year, to be paid in 1882, for $7.141.45 taxes. Of this amount, the following men pay $40 and upward. viz. :
Armstrong, T. heirs. . $ 43 10
Martindale, J. N $ 70 70
Armstrong, Thos. H ..
56 75 Martindale, E. J . 44 15
Bussel, M. P
57 70
McDaniel, J. A. SS 50
Bridges, John. 61 25 McCray, S. 68 40
Collins, R. J 54 00
McCray, John. 100 15
Collins, J. F.
49 95
Mays, John. 55 00
Cook, J. F.
67 55
Reeves, B. F. 91 90
Combs, John.
70 70
Reeves, Elijah heirs. 70 So
Copeland, Lewis 98 90
Reeves, Jane S6 75
Eakins, W. S.
57 75
Risk & Hosier. IIO 90
Enright, Robert
42 55
Sparks, W. A 40 15
Forts, J. heirs.
So So
Thomas, M. J .
51 45
Foust, H. E. & J
44 15
Thomas, John M 197 85
Harlan, S. heirs
48 55
Trees, Wm o+ 16
Hamilton, J
47 75
Trees, J. R. 43 70
Howrin, T. J ..
62 60
Trees. J. W., sen 78 25
Holliday, F. heirs 55 60
Thomas, A. B. 48 05
Hays, J. B. 43 90
Vanderbark, J. W S6 20
Hays, Wm. M. 64 25
Wilkinson, B .. 49 So
Hays, R. R. 58 05
Woods, Robert. So oo
Hatfield, W. E
64 90
White, J. W
42 35
Johns, Mat. 50 25
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Murders, Suicides, and Remarkable Deaths .- It was in this township that a Mr. Bell, brother of Senator Bell, of Madison county, was eaten by the wolves in 1838. His body was found by Mosby Childers north-west of Nash- ville in a badly mutilated condition. His bones, and frag- ments of his clothing and pocket-book, were picked up in different places. Cause of death never known.
In 1832, a child of Vincent Cooper was frozen to death on the banks of Sugar Creek, in this township. It had wandered from home and was lost.
In the early history of the township a man by the name of Tullus committed suicide, by hanging, within one hun- dred vards of Warrington.
In 1856, William Mitchell, a young man, was killed by horse-racing, being thrown against a tree by the horse taking an opposite side of the tree from what the rider intended he should, and supposed he would, take.
Alfred Jones' wife committed suicide in 1875, by hang- ing in a small house near her residence. Cause unknown. Her husband was absent from home at the time.
Township Trustees .- The following are the names of the township trustees from the time they were empowered with authority to levy taxes, together with the date of their appointment :
Wm. L. Garriott. . 1859 J. W. Trees 1864
Montgomery Marsh 1861 Wm. Marsh. 1865
B. F. Reeves 1863 Wm. L. Garriott. IS78
It will be seen from the above that William Marsh held the office of trustee for more than a dozen years, and we speak from our own personal knowledge in testifying to his earnestness and efficiency. William L. Garriott sways the scepter at this date, being the first and last trustee in the township under the new regime. Attorney Marsh and Esquire Reeves carried the township safely through the perilous times of the civil war.
Justices of the Peace .- The following are the justices
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BROWN TOWNSHIP.
of the peace for Brown township from its organization to the present time. We copy from the records since 1840. Prior to that time we find no records either in our own court-house or at Indianapolis in the state records.
Barzilla Rozell. Unknown Wm. L. Garriott .. IS62
Seth Walker. . IS36
Benjamin McCarty IS62
Robert Eakin IS40
Benjamin F. Reeves 1866
Daniel Wilkinson.
IS40
Benjamin McCarty IS66
Robert Eakin IS45
Alfred F. McKinsey 1870
A. D. Childers IS48
Benjamin F. Reeves ISTO
Neville Reeves. IS50
Benjamin F. Reeves
IS74
H. B. Collins.
IS76
Benjamin F. Reeves
IS78
Joseph Garriott.
ISSO
Benjamin McCarty
IS5S
Esquires Reeves and Garriott hold the scales of justice in Brown at present.
Ex-County Officers .- Brown township, like Virginia. the mother of Presidents, has not been wanting in furnish- ing county officers.
Among these ex-officers we call to memory Ex-Auditor Lysander Sparks, one of the pioneers of the township. His father was the first merchant in Warrington.
Captain Taylor W. Thomas, deceased, late resident of Center township, was elected and served as sheriff from Brown.
Wm. G. Caldwell, one of the staunch resident farmers of Brown, was the immediate predecessor of William Wilkins as sheriff of the county.
Of the ex-commissioners were Seth Walker, Daniel Wilkinson, and Nevil Reeves, all honest, honorable. " well-to-do" farmers.
Ex-Prosecuting Attorney M. Marsh and Ex-County Surveyor James K. King were both elected in Brown township.
There may be others : but as there is no record of the
A. D. Childers IS53
Robert Eakin. 1855
A. D. Childers. IS57
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
residence of the various county officers, it must be taken from memory and hearsay, which are not always reliable.
Exports .- The chief exports of Brown are corn, wheat, hogs, cattle, horses, lumber, and flaxseed, with small quantities of apples, potatoes, and sheep.
CHAPTER VII.
WARRINGTON
was laid out near the center of the township, on the Fort Wayne State road, by John Oldham, on the 6th of Octo- ber, 1834, and consisted of forty-eight lots. The first and only addition to the original plat was made by Dr. Wm. Trees on the 13th day of April. 1877, and consisted of eight lots.
Warrington is about fifteen miles north-east of Green- field, on the Knightstown and Pendleton turnpike, the extremes of which are its shipping points.
It has no railroad, except in prospect. The I., B. and W., when completed, will have a depot within about one and a half miles.
It has two churches, three lodges, a school, flouring mill, two stores, a postoffice, and other essentials to a small village.
It has been the voting precinct since 1834.
The Knightstown and Anderson daily stage passes through Warrington.
It has a daily mail, with Henry C. Garriott postmaster.
The post-office was kept for many years by Samuel Blakely at his private residence, between Warrington and Nashville.
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BROWN TOWNSHIP.
Among those who did business in earlier days we note :
General Merchants-
JOHN SPARKS,
BARZILLA ROZELL,
WILLIAM TREES.
ROBERT EAKIN,
AARON GREGG, .
JAMES K. KING,
WILLIAM REED,
FURGASON & GOBLE,
C. C. LODER.
J. R. TREES,
SEWARD & MCCOMAS,
Harness and Shoe Maker-
TREES & MARSH,
MONTGOMERY MARSH.
Boot and Shoe Maker- JOHN MILLER.
Blacksmith-
WILLIAM KENYON.
Harness Maker- LEVI COOK.
Undertaker- WVM. L. GARRIOTT.
Tile Manufacturers- COPELAND & GARRIOTT.
NASHVILLE,
located two miles north-west of Warrington, on Sugar Creek, was laid out December 30, 1834, by Blakely and Kennedy, and consisted of thirty-two lots, most of which have been sold for delinquent taxes.
The only business now in the place is blacksmithing, by Morgan Whistler.
In the early history of the place. Elisha Thornburg kept a general store, followed by Allen White and others for a short time.
WILLOW BRANCH P. O.
is located in the south-west part of the township, on the
WESLEY LAWYER.
The following are the present business men :
General Merchants-
H. C. GARRIOTT, THARP & BROTHER.
Physicians-
WILLIAM TREES, R. D. HANNA, ELBERT JOHNSON.
Physicians- LOGAN WALLACE.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
stream Willow Branch, from which it derives its name. The place contains eight dwellings, a store, blacksmith. painter, physician, post-office, a ware-room, and a saw-mill.
The first business done in the place was in 1874, by A. B. Thomas, who established a store and accepted the appointment of postmaster for Willow Branch, when the office was removed from across the line in Green, where it had been kept for a number of years by Jonathan Smith. a farmer and merchant.
The husiness of this place is done by A. B. Thomas. merchant, grain and implement dealer : Henry Kenyon. blacksmith and carriage maker ; George Fowler, painter : H. B. Ryon, Physician ; and Pleasant Manlove, proprie- tor of the saw-mill.
Mail tri-weekly. Bruce Thomas postmaster. Railroad "a-coming," to pass within a half mile.
CONCORD BAPTIST CHURCH
was organized October 29, 1838, at the house of Stephen Harlan. Morgan McQuery was chosen moderator and Jacob Parkhurst clerk, with the following members: Wil- liam Sparks, Jane Wilkinson, Hiram Harlan and wife. Charity Wilson, Jane Ross, and Stephen Harlan and wife.
The way of life and salvation has been definitely pointed out from time to time during the history of the church by the following Elders, to-wit: Daniel Cunning- ham, John F. Johnson, Thomas Smith, John Sparks, J. F. Collier, S. D. Harlan, and T. S. Lyons ; the latter of whom is the present preacher.
The first meetings were held in private residences until the existence of log school-houses, which accommodated the congregation for a number of years, terminating in 1855, when the present frame building, thirty-four by thirty-six feet, was erected and completed in good style. and dedicated in 1856 by Elder John Sparks.
The first trustees were Cicero Wilkinson, William Wright, and Jacob B. Hamilton.
This society is of the regular Baptist faith and order.
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BROWN TOWNSHIP.
The White Water Association has often held its annual meetings at this place.
Present membership, thirty-seven. Church clerk, J. P. Harlan.
Adjoining the church on the east is a cemetery, where many of the pioneers lie slumbering. First interment, Caroline Mays.
ZIONS CHAPEL M. E.
The Methodist Episcopal Church had a small society in the early history of the township near Nashville. Among the first members were John Kennedy and wife, Mariah Wilson, Samuel Griffith and wife, Elizabeth Walker, wife of Seth Walker; Sarah Newkirk, John Nibarger, Sarah Nibarger, and Amanda Childers.
This society met at private residences in the winter time, and at the log school-houses during the warm season, until they built a church in 1839 at Nashville. It was con- structed by voluntary labor. The chief contributors were Samuel Griffith, John Kennedy, Seth Walker, Thomas Collins, David Noble, Dr. William Trees, and Thomas W. Collins. They continued to meet here till 1856, at which time the building became unfit for use, and a school- house near by was brought into service until 1859, at which time this society united with a small organization at War- rington and erected the present building, known as Zions Chapel, located at a midway point, being two miles north of Warrington and one and three-fourth miles east of Nashville. The Warrington wing held their meetings at the house of Dr. William Trees, one of her generous and most liberal members, prior to the coalition with the Nash- villeites. This building was burned in July last ; but at this date they are rebuilding at an estimated cost of $1, 100. Present minister. Rev. John Thomas.
THE UNITED BRETHREN,
of Warrington, organized a meeting about 1859, and wor-
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
shiped in Zions Chapel till 1871, at which time they built a neat, good-sized frame building in Warrington, at a cost of $2,400. The new building was dedicated in the same year by Bishop Edwards. The minister was Milo Baily. The trustees were John W. Trees, John Bridges, and Thomas Armstrong. The present minister is Rev. Felix. Presiding Elder, Milton Wright. The membership is numerous. The society is in a flourishing condition, and has upon its church rolls some of the best and most influ- ential men of the township.
CHRISTIAN CHURCH, WARRINGTON.
This church was first organized near Elizabeth City. and was known as the " Six-Mile Church." It was organ- ized about the year 1838 by Peter Rader, who was its first pastor. Having quite a number of the best citizens as members, it continued its usefulness for several years at this point. Death and removals having crippled it so much, it was discontinued here as a church organization ; but sub- sequently reorganized near Warrington, where the follow- ing Elders preached occasionally : Robert Low, Drury Holt, John Walker, and Silas Mawzy ; all of Rush county. The meetings at first were held at private houses and log school-houses in the immediate neighborhood. The soci- ety struggled long and hard to build a house in which to worship ; but were unable to accomplish the object, being low in spirits and few in numbers, and, in 1862, disorgan- ized. In March, 1877, the society took fresh courage, and was again established, or reorganized, by Elder Robert Edmonson. J. N. Martindale and John McCray were chosen Elders, and John Vandyke and C. C. Loder dea- cons. H. C. Garriott, clerk. The church edifice is very well located in Warrington ; is a handsome frame, thirty- six by fifty-four feet, constructed at a cost of $1.650, and will seat five hundred persons. It was dedicated Decem- ber 25, 1877, by Elder Wiley Ackman, who preached for the society two years, followed by Elder David Frank-
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BROWN TOWNSHIP.
lin, who was succeeded by Elder Cornelius Quick, the present pastor. The society is in a prosperous condition. with a membership of eighty. On the 20th day of March. 1877, J. N. Martindale, John Vandyke, and W. L. Gar- riott were elected trustees.
[We are indebted to W. L. Garriott, Esq., of Warring- ton, for the above facts. ]
FREE MASONS.
The Warrington Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. No. 531, was chartered May 22, 1877, with the following officers : William Marsh, W. M. ; J. A. Hamilton, S. W. : A. C. Walton, J. W. The charter members were, in addi- tion to the above officers, Wm. G. Caldwell, F. M. Gra- ham, John Vandyke, Wm. M. Hayes, H. B. Wilson, and Robert Blakely.
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