USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > History of Hendricks County, Indiana, her people, industries and institutions > Part 8
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Cartersburg has a population of about two hundred and fifty.
The Cartersburg magnetic springs supply a large amount of water to the state. It is a mineral water and was first found in 1887 on Dobbin's farm, five miles southeast of Danville.
CHAPTER XI.
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP.
TOPOGRAPHY.
Lincoln township is located on the eastern boundary of Hendricks county, bounded on the north by Brown and Middle townships, on the east by Mar- ion county, on the south by Washington township and on the west by Middle township. The township was organized in 1863, by a division of Brown township into two parts. White Lick, flowing through the western part, breaks the otherwise almost level ground of the township. The land along this stream valley is rolling and very fertile. The level portion of the area is of rich, alluvial quality in most places, but in spots is composed of clay, which is not highly productive. Plenty of timber once covered the land in this township, but, as in other parts of Hendricks, this has been removed from the path of cultivation.
EARLY HISTORY.
In the autumn of 1824 James Brown made the first settlement in the territory destined to become Lincoln township. After him and previous to the year 1830 came G. W. Tyler, William Harris, Daniel and Thomas New- man, Daniel Brown, William Merritt, Robison Turpin, Caleb Shirley, John Given, Larkin Dollahite, James Shirley, Thomas Nash, Harvey and T. H. Barlow, the latter settling with their father, Enoch, in 1828, just outside the limits of Brownsburg. In 1830 and immediate years Asa McDaniel and sons, Joel Smith and sons and Peter Metsker located in the vicinity of Brownsburg.
The first justice of the peace in Lincoln township was Edward Rails- back. Swain's tavern, on the road two miles east of Brownsburg, was one of the noted spots of the early day. This inn was a gathering place for the settlers and a very popular one.
Politically, Lincoln township has been very changeable, Republicans and Democrats having at different times controlled the township vote.
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PRESENT STATUS.
Although one of the smallest townships in the county, Lincoln is im- portant. Agriculture is the main industry and in the town of Brownsburg there is strong evidence of civic and commercial pride. Two railroads and one interurban line increase the value of the township land, together with the good roads, the latter an universal feature of the entire county. The country bears the mark of improvement and modern life and is an example of the qualities which have made Indiana one of the first states in the Union. Good farms, schools, homes, roads, telephones, fences, drainage system, are but a few of the factors which make Lincoln township today a first class one.
BROWNSBURG.
The town of Brownsburg is located on section II, in the northern part of Lincoln township. The town was laid out by William Harris in 1835 and first named Harrisburg, but upon the establishment of the postoffice was changed to the present name. B. M. Logan was the first merchant in the town.
Brownsburg was incorporated in the year 1848, in which year the board of commissioners ordered a chairman, clerk and five trustees elected. The election was held on June 24, 1848, and resulted in the choice of the follow- ing : Chairman, Henry H. Moore; clerk, T. J. White ; trustees, William M. Dinwiddie, T. J. White, Sam Betts, Gaten Menifee, James Davidson. Ten votes only were cast at this first election. This corporation did not last long, however. In 1870 it was revived and has continued ever since. The present officers are: Trustees, I. N. Mugg, R. A. Fuson and Elza Henson; clerk, Harry H. Hughes; treasurer, Harry Johnson; marshal, John T. Ellis.
The present population of Brownsburg is about nine hundred, the offi- cial census in 1910 having been eight hundred seventy-six. The only public utility at present in the town is that of electricity, which service is supplied by the Danville Light, Heat and Power Company. There is a branch factory of the Ladoga Canning Company, a tile factory, grist mill and saw mill in the list of industries. Brownsburg is the only town in Hendricks county at this date which allows licensed sale of liquor.
Brownsburg, both in the business and residential part of town, is neat and attractive. It is a substantially built town. Business conditions are re- ported as being excellent. Social life also plays a prominent role in the com- munity.
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Brownsburg Lodge No. 241, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized in 1859 with the following members: J. T. Davidson, H. W. White, J. P. Welshans, William Harris, William McDaniel, Joseph Holloway and S. M. Potts. The lodge has a good membership now and is very prosperous.
Brownsburg Lodge No. 377, Knights of Pythias, was instituted in 1898. There are now one hundred and forty members.
Brownsburg Lodge No. 188, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized in 1857. The charter of the lodge was surrendered at the time of the opening of the Civil War, but was renewed in 1866. This lodge has again become inactive.
There is also a tribe of the Improved Order of Red Men at Brownsburg.
John A. Hollett Post No. 242, Grand Army of the Republic, was mus- tered in in the fall of 1883, with eleven members and named after a gallant soldier of the Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. This post is no longer in active condition.
The Hunter Bank was organized in April, 1907, by M. T. Hunter, C. L. Hunt, Jane Frank, Julia H. Huitt. The bank succeeded the firm of Cope & Hunt, bankers. M. T. Hunter was the first president, and C. L. Hunt the first cashier. These officers are the same now. The first and present capital stock is $10,000; the deposits total $210,000, and the surplus is $3,000. The bank was chartered in April, 1907.
The Brownsburg State Bank was organized in 1908, succeeding the Brownsburg Bank. The first officers were: W. F. Evans, president; J. L. Marsh, cashier; J. S. Tharp, vice-president; Grandison Eaton, assistant cash- ier. The present officers are : W. F. Evans, president; I. N. Mugg, cashier ; J. S. Tharp, vice-president, and Ollie Miller, assistant cashier. This bank was chartered on April 1, 1908.
CHAPTER XII.
MARION TOWNSHIP.
TOPOGRAPHY.
The boundaries of Marion township are as follows: On the north by Eel River township, on the east by Center and Clay, on the south by Clay and on the west by Putnam county. The surface in most places is undulating and in some spots flat. There is a clayey subsoil throughout the entire town- ship, making the ground more productive for the raising of grasses and thus making the business of stock raising equal to crop cultivation as the principal industry. There are no large streams, but several small ones flowing toward the two creeks, Mill and Eel river.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Marion township was settled later than most of the other townships, due to its position in the middle west of the county. Naturally the tide of immi- gration first touched the southern parts of the county, along the main stream channels, and Marion township was then considered a remote district. It was not until two years after the organization of the county, which was in 1824, that permanent settlements were made here. The first settlers were Thomas Samuels, Xury West, John and Isaac Hays, Daniel, Thomas and David Higgins. who settled in the township from 1826 to 1827. From 1828 to 1832 Paul Faught, Moses Cavett, William Blackketter, William and Har- vey Buntain, G. W. Turner, Wesley Morgan, Peter Vannice, Thomas Chadd, John Hancock, James McCown and William Hays settled in different por- tions of the township.
FIRST ELECTION.
The poll book of the general election held August 3, 1836, at New Williamsburgh gives the names of thirty-one voters. They are as follows: William Hodges, Elijah Sutton, David Fox, Henry Tomlinson, William Bailey, Abraham Lewis, Alexander Bryant, William Tomlinson, James Tur-
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ner, Bradford Samuel, R. W. Shannon, Jeremiah Culbertson, Joseph Lewis, Jr., James Maccoun, John Higgins, Jacob Fox, Henry Bland, William Hay- worth, John Mahan, John Robins, Jordan Denny, William Robins, John Vicory, Joseph Robins, Wesley Morgan, Hiram Tomlinson, B. S. B. Parker, Moses Tomlinson, Jeremiah Hunt, Martin Hancock and Thomas Higgins.
The political record of Marion township has been Democratic since its organization.
MARION TOWNSHIP IN 1914.
The intelligent cultivation of the soil, the pride in home, and the striving for better things and higher ideals, the qualities which characterize a pros- perous and modern community, are no better exemplified than among the people of Marion township. The accomplishments of the people of this civil division of Hendricks county are testimonials to this condition. To the observer much seems to have been done in the last score of years. Roads have been built up, new farming methods have been adopted, schools have been improved, elegant residences have been constructed, churches have been increasing, telephones installed, and numerous other things added in order to keep step with the progress of civilization.
NEW WINCHESTER.
New Winchester was laid out in 1832 by Wesley Morgan and James Bronaugh. It is located a little west of the center of Marion township and is seven miles west of Danville, on the Rockville road. The town today is very small, having but a hundred inhabitants. The most attractive feature of the town is the new brick school house, containing the high school, erected in 1908 at a cost of twenty thousand dollars.
CHAPTER XIII.
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP.
TOPOGRAPHY.
Middle township is located in the north tier of townships, being bounded on the north by Boone county, on the east by Brown and Lincoln townships, on the south by Lincoln, Washington and Center townships and on the west by Center and Union. The township was originally located in what was known as the "black swamps," the greater part of it being deficient in natural drain- age. Artificial drainage has, however, largely remedied this defect in the last ten years. The intense growth of deciduous trees, oak, poplar, walnut, maple, ash and many other species, were evidence of a rich virgin soil. There are no large streams; the soil surface is nearly level; wheat and oats and corn are the main crops.
SETTLEMENT.
In the first organization of Hendricks county, Middle township, as it is now, was geographically located in the north central portion of the county and was one of the nine civil divisions. It included not only its present area, but also all of what was afterward known as Union township. Its location and physical condition had much to do in determining its settlement and progress. Some physical defects in the land above mentioned had the ten- dency to make settlement here slower than in other parts of Hendricks. The first settlement made in the township was in the year 1830 by Lemuel McBee. His cabin and first clearing were in the western part of what is now Pittsboro.
Richard Richardson was next, whose cabin, in section 6, township 16, was on the spot where Miles Hession recently resided. In three years' time other settlements were formed by the following families: The Spicklemires, Samuel Hill, the Hales, Thompsons, Wells, Holtsclaws, Jonas Lipe, Heze- kiah Dunick, Philip Waters and Jack Parker. This group of early pioneers erected the first cabins and formed the nucleus of community life. At this time no roads were known except neighborhood trails, marked by blazing the
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HENDRICKS COUNTY, INDIANA.
trees, the one leading through the township from Indianapolis to Crawfords- ville being the most prominent and bisecting the township. The herculean task of the pioneers was now begun. The rearing of cabins, rolling logs, cutting out highways and constructing bridges was begun. A great percent- age of the pioneers came from Mason, Fleming and Bourbon counties, Ken- tucky, and from Ohio, the Carolinas and Virginia, a splendid stock. The Watsons, Dillons, Weavers, Reynolds, Walters, Philips, Moneys, Smiths, Crabbs, Veaches, Kennedys, Craggs, Touts, Jones, Caywoods, Hughes, Her- ods in the succeeding decade came and entered or bought land.
The township was organized in 1833 and James Parks was the first justice of the peace.
DEVELOPMENT OF TOWNSHIP.
Since the beginning of the seventies improvements have steadily ad- vanced in Middle township. The sickle, scythe and cradle, used by the pio- neers and wielded by muscular power, were relegated to the past when the reaper, mower, binder and other modern implements came into operation. The description of the other townships of the county apply equally well to this township, for the development has been the same. The farms, rich in alluvial soil, are well drained and cleared of stumps and rocks. Miles of wire fencing have taken the place of the old rail fence. Farm houses and barns, many of them spacious and modern, contribute largely to the wealth of the community. Twenty-two miles of gravel road and twelve miles of rock road have been constructed in the township and turned over to the county to keep in repair. Seventy-five miles of post roads make possible the excellent system of rural free mail delivery.
PITTSBORO.
The town of Pittsboro was originally platted by Simon T. Hadley and William Matlock. It was first called by Mr. Hadley Pittsburg, and after- ward changed to the present name in order to have the name of the town and postoffice agree.
Pittsboro's first store was in a small log room and kept by Basil Tout. It was located on the corner lot now owned by the bank. He was succeeded by James Hoadley and James Barker. John Vaughn built a frame building on the lot where the Sawyer block now stands in 1844. He kept a general store, with plenty of whiskey for sale. Vaughn sold out to John C. Parker,
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HENDRICKS COUNTY, INDIANA.
who, early in the fifties, erected a brick store on the corner where the Hay- worth block now stands. It burned in 1884. Thomas Hoadley, one of the first physicians, built a two-story frame where A. C. Dunn's property is now located.
Aaron Keith was the first man in the town who made furniture. Elias Leach and Isaac B. Waters were other early craftsmen.
In 1867 the Big Four railroad was built through Pittsboro and then began a new era of prosperity. Business became better and the town grew. In 1873 Daniel Feely established a stave factory and operated it until 1886. Thousands of cords of oak, elm and ash were brought from the sloughs, cut into staves and shipped to outside markets. Many farmers paid off mort- gages by disposing of surplus timber.
THE PRESENT PITTSBORO.
Pittsboro is now a thrifty and well-ordered town of about five hundred inhabitants. The social and commercial, as well as religious, tone of the town is excellent. The community is advantageously located on the Ben- Hur interurban line and the Big Four railroad, and consequently much busi- ness is transacted with other markets.
The Pittsboro Bank was organized in 1897 by Isaac Palmer, Jesse Smith and Steve Cline, the two latter acting as president and cashier, respect- ively. The present officers of the bank are: E. W. Sawyer, president ; C. G. Olsen, vice-president; Glen C. Tolin, cashier; Miss Alcie Ridgway, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $10,000; the deposits amount to $84,000; and the surplus is $4,000. The bank was chartered in the year 1905 under the new banking laws.
Pittsboro Lodge No. 342, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was or- ganized on January 22, 1870. John N. Shirley, William N. Crabb, Lewis Watts, James Adams, Amos Hoak and J. M. McLean were the charter mem- bers.' It was the outgrowth of the Brownsburg lodge. The lodge erected its present home in 1874. The lodge is now in good condition, having a mem- bership of over one hundred.
Pittsboro Lodge No. 428, Free and Accepted Masons, was instituted in 1871 by John Burton, deputy grand master. Its home was in the second story of E. A. Parker's store building, then occupied by A. C. Weaver. This lodge did not last long. It became defunct in 1882, when the grand lodge called in its charter. The present lodge, No. 620, was instituted by Jacob
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HENDRICKS COUNTY, INDIANA.
Smith with thirteen charter members. Beginning under dispensation in- 1893, it was chartered in due and ancient form May 25, 1899. Its first officers were: Sabert S. Offutt, worshipful master; Chester H. Weaver, senior warden; W. D. Lewis, junior warden; George D. Junken, secretary. Its present membership is seventy-one. The stated communications are the- first and third Tuesday evenings of each month at their hall in the Sawyer block.
Thomas Ashby Post No. 451, Grand Army of the Republic, was or- ganized in the old school building September 8, 1886, with the following charter members: A. C. Weaver, W. D. Lewis, R. T. Dorman, H. T. Kirk, E. M. Weaver, J. M. Wills, S. S. Wills, W. H. Milam, George W. Tidrick, W. B. McClung, Jacob C. Waters, Lewis Buergelin, Thomas Brooks, Charles P. Cox, Joe Williamson and Samuel James. At eight P. M., April 8, 1886, a delegation of comrades came up from Danville and assisted in the organiza- tion. The first officers of the post were: A. C. Weaver, post commander ; William D. Lewis, senior vice-commander; Richard T. Droman, junior vice- commander ; Henry T. Kirk, officer of the day; Ellis M. Weaver, officer of the guard; James M. Wills, adjutant; S. S. Wills, quartermaster ; George W. Tisrick, sergeant major; William B. McClung, quartermaster sergeant.
Thomas Ashby Woman's Relief Corps No. 231 was organized March 25, 1899, with eighteen charter members. Mrs. Marian McVey French was installed first president; Etta Jordan Palmer, treasurer, and Mrs. Eva Lewis, secretary.
CHAPTER XIV.
UNION TOWNSHIP.
TOPOGRAPHY.
Union township is located in the northern tier of the county, bounded on the north by Boone county, on the east by Middle township, on the south by Center, and on the west by Eel river. The land surface is generally level, with rolling land in the southwest and northwest corners. Like Middle township, the natural drainage is very poor, but has been aided considerably by artificial tiling. The land in this township is valuable today and it is easy of cultivation.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first white settlement was made in Union township in the year 1828 by John Matlock and John Fowler. Isaac Veiley entered the land where Lizton is now located, in 1828, but did not move to his holdings until 1831. Prior to 1835 the following located in this township: Archibald Alexander, James and William Leak, their sons, William Montgomery, John Pritchett, Claiborne Davis and the Plummers. The bad drainage of the township hindered the rapid growth of the colony, the same as in Middle, and it was not until 1840 that the settlement assumed any size whatever. The cabins were small and far apart and the clearings were mostly unproductive. One of the advantages of the pioneer was that the stock brought with them would live in the woods all winter and usually do well. This was especially so with swine, and soon after the arrival of the first settlers wild hogs be- came very abundant in the woods and all those who had ever had a hog go astray had a lawful claim upon the common herd. In the autumn of the year, after the acorns and the other mast began falling, these hogs became fat and were hunted down by the settlers with dog and gun, the same as the bear and deer. The settlers often caught them in traps. When desirable to catch them alive, this was always necessary and was accomplished by making a log pen so high that they could not jump over and arranging a trap door
(7)
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to which a string was fastened. Corn was then scattered in trails in dif- ferent directions through the woods to entice the swine into the pen, when a man secreted high in a tree top would spring the trap.
FIRST ELECTIONS.
The poll book for the presidential election results in this township in the year 1852 gives the names of fifty-one voters. The list is as follows: Jackson Griffith, R. D. Northcutt, Melzer Ward, William F. Darnell, James Leak, Benjamin G. Hiatt, John Pritchett, Claiborne Davidson, Tyra Stocker, Meredith Leach, Philip Stickleman, George Wilson, Solomon Adams, J. P. Lewis, William Northcutt, James Reed, Ezekiel Davidson, Joseph Edwards, Parry Burk, E. Hutchins, James Adams, William Joseph, Thomas Northcutt, John A. Leach, Henry Lewis, Thomas C. Pritchett, Benjamin L. Rainy, Doctor Buzzard, John Gregory. R. S. McDaniel, James E. Montgomery, William Hines, James Dingemore, John D. Fear, William D. Lane, S. T. Lewis, John D. Hiatt, William S. Johnson, Anderson Leach, Isaac Burnett, Samuel T. Scott, Thomas C. Parker, Larkin C. Eperson, Samuel Reynolds, Enos Leach, Leland Leak, John Nouringer, Francis A. Scott, Johnson Brook- shire and J. H. Herrick. Politically, the township has most always favored the Democratic ticket.
PRESENT UNION TOWNSHIP.
The growth and progress of Union township has kept pace with the development of the neighboring townships. The class of people are gen- erally the same and the improvements have been equal. The land in Union township is now very valuable, this value increasing by the knowledge of proper cultivation and care which has in recent years come to the entire county of Hendricks.
LIZTON.
Lizton is the only town in Union township. It was laid out by Jesse Veiley in 1837 and named by him New Elizabeth, in honor of Mrs. Veiley. The name was contracted to Lizton when the postoffice was first established.
Lizton never assumed a forward place in Hendricks county, although it has always been a substantial town, with good business and prosperous and public-spirited citizens. The population now is about two hundred and fifty. The town was incorporated in 1909. The present officers are: George
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Thompson, Clarence Storms and A. Gibson, trustees ; I. E. Voris, clerk ; Jesse Tharpe, treasurer.
The Bank of Lizton, organized by Marion Bailey and others, commenced business on December 1, 1910. Mr. Bailey was the first president; W. E. Leachman, vice-president ; James T. Leak, cashier, and George Huber, assist- ant cashier. The same officers are now active. The capital stock is $10,000; deposits, $85,000, and surplus, $1,000. Certificate of authority was issued to this bank on October 19, 1910.
Lizton Lodge No. 342, Knights of Pythias, was organized about ten years ago and now has one hundred and sixty members.
Iona Tribe No. 231, Improved Order of Red Men, has one hundred and ten members.
An Odd Fellows' lodge existed here once and was prosperous, but later
CHAPTER XV.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
TOPOGRAPHY.
On the east line of Hendricks county is located Washington township, bounded on its north side by Lincoln and Middle townships, on the east by Marion county, on the south side by Guilford and Liberty, and on the west by Center township. White Lick creek flows across the west side of this township and the East fork of this same creek touches the southeast corner. Along the creek valley the land is rolling and fertile; the central and eastern portion of the civil division is very level and, before the day of artificial drainage, was rather swampy. It was not, however, equal to other town- ships in this respect. The early growth of timber, now gone, was largely composed of beech, but embraced many valuable varieties. The soil is clay and alluvial, being well adapted to grasses and grain.
EARLY DAYS.
The first settlement in Washington township was made in the northeast corner, near the site of Shiloh church, by Robert Wilson, Gideon Wilson and Elisha Kise in the year 1822. The next year Daniel Tryer, Aaron Homan, the Griggs family, Joseph Fausett and others came into the same neighbor- hood in the same year, 1823, James Dunn, John Givens, Abner Dunn, for whom Abner's creek was named, and others, settled on the west side of the township on the above named creek. James Dunn settled on the Rockville road. Among those who came into the township within the next few years were David Cox, Alexander McCammock, Enoch Barlow and his sons Har- vey and Harrison, the Thornbroughs, Hurons, Huffords and Gossetts.
This township was one of the four which were organized at the same time as the organization of Hendricks county and received its name from George Washington at the suggestion of Aaron Homan, who was the first justice of the peace and married the second couple to be wedded in the county.
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HENDRICKS COUNTY, INDIANA.
FIRST ELECTION.
The first general election in Washington township was held August 7, 1826, at the home of Daniel C. Hults, and eleven persons voted. These were : Sidney Williams, Daniel C. Hults, James Merritt, Joseph Runyan, Isaac Williamson, Daniel B. Tryer, James Higgenbotham, Joseph Phillips, William S. Merrill, Robert Wilson and John Triggs. In its political history, Wash- ington township was at first Whig and after the death of that party followed the fortunes of the Republican organization.
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