USA > Indiana > Huntington County > History of Huntington County, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the State of Indiana > Part 52
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The next settler deserving a special mention was John R. Emley, who in 1834, in company with his brother Fletcher Emley, came to Huntington County, on a prospecting tour for the purpose of purchasing land and securing a home. Being pleased with the appearance of the country he purchased ten tracts of land in Clear Creek Township, Section 29, after which he returned to Ohio, for his family. On New Year's day 1835, he started with his family for the new home in the wilds of Hunt- ington County, and after a journey beset with many difficulties succeeded in reaching the town of Huntington on the 8th day of the same month. He left his family in Huntington and went to his land in Clear Creek, where with the assistance of his sons, Anthony and Wesley, he erected a log cabin, the work occupying about three weeks, the father and sons living in a hastily im- provised tent in the meantime. In February, the family were re- moved to the new home and work was at once commenced on clearing a field, a task accomplished in due time. Provisions being scarce among the settlements, Mr. Emley soon found it necessary to lay in a supply, and in order to obtain the same the sons were obliged to make a journey to Greeneville, Ohio, a dis- tance of eighty miles. After securing the provisions which were procured with great difficulty and expense, the young men started on the return trip, but the roads being well nigh impassable the wagons were abandoned about fifty miles from home and the supplies packed the rest of the distance on horse back. Previous to the time several trips had been made to Goshen Ind., for the necessaries of life, a task attended with many difficulties. In due time however, a respectable area of land was prepared for culti- vation, and after the first year our pioneer family found their hardship gradually disappearing. Mr. Emley was a native of New Jersey, and a man of many admirable qualities. He took an active interest in the development of Clear Creek Township, was instrumental in securing its organization, and at the first election was chosen a member of the board of trustees. He sub- sequently served as County Commissioner, and was in every re- spect one of the representative citizens of Huntington County. His sons, Anthony, Wesley and Sexton Emley, came with him to the new country, and can appropriately be mentioned as early settlers. His other sons, Joel C. and Samuel came later, the for- mer moving to the township in 1839, and, the latter in the spring of 1853.
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The next pioneer that claims our attention was Thomas Delvin, who moved from Perry County, Ohio, in March 1835, and settled the farm now owned by Casper Grass, in Section 32. In April following, Henry Miller made some improvements on the east half of the east half of the same section, the land being still in possession of his family. The settlers above named appear to have been the only residents within the present limits of the township prior to 1836. The latter year was marked by the arrival of a number of substantial pioneers, among whom were: John and Joseph Buchanan, Felix Binkley, Samuel Smith and James Belton. The first named located where William Lininger lives in the eastern part of the township, and was at one time Sheriff of Huntington County. Joseph Buchanan settled the farm owned at this time by John Miller, which he subsequently sold to Mr. Mishler and moved to Huntington Township. Mr. Binkley settled where he still lives on the northwest quarter of Section 20, and was the first justice of the peace elected in Clear Creek.
Samuel Smith improved forty acres of land in Section 28 and James Belton made a few improvements in the same part of the township, both of them disposing of their interests and mov- ing to other parts many years ago.
Van Tyner settled near the central part of the township in 1838, and the same year witnessed the arrival of John Moon in Section 17. Davis Dougherty on southeast quarter of same sec- tion; Christopher Daily, Section 27, and Isaac Kitt in Section 7. John Byers, in the summer of 1839, made some improvements on the northwest quarter of Section 20, taking a lease on the land of Fletcher Emley. He subsequently sold the lease to David Shoemaker and moved to Warren Township. James McKinney was an early settler in Section 28, and about the year 1839. Oliver Dwight and Thomas Dial moved to the township, the former locating in Section 32, and the latter in Section 31.
Additional to the pioneers enumerated, the following men came in an early day and settled in different parts of the town- ship, to-wit: John Croll, James Best, Reuben H. Gill, Thomas Epps, Robert Morrow, Robert Nipple, John Irich, John Oliver, Abraham Irich, Mr. Webster, Samuel Groves, Levi Reynolds, Samuel Kruegar James Brown, Cornelius Henline, David Flery, Peter Goble, Philip Zahn, Mr. Lininger, Abraham Mishler, Jacob Mishler, Daniel Helsen, William Gray, Darius Boylen, Daniel Boylen and others.
Township Organization .- Clear Creek was set apart as a sep- arate jurisdiction on the 14th day of February, 1838, and as orig- inally organized included the present townships of Jackson and Warren. "Its territory was first reduced September, 1841, by the organization of Jackson, and again by the setting apart of Warren, in 1843." The first election after the organization was held at the house of John R. Emley, on the first Monday of April, 1838, there being at the time but eight qualified voters, viz:
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
Thomas Delvin, John R. Emley, Felix Binkley, James Belton, Henry Miller, Christopher Dailey, Andrew Ream and Anthony Emley, all voting the Democratic ticket but one, Felix Binkley, who cast his ballot as a Whig. James Belton and Christopher Dailey were chosen judges of the election, while John R. Emley acted as inspector. When the ballots were canvassed, the follow- ing gentlemen were found to have been elected: John R. Emley, James Belton and Christopher Dailey, Trustees; Felix Binkley, Justice of the Peace; Andrew Ream. Constable, and Henry Mil- ler, Supervisor. The first clerk of the township was Thomas Delvin.
Mills .- The first mill in the township was a corn cracker, constructed by John R. Emley, on his place, in Section 29, as early as the year 1837. The building was a rude shed, and the machinery, which was of the most primitive pattern, received its motive power from the waters of a small branch of Clear Creek. The mill was erected principally for Mr. Emley's own use, but the early settlers patronized it quite extensively for sev- eral years, there being no other mill in the northern part of the county. Samuel Emley, about the year 1843, built a saw mill on Clear Creek, Section 28, which was operated with good success for a number of years. It ceased operations some time in the sixties, the last owners being George Smith and Sexton Emley. A water mill on the west branch of Clear Creek, Section 9, was erected late in the forties by David Flory, who manufactured much of the lumber used by the early settlers in that locality. It fell into disuse a number of years ago, but few vestages remain- ing to mark the spot it occupied. Uriah Bonbrake built a saw mill on the east branch of Clear Creek, a number of years ago, which was operated quite successfully for some time. The first steam saw mill in the township was built by Mr. Griffith, in Sec- tion 23. It is still in operation, being run at this time by Mr. Shock.
Religious. - The first religious meeting in the township was held at the residence of John R. Emley in 1839 by a traveling minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. Mr. Reed. The next preacher to visit the settlements was Rev. Mr. Holdstock who with Rev. Reed preached at regular intervals at Mr. Emley's until the fall of 1839, when a log house for school and church purposes was erected in Section 16. A class was organized about the same time and among the early members of the same were Mrs. Aveline E. Emley, Robert Nipple and wife, James Mckinney and wife, and Mrs. James Belton. It was organized under the name of Clear Creek Church, by which it has since been known. The old building was replaced in 1864 by a frame temple of wor- ship which is still used by the congregation. The society has always enjoyed a reasonable degree of prosperity and is reputed in good condition at this time. Following the Methodist itiner- ants came pioneer ministers of the United Brethren Church, two of whom, Revs. Terrell and Surran conducted public worship
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in an early day at the residence of Thomas Belton. A society was afterward organized and a house of worship erected in the same locality. A brick building was subsequently erected in Section 21, where worship is still held at regular intervals, the organization being in prosperous condition. In Section 3, north- ern part of the township, is another society of the United Brethren Church, which meet for worship in a building erected on the land of Peter Goble.
Elder George Abbott of the Christian Church, was an early preacher in the township, and some time in the fifties a society of that denomination was organized and a frame house of worship erected in Section 15. The society has been a potent factor for good in the community, and numbers among its mem- bers many of the best citizens of the township. In the Eastern part of the township there settled in an early day quite a number of the German Baptist Brethren, who were visited from time to time by Elders Leedy and Calbert. A church was soon organized and some time in the sixties a commodious brick house of worship, the largest in the township, was built on the southwest quarter of Section 24. The church is strong in numbers and bids fair to continue the leading religious organization in the north- ern part of Huntington County. Another society of the same denomination meet for worship in a large brick temple erected in the year 1874, in sections 19 and 20, about one mile from the Warren Township line. In Section 25, is an organization of the Albright Church, which like the other societies mentioned is alive to spiritual welfare of the community. The influence for good exercised by these various religious organizations cannot be expressed in words, and it is to be hoped that they may continue the grand work of inducing men to abandon the ways of sin for the better way leading to righteousness and holiness.
Miscellaneous .- The first birth in the township was that of Elizabeth Miller, daughter of Henry Miller, which occurred May, 1836. Wesley Emley, son of John R. Emley, departed this life November, 1841, the first death in the township. He was buried in the Clear Creek Cemetery, where were also laid to rest in an early day the bodies of George Dailey and children of John Moon and Robert Nipple. The first marriage in the township was solemnized November, 1841. Samuel Ream and Louisa, daughter of Thomas Dial, being the contracting parties. The first hewed log house was erected by John Crull, in the spring of 1840, and among the first frame houses, were those built by John and Samuel Emley. David Shoemaker, in 1842, burned the first brick, and the first brick buildings were erected some time later by David Bechdol and Abraham Mishler. The first regularly established highway through Clear Creek, was the Goshen Road, laid out and improved early in the thirties. The second road was the one traversing the township in a north- westerly direction, and the Whitley County line, surveyed by William Shearer, as early as the year of 1838. The Liberty
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
Mills plank road, from Huntington to Liberty Mills, was con- structed through the township in 1850 and 1851.
Among the early mechanics of the township were John Householder, blacksmith, John Moon, carpenter and mill- wright, and Robert Nipple, cabinet maker.
Among the casualties was the accidental death a number of years ago, of a man (name forgotten) who was crushed beneath a falling tree, on the farm of Mr. Emley.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
DANIEL BEGHTEL, a pioneer of Huntington County, and one among the early settlers of Clear Creek Township, is a native of Stark County, Ohio, born May 17, 1815. He was the second of eleven children born to Frederick and Elizabeth (Wareham) Beghtel, both natives of Pennsylvania, of German descent. He was reared upon a farm in his native county. In youth he moved with his parents to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where he was married to Mary Ann Cox on the 7th day of November, 1837. She was born in Bedford County, Pa., September 17, 1814, and was the daughter of Jacob and Esther Cox, the former a native of England, and the latter a native of Bedford County, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Beghtel continued to reside in Tuscarawas County un- til 1844, when they came to this county and settled in the woods of Clear Creek Township. Their home was in the wilderness and the clearing up of a farm occasioned for them a great deal of hard work. Mr. Beghtel chopped, grubbed, burned brush, rolled logs, made rails, and while he was thus industriously en- gaged his wife stood bravely by his side, presiding over the duties of the household as only a devoted wife could. But their labors were rewarded. The forest melted away and in the course of a few years they had a good farm and a comfortable home. Those early days were times of good feeling and genuine sociability. Not unfrequently did Mr. Beghtel lend a helping hand to his neighbors and assist them to raise their cabins and roll their logs. He assisted to erect fifty-six cabins during the first year. He and wife continued to reside upon the scene of their labors until about 1877, when they removed to their present home. They are the parents of ten children as follows: Henry, born August 30, 1838; Franklin, born October 27, 1840, died July 26, 1872; Catha- rine A., born May 1, 1842; Isaiah, born May 31, 1844; Joseph, born April 2, 1847; Lydia Ann, born December 3, 1848; William, born March 12, 1851; Eli, born March 1, 1853; Sarah J., born December 21, 1855, died November 16, 1857; George W., born May 1, 1858, died January 19, 1859. Mr. and Mrs. Beghtel are members of the United Brethren Church. The son, Joseph Beghtel, is a minister in that church and at present is stationed at Bremen, Marshall County, this State. He is a self-made man and a successful
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worker in the cause of Christ. In politics Mr. Beghtel is a Re- publican. He and wife have a comfortable home where they are spending the decline of life. They have now lived together nearly fifty years and though aged and worn with years of toil they are enjoying good health, and bid fair to live many years yet to enjoy the fruits of their labors in earlier days.
FELIX BINKLEY, one of Huntington County's pioneers, and one among the early settlers of Clear Creek Township, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., March 29, 1809. He was the fourth of eight children - five sons and three daughters - born to Felix and Catharine (Graibill) Binkley, both of whom were also natives of Lancaster County, Pa., of German descent. The former was the son of John and Eliza (Hair) Binkley, and the latter was the daughter of John and Catharine (Rupp) Graibill. The antecedents of Mr. Binkley originally came from Germany. The early life of our subject was spent in his native county. During his boyhood he worked upon a farm, and when a youth of fourteen he entered upon a three years' apprenticeship with William Wiley, who was to teach him the shoemaker's trade. After serving out his time he returned home, and for a few years assisted his father upon the farm. At the age of twenty one he accompanied his parents to Stark County, Ohio, where, on the 9th day of December, 1830, he was married to Anna Kitt, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, precisely four years after the birth of Mr. Binkley, or March 29, 1813. Her parents, Jacob and Barbara (Wolf) Kitt, were natives of York County, Pa., the for- mer of English and the latter of German descent. Jacob Kitt was born in March, 1779; married April 19, 1800, to Barbara Wolf. Some of the ancestors of Mrs. Binkley have lived to a remarkably old age. Among them were her father, who lived to be one hundred and one years of age, and her great grand- mother, who reached the advanced age of one hundred and five years. During the first six years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Binkley resided in Stark County, Ohio, the former working at his trade. On the 25th day of April, 1836, they set out in a wagon for Huntington County, whither they arrived on the 20th day of May, following. They wended their way to Clear Creek Township, and settled upon a tract of woods land in Section 20, where they have ever since resided. Since 1836 the occupation of Mr. Binkley has chiefly been that of a farmer, though he has occasionally worked some at his trade to supply the wants, not only of his own household, but also his neighbors'. His wife, now an aged lady, has stood by his side, sharing alike his pros- perity and adversity, managing the duties of the household and administering to her husband's wants as only a devoted wife could. They are the parents of four children -three of whom are living: Catharine, born March 5, 1832; Jacob, born May 29, 1834; Reuben K., born February 10, 1842, and Barbara Ann, born June 28, 1850, died November 15, 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Binkley
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
are members of the German Baptist Church. They are among the living monuments of pioneer life, and are among the county's worthy and esteemed citizens.
LEVI BONBRAKE, farmer of Clear Creek Township, was born in Stark County, Ohio, July 31, 1837. He was the oldest of four children, two sons and two daughters, born to Jacob and Elizabeth (Krichbaum) Bonbrake, both natives of Pennsylvania. He spent his early life working upon his father's farm. At the age of sixteen he began to learn the carpenter's trade. This was finished in due time and has been his chief occupation ever since. He was married in his native county to Catharine Briggle, Feb- ruary 14, 1861. She was also born in Stark County, Ohio, the event occurring February 26, 1839. Her parents, Joseph and Catharine (Beard) Briggle, were natives of Germany and Penn- sylvania, respectively. In April, 1863, Mr. and Mrs. Bonbrake, accompanied by the parents and brother of the former, came to Huntington County and located upon a farm in Section 29, Clear Creek Township. The two families occupied the same log cabin until the following spring, or in March, 1864, when our subject and his family moved to a house of their own on the north side of the farm and upon the site of their present residence. There they have resided ever since, excepting the summer of 1867, dur- ing which his residence was in Wabash County, he having pur- chased a saw mill in that county. While Mr. Bonbrake has all the time superintended the management of his farm, he has hired men most of the time to do the work it occasioned, prefer- ing himself to work at his trade. He built with his own hands the first Methodist Church in Clear Creek Township, the work being done in 1864. In 1874, he built the German Baptist Church of that township. Besides these he has erected two school houses and a vast number of dwelling houses and barns. Three years ago he retired from his trade, and since his attention has been given to his farm and to grain-threshing. Mr. and Mrs. Bonbrake are the parents of but one child, Edwin J. Bonbrake, who was born December 21, 1864. Mrs. Bonbrake has a member- ship with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, Mr. Bon- brake is an ardent Republican. He held the office of trustee in his township two years, having been elected October 8, 1872. He has frequently been solicited to accept other offices of trust but declined, as he preferred the quietude of domestic life, to the publicity of office-holding. He owns ninety and one-half acres of excellent land, situated in one of the best farming localities in Huntington County.
SIMON S. BONBRAKE, an industrious and successful farmer of Clear Creek Township, was born in Stark County, Ohio, May 1, 1842. He was the third child born to Jacob and Elizabeth (Krich- baum) Bonbrake, the former a native of Somerset County, Pa., and the latter a native of Centre County, Pa., both of Pennsylvania
Edwin B Ayres
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Dutch descent. The great grandparents of Jacob Bonbrake, came from Germany, as did also the grandparents of his wife, Elizabeth Bonbrake. The subject of this sketch spent his boyhood and youth in his native county working upon his father's farm. At twenty years of age he accompanied his father and mother to this county and located with them in Section 29, Clear Creek Township. There he has ever since pursued the vocation of a farmer, and as such he has been very successful. His first mar- riage occurred in this county, January 3, 1867, to Elizabeth A. Culp, who was born in Pennsylvania, June 5, 1846, being the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Culp, both natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Bonbrake continued to live happily together until the union was broken by the death of his wife, December 12, 1878. His second marriage occurred October 12, 1882, when Emma Henline became his wife. She was born in Clear Creek Town- ship, this county, August 2, 1849, and was the daughter of Cor- nelius and Mary (Flora) Henline, now old residents of Clear Creek Township. The first marriage of Mr. Bonbrake resulted in the birth of five children: Ida May, born May 11, 1867; Alice A., born August 11, 1870; Grant A., born January 24, 1874; Bertha, born June 12, 1876, died September 2, 1876; Lizzie A., born De- cember 7. 1878, died February 27, 1879. It is a remarkable fact that these two children died at precisely the same age, viz .: two months and twenty days. In politics, Mr. Bonbrake is a staunch Republican. He owns seventy-nine acres of excellent land, about sixty-five of which is in a high state of cultivation.
MRS. ANN BROWN, of Clear Creek Township, is a native of Darbyshire, England, born January 29, 1807. She was the second of eight children, four sons and four daughters, born to Robert and Hannah (Rhodes) Taylor, both of whom were also natives of England. Her paternal grandparents were James and Sarah Taylor. Her maternal grandparents were John and Ann (Gar- side) Rhodes. She grew up to womanhood in her native country, and in 1827, when she was in her twentieth year, she accompanied her father, mother, three brothers and three sisters to America. They embarked at Liverpool on September 8th, and reached the City of New York on the 12th day of November, 1826. Her old- est brother, James Taylor, had come to America the preceding spring. The family first located in the City of Troy, N. Y., where they resided six years, the father being employed in a cotton fac- tory. In 1833 they moved to Carroll County, Ohio, and settled upon a farm where the father and mother spent the rest of their lives. They died aged respectively, eighty-eight and seventy-five. In the meantime she was married in the twenty-second year of her age to William Nichalson, the event occuring in Troy, N. Y. Her husband died a year or so afterward leaving to her care one child, Elizabeth, who accompanied her widowed mother and grandparents to Carroll County, Ohio, and later on was married there and died in less than one year afterward. The second mar-
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
riage of our subject ocurred in Carroll County, Ohio, in 1835, when James Brown became her husband. He was born in West- moreland County, Pa., June 17, 1805, and was the son of George and Mary Brown, the former of whom was a native of Ireland, of Irish descent. Two years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Brown moved to this State, and settled in Fayette County. They resided there two years, and after spending six months among friends in Carroll County, Ohio, they came to Huntington County and settled down in the woods of Clear Creek Township, where Mr. Brown died May 24, 1885, in the eightieth year of his age, and where Mrs. Brown still continues to reside. She is now in the eighty-first year of her age, and at this advanced age she is in full possession of her mental faculties, and enjoying good health. Her marriage to Mr. Brown resulted in the birth of seven children: William H., Jane (deceased), Mary, John T., Sarah, Robert T. and Joseph R.
ALBERT S. BROWN, a farmer of Clear Creek Township, was born in Warren Township, this county, February 13, 1858. He was the third of six children born to Nehemiah and Sarah M. (Moore) Brown, the former a native of Preble County, Ohio, and the latter a native of Wayne County, this State, both of English descent. He was reared upon his father's farm, in this county, and attended the district school in which he received the rudi- ments of an education. During the summers of 1877 and 1878, he attended the normal school at Valparaiso. In the fall of 1877 he took up the avocation of a teacher and taught, in all, six terms, with good success. His marriage to Anna M. Sprinkle occurred October 26, 1881. She was born in Huntington Town- ship, this county, July 14, 1861, and was the daughter of Henry and Mary (Storm) Sprinkle, a history of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Brown located upon a farm in Warren Township. There they continued to reside until in September, 1883, when they removed to Clear Creek Township and settled where they now live. They are the parents of one child, Herbert A., born April 13, 18S4. By virtue of his birth, Mr. Brown is a member of the Quaker Church. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Brethren Church. In politics the former is a Prohibitionist. He is an industrious and enterprising young farmer and a good citizen.
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