History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana, Part 104

Author: Sulgrove, Berry R. (Berry Robinson), 1828-1890
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 942

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Archibald Clark, with his father-in-law, Isaac Coonfield, Sr., his brothers-in-law, John and James Coonfield, and his brother, Obadiah Clark, came from Kentucky, and were among the early settlers east and northeast of Southport. They were of that class of people who preferred the frontier; not that they had any vice, but seemed to prefer the rude freedom of a frontier life. They remained in the neighbor- hood some fifteen or twenty years, when the Coon- fields moved to Brown County and Clark to Madison County. Some years after Archibald Clark returned and spent a few years on the Bluff road, near Glenn's Valley, running a blacksmith-shop. About 1853 he moved to Jasper County, Ill., and died some ten years later. It was truthfully said of Archibald Clark that if he had but one meal in his house for his family he would divide that meal with friend or foe. Some of his family, after their removal to Illi-

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HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.

nois, developed considerable ability, and one of his sons represented Jasper County in the Legislature, and others of the family accumulated a considerable amount of property. They all inherited their father's marked trait, open-handed hospitality.

Isaac Kelly came from Lincoln County, Ky., bought land on the Three-Notch line, and re- moved to it in the fall of 1827. He settled on the east side of the road, his farm including the ground now known as the Round Hill Camp-Ground Ceme- tery. His son, the Rev. Greenup Kelly, was the first person interred in that cemetery, in December, 1830. On that hill was the first camp-meeting ever held in this county, in 1831. There were no tents, all cabins of round logs, with clapboard roofs. People came for many miles around, with horses and ox- teams. It was then a dense forest with thick under- brush. The campers on the ground fed all' visitors with corn bread, bacon, beef, and potatoes. No police were required to keep order. The early settlers were noted for their good behavior at church, both saints and sinners. They had no idle or bum- mer element in society. Methodism had a strong hold in this neighborhood. Sueb men as David Marrs, Father Kelly, Father Norwood, Eperson, and many other old-fashioned Methodists of sterling worth were the men that laid the foundation of society. All honor to their memory !

Alexander Clark was an early settler in what was known as the Clark settlement. Clark township, in Johnson County, took its name from Alexander Clark, Sr. The Clarks were a most respectable family and worthy citizens. " Aunt Sally," as she was familiarly known, lived to a great age, and was blind many years before her death. She was a re- markable woman for her sound good sense, patience, and piety. Alexander Clark, Sr., and all his sons and daughters have passed away except one, Sarah Kinnick, the wife of William Kinnick, an early settler of Perry township. Moses G. MeLain, the present county clerk, is a grandson of Alexander Clark, Sr.

in August, 1823, and settled on the farm of Jolin Smock, on the east side of the Madison road, south of Pleasant Run. Being a brick-moulder and layer, he took the job of building a brick house for John Smock, the first brick house ever huilt on the Madi- son road south of the city. It was finished in 1824. In the same year he bought land on the south side of Lick Creek, a quarter of a mile west of where the Shelby pike crossed the creek. He remained there fifteen years, then moved to Sugar Creek, in Shelby County, adjoining Johnson County. After living on his farm for many years he moved to Indianapolis, where he died, Dec. 15, 1872. His wife survived him eleven years, and died in the city, Dec. 5, 1883. When Mr. and Mrs. Evans came to the county, in 1823, they had two children. They afterwards had born to them ten children, five of whom died in in- fancy, and seven lived to maturity,-Sarah, Andrew E., Thomas, Mary, Eliza, Rboda, and Ann. The first-named two died after marriage ; five are now living. Thomas, who was the first born after they came to this county, is now living in the city, one of the most popular and able ministers in the United Brethren Church. Mr. and Mrs. Evans joined the Lick Creek Baptist Church at its organization, in 1826, at the house of David Fisher. They were a very exemplary couple, lived a blameless and upright life. Their family followed in their footsteps. At Mrs. Evans' death, Dec. 5, 1883, she had been a faithful and true follower of the Lord over sixty years.

John Wade Thompson came to this county with his father, who settled on the east side of Perry township in 1824. The family came from Ken- tucky, and John returned there for a short time, but soon after came back and settled in the neigh- borhood of Liek Creek Church. He married a Miss Denny. He filled the office of justice of the peace for Perry township until 1867, when he moved to the city, where he was elected to the office of justice of the peace. It was said of him that he broke up the Lick Creek Baptist Church, and the inquiry was made why he should do such a wicked thing. The answer was, " He moved away, and when he left the main pillar of the church was gone and it fell to

William Evans was born in Indiana County, Pa., in 1798. He married Margaret Elliott in Butler County, Ohio, in 1820, and they moved from Ohio | pieces." John Wade, as he is familiarly called, is a

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positive man, fearlessly follows his convictions, and is always found on the right side of cvery moral ques- tion. He is an upright and worthy citizen, and he has a family worthy of their parentage.

The McBride family came to Perry township from Dearborn County, Ind., in the winter of 1825-26, settling on the west side of the Bluff River, one mile north of Glenn's Valley. They had five sons and three daughters. Elijah, the eldest, married Eliza Miller, and they had a large family. The mother and six children have passed away. The father and four children are living. Charles, the second son, married Julia Eddy, in.the fall of 1828, and died some years after, leaving his wife and three children. The widow and one child are living. The third son, Nimrod, in early life moved to Illinois. Of the two younger sons, John is living; William died many years ago. Of the three daughters, Mrs. Nancy Hull died in June, 1840. Her youngest sister, Henrietta, died a few years after. Mrs. Cath- erine Christian is the only daughter now living. The Of father died in 1833, the mother two years later. all the early settlers in the neighborhood no family was attended by such fatality as the McBride family.

John Graham was born in Franklin County, Pa. He married Phannel McClain in 1820, and soon after his marriage started for the great Northwest, embarking on a keel-boat at Pittsburgh with his young wife to seek a home in the wilds of Indiana. He landed at Madison early in the spring of 1821, and leaving his wife there, he came to Indian- apolis, the then now seat of government. Mak- ing some purchases, after spending the spring and part of the summer in Indianapolis, he returned to Madison for his wife some time in the month of August, and in September, 1821, he settled on what was known as the Madison or Morgan trace, on the north bank of Lick Creek, and on what is now the Shelby gravel road, the farm now owned and ocen- picd by his son, Robert D. Graham. Some one had squatted on the land, put up a cabin, and made some little improvement. This was the first improvement in the northeast part of Perry township. There werc born to this pioneer couple four sons and two daugh- ters, as follows : Sarah, Mary, William M., Robert

D., John J., and Thomas W., all of whom are now living but Sarah and Thomas W. They struggled along for eight years, and made progress in opening a farm until October, 1829, when Mr. Graham died of bilious fever, leaving his widow with six small children.

John Graham was an earnest Christian man. He opend his house to the Christian ministers and made it a preaching-place. He died in the faith, leaving his family in the hands of a covenant-keeping God. They were not forsaken, his seed had never to beg bread. She who was the companion of his youth proved cqual to her task. She reared a respectable family and died in February, 1880, having lived a widow over fifty years, respected and honored by all who knew her.

John McCollum was born in the State of Ken- tucky March 9, 1796; his wife, Jane McFarland, was born Jan. 5, 1801, in the same State. They were married Nov. 6, 1823, moved to Ohio, and thence, in 1827, to Perry township, and located in the neighborhood of Mrs. McCollum's father, Benja- min McFarland. They had five children,-Thomas J., Benjamin C., John M., Martha G., and Sarah E., all now living but Benjamin C., who died May 6, 1864. John McCollnm was a carpenter by occupa- tion, and was the owner of a farm. When he was in the prime of his manhood he met with an accident that made him a cripple for life ; but he succeeded in making a competency for himself and family. He served his township as trustee with great fidelity for many years. As age advanced he retired from active life, and after the death of his wife, July 14, 1870, lie sold his homestead, divided his worldly effects, and made his home with his children. He spent the most of his time with his daughter, Mrs. Martha J. Fisher, at whose house he died March 11, 1882, eighty-five years and two days old. Few who trust to their chil- dren to care for them in old age receive such unre- mitting care as he received at the hands of his chil- dren. He sleeps in the Southport Cemetery, by the side of her who was his companion through a long life of toil.

Dr. Benjamin McFarland and family moved from Campbell County, Ky., in 1826, and settled on Lick

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HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.

Creek, half a mile east of the Shelby pike. He was the first settler in the township who practiced the healing art. He made himself very useful to the early settlers as a physician. He built the first saw- mill on Lick Creek, and soon after added a grist- mill, so as to furnish his neighbors both bread and lumber. He had two sons, Samuel and William, both living in the neighborhood, enterprising and respect- able citizens. He had two daughters,-Jane E. (who married John McCollum) and Eliza (who married Thomas N. Thomas). Benjamin MeFarland died at the house of his son, Samuel MeFarland, in the year 1860, in the ninetieth year of his age, his wife having died some years previous. The MeFarland family has a marked individuality. They have always been in the advance from a moral and educational stand- point.

David Fisher came to Perry in 1825, and settled on the east side of the township. He was married to Elizabeth M. Hodges in the State of Kentucky, moved to Shelby County, Ind., and thence to Marion. He started the first tan-yard in Perry township. It was at his house that the Lick Creek Baptist Church was organized in the spring of 1826. He was an enterprising pioneer, and did his part to advance the moral and material interests of the neighborhood. He always took a strong stand on the side of law, good order, and religion. He had a large family, consist- ing of four sons and five daughters, in the following order : John P., James W., Cynthia, Mary J., Ben- jamin L., Elizabeth R., Matilda, Joseph L., and Sarah E. Fisher. They all lived to maturity, except one daughter. They are now scattered from Indiana to Western Kansas, only two living in this county,- one daughter and Joseph L. Fisher, of Indianapolis. David Fisher died in 1836. His wife survived him four years.

Jacob Smoek was born in Mercer County, Ky., March 8, 1797. Emigrating thence to Indiana in the fall of 1823, he settled in Perry township on a farm north of Southport. A part of the town plat is on the original quarter-section that he settled on, which was then an unbroken forest. It was in his cabin that the first Presbyterian preacher, Rev. John M. Dickey, first prcached in the township. His wife

was a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was not then a member of any church, but in after-years he joined the Baptist Church, and during his resi- dence in the neighborhood he was one of its leading members. He was the first captain of militia in the township, and also served as a justice of the peace. At an early day he built a grist-mill on his farm on Buck Creek. It was one of the earliest mills of the township for grinding corn. Jacob Smock's family consisted of five sons-John, Henry, Simon, Daniel, and Thomas-and four daughters. He moved to Benton County, Iowa, in September, 1859, and died a few years after with cancer of the stomach. His wife survived him but a few years. He was an enterprising citizen and an upright man.

Henry Brewer was an early settler, coming to this township from Mercer County, Ky., in 1825 or 1826. He married and settled on a farm on the west side of the Madison State road, adjoining the Johnson County line. He remained there some twenty years, then sold out and moved to Jasper County, Ill. His wife died soon afterwards. He raised a large family. His patriotism was such that in the war of the Rebellion he joined the Union army when he was over fifty-five years of age, but his health failed him from the exposure of a soldier's life, and he lived but a few years after the close of the war. He died in Jasper County, Ill., respected by all, and without a personal enemy.

Archibald Bruce came to this township from Dear- born County in 1826, and settled on a quarter-section adjoining Henry Alcorn on Buck Creek, quarter of a milc east of the Bluff road. He had a wife, two daughters, and two sons, Robert and William. They soon returned to Lawrenceburg, their business being running the river to New Orleans. They both died in a few years. Mr. Bruce and his wife died some thirty-five years ago, leaving two daughters, Sydna and Eliza. The younger (Eliza) died a few years after her parents; the other daughter is the only sur- vivor, and is now living in Indianola, west of the city, in her eightieth year.

Alexander Clark, Sr., was married to Sarah Glenn in Nicholas County, Ky., and soon after marriage moved to Muhlenberg County, in what was then

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known as the Green River country. In the fall of 1827 he migrated to Perry township with his family, consisting of three sons,-Archibald G., Alexander, and Moses,-and four daughters, Sarah, Nancy, Susan, and Polly. He settled on the west side of the Bluff road, on the south bank of Buck Creek (the farm now owned by Charles Orme), and re- mained there two years, when the family all moved to the northeast cerner of Johnson County.

Moses Orme settled on the Notch line, east side, adjoining the Johnson County line, in 1827. He was married to a Miss Elson, and they came from Lewis County, Ky. He lived there ten years, and then seld his farm to John H. Oliver, of Henry County, Ky. He bought an unimproved tract of land two miles north, on the same road, and opened a second farm. Moses Orme did as much hard work in clearing up land as any of the early settlers. He was a quict, kind-hearted man, and his wife was of the same type of character. They had five sons,- Charles, Henson, Richard, Eli, and George,-and three daughters, Ruth, Elizabeth, and Nancy, all now living but Henson and Richard. The Ormes were all well-to-do farmers. Mrs. Orme died in 1860, Mr. Orme in 1862, leaving to his children a good estate and a worthy example of honesty aud industry.

Samuel Woodfill came from Jefferson County, Ind., and settled on the Bluff road, east side, five miles south of Indianapolis, in the spring of 1826. He was a pattern farmer, and raised a large family. His wife died, and he then sold his farm and lived with his children. He died in the city some years since, and was buried with his wife in the Southport cemetery. He was an upright citizen, a kind neigh- bor, always ready to do a favor to those who asked or necded it, even at inconvenience to himself.

The first mill in the township was built about 1827, by William Arnold, on Lick Creek, three- fourths of a milc west of the eastern boundary of the township. It was used a few years, and then aban- doned because the water supply failcd. A grist-mill was attempted on the McGinnis farm by John Mc- Cormick, who dressed two "nigger-head" bowlders

for the millstones, but it was found that the water supply was insufficient to make the mill successful, and the enterprise was abandoned. The stones were afterwards sold to James McLaio, who added a grist- mill to his saw-mill on Buck Creek, about one hun- dred yards east of the Perry township line in Frank- lin township. This enterprise also failed for lack of water, and he sold the stones to Benjamin McFarland, who already had a saw-mill (built in 1827) on Lick Creek, about a half-mile east of where the Shelby- ville road crosscs. He added the grist-mill in 1829 or 1830, and it was for a time successful, but some years later both the grist-mill and the saw-mill were abandoned for the usual cause,-lack of water to run them a sufficient length of time in the year to make them profitable.

Jacob Smock built a grist-mill about 1828, on the present site of the village of Southport, on Buck Creek. It was kept in operation till about 1840, and then abandoned because of the failure of water sup- ply. About one mile below Southport, on Buck Creek, a saw-mill was started about 1836, and was run a number of years by Nathaniel Beasley. The water supply diminished, and in 1866 a steam-engine was added as an auxiliary, but this proved a failure, and the mill was abandoned in 1870. A mill was built in 1846, a quarter of a mile north of South- port, by - Bonty, and was run by Bonty & Cot- peter for about six years in sawing timber for the railroad. It was afterwards abandoned.

There was also a saw-mill in existence and in operation from 1839 to 1855 on Pleasant Run, just below Glenn's Valley, ou the farm of Archibald Glenn.

A steam grist-mill was erected and put in operation at Southport by Richard Smock about 1855. A few years afterwards he sold it to John S. Webb, who rebuilt and still owns it. There is also a saw-mill at Southport, built about ten years ago, and now owned by Isaac Grube.

There are within the township of Perry two small villages, the larger being Southport and the other Glenn's Valley, which is on the Bluff road, in the southwest part of the township, thrce-fourths of a

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mile north of the Johnson County line, and on the north side of Pleasant Run. The village was laid out partly on land of John Smart and partly on land of Robert Burns. The first house on the village site was built by Mr. Burns in the winter of 1830-31. The village was named for Archibald Glenn, one of the earliest settlers in the township. A post-office was established here in 1838. After a few years it was discontinued, but was re-established in 1856. The village has now a post-office, two general stores, one drug-store, a blacksmith-shop, a wagon-shop, a steam grist-mill, a Masonic lodge, an excellent school- house and graded school, one church (Methodist Episcopal), and about one hundred inhabitants.

The first settler at what is now the village of Southport was Jacob Smock, who came from Mercer County, Ky., in 1823, and bought land immediately north of the present town. In the same year, Sam- uel Brewer came, and bought eighty acres of his present farm, then returned to Kentucky, married, and came back to Perry in 1824. The first building erected within the limits of the present village was the old water-mill, which stood just - back of Mr. Howard's present residence. The old race-way is still to be seen in the woods east of the railroad. The oldest house now standing is the one where Mr. Christian lives. It was built by Jacob Smock, on his farm, and when it became probable that the rail- road then in progress of construction would have a station at Southport, the house was moved across the creek to its present location. Until the coming of the railroad, however, there was no village, nor any prospect of one, where Southport now stands. The first town-lots on the west side of the railroad were laid out by William Hooker, and on the east side by Dr. Merritt. The town plat was surveyed in 1852, and recorded April 5th in that year. In 1880 Southport had a population of three hundred and eighty-eight, as shown by the returns of the United States census of that year.

The Southport Baptist Church was organized as the Buck Creek Baptist Church, in or about the year 1838, at the Mud School-house, by persons previ- ously members of the Lick Creek Church. About two years after the organization a meeting-house was

crected, on land donated for the purpose by Jacob Smock. In the spring of 1838 a great protracted meeting was held at Lick Creek, and immediately afterwards at Buck Creek, under the leadership of the Rev. - Haine, a missionary, resulting in a revival, which added a large number of members to both churches. One of the earliest ministers to this church was the Rev. Henry Hunter, who was suc- ceeded by the Revs. Thomas Townsend, Madison Hume, I. N. Clark, A. J. Riley, and others. The congregation grew until the old meeting-house be- came too small, when a new and much larger church building was erected on land purchased from J. H. Combs, adjoining the Smock donation on the east. The old meeting-house was then removed. Soon after the village of Southport was laid out the name of the Buck Creek Church was changed to South- port. It has always been a flourishing organization, and still has quite a large membership, being the only Baptist Church in the township. In con- nection with the old (first) meeting-house of this congregation a space was set apart for burial pur- poses, on the land donated by Jacob Smock. In this ground the first interment was that of John B. Smock, eldest son of Jacob, Aug. 10, 1842. The ground (about one and a half acres in extent) is now nearly full of graves, and arrangements are being made to obtain land for a new cemetery in a better location.

The Southport Presbyterian Church was organ- ized in 1833. In January of that year the Presby- tery of Indianapolis, in session at Greensburg, gave its consent to the formation of a Presbyterian Church in this community, and, on the 30th of March fol- lowing, the Rev. W. W. Woods, then pastor of the Greenfield (now Greenwood) Church, effected the organization in the Mud School-house. It was first called the Providence Presbyterian Church, in honor of the older church at Providence, Ky., from which some of the members had come. The organization included twenty-four members, viz. : Samuel Brewer, Eleanor Brewer, Thomas C., Rachel, Ann and Abram V. Smock, Simon and Mary French, Benjamin, Mary, and Eliza McFarland, John A. and Lemma Brewer, Phannel Graham, Paulina White, Jane E. McCollum,

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Mary, Phebe, Samuel S., and John S. Siebern, Deb- orah W. Siebern, Andrew E. and Sarah Mann, and Otis Sprague. All were from Greenwood Church except the last named, who was from the only Pres- byterian Church then in Indianapolis. Otis Sprague and John S. Siebern were chosen ruling elders, and Samuel Brewer deacon.

A committee appointed for the purpose selected a site for a house of worship on the northwest corner of Jacob Smock's land, but some disagreement arose, which resulted (though no reason can be given for the change) in the building of the meeting-house on the land of Samuel Brewer, opposite the site of the present school-house. In 1838, when the great divi- sion occurred in the Presbyterian Churches, although that at Greenwood remained united, this one was seriously affected. Of the thirty-eight members who composed it at that time, seventeen became adherents of the New School. Both congregations worshipcd in the old Mud School-house for about four years, at the end of which time the majority composing the old branch built a frame church building, one and a half miles east, in which they worshiped until 1858, when the church was removed to Acton. In 1842 the New School branch built a church building at what is now Southport, and have worshiped there to the present time. Their first church at this place was a frame building about twenty by thirty-four fect in size. It was used for some time before being en- tirely finished, and, after about seventeen years' ser- vice as their house of worship, it was destroyed by fire, Nov. 18, 1859. In 1860 they crected the present church building, which is of brick, about thirty-two by forty-four feet in size, and cost originally about two thousand one hundred dollars. In the destruc- tive tornado of July 12, 1883, the roof of this church was badly damaged, but the other parts of the build- ing remained comparatively uninjured. In 1868 a parsonage was built at a cost of about one thousand dollars. At the present time (September, 1883) the church has one hundred and sixty-four members.

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History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana, Part 104

Author: Sulgrove, Berry R. (Berry Robinson), 1828-1890 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 942

Author: Sulgrove, Berry R. (Berry Robinson), 1828-1890
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 942