USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana > Part 111
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William Bacon was born in Williamstown, Mass., about 1798. He came to Indiana a single man soon after his brother Hiram, and settled on land about one mile north of where Malott Park now is. There he lived till his death, in about 1863. He married Deborah, daughter of Hezekiah Smith, Sr., soon after his arrival here. He was a farmer, and a member of the Masonie fraternity. In polities he was a Demo- crat. He lived a proper life for years, and left behind him a large and valuable estate.
Hezekiah Smith, Sr., was born in Delaware, April 18, 1763. At the age of sixteen he entered the Revolutionary army, and was in nine battles. His eldest brother, Daniel, was killed in the Revolutionary war. His brother Simeon was also in the same war, and also in the war of 1812, and lived to enjoy the blessings for which he fought. The subject of this
sketch married Mary Ann Rector, who was born in Virginia, Feb. 12, 1776. Her mother died when she was an infant, and she was raised by her unele, Pres- ley Neville, in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Rector family was large, and many of them emigrated to Ohio, where a number of their descendants now reside on Mad River, in Champaign and Clark Counties. Hezekiah Smith was a local preacher of the Methodist Episco- pal Church ; by trade he was a wagon-maker, and worked at that business in the Bluelicks, Nicholas County, Ky .; but subsequently he bought a farm on Indian Creek, and partially quitting his trade, followed farming. The following are the names of his ehil- dren, viz. : Betty, Susan, Deborah, Daniel R., Peter, Hezekiah, Naney, Simeon, Miles C., Carlton R., and Mareus L. The seven sons all reached manhood and became sober, industrious, and useful citizens. But two of the children are living, viz., Susan Chinn, in Colorado, and Mareus L. Smith, in Argos, Ind. In 1820, Mr. Smith sold his farm in Kentucky and moved his family to this township, and settled in the woods Oct. 27, 1820, about one half-mile east of where Broad Ripple now is, and on the west half of north- east quarter of seetion 6, township 16, range 4 east. At that time there were but two or three cabins be- tween where he settled and the donation, as Indian- apolis was then ealled. Mr. Smith and his son Peter had came out to where the family settled and made an improvement, and raised a erop of corn the spring before. The family lived in eamp for six weeks after arrival here, when a cabin was built, into which they moved before winter.
Mr. Smith was a man of extraordinary memory, of strong and vigorous mind, and a great reader. After an illness of four weeks he died, on the 26th day of August, 1824, in the sixty-second year of his age, and his remains were buried in the burial- ground on the Hiram Bacon land. He was the first person buried in that graveyard. His widow re- mained on the old homestead, and kept the family together until her death, Oct. 3, 1837.
Daniel R. Smith, son of Hezekiah Smith, Sr., and Mary Ann, his wife, was born in Mason County, Ky., near May's Liek, in a log cabin, on the 4th of October, 1801. He emigrated to this township with
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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
his parents Oct. 27, 1820. He remained with the family until shortly after his marriage to Margaret N., ,eldest daughter of John Nesbit, on Nov. 11, 1834. He then began life for himself and wife, set- tling on the farm now owned by his son, John H. There he lived the remainder of his life. When comparatively a young man he was elected justice of the peace, in which capacity he served five years, and was re-elected to the same office, and commissioned for five years on the 3d day of December, 1838. He served a part of the term, but resigned to accept the office of associate judge of the Circuit Court, to which he was elected in August, 1842, and served for a period of seven years from the 8th of April, 1843. In 1849 he was re-elected to the same office for seven years from April 8, 1850, and served in that capacity until the office was abolished. On Sept. 20, 1851, he was admitted as an attorney and counselor-at-law, with authority to practice in the circuit and inferior courts of Indiana, and he fol- lowed that profession the rest of his life. Soon after the establishment of the new Constitution he was elected one of the township trustees, and served as such for three years, during which time he as- sisted in the organization of the public-school system in the township. He was a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church at the time of his death, and for ten years prior to that time. He always took an active part in promoting the cause of religion. He was one of the leading citizens of the township; of steady habits, moral, industrious, and sociable. He was a good and kind neighbor, and was a great en- courager of every laudable public enterprise. His wife died Aug. 11, 1854, and he died April 4, 1875. He left two children, John H. and Mary Ann. The son is now living on the old homestead where he was born, near Malott Park, and is by occupation a farmer. The daughter is the wife of Dr. Greenly B. Woollen, and resides in Indianapolis.
Peter Smith, the second son of Hezekiah Smith, Sr., was born in Kentucky, Sept. 27, 1803. He emigrated to this township with his father's family in 1820, and remained with his parents till after his father's death. He learned the gunsmith trade, and afterwards became a physician and practiced medicine
a few years in the neighborhood of Millersville. He married in 1825, and a few years afterwards went to Nashville, Tenn., thence to New Orleans, where he took the gold fever about 1849 and went to San Francisco, Cal., where he established a hospital. He was in South America a while, but returned and went to Europe, settling in England, where he died Oct. 9, 1866. He was a very successful practitioner of medicine, and for many years a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Hezekiah Smith, Jr., was born Nov. 29, 1805, in Kentucky, and in 1820 emigrated to this township with his parents, with whom he lived till after his father's death. He married in June, 1829, and lived for several years about half a mile southeast of Millersville, on the east part of the farm now owned by William A. Schofield. He joined the Methodist Church at an early date, and was ordained a minister of the gospel, and preached with good effect for many years. He died in Indianapolis Dec. 4, 1879.
James Ellis was born in Tennessee about 1798. He came to the township a single man in March, 1820, and settled one half-mile southwest of where Millersville now is. He lived for a while on the farm now owned by David Huff's heirs. He was an in- dustrious, moral citizen. He married Leah Cruise, who is now living on the old homestead. She has in her possession a large dish which her husband bought of Mrs. Garner sixty-five years ago. Mr. Ellis died in 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis raised four children, three of whom are living. Alfred lives on the old homestead. Henry is in Colorado, and Palina, the wife of William J. Millard, Jr., lives in Iowa. When Mr. Ellis came into this township there were no schools, no preaching, nothing but woods, wild animals, and Indians. He assisted in the burial of the first white person that ever died in Lawrence township, this county.
Martin McCoy, wife, and children came from Ken- tucky to this township with Henry Cruise in 1820. His wife died in 1821. . He was a great hunter and trapper. He was with the Indians most of the time ; was missing, and it was supposed that the Indians killed him.
Henry Cruise was born in North Carolina in 1760.
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HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.
He came to Daviess County, Ind., from Ohio in Oc- tober, 1816, and thence to this township in June, 1820. He came up White River in a boat with his family, and Martin McCoy and family to within eight miles of Indianapolis, and the rest of the way in wagons. His wife's maiden name was Susannah Cress. He settled in the woods on Fall Creek, near where the Wabash Railroad crosses. In 1824 he went to Illinois, and died there. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and by occupation a farmer. He was the father of ten children, six of whom are now living.
William Hardin was born in Virginia in 1780. He came from Lawrenceburg to this township in 1820, and entered one hundred and sixty acres, now owned by Joseph Schofield. He lived there eighteen years, then went to Iowa, where he died about 1858. He was of Baptist belief, but not a member of the church. He was a very industrious, moral citizen, and by occupation a farmer.
Joel Wright, one of the first settlers of Washing- ton township, was born in Stokes County, N. C., on the 5th of February, 1793, and was married to Sarah Byerby on the 10th of September, 1812, in North Carolina. They moved from there to Indiana in May 12, 1813, settling temporarily in what is now Wayne County, on the west fork of White Water. From there they moved to Washington township, Marion Co., on the 22d day of December, 1821.
Joel Wright was appointed one of the first justices of the peace for Washington township. When his term expired he was run again, and received the largest vote, being elected over Hiram Bacon, Esq., in 1826.
On the 1st of April, 1828, Mr. Wright cut the artery in his left leg below the knee. On the 6th, Drs. Dunlap and Kitchen amputated the limb about four inches above the knee, and three days afterwards Mr. Wright died, leaving Sarah Wright, his wife, with seven children,-Alfred, Mary, Jincy, Emsley, Phebe, Elizabeth, and Lucinda. On the 25th of August, 1828, another child, Joel Wright, was born. Mrs. Wright lived a widow all the rest of her life, and raised the eight children. She died at the age of seventy-six years.
Conrad Colip was born in Pendleton County, Va., about 1795. In 1821 he came to this township with his family and settled on one hundred and sixty acres now owned by James Bridges. He followed farming all his life, and was a moral man and a good citizen. He left the township about 1852 and went to St. Joseph County, Ind., where he died several years ago.
Jacob Hushaw, who was of German descent, was born in Virginia. He came to this township from Ohio in 1821, and settled near where Broad Ripple now is. He was a carpenter by trade, and a good mechanic. He died on his old homestead about 1843.
Zachariah Collins, with his wife and family, came from Mason County, Ky., to this township about 1821, and entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, now owned by David Allen. He was a farmer, industrious, and a good neighbor. He lived there till about 1840, then sold to Mr. Allen, and went to near Bloomington, Iowa, where he bought a farm, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was one of the first settlers in the township.
The earliest assessment-roll of Washington town- ship that can now be found is that of the year 1829, which, being complete, shows, of course, very nearly who were the male adult inhabitants of the township at that time. The following names, taken from it, are those of men then resident in the township who were assessed on no real estate, viz. :
Alexander Ayers. Ellis Bunnell.
Charles Allison. Robert Barnhill.
Willis Atkins. Robert Brown.
David Allison. Daniel Bowes.
Jacob Applegate.
James Cook.
Thomas Blackerby.
Daniel Clark.
John Burrough. James Cochran.
Robert Branson.
George Clark.
William Brunson.
Richard Clark.
Jonathan Brunson.
Absalom Cruise.
Thomas Brunson. Evan Ballenger.
William Deford.
Squire Dawson.
John Burns.
James Ellis.
John Brady.
John Brady, Jr.
Ephraim Elkins. Charles Ecret.
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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
Ralph Fults.
William Mellvain.
Jacob Hushaw.
William McClung.
William Hart.
Daniel Miller.
Caleb Harrison.
Edmund Newby.
John Harrison.
William Orpurd.
Benjamin Inman.
Barrett Parrish.
Thomas Jackson.
Adam Pense.
John Jackson.
Nicholas Porter.
Noah Jackson.
James Porter.
Nathan Johnson.
Jonathan Ray.
Milton Johnson.
John Ray. John Smith.
James Kimberlain.
Jacob L. Kimberlain.
Isaac Stephens.
Jefferson Keeler.
Isaac Simpkins.
John Kiniberlan.
David Sharp.
Samuel Leeper.
John Shields. Hezekiah Smith.
Robert Leeper. Samuel Lakin.
Samuel P. Sellers.
Andrew Leeper.
Harvey Steers.
John Mansfield.
Thomas Todd.
Zebedee Miller.
Jacob Triggs.
John Miller.
Michael Miller.
Richard Vanlandingham. William Viney. Joseph Watts.
Alexander Mills.
John McCoy, Jr.
Edward Watts.
William Mansfield.
Richard Watts.
John Medsker.
Edward Wells.
John G. MeIlvain. William McCoy.
Robert Williamson.
The same assessment-roll gives the following names of persons resident in Washington township in 1829, and who were owners or holders of the lands respec- tively described, viz. :
John Allison, the west half of the southwest quarter of section 21, township 17, range 4, and the east half of the northeast quarter of section 29 in the same township.
William Appleton, the north half of the northwest quarter of section 14, township 16, range 3.
Abraham Bowen, the east half of the northeast quarter of section 24, township 17, range 3. Mr. Bowen lived in the north part of the township, and died only a very few years ago. Several of his family are now living in the township.
James Brown, the east half of the southwest
quarter of seetion 30, township 17, range 4. Mr. Brown came to this township from Kentucky in 1824.
Hiram Bacon, Esq., the west half of the southwest quarter of section 5; the east half of the southeast quarter of section 6, and the east half of the north- east quarter of section 7, all in township 16, range 4.
William Bacon, the southwest quarter of section 31, and the southwest quarter of section 32, in town- ship 17, range 4.
James Bonnell, the east half of the northeast quarter of section 35; the southwest quarter of see- tion 25 ; the east half of the southeast quarter of sec- tion 26, and the north half of the southwest quarter of section 35, all in township 17, range 3.
Jesse Ballinger, the east half of the northeast quarter of section 9, township 16, range 4.
Zachariah Collins, the northwest quarter of section 18, township 16, range 4.
Joseph Coats, the west half of the northwest quarter of section 21, township 17, range 4, and the north half of the northeast quarter of same section.
Conrad Colip, the north half of the northeast quarter of section 12, township 16, range 3; the south half of the southeast quarter of section 1, same township, and one hundred and forty acres in the northeast and southeast quarters of section 19, town- ship 17, range 4.
Jacob Coil, the south half of the southwest quar- ter of section 36, township 17, range 3; eighty-eight acres in the northwest quarter of same section; the south half of the northeast quarter of section 12, township 16, range 3; and the north half of the northeast quarter of section 1, same township.
William Crist, the east half of the southwest quar- ter of section 5, township 16, range 4.
Isaac Coppuck, fifty acres in the southeast quarter of section 17 and northeast quarter of section 20, township 17, range 4.
William Coats, the east half of the northwest quarter of section 29, township 17, range 4.
. Solomon Cruise, the east half of the northeast quarter of section 31, township 17, range 4.
Fielding Clark, the west half of the northwest quarter of section 32, township 71, range 4. .
-
630
HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.
Robert Dickerson's heirs, the west half of the southeast quarter of section 6, township 16, range 4.
William Duffield, all the land east of the river in section 2, township 16, range 3, and the east half of the northeast quarter of section 11, township 16, range 3.
Elijah Dawson, the southwest quarter and the east half of the northeast quarter of section 6, and the west half of the northwest quarter of section 5, all in township 16, range 4; also the west half of the northeast quarter and the east half of the same sec- tion, in township 17, range 4; forty acres in the southeast quarter of section 12, township 16, range 3; and the north half of section 36, township 17, range 3.
John Fox, the east half of the southwest quarter of section 3, township 16, range 3, and the east half of the southeast quarter of section 9, same township.
Noah Flood, the east half of the northeast quarter of section 24, township 16, range 4.
John Gwin, the north half of the northeast quar- ter of section 14, township 16, range 3.
Garret Garrison, the south half of the southeast quarter of section 10, township 16, range 3.
Jonas Hoover, the east half of the southeast quarter of section 14, township 16, range 3.
William Hobson, the west half of the southeast quarter and the east half of the southwest quarter of section 24, township 17, range 3.
Lewis Hoffman, the east half of the southwest quarter of section 18, township 17, range 4.
Philip Hardin, forty acres in the east half of the northwest quarter of section 12, township 16, range 3.
Jonas Hoffman, the northwest quarter of section 6, township 16, range 4, and the part east of the river (sixty acres) of the southeast quarter of section 36, township 17, range 3; five acres east of river in the southwest quarter of the same section, and forty acres west of the river in the southwest'and southeast sections, same township.
William Hardin, the northeast quarter of section 18, township 16, range 4, and forty acres in the east half of the northwest quarter of section 12, township 16, range 3.
Henry Hardin, Sr., the north half of the east half of the southeast quarter of section 7, township 16, range 4.
John Johnson, the east half of the southwest quarter of section 18, township 16, range 4.
Thomas Keeler, fifty acres in the south half of the southwest quarter of section 35, township 17, range 3.
Elias Leming, ninety-eight acres in the southeast quarter of section 2, township 16, range 3.
Noah Leverton, the south half of the northeast quarter of section 14, township 16, range 3.
Thomas A. Long, the east half of the northeast quarter of section 5, township 16, range 4.
Samuel McCormick, the east half of the northwest quarter of section 15, township 16, range 3.
James McCoy, the east half of the northwest quar- ter and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 5, township 16, range 4.
John McCoy, the south half of the southeast quarter and forty acres in the west half of the same quarter of section 12, township 16, range 3.
George Medsker, the southwest quarter of section 17, township 17, range 4; also the west half of north- east quarter, and the east half of the northwest quar- ter of the same section.
James McIlvain, Sr., the east half of the south- west quarter of section 12, township 16, range 3.
Nathan McMillen, the west half of the southwest quarter of section 12, township 16, range 3.
Daniel McDonald, the northeast quarter of section 13, township 16, range 3.
Lyle McClung, the southeast quarter of section 8, township 16, range 4.
Peter Negley, the southeast quarter of section 4, township 16, range 4.
Edward Roberts, Esq., forty acres in the west half of the northwest quarter of section 10, township 16, range 3, and the west half of the southwest quarter of the same section.
Jacob Roberts, the north half of the southeast quarter of section 34, township 17, range 3.
Sargent Ransom, the east half of the southwest quarter of section 10, township 16, range 3.
John Richardson, one hundred and three acres
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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
west of river in the southeast quarter of section 17, and northeast quarter of seetion 20, township 17, range 4.
William Ramsey, the south half of the northeast quarter of section 21, township 17, range 4.
David Ray, the northwest quarter of seetion 18, township 17, range 4.
William D. Rooker, the west half of the south west quarter of section 17, township 16, range 4.
John Reagan, Jr., the whole of section 20, town- ship 17, range 4.
Samuel Ray, the south half of the northwest quar- ter of scetion 28, township 17, range 3.
Isaac Stipp, the west half of the southwest quarter of section 13, township 16, range 3.
Peter Smith, one hundred and fifteen aeres in the northwest quarter of section 6, township 16, range 4.
Mary Ann Smith, sixty-eight aeres in the west half of the northeast quarter of section 6, township 16, range 4.
John St. Clair, the north end (forty aeres) of the cast half of the southeast quarter of seetion 7, town- ship 16, range 4, and the southwest quarter of sec- tion 8 in same township.
Daniel R. Smith, the east half of the southwest quarter of section 4, township 16, range 4.
Cornelius Van Scyock, the south half of the south- east quarter of seetion 34, township 17, range 3.
John Van Blaricum, the west half of the south- west quarter of section 15, township 16, range 3.
William Vincent, the east half of the southeast quarter of section 13, township 17, range 3.
Isaac Whitinger, twenty-seven acres in the north- west quarter of section 20, township 17, range 4, and one hundred and forty-seven aeres in the northeast and southeast quarters of section 19, same township.
Henry Whitinger, the west half of the northeast quarter of seetion 24, township 17, range 3, and the northwest quarter of section 19, township 17, range 4.
John West, the west half of the northwest quarter of section 28, township 17, range 4.
west of river, in the west half of the northeast quarter of section 25, same township.
Francis Whitinger, one hundred and thirty-nine aeres in the northeast quarter of section 15, township 16, range 4.
Polly Wright, the west half of the northwest quarter of seetion 12, township 16, range 3.
Jacob Whitinger, the southwest quarter of section 19, township 17, range 4; the east half of the south- east quarter of section 24, township 17, range 3; the west half of the southeast quarter of seetion 23, same township, and sixty-seven acres in the west half of the southwest quarter of seetion 15, township 16, range 3.
Francis Williamson, the west half of the north- west quarter of section 2, township 16, range 3.
James McIlvain, Sr., was born in 1767 in Virginia, and moved from there to Kentucky, thence to Ohio, settling in each of those States. In the spring of 1821 he emigrated to Marion County, with his wife and several children, settling at Indianapolis, where he remained a short time, then moved into this town- ship, settling on the land now owned by his son, S. H. MeIlvain, and the heirs of Uriah Hildebrand. He was a farmer by occupation, and was the first asso- ciate judge of the Circuit Court in the county. For years prior to his death he was a Christian, and was one of the leading men in the township. His death occurred Aug. 13, 1833.
James McIlvain, Jr., was born near Lexington, Ky., in the year 1798, and from there went to Ohio, and thence to this county with his parents, and set- tled where the city of Indianapolis now is in the spring of 1821. Subsequently he settled where North Indianapolis now is, and lived there till his death, April 5, 1848. By occupation he was a farmer, and he was one of the most extensive stoek traders cver in this eounty. He was a man of great intelligence, shrewd and energetie. He was a mem- ber of the Christian Church for twenty-five years before his death. He was county commissioner many years ago, serving as such two terms. S. H. MeIlvain is his only child now living.
Abraham Whitinger, one hundred and nineteen acres in the northwest and northeast quarters of sec- Henry Kimberlain was born in Hagerstown, Md., tion 30, township 17, range 3, and eighty-one acres | in 1766, and, on reaching manhood, went to Ken-
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HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.
tucky, where he was married to Olivira Patterson. Subsequently he came to Harrison County, Ind., where he resided a few years, and in 1821 came with his wife and ten children to this township, and en- tered land now owned by William Whitesell's beirs, half a mile north of where Allisonville now is. He lived there until 1826, when he died. He was a farmer all his life, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years prior to his death. He was a good, industrious citizen. Of the ten chil- dren, but one is living, Sarah Ann, who lives in Hamilton County, this State. The first preacher who preached in the neighborhood of Mr. Kimber- lain's was Joel Cravens, about 1824, when the circuit extended from Pendleton to Morgan County.
John C. Kimberlain, a son of Henry Kimberlain, was horn in Kentucky in 1797, and came to this township with his parents in the year 1821. He never married, and was a farmer all his life, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church from boyhood. He died about 1844.
Jacob L. Kimberlain, son of Henry Kimberlain, was born in Kentucky about 1803. He came here with his parents in 1821 and located with them, where he lived till he was married to Nancy Butler. He lived in this county several years, then moved to Hamilton County, Ind., where he lived twelve years, and thence went in 1861 to Iowa, where he died in 1864. His wife died the same year. He was a min- ister of the Methodist Church for many years.
John Kimberlain was born in Kentucky in March, 1800. He came to this township in 1821, and entered eighty acres one half-mile northeast of where Allison- ville now is. He owned it but a short time,-worked on the Wabash Canal, and was a contractor in the work. He lived in this county seven years, and died at Anderson, Ind., in 1840.
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