USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana > Part 113
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117
Wellington village is situated on White River, seven miles north of Indianapolis, on the opposite bank of the old Wabash and Erie Canal from Broad Ripple. It was laid out into thirty two lots by James A. Nelson and Adam R. Nelson. on May 17, 1837, and so named in honor of the Duke of Wellington. A part of the original town has gone baek into farm- ing lands, yet it is something of a village. It con- tains one store, a blacksmith-shop, a post-office, called Broad Ripple, an Odd-Fellows' lodge, and a Union Church ; also the township graded school. The present population is one hundred and eight.
The first merchant was William Switzer, and after him came the following in the order named, viz. : Reed Hardin, Gurdon C. Johnson, Swartz Mustard, Jackson Dawson, Oliver P. Johnson, Samuel Sheets (who kept there longer than all the rest, from 1866 tilll 1882), and Reuben and Hillary Morris. The last two named are in partnership, and are the present merchants.
The first physician was Dr. Atler, and the follow- ing named came after him in the order named, viz. : Horatio Johnson, Edward Collins, W. B. Culbertson, and Joseph B. Bates. The last named is the present physician. The present postmaster is Hillary Morris.
Broad Ripple Lodge, No. 548, I. O. O. F., was instituted June 2, 1877, the following named being the original members, viz .: Austin Bradley, George Parsley, James Garrity, Platt Whitehead, John Mc- Cormick, James Mustard, John W. Stipp, N. M. Hessong, Frank MeCormick, Levi Johnson. In June, 1881, the Castleton Lodge was consolidated with this. The Broad Ripple Lodge is the most prosperous one of the order in Marion County out- side of Indianapolis. It has a good two-story build- ing for lodge purposes, built in the village of Wel- lington, at a cost of about one thousand dollars. Its membership now numbers eighty-three. The present officers of the lodge are Platt Whitehead, N. G .; Isaac N. Jackson, V. G .; Henry Whittinger, Treas. ; Lewis Aiken, Sec. ; Trustees, Hillary Morris, James McCoy, Daniel Stanley.
This lodge meets every Saturday evening in their hall at Wellington.
The village of Millersville, sitnated north and west of Fall Creek, seven miles north-northeast of Indian- apolis, was never formally laid out. The ground was never platted, but was sold in lots of from about one- fourth of an aere to one acre. The ground upon which the town is located was owned as follows : That portion north of the road running east and west, by Peter Negley; that portion situated east of the old Pendleton State road and south of Cross-roads, by G. G. F. Boswell ; and that portion embraced in the triangle, by Brubaker and Speaker. The existence of the town dates back to the year 1838. There are eighteen lots of land embraced in the town, and the present population is eighty-six.
The first merchant was Ira Thayer, who owned the merchandise, and James K. Knight kept the store for him. The following merchants came after him, viz. : James G. Featherston, William Sheets, George Webb, Ad. Ehrisman, George Ewbanks, and Lewis Kero. The last named is the present merehant.
William J. Millard, Sr., was the first postmaster, appointed about forty years ago. During the last twenty years there has been a post-office there only one year, and then (about four years ago) it was kept by Lewis Kern. James G. Featherston had the office for several years prior to 1859. Mrs. Mary F. Ringer
639
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
had it for a short time about 1864. The first physi- cian was Dr. Ducat, who remained only one year. G. M. Shaw, John W. Bolus, and others have located there since. John V. Bower is the present physician.
A great deal of business was transacted in the place prior to 1860, but since that time the trade has decreased, and the village has retrograded contin- ually. The village now contains fourteen dwelling- houses, one blacksmith-shop, a Masonic Hall building, two business houses, and one (water) flouring- and grist-mill. The post-office, when kept in the village, was called Millersville, but when kept by Elijah James, two miles west, was called Hammond's, and afterwards James' Switch. The residents of the vil- lage receive their mail at present from the Malott Park post-office. The place where the village of Mil- lersville now is was called Brubaker's Mill before it gained its present name, which was nearly a half- century ago.
In the year 1824, Seth Bacon and Peter Negley formed a partnership for the purpose of building and operating a saw-mill on Fall Creek, near where Millersville now is. The mill was built, and the dam they erected was oearly one-fourth of a mile east of the present mill building, and it backed the water up against Daniel Ballenger's mill, which stood just below where the present mill-dam stands. Bal- lenger's mill was a frame structure, but so badly erected that it was insecure. In consequence of the injuries sustained because of the back water, Ballen- ger sued Bacon & Negley for damages. Bacon was worth nothing, and Negley compromised the case at a sacrifice of two eighty-acre tracts of land and his mill, which stood upon one of the eighty acres, two horses, and a wagon. John Essary was Ballenger's lawyer and ran tbe mill from 1826 for six years, when Noah Leverton bought Ballenger out and erected a grist-mill where the present one stands, which is a few rods west of where the old saw-mill stood. Leverton cut the present race and built a dam a few feet below the present one. The charter for the present dam was granted in the year 1836 by the Circuit Court, William W. Wiek presiding, the dam to be not more than four and a half feet above low- water mark in the place where it then stood, desig-
nated by certain marks named. A jury was empan- eled and damages assessed for injury to the property. Ballenger, after selling out, went with his family to the Wabash and Erie Canal, and subsequently to Stillwell, Ohio, his place of birth. Mr. Leverton operated the mill about three years, and sold to Chauncey True and Samuel True. These men put two run of burrs in the mill and did a good business. The Trues owned the mill until Sept. 23, 1839, and sold to Jacob Brubaker, and went to Michigan and engaged in farming. Brubaker built a still-house adjoining the mill, and owned the property three years. On Aug. 8, 1842, he deeded the property to Christ. Haushey and went to parts unknown.
Mr. Haushey was a resident of Pennsylvania, and never lived here. He owned the property one year and then died. After his death, Jacob Spahr bought the mill and operated it until 1848. About that time William Winpenny and Jacob Spahr formed a partnership, rebuilt the mill and distillery, and op- erated them until May 10, 1855. The partnership was then dissolved, and Mr. Winpenny continued the business until his death, in 1861. He did a large custom business, operating two wheat-burrs and two corn-burrs, one of which was used to grind the corn for mash to be used in the distillery. At no time during its history was it more successfully managed than when owned by Mr. Winpenny. After his death it was owned by his heirs and operated by various parties until Oct. 21, 1872, when it was sold to Tobias Messersmith, since which time Jacob J. Ringer, William Sala, and John Carlisle have in turn purchased it, but each time the ownership reverted to Tobias Messersmith. In April, 1883, it was sold at sheriff's sale, and purchased by N. S. Russell, of Massillon, Ohio, and is now being operated by William H. Spahr. The mill has been destroyed by fire three times, the first time when owned by Bru- baker ; again about the year 1848, when owned by Jacob Spahr; and again in August, 1878, when owned by John Carlisle. The mill was rebuilt at once by Mr. Carlisle, supplied with all the latest im- proved machinery, and contains the only genuine buckwheat-bolt in the county. The mill-seat com- prises seventy-one acres. The building is a substan-
640
HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.
tial structure, and the water-power ample for four run of burrs at all seasons of the year. The prop- erty has been a source of annoyance and a continual expense to every person that has had anything to do with it. A still-house, with a capacity of eight barrels per day, was built adjoining the grist-mill on the south by Messrs. Spahr & Winpenny, about the year 1849, and the business carried on four or five years, when it was suspended, and the still removed by Mr. Winpenny.
Millersville Lodge, No. 126, F. and A. M. This lodge was instituted at Millersville by dispensation granted by A. C. Downey, Grand Master, on March 3, 1852. The first meeting of the lodge was held, March 6, 1852, at the residence of William J. Mil- lard, Jr. The charter was granted by the Grand Lodge May 25, 1852, the following named being the charter members : William J. Millard, Jr., Jonah F. Lemon, Jacob Spahr, William J. Millard, Sr., Hiram Haverstick, William Bacon, Joseph A. Nesbit, John R. Anderson. The first meeting under the charter was held May 29, 1852.
The lodge held its meetings for some time in the upper story of the grist-mill, in a room fitted up for it. Subsequently they moved to the new hall, which was dedicated Oct. 26, 1853, by A. M. Hunt, proxy of the M. W. Grand Master. The oration was by Thomas H. Lyneh. The following persons have served as Worshipful Master the number of years noted, viz. : William J. Millard, Jr., 9 years ; Samuel Cory, 13} years ; W. H. Hornaday, 1 year ; Robert Johnson, 4 years; W. W. Henderson, 2 years; John W. Negley, 1 year; B. W. Millard, 1 year.
The following have served as secretary the number of years noted, viz .: William Winpenny, 1 year ; Samuel Cory, 8 years ; William J. Millard, Jr., 2 years; James G. Featherston, 2 years; Lewis Y. Newhouse, 6} years; Peter L. Negley, 1 year; W. W. Henderson, 6 years; Joseph E. Boswell, 1 year ; W. H. Hornaday, 2 years; A. Culbertson, 2 years.
The following is an exhibit of the lodge since its organization : number deceased, 11 ; number expelled, 2; number suspended, 7; number demitted, 61; number of present members, 32. Robert Johnson
is the present Worshipful Master, and W. W. Hen- derson is the secretary. Four of the charter mem- bers are now living, namely, William J. Millard, Jr., Jonah F. Lemon, Hiram Haverstick, and Joseph A. Nesbit. This lodge meets in its hall in Millersville on the Saturday evening of or before the full moon in each month.
Valentine Lodge, No. 1390, Knights of Honor, was instituted at Millersville by dispensation on Feb. 18, 1879, by David M. Osborn, Deputy Grand Die- tator. The following were the charter members, viz. : William H. Wheeler, William W. Foster, William H. Hornaday, William H. Spahr, Frederick Karer, Henry G. Gerstley, John P. Goode, George W. White, Frederick Steinmier, Heury C. Greene, John H. Wineow, Thomas Doyle, William H. Negley, A. A. Vangeson, George W. Winpenny, and Jacob Vol- mer. The lodge was duly chartered by the Grand Lodge Oct. 9, 1879. The following have served as Dictators of the lodge : W. W. Foster, John P. Goode, William H. Spahr, William H. Wheeler, William H. Heath, John V. Bower, Thomas T. Lankford.
The following named are the officers for the year 1884: John W. House, Dictator; William H. Wheeler, Treasurer ; Silas Tyner, Reporter. John V. Bower is the representative to the Grand Lodge. William A. Sehofield, John V. Bower, and Jacob Stiltz are the present trustees. The number of mem- bers in good standing at present is twenty-five. The lodge meets every two weeks on Saturday evenings in the Winpenny Hall in Millersville.
The Millersville Free Library was made up by sub- seription, and was opened to the public June 1, 1882. It contains five hundred and fifty-five volumes of the most judiciously selected books. Many of the most popular magazines and valuable papers are regularly received. In July, 1883, a library association was formed, with Hiram B. Howland as president, W. W. Henderson secretary, and Alfred Ellis treasurer. Dr. J. V. Bower is librarian. The following are the trustees : Albert E. Fletcher, Benjamin Tyner, Wil- liam H. Wheeler, Mrs. Hettie M. Hunter, and Miss Lou Huff.
Free lectures are regularly held under the auspices of the above society, and prove to be a source of
641
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
both pleasure and knowledge. Additional volumes will be added to the library from time to time. The liberal patronage given the library by the citizens in the vicinity is assurance that its advantages are duly appreciated.
Allisonville is situated ten miles from Indianapolis, on the Noblesville State road, about three miles east of north from Indianapolis. It was laid out into forty lots by John Allison on the 8th day of February, 1833, and the town was named after Mr. Allison. The population at present is about fifty. The first merchants were Leven T. McCay and George Bruce, in partnership. They kept for three years. A. G. Ruddle was the first physician, and he practiced medicine there for forty years. At one time, some forty years ago, there were two hotels there, and they did a good business. Richard Brown was the first hotel-keeper, and followed the business seven years. There is no post-office there, and has not been for a great many years. Mail-matter intended for the peo- ple of the village is sent to Castleton. Lewis Droan- berger was the merchant in Allisonville many years from about 1850. The present merchant is John D. Gerstley, who has been in the business there about thirteen years. The present physicians are Joseph A. Nesbit and Isaac N. Craig. James Armentrout carried on a tan yard just south of the village for six years, about 1832.
Keystone Lodge, No. 251, F. and A. M., was in- stituted at Allisonville by dispensation Oct. 22, 1858, and the following officers elected: I. N. Craig, W. M .; P. A. Leaver, S. W .; Jacob W. Ray, J. W. The following were the petitioners, all of whom became charter members, viz .: I. N. Craig, Sidney Cropper, A. S. Ellis, Samuel Farley, Philip A. Leaver, Joseplı A. Nesbit, William Whitesell, John R. Anderson, E. S. Cropper, J. S. McCarty, John Tate, Samuel C. Vanee, James Farley, Samuel B. Beals, John Har- vey, Stephen Harvey, Isaac Michener, F. Farley, T. P. Farley, Milon Harris, J. W. Ray, Jacob White- sell, George Metsker, Hiram A. Haverstick, Daniel St. John, Lewis Farley, Jacob Eller, F. M. Beck, Isaiah Williams, Charles Whitesell, B. Todd, and John Bruce. The charter was granted by the Grand Lodge May 26, 1859. The following were elected under the
charter : Isaac N. Craig, W. M .; Philip A. Leaver, S. W .; Jacob W. Ray, J. W.
For about seventeen years the lodge held its meet- ings in a small, inconvenient room in Allisonville. In the spring of 1875 the lodge built a new hall in that village, at a cost of fifteen hundred and seventy- five dollars. The first meeting held in the new hall was July 24, 1875. The building committee were Joseph A. Nesbit, Samuel Farley, Reuben Bunnel, John H. Smith, and John Johnson. The first trus- tees were Joseph A. Nesbit, John H. Smith, and Isaac N. Craig.
The present membership is forty-three. The fol- lowing persons have served as Worshipful Masters the number of years noted, viz .: Isaae N. Craig, 8 years ; Samuel Farley, 1 year ; Thomas N. Williams, 3 years; John H. Smith, 6 years; David D. Negley, 1 year ; John Johnson, 2 years ; Hillary Silvey, 3 years. Hillary Silvey is the present Worshipful Master, and George W. Kesselring is secretary. This lodge meets in its hall in Allisonville on the Saturday evening of or after the full moon in each month.
The village of Mapleton is on the line of Washing- ton and Centre townships, the main street being on the township line, and the village being on both sides of it. It was laid out in 1871 (town plat recorded September 18th in that year). That part of the site which is on the Washington township side was owned by John Messersmith, who purchased from Thomas Ruark.
The first and present merchant of the place is Theodore F. Harrison. The village now contains the Methodist Episcopal Church edifice and parsonage, a brick school-house, in which is a graded school, one store, a post-office (Theodore F. Harrison, post- master), a blacksmith-shop, and about three bundred inhabitants.
Malott Park, located in the eastern part of the township, was laid out in 1872 (plat recorded May 4th in that year) by Daniel and John H. Stewart. The first merchant was George Byers, who is also the present merchant of the town. The first postmaster of Malott Park was Warren W. Bowles; the secend was Barbara Spahr, who was succeeded by George
-
642
HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.
Byers, who is the present postmaster. The town has now one store, a post-office, a blacksmith-shop, the Malott Park station of the Wabash and Paeifie Rail- way, one church (Methodist Episcopal), and about fifty inhabitants.
Churches of the Township .- The Washington Presbyterian Church edifice was built about the year 1838 by subscription, on the farm of Joseph Culbert- son, now the land of William Culbertson. It was a small frame building, and was used as a church about ten or twelve years. The building soon afterwards became dilapidated and was torn down. It stood about one half-mile north of where Malott Park low is.
The number of members at organization was about twenty-five, among whom were the following : Hiram Bacon, Mary Alice Bacon, Joseph Culbertson, John Nesbit, Elizabeth Culbertson, Mary Nesbit, Paulina McClung, old Mrs. MeClung, John Johnson, Cynthia MeClung, Samuel MeClung, Naney Nesbit, Margaret Nesbit, James Brown and wife, James Gray, and Sallie Gray. John Nesbit, Joseph Culbertson, and Hiram Bacon were the first trustees.
The first preacher was John Moreland, who re- mained with them four years. The next was William Siekles ; he remained with them four or five years. After which there was no regular preaching, and when services were held there it was by transient ministers. After the place was abandoned the elass went to Broad Ripple and united with the Union Church.
The Ebenezer Lutheran Church. In the year 1823 a small number of persons residing in Maryland conceived the idea of forming a colony and taking their departure for Indiana, hoping thereby to better their condition. They were all Lutherans, and all related, and Abraham Reck was their pastor. They organized a colony composed of the following persons and their families : Conrad Ringer, David Ringer, Jacob Ringer, Daniel Smay, Daniel Sharts, John Brown, Peter Brown, Solomon Easterday, Daniel Bower, and Jacob Ringer, Sr.
Their pastor then said to them, " You are like lambs going among wolves; I will go with and take care of you." The colonists, determined to brave the
dangers and undergo the hardsbips ineident to a new country, started in the year 1823 for their destina- tion. They came in wagons as far as the Ohio River, where they built a flat-boat, and on it came to New Harmony, Ind., where they resided one year, and then came to this county and settled in the same neighborhood, most of them in Washington, and the remainder in Lawrenee township. For several years after their arrival here they held religious services at " old man" Reek's barn, and afterwards at the resi- dences of the new colonists,-Rev. A. Reek officiating.
On Aug. 6, 1836, a church organization was formed under the leadership of Abraham Reek, with the fol- lowing members : George P. Brown, Jaeob Ringer, Sr., Daniel S. May, Sr., Folsom Swarm, Jacob Ringer, Jr., Conrad Ringer, Daniel Sharts, Peter Brown, David Ringer, Daniel Bower, King English, John Brown, George Brown, Aaron Sour, Palser Sour, William Clow, and Solomon Easterday.
The first account we have of the election of officers is that it was held on May 20, 1839, when David S. May, Sr., was elected elder, and Peter Brown, Jr., deaeon, of the church.
The congregation built a bewed-log ehureh near the northeast corner of the present cemetery grounds, situate about one half-mile east of where the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad erosses Fall Creek, in Washington township. The congregation held ser- viees in the log church until 1853, when they built a frame church on the site of the old log house, and soon afterwards dedicated it. The dedicatory sermon was delivered by Rev. D. Altman, and a debt of one hundred and seventy-five dollars was removed. From the organization, in 1836, until 1868 the following were the pastors for the number of years noted, viz .: A. Reek, 4 years ; A. A. Trimper, 3 years : Jacob Shearer, 2 years ; Abraham H. Myers, 5 years; A. F. Hill, 1 year; George A. Exline, 5} years; A. J. Cramer, 5 years; Jacob Keller, 5 years.
The church was without a pastor in 1852. During Rev. Cramer's charge sixty names were added to the church-roll. Under the charge of Rev. George A. Exline the church experienced four revivals and began an era of great prosperity.
643
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
In the year 1868, during the pastorate of Rev. Jacob Keller, a disagreement or difficulty arose among the members, which finally resulted in a separation and the formation of two distinct churches. With some difficulty a committee of two from each faction was appointed to fix upon terms of settlement. The following were appointed, viz. : John Mowry and John Negley, in behalf of the upper, and Samuel Harper and David W. Brown in behalf of the lower, settlement. On the 26th day of February, 1868, the committee met and agreed upon the following terms of settlement : The party represented by Messrs. Harper and Brown to retain the Ebenezer Church building, and pay the party represented by Messrs. Mowry and Negley the sum of three hundred and fifty dollars, in two equal installments, the first due in two months, and the second due on Dee. 25, 1868. Messrs. Harper and Brown were to give their notes for said amounts. The article of agreement signed and sealed by all the members of the con)- mittee on the 26th of February, 1868, and attested by John C. Hoss, their secretary, coneludes as follows :
" And the party represented by Samuel Harper and David W. Brown do hereby surrender to the party represented hy John Mowry and John Negley all their interest in the privilege of Ebenezer Church. The committee also agree that the ground on which the church now stands and adjoining graveyard shall be held and controlled jointly by the two parties."
This action of the committee was duly ratified by the members of the congregation, and a separation ensued. Those that remained and worshiped in the old church were offered letters, but a slight misunder- standing occurred and they refused the proffer.
The Lower Ebenezer Lutheran Church was organ- ized with sixty members in 1868, after the division in the Ebenezer Church. The congregation con- tinued to worship in the old frame building until 1872, when the present two-story brick edifice was completed, when they oeeupied it and sold the old building to George W. House, who subsequently sold it to the North wood Methodist Episcopal Church. The Ebenezer Church recently acquired it again and made it a parsonage. It stands about forty rods west of the church building.
The following pastors have been with the congre- gation sinee 1868, the number of years noted, viz. : Ohadiah Brown, 7 years ; David Hamma, 1} years ; Henry Keller, 4 years. The last named is the present pastor. The present membership is seventy-five.
The new brick church was dedicated to the service of God during the pastoral charge of Rev. Obadiah Brown; the Rev. Richards preached the dedieatory sermon.
The first elders after the separation were Samuel Harper and John A. Sargent; and the first deacons were Luther Johnson and Robert C. Heizer. The present elders are Luther Johnson and Luther Easterday, and the present deacons are Samuel Harper, Silas Johnson, and Franklin Bower. Sab- bath-school is held in the church every Sunday in the year. The present superintendent is John P. Goode. The average attendanee the year round is about fifty-five.
This ehureh is situated in a wealthy neighborhood. Its members are zealous in the cause of religion, and consequently take an interest in all church matters, henee the church organization is exceedingly pros- perous.
The Pleasant View Lutheran Church was organ- ized on the 26th of February, 1844, with seven members, viz .: Jacob Sehearer (pastor), Peter Hes- song, George Bomgardner, David Hessong, Barbara Bomgardner, Catharine Hessong, and Rebecca Hes- song. Their meetings for worship were held at the house of Peter Hessong. In 1854 a meeting-house was ereeted at Old Augusta, which was removed to Pleasant View and there rebuilt in 1863.
The first pastor of the church was Jacob Sehearer, who was succeeded (in the order named) by A. H. Myers, J. Giger, George A. Exline, A. J. Cramer, W. G. Trester, Jacob Keller, John Boon, William H. Keeler, and the Rev. O. Brown, who is the present pastor. The church has now forty members, and a Sabbath-sehool attended by fifty scholars, under the superintendence of J. J. Hessong.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.