History of Jackson County, Indiana, Part 47

Author: Brant & Fuller
Publication date: 1886
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 759

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There are now sixteen houses in the township, all frame, and in fair condition. The enumeration of children of school age is 830, and the average daily attendance 297, which is but little more than twenty-five per cent of the number enumerated. The average daily compensation of teachers for the year 1884 was, males, $1.81; females, $1.62. The school property is valued at $10,500, and the total amount of revenue annually expended is about $6,000.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

It is probable that the first school taught in this township was in a log-cabin near John Love's, that had been abandoned by some family. The teacher's name has been forgotten, but the pupils who attended there were from the families of the Loves, Coxes, Andersons, Marshalls and Franklins. In a few years a log schoolhouse was built in the same neighborhood, but a little further north. William Marshall was one of the first teachers in the new house. Soon after the erection of the house on the "ridge," a house was built about one mile south of Dudleytown.

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This house did not stand long until it was torn down and a new and more commodious building erected on the same site. Will- iam Bragg, a man by the name of Proctor and Roderick McClos- key were among the first teachers.

There are at present six frame and two brick school buildings in the township. The brick buildings belong to the German Lutherans, and in these the parochial as well as the free schools are taught. The average daily attendance of pupils for the year 1884 was but 102, with an enrollment of 203. The total cost of running the schools was about $2,400.

JACKSON TOWNSHIP.

The first school taught in what is now Jackson Township was in Stringtown, near where John Owens lived. This was in a small log house 16x20 feet, and was built early in the twenties. The first teachers to wield the rod in this institution of learning were a man by the name of Brady, David Kress and E. H. Pars- ley. The second house was erected on the land of Mr. Crabb, and in this George Kester taught the first school. In the south- ern part of the township the Quakers built a log schoolhouse by the side of the frame church, elsewhere described. Caleb Elliott was one of the first teachers, and the pupils were from the Quaker families of that settlement. The second house in this section was built at the cross-roads not far from where the Quaker Church now stands. The branches taught were reading, writing, arith- metic and spelling, and at least one-half of the time was devoted to the latter. The common belief was that spelling formed the basis of every other study, and that in order to become proficient in any branch you must first be able to spell correctly every word in Webster's spelling book. Pike's was the popular arithmetic, and he who could "cipher " to the " single rule of three" was considered thoroughly competent to teach the most enlight- ened of the day. The spelling school was an institution of

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the pioneer days, which deserves more than a passing notice. These were held at night, and the teachers and pupils of all the schools for miles around would meet in a friendly contest. Cap- tains were appointed, and from the multitude that had gath- ered they would select the contending force, and then the contest would begin. First the captains vied each other, and so it went down the line until one or the other side was vanquished. It is said that it was not unfrequent to see these spellers stand for hours spelling page after page without having the words pro- nounced, so thoroughly had they memorized the order of the words.

In this township there are nine houses, and the same number of teachers. The houses are all frame, and some of them badly in need of repair. The estimated value of school property is $5,000, and the annual expenditure but a few dollars less.

OWEN TOWNSHIP. .

The early settlers of this township were not slow in giving their children all the opportunities for an education that the cir- cumstances would admit of. Contemporary with the building of the first church, and often before, the pioneer began the erection of the rude log schoolhouse, in which he might give his children a limited knowledge of "redin," "ritin" and "ciferin," and to this end employed the most competent individual of the neighborhood.

One of the first schools in the township was taught in a log . cabin that stood on the farm now owned by Mrs. Black. This is the same old log house that we meet with everywhere-with its big fireplace, puncheon floor and paper windows. The early teachers were William Turrell, B. Vawter, John Anderson, Henry Shields and Joel Edwards. The pupils were from the following families: Wellses, Owens, Scotts, Zollmans, Dodds, Brannamans, Eastons and Kindreds. The second house was on the old Jacob Wells farm, and the third near Thomas Fountain's. Further to the north,

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and not far from the line dividing the Owen and Salt Creek Town- ships, a school was taught by Bartholomew Burrell, Sr., followed by a man by the name of Hanna. The cost of education in that day for the whole township did not exceed in the aggregate $150 per year. Ccontrast this with the $4,800 expended for the year 1884, and then we can begin to realize the advancement that has been made in educational affairs. While Owen Township is below the average township of the county in the character of the house and appliances, yet in some particulars it has excelled. The establish- ment of the Clear Spring High School, in 1856, showed that the leading citizens realized the advantage of higher education. This was built by a joint stock company, incorporated under the laws of the State. The principal stockholders were William Scott, M. L. Wicks, Abraham Brannaman, William Hamilton, William Alexander, J. R. McCoy, Taswell Vawter, J. P. Scott and Seaman & Brown. Dr. James C. Wells was the first president. The first teacher was John L. Owens, who was followed by the late Judge Wilson, of Bedford. Then came David Moore, and to him more than all others the school owed its success and reputation. While under his supervision, students came from all parts of the county as well as from many of the adjacent counties.

At present the township has eleven houses, many of which need to be replaced by new ones. But since the former trustee fell a victim to Polardism, and is now living in Canada on the in- terest from $25,000 of the people's money, they have given up all hope of immediate relief.

REDDING TOWNSHIP.

The early settlers of this township were a little slow in com- mencing their first school, but when once started evinced a deep interest. In fact the time came in the history of every township when schools had to be founded, or they would lose the expected influx of population, for the later families seeking homes in the

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wilds of Indiana were careful to locate where there were good schools, good mills and good churches. It is said that the first house in the township was a log building that stood northeast of Rockford. This answered the purpose for a few years, when a new one was erected not far from the same site. The first house long ago passed away, and with it all remembrance of the first school and its teacher. In the early part of the twenties a house was built in the vicinity of Farmington, and it is remembered that one term was taught in the old Ebenezer Church.

Although slow in beginning, the progress has been more rapid than in any other township of the county. The township has four brick and four frame houses, which, with the grounds and appa- ratus, is valued at $8,000, which, according to number, far ex- ceeds in valuation that of any other township. The apportionment of school revenue for the year 1884 was for tuition, $3,439.87; for special school, $1,878.78.

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP.

The common schools of every State or country are the founda- tion of the system of education. These are the colleges of the people, and if neglected the great mass must grow up in ignor- ance. Although some of those primitive schools were but little . more than a place at which the pupils would gather to receive their daily "tannings" by a teacher who was selected because of his physical rather than his mental strength, yet there is no doubt but that the influence was good. The pioneer teacher of this township was John Simpson, who had all the necessary qualifica- tions, and in 1822 he began work in the log cabin built for the special purpose. This house stood near where George Prudens lives, and was used for three years, when it was abandoned for a large hewed-log house, which had been built near the same spot. The teachers who succeeded Simpson were John Tinder, Robert Cavender, M. Sheldon, James M. Lewis, S. G. Brown and John

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Malon. The last named always took his bottle, filled with the best brandy, which he procured at the still-house near by. On one occasion Jacob Brown, then a fiery youth, and a playmate stole the bottle, and probably indulged too freely themselves. For setting such an example before the school the boys were soundly whipped. Other settlements were provided with schools of the same character, and up to the year 1827 there were probably more schoolhouses in Hamilton than any other township of the county.

The township at present has an enumeration of 595 children of school age, and a total of twelve teachers, making nearly fifty pupils to each teacher, providing all should attend. The average compensation of the teachers is $2.25 per day, which is the high- est wages paid by any township of the county.

SALT CREEK TOWNSHIP.

In the fall of 1823 the first schoolhouse was built in Salt Creek Township. This was a small log house 19x20 feet, that stood one-half mile north of Houston, within a few feet of the residence of Daniel Lutes. George Sires was the first teacher. The pupils who attended this school were Henry, Daniel and John Lutes, Thomas, William and John Brown, John and Mar- garet Wagoner, Elizabeth, Robert, John, Martin and Isaac Taber, Thomas Shetton and Frank and Thomas Elkins. The second house was built in Houston, and was a log structure but little better than the first. Other early teachers were John Hill and David Winkler, and to these all the leading families sent their children. The township at present has the largest enrollment of any in the county, the number in 1884 being 629, with an average daily attendance of 379, which is but little more than 50 per cent of the enrollment and not more than 35 per cent of the enumera- tion. While there has been much progress in the last half century these figures plainly show that there is room for more.

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There are at present sixteen districts in the township requiring seventeen teachers. The school at Houston is a township graded school. The house was built by the township assisted by a stock company made up of many of the leading citizens of the township, who had associated themselves together for the purpose of encouraging higher education. This school is a credit to the township, and has given encouragement to many a poor boy with a bright intellect and noble heart, but with no means at his com- mand.

CARR TOWNSHIP.

Next in point of usefulness to the pioneer preacher is the pioneer teacher, and many, no doubt, would place the latter first. It is possible to be a Christian without the assistance of a preacher, but impossible to be a scholar without the assistance of a teacher. In the early history of every community, the two have gone hand in hand and have exerted a most potent influence in the cause of civilization. Many of the most interesting incidents in connection with the early schools of Carr Township have passed beyond the memory of the oldest settlers. At first the children of this township attended at the old White schoolhouse in Drift- wood Township. This was inconvenient, and soon as the settle- ment had grown sufficiently large a house was erected on the bank of Cedar Creek, which is said to have been the first, although it is quite probable that schools were taught in the settlement before the building of this house. The Beems, Gosses, Pecks, McKenneys, Lockmans and later the Stillwells, Burrells, Kin- wortheys and Merritts attended this school. The first school in the Carr settlement was taught in a log schoolhouse north of Weddleville. Among the first teachers were Leonard Houston, George Richards and George Phelps. The pupils: John F. Carr, Gabriel Richard, Benjamin Richard, James Sparks, Milton Sawyer, James M. Mathews, A. Phelps, W. Houston, John, Joseph and James Brown, Hannah and Permelia Richard and Margaret

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Houston. In 1855 the leading families of this neighborhood associated themselves together for the purpose of establishing a high school or college. In a short time they had raised a suffi- cient amount to build what has since been known as the Weddle- ville High School. This was for several years the principal school in all this section of the country, and to some extent, no doubt, accounts for the general intelligence of this community. The school at Medora is a township graded, in which three teachers are employed. The school is well graded and the work thoroughly systematized. The value of school property is $8,500, with an annual expenditure of about $5,000 in tuition and special school revenue. In educational enthusiasm this township stands among the first of the county, for which the present township trustee, E. M. Alter, deserves the special credit.

VERNON TOWNSHIP.

When our forefathers, nearly a century ago, declared in the ordinance of 1787 that "knowledge with religion and morality was necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind" they struck the keynote of American liberty. Science and liter- ature began to advance, and the enthusiasm began to move west- ward with the tide of emigration. The declaration of the consti- tution of Indiana gave new enthusiasm to the cause in this section, and soon the log schoolhouse began to make its appearance in every settlement. The first built within the present limits of Ver- non Township was in the Beadle settlement, and was built of un- hewn logs, with the stick chimney and puncheon floor. The Beadles, Kings, McDonalds, Coys, Ballards and Marlings were said to have been the principal patrons of this school. The first school in the Nelson settlement was taught in a log house that stood near John Wilson's. James Thomas and Samuel Hawkins were among the first teachers. The first school in Crothersville was a frame building 20x30 feet, and stood on the lot now occu-

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pied by the store-house of George Mitchell. This was succeeded by a two-story brick building, but so rapid was the growth of the town that the erection of the present building became neces- sary. The present schoolhouse is a large brick structure built at a cost of about $8,000. It was completed in 1885, and is the best arranged school building in Jackson County. There are eleven schoolhouses in the township, valued at about $13,000. The enumeration of children between the ages of six and twenty- one is 658, of which 530 were enrolled in 1884. The amount of school revenue expended for the same year was $4,604 tuition and $4,141 special school.

Long before the enactment of the law providing for the hold- ing of county institutes by the county examiners, institutions of like character had been held in the county. The first under the law was held in 1866 by Byford E. Long, county examiner. The instructors were Father Doyle and Sisters of Seymour, and Henry Brashears. The attendance was between forty and fifty teachers. Since then county institutes have been held annually, under the direction of the county superintendent, for which $50 is allowed by the county to defray the expenses.

The office of county examiner was held by William Robert- son, Byford E. Long and James K. Hamilton. The duty of an examiner was to examine teachers and issue licenses, for which he received but little pay. He had no supervision over the schools unless that power was granted by the county commissioners, which they almost universally refused to do. However, they gave James K. Hamilton that privilege, and under his management and direc- tion the schools showed marked progress. In the year 1873 the office of county superintendent was created, and in June of that year Wilson S. Swingle, the newly elected superintendent, entered upon the duties of his office. This was the beginning of a new epoch in the history of the schools in Indiana. The advance- ment made in educational affairs since the creation of the office

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of county superintendent has been truly wonderful, and through his influence to a great extent may be attributed this advance- ment. Mr. Swingle held the office until 1875, when he was suc- ceeded by A. J. McCune, a thoroughly competent and wide-awake man, who continued to hold the position until 1879. He was suc- ceeded by the present incumbent, James B. Hamilton, who is now serving out his fourth term. Under his supervision the schools of Jackson County have taken high rank among the counties of the State.

A uniform course of study has been adopted by the board of education, dividing the work into three departments and five grades, and many of the schools are now perfectly graded.

GENERAL MATTERS.

The origin of the various funds of the State for the support of public schools, will be found recorded in Chapter VIII of the ' State History in the first part of this volume. In the early days of the State, it was customary to set apart a certain portion of the revenue arising from the sale of town-lots, for the purpose of library and other like matters of public benefit. Jackson County however, was an exception to this. The first trustee of the county seminary fund, as shown by the accessible records of the county, was David Burr, in 1824; three years later he was succeeded by Moses G. Wood, who gave bond to the amount $300. Under the usual rule, this would indicate that the amount at that time was not more than about $150. In January, 1829, Andrew C. Grif- fith was appointed to that office. The next was Gabriel Wood- mansee, in March, 1833.

On the second Saturday of December, 1832, an election was held to choose a county school commissioner, when Jesse B. Dur- ham was elected. Hugh A. Findley succeeded Woodmansee in the latter part of 1833. The offices of trustee of the seminary fund and school commissioner were separate. In 1836 the semin-

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Anthony A Schende

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ary fund amounted to about $700, and in May of that year, the fund was taken charge of by three commissioners, instead of one, as the new law required. They were Samuel Stanfield, Washington Woody and Samuel Wort.

THE SURPLUS REVENUE.

Upon the distribution of the suiplus revenue of the United States among the several States, it was in turn divided among the various counties, an agent was appointed in each county to loan it and have general charge of the fund. In Jackson County, the amountreceived was about $4,000. Meedy W. Shields was appointed for this county, but two years later, in 1839, was succeeded by Hugh A. Findley. In 1842 Meedy M. Shields, Richard D. Fisher and John B. Rust were seminary trustees, and Rawley Scott was, in 1845, school land commissioner.

BUILDING OF THE COUNTY SEMINARY.

At the March term, 1845, of the county board, a report was made by the seminary trustees, of which the following is a sum- mary.

REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF COUNTY SEMINARY.

At the March term of county board, the trustees of the county seminary reported as follows: "Agreeably to an order made by the county commissioners dated June 4, 1844; we have had set- tlement with Hugh A. Findley, former treasurer of the seminary funds, and after having made him the allowances as per contract, there remained in his hands the following judgements and notes." The amount of the judgments and notes was $497.72. There was in addition to this amount nearly $7,000 of the surplus revenue. The interest on this, with the amount of the seminary fund, amounted to about $1,200. The various funds available for the purposes of building a good county seminary were now ample enough, and during the year 1844 it was done. The contract was

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let to Hugh A. Findley, for $1,191.50. The extra expenses were about $200, making the total cost in the neighborhood of $1,400.

This building is now standing in Brownstown and occupied by the public school. Additions and alterations have been made since then. The property was sold in June, 1861, for $1,407 to John H. Burrell, as trustee of Brownstown Township.

SCHOOL EXAMINERS.

The present system of teachers' examinations had its origin early in the decade of the fifties, but has been much improved since then. In March, 1854, John L. Owens, of Brownstown; Amos Frost, of Clearspring, and Samuel D. Brown, of Rockford, were appointed county school examiners. In the following year, Samuel W. Smith, John F. Carr and John L. Owens were appointed. 1857-William T. Dobbs, James Wells and Rev. Booth. 1860-D. Moore, James K. Hamilton and Isaac Laraway. In 1861 Will- iam Robertson was appointed for three years, and since that there has been but one in a county. It was the duty of these examiners to visit the schools, and hence the name school examiners. James K. Hamilton was probably the successor of Robertson, and he re- mained in that capacity for several years. Byford E. Long served for a time in this office. The county superintendents were the successors of the school examiners, and they are elsewhere men- tioned.

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PART III.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

BROWNSTOWN TOWNSHIP.

JUDGE RALPH APPLEWHITE, the son of James and Mary (Reagan) Applewhite, natives of South Carolina and North Carolina, respectively, was born January 19, 1826, in Union County, Miss. His father fought under Gen. Jackson at the battle of New Orleans, and was conspicuous for his many acts of bravery. At the age of five the subject of this sketch moved with his parents to what was then called the "Indian Pur- chase," and settled in Carroll County, Miss. The county at that time was almost a dense wilderness, and was inhabited by the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians, who were preparing to migrate to the Indian Territory west of the Mississippi. In this wild pioneer life young Applewhite entered and grew up amidst all these surroundings. His early advantages for an education were quite limited. He attended school in an old log schoolhouse where the principal theory was practically and at times forcibly taught that to spare the rod is to spoil the child-the rod was rarely spared. When about seventeen years of age he attended a select school in Natchez, Miss. In the spring of 1844 he went to Hanover College, in Jefferson County, Ind., and. remained there for about two years. While at college he met and courted the lady who afterward became his wife. In 1846 he returned to Natchez, Miss., and studied law under Col. Lewis Sanders. In the fall of 1846 he entered the senior class in the law department of Louisville (Ky.) University, from which institution he grad- uated March 1, 1847. In March, 1847, he married Miss Jo- sephine Brandt, at Hanover, Ind., and to her the Judge owes much

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of his success in life. To this union were born two sons and one daughter. The eldest son, Henry, is a farmer and resides on a farm in Owen Township. The next son, Jim, is associated with the Judge in the practice of law. The daughter is the wife of W. L. (Coon) Benton, and resides in St. Louis, Mo. In Novem- ber, 1853, Judge A. came to Jackson County, where he has ever since resided and practiced his profession, except when holding official positions. He was judge of the common pleas court from October, 1860, until August, 1862, when he resigned and entered the army as captain of Company K, Sixty-seventh Indiana Vol- unteers, but resigned the following April on account of physical disability. In 1864 he returned to the practice of law. In 1867 he was elected county auditor, and in 1870 re-elected, holding that office eight years. He is now engaged in the practice of his profession, and has a large and lucrative business. But few men in this section of the State are more widely and favorably known than Judge Applewhite. As a lawyer he stands at the head of his profession.

REV. WALTER BENTON, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Brownstown, was born near Geneva, Ontario Co., N. Y., May 7, 1799. His father and mother, David and Sarah Benton, raised a family of seven children: Henry, George, Walter, William, Norman, Sarah and Mary. In April, 1819, Mr. David Benton, with his family, left Olean, N. Y., for the then "far West," sailing down the Alleghany and Ohio Rivers, land- ing near Charlestown and locating at Brownstown, this county. The next year young Walter returned to New York on horseback, making the trip of 650 miles in twenty-one days,. in order to make some collections. He came back to Indiana, and near the close of the same year (1820) he made another trip to New York on horseback, and married Miss Elizabeth Coe. Returning to their Western home Mrs. Benton soon died, leaving one son- Albert. In 1824 Mr. Benton married Mrs. Hettie Banks, nee Vermilya, and by this marriage were nine children: George, John, Wilbur, Charles, Asbury, Walter, Phebe, Kate and Eva. Their mother died November 6, 1875, and the following year Mr. Benton married Mrs. Mary J. Daly, daughter of John and Nancy Freese. Mr. Benton has now passed a life of half a century as

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History of Jackson County, Indiana, Part 47

Author: Brant & Fuller Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Number of Pages: 759

Author: Brant & Fuller
Publication date: 1886
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 759