USA > Indiana > Knox County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 27
USA > Indiana > Daviess County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 27
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Their ministers in order have been Revs. Stafford, Lester, St. Clair, Culmes, Gaskins and G. D. Wolf. The United Brethren Church was organized at Freelandsville October 15, 1878, by Elder Jacob Ernst. The members were twelve in number. Among them were Adolf and Wilhelmina Dresman, William and Louisa Droste, Henry and Catharine Lane, H. A. and Agnes Albert, John and Caroline Gogum. These people used the houses of one or the churches till 1879, when they erected a house of their own at a cost of $2,150. This house was consecrated December 21, 1879. The present membership of this church is about fifty. The Christian Church at this place was organized December 23, 1869, by J. W. Wolfe and J. A. Chowing. They numbered at that time thirty-two members. Among that number were H. L. Bergeman, A. P. Cox, H. C. Cox, Joseph Conley, Jacob Faught and others. A house of worship, 32x52 feet was erected in 1872. This house was built by Henry Heithecker at a cost of $2,300. The member- ship of this church is now quite strong. Adjacent to the church is a church cemetery. About one mile east of Freelandsville is a large Lutheran Church. To this the majority of the families of the community belong. A parochial school is also maintained in connection with this church.
HARRISON TOWNSHIP CHURCHES.
The first preaching in this township was by Rev. John Schrader, a prominent minister. He was a German by birth and began preaching "in the pocket" at a very early age, and continued till his death but a few years ago. He was followed later by Revs. McBratten, Reed, Stone and Stamer. All the churches in this township now belong to the Wheatland Circuit. Reel's Chapel, is on the road leading from Monroe City to Petersburg. This church was organized and a house built over forty years ago. Among the charter members were Abram Reel, E. Palmer, and a Mr. Perry and Stibbins. The membership of this class now is thirty-seven. A class was organized by Mr. Aultleir, since known as Aultleir class. The members of this class were Charles Aultleir, G. W. Owens, the Coonrads, Ballards and Weltons. Hamelin Chapel was built about 1830. Its first members were Solomon Teverbaugh and daughter, Mrs. Stuckey,
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Simpson, Henry Thorn, J. H. Anderson and the Snyder family. Preaching was first held at Teverbaugh's residence. He was a man of strong convictions, rough exterior and of prodigious strength, and was one of the first settlers in the county. The membership of this class now is 123.
Walnut Grove was built about 1836, both for a church and a schoolhouse. This was the favorite child of Governor Will- iam. The first members of this class were Jacob Teverbaugh and the Collins family. The membership of this class now is twenty- two. This was a favorite spot for camp-meetings in the early history of the Methodist Church in Knox County. Revs. John Shrader and Starnes here poured forth the gospel with apostolic zeal. Welton Chapel, near the Palmyra line, belongs also to this circuit. The membership at this place is thirty-seven. There is also a class and a church of the Methodist denomination at Monroe City. Preaching is supplied from Wheatland. The class numbers nearly 100. The church has a good house of worship, built in 1860-61, and maintains a Sabbath-school. The Presbyterian Church at Monroe was built in 1860. The mem- bership of this church is not large, but embraces some of the best families in the place.
CHURCHES OF VIGO TOWNSHIP.
The Christian Church at Edwardsport was organized by Elder Morris Tremble, July 26, 1840. The house was erected in 1849. The church was organized at the time of great religious changes in that vicinity growing out of local differences. The class at the time numbered about 100 members. Among them were Nancy Hoover, Jane Hulen, Mary Azbell, A. J. Azbell, James Clark, Lucinda Culbertson, H. Hulen, L. Reeves and Re- becca Reeves. The first elders were S. S. Prince, A. Azbell and David Ruble. The most distinguished ministers that have been connected with this church were Elders Tremble, Stansil, Frakes and Fields. The membership is still about 100. The Christian Church at Sandborn, the only one in the place, was built in 1884 on Lot No. 60, formerly owned by Anna and C. E. Crane. The house is a frame building, 35x54 feet, and was built at a cost of about $2,000. The following are the trustees: C. Copper, S.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
W. Bailey and Samuel McGinnis. The Christian Church at Bicknell was organized in 1874, with about fifty members. The majority had held membership elsewhere, but were attached to Bicknell as a matter of convenience. Their house of worship was erected in 1875, and their membership is now about the same as it was at the time of organization. The Baptist Church at Edwardsport was organized June 3, 1858. A good house of worship was erected in 1859. The following families were mem- bers of the church at the time of its organization: McCrea, Reeves, Hargis, Keith, Carmichael, Rowen, Harrington, Green- field, Ashley, Miller and Chambers. This is now one of the leading churches of Edwardsport. A Baptist Church was or- ganized in Bicknell about 1869. A house of worship was erected in 1870-71. This was built on land obtained from John and Eliza Ann Bicknell. The deed calls for Lots No. 55 and 57, and is dated September 7, 1879. The pioneer Methodist visited this township at an early day, when church services were in danger of being interrupted by Indians, and not unfrequently people went to church armed with gun and hunting-knife. The Methodist Church in Edwardsport was built about 1865. It is a neat frame building and stands near the railroad.
CHURCHES OF JOHNSON TOWNSHIP.
Meetings in Johnson Township were first held in private houses, but the increasing population soon made this inconvenient and steps were taken to erect a church. What is known as Salem Meeting-house was the first that was built in the township. This was built as a Union Church and erected without regard to de- nominational affinities. The land upon which it was erected was deeded by St. Clair Minor and wife, Matilda, to George Catt, Jacob Pea and Phillip Catt, as trustees, and their successors in office forever. The transaction took place on February 28, 1828. The house was called the "Township House of Learning and Worship." The grounds contained two acres and were used for church and burial purposes. For many years this was the only house of worship in the township. This was the place of worship for the Catts, Peas, Mehls, Edwardses and Purcells. Early ministers who preached at this place were Samuel Alexander,
302
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Benjamin Hall and the Rev. Martin. Recently an additional church not far from Salem near the residence of Mr. Purcell was commenced, but owing to financial embarrassment it was never completed.
CHURCHES OF STEEN.
The first classes in this township were attached to what was called Blue River Circuit. This was in 1820. A little later the name of the circuit or mission was called White River. In 1859 the name of the circuit was changed to Delectable Hill, and soon after it became the Spauldingville Circuit, then Knox Cir- cuit. In 1862 it was changed to the Bruceville Circuit, but is now called the Wheatland Circuit. The first house of worship built was Smyrna, near the edge of Wheatland. Since that time a good house of worship and parsonage have been built in Wheatland. The first members of this class were Richard Merrill, A. Nicholson, S. Stuckey, Mrs. Sanders, Nixon, Palmer and Mckinney. The ministers from 1863-76 were Alexander, Brocks, O'Flynn, Martin Heavenridge, Lee Buck, Lester and Willis. The present pastor is the Rev. Broving. The membership of the church now is quite large. The Presby- terians formerly worshiped at Smyrna with the Methodists, but recently they have erected a good house of worship in Wheatland. Royal Oak, a Presbyterian Church, is near the line of Palmyra. This is one of the oldest in the community. It was built as a union church and schoolhouse. A good house now stands near where the old log house stood.
DECKER TOWNSHIP CHURCH.
The first and only church ever built in Decker was erected there the last year. It was built as a Union Church by Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians. The house is a large frame building 60x40 feet, and stands on ground owned by Henry Decker. There never has been a resident minister in this town- ship, only itinerants attend them, when occasionally some local exhorter takes up his residence in that township. Before the erection of the present building the people worshiped in school- houses or private residences.
303
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
HIGHLAND, ST. VINCENT'S ASYLUM.
Highland was formerly the seat of the diocesan seminary, but is now the Orphan Asylum for boys. The grounds were purchased in 1846, and a large frame building erected in 1847. Worship was usually held in the chapel of the seminary. Since 1853 Highland has had seven pastors. These pastors also attend the church at St. Thomas, another Catholic Church. St. Ann's Asy- lum was projected by Bishop Bazin, but his death put a stop to its progress for a time. This was again started by Bishop de St. Palais. It was opened in a building near the cathedral August 28, 1849. Maggie Dill's name first appears on the roll of inmates. The Orphans' Home remained in this building till 1863, when it was removed to the college building, now St: Rose Academy. It then took the name of St. Ann's Asylum, which was before called the Girls' Orphans' Asylum. In 1878 this asy- lum was removed to Terre Haute. St. Vincent's Asylum for boys was soon after located at Highland. This had been attempted in July, 1850, but the enterprise failed. In April this institution was opened in the college building at Vincennes, but in 1860 it was permanently located at Highland about three miles from Vincennes. In 1862 began the erection of new and substantial
buildings, which were completed in 1864. There is a farm in connection with the asylum which is used in training boys in various kinds of work. Since the foundation of these two insti- tutions 2,218 orphans have been cared for in these asylums. St. Thomas' Church, a short distance from Highland, is one of the oldest in the county, as about sixteen square arpents were granted to the members of that church in 1790.
CHURCHES OF PALMYRA TOWNSHIP.
Indiana Church, a Presbyterian, was organized about two miles east of Vincennes in 1806 by Samuel B. Robertson in Col. Small's barn. Robertson was sent by the Transylvania Presby- tery of Kentucky. This is said to have been the first organized north of the Ohio River and west of Ohio. In 1807 Samuel Scott, who was pastor of Mount Pleasant and Indian Creek Churches in Kentucky, was sent by the General Assembly as a missionary. On October 10, 1808, the West Lexington Presby-
304
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
tery sent him as a stationed minister to Indiana Church. From that time till May, 1815, he was the only stationed Presbyterian minister in the State. At that time John M. Dickey went to Washington, Daviess County, to take charge of a church organ- ized by Scott at that place. In 1814 the congregation was di- vided, and there were made three preaching points: one at Vin- cennes, one about six miles northeast, and one six miles southeast
of Vincennes. At the two last named places log houses were erected. At Vincennes preaching was held in the court house for many years. On May 18, 1815, Daniel McClure deeded to Sam- uel Thompson, John McDonald, George McClure, Joe Williams and Jacob Kuykendall a small tract of land in Donation 72 " for the encouragement of Presbyterian religion." At the first Presby- tery there were fifty-four communicants present. The Rev. Scott died December 30, 1827, and in May, 1828, the Rev. S. R. Alexander was sent to take charge of the churches, where he con- tinued his labors till his death in 1857. The two county churches were known to the public as Upper and Lower Indiana till 1841, In 1836 Upper Indiana built a new brick church in Donation 26, near the Palmyra and Vincennes line. This house is still in use, with some repairs recently made, and still presents a good appearance. Connected with the church building is a cemetery, which was deeded to the trustees of the church. On July 1, 1815, Patrick Simpson deeded 100 acres of land in Dona- tion 4 "for the encouragement and propagation of Presbyterian religion." The land was deeded to Jacob Kuykendall, Samuel Thompson, John McDonald, George McClure and Joseph Will- iams as trustees. In case the church should fail to maintain a minister the benefits should go to the poor of the church. There were two places of worship, one in the neighborhood of William Purcell's and one near Ephraim Jourden's. Until there was a di- vision the benefits should go to both, but he thought that there would soon be two churches, and after that the property should go to the support of the church in the neighborhood of Jourden's. The parsonage of the church was built in 1860. The member- ship of Upper Indiana is about 80, that of Indiana 152.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
VINCENNES TOWNSHIP.
JOHN C. ADAMS, attorney at law in Vincennes, Ind., was born on a farm, eleven miles from Terre Haute, Ind., April 30, 1850. He is a son of J. P. and Frances (Ivey) Adams. John C. was a bound boy from six to thirteen years of age. He con- tinued farm work until about nineteen years old, and then entered the Ascension Seminary at Farmersburg, Sullivan Co., Ind., and remained there three years, when he went to Pittsburgh, Penn., and took a business course in the Iron City Commercial College, during the winter of 1872-73, and later taught school in the Sul- livan public schools. In the summer of 1873 he began reading law in the office of Buff & Buff, of Sullivan, but taught school more or less until 1877. In the spring of that year he was ad- mitted to the Knox County bar. In 1881 he took charge of the Vincennes Commercial, but is now engaged in the practice of his profession. He was married, in 1875, to Sarah, daughter of Col. J. L. Culbertson. She was born in Knox County in 1853, and has borne her husband these four children: Eloise, Reily, Emily and George. Mr. Adams is a Republican in politics, and is a worthy citizen of the town and county.
THEO. P. AGNEW, grocer, of Vincennes, Ind., was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, February 16, 1842, son of Martin and Frances (Phillips) Agnew, natives of New York and Ohio re- spectively. The family came to Knox County in 1844, and located on a farm in Decker Township, and later removed to the city, where the father followed bookkeeping a number of years, and later engaged in the dairy business, which he followed until his death in 1867. Theo. P. was reared in this city, and obtained
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
a very good education in the public schools. In 1862 he started out in the steamboat business, and engaged in the same rather extensively on the Wabash, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland and Mississippi Rivers for twenty-four years. In 1870 he became financially interested in the line of steamboats on the Wabash River, which enterprise he conducted successfully until 1885. Among the boats he built and managed were the "Belgrade," "Vigo" and others. In November, 1885, Mr. Agnew quit the river, and engaged in the grocery business in this city, in which he is meeting with good success. In 1875 he married Ella Green, a native of Knox County. They have three children: William, George and Ray. He is a Republican and a K. of P., and is justly recognized as among the enterprising and successful busi- ness men of Vincennes.
CYRUS MCCRACKEN ALLEN, of Vincennes, was born in Clark County, Ky., April 22, 1815, son of Thomas Allen, one of the early and highly-respected pioneers of Indiana. Cyrus M. secured such education as could be procured at that early day. He followed mercantile pursuits a few years after attaining his majority, but soon dropped that and began the study of law, with the view to making it a profession, reading in Winchester, and later attending a course of lectures in the law department of the old Transylvania University, of Lexington, Ky. About this time he married Mary Lander, and in 1840 removed to Indiana and embarked in his profession at Paoli, Ind., but the following year located at Petersburg, where he practiced law four years, remov- ing to Vincennes in 1844, where his legal ability soon placed him in the front rank of his profession. He took an active part in the political affairs of the county, and in 1859 was elected to the State Legislature by the old Whig party, and here his legislative ability was as marked as his knowledge of the law, gaining him a State reputation. Later he resumed the practice of law, and also engaged as contractor, and assisted in the con- struction of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad (eastern division), and also built part of the Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad, also Cairo & Vincennes and Illinois River Railroads. He was a great admirer of Lincoln, and was one of the first to present his name for the nomination to the presidency. In 1860 he was
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
elected by the Republican party to the State Legislature, serving as speaker in that memorable session. He broke a quorum by leaving the capitol, thus thwarting the plans of the Democracy, who were leaguing against Gov. Morton and the Union. In 1863 he was candidate for Congress against W. E. Niblack, but was defeated, owing to the hopeless minority of his party. From that on he retired from public life, and devoted his attention to legal pursuits until he was disabled by disease and was com- pelled to retire from active work. His death, resulting from paralysis, occurred November 2, 1883. His first wife died, and he took for his second wife her sister, Sallie Lander, who still survives him, also C. M. Allen, Jr., by his first wife. Mr. Allen had a State, if not a national reputation, as an eminent judge of law, a statesman of broad views, a public-spirited citizen, a man of marked literary ability, and in his death Knox County and the State suffered a loss not easy to replace.
JOHN ALLEN, grocer of Vincennes, Ind., is a native of Evansville, Ind., born June 16, 1863. His parents are John and Ellen (Vickery) Allen, natives, respectively, of England and Ire- land, and are now residents of Fort Branch, Gibson Co., Ind. John was raised in Evansville and attended the public schools of that city. In 1879 he came to this city and engaged as clerk in the grocery store of his uncle, John Vickery. In 1883 he pur- chased a one-half interest in the business, which he held until his uncle's death in August, 1885. Since that time he has as- sumed complete management and control of the business. He has an excellent stock of goods and is doing well financially. De- cember 11, 1884, he wedded Sarah Callender, a native of Parke County, Ind., who died October 9, 1885; had one child, also de- ceased. In politics he is a Republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and although a young man is rec- ognized as one among the successful business men of this city.
DR. GEORGE R. ALSOP, clerk of the Knox County Courts, was born in Sperryville, Rappahannock Co., Va., December 19, 1851; son of Dr. William S. and Lavinia H. (Amiss) Alsop, who were natives of Virginia, where they lived and died. George R. was reared in his native State and secured an ordinary educa- tion in the common branches. At the age of seventeen he left
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
home, and in the summer of 1869 located in Sullivan County, Ind., where he worked at manual labor during the summer months and taught school during the winter seasons until April, 1873, when he began the study of medicine at New Lebanon, Ind., and afterward attended the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis during 1873-74. He then spent the summer of 1874 reading medicine in Yazoo County, Miss., and attended the medical de- partment of the University at Louisville, Ky., graduating March 1, 1875. He practiced his profession about six months in Sulli- van County, Ind., when he came to Knox County and formed a partnership with Dr. M. M. McDowell, of Freelandsville, with whom he remained until 1883, when he came to Vincennes to as- sume the duties of the clerk's office, which position he has filled with ability to the present time. He is a stanch Democrat in pol- itics, and in 1878 was chosen by that party to the position of trus- tee of Widner Township, which he held until 1882, when he was elected to fill his present office in November of that year. April 20, 1875, he married Miss Jennie Mcclellan, of Sullivan, Ind. They have four children: Thomas B., William M., Eustis F. and Byrdie L. The Doctor is a member of the Masonic and I. O. O. F. fraternities, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church; he is considered a worthy and efficient office-holder.
JAMES S. BADOLLET. The great-grandparents of our subject came from France to America in 1777, and made their home in Pennsylvania until 1806, when they came to what is now Knox County, Ind. Here the great-grandfather died. His son, our subject's grandfather, was James P. Badollet. He was a graduate of West Point and was a lieutenant in the war of 1812. His death occurred in Knox County in 1873. James S. is a son of William and Amanda (Foulks) Badollet, who were born in the county in 1821 and 1827, respectively, aud both died in 1865. James was born in the county November 26, 1854, and after his parents' death he made his home with his grandfather and was reared on a farm. He obtained a very good education in the dis- trict schools near home, and during the winters of 1874-75 he was a student in the Evansville Commercial College, from which institution he graduated in the spring of 1875. He subsequent- ly engaged in farming and continued a tiller of the soil until 1882,
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
when he was appointed deputy treasurer of the county. He is a Democrat and cast his first presidential vote for Hancock. He became a member of the I. O. O. F. in 1882, and is a representa- tive of one of the pioneer families of the county and an enter- prising young man.
WARREN WORTH BAILEY, editor of the Vincennes News, is a native of Hendricks County, Ind., born near New Winches- ter, January 18, 1855, son of Elisha and Elizabeth (Faught) Bailey, both natives of Kentucky, the father born in Bourbon County in 1802, and the mother near Frankfort in 1824. The Bailey family, who are of Scotch-German descent, came to Vin- cennes in 1879, and here resided until the father's death, Novem- ber 24, 1883. The mother now resides in this city. Warren W. is the eldest of four children born to his father's third mar- riage. He received a common school education, and worked on a farm in his boyhood days. He began the study of telegraphy in 1871 and soon mastered it. The following year he ac- cepted the position as telegraph operator at Kansas, Ill., for the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad. He continued this work un- til 1874, when he began learning the printer's trade in the office of the Kansas (Ill.) News, and remained in said office until 1877. He then went to Carlisle, Ind., and became connected with the Carlisle Democrat, as editor and part owner. In 1879 that pa- per was consolidated with the Vincennes Reporter, and took the name of the Vincennes News. Subject removed to Vincennes at that time, and has continued the newspaper work. He is an in- dependent Democrat in politics, and is an able editor and popular man of southern Indiana.
. THOMAS S. BAILEY, dealer in fancy and staple groceries, was born October 15, 1848, son of James and Caroline (Tread- way) Bailey, and is of Irish descent. His father was born near the city of Belfast, Ireland, in County Down, in 1800, and the mother in Pennsylvania in 1808. The paternal grandfather was Jacob Bailey, a native born Irishman, and lived and died in the "Emerald Isle." In 1815 James Bailey came to America and settled in western Pennsylvania, and there resided until about 1830, when he emigrated to Lawrence County, Ill., where he re- mained until 1873. The then went to Lamar County, Tex., where
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
he died in 1877. His mother died in Illinois in 1858. In 1873 our subject went to Texas, and was there engaged in the real estate business until 1880, when he came to Vincennes. Since that time he has carried on the grocery business, and has been quite successful. He was married, in 1872, to Mary Stiles, a native of Ohio, born in 1851. They have four sons: Louis R., James E., Thomas S. and George S. Mr. Bailey is a member of the Democratic party, and joined the Masonic fraternity at Bridgeport, Ill., in 1870. He enlisted in the Twenty-third Illi- nois Volunteer Infantry in 1865, and was at Lee's surrender. He was honorably discharged in August, 1865. His wife is a mem- mer of the Presbyterian Church.
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