History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc, Part 4

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 199-?]
Publisher: [Salem, Mass. : Higginson Book Co.]
Number of Pages: 954

USA > Indiana > Orange County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 4
USA > Indiana > Washington County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 4
USA > Indiana > Lawrence County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 4

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).

THE INDIANS OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

In the matter of Indian history, Lawrence County is, comparatively, of but little importance. It seems to have been sitnated somewhat upon the border between several tribal districts, and permanently occupied by none, although visited by them all in nomadic bands, and for purposes of the chase. The Piankeshaws were the first and original occupants, but at a later date some of the permitted tribes, the Delawares, the Shawnees and the Pottawattomies, acquired some title to. the land. Of these the Delawares were the strongest and most numerous. There are but few traces of the Indians now visible in the county. When the first settlers came the scanty remnants froin an occasional camp could be seen scattered here and there over the county. Some of their favorite camp- ing-grounds were near the present sites of Heltonville and Springville on the lofty bluffs near by, and in easy access to water. On Indian Creek where Dougherty's Mill was located in ISIS, were evidences of a deserted Indian camp. There was no large permanent Indian town or village ever located in the county, so far as present information goes to enlighten the individual in search of the records and transactions of this doomed and haughty race. Only in wandering bands, tenting for a time upon some grassy knoll or sheltered cliff, or hastening in wild pursuit of game across the broken landscape, did Lawrence County know the pres- ence of the indolent and daring Red Man. In the Indian tongue Salt Creek was called We-pe.pe-moy, and the East Fork of White River Gun- dah quah, while White River itself was called Ope-co-mee-cah. Doubt- less these streamns with their unpoetical names, in the years that are long gone into the unrecorded past, have borne the Indian in his light canoe along their slow tides, while his watch[n] eye scanned the adjoining shores for the unwary deer or other animals of game, that might come

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

within reach of his unerring bow. Perhaps he may have guided his small bark around in aimless pastime, while the neighboring hills resounded with the songs of savage glee. These waters still roll on, but how changed is the scene! Civilization has burried the red natives of the forests away, and is slowly but surely consiguing their few and scattered survivors to the tomb of oblivion. Even the dense and massive wood that then waved in all its pristine grandeur along these watery ways. has gone down, and in its stead are seen the vine-covered homes of white men standing in the midst of broad and golden harvests. All this is but the band of inevitable change. The Indian himself was the successor. most likely an aggressive one, of a less vigorous race, in obedience to Nature's law of the "survival of the fittest."

THE DEATH OF PIERRE.

There were two Indian casualties in this county at a very early day, and numerous acts of horse-stealing and the destruction of cabins and improvements. In 1814 the Rawlinses had their camp destroyed and their horses stolen, while located in a rude shanty in Bono Township. which they were occupying while tending a crop of corn. The female members were at Maxwell's Fort, on Lost River, in Orange County. as it was known that the Indians were on the war-path, and every precaution was necessary. The Rawlinses went out one morning to find their horses, but did not succeed-a very unusual state of affairs. They returned to their cump and found unmistakable signs of the presence of Indians there during their absence. They immediately made preparations for their safety, building no fire during the succeeding night, and sleeping outside the camp. The next morning they started for the fort, and soon met an old trapper and squatter, named Pierre, who was told of the presence of Indians in the neighborhood. The old fellow was on bis way to examine his traps on Fishing Creek, and refused to leave, and continued on his way, promising to keep his eyes open for "Injin signs." The Rawlinses reached the fort, borrowed horses and rode to Charlestown, and enlisted in Capt. Bigger's Company of mounted rangers, and after an absence of three days ventured back to their camp. The Indians had been there, as everything perishable had been destroyed and everything valuable carried away. Old man Pierre who had been stop- ping at the Rawlins' Camp was missing. Going to the river, the canoe was missing. Looking up and down the bank, the canoe was finally found in the branches of a fallen tree in the water, and in the bottom was the body of Pierre, shot through the heart, tomahawked and scalped. How he met his death will never be known. He was buried in Section 22, Township 4 north, Range 1 east, Bono Township, where his dust rests to this day.

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

THE FLINN TRAGEDY.

In 1810 the Flinns and Guthries settled near Leesville, and built a fort there for their protection. It stood about half a mile north of the village. In March, 1815, after it was thought the Indian troubles were over, and the usual vigilance had been relaxed, the fort was enddenly attacked by a band of Pottawattomies from the North. The men were engaged in felling a tree near by, and were fired upon ere they were aware of any danger. John Guthrie was shot dangerously in the breast, the ball passing through his body. He ran for the fort, and fell near the door, but was promptly rescued by his wife, who almost in the muzzles of the Indian rifles, ran bravely out and half carried him within the walls. He afterward recovered and lived to a green old age. Josiah Flinn was attacked by several Indians, and though he fought des- perately, was tomahawked and scalped, but did not die for four days. Jacob Flinn, the other of the three men whom the Indians attacked, was captured and marched to the head waters of the Wabash River to the principal Potawattomie village. He was beaten and half starved, but escaped in a canoe down the river one night, four months after his cap- ture, and after incredible hardships, rowing down the river at night, and sleeping in the day in concealment, and living on frogs, roots, etc., ha finally reached Vincennes so weak that he had to be helped out of the boat. He stated that he could have escaped several times earlier, but would not until he could take Guthrie's ax, which had been carried off at the time of the attack. A good ax was then a very rare and valuable piece of property. The above were the only serious encounters with the Indians ever occurring in this county. Flinn recovered.

PREHISTORIC PEOPLE.

Scattered throughout the Mississippi Valley and the heart of the American Continent lie the silent monuments of a long buried and unknown race. Through the long vista of years that have gone over the graves of this ancient and forgotten people there comes no sound to tell ns of the times that saw these tombs close darkly around. The mystery that eushrouds this race of Mound Builders has hitherto baffled all science and research. Archeologists have outrun all clues in their vain efforts to penetrate the secrets that surround these dead inhabitants of the past. Beyond the fact of their existence but little is known. No recorded his- tory. no curious and perplexing hieroglyphics were left by them to span the abyss of time. The mounds and earth-works that were constructed by this people are numerous and some of them are of such magnitude that it is concluded " that they lived in towns and were governed by a despotic ruler whose will was law and whose commands received implicit obedience." For want of a better name that of Mound Builders has been given to this extinct race, since only by these mounds is it known.

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

The date of these mounds is beyond the centuries that have been required for the growth of the forests. "Not entirely voiceless, they tell of a peo- ple who once possessed the valley of the continent. Peaceful and law. abiding. they were skilled in agriculture and the arts of the.' stone age.' and executed works that required the united and persistent efforts of thousands under the direction of a well matured design. In the compara- tive absence of warlike implements. we conclude that this work was a labor of love, and not of fear; that it was inaugurated and directed by a Regal Priesthood to erect votive temples in honor of the sun. a visible creator of comfort, food and life."

THE MOUNDS AND THEIR CONTENTS.

These mounds are of three kinds: mounds of habitation. sepnichral and temple mounds. The first are supposed to have been made for the purpose of building the tents or dwellings upon. Sepulchral mounds were for the burial of the dead and when explored are usually found to contain human bones and varions ornaments and implements of the race. Temple mounds are explained in the name and were the places of religions devotion. Besides these mounds there are many forts, walled enclosures and citadels.

THE CONNELLY AND PALESTINE MOUNDS.

Concerning the evidences of this prehistoric race in Lawrence County, Mr. John Collett, in the Geological Survey of Indiana. for 1873. says the following: "On the southeastern slope of the hill over Connel- ly's cave, two miles east of Huron. is a group of seven mounds. from two to four feet high, and an obscure winding way may be traced leading from the cave spring to the top of the hill. On the summit fragments of sandstone, reddened by burning, and small shell heaps are seen. The mounds were probably habitations. From protruding pieces of stone seen on the sides, the internal construction was of that material instead of timber, as was usual in similar structures on the Wabash and Mississippi. A central tumulus having a double circular wall was probably for sepul- chral purposes. A mound similar to the last at the site of the former county seat, Palestine, or ' Old Palestine' as it is called. was explored in 1570. by Messrs. Newland, Dodd and Houston. Ou the surface of the bill a confused wass of stones, such as a man could conveniently carry, were noticed, indicating a circular wall twenty fret in diameter. It was found to be a vaulted tomb. The first or upper vault contained the boLes of many women and children, a layer of fint stones divided this from the second which contains the bones of men: another layer of flags. and at the bottom, six feet below the surface. two skeletons were found with their heads placed to the east and faces to the north. The last were persous of great size, being not less than six and a half feet high. With the skeletons were found a quantity of flints. arrow-points. etc. ; near

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

the head of the largest individual a pair of hammered copper earrings and a globular 'war-whistle.' The keen noise of the latter may be com- pared to the sound of a policeman's whistle and can be heard nearly a mile. Stone axes and pieces of pottery are found on the surface near this tomb."

THE SUCCEEDING FISHERMEN.

The immediate successors of the Mound Builders were a race of fish- ermen who lived along the banks of streams and existed almost solely upon the food they obtained from the rivers. Along the Western rivers there are found many large "shell heaps" where it is supposed these people for a time made their permanent homes. Lawrence County has a trace of these riparian inhabitants. In Bono Township, on the farm of William Simpson, a few years ago a mound was opened and several relics of antiquity were found, with a few human bones. All of the high bluff along the fork of White River where this mound is situated is covered with shells of various kinds. Not far from there is what has the appear- ance of having been a sort of breastwork thrown up for defense. This is about half way up the bluff. facing the river on the farm of Silas Wil- cox. Many stone vaults and sepulchers intruded on the sides and tops of mounds have led to the conclusion that this people adopted many of the habits and customs, perhaps even the religion of their predecessors, the Mound Builders. But they too have long since passed away, leaving naught to tell the curious of their life, their times or their ambitions.

Later there came a barbarous and wandering race, originating in ancient Scythia. and bringing with them the cruelties and characteristics of the inhabitants of that country. The tell-tale monuments along their route from Northern Asia to the center of America reveal the origin of the Indians. In their turn as a race they will soon be numbered among the peri-hed. In the struggle for existence with a foeman race they have been vanquished, and one by one they are going down to inglorious and muremembered graves.

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

CHAPTER III.

DY SELWYN A. BRANT.

SETTLEMENT OF LAWRENCE COUNTY-THE PIONEERS OF FLINN TOWN- SHIP-MILLS, DISTILLERIES, ETC .- MARION TOWNSHIP, HER HUNTERS. SQUATTERS AND PERMANENT SETTLERS, HER INDUSTRIES, ETC .- THE OCCUPANCY OF BONO TOWNSHIP BY THE WHITES; MANUFACTURES, ETC .- THE PIONEERS OF MARSHALL; STORES, OIL-MILLS, ETC .- PERRY AND HER DEVELOPMENT; COTTON CULTURE, WOOL-CARDING, ETC. -SETTLERS OF INDIAN CREEK; INCIDENTS, FACTORIES. ETC .- SPICE VALLEY; EARLY ELECTIONS; ANECDOTES-PLEASANT RUN: Corx- TERFEITING; INCIDENTS, ETC .- SHAWSWICK; THE WHITE MEN-FER- HIES, REMINISCENCES AND NOTES.

"Life's vain delusions are gone by : Its idle hopes are o'er: Yet age remembers with a sigh The days that are no more." -- SOUTHEY.

T THE County of Lawrence was originally a part of Knox and Harrison Counties, all west of the meridian line being a part of the former, and all east of the line of the latter. In 1814 it became part of Wash. ington County, and in 1816 a part of Orange County. The county was created in 1818, and named in honor of Capt. James Lawrence, of the United States Navy, commander of the frigate Chesapeake, who was killed in the battle with the frigate Shannon.

EARLY IMMIGRATION.

During the first few years of the present century, while the Indians that then inhabited the territory northwest of the Ohio River continued their hostilities to the whites, but few settlers had the daring and hardi- hood to push as far into the western wilds as the present contines of Lawrence County. Most of the southern portion of Indiana was settled gradually from the Ohio River northward, as that was the great com- mercial thoroughfare between the East and the West. The settlement only advanced when the population became dense enough to repel the invasions of hostile Indians. Until after the year 1811, when Tecumseh and the powerful confederacy of which he was the head. were defeated and overthrown, there were scarcely a dozen white families located in the county.

THE LEESVILLE SETTLEMENT.

Probably the first permanent settlement made was at the present site of Leesville in Flinn Township, on the extreme eastern border of the

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

county. The persons who came to this place were from Lee County, Va .. which they left in the early part of 1809, and passed the following win- ter in Kentucky. In February, 1810, they came to Indiana and built a fort a few hundred yards northeast from where the grist-mill in Leesville now stands. This fort or block-house was for some time the only one in the county, and it was a resort for the earliest settlers in this section as a place of security in times of danger. After the block-house was built, the men returned in June to Kentucky after their families. The names of the men in this first band of pioneers have always been familiar in Lawrence County annals, and many of their descendants yet live in the county and are among its most valuable citizens. These familien were the Guthries and the Flinns, for each of which the county now has a township named. They were Daniel Guthrie and his sons, and Jacob Flinn and William Flinn. It is said that Daniel Guthrie was one of the heroes of Gen. Braddock's defeat. These men were accustomed to the hardships of frontier life, and had the bravery to face the unscrupulous and crafty red man as well as the skill to entrap and avoid the prowling beasts of the forests.

Since this settlement in 1810, what a vast and a happy change has been wrought in the fair Republic of the West ! That time is yet in the memory of a few gray-haired and aged veterans that are plodding feebly by the last mile-stone of life and recalling in their minds with childlike fondness, the transactions of their early years. Eternity will soon close around them, and then the only knowledge that can be obtained of their times and their deeds will be found upon the page of faithful history.

SETTLEMENT OF FLINN TOWNSHIP.

On the eastern border of the county and near the middle is situated Flinn Township, named as before stated for the Flinn family, that has always been prominent in this part of the county. The early settler- here were what are known as squatters or persons settling ou land with- out any title. Up to the year 1S14 all the whites living in the county. with but a single exception, belonged to this class, while in Flinn Town- ship there was not an entry of land made prior to 1817, but beginning with that year and including the year 1820, the following land entries were made in what now composes the political township of thirty sections: R. Hunton, 1820; M. Wooley, 1520: Noah Wright. 1819; Israel Hind, 1819: Thomas Hodges, 1817; H. Nichols, 1820; John Parr, IS19; James Ellison, 1820; Enoch Parr, 1817; T. Carr, 1820; Arthur Parr, 1819: Martin Flinn, 1820; Patrick Welch, 1817; Noah Wright, 1820; William White, 1820: D. Flinn, 1820; James Taggert, 1520; John Guthrie. 1520: Thomas Flinn, 1820; Benjamin Drake, ISIS; William Flinn, 1820; J. Allen, 1820; Hugh Guthrie, 1820: Robert Flinn, 1819; Benjamin New- kirk. 1820. At that time the following persons were also residents in

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

and around Leesville: George Stell. John Speer, Ephraim D. Lux, John Trespey. Abraham Sutherland. David White. Alfred Alexander, Jacob Weaver. Moses Flinn, William Smith. Elijah Curry, Micajah Poole, Gamaliel Millgar.

This township was settled as early as any part of the county, and no doubt many things of interest transpired here in its first settlement that are now beyond reliable information. But few if any of the first settlers are still living that located in this township. And although there may be an occasional veteran of those early days, a long life of privations and hardships has gone far to render the recollection treacherous.

GRIST-MILLS, ETC.

In early mills there is but little to distinguish this community from other early settlements. A " stump" mill, owned by John Speer, at the present site of Leesville, was the first of any kind, and was of course run by horse.power. This was soon superseded by what is now generally known as the Forgey Mill, about one-half mile from Leesville, on Guth. rie Creek. The first mill here was built by William Flinn. probably as early as 1817. It was run by an undershot wheel. and did a considera- ble grinding of wheat and corn for the early settlers for several years The next owner was his son, Robert Flint, whose successor was Andrew Forgey. In his hands it remained for many years, from his name it has ever since been called. About the year 1840 it seems to have been oper- ated by horse-power, applied with a tread-wheel. It is but just to say, however, that horses did not always furnish the power, for in primitive days the custom was to break a steer to the tread-wheel, and in this way the most of the power was furnished for grinding. Hiram Guthrie bought the mill next, and repaired it in many ways for better work. Some time in the fifties the Hollands obtained control of it. and under their management steam-power was added, and for several years did an extensive business, having three sets of buhrs, two for wheat and one for corn. John C. Voyles purchased this mill about 1568, and afterward put in a wool carding machine. After the building of the present grist.mill in Leesville, about 1870, this mill began to go down, and at the present time does no business, having been abandoned for several years.

At Pin Hook a horse-mill was owned by a man named Phillips, as early as 1830, and possibly prior to that time. It changed hands sev. eral times, until it finally went down about 1545. in the hands of I. Lyt- ton. On Back Creek, about one mile west and a little north of Leesville, a water mill was built as early as 1830, and was known as the McGlem- ery Mill. It was made of logs, and operated by one undershot wheel. One set of buhrs was sufficient to do the grinding at this mill, and after running for about thirty five years was finally abandoned by Plummer & Flinn, who were the owners at that time. Edward Montgomery had a

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

water mill on Back Creek further up the stream in 1840, and it was operated by a turbine water-wheel. For many years this mill did a large business, and after changing hands several times finally went down about the year 1872, at which time it was owned by Matteson Broiles. This is said to have been the last water-mill in this part of the county.

THE DISTILLERIES.

Another important feature of the first settlements in this part of the State was that of the small distilleries. A very large majority of the early settlers were natives of Kentucky and Virginia, and other portions of the South where it was the custom for many of the citizens to keep a " still house." This custom followed to the new country, and there became a prominent factor. but whether for good or bad it is not neces- sary here to discuss. One thing, however, is sure, and that is this: The most important crop, as well as the first, in the newly settled and cleared fields of the West was that of corn. Transportation was slow and bur- densome, and such bulky commodities as corn required extra time and lahor in conveying them to markets where they could be exchanged for muoLey or other goods of staple value to the people of a new settlement By converting corn into the products of the still it was more easily car. ried to the markets, and in addition to that it yielded a good profit over that of corn itself. These two reasons, convenience and profit, were suf. tici-ut to warrant the keeping of these small and individual distilleries. An attempt to catalogue the owners of these miniature manufactories of ardent spirits would be both idle and impossible. A history of the early merchants and the manner of conducting business on the frontiers will be found in the sketch on Leesville, elsewhere in this work.

SETTLEMENT OF MARION TOWNSHIP."

The earliest settlers of Marion Township were from the Carolinas und -uhern Virginia, and their hero-worship centered in the dashing Sonthern commander in the Revolutionary war, Gen. Francis Marion; in his honor was the township named. The township contains about sixty. six square miles: eight miles wide, and averaging a little more than eight miles in length, from north to south. The boundary north is the east branch of White River. the south boundary is Orange County, on the ex-1 Bono Township, and on the west Spice Valley Township.

FIRST SETTLERS

In the early autumn of 1\15 Lewis Phillips built a cabin at John Tolliver's upper spring. near the meridian line. on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 31, Town 4 north, Range 1 east. It was a round pole cabin. such as one man could build, and about all the furnishing the new home had was "a cabin full of children," as the

" The sketch of this township was furnished by Dr. MeIntite. of Mitchell.

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY.

next settler expressed it. The last one of the " cabin full," a widow, Mary Ann White, died near Juliet in 1853, and the "first family " is extinct, not a descendant of Phillips left. In November, 1815, just as the first frost was bringing down the leaves and the brown nuts from the forest trees, Samuel G. Hoskins, who had traversed the wilderness from South Carolina, halted his wagon on Rock Lick Creek, on the southeast quar- ter of Section 19. Town 4 north, Range 1 east. Here Hoskins erected a cabin and went into winter quarters. Phillips and Hoskins, with their families, were the only settlers in the territory of Marion Township in the year 1815. They saw during the winter many friendly Indians pass by, but none were staying in this part of the county. Hoskins became quite a conspicuous citizen of the county, was the first Justice of the Peace of the township, and Captain of the first military company organized on the south side of White River, in the county. He served on the first grand jury in the county, surveyed land and taught school. His son, Joshna Hoskins, is still a resident of the township, the only living representa- tive of the settlers of 1815. The opening of spring, 1816, found many new-comers from North Carolina and South Carolina; among these we hear of George Sheeks, William Erwin, John Finger. Joseph Pless, Elijah Murray, Thomas Rowark, John Sutton, James Boswell and Joseph Boswell. All these men had families except Joseph Boswell, and there are, of their descendants, in this township, at present living: John Sheeks, Jacob Finger, John Murray and Nelson Pless. George Shreks lived on the farm now owned by his son, the Hon. David L. SLeeks; William Erwin, afterward one of the associate judges of the county, and known as Judge Erwin, settled where the widow Dodd pow lives: he taught the first school in the township. John Finger lived on the merid. ian line a mile south of White River, near by the old homestead: his remains lie buried in the Finger burying-ground: Joseph P'less, where his son, Nelson Pless, now lives, near Juliet: Elijah Murray settled Lear the month of Rock Lick Creek, on the Lewis place: Thomas Rowark. and his son-in-law, John Sutton, lived on the Denton Sheeks place. All these were farmers except Thomas Rowark, who was the first blacksmith. The late William Erwin, of this township, was a son of William Erwin. of 1516, and was one of the best read men that has ever resided in the town. ship; a farmer, and used to long days of toil. he took time to read all the English classics of his day, and was well up with our ripest scholars in history and biography.

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History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc, Part 4

Author: Goodspeed Brothers Publication date: 199-?] Publisher: [Salem, Mass. : Higginson Book Co.] Number of Pages: 954

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 199-?]
Publisher: [Salem, Mass. : Higginson Book Co.]
Number of Pages: 954