History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc, Part 49

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 49
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 49
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 49

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).

DISTILLERIES.

In grain distilleries Stampers Creek Township has been prolific Among the men who have been engaged in this may be mentioned Ed. ward Kirby, Abram Peters, Joel Kirby, Peter Mahan, Mason Burgess, Edward Moore. John Rigney, Daniel Murphy. Jarvis Smith, William Brooks and Henry Wolfe, Sr. In the days when these distilleries flour- ished. corn was an abundant crop, and there was no outlet for it to the great markets of the world. As a consequence it was very cheap. the ruling price being about 10 cents per bushel, and the distilling of it in- to whisky became the only means whereby it could be turned into profit. Those were the good old times that the old men who still linger around these scenes of their early years are often heard lauding-times when pure whisky flowed freely at 12} to 20 cents per gallon, and drunkenness was a thing unknown. That is what the old men say. but if some of the "boys" of to-day had been there then, bow sadly would their tale be changed. Besides this Abram Peters and Henry Wolfe, Sr., did a considerable business in fruit distilling, mostly making apple and peach brandies, from those fruits. They could be ob- tained for this purpose at 5 to 10 cents per bushel, and this business was at one time very profitable. The only institution of this kind in the township is the steam distillery of G. B. McCoy & Bros., about one. half mile east of Millersburg, where a large business is carried on in the fruit seasons, and many gallons of these brandies are manufactured

Dr. James Baker, who has been raised in this township from his in- fancy, is at present the only physician in it, and has been so for a long time, with the exception of the year 1857, when Dr. Joshua Springer was located here in the practice.

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The people here have been fully up with the balance of the county in matters of temperance, and no crimes of consequence can yet be re- corded to the disgrace of the sturdy citizens of Stampers Creek. The worst, and they are bad enough, were some horse stealings, one of which was from Dr. Baker, in Angust, 1876, and no clue to either horse or thief was found. Some years before this, in 1953, Edward Burgess, who had just returned from California, was robbed of $1,500 in gold. It is supposed that he had been followed by the robbers for some distance, and when a favorable opportunity presented itself they entered the house and carried away his treasure. The perpetrators of this crime were never discovered. Somewhere in the fifties Benjamin Vancleave was fatally injured at a barn-raising near Millersburg from a falling of some of the heavy timbers. Death occurred in a few days.

SETTLEMENT OF NORTHEAST TOWNSHIP.

Among the early settled portions of Orange County was the part now embraced in Northeast Township. This township is the exact size and shape of Stampers Creek and Orangeville Townships, being four miles east and west, and seven miles north and south. It is traversed midway by the first east range line, and by the second township line north. thus leaving a part of four congressional townships within its boundaries. Lost River runs in a northwesterly course across the central part of it, and is accompanied by a valley of nice and fertile land. It was here that the pioneers located to build their habitations in the wilderness. Prior to the year 1813 the land entries were made in this township as follows: Township 2 north, Range 1 east-Joseph Maxwell, January 16. 1811, 171 acres, Section 2; Joshua Carter, January 29, 1811, 160 acres. Sec- tion 1; David Findley, December 19, 1811, 320 acres, Section 2: Fred- erick Phillips, January 3. 1811, 160 acres, Section 12. Township 2 north, Range 2 east-Uriah Glover, February 8, 1812, 177.60 acres, Sec- tion 7. All other persons entering land in this township between the years 1812 and 1820 exclusive, were: Jacob Marty, William Reed, David Mckinney, in 1814; John Glover, Stephen Glover, in 1815; David Reed, Romas Phillips, Samuel G. Galloway. in 1816; Martin Cutsinger, in 1817; John Gray, Jonah Combs, William Kidd, Joseph Pound. Alex. ander Mckinney, J. Neidiffer, John Lee, in IS18; James Clayton. Cady Lee, Samuel Hutcheson, Hugh MePhuters, John White, J. Ellison. Jacob Miller and John Alanthy, in 1819.

On the 13th day of February, 1819, an election for one Justice of the Peace was held in Northeast Township, at the house of Joseph W. Doak, with the following result: Alexander Wallace, nine votes; Stephen Hampton, three votes: Fleming Duncan, one vote. J. W. Doak was Inspector; William Riley and H. Brooks, Judges; E. T. Riley and James Maxwell. Clerks. Votes were polled by the following persons: J.

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W. Doak, William Brooks, William Moore, E. T. Riley, James Maxwell, Andrew Mundell, Joseph Raney, William Woodram, H. Alkire, George Raney, Stephen Happen, William Dillard and George Monarch. Total, thirteen. Others of the prominent early settlers were: Daniel Hard- man, Edward Sparling, Mathias Sapingfield, Jacob Krutsinger, Thomas Edwards, Cyrus Finley, John Reedy, Isaac Fight, Thaddeus Nugent, Ezekiel Riley, Basil Tegarden, Isaac Edwards, David Reed and Thomas Phillips.

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

The persons came to this part of the county in many cases from Washington County, and many were found here who have moved several times in their lives, each time making another step toward the setting sun. Here was civilization etching its way to the heart of the American Con- tinent. It took four years for the settlement to make its way across the county from north to south, beginning with the location of John Hol- lowell, in Southeast Township. in 1807, and ending with Frederick Phillips, in 1811, in Northeast Township. Of course, these are the dates of the land entries in those section> of the county, although there may have been a few squatters in each locality before these dates, but these represent only the transient and unstable elements of frontier life. A man who bought land and built upon it was considered quite an acqui- sition to a community, and it was this class that brought stability and laid the foundation for permanent and healthy society. About the year 1520. on Lost River, near what is now known as the Island Meeting-house, John Gray built a water-mill with an underabot wheel and one set of buhrs. It was never used for anything but corn and in this did a large bus- iness in its time. In 1534 a distillery was run here also, which was con- tinued for several years. The mill at this place continued in operation for some time after the year 1550. At that time it was owned by George W. Lewis, who built a saw mill and ran it in connection with the grist- mill for some time, but, upon his death, it was entirely abandoned. Jar- vis Smith had a horse.mill in this township in an early day, and no doubt others, which records and recollections alike fail in discovering to later investigation. Near the central part of the township, on the farm now owned by Joseph Tegarden, was an old-fashioned tannery conducted by Mr. Ezekiel Riley, for several years, and after him by his son for a considerable time, but it has long since been entirely abandoned.

MERCHANTS.

Probably the first merchant in this township was Elijah Atkisson. This was on the present Edwards farm. a little southwest of the center of the township, which was continued by him for a number of years. In 1844, and for some time prior thereto, James Archer had 'a store at what is called Nebo, but soon after that time he moved about two miles south

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from there, where he continued for two or three years longer. Before Archer had left Nebo, Ezekiel Riley had commenced doing business there in a store room that he had built. and he remained there for some time. At the present time there is a store in the extreme south of the township. near the line of Stampers Creek Township. This is owned by Tegarden & Stratton, who are said to be doing a very successful trade in country merchandise, and they have recently succeeded in having a postoffice established under the name of Bromer, with Seth Stratton as postmaster. There is a mail received here twice a week from Campbellsburg. in Wash- ington County. Dr. Charles Boyd is the physician located here, and having a constantly increasing practice. Richard Walters was probably the first physician in the present bounds of Northeast Township, where he lived for some time at Nebo. He afterwards moved to a farm near Lancaster, and here remained the balance of his life, enjoying a Incra- tive practice and the esteem of all who knew him. Another man that was held in high favor by all who were fortunate enough to know him was Dr. Shelby Potter. He always lived in the south part of the town- ship, and besides having the confidence of his neighbors as a good doc- tor, was universally voted to be "a mighty good man." Excepting Dr. Charles Boyd. at Bromer, the only physician now in the township is Dr. F. P. Hunt. at Lancaster, who does the larger part of the practice in the northern end of the township.

CHAPTER IV.

BY WESTON A. GOODSPEED.

THE COUNTY BEFORE ITS ORGANIZATION-THE ACT OF FORMATION-THE COUNTY BOARD-ORGANIZATION-CREATION OF TOWNSHIPS-IMPORT- ANT PROCEEDINGS-LANTER OCCURRENCES-BONDS AND BRIDGE -- THE. FINANCES-COURT HOUSES AND JMLS-HIGHWAYS-RAILROADS-THE PAUPERS - POPULATION - THE VARIOUS LIBRARIES - THE SCHOOL FUNDS-THE MEDICAL; SOCIETY - AGRICULTURAL. ORGANIZATIONS -- FULL ACCOUNT-THE DEATH OF WILBUR-LIST OF COUNTY OFFICERS -- POLITICS-STATISTICS.

D URING the territorial period of Indiana the population was so sparse that the few counties which had been organized comprised large tracts of wild country. Then. as time passed and settlements became denser, new counties were striken off' and organized. The pres- ent county of Orange originally comprised portions of Knox and Clarke- Knox west of the meridian line and Clarke east. March 9. 1813. all of Orange County west of the meridian line and south of the line divid- ing Sections 20 and 20. Town-hip 1 north. became part of Gibson

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County. December 21, 1813, all of Orange County east of the meri- dian line except the southern half of Township 1 south, and the small tract north of Orleans and north of the junction of the Indian boundary lines of 1803 and 1805 became part of Washington County, and Sep. tember 1, 1814, the last mentioned small tract was added to the last named county. The southern half of Township 1 south, east of the meridian. remained part of Harrison County. This was the situation of the tract of country now comprising Orange County at the time of its creation by the following enactment:

AN ACT FOR THE FORMATION OF A NEW COUNTY OUT OF THE COUNTIES OF WASH- IN .. TON, GIBSON AND KNOX.

Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives and it is hereby courted by the authority of the same. That from and after the first day of Feb. ruary next all that part of the counties of Washington. Gibson and Knox, which is included within the following boundaries, shall form and constitute a new county. which shall be known and designated by the name and style of the county of Orange. that is to say, beginning on the Indian boundary line where the range line dividing Ranges 2 and 3 west of the second principal meridian intersects said bound- Hry line: thence south with said range line until it intersects the line dividing the counties of Perry and Gilson: thence west with said line until it intersects the west- ern boundary line of Harrison County: thence north with said line to the south- West corner of Washington County and northwest corner of Harrison; thence east with the line dividing Harrison and Washington Counties until it intersects the line dividing Sections 16 and 17. In Range 2 east, Township I south: thenee north with sald line dividing Section- 16 and 1; to the ludian boundary line: thence westwardly with said Indian boundary line to the place of beginning.

Sir 2. Be it further enacted, That the said county hereby formed and established shall entoy and exercise all the rights. privileges and jurisdictions which to separate counties of this Territory do or may properly appertain or belong: Provided aliays, That all suit-, plea-, plaints, actions and proceedings which may before the 1st day of February next have been commenced. instituted or depending within the pre-ent comunties of Washington. Gibsou and Knox. hall be prosecuted to final judgment and execution in the same manner us if this act had never been passed. and that the territorial and county taxes which are now due within the boundaries of the new county hereby established. shall be collected in the same manuer and by the same officers as they would have heen if this act had not passed.

Sie 8. Be it further enacted, That until a court house shall be erected for the accommodation of the court. the courts for the -aid county of Orange shall be held at the house of William Lindley. Jr., in said Orange County.

St.0. 4. Be it farther enacted. That Peter McIntosh. Ignatius Abel. Hiram Boon. Mar-ion G Clark and Samuel Jack. all of the counties of Washington and Harrison. be and they are hereter appoluted Commissioner- to fix the seat of justice in said Orange County who shall meet at the said William Lindley's. Jr., on the second Monday of February next. and proceed to fix the seat of justler for the sald Orange County agreealdy to the provisions of an act for the fixing the seats of justice in all uew counties hereafter to be laid off.

SEC. 3. Be it further enacted. That the said courts authorized to transact county business in the afore-aid new county hall as soon as convenient after the seat of ju-tir+ is fixed cause the public building- of said new conuty to be erected thereon, and shall adjourn the court thereto so soon as the court house is in the estimation of the court sufficiently completed for the accommodation of the court.

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SEC. 6. Be it further enacted. That the said Orange County is hereby declared to be and remain a part of the district for the election of Counsellors composed of the counties of Washington and Knox, and in case of a vacancy for Counsellor, the Associate Judges of said county of Orange shall have power to carry into effect the law regulating elections.

Approved December 26, 1815.

ACTS OF THE COUNTY BOARD.

Under the supervision of Zachariah Lindley, the Sheriff appointed by the Governor to organize the new county, an election of two Associate Judges, one Clerk, one Coroner and possibly other officers was held early in 1816, and immediately thereafter the Associate Judges, Thomas Ful- ton and Samuel Chambers, met at the house of William Lindley, Jr., to transact county business now done by the County Commissioners. This meeting was held in February, 1816. About the first act was to divide the county into townships-Orange Township about Paoli, Lost River Township about Orleans, Greenfield, Northwest, Southwest. and South- east. W. G. Berry and John Elrod were appointed Clerks in Lost River Township; Roger McKnight, Inspector; Robert Elrod and Robert Field. Judges. Samuel Cobb and Thomas Lynch were appointed Clerks in Orange Township; Ebenezer Doan, Inspector; John Lynch and Abraham Elliott, Judges. The report of the Commissioners appointed by the Leg- islature to fix the county seat was received and county orders were or- dered issued to them for an aggregate amount of $114. The seat of justice was named Paoli, after a town in North Carolina, whence the Lindleys, the owners of most of the land donated to the county, had come. If others than Thomas Lindley and Thomas Hopper donated land to the county in consideration of having the seat of justice located at Paoli, such fact could not be learned. Jonathan Lindley was appoint- ed County Agent and directed to lay out the county seat into lot-, which was done in April, 1816. and immediately thereafter a public sale of lots was held. Another sale occurred in the fall, the two sales aggregating cash and book proceeds of $8,294.40. This large amount placed the county on a firm financial footing. William Lindley, Jr., furnished the house where the County Board and other courts sat, but later they met at James Sutton's, and elsewhere.

Early in 1817. upon the petition of William Lindley, himself, John Sears and William Milliken were appointed Viewers to open the road between Paoli and Orleans. On motion it was ordered that Heury Mas- sey, Henry Speed, Benjamin Blackwell and Ezekiel Blackwell be permit- ted to establish and keep a ferry on White River near the meridian line (now in Lawrence County). At this time Orange County comprised the present Lawrence County and nearly all of Monroe County. What is now Monroe County was ordered organized as Clear Creek Township, with Solomon Green as Inspector, elections to be held at his house. A

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township to be called Bono was ordered created with the following boundary: Beginning on White River at the northwest corner of Wash. ington County, thence south to the Cincinnati road, thence west to Fish- ing Creek, thence north to White River, thence north with the section line which crosses at the mouth of said creek three miles, thence east to Jackson County, thence south to the beginning. Thomas Beasley was appointed Inspector of elections to be held at the town of Bono. Rob- ert Fields, Ebenezer Doan and W. C. Green were appointed Viewers of a road from Paoli to Bono.

THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

In February, 1817, three Commissioners began doing the county busi- ness in place of the Associate Judges. Samuel Cobb, Ezekiel Blackwell, and Jonathan Lindley were the first three Commissioners-Cobb to serve three years, Blackwell two, and Lindley one. Their first act was to re- divide the county into townships. All of Orange County west of the meridian line and south of the base line was named Greenfield Town. ship, elections to be held at the house of John Booth. Southeast Town- ship was bounded as follows: Beginning on the county line between Townships 1 and 2 north, thence south to Harrison County, thence west to the meridian line, thence north seven miles, thence east four miles, thence north four miles, thence east to the beginning; elections to be at the house of Zachariah Lindley. Paoli Township to be bounded as fol- lows: Beginning where the base line crosses the meridian line, thence west four miles. thence north ten miles, thence east eight miles, thence sonth eight miles, thence west four miles, thence south two miles to the beginning; elections to be held at Paoli. Southwest Township: Begin- ning on the base line between Sections 32 and 33, Range 1 west, thence west to the county line, thence north to the center of Township 2 north, thence east eight miles, thence south to the beginning; elections to be at the house of Joel Charles. Northwest Township: Beginning at the northwest corner of Section 21. Township 2 north, Range 1 west, thence west to the county line, thence north to White River, thence up said river to the meridian line, thence south to the northwest corner of Sec- tion IS. Township 2 north, Range 1 east, thence west four miles. thence south to the beginning; elections at the house of Thomas Evans. North- east Township: Beginning on White River where the counties of Washington and Jackson cross, thence sonth on the eastern line of Orange County to the line dividing Townships 1 and 2 north, thence west four miles, thence north four miles, thence west to the meridian line, thence north to White River, thence up the same to the beginning; elections to be held at Jesse Roberts'. Leatherwood Township: All of the present Lawrence County north of White River and south of the line dividing Townships 6 and 7 north: election to be held at Basin Spring,

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at the house of James Stotts. Clear Creek Township: To be all of Orange County north of the line dividing Townships 6 and 7 north (the greater portion of the present County of Monroe) ; elections to be held at Basin Spring. on Section 20, Township S north. Range 1 west. Isaac Saunders was appointed Lister for Greenfield Township. Michael Beal for Southeast, William Lindley for Paoli. A. Campbell for Southwest, William Bean for Northwest, William G. Berry for Northeast, Robert Stotts for Leatherwood, and Solomon Green for Clear Creek.

TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.

Simon Rubottom, James Wilson and Roger Mcknight were ap. pointed Viewers of a road from Paoli to Section 12. Township + north. Range 2 west, on White River. The following township officers were appointed for 1817: Paoli Township. William Lindley and Thomas At. kisson. Overseers of the Poor; Adam Miller and Joshua Nichols. same for Southwest Township; John Rooth and Joseph Kinkaid, same for Greenfield; George Henton and Thomas Copeland. same for Southeast; Robert Elrod and Thomas Evans. same for Northwest: James Maxwell and Daniel Mckinney, same for Northeast: James Gregory and Jeremiah Rankin, same for Leatherwood; Roderick Rawlins and Lewis Jackson, same for Clear Creek.

In February, 1817, Jonathan Lindley. County Agent, was directed to lay out five acres of the county land adjoining Paoli into lots, and offer the same at public auction, in April. All the improved county land within the town limits was ordered leased for one year. . Joseph Osborn was appointed Constable for Greenfield Township. Daniel Henley for Southeast, Thomas G. Carr for Northeast, Burton Southern for North- west, Josiah Hazelwood for Southwest, Jesse Wright for Clear Creek, and Richard L. Kearby for Paoli. In May, 1817, John McVey was ap- pointed County Treasurer; Zachariah Lindley was appointed County Collector, with bonds at $3,000. The tax levied for the year 1817 was as follows: On horses 25 cents; town lots. 50 cents on each $100 valua- tion: stallions the season rate; taverns $10; ferries $5. Silas Dixon and John Towel were permitted to establish a ferry on White River. Section 12, Township 4 north, Range 2 west.

In February, 1817. the County Board met at the house of P. N. Allen. but in the following November met at the new court house. Early in 1818 several changes were made in the boundaries of the townships. The following charges were established for taverns: Meals 25 cents. lodging 12} cents, one-half pint of whiskey 12} cents. one-half pint of apple or peach brandy 181 cents, one-half pint of rum, wine or French brandy 37} cents, cider per quart 12} cents. cider royal per quart 25 cents, horse feed per gallon 12} cents. Jonathan Lindley. in February, 1818 was paid $100 for laying ont lots to date. The receipts from the

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sales of town lots in April. 1817. were $1,871.40. Jonathan Lindley's house was used in which to hold courts. In May, 1818, John G. Clendenin was appointed to procure a set of weights and measures for the county. The County Treasurer, McVey, was directed to bring suit against all persons selling goods without a license. In August. ISIS, steps were taken to dig a well on the public square in Paoli. In Novem- ber, 1818. the County Agent was directed to lay out the balance of the county land intu lots, and advertise the sale thereof, in the Tocsin, of Salem. William Hoggatt was and had been, since the organization of the county, Clerk of the Circuit Court. The seal of the county was of brass, with a lamb in the center. Late in 1818 steps to build a bridge over Lick Creek at Paoli were taken. Evan Jones was County Lister in 1819. The following men, conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, were each required to pay into the County Treasury $4: Jonathan Lindley, William Lindley. John Towel, Adam Davis, Henry Holaday, Abraham Holaday, George Maris, Stephen Thomas, Tilden Thomas, Lewis Thomas, Jonathan Newlin, John Cloud, Joshua Hadley, Josiah Trueblood, Samuel Holaday, Robert Holaday, James Jones, Evan Hyatt. Ephraim Doan, John Williams, William Doan, Christopher Kill, John Atkisson, Jonathan Braxtan, Abe Osborn, Enoch Osborn, Thomas Maris, Levi Gifford, John Harnet, William Harnet, John Dougherty and Bailey Hobson.

OTHER IMPORTANT ACTS.

The work on the public well was vigorously pushed by John Patton (but was soon abandoned), to whom the contract had been let. Adam Shirley was given the privilege of constructing a toll bridge over Lost River. on Section 11. Township 2 north, Range 2 west. The new court house was turned over to the care of William Hoggatt. Ebenezer Doan was County Lister in 1820. In February, 1820, John Brown was employed for 86.75 to make nine chairs for the court house. John Pin- nick was the County Census Taker in 1820. In May, 1820, all county land adjoining Paoli on the east was ordered laid out and sold at auc- tion, or otherwise-ten acres in all. Joshua Robbins was permitted to establish a ferry on Lost River, on Section 14, Township 2 north, Range 2 west. Pinnick, the Census Taker, was paid $2 for each 100 persons. Henry A. Cowan was exempted from road work, being an invalid on the navy pension list. Alexander Wallace, County Lister, 1821 and 1822. In February, 1822, Jonathan Lindley, County Agent, resigned, and John G. Clendenin was appointed. but the latter, failing to qualify, was suc- ceeded by Thomas F. Chapman. The public well was completed in 1824. In 1525 Township Listers were appointed to take the place of the County Lister. Zachariah Lindley was County Collector in 1825, and Alfred Athon in 1826. Joseph Potts became County Agent January, 1827, vice Chapman, deceased. John Phillips established a ferry on

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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 49

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