USA > Indiana > Miami County > History of Miami County, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 70
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Historical .- The earliest settlements in Pipe Creek Township were made about the year 1838 or '39, but it is a matter of consid- erable doubt as to who was the actual pioneer. According to the testimony of Mr. Brandt, who has been a resident of the township almost continuously since 1841, the honor is justly due one John Wilson, who made a settlement on Pipe Creek where Joseph Shep- lar now lives, some time in one of the above years. But little is known of Mr. Wilson, save that he was a hunter rather than a tiller of the soil, and that he sold his claim in a ahort time to a Mr. Finney, and emigrated to one of the Western States. John Betzner was per- haps the next actual settler. He located in the northeastern part of the township, on the Wallick place, but subsequently sold out and moved to Washington Township, where he is still living. Joel Julian came in 1839 or '40 and located near Pipe Creek, in the western part of the township, chosing for his home the land now owned and occupied by Mortimer Smith. Mr. Julian died in a very early day, and his widow afterwards married Alexander Abrahams, who was also a pioneer of the township. Michael Stroop, Sr., settled in the northwest part of the township, early in the forties, and made his first improvement on the farm now in possession of his son. He died in a short time after coming to the country. His son, Michael Stroop,
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Jr., was an early settler also. In the year 1841 Isaac Vandorn set- tled near Pipe Creek, in the central part of the township, and was an honored resident until his death, which occurred in the winter of 1885. The place is now owned and occupied by his son, Andrew? Vandorn. Willian Clark moved to the central part of the township about the year 1841 and located a home on the farm owned at the time by Jacob Shively. His death in an early day was one of the first events of the kind in the township. Another early settler whose arrival is said to have been in 1840 or '41, was Moses Lari- mer, who purchased and settled on land adjacent to the town of Bunker Hill. Maston Thomas and his father were early settlers in the northern part of the township, where the former still resides, moving to that locality in 1840 or '41.
Prominent among the arrivals of the latter year, was Jacob Brandt, who settled on land which his father, Martin Brandt, had previously entered in Section 14. Mr. Brandt moved to his pur- chase a little later, and for a period of over forty years has been one of Pipe Creek's most intelligent and trustworthy citizens. He has taken an active interest in the growth and welfare of the township, and for several years was prominently identified with its educational interests. Joab Mendenhall settled near the Deer Creek Township line in 1841, locating the farm now owned by Daniel Duckwall. Upon this place a man by the name of Shively, a brother-in-law of Mr. Vandorn, had previously "squatted," and between him and Mr. Mendenhall a bitter dispute arose as to who had the best right to the claim. From words the quarrel merged into more hostile dem- onstrations, and Mr. Mendenhall being the stronger man of the two, finally succeeded in ousting his rival, who took his departure for other and safer quarters. James Petty settled in the northern part of the township, early in the forties, but soon afterwards sold his improvement to a Mr. Cripe, and purchased what is now the Gar- nand farm on Pipe Creek. David Carr moved to the northern part of the township, as early as 1843, and the same year Mr. Winters, and a man by the name of Watts, settled on the Duckwall farm, near Bunker Hill. The last two being unable to enter the land, soon moved from the country. The first improvements on the Jacob Brandt farm were made about the year 1841 by James A. Lewis, a transient settler, who sold his claim soon after to Martin Brandt and located a home on Little Deer Creek. Jerry Shaffer settled in the east part of the township, on Little Pipe Creek, as early as 1842, and was joined the same year by Isaac Marquis, who improved an adjoining farm.
Among the settlers of 1843 were the following: John and Peter Redd, near the central part of the township, on the Clark farm; Jacob Pottarff, on the Maury farm, eastern part of the township, where he operated a blacksmith shop in an early day;
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Mr. Burr, on the Oldfather farm; James McGinnis, near Bunker Hill; Herman Spermbarger, near the eastern boundary; Henry Crabb, central part of the township, where S. Need now lives; Godfrey Helderly, on the David Snideman farm; Daniel Rife, in the western part of the township, on land belonging to his son, Jacob Rife; John and Eli Oliver, on the Duckwall farm, near the town of Bunker Hill. As early as 1844 there were living within the present limits of the township, additional to those enumerated, the following settlers, to-wit: Robert Jennis, on the Arnold place, near Pipe creek; Noah Townsend, in the western part; Frederick Keller, eastern part of the township, and Rev. Samuel Dewese, about one mile west of Bunker Hill. Samuel Durand made a tour of Pipe Creek Township in the year 1837, and the year following laid claim to what is now the Wisinger farm, near the Wabash river, in Section I. He sub- sequently purchased this place, and moved his family to their new home in the wilderness early in the forties. In addition to farming, Mr. Durand early engaged in the manufacture of potash, which business he carried on with gratifying success for several years.
In 1844 and '45 the township was rapidly settled by a class of substantial men, among whom are remembered the following: John Miller and Frederick Keller, near the Washington Town- ship line; David Gray, in the vicinity of Bunker Hill; L. V. Shirley, central part of the township; William Parker and Cor- nelius Cain, western part; Charles Luy, in Section 1; David A. Carr, Cyrus G. Carr, Daniel B. Tyler, Henry Brooks and Thomas Skillman, all in Section 2, Township 26 North, Range 3 East; Lorenzo Shirley, in central part; Thomas Kenworthy and John Beesley, on Pipe Creek. The following were early set- tlers, to-wit: George Warner, John W. Vance, Bernard Van- dom, Stephen Abrahams, Thomas Dillard, Benjamin Hann, David and John Cain, Allen Jones, Mr. Hoover, E. Jones, N. D. Nicoles, Philip Raredon, Samuel Jones, George Vore, John Reed, Alexander Clark, David Chronister, Harvey Hoover, Stephen Cle- mens, David Striker, Cornelius Sullivan, B. F. Chaspie, Leonard Boniface, Jos. Sullivan, Samuel Sullivan, John Barker, David L. Bryson, Isaac H. Haynes, George Wright, John Hann, Rueben Shenebarger, Stephen Metsger, Samuel Bryson, William G. Van- dorn, John Duckwall, David Duckwall and Samuel Murray.
Mills, Etc .- " At an early date, probably about 1836, a saw mill was built near the present site of Wallick's mill, on Little Pipe Creek, by an Indian named Frank Godfroy." It was a primitive affair, and for several years manufactured lumber for the Indians. Jacob Betzner subsequently became proprietor and operated it with fair success, early in the forties. It fell into decay many years ago,
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and at this time no vestige remains to mark the spot upon which the building stood. In the year 1854, Martin Brandt erected a saw mill on Pipe Creek, Section 14, which he operated for a period of four years. It was then purchased by John and Daniel Rife, who run it for a number of years, doing a very successful business the greater part of the time. John and Jacob Rife operated it as part- ners for some time, and later Jacob became sole owner. The mill ceased operations about the year 1876. John Duckwall, in the spring of 1850, erected a saw mill on Pipe Creek, where his present mill now stands, one mile northwest of Bunker Hill, with which he did an extensive and lucrative lumber business. Five years later he erected a flouring-mill, on adjacent ground, which he operated in connection with his lumber interests until January, 1857, when both mills were completely destroyed by fire, entailing a loss of over $5,000. Mr. Duckwall rebuilt the saw-mill in 1858, and in 1876 erected the present large frame grist mill, which, after having been remodeled several times and supplied with machinery of the latest improved grades of flour, is now one of the best mills in Miami County. It is operated by both water and steam power, has a capacity of seventy-five barrels per day, and manufactures flour for both local and general trade. The saw-mill is operated on quite an extensive scale, and in addition to sawing lumber is supplied with a planing mill and machinery for the manufacture of wagon felloes, lath, fence pickets and various other articles.
About the year 1855 or '56, Henry Knell built a mill on Pipe Creek, on land owned at this time by Christopher Shiveley. It was a saw-mill, with a corn cracker attached, and stood until about the year 1871. Thomas Kenworthy, about the year 1856, erected a saw- mill on Pipe Creek, about one-half mile below the Duckwall mill, and operated it for a period of six or eight years, when he sold out to D. B. Shively. The latter built a flouring mill on the same spot in 1872, which was subsequently purchased and torn away by John Duckwall. The Wallick flouring mill on Little Pipe Creek, in the northeast corner of the township, was erected early in the fifties. The original building, a small structure furnished with insufficient machinery, was subsequently enlarged, and became, in course of time, one of the most successful mills in the county south of the Wabash. It is still in operation, though not upon quite so extensive a scale as formerly.
In an early day Charles Luy built a distillery in the northern part of the township, on what is now the Shepler farm. He ope- rated it with encouraging success for several years, but subse- quently sold to other parties, who allowed it to fall into disuse.
Churches .- The religious history of Pipe Creek Township dates from about the year 1843, at which time divine worship was held at the residence of Isaac Vandorn by Rev. Matthew Curry, of
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the Methodist Church. "A little later the same year meetings were held in the same locality by the United Brethren, of which denomina- tion the Rev. Mr. Pugsley was an early preacher. Following these came ministers of the Baptist Church, among whom was Rev. Samuel Dewese, who organized the first religious society in the township, at his residence about one mile west of Bunker Hill. This was the Bunker Hill Baptist Church, of which a sketch will be found in the history of the town. The Methodists organized the next society, the history of which will be found on another page. The United Brethren Church in the northern part of the township, is an old organization, but its early history is involved in a great deal of obscurity. The society has a neat frame house of worship near the Wabash River, which is used at this time by an organization of the Evangelical Association, recently established. The United Breth- ren class is not so strong in numbers as formerly, but still sustains preaching at regular intervals. The German Baptists or Dunkards, began holding meetings in the township about the year 1850, and in 1852, the Pipe Creek Church, near the Cass County line, was form- ally organized. Among the early members were the following men and their respective families, viz: David Shepler, Abram Shepler, John E. Shively, D. B. Shively, Joshua Coblentz and others. The early preachers were Samuel Murray and Gottlieb Keller. Later came John E. Shively, Daniel B. Shively, Joseph Shepler, Abraham Rine- hart and Daniel Long. The first house of worship was erected in in the spring of 1856, on land donated by Daniel Shively. It stood until 1872, at which time the present large brick building was erected on ground donated for the purpose by Hannah Metzgar. This house is 40x70 feet, with a cook house attached, and is per- haps the largest church edifice in Miami County. The membership at this time numbers about 190. The present church officers are David Shively, John Klepinger, Isaac Shepler, Emery Puterbaugh and George Wolfe, elders; Joshua Coblentz, Eli Miller and Samuel Puterbaugh, trustees. A society of the old order of Dunkards was organized in the northwestern part of the township, several years ago, which meets for worship in a frame building erected in the the year 1883. At this time there is a membership of only about fifteen, ministered to at regular intervals by Rev. Aaron Metzgar. Pleasant Hill Christian Church was organized in the year 1865 by Elder Wayman. The following are the names of the original members: J. W. Brandt, M. A. Brandt, A. A. Brandt, John P. Britton, Daniel Marken, Nancy Marken, Eva Winters, Harriet Hopper, N. D. Nichols, M. E. Nichols, Mary E. Mendenhall, John W. Byrket, Granville E. Mendenhall and Jane Reed. Jacob Brandt and N. P. Nichols were the first elders, and Peter Rife and Granville Mendenhall were elected first deacons. Meetings were held in a school house until 1875,
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.
at which time the frame temple of worship now in use was erected on a beautiful plat of ground donated by Jacob Brandt. The following pastors ministered to the church from time to time, to-wit: Elders Aaron Walker, M. Smith, David Hodson, Jefferson Hodson, Mordecai Mckinney, W. R. Lowe, W. A. Hennegar, W. W. Henkins and W. A. Hough, the last named being pastor in charge at the present time. The society has made commendable progress, and at this time has the names of forty active members upon the records. The officers are: Jacob Brandt and D. A. McDowell, elders; J. S. Mays, Andrew Wag- gaman and Andrew Richardson, deacons.
Miscellaneous Items .- Pipe Creek Township was organized as a seperate jurisdiction on the 6th day of September, 1843. An election for the purpose of choosing the necessary officials was held a little later the same year, at the cabin of William Clark. "Thomas Kenworthy was elected first Justice of the Peace." "Isaac Vandorn was chosen Trustee, but, refusing to serve, Rollin Huffman was appointed." The following gentle- men held the office of Trustee in an early day, viz: George Wright, Daniel Duckwall, George Shawman and I. E. Vandorn. The present incumbent is J. W. Liston. "The following were some of the earliest marriages in the township: James McCrary to Sarah Larimer, in 1843; John Tillett to a daughter of Cor- nelius Cain, in 1844; Alexander Abrahams to Mrs. Sarah Crane, the same year." "Among the earliest births was that of Nancy J. Larimer, born to Moses and Nancy Larimer in 1844. . One of the first deaths was that of an infant child of Noah Townsend."
Village of Leonda .- The town of Leonda on the I. P. & C. Railroad, Section 29, Township 26 North, Range 4 East, was laid out August, 1851, by Jacob Pottarff and H. Hoover. It was an outgrowth of the railroad and early became a good trading point, and until the competition of the Pan Handle road it was the rival of Bunker Hill. Among the earliest residents of the place was Wal- ter P. Shaw, who opened a general store and sold goods for a cou- ple of years. Jacob Arnold was the next merchant, and after him ·came Samuel Jones, who, in addition to dealing in merchandise, opened his house for the accommodation of such travelers as saw fit to accept and pay for his hopitalities. Henry Rosenthal sold gro- ceries for a period of five or six years, and did a reasonably fair busi- ness. Dr. Rollen Hufford moved to the village and practiced the medical profession for some time. He was succeeded by Drs. Mur- phy and Albaugh, who left the town about the time the Pan Han- dle Railroad was finished. Among the mechanics of the place were Peyton Jenkins and Mr. Cook, wagon-makers; Frederick Betzner, James Bevans, Henry Poor and John Nieman, shoemakers; Thomas
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Ewing and William Holipeter, cabinet makers. The first postmas- ter was Joseph Arnold. The removal of the office to Bunker Hill in 1859, was accomplished by a piece of cunning strategy, in which Dr. James A. Meek took an active part. Leonda for a number of years entertained sanguine hopes of securing the Pan Handle Rail- road, but the completion of said road through Bunker Hill proved a deathblow to its further aspirations, and from that time the fortunes of the town began to wane. The business men and mechanics moved to other and more favorable localities, the most of them going to Bunker Hill, to which the construction of the Pan Handle gave new life, and in due time Leonda became a thing of the past. The plat was subsequently vacated, and at this time but few vistages of the once flourishing village remain to mark the spot where it formerly stood.
Bunker Hill .- The town of Bunker Hill is pleasantly situated at the intersection of the I., P. & C. and Pan Handle railroads, in the southeast corner of the township, distant about eight miles from the city of Peru, and sixteen miles from Xenia. It was laid out and platted in 1851, and the plan recorded August of that year for James Myers, John Duckwall and Alexander Galbraith, proprietors. The original town includes forty-six lots and eight streets, in Sections 29 and 30, Township 26 North, Range 4 East, to which an addition of twenty-four lots was made by John Duckwall in June, 1852. Ac- cording to the testimony of those best informed, the first house on the present sight of the town, was a small dwelling erected by James Myers, on lot No. 13, sometime in the year 1851. Mr. Myers was a carpenter by trade and assisted in building many of the early resi- dences and business houses of the village. Andrew Bache pur- chased lot No. 2, the same year, and built a house where the dwelling of Jacob Lease now stands. Lot No. 4 was purchased and improved by Anthony Nieman, a short time after the survey, and contempo- rary with him was James Sawyer, an old bachelor, who erected a small dwelling on lot No. 5 in the same part of town. Dr. Hufford was one of the early residents of the place. He erected a residence on Elm street, lot No. 14, and also built the first business house in the village on Third street, which is still standing.
Merchants .- The first stock of goods in Bunker Hill was offered for sale by Dr. Hufford, in the building mentioned above, but of the success of his business enterprise we are not informed. The next store was opened by Messrs. Heward & Lowe, who kept in a building on Third street for about two years. Heward subse- quently disposed of his interest to Daniel Duckwall, and he in turn to Mr. Lowe. J. G. Ewing and Mr. Heward sold goods as part- ners as early as 1861 or '62, and, in 1865, Jacob Arnold had a gen- eral store in the north end of the town, on the corner of Fourth and Main streets, where he carried on business until some time in 1866.
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His building is still standing on lot No. 62, used at this time for a dwelling. D. H. and John Cain opened a general store in 1868, which he subsequently sold to Alfred Bell, and he in turn disposed of the stock tu James Cain. Eli Hochstetler started a small grocery business about the same time, or perhaps a little earlier, but remained for only a limited period. Frank Hartman and Simon Kalter effected a co-partnership in general merchandising about the year 1867 or '68, and the firm, thus constituted, continued until the for- mer's death, at which time Mr. Kalter took entire control and con- tinued the business until 1873, erecting the building now occu- pied by M. Finney in the meantime. The first business house in Hendrick's addition was erected about the year 1868 by Albert D. and Joseph Jones, who occupied it about one year, selling out at the end of that time to Timothy Scott. The last named merchant brought a stock of goods from Miami in 1871, and was identified with the mercantile interests of the town at intervals for six or seven years. Jacob Betzner began merchan- dizing in 1871 or '72, and about the same time John F. Rey- nolds moved a store from North Grove, and for two years thereafter carried on business in a building on the corner of Railroad and Broadway streets. The first hardware store was started in 1871 by C. T. Miner, who, after a short time, sold his stock to Messrs. Patterson & Meek. The latter effected a partnership with D. T. Gilmore, which lasted . for some time. In August, 1871, Messrs. Kalter & Keegan started a boot and shoe store, the first of the kind in the town, and continued the same until 1873. The following business men and firms were identified with the commercial interests of Bunker Hill from time to time, viz: S. J. Hockman, W. T. Wilson, D. T. Gil- more, Wm. B. Patterson, Dr. Davis, J. B. Mckinney, Noah W. Trissell, John F. Busey, Samuel Sommers and Trissell & Blue.
Mechanics .- The early mechanics of Bunker Hill were Chas. B. Mason, R. T. Jones and Joseph C. Lamborn, blacksmiths; Artemus Morris and Henry Coffman, carpenters. Samuel Val- entine opened a tin shop early in the sixties, and about the year 1865 a man by the name of Lane engaged in the cabinetmak- er's trade. Three years later Abraham Billheimer opened a cabi- net shop, which he operated quite successfully in connection with the undertaker's and general furniture business. The first shoemaker was John Nieman. Peter Keegan was perhaps the next to open a boot and shoe shop, at which trade he is still working.
Hotels .- The first hotel was built by George Larimer about the time of the construction of the Pan Handle railroad. It was first kept by Ralph Jones and William Busey, who run it a short time. William R. Breckenridge purchased the property in 1879
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and enlarged the building, adding many necessary improvements. It is situated at the crossing of the I., P. & C. and Pan Handle railroads, and is kept at this time by W. W. Robbins.
Manufactures .- The first saw-mill in Bunker Hill was built by William Hendricks prior to 1868. It was operated for some time by Walter Shaw, who did a good local business. It was subsequently replaced by the present steam saw-mill, brought to the town by A. C. Bennett, who, after doing business some years, sold out to W. H. Croucher & Co. Samuel Clark ope- rates the mill at this time. In 1879 Messrs. Billheimer & Blue erected a planing mill, which they operated with encouraging success for several years, manufacturing all kinds of furniture in the meantime. It passed through the hands of various parties, and was operated last by W. N. Wilson.
Physicians .- The first medical man to locate in Bunker Hill was Dr. Hufford, to whom reference has already been made. The next was Dr. James A. Meek, who, with the exception of a few months, has been actively engaged in the practice of his profession since 1866. Drs. O. C. Irwin, H. C. McClurg, John Cain, H. P. McDowell, S. H. Davis, I. C. Cooper and Dr. Hayes have practiced in the village at different times. The present physicians are Drs. Meek, Wilson, Davis, McDowell and Cooper.
The Press .- The first newspaper enterprise of Bunker Hill was the Village News, established about the year 1870, by Jasper · Keyes, who run it for a period of one year, at the end of which time George F. Metzger became editor and proprietor. He changed the name to that of The Independent Press, and in partnership with John F. Busby, continued the publication about one year, during which time the paper reached a very fair circulation. The next editor was E. M. Howard, who enlarged the paper and changed it from a neutral to a political sheet. He ran it for a limited period and then sold the office to Messrs. Walters & Larimer, under whose management the name was again changed, this time to that of The Bunker Hill Press. O. A. Larimer subsequently became pro- prietor, but in a few months sold out to the present editor, John W. O'Hara, one of the most successful newspaper men in Miami County. The Press is now a five-column quarto, independent in politics, but fearless in the discussion of all the leading topics of the day. Its mechanical execution will compare favorably with that of any other local paper in the county, and its circulation and advertis- ing patronage, already quite remunerative, is constantly increasing. Mr. O'Hara is an able writer, and we bespeak for the Press a pros- perous future.
Growth and Additions .- Until the completion of the Pan Handle railroad in 1868, Bunker Hill was but an insignificant country vil-
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.
lage; but the opening of said road marked an important era in its history. From that year until 1873, the growth and development of the town was quite rapid, and it became one of the best shipping points for lumber, grain, live stock, etc., in the county. Real estate during that period commanded good prices, business of all kinds was quite prosperous, and the population was increased by the addition of a large number of substantial and enterprising citizens. This growth, while quite rapid, was not spasmodic, and the town has since been able to maintain the reputation of one of the best commercial points in the county outside the city of Peru. The following addi- tions have been platted from time to time, viz: William Hendricks' addition, eight lots, April, 1860; John Kripe's addition, six lots, April, 1868; Larimer's addition, sixteen lots, March, 1869; D. H. Cain's addition, forty-one lots, April, 1870; James A. Meek made an addition of several lots in April, 1871; Trissell's addition of eighteen lots was surveyed and recorded May, 1873; David Duckwall's addition of several lots was made June, 1873; Frick's addition of four lots, March, 1874, and Kroutter's. addition of four lots was platted December of the latter year.
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