USA > Indiana > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, together with historic notes on the Wabash Valley; gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic sources > Part 68
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Mr. Munhall is an Odd-Fellow and a warm republican. He is president of the town board. He was married June 7, 1871, to Mary E. Makinson, daughter of George and Sarah (Crowthers) Mak- inson. She was born March 2, 1845, in Sullivan county, Missouri. Her father was an English barrister, and came to America with his wife in 1840. He was also a farmer and merchant. Mrs. Mun- hall's grandfather Crowthers was the celebrated Rev. Jonathan Crowthers, president of the British Wesleyan conference of 1819, and one of the most popular ministers of the Methodist Episcopal church of England, and whose wife, the grandmother of Mrs. Mun- hall, received baptism from the hand of John Wesley in 1790. She died at the age of ninety-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Munhall have one child, Sarah G., born June 23, 1873.
John H. Bell, miller, New Ross, is a son of Samuel N. and Sallie A. (Bowman) Bell, early settlers of Montgomery county. Samuel N. Bell was born in Virginia, and his wife was a native of Pennsyl- vania. He was a wheelwright and shoemaker. His father was a revolutionary soldier, and both his uncles and his wife's uncles were
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in the early wars of this country. About November, 1832, Samuel and Sallie Bell moved to Indiana, and settled in Walnut township, near the headwaters of Walnut creek, in Sec. 13, where they took a lease for ten years. They soon sold their lease and entered eighty acres in Sec. 1. They lived there six years, and then moved to Ladoga, working in the boot and shoe shop of John Myers for two years. For the last ten years of his life he was engaged in the grocery trade in Ladoga. He was an old-line whig and then a warm republican. His wife died December 6, 1863, and he followed her November 8, 1864 ; both are buried at Ladoga. They were members of the Christian church, and experienced all the toils and privations of pioneer life. In early times they had nothing plenty but venison. He killed fifty-eight deer in one winter. John H. Bell was born October 18, 1828, in Angusta county, Virginia, and was mostly raised among the wilds of Montgomery county. He remained ar home till seventeen years of age, then served two years' apprentiee- ship at tailoring, with Thomas Kennedy, at Ladoga. He then learned the carpenter's trade with his brother-in-law, Clinton Mills, with whom he worked till 1851, and then followed his trade himself till 1868, at which time he bought the Beckville grist mill. In 1873 he moved this to New Ross, where he still carries on the busines -. He has been associated, and is at present writing, with Dr. B. F. Adkins. The mill is 36×48, two stories, with three sets of burrs, and located in the western part of the town. Mr. Bell is positively a republican. He cast his first ballot for Zachary Taylor. During the war so warm was the spirit of southern sympathy that there were but three republicans near Beckville. These three, one of whom was Mr. Bell, cared for the families of those who were on the battle-field. Mr. Bell is a Mason. He was married November 18, 1852, to Charity E. Beck, daughter of Anthony and Elizabeth (Davis) Beck, of Beckville, early settlers of Montgomery county. Mrs. Bell was born March .6, 1830. They have had one child, Calvin, who died in 1863. Both are members of the Methodist church.
T. A. Adkins, merchant, New Ross, was born in Decatur county, Indiana, March 7, 1835. He is the son of Martin and Nancy ( Drake). Adkins ; the latter born in Kentucky, and the former in Tennessee. Martin Adkins was one of the most successful farmers and stock dealers in Indiana. He owned at his death some 1,200 or 1,400 acres of land and one of the finest farms and mansions between Indi- anapolis and the Ohio river. He was a prominent democrat, and was circuit judge of Decatur county for one term. His wife is still living at Colfax, Indiana. T. A. Adkins is a child of his father's 25
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second family, his parents having been twice married. He spent his youth on the farm till sixteen years old, when he was sent to school at Wilmington Academy, Dearborn county, Indiana, for two years, then to Archville graded school, and then spent two years in the scientific course at Franklin College. Leaving college, he en- gaged in the dry-goods and grocery business at Eminence, Morgan county, Indiana, where he remained three years. He was then in the livery business one year in Aurora. Since then he has done business at Franklin, Dover, Shannondale, etc., and in March, 1875, came to New Ross, Montgomery county, where he associated him- self with his brother, B. F. Adkins, in general merchandising. Their store was built by B. F. Adkins, and is two stories high, 20×80. Here the firm of Adkins & Brother carry a stock of about $6,000, with sales of about $9,000 to $12,000. Their store-room is the largest in New Ross. In the Adkins family T. A. is the first republican, and all the children younger than he follow in his foot- steps. He is secretary of the New Ross Union Agricultural Asso- ciation. and a prominent man. He is a member of the Order of Freemasons and Odd-Fellows. Both he and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church. He was married September 25, 1856, to Mary L. Taylor, daughter of George W. and Nancy J. (Mil- boru) Taylor, of Aurora. Indiana. She was born in 1831, near Aurora. They have five children : Walker B., Benella R., Harriet L., Pearlie, and Guy.
Columbus L. Myers, physician, New Ross, is a son of William and Susanah (Livengood) Myers. The former was born in Decatur county, Indiana, and the latter in North Carolina. William Myers' parents were from North Carolina, and lived for a time in Kentucky, then came to Decatur county, Indiana, and in 1838 settled in Foun- tain county, where his father died in 1855. William still lives in Fountain county. He is a farmer and a democrat. His wife died September 27, 1876. Both belonged to the Lutheran church. The Livengoods came to Fountain county, Indiana, in 1836, where Mr. Livengood still lives, at the age of eighty-two years. Columbus L. Myers was born August 5, 1849, in Fountain county, three miles west of Alamo. He was raised on a farm till sixteen years of age, when he entered school at Russellville. He then spent two years at Bloomington Indiana State University. From 1866 to 1871 he taught school. Choosing medicine for his profession, he attended Ohio Medical College in the term of 1871 and 1872, and Rush Medi- cal College, at Chicago, in the term of 1872 and 1873, where he graduated. He first located for the practice of his profession at
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Jacksonville, Fountain county, where he remained three years. For a short time he was in Alamo, and in 1876 he settled in New Ross, where he is establishing a lucrative and successful business. In pol- itics he is democratic, and is a member of the order of Odd-Fellows. December 30, 1877, Mr. Myers was united in marriage to Lizzie Copner, daughter of J. W. and Sarah E. (Wineland) Copner, of Covington, Indiana. She was born August 11, 1856, and is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church. Her father is a lawyer in Coving- ton, and in 1880 was a candidate for congress on the national ticket. The Copners are from Ohio, and the Winelands from Kentucky.
Jesse B. Streight, mechanic. Crawfordsville, was born July 13, 1806. in Marion county. West Virginia. He is the son of Peter and Elizab th (Bayles) Streight. His brother served in the war of 1812. Mr. Streight early learned the carpenter's trade, and has given the most of his time to that vocation since 1824. February 28, 1829, he was married to Ada Henry, of Monongahela county, Virginia. Their family have numbered ten : Mrs. Harriet Barnhouse, of Pax- ton ; Mrs. Alcinda Kelley, of New York; Van B., in Denver, Col- orado: E. W., at Crawfordsville; Mrs. Lou Gill, of Paxton ; T. L., at Crawfordsville; Nathan and Mrs. Ellen Gill, dead. Mr. Streight in 1828 cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson, and has continued throughout his life a firm adherent of the democratic party, of the Jackson stripe. Prior to the war he was captain of a rifle company, and August 8, 1862, he enlisted in Co. G, 15th Va., Union army, under Capt. Sidney F. Shaw and Col. McCaslin. Thus, at the age of fifty-six, he risked his life for the welfare of his family and coun- try. He served three years, till the war closed. He was, to a great extent, engaged in caring for his sick comrades, and toward the close of the war he had charge of a hospital ward. He had three sons who fought in the same cause: Van B. was in Co. A, 18th Ind. Vols .; E. W. was in Co. B, 76th Ind., and was promoted till he be- came orderly sergeant ; T. L. enlisted in the 6th Va. Light Art., and was wounded, and now receives a pension for pain and hardships en- dured in the cause. All served three years. At the close of the war Mr. Streight returned to Virginia, and in 1865 moved to Paxton, Illinois, where he followed his trade till 1876, when he came to Crawfordsville. Here he engaged in the planing-mills, in which he still continues. E. W. Streight was born in Monongahela county, Vir- ginia, and early learned the trade of carpentering. In 1859 he went to Louisville, Kentucky, and in 1861 to Greensburg, Indiana. He next became foreman of Shrader's chair factory, at Batesville, where he remained two years, then became foreman of Kimble & Sherfy's
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furniture factory, at Greencastle. Leaving Greencastle he came to Crawfordsville, where he was employed as foreman of the coffin fac- tory, owned then by Robinson & Co., for three years. In 1871 he built the planing-mills, 30×823, at a cost of about $8,000, on the corner of Green and Spring streets, and here, in connection with his father and brother, T. L., does all kinds of work in this line - man- ufacturing sash, doors, and blinds, door and window frames, and all kinds of wood work, rough and dressed lumber, flooring, siding, moulding, turning, and scroll work. They keep several hands em- ployed constantly. This mill was an important addition to the in- dustries of the city. Mr. Streight was married to Mary White and his brother was married to Rebecca Loyd, both ladies of Greensburg, Indiana. They own eight shares of $25 each in the new Crawfords- ville fair property. All are democrats except E. W., who is a repub- lican.
James H. Kelley, merchant, New Ross, is a son of William and Nancy . (Brown) Kelley, both natives of Perry county, Kentucky. They both came with their parents to Clarke township, this county, in 1829, and here lived for years. After William's mother died his father went to Illinois, where he died. Nancy's father died in Clarke township, and her mother in Iowa. William and Nancy were married soon after coming, and settled on a forty-acre farm adjoining his father's. They lived there three years and moved two miles west and settled on 120 acres on the north bank of Raccoon creek, about three and one half miles northeast of Ladoga. There Win. Kelley died March 3, 1853. During life he was a democrat, yet bitterly opposed to slavery. For four years he was justice of the peace. He belonged to the Lutheran church. His wife, in 1859, married James Evans, who died, and she now lives in New Ross. She is a member of the Presbyterian church. In the family were five boys and four girls. James H. Kelley was born June 21, 1838, in this township. He was raised on the farm till twenty years of age, and received a limited edu- cation. He clerked in Dongola, Illinois, one year. At the first call Mr. Kelley enlisted in Co. E, 11th Ind., for three months. Septem- ber 26, 1861, he reënlisted, this time in Co. E, 41st Ind., 2d Cav., as corporal. He was soon made first sergeant. He was in the en- gagements of Shiloh, Chickamauga, Knoxville, and at Fair Garden, Tennessee, he was wounded, receiving a fractured jaw. He was car- ried to Knoxville hospital, then Chattanooga and Memphis, and from there he came home. In July, 1864, the returned to the ranks, and served to the close of the war. Returning home, he engaged in the fruit tree business as traveling agent. On October 16, 1866, he was
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married to Susan E. Inlow, daughter of Abraham and Susan Inlow. She was born February 20, 1838, in Clarke township. They had four children : Oscar E., William J., Mollie S. and Adie M. She was a member of the Christian church, and died February 25, 1869. Mr. Kelley, leaving the tree trade, farmed until 1871, when he removed to New Ross, and sold goods for Inlow and Hulett till March 23, 1873. Then, in connection with Wm. B. Emmert, he engaged in the hardware trade, in which he continued till the spring of 1879, when he became a member of the firm of Turner, Kelley & Co. Their store is widely known as the grange store, and they carry a stock of about $8,000, with yearly sales of from $12,000 to $15,000. Mr. Kelley has always been a strong republican. August 10, 1879, he was married to Mary J. Bruce, daughter of Peter and Esther Morris. She was born August 11, 1843. Mr. Kelley is a member of the Christian church. Mrs. Kelley is a Baptist. Her father, Peter Morris, was for years a resident of Ladoga, where he merchandised and controlled the woolen-mills. He is now a merchant, and proprietor of the woolen- mills at Lebanon. In 1880 he was a member of the Lebanon council. He was married in 1839, in Monroe county, Ohio. His wife, Esther, was born May 17, 1819, in Harper county, Maryland. She died Octo- ber 5, 1878, at Lebanon, where they had resided for twelve years. In 1839 she united with the Baptist church, in Monroe county, Ohio. The following beautiful lines were written by her pastor, C. B. Allen, and dedicated to the family :
Alone, alone in the silent tomb, Dear mother, thy body is sleeping ; Sleep on, sleep on, sweet be thy rest, While my soul for thee is weeping.
The hand is mouldering back to dust, That led me when I was a child ; The tongue that bade me in God trust, In Death's own silent grasp is stilled.
The toils of life with thee are o'er ; Safe in your bright eternal home Tears shall dim thine eyes no more : Mother, when shall I to thee come ?
And thou art gone ! no more, no more You'll come to gladden hearts that mourn ; Now far away on Heaven's blest shore, You never will to earth return.
The wandering wind is sighing o'er Thy lonely bed, oh. cherished one ! And I shall see thy face no more, Till my short race on earth is run.
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When springtime comes with joyful hours, And calls forth bud and fragrant bloom,
O'er thee will wave the bright new flowers, And their strange beauty deck thy tomb.
And though 'twill oft be mine To linger near the silent spot, Around it will memory twine - Mother, thou wilt never be forgot !
But 'tis a blessed thought to me, That lingers near at morn and even ;
It is the hope of meeting thee On the bright peaceful shore of Heaven.
SCOTT TOWNSHIP.
Scott township occupies a central position in the south tier of townships of Montgomery county. It has an arca of thirty-six square miles, and is known as T. 17 N., R. 4 W. It is bounded on the north by Union township, on the east by Clarke township, on the south by Putnam county, and on the west by Brown township. The eastern and southeastern portions of the township are watered by Big Raccoon and Cornstalk creeks, while the western and northwestern are drained by Indian and Rattlesnake creeks. The soil is a yellowish or brown loam of great fertility in the east or southeast, but changing in com- position and variable, though still rich, in the west and northwest. A system of underground draining has been going on for some time, and is tending to greatly enhance the value and productiveness of this beautiful township, so admirably adapted to grazing and general farming. The veil of the grave has shut us out from many points, interesting, in- structive, of the earliest history, but still the honored faces and cheer- ing countenances of many sturdy pioncer characters are left as mile- stones, in the town's journey of progress, to point the stranger to its usefulness and its history.
Jacob Shuck was in all probability the first pioncer who braved the dangers and inconveniences of frontier life in this portion of Mont- gomery county, whom it is reported reached here as early as 1820, which, however, we think improbable, as the county's earliest settle- ments are not reported to have been made prior to 1821. Mr. Shuck was nevertheless an early toiler among the tall timbers of Mont- gomery. He settled on Sec. 31, no doubt on account of the delightful and almost famous springs of clear, cold water located on this section. Soon after locating he was followed by his brothers, who made the
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land where Parkersburg now stands their home, but immediately af- ter the close of the Black Hawk war they moved to Iowa. These were followed by John Danner, the Lemmonses, George Goyer, Jacob Winters; following close in their wake came Thomas Faithful, who was one of the first justices of the peace, John B. Wren, and Joshua Swank. In 1828 William Frame came from Kentucky and purchased the claim of Joshua Swank. Near the same period John Drennon came and located where A. W. Armstrong now lives, the latter having reached here in 1829. About this period many others came and helped to convert the then wilderness into one of the most delightful regions of the state. In 1833 Noble Welsh and family reached here from Kentucky, and settled upon the farm previously occupied by Christopher Shuck, on Sec. 32. Near this time Jacob Winters, one of the township's most ancient landmarks, walked to Iowa and vis- ited the Shuck family. The fertile, rolling prairies of the Hawkeye State were an inspiration even to so aged a pioneer. He returned with five yoke of cattle and two wagons, which served to transport his household and goods to that state, which was his future home and whose bosom to-day liolds his ashes. James Faster, Daniel Arnold, Samuel Greyhill, William Frame, George and Daniel Watkins, W. N. Gott, David Hastetter, J. Myers, Samuel Gill, R. Lafollet, T. V. Ash- ley, A. S. Byrd, M. M. Henry, Rev. R. H. Miller, and the Sonther- lins, may also be mentioned in connection with the pioneer days of Scott township. Peter Warbritton claims to have settled in the town- ship in 1825. This, however, is disputed by many of his friends and neighbors, who are inclined to think it was at least a year later. He be- came the father of thirteen children, every one of whom is living. Mr. and Mrs. Warbritton are still living and enjoying excellent health, and from all appearances will enjoy many years more of this world's goods and pleasures, mingled with its sorrows and disappointments. The presidential election of 1828 was held at the house of Robert Harrison, who came to the town in 1828 and located on the N.W. Sec. 23. The township at that time comprised all within its present boundaries, as well as all of Clarke. In the spring of 1834 the first post-office was located in the township. Nathaniel Parker was the last citizen of Swanksville, Putnam county, Indiana, and desiring to change his place of residence, moved to what was then known as Shucktown. It, however, was laid out in 1829 by Jacob and Chris- topher Shuck, under the name of Somerset. Mr. Parker being the last citizen of Swanksville, and postmaster, did not desire to see this branch of governmental affairs left in the wilderness, so he put the affair in his pocket and here it remained until he was thoroughly es-
.
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tablished in his new home. Here he opened the identical post-office of Putnam county's deserted village, and declared himself again ready to carry on this branch of "Uncle Sam's" work. No sooner was it known that " Uncle Nate," as he was familiarly called, had stolen a post-office of Putnam county, than some of the influential citizens in the vicinity of the dead Swanksville strongly objected to such pro- ceedings, and forwarded a remonstrance to the post-office department at Washington, D. C., and demanded that the wrong should be righted. Strange as it may seem, it did not stir the department to its center, nor give the remonstrators a new office, but were compelled to acknowledge " Uncle Nate " as a political power in a new country. In 1835 the town was platted by Noble Welch, Thomas Arnott, and Thomas Faith, and given the name of Parkersburg in honor of its distinguished postmaster. This new name nevertheless created some dissatisfaction, and it seems as if Mr. Faith petitioned for a new name. This request was granted, and our troublesome child was known as Faithville for a couple of years, when it received its old name, Par- kersburg, which it still retains. Mr. Parker held the office until about 1840, when he resigned his commission in favor of Robert Ramsey, who officiated many years. George W. James is the present post- master.
The first sermon preached in what is now Parkersburg was by Rev. John Secrest, an Indian missionary, who was traveling in this section of country in 1825. In the fall of 1834 the first store was opened in the place by James Secrest. Robert Ramsey followed with another in partnership with Jacob Durham. Benjamin Wasson also kept store in the village in its younger days. In later years the trade was carried on by the Jameses, who ares till merchants of the place. Na- thaniel Parker was the first gentleman to trade for and buy feathers, wool (which he carded himself), furs, chickens, turkeys, and the like. These he hauled with a team to Chicago, and there exchanged them for such goods as were demanded by the settlers. The trip generally occupied about three weeks' time. In 1847 a store and stock of goods, together with a harness and saddle shop and two dwellings, were con- sumed by fire. Between the years 1840 and 1850 the village was at the height of its prosperity. Three dry-goods stores graced its streets. Four blacksmith shops were doing a thriving trade. Two wagon shops were constantly busy. Two cabinet shops were kept busy in their manufacturing, having many enstomers from Illinois and distant parts of Indiana. One harness shop supplied every want in that line, and the weary traveler could have his choice of two hotels. John Gray- bill started the first of these blacksmith shops, while the second was
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built by James E. Welch, in 1841. He is still pounding at his forge, and is a most excellent gentleman, from whom many interesting points of early history have been received. Noble Welch was proprietor of the first hotel, while Wm. Dale is the mine host of to-day. The pio- neer saw-mill was operated by Mrs. John Hawkins and John Adams. The power was a strong man at each end of a whip-saw. This was superseded by a steam mill built by Wm. Rogers and J. J. Wren. The first grist-mill was run by John Herington, as proprietor. The motion was a horse-power. At this place his eldest son was killed. The first school house said to have been erected in this township was built abont 1830, and although opinions are conflicting, a majority be- lieve the first session was taught by John Goodbar, although a Miss Anderson taught here in an old settler's vacated cabin before the school-house, or school-cabin, was completed. The first school in the southeastern portion of the town was taught in a vacated cabin of Robert Harrison by Wm. Bruce, in 1829 and 1830. A few years after the citizens built a log-cabin school-house on what is now the center line of Scott township, one mile and a quarter east of the center stone. Here for many years were held all the public meetings of the town of every nature, as it was the best house in the community at that time. The town has recently finished a fine building, 30×40, two stories high, for such purposes, which is an honor to the town and a credit to all connected. Miss Anderson, who is given up to have been a noble, conscientious teacher, died while teaching, and it is believed to be about the first death that occurred in this little cluster of early settlers. She was buried near the cabin school-house, and was followed in her rest- ing place by a few others who succumbed to the fiat of death before the unfolding of the exquisite beauty and wealth of this section of Mont- gomery county. Willis Bridges finally gave the public a picturesque knoll upon which they might bury their dead, situated about a quarter of a mile east of the village. To this place all those previously buried in another place were removed save Miss Anderson. There are other burying-places in the township where private families inter their dead. One is situated on the Joseph Wasson farm, about one mile north of town. This was laid ont by William Frame. The James graveyard is located just south of the present town-house.
Nothing gives us a clearer insight into a people than a study of their religious energies and tendencies. Depend upon it, a town or community devoid of churches and religious meetings cannot be taken as the highest type of civilization and prosperity, and should these glorious institutions and religious influences be taken from us, it would need only time to land us in a period equal to the dark ages. The
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