USA > Indiana > Vermillion County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 20
USA > Indiana > Parke County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 20
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
CHAPTER XXVI.
SUGAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.
In the north central portion of Parke county is Sugar Creek township. It is on the north line of the county, west of Howard, north of Penn, and east of Liberty township. It was originally a part of Howard township, but later a part of Penn township; it was divided in 1855, and now contains twenty-three full and five fractional sections. The topography of this part of Parke county is very rough and hilly, but even these hilly lands are val- uable, as they afford a wonderful grazing tract and as such have yielded millions of dollars worth of stock and wool to the owners. Greene, Brush, Mill and Sugar creeks and numerous branches flow through this township, having in years gone by furnished splendid power for the mills located along their banks. In 1912 the total personal and real estate valuation, according to the county records for this township, was $354,395. Its population in 1910 was placed at 680.
The first settlement has about all been recited, so far as interest is con- cerned today, in giving the establishment of the first mills, etc. In 1826, at the narrows of Sugar creek, was built the first mill in this part of the county, by Solomon Lusk. He cut and blasted the mill-race through the rock and erected a large mill, making a good grade of flour. He also established a pork packing house, and shipped large amounts of grain, pork and flour to points as far south as New Orleans. He sent as many as twenty flat-boats to that gulf port annually. At the same place, in 1830, Prior Wright opened the first store in the township, which, along with the mill and other valuable holdings, were all swept down the stream by the floods on New Year's morning, 1847. In the north part of the township the settlers commenced to pour in by 1827, among the first being David Allen, T. Poplit, John Summers, Daniel Myers, Thomas Ratcliffe, Walter Clark, Jesse Barker, John and Thomas Cachatt and Esquire Moore. In the southern part came in Joseph Thompson, Elisha Heath, William Floyd, William Jenkins, James Bacus, William Cox and Zimri Hunt.
The second mill was built on Mill creek, on the later site of Russell's mills, by Joseph Thompson in 1829, the dam being formed by felling a large
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poplar tree which stood on the bank of the stream, and letting it fall across the stream. This dam lasted for twenty years. The original mill was a small affair, in a log house, in which corn was cracked by a pair of nigger- head stones, the grain when ground being bolted by hand, the water-power bolting machine being an improvement put in later. Thomas Cachatt oper- ated this mill until his death, in 1842, when it was sold to Jerry Kemp, and later still it was owned by Joe Russell. In the seventies this mill was refitted and converted into a steam mill, with water power when there was a sufficient flow.
Wilkins' mill, on Mill creek, was erected by Jessup & Hunt in 1835, first as a saw-mill, then changed to a saw and carding-mill, and still later with a corn cracking mill. In 1852 it was sold to Wilkins, who took the old mill down and rebuilt on the south side of the stream. It was finally burned in 1877; Mr. Wilkins died and it was never rebuilt.
The first meeting house in this township was a log house near the center of section 16, built about 1830 by the Methodists. In the northeast corner of section I was erected what, in 1879, was the oldest church building in use in the county, and probably the oldest in this part of Indiana. It was built in 1835 by the Baptist denomination, and known as the Wolf Creek Baptist church. The congregation was formed in 1833.
The first public road was constructed through this section in 1835, by James Bacus, and styled the Greencastle and Perryville road, of which the pioneers were very proud. This township had numerous Grange lodges in the palmy days of the Patrons of Husbandry, but they have long since gone the way of all the earth, and "middle men," legitimate dealers, have taken the place of half farmer and half merchant men.
At Russell Mills postoffice a large flouring mill was erected, and a few stores opened, a shop or two started and a physician located there before 1879. Another large store was started at what was known as Grangeburg; also Dr. Williamson located at that point. There are no towns or villages within this township at this date.
OLD JOHNNY GREEN KILLED.
A former history of this township gives the following concerning the death of old Johnny Green, the noted Indian chief :
"The last Indian killed in this part of the country was old Johnny Green. He was a bad Indian in fact. His own people would not let him associate with them. One day Henry Litzey and some more of the old settlers were at
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old John Beard's mill, at the mouth of Sugar creek, after flour; the old Indian also happened to visit the mill at that time and began boasting of the number of women and children he had killed. In place of going on the war path with the warriors, he used to skulk around the settlement and slaughter the defenseless females and infants and on this occasion was boasting of his exploits in that line, and telling with great glee how he used to impale the little innocents on saplings and laughed as he described how they would shriek and cross their little arms about. This aroused Mr. Litzey's manhood and he at once proceeded to inflict corporal punishment on the old heathen. The other men, however, interfered and the matter dropped. On his way home on horseback, Mr. Litzey heard the report of a gun and felt a bullet whistle past him; glancing behind, he observed the Indian, with a smoking rifle in his hand, peering from behind a tree. Being unarmed, he at once put spurs to his horse and rode at a lively gait for a mile or two, when, thinking he had gone out of the reach of danger, he again dropped into a walk. Again he heard the report of a rifle and again felt the wind from the bullet pass close by his head, and not being willing to run the risk of a third shot, pro- ceeded home as fast as possible and arrived in safety. On reaching the house he took his gun and went off on a hunt, and Johnny Green was never seen again in that part of the country. It was never known for certain who had put him out of the way, but public opinion always gave Mr. Litzey the credit of the act, though he would never acknowledge it, always stating that the last time he saw the Indian, he observed him sitting on a flat rock in Sugar creek, just below the Narrows, fishing ; suddenly he jumped up as if crazy and dived into the water, from which he never arose."
CHAPTER XXVII.
UNION TOWNSHIP.
Union township constitutes all of township 15, range 6, hence is just six miles square. It is one of the eastern tiers of townships in Parke county, and is bounded on the north by Greene, on the west by Adams, on the south by Jackson, and on the east by Putnam county. The main streams that water and drain the township are the Big Raccoon, Troutman's run, Limestone branch of Raccoon, Rocky Fork and others of lesser importance. Bain's branch has its source in the east and flows west, uniting with the larger stream in section 10. For a third of a century and more it has been possible for all these streams to be crossed by footmen, except the Raccoon. In many 'places the beds of these streams are solid limestone rock. The current of these creeks and rivers is very rapid, owing to the great fall of the land through which they pass. The lime and sand rock along the rivers afford excellent building stone. What is one of the curiosities of this county is the natural bridge on the west side of the creek at the old B. A. Martin place, where it spans a gully. It is solid stone, averaging twenty-four inches through, having a span of fully forty feet, with a track of about twenty feet wide. One can walk erect under this bridge, and at one time it was much higher from floor to ceiling, the soil having washed in from above and filled it up below.
In 1912 the assessed valuation of all personal and real estate in this township was $358,630, and its population in 1910 was placed in the govern- ment census report at 948.
CONCERNING SOME OF THE PIONEERS.
At the Terre Haute land office John Martin purchased, in 1820, one-half of section 33, and then returned to his land after a year with his family. Before that, however, parties of hunters and fishers had visited these lonely forests, but not to locate. Mr. Martin came in with his wife and family of eleven children. They emigrated from North and South Carolina, in a four- horse wagon and a two-horse vehicle, the distance being six hundred miles, and were en route six weeks. The way was often so densely covered with
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timber and brush that an axman had to go ahead and prepare the way. Upon arriving they proceeded to erect a rude log hut in which to find shelter for the time being. They built on a hillside, at the bottom of which was a fine spring of pure water. The Indian trail from Terre Haute through Mansfield and along the Big Raccoon to Cornstalk passed close by the place. This trail crossed and recrossed this creek in many places. The elder Martin was a blacksmith and gunsmith, besides being a farmer. The Indians passed up and down their trail and frequently camped on the Martin land near the pretty, swift-running creek. These consisted of the Delawares and Miamis, and they furnished the gunsmith Martin with plenty of repair work, for which they usually paid the cash. Mrs. Martin made clothes for the children out of buckskin, while they also had plenty of good venison for the table. Mr. Martin related how all the Indians would drink and get beastly drunk, except one who would always remain sober to take good care of the rest. They fre- quently quarreled badly among themselves, but never molested the whites and always paid for what they bought of them. There are three Indian graves on the Martin farm, but usually they buried their dead at Cornstalk. The older Martin continued his business until 1827, when he died and was buried on his own land. He had served at the age of sixteen years as a sub- stitute under Washington in the Revolution; had experienced the hardships of war, so was well fitted for pioneer life here in the solitary wilds of Parke county. The family began to separate and divide the farm, and move and marry and raise families of their own.
The same year in which Martin came in Thomas Wolverton, from Ohio, purchased land in sections 29 and 30. They came after the Blakes and stayed at Blake's while he cleared up a patch of land and erected a cabin. Wolverton then went to Virginia, stayed five years, and returned, built, dug a well, and made other improvements. He then went to Ohio. Wolverton died in 1848, leaving a wife and family. In 1821 John Miller entered land in sections 29 and 30. He began his farming, after having built a comfortable cabin. The same year William Sutherlin arrived from Virginia and bought land in both Putnam and Parke counties for his sons. In 1822 he moved his family, wife and nine children, and he settled near the eastern line of this township. Isaac Norman helped to survey this county in 1820, and selected his lands, but did not settle for some years afterward. John Duncan entered land in 1822 or 1823, and Thomas Carmichael came about that date. In 1822 came the Troutmans, Stephenses and Kays. A little later came the Jameses and Na- than Plunket, as well as Lemuel Norman, who lived on the Big Raccoon. In 1823 Thomas C. Burton entered land in New Discovery, east and northeast
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of Bellemore. Other early settlers were John Blake and his large family, John McGilvery, John Noble, Robert Broaddus and Samuel Harlan. All of these arrived prior to 1830. Those coming in between 1830 and 1840 included John Collins, John and William Bulion, the Akers and Mershons and Cyrus Goss.
MILLS AND VILLAGES.
At first the settlers had to carry their grain to mill on horseback to Dixon's mill, and a little later to Portland. The Noble mills were built in 1829 on the Big Raccoon, south of present Hollandsburg. John McGilvery hauled the mill-stones from Vigo county. Soon after this the Springfield mills were built. These mills did the sawing and grinding for many years after the first settlers came in.
As the township was settled up more there came a natural demand for mechanics, the first, of course, being blacksmiths. About 1830 William Aydelotte settled on the present site of Bellemore, or rather a half mile to the north. There he started a blacksmith shop, doing the work for a large scope of country. This was the first shop in New Discovery, but Martin's must have been the first shop in the township. In those days a round rod of iron was seldom seen in these parts, so Aydelotte kept a forge and he and his boys forged their own iron. William Alexander probably had the first inn or tavern, and this was the germ, so to speak, of Bellemore village. A few more cabins were put in around the Guisinger shops, and John Bulion, Sr., having come from the East, suggested that the cluster north of the State road be called Northampton, after the city of this name in Massachusetts, and that south of the road be called Southampton. The shop at the latter place was soon abandoned, so the town was known as Northampton. John Aydelotte built a blacksmith shop, and John M. Turner rented the back room for a wagon shop. In 1856 Turner built his wagon shop, the first in the township, and there did a thriving business. About 1839 William Thornton built the first store room, what came to be known as Bellemore. In 1850 Isaac Wimmer bought from Alexander his property, and in 1853 sold to Moore and Snow, and they put up a steam flouring-mill and a saw-mill, put up a store building and each a dwelling. The hamlet began to be a center for trade, and the people demanding a postoffice, they petitioned to have one established and suggested the name be Northampton, but while the depart- ment granted the office, it found it impracticable to call it Northampton, as Indiana already had such a postoffice, hence it was named Bellemore, which derived its name as follows: Mr. Moore, then a resident of the place, had
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some daughters whom General Steele, a guest of Moore, very much admired. The General one day said to his host, "This town ought to be called Bellemore (Belle-Moore) in honor of your daughters ;" hence the origin.
The second town in this township was Hollandsburg, on section 9. In 1855, or about that year, John Collings built a hewed-log house on the spot, and Abraham Collings built a store sixteen by twenty feet, and there sold goods, carrying about a four-hundred-dollar stock. Thus was started the village. The Collings gave it the name it bears, in honor of a Baptist min- ister in Kentucky whose name was Holland. About 1860, John McGilvery built a large house for a residence-the best in the place. In 1859 the Baptist church was built. The first postmaster was L. D. McGilvery. Neither Hol- landsburg or Bellemore were ever incorporated, but remain small trading places. Union township.has no railroad facilities, and most of the grain is hauled to Rockville and other shipping places.
The roads of this section are extremely hilly, owing to the lay of the country, and in an early day it was almost impossible to get in and out of the township. But as time went on roads were finally provided at much expense and hard labor.
The cemeteries of this township are mostly of the "family burying- ground" character, each early family choosing to bury their departed dead as near the spot where they lived and labored as possible. Among the well- known burial places are the Blake graveyard, the Martin graveyard, the Nobles and Kelley, the Colemans, Harneys, and Coopers.
The schools and churches of this township have been noticed in the gen- eral chapters in this work.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
WABASH TOWNSHIP.
This sub-division of Parke county is on the western border, and is south of Reserve, west of Adams, north of Florida township, and is bounded on the west by the Wabash river, which is the dividing line between this county and Vermillion county. Along the river, and in places running back a con- siderable distance, are the Wabash bottoms, which are considered the richest land in the state, although up the river at the northwest corner of the town- ship the land is higher, but not broken, and is therefore the most valuable of any in this part of Parke county. The middle and northeast part of the town- ship is quite hilly, the bluffs in places rising abruptly to a considerable height. These hills are to quite an extent underlaid with coal; a fair quality of build- ing stone is also found in places, and iron exists upon Iron creek in the north- east part of the township. Raccoon creek, the chief stream in the township. enters from the south and runs northward some little more than half way through the township, then turns west, running almost directly to the river. On this stream Abner Cox built the first mill of any note in this part of the county. To it came the pioneers, some in row boats, some with carts and oxen and some from other parts came with grists on horseback, winding their way over hills and through the heavy timber, then scarcely broken by the sturdy settler's axe. This mill was built near Armiesburg. After the mill came other milling improvements, to grind out whisky from rye and corn, making a home market for farmer's produce. One writer in 1879 said: "It was discovered that a 'worm' in this still house was more venomous than any reptile ever found in Parke county." In 1830, Patterson, Silliman & Com- pany started a store here, where pork could be sold at a dollar and fifty cents per hundred, salt could be purchased at seven dollars per barrel, and calico from thirty-five to forty cents per yard.
Some of the first settlers hauled wheat to Chicago, Louisville, and Cin- cinnati. Ohio, and sold it for fifty cents per bushel and hauled back mer- chandise.
PIONEER SETTLEMENT. -
Among the early settlers may be recalled Isaac Ghormly and family. Daniel James and Aquilla Justis, Lucius Kebby and family, Aquilla Punten-
.
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ney, Mark and Thomas Cooke, William Hixon, Azariah Brown, James and Aquilla Laverty. Many of these pioneers have descendants in the township today.
At the time the early settlers came, the Indians were quite numerous. In this township was one section of land given by the state to Christmas Dazney, spoken of elsewhere in this volume. The Indians were peaceable, but idle and shiftless.
In 1832 the Mecca saw-mill was built by Alexander McCune and Samuel Lowry. In 1833 a factory for wool carding and a year later a fulling mill were added to the place and in 1855 these gentlemen built a large custom mill. In 1873 a good bridge was built over the creek at this place, protected from the weather by a shingle roof. This place is about two miles up the creek from Armiesburg. The latter place derived its name from the fact that it is on the place where General Harrison crossed the Raccoon creek, and camped with his army, while en route to the famous battle ground of Tippecanoe in this state.
In 1912 the assessed valuation of personal and real estate property in this township was $787,555. Its population in 1910 was 1,955. The churches and schools are mentioned under general chapter heads. Many of the early settlers buried their dead in the most convenient places, generally near their own homes, and for long years the plow and harvester have gone ruthlessly over the spot where lie their remains. Since 1840, however, more care has been taken to protect the burial places within the township. About 1836 Leatherwood burying ground was staked off and in 1849 was deeded by Isaac Silliman to the trustees of the society of the United Brethren. About forty years ago, William Hixon deeded to the trustees a piece of land in sec- tion 19, township 15, for a place to bury the dead. Other places were later selected.
The first school house in the township was erected in 1834, by A. Mc- Cune, three-fourths of a mile from Mecca, to the southeast.
Flat-boat building was one of the early-day industries in this township. Many of the pioneers made trips to New Orleans by these boats, Mr. McCune having made thirty-five trips to the gulf in this manner.
A local writer mentions the "never-built" railroads in Wabash town- ship in the following strain :
"If any township in Parke county, more than another, can boast of her unfinished railroads it is Wabash. In 1873 Mr. Young, of Chicago, started the Indiana division of the Chicago, Danville & Vincennes railroad. It was graded about half way through the township, from the south side, running
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through the Raccoon bottoms. The truss bridges were also erected. In 1854 the Illinois Central and Indiana Central surveyed a line through the north part of Wabash township, but never built the road. In 1874 a company formed to build the Springfield road. This line passed over the old survey. On October 15, 1875, the contract was let to build and own the road from Montezuma to Indianapolis, via Rockville. The grading was begun in the fall of 1875, and in the winter of 1876 they failed and the road was aban- doned. Thus the fond hopes of the Wabash people as well as those of Rock- ville, perished and, like the morning dew, flitted away and the prospective, like the canal, are 'hopes deferred.'"
But later the township was blessed with a line of railroad known as the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, which enters the county in Liberty twonship and traverses the townships of Liberty, Reserve, Wabash, Florida, forming junc- tion with the Vandalia at Rosedale, with a station point in Wabash township, at Mecca, on sections 19 and 30. This was constructed in the eighties and is a paying railroad proposition and has been the means of bringing into exist- ence the sprightly town of Mecca, which was platted on section 20, township 15, range 8, August 7, 1890, by Samuel L. McCune. Other plattings were made later. The place now has a population of about one thousand four hundred and is supplied with all that goes toward making up a modern built town of its size. Its churches and schools and other interests are noted throughout other chapters, in a general way with other towns. Being one of the new towns of the county, its early history is not so important, but the early settlement of Wabash township gives the pioneer history of that portion of the county.
It may be added that the old Wabash & Erie canal runs from north to south, through Wabash township, and in its day was looked upon as a great thoroughfare. Traces of the canal are to be seen at many places along the western part of Parke county, including the town of Montezuma and Reserve and Wabash townships.
At Mecca there is now in operation an extensive plant for the making of drain tile, by William Dee, who is the great Chicago tile manufacturer through this section of Indiana, with several plants for brick and tile.
CHAPTER XXIX.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
Washington township is a central sub-division of Parke county. It has a population, as noted by the last federal census, of 1,481. Its assessed valua- tion, both real and personal property, in 1912, is $907,760. This township comprises part of township 15 and township 16, ranges 6 and 7, and contains thirty-six sections of rich, beautiful land, with extensive coal-bearing lands and mines, the latter for year having been its greatest source of revenue. The old-time log cabins that once dotted this section have been displaced and mod- ern farm houses of rare excellence and attractiveness now adorn the entire township. Several never-failing streams of the finest, purest water course through this township. Among these may be named Roaring creek, Leather- wood, Sand and Williams creeks, whose waters find their way into the little Raccoon.
In 1872 the Terre Haute & Logansport railroad was constructed across the corner of this township, and a station point established on section 24, which was later named Judson. On section 35 is Nyesville, built up on the coal mining interests of that neighborhood, it having a branch line extending to the mines.
FIRST SETTLERS.
The first white man to invade and claim land within Washington town- ship, as now defined, was Alexander Buchanan, who arrived in 1821, locating on section 24, near Little Raccoon creek. When he came this was all a forest land and indeed wild in all that could be mentioned. His only neighbors were the Indians, they being of the Delawares, Miamis and Pottawatomie tribes, whose villages and burying grounds were then numerous in this township. The next settler was David Bruen, who located at the point later known as Bruen's cross-roads, where the first postoffice was established, with Mr. Bruen as postmaster. In the autumn of 1822 there were twelve families in this set- tlement. These were the Buchanans, Bruens, David Todd, Ambrose Lambert, Charles Abbott, his mother and brother, two families named Harlan, a Dutch family named Shmok, and the families of McMillan and Garrison, the two
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