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 37
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 37
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county in 1834. Goldman M. Hart, born in Tennessee in 1809, died in 1886. James C. Tutt, born in Virginia in 1816, removed from Eugene to the south part of Vermillion county.
1839-Barney Vandevander, born in Illinois in 1827, was a resident of Eugene in 1888.
Other pioneers, whose years of arrival are not given, are Zeno Worth and Shubael Gardner, from North Carolina, who settled in Walnut Grove. Mr. Worth selected lands which were held by his family many years and still largely within the names of his descendants. the generation now numbering . five in this county. Alexander Richardson came that year also, and died in Indianapolis in 1864, or possibly a little later. Lewis Hollingsworth was born in this county in 1835. On Coleman's prairie settled families named Wilson, Dicken, Hopkins, etc.
John R. Porter, A. M., circuit judge for many years, and an advanced farmer between Eugene and Newport, was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, February 22, 1796, of an "old English family:" graduated at Union College, Schenectady, New York, in 1815, taking the first honors of his class. He studied law, and in 1818 became a partner of his preceptor. About 1820 he came to Paoli, Orange county, Indiana, where he was county clerk. postmaster and circuit judge. While there he married Mary Worth. Receiving while there the appointment of president judge of western Indiana, he moved to this county, settling in Eugene township. His circuit extended from the Ohio river to Lake Michigan. His term expired in 1837. Here he was elected judge of the court of common pleas for the counties of Parke and Vermillion. which office he held until his death, about 1850. He was a prominent states- man in early days, in laying the foundation of Indiana jurisprudence. Was a close reader of Eastern agricultural papers, and also of ancient classics, as well as foreign magazine literature. His conversational powers were conse- quently great, and his letters to the press were gems of eloquence. He was in correspondence, more or less, with such men as General Harrison. Henry Clay. Daniel Webster, etc., besides many Georgia "colonels." Prominent In- diana men were frequently his guests. He was the leading spirit in all the public meetings in his neighborhood assembled for the deliberation of meas- 1tres of public welfare. He was president of the Logansport convention, which gave initial direction to the construction of the Wabash Valley Railroad. As an agriculturist he was scientific and in advance of all his neighbors-so far indeed as often to excite their ridicule. He led in the rearing of fine wooled sheep, and in the cultivation of Switzer lucerne, ruta-bagas, sugar beets, moris, multicaulis, Baden corn and hemp. These paid him well in
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pleasure derived therefrom, if not in money receipts. The Judge was a broad, many-sided man, the likes of whom are seldom met with in any generation.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
The towns and villages of this township are chiefly Eugene and Cayuga. Of Eugene, it may be stated that it was laid out by S. S. Collett, in 1827, about the "Big Vermillion" mills of James Groenendyke. Samuel W. Ma- lone, who later became a noted hotel keeper there, located at that point in 1827. He was still hale and hearty in 1887. James P. Naylor, father of William L. Naylor, came in the next year. Eugene is but another example of how a railroad may kill or make a town. The Toledo, Chicago & Eastern railroad built its line a little to the south of this village and then started up Cayuga. In 1887 Eugene had a population of about five hundred people. Its present population is placed at four hundred. The following was written of this village nearly thirty years ago: "Two or three conspicuous features strike the stranger who visits the place. One is a most magnificent row of shade trees for a distance of two squares on the west side of the main busi- ness street-these are sugar maple. Each tree, with a perfectly symmetrical head, covers an area of forty feet in diameter. In the western part of the village is the most beautiful. perfect large white elm the writer ever saw.
"The ground on which Eugene is situated is just sandy enough to be good for gardening and at the same time prevent mud in rainy season. Wells are sunk only eighteen or twenty feet to find the purest water in a bed of gravel. Several large springs are in the vicinity. The river, especially below the mill dam, affords the best fishing of all points probably within a fifty mile radins. Fish weighing sixty pounds or more are sometimes caught, and Ger- man carp, one of the planted fish, weighing eight pounds are occasionally cap- tured.
"The country here is all underlaid with coal. There is one vein of nine feet with only a seam of ten or twelve inches dividing it."
On the bank of the river here was erected by James Groenendyke some time previous to 1824 a water saw and grist-mill, which, with its successors, enjoyed the greatest notoriety of all in Vermillion county. While Mr. Cole- man owned it. more than forty years ago, the dam went ont, and in 1885 a new mill was erected, it being the third building on the same mill site, two having burned. The 1885 mill was a large roller-process plant, managed by Samuel Bowers.
The first newspaper in this county had its birth and death at Eugene. It
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was the News Letter, by Dr. R. M. Waterman, and it was established in 1837. and breathed its last six months later !
The business interests of this village are not large, in fact the railroads and building up of other towns has cast a settled gloom over all former hopes of greatness. But around this quiet, quaint old country village rests many a fond, almost sacred memory, to the mind of the pioneers' children and grand- children.
CAYUGA.
Cayuga (or Eugene Station, as it was called many years ago) is at the railroad crossing of the north and south and the east and west lines of rail- roads in Eugene township (the "Clover Leaf" and the Chicago & Eastern Illinois). The census books for 1910 gave it a population of almost one thousand people. It was at first named Osonimon, after an Indian chief of that name. The place is alive to every worthy business enterprise and its people are a whole-souled class, who seem to live "for the heaven that smiles above them and the good that they can do."
The Cayuga mills were built in 1885 by a company consisting of Samuel K. Todd, Monroe G. Hosford and Eli H. McDaniel. It was a full roller process with a daily capacity of one hundred barrels. It was run by a seventy- horse-power engine. This mill was built in the midst of a wheat field, and was a success from the start.
Of the churches, lodges and schools of Cayuga, the reader is referred to other chapters in this volume, on these special topics.
A Grand Army of the Republic post was organized at Cayuga in 1876, with about twenty-two charter members and later had as high as thirty-five enrolled. . The first post commander was William C. Eichelberger.
A Good Templar society was formed here in 1873 and continned until 1884. It had seventy members. The Red Ribbon movement was introduced here by Tyler Mason and the Blue Ribbon movement by George McDonald. In 1886 a total abstinence society was formed, made up largely of reformed drunkards. It was sometimes referred to as the "Reformed Roosters."
The churches of today in Cayuga are the Christian, United Brethren. In Union, the Presbyterian. The lodges are the Masonic. Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World and Moose.
The village was made a town by act of incorporation in about 1891, and its present officers are : President of the board, John T. Higgins : the bal- ance of the board are S. C. Darroch, J. N. Spinks. Claire Van Duyn. D. P. Williams : town clerk, George T. Ritter : marshal. Charles Prater
(26)
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The town is lighted by an electric plant owned by a Chicago capitalist, while the telephone service is of home capital. The town has great need of water works. The electric light plant here supplies the county seat, Newport, with lights, under a ten-year contract.
The postoffice safe was, blown up by dynamite at one-thirty o'clock on the morning of April 12, 1890. So heavy was the charge that the safe was blown to fragments. Window glass was broken in the front of residences and business houses. No money was obtained, however, neither any stamps : but the midnight thieves carried away many valuable papers belonging to the postmaster, and also those of Conway & M. W. Coffin, lawyers. No clue was ever had to the parties who blew up the office.
COLLETT'S HOME FOR ORPHANS.
This institution is situated near the Vermillion and Eugene township line. about three and one-half miles from Newport, the county seat. It was opened in June, 1902, and was founded by Prof. John Collett and Josephus Collett, both deceased, but whose property had been divided so that it was possible to endow this home. It stands on a beautiful four-hundred-acre tract of farm land. It is a handsome building, costing originally twenty thou- sand dollars. The home was first opened by a superintendent who had been elected by the trustees of the Collett estate, named Charles W. Ward, with . Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Campbell, of Danville, Illinois, as overseer and matron. The conditions upon which this orphans' hone was founded were such that any bright orphan who had lived in Vermillion county six months might be received and cared for, but no idiots or feeble-minded children find a home here, save in special cases. At first, before the place became too much crowded. old ladies of good character were allowed a home here, but after a few years it was found that childhood and old age did not seem to agree one with the other, and the ladies had to leave the home. The board reserves the right to reject any they see fit. but the worthy and unfortunate orplian here is ever welcome and well cared for. One thing was stipulated in the endowment. and that was that the place should forever be for orphan children and that the name should never be changed. The building is thirty-seven by ninety feet. and the rooms include library, reading rooms, matron's and superinten- dent's offices and rooms, an overseer's room, etc. Toilet rooms and bath rooms are provided on both floors. An excellent kitchen and butler's room, a nursery department, for boys and girls, a sick room, a basement, with laundry, dry room, vegetable cellar and coal room with a large attic, where is a play
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT. CLINTON.
THE COLLETTS ORPHANS' HOME.
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house and room for ten extra beds, completes the rooms of the home. The floors are hard maple and the rooms are finished in hard pine. A large porch extends over the entire frontage of the building, and attractive columns, two feet in diameter, extend from the ground up in front of both stories, which are of the Southern colonial style of architecture. A heating plant and light- ing plant provide many conveniences. This institution is a credit to the designers and the kind-hearted men of philanthropy, who made it possible to provide such an excellent home for orphans in Vermillion county. The board of trustees, with the secretary and treasurer, annually provide for the man- agement of the home, which has accomplished much good already. As the years go by the people more and more appreciate this generous gift from two highly honored men who sought the happiness of the weak and parentless children. The orphan, above all others, will ever exclaim "Peace be to the ashes of the two Colletts."
The present secretary of the home is G. W. Wait. of Newport. The author is indebted largely to the editor of the Hoosier State, published at Newport, for the above facts concerning this humane institution and its
BUSINESS INTERESTS IN 1912.
At Cayuga in the winter of 1912-13 the business interests consisted of the following :
Banking-The First National.
General Dealers-Richardson Bros., Burton Dry Goods Company, Dale & Darrow, Van Houtin ( E. E. & Son).
Groceries-Galbreath & Schriner, C. M. Guy.
Hardware-Fable & Son, G. L. Watson & Co. (also undertaking and furniture).
Furniture-Thomas A. Sprouts.
Clothing-L. L. Haughn.
Five and Ten Cent Store-John S. Grondyke.
Drugs-Booe & Booe, Daniel Conway.
Farm Implements-J. O. Higgins.
Lumber-James Morgan & Company.
Grain and Coal-Cayuga Milling Company.
Photographs-A. D. Conelly.
Mills-Cayuga Milling Company.
Jewelry-George T. Ritter.
Harness Shop and Shoes-Whittington Bros. (N. T. and W. W.).
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Restaurants-Charles P. Miller, A. N. Mendenhall, Charles Gillis.
Hotels-The Higgins and the Cayuga House.
Newspaper-The Herald.
Blacksmith Shops-Claire Van Duyn, William P. Brown.
Barber Shops-T. T. Sollers, Daniel Sollers, Milt Laughlin.
Opera House-Frank Lindsley, manager.
Meat Market-Ed. T. McMillen.
Livery-A. L. Clark.
Bakery-Cayuga Bakery, James A. Barr, proprietor.
Canning Factory-C. P. Miller, president.
Telephone and Light Companies.
Physicians-Drs. E. A. Flaugher, W. P. & S. C. Darroch, M. R. Pol- lom.
Dentist-George E. Wier.
There are several small "farmers'" coal mines in the neighborhood. There are two brick plants, the Acme and the Cayuga Brick Company.
The canning factory, a home industry, packs corn, peas and tomatoes.
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CHAPTER XXII.
HELT TOWNSHIP.
Helt township is the second from the southern line of Vermillion county and extends from the Wabash river west to the state line of Indiana and Illinois. It contains seventy-two square miles, and in 1880 had a population of 3,027, with a personal property valuation of $1,411.745. The 1910 United States census gave this township a population of 3,543. including the town of Dana, which had a population of 748. This is one of Vermillion county's most wealthy and progressive agricultural sub-divisions, and has numerous towns, villages and hamlets within its borders. Its farming and mineral resources are very large and constantly on the increase. Land is doubling in value and the citizens are now in a prosperous condition finan- cially. Her schools and churches, which are of the up-to-date type, are treated in other separate chapters.
PIONEER SETTLEMENTS.
While the following is not a complete list of all the men and women who sought homes here in the pioneer days, it gives the most of them in the years noted :
1817-18-In the winter of 1817-18 came Obediah Swayze, who occu- pied, as a "squatter," one of the three cabins just built by the' Helts. He. however, remained as a permanent citizen. His remains now lie buried in Helt's Prairie cemetery, with his wife, two sons and a daughter. He had a grandson in 1887, living in Kansas City, whose name was Wesley Wright.
1818-Daniel Helt, after whom the prairie and township were named, was born in Pennsylvania in 1791, was a soldier in the war of 1812, under General Harrison, and died March 25, 1879, a good man and an acceptable member of the Methodist Episcopal church. George, John and Michael Helt, all long since deceased. C. B. Thomas, Hiram. E. B. and F. M. Helt were all born here in pioneer times. Augustus Ford, from Ohio, long since deceased. His son John, born in Ohio, in 1809, came with him and died May 6, 1882, after having lived upon the farm first occupied for half a cen- tury. Mr. Rodney, from Maine. John Skidmore, who died at the age of
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eighty years. Hon. William Skidmore, born February 19, 1819, died in the eighties.
George Skidmore was born in 1824 and Josiah Skidmore in 1831. Samuel Rush, father of James, who was born in Ohio in 1817. This year, or soon thereafter, C. C. Hiddle (or John Hiddle, according to one version) and John Martin came and built the first cabin on Hiddle's Prairie.
1819-Samuel Ryerson, who died January 31, 1862, at Clinton. His wife Phebe died in the autumn of 1874, aged seventy-nine years. She was a remarkable woman. At the age of twelve years she had never heard one pray. At that time she attended a Methodist meeting, where the expected preacher did not arrive. and the class leader sang and prayed, which was the means of her conviction and conversion and she remained a zealous mem- ber of the church all of her life. She and her husband formed the first Methodist Episcopal class on Helt's prairie, consisting of eight persons, soon after their settlement here. A short time before her death she willed one thousand five hundred dollars to the missionary society, five hundred dollars to Asbury University, two hundred dollars to the educational fund of this county and two hundred dollars to the Biblical Institute at Evanston, Illi- nois, besides other sums to various individuals. Mathew Harbison came this year. Joseph Harbison was born in this township in 1834.
1820-Mr. Hood, father of Charles D. and S. S. Hood, both of whom were born in Tennessee in 1814 and 1815. and they were still here in the late eighties. According to one authority, Joel Hollingsworth arrived in Helt township this year.
1821-Abraham and Enoch White. The latter was born in Kentucky in 1814. James Harper. Stephen Harrington, who was born in Ohio in 1814, was a resident here during most of the county's existence. Warham (or "Wirun") Mack, born in Ohio in 1801, died here. The other Macks came later.
1822-William Andrew, Sr., tanner and farmer, born in Ohio in 1807. and died of heart disease in 1870, two miles southwest of St. Bernice, a member of the United Brethren church. John Conley came the same year. M. A. Conley, long a resident, was born in this township this year. James Conley. born in Ohio in 1817, and William Conley were both pioneers here.
1823-Alanson Church. His son Josiah was born here September 29. 1823. and died in January, 1884, two and a half miles west of Summit Grove. Eleven of his twelve children were still living in 1887. John Peer. Sr .. born in Virginia, has long since been deceased. John Peer, Jr., a resi-
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dent, was born here in 1834. The Pearman family, of the younger members of which John was still living in 1886.
1824-John Van Camp, in whose house this year was the first election held in the township, moved to Missouri. John Langston, father of Oliver Langston. William L. Malone, born in Ohio in 1805. Richard, his son. born in Ohio in 1826, later resided in Dana.
1825-Caleb Bales, Sr., from Virginia, died in 1836. Caleb Bales. Jr .. was still living in this township in the eighties. William Bales was born in Virginia in 1827 and settled in this county in 1831. William F. Bales was born in 1829. Chandler Tillotson, who came to this county about the same period, died in this township. Daniel G. and G. B. Tillotson were born here in 1825.
1826-Edwin (or Edmund), William and Elijah James. S. R. Joseph, W. A. and S. R. James were all natives of this county and resided in Helt township. Mr. Keyes, father of Dr. C. F. Keyes, of Dana. The Doctor (the senior) was born in Indiana in 1822, brought to Helt township, where he was reared. He became a competent physician, and died at Dana Febru- ary 8, 1884, leaving a wife and five children. John Van Dyn, born in New Jersey in 1803. Mr. Thompson came the same year. Also Mr. Rhoades. father of Stephen Rhoades, was born in Kentucky in 1822. William Kearns. born in Kentucky in 1806, died in the seventies. His son John was born in 1832. Samuel Pyle was two years old at this date, and was brought here and became later an honored citizen of the township.
1827-Washington Engram, born in Kentucky in 1812. John O. Rog- ers, born in Helt township this year. later resided at the town of Dana. Asa Mack came in this year or the year just previously. His son, Dr. Erastus Mack, was born this year and another son, N. B. Mack, born in 1832, went to California.
1828-Joel Hollingsworth, born in South Carolina in 1801, died May 30, 1875, in this township. George Hollingsworth, a carpenter, was born in 1827 in Indiana, and was brought here in 1839.
1829-The French family. Felix French, born here this year, went to Michigan. Samuel French, long resident. Joseph and John Staats, broth- ers, were from Virginia. Israel and Abraham Leatherman were lads when they arrived this year. Samuel Hoagland was born in this county in 1829. and was a citizen here for a lifetime. Wesley Southard was born in Vir- ginia in 1811. William Russell, Sr., born in Virginia in 1797, was still living here in 1887. David and Mahlon Russell were born here, in 1830 and 1833.
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1830-James L. Wishard, born in Kentucky in 1794, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died about 1884. John O. Wishard, born in the same state in 1805, came in 1834 and has long been deceased. J. H. Wishard, a life-long resident, born in this year. James L. Payton, born in 1800. James Payton, born in 1835, also deceased. A. M. Payton was born in Kentucky in 1823 and was seven years of age when brought here. James A. Edmans- ton, born in Indiana in 1828, was brought here in 1830 and lived here many years, then moved to Illinois. Robert Norris, a native of South Carolina, born in 1796, died in this township in 1873. John T. Bowen, Sr., born in Tennessee in 1800, has been dead more than thirty years. J. T. Bowen, Jr., was born in this county in 1831. Jacob Miller, born in Kentucky in 1818. Mary E. Miller, born in North Carolina in 1816, came in 1831. John and O. R. Blakesley, born here in 1830 and 1833, remained residents until their death.
1831-Joseph Jones, born in Kentucky in 1810: Matthew Jones, born in North Carolina in 1818; Thomas Jones, shoemaker, born in the same state in 1820; and Wiley Jones, also of the same state, all came this year. Wiley, however, soon removed to Illinois. William Jones, an old resident in 1886, was born in Indiana in 1829.
1832-James Andrews came to this township before 1834. Sarah Eliza Andrews, born in 1820, married Mr. Dethrick and moved West. Han- nah Andrews, born in Massachusetts in 1823. came to Vermillion county in 1839. John W. Reed, born in North Carolina in 1822. resided here from 1832 until his death in September. 1885. at Dana. David Reed, born in North Carolina in 1825, was a resident here for many years. P. M. Stokes- berry, born in Ohio in 1808, was deceased in 1886. James H. White was born in Tennessee in 1805, and O. J. White was born this year in Helt township. William Higbee, born in Ohio in 1814, lived in the township until in the late eighties.
1833-J. S. Fisher, born in Kentucky in 1808, died thirty years and more ago. Benjamin, James and Joseph Fisher, pioneers and life-long citi- zens. Benjamin Miles, born in Kentucky in 1813: also a Mr. Foncannon. from Virginia. H. W. and John R. Roshstan, living at Dana for many years. James A. and Elder and James R. Finnell, the former from Ohio, and the latter from Kentucky, were both eleven years of age when brought here in 1833.
1834-Samuel Aikman, born in Indiana in 1814. was a long resident in Dana, this township. Robert McDowell, born in Kentucky in 1820. J. D. McDowell. born in Vermillion county in 1836, has been a life-long resident.
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Mr. Johnson came in the same year. John R. Johnson, born in Ohio in 1833, was brought to this township in 1834, and S. Johnson was born here in 1835.
1835-Samuel Tullis, born in Virginia in 1794, resided here until his death, at Bono, October 14, 1877, a member of the Christian church. John Jenks, born in Vermont in 1804. died many years since in this township. S. Ponton, born in Virginia in 1787. John S. Ponton, born in Ohio in 1831, died a resident of the township in 1886. John Jackson, who had several sons, is deceased. Andrew Jackson, born in Ohio in 1823, was still a resi- dent here in 1888. Joseph Jackson; James C. Burson; Isaac N. Bullington. born in Kentucky in 1807.
1836-Cephas Mack, born in Massachusetts in 1815, died April 29. 1885, in Helt township. His brother, Spencer, born in the same state, in 1818, settled here in 1838. but died many years since.
1837-Benjamin Harper, born in Virginia in 1796, died here in August. 1877. John R. Porter, born in Massachusetts in 1824. died here in 1878. James F. Barnett, Sr., born in Kentucky in 1815. after settling here became a merchant in Eugene.
1838-Henry Mitchell, blacksmith, was born in New York in 1809. died in this township in June, 1881. William M. Price, born in Maryland in 18II, was still a resident late in the eighties. W. C. and Abel Randall, from Ohio, came the same year.
1839-William Thompson, born in Kentucky in 1818, died in the spring of 1887. David D. Thompson, born in the same state in 1827, died Febru- ary 1, 1880. Erastus Crane, born in Vermont in 1804, resided in Helt town- ship from 1839 to the time of his death. Elijah and N. E. Taylor, Reuben Puffer, F. S. Aye and many more came to this township that year.
1840-Stephen Milliken, born in Pennsylvania in 1803: J. L. Powers. born in Virginia in 1803. Other very early settlers in Helt township in- cluded these : Samuel Rice, William Hays, Peter Higbie. Henry Bogart, Richard, Isaac and John Short, Carmack, etc., all of whom have long since been numbered among the dead pioneers of Vermillion county.
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