USA > Indiana > Pike County > History of Pike and Dubois counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. : together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 22
USA > Indiana > Dubois County > History of Pike and Dubois counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. : together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 22
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Local Details .- The conglomerate spur, which enters the county from the east, terminates abruptly, forming a line of pre- cipitous bluffs, against which the waters of the carboniferous seas beat and the coal seams were deposited. An ancient river sand. bar mav be seen in western Logan Township. 135 feet above the Patoka. Coal N is worked considerably m Town 1 south. Range 9 west. It is from three to four feet thick. with a little more than a foot of choice coking coal. Numerous outerops of Coal M may be seen in Town 1 south. Range S west. At Alexander's Mine, on the Hosmer and Petersburg road. coal N is four feet and seven inches thick, four feet of which is good coal. The follow- ing section was taken at Sandhill. two miles north of Petersburg :
feel.
Ancient river sand. . . . 10 to 20
Silicious shale. 7
Soapstone with Pecopteris, Neuropteris, Aste-
ophyllites. Cordaites and Flubellaria. 1
Coal N. 3 to 45
Fire-clay
2 to 4
Soapstone
Silicious shale. 2 to 12
Ferruginous limestone with Productus
punctatus, Spirifer lineatus, Cynthox onia-
prolifera, Chotetes milliporaceus Athyris subtilate and Gasteropods. 24
C'alcarious and pyritous clay. 1 to 3
Coal M.
29
Fire clay
8
Sandstone
5 to 20
Covered silicions flags and shales 20
S. apstone 10
Coal L'reported ℃
248
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
In the southwest part of Petersburg the following section of- eurs : Soil and clay, 28 feet; shellstone, 10 feet ; slate and boulders, 2 feet; Coal K, 10 feet; fire-clay. 2+ feet. On Section 12, Town 1 north, Range 8 west, at the Posey Mine, Coal K is from five to nine feet thick. Many banks of this coal have been opened in this vicinity. At the old De Bruler shaft Coal K is over seven feet thick. This is on Section 7, Township 1 north, Range 7 west. Numerous shafts have been sunk in this township. Three specimens of the Mound-Builders' works may be seen just north of Otwell. South of this in several localities white sulphur springs burst out of the limestone roof of Coal K. An excellent quality of cannel coal is found on Section 31. Township 1 south, Range 6 west, and at numerous other places in this vicinity. Numerous coal shafts have been sunk between Patoka River and Flat Creek. In some cases copperas is made from the refuse of these mines. On Section 5, Township 1 south, Range 6 west, is a valuable chalybeate spring, and on Section 35, Township 1 south, Range 7 west, is another highly prized and very valuable for dis- eases of the stomach, kidneys, skin, etc. Coal K is well developed near Winslow, and is nearly six feet thick. It outerops and is worked in numerous localities. Coal L is extensively worked in Township 2 south, Range 7 west, and varies from three to five feet thick. East of this over a large area Coal L has been eroded by the ancient river. In many of the ravines bordering the Pa- toka, Coal A outerops, and is from three to four and one-half feet thick. At Pikesville Coal L is found in wells near the surface, Coal K on the hill sides and Coal A a little below the water level of Patoka River. The following section is given :
Feet.
Soil and loess loam.
20
Silicious shale and soapstone.
18
Coal L. 1}
Fire-clay 3
Silicious and clay shale. 30
Ochre and black slate.
Coal K 3
3
Laminated sandstone 20
Massive sandstone. 60
Aluminous shale .. 30
Coal A. 4
A spring containing the sulphates of iron, alumina, sodium and perhaps magnesia, issues from the northern part of Pikes-
249
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
ville. Coal L is rare east of this town. Coal K is on the hill tops, and in places is wholly missing by erosion. Coal A is found near the water level. Between coals A and K the conglomerate sandstone is well developed. Coal A is often a valuable cannel coal. Good coal is found in the vicinity of Stendal, and numer- ous banks have been opened. West of Stendal Coal K becomes better developed and lower down. It is usually between four and five feet thick. East of Pleasantville is one of the most product- ive coal regions of the county. Coal K is rarely less than four feet, and often exceeds six feet. The thin limestone roof of K is used to wall wells. North of this the strata are not much re- vealed. Snake Knob and vicinity was in early years famous for its snakes. Coal K has been worked in several banks around Ar- cadia, and is usually about four feet thick. On Section 9, Town- ship 2 south, Range 8 west, at the old Martin bank, the following section was taken;
Soil, clay, etc.
Feet. 18
Black slate.
1
Coal M.
24
Fire-clay.
41
Silicious shales and soapstones.
571
Soapstone with ferns
4
Coal L:
Feet. Inches.
Slaty coal
0
4
Laminated coal.
2
6
Soft black slate.
0
4
Good smith coal. 1
6
White clay aud soft coal. 0
2
Good smith coal.
2
6
Rash pyritous coal.
2
0
9
4
Fire-clay
4ª
Economic Geology. The county coals are usually coking, and are fully up to the average of the Western States. The supply is practicably inexhaustible. The loess sands and clays furnish good material for bricks. The fire clays underlying the coals are of the best quality for pottery wares. It is necessary to weather this clay before it can be used. The glacial and lacustrine clays of the northern part of the county are also good for pottery ware. Silicious iron ores are found among the conglomerate sandstones north and east of Pikesville, but they are not desirable. The fer-
250
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
ruginous limestone found in the beds of the old canal and along the banks of White River north of Petersburg, contains much iron ore. The clay iron stones in the southern part are good for paints, but are abundant, seemingly, only in the southwestern cor- ner. Occasionally specimens of gold, copper, lead, etc., are found among the glacial drift of the county. Numerous tales are told of Indian traditions of the existence in the county of valuable mines_of the precious metals. Few except the lazy and credu- lous give any heed to the traditions. About Pikesville are found enormous quantities of the subcarboniferous sandstone. It i sex- cellent for weathering and masonry. Some valuable limestone is found, but usually in thin strata. In the northern half the soil consists of dark colored alluvium, sandy loans and loess. In the Patoka bottoms appear the impalpable sands washed from the loess on the hills. All this soil can be improved by under-drain- age. In the basin south of the Patoka mineral salts are com- mon, and the soil is red from the decomposed ironstones. North of the Patoka the water of wells and springs is fair to good; but south, especially about Pikesville, it is highly charged with min- eral salts, unpleasant and unhealthy. Cisterns are used. Sev- eral valuable mineral springs exist in the county, and there are three or four of them, the Townsend, Milburn and Coats' Springs, possess the highest medicinal qualities, containing sulphates and carbonates of iron, soda, magnesia, alumina, lime, etc., besides valuable salts and acids. They are highly regarded locally.
251
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
CHAPTER II.
BY PROF. Z. T. EMERSON.
SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY BY TOWNSHIPS-THIE FIRST SETTLERS AND THEIR TRIALS IN THE WILDERNESS-THEIR HABITATIONS AND CUS- TOMS-ANECDOTES, INDUSTRIES, POSTOFFICES-STORIES OF THE IN- DIANS-THE MOUNDS AND THEIR CONTENTS-ELECTIONS, OFFICERS AND LAND ENTRIES.
[THE first settlement made in the county was at White Oak Springs, in 1800, by Woolsey Pride. Here he built a block- house, about 1507. He was followed, in 1802, by Henry Miley. the Coonrod and Tislow families in 1503. David Miley in 1804, Hosea Smith in the spring of 1811, and in the fall by Charles and Ashbury Alexander and Jacob Chappell. Other families that followed soon after were the Butlers, Pearces, Merricks, Ashbys, Pancakes, Colemans and Kearns. Hosea Smith was from North Carolina. He had with him his sons, Henry, Onias and Hosea, and Stanton Lamb, his nephew. During the year 1812 Charles Risley, the Seallerhern and Walker families came to this vicinity for the protection of the block-house, and after the war of 1812 remained in the county. In 1816 James Brenton, Peter Brenton. Thomas Case, Thomas Mead, John Flinn, Moses Harrell and the Sarter family settled near Petersburg, also about the same time John Melntire and Thomas C. Stewart.
The first postoffice in the township was kept by Hosea Smith at the Springs, about 1811. Smith was postmaster, surveyor, justice of the peace, merchant and farmer. The office was on an old Indian "trace" leading from Vincennes to Louisville. The road was there from time immemorial, leading from White River at Decker Ferry, White Oak Springs, Mud Holes, near Inland. Dubois County, French Lick, Paoli, to Louisville. George Tever- baugh carried the mail over this route once a week on foot; how- ever, Mathias Mounts was the first carrier.
The first mill of this township, and even in the county, was built by Henry Miley in 1524. It was a two-horse mill, with a
HISTORY OF HIKE -17
capably of about darty-five bushels per day. 1 pattons of the mill would have to wait for thirty Si Je their grist. as they often came from twenty miles dista - 19 ing their waiting they would spend their time in shooting. racing, drinking, or other sport. At night they camped mit. The first bolting cloth used in the county was at Miley's Mil. m 1529. Jacob Stuckey build a saw and grist-mill in 1830, but on i- death, in 1838, the mill went down In 1-26 John Young Win built a mill and copper distillery on what is now a part of Petersburg. He could make about one barrel of whisky per lav, for which, according to the early records of Pike County. Tu commissioners allowed him to charge from 10 to 123 cents For llon. Usually one gallon of whisky w- given for one hhshow of corn. This mill and distillery was barned in 1831. with a large quantity of whisky, and it is still remembered that while the precious liquid was flowing in wasteful streams through streets and gullies, some worshipers of Bacchus, through a feeling of econom , by means of straws, filled themselves, too unutterably full for intelligent utterance. The first steam-mill was built by John Graham in 1838, near the site of the steam-mill west of town.
In 1828 Samuel Stuckey built the first tanyard on a part of the present site of Petersburg. This yard was in operation for fifty years or more. Its capacity was about $1,200 or $1,300 worth of leather annually. Hides were generally tanned on the shares. i. e. one-half being given for the other. The skins of cattle, deer and elk were tanned. Many of those of the cattle were "Murrain" nides.
Among the most noted hunters of this township were David and Ed Corn, Ben Ashby, Joe Pancake and George Teverbaugh. Deer were seen by the hundred. Turkeys were also very abund- ant. In 1932 a man named Langworth took a flat-boat load of deer hams and hides down the river; of these he bought 500 pairs of hams from David and Ed Corn, for which he paid from 13 to 25 cents a pair. Solomon Teverbaugh killed in one day seventeen wild turkeys and carried them home, a distance of six miles. The next day, he carried them, on foot, to Vincennes, a distance of thirteen miles, and exchanged them for a bag of salt, with which he returned on the same day.
253
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
By an order of Paul Tislow, James Campbell and Harrison Blackgrave, with their names signed as county commissioners "Esquires" (sic), it was decreed that the second township should be called Washington and should be bounded as follows: Begin- ning at second section line east of line dividing Ranges 8 and 9; north by county line; east by line dividing Ranges 7 and 8; south by county line, and west to boundary line of Madison Township.
At the first election Washington chose two justices who were elected Tuesday, February 25. 1817. The commissioners appointed John Butler. constable for Washington, with James Brenton. inspector. This election was held at the house of Heury Miley. The commissioners of the poor at that time were Benja- min Rice and John Coonrad. At the next election which was held August 4. 1817. there were seventy-six votes cast. The names of Brenton, Meade. Alexander, Rice, Lett, Hornady. and Campbell are frequently mentioned for office in the early history. Political chicanery was to be seen in the very beginning of the county's history as may be seen from the following notice which we give verbatim: "Daniel Miley son of Henry you are hereby Notifyed that the election of Archabald Campbell as Justice of the Peace for the county of Pike is contested in consequence of improper Votes having been Taken and legal votes Refused September the 15, 1820. John Butler."
Mr. Campbell offered his resignation a short time after and it was accepted. but was re-elected to the same office the following May.
Jefferson Township. The county commissioners, in 1817 ordered the limit of this township to be fixed. The first settler in the township was, perhaps, Richard Ainby, who settled in the township about 1815. The Hargraves, De Brulers, and Barrets came from North Carolina at a very early day. In 1519 Judge Hammond settled at High Banks He came from Massachu- setts. and "being well supplied with this world's goods, had brought many unwonted luxuries. He had wagons, forsooth, and glass, the first the settlers had seen, brought all the way from Pittsburgh, and it is said that when he had erected his house with sash and glass in the windows, large numbers came to see it. Up to that time, in the settler's rude cabin. light had been obtained
254
IIISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
by leaving out a part of the chinking in the crevices between the logs, or if very nice and stylish, by pasting greased paper over the apertures." Among others who had settled in Jefferson Township previous to 1817. were Benjamin Hays, Ebenezer Case, Henry Miley, William Hurst. James Payn, Henry Lace- field, Joab Chappell, William Shook, Daniel Rowe, and others. The first general election ever held in Jefferson was at the house of James Brinton, August 4, 1517. at which election twenty-six votes were cast; there had been an election for justice of the peace February 25, of the same year. at which but seventeen votes were cast, nine being for John Case, and eight for Randle Lett for justice. Elections seem to have been held once or twice a year. for several years, either for township, county or State elections. August 2, 1818, Christopher Harrison received six- teen votes for governor, and Jennings seventeen for the same office, Randle Lett casting the first vote of the day, and William Har- grave the last. The first, and perhaps the only, scientific botan- ist and florist ever in the county was H. P. De Bruler, of Jeffer- son. He is said to have had flowers from many parts of the world. He was a Methodist preacher, and held a three-day's debate at "Old Prospect" with E. B. Mann.
From almost the day of Independence until 1839 it was not only the custom, but also the law, to have annual muster, and many an old pioneer gained his pompous title of captain, major, colonel or general, at these bloodless displays of brass and tinsel. General muster occurred in the autumn of the year, after the busy season was over. There were company, regimental and brigade musters. One was held at Ditney Hill, one mile east of Peters- burg, in 1828. At this muster "Gen. Wright was commander ; George Chambers, colonel; Joseph Shawhan, lieutenant-colonel; Isaac Crow, Hiram Conn, William Kinman, Daniel Conrad, Elias Osborn, and Pinas Smith, captains. The officers wore gorgeous uniforms, consisting of a blue coat, made of the usual homespun, cut swallow-tailed, with stripes of red tape sewed on the breast, and adorned with double rows of brass buttons, and huge brass tinsel epaulets, a sword, homespun or buckskin trousers, an enor- mous three-cornered hat, with waving plume, and moccasins, com- pleted the costume. The men dressed in ordinary frontier dress, with muskets or rifles, as chance might select. The law com-
255
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
pelling these martial displays was repealed in 1839. To these musters came the men to engage in mimic fray, the matrons to behold their prowess, and the lads and lassies not unfrequently to Woo. Muster day was set apart usually to settle old disputes and grudges, and frequently two giant frontiersmen engaged in a ter- rible tilt at fist-cuff. These tilts usually settled the matter, and the thing was dropped. Ebenezer Case, in 1814; Samuel Acker- man, three entries, 1818; Thomas Pride, 1814; Wolsey Pride, 1814; John Case, 1814; Paul Tislow, 1815; Jessee Taylor, 1817; James Brenton, 1816. All these first entries were near High Banks or Long Branch.
Madison Township .- This was the first division made for a township in Pike County, and the division was ordered made by the county commissioners, Paul Tislow, James Campbell and Harri- son Blackgrave, Monday, February 10, 1817, and the division was made the next day. It was called the First or Madison Town- ship, and was bounded on the south, west and north by the coun- ty lines and on the east by Washington Township. It is difficult to tell who the first settler was, but among the very earliest were John Miley, Sinzy Rogers, a relative of the Sinzys, Jonathan Park, the Williamsons, the Fowlers, the Brentons, Morgans, Burkharts, Snyders, who were from North Carolina, John and Peter Rebbling, Elijah Molett, MacAtees, George and William (Buck) Wright. At the first session of the county commission- ers in Pike County, at their session on the 10th day of February, 1817, they called an election in Madison, to be held on the 25th day of February, of the same year, for the purpose of electing a justice of the peace. The names of those voted for were Zacha- ria Selby, William Wright and Thomas Withers. Of the forty- three votes cast Selby received nineteen, Wright thirteen and Withers ten. The election was held at the house of Archibald Pea and the election was certified to by Z. F. Selby and Aaron. A strange thing about this is that Selby himself was compelled to certify to his own election. Among the voters at the first elec- tion were Joseph Selby, G. Davidson, John Caldwell, John Catt, Thomas Withers, Philip Catt, Archibald Pea, John Johnson and others. Elections were held in Madison August 4, 1817. February 1818, August 3, 1818, August 7, 1819, 1820 and 1823. In the election in 1818, Madison Township cast ninety-two votes,
256
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
of which Robert Brenton cast the first vote and Harrison Black- grave cast the last one. In the election in 1823 300 votes were cast, while on November 8, 1824, only eleven votes were cast, the last election having been called to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Henry Hopkins as justice of the peace. In Janu- ary, 1818, David Kinman received eight votes for justice of peace with no opposition, while in the general election for gov- ernor in 1819, Gov. Jennings received sixty-eight votes while Christopher Harrison got twelve votes for the same office. While Madison Township was one of the first settled and is truly the pioncer township, and while it possesses an intelligent class of farmers, it has neither postoffice, railroad, pike, store nor busi- ness house of any kind, except one small blacksmithshop, yet it has a soil of almost inexhaustible fertility and yields the patient and industrious husbandman a rich reward for his toils; it is also well known that its pauper list is smaller than any other in the county.
A robbery was committed January 1, 1867, at Macon, Noxu- bee County Miss., the Southern Express Company having been sufferers to a large amount. A large reward had been offered by the company for the arrest of the thief and detectives were anxious for the reward. A requisition from the governor of Mis- sissipi had been made on the governor of Indiana for the person of Daniel Harrison alias J. W. Smith, a citizen of Madison Township, who was supposed to be connected with the robbery. Accordingly on the 12th day of February, 1867, while at Evansville on business he was suddenly arrested and thrown in jail and when on attempt was being made to have him released on a writ of habeas corpus, he was hurried across the river to Kentucky and taken to Macon, Miss. Word was sent to Representatives Wil- son and Barker who were at Indianapolis and the attention of the governor was called to the fact. He accordingly appointed Gen. Mansfield as agent for the State and he, with Richard Glad- dish, W. H. Gladdish and Robert Willis as' witnesses, proceeded to Mississippi where they found Harrison on trial for the robbery and in a fair way for the penitentiary. An alibi was quickly and clearly proven and he was accordingly brought home to his great satisfaction. It is a question if the detectives did not attempt to convict some one for the reward without regard to guilt.
257
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
The following is a list of land entries made in Washington and Madison Townships previous to the year 1818: George Ross and association, 1813; Jeremiah Arnold, 1813; Levi Kruman, 1813; R. Lett, 1816; Henry Brenton, 1807; Walter Reading, 1815; James Brenton, 1812; Moses Harrell, 1815; John Coonrad. four large tracts, 1815; Daniel Coonrad, 1815; Henry Miley, 1814; B. D. Savarns, 1814; Henry Miley, 1813; James Campbell, 1816, Silas Risby, 1813; Wolsey Pride, 1813; George Wallace, 1807; Wolsey Pride, 1808; James Brenton, 1807; David Hornady, 1815; Hosea Smith, 1812; Paul Tislow, 1807; Reading & Co., 1815; David Wease, David Kinnet(?), 1815; H. Smith, 1814; John Johnson, 1817; William Traylor, 1815; Hosea Smith, 1815; Paul Tislow, 1814; Samuel Baldwin, 1808; Trafton Bosen, 1815; John Defendall, 1811.
Clay and Logan Townships .- Clay was originally a part of Gibson County, and was attached to Pike by an act of the Leg- islature in 1824. The first election was held on the first Satur- day in October, 1824, for choosing a justice of the peace. It was held at the house of James Lamsdale, and this settler acted as inspector of elections. At said election James Hillman received twenty-two votes for justice of the peace and Chiarles White twenty votes. The second election was also held at the house of James Lamsdale, the third in 1828, at Charles White's and only eighteen votes were cast for president. In the first presidential election held in the township the following persons voted: Charles and Joshua Young, James Hillman, Fielding Coleman, William Hovey, Charles White, Samuel Polk, James Lamsdale, Isaac Knight, Adam Nixon, Joe Davidson, Jonathan Young, John Hill, Elias Roberts, William M. Wright and John Hillman. In the same election Thomas White was inspector, and William McDon- nald, Charles White and Philip Catt were clerks. The first set- tlement ever made in the county was in Clay Township while it was all yet a part of Knox. One Glass settled on a donation in this township in the vicinity of the Davidson settlement and after his death the widow married a man by the name of Conyer who was from Pennsylvania, and was a carpenter by trade. A settle- ment was also begun by Peter Frederick and by Capt. Reedy in the Catt neighborhood.
In addition to those already mentioned were the Chambers
258
HISTORY OF PINE CONSES
and Lindys. Many of those old settlers Have left famil. .. why still bear an honorable part in society. The increase of propala tion at first was quite slow. as is indicated by votes at different elections. In August, 1926, for Congress only eight votes were cast. This election, as were many subsequent elections, was held at the house of Charles White. In 1927. for representative only right were cast. while in November. 12. for President Jobb Adams received fifteen votes, and Andrew Jackson only three In 1829 John M. Gray received three votes, and William Wright six votes for justice of the peace, to fill a vacancy made by George Wright. A tread-mill and distillery was built north of China about 1835, also a tanyard, by Gen. William M. Wright as early as 1824, and continued in use till 1\10. T' first postoffice in the township was at the Old Red House, on the farm of Patter- son. Among the earlier postmasters were Daniel Lamsdale. Daniel Roberts and Judge Hornbrook.
Logan Township was originally a part of Madison. but was separated from it in 1846. It was named in honor of Robert Logan, who represented the county at that time in the Legisla ture. The commissioners at that time were Henry Brenton. Con- rad Coleman and Richard Selby.
The first election in the township was in April, Is46. at the house of Robert Crow, James O. Crow being inspector of the board. The election was for two justices, one inspector. two constables and two fence viewers. The first settlers of what is now Logan were Joseph Woodry, Michael Kime, Isaac Knight. Robert C. Johnson, James MeAtee, James Barnes, Samuel Barnes. John Barnes, Daniel Frederick, Adam Snyder and Isaac Loveless. Isaac Loveless built the first mill in the township in 1830.
Postoffice, Slump-Mill, Mines, Mineral Springs .- About 1838 Valentine Hart introduced the famous stump-mill into the township. This avoided the necessity of frame work for a mill, as a large tree was cut down and the stump smoothed off and hollowed out to fit one stone, and the other was fitted over that one, and by a slow process the corn was reduced to a very indifferent meal. Robert Hawthorn kept the first postoffice in the township at Hawthorn's Mill. It was established about 1850, and was kept up about ten years. There is an office now at West Saratoga Springs, and one at Oatsville, near the line of
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