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 23
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 23
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
259
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Gibson County. While Pike County is one continuous coal field of vast wealth, little has ever been done to develop it, for want of railroad facilities, until within the last few years. In 1850 A. J. Johnson discovered West Saratoga Springs, which attained some celebrity as a watering place. It might be said that almost every section of the county contains a mineral spring of more or less virtue.
Assistant State Geologist Collet, Rev. Lewis Wilson and Dr. James Wilson measured a large hickory tree in Section 8, Town- ship 1 south, Range 8 west, which was found to be over five feet in diameter, three feet above the ground, maintaining almost uni- form size to the height of sixty feet, without limbs. It is thought by Mr. Collet to be the largest tree of its kind in the world. The said tree is standing near West Saratoga Springs, in Logan Township.
Monroe Township .- Pike County at first was laid off into Madison, Washington, Jefferson and Harbison Townships. This was done by order of the county commissioners Monday, Feb- ruary 10, 1817, the commissioners being Paul Tislow, James Campbell and Harrison Blackgrave. In 1820 an order was passed by the board of county commissioners creating a new township to be called Monroe, the commissioners in this case were Moses Harrel, Peter Brenton and Jesse Traylor. The work was to be done by William Black and Henry Coleman. The order said it should be marked by " a line east and west three miles south of the principal (sic) meridian (base line) to include the whole of the county." The first election held in Monroe Township was Monday, March 20, 1820, at the house of Henry Coleman. At said election only thirty-one votes were cast, and William Doughten was elected justice of the peace. The follow- ing are some of the voters: David Black, James Slater, William Condor, George Davis, James Hedge, John Wyatt and William Ashby, Black having cast the first vote and Henry Coleman the last. A short time after this Adams Township was created, embracing what is now a portion of Columbia Township, Gibson County, and a part of Logan Township. The same authority made the second Saturday in December as the time for the first election, and the house of Samuel McDill as the place, and Henry Hopkins as inspector of elections.
260
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Washington Grange No. 652, was organized at the Thoma- Schoolhouse in Washington Township, November 6, 1873. The following were the charter members: H. C. Brenton, R. Selby. A. G. Thomas, Henry Gladdish. H. G. Selby, J. L. Brenton. J. T. Robinson, J. M. Robinson. J. O. M. Selby. L. G. Selbs. P. C. Abbot. J. W. Brumfield. J. P. Kinman, William Lomax. E. M. Selby, G. W. Tislow, John Tislow, J. E. Bottom. G. W Selby, Abbie Thomas, Amelia Thomas. Sarah A. Selby. Dora Thomas, Mary Kinman, Elizabeth Lomax, Kate Brenton and Polly Selby. The following were the officers: H. C. Brenton. Master. J. W. Brunfield, secretary. By donation from the mem- bers they built a suitable hall and purchased a good library, but the hall, furniture, library and all fixtures were destroyed by fire, April 11, 1580-the supposed work of an incendiary. In the fall of the same year a new hall was built, two miles west of where the old one stood. This grange has never attempted to run a store of their own. but frequently the members combine their orders and make pur- chases for the whole. The grange holds a grand feast once a year at their hall. The Washington Grange is the only one in the county, and we might say in this entire section of the State. The present officers are F. G. Selby, Master; H. C. Brenton, sec- retary. The present membership is forty-three, being an increase of nine within the last year.
In an election in Adams Township, in August, 1822, there were thirty votes cast. the election having been held at the house of James B. MeGarrah. In Monroe Township, in August, 1823. Isaac Montgomery received sixteen votes for State Senator, while David Robb received none for the same office. By an act of the Legislature about 1523, a portion of Gibson County was cut off and given to Pike, which was immediately erected into Clay Township, and the same aet took away a portion of Adams and gave to Gibson County, and the remaining portion was attached to Madison, but now forming a portion of Logan. At the same time what was formerly called Harbison Township, was attached to Dubois. There were only five or six elections ever held in Harbison Township while it was a part of Pike, and only twenty- one votes cast at any one time ; about the same number occurred in Adams, In 1838, the commissioners ordered Patoka Township to be set off from Monroe, the place of the first election to be at
261
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
the house of John Hathaway. The township took its name from the river of the same name. Logan was separated from Madison at the March term of the commissioners in 1846. Lockhart was taken out of Monroe in 1852, having its present boundaries from the first. It was named in honor of Judge Lockhart. The com- missioners at their September term in 1857, divided Patoka into two parts, the part set off being called Marion.
Stranger's Rest Lodge No. 585, I. O. O. F. was organized July 19, 1881, at Washington Grange Hall, with the following charter members: H. C. Brenton, A. C. West, J. B. F. Dearing, George W. Selby, F. G. Selby and Thomas Abell. The officers are H. C. Brenton, N. G .: A. C. West, V. G .; J. B. F. Dearing, R. S .; F. G. Selby, treasurer; G. A. Selby, P. S. The present membership is sixteen. The following are the officers: D. G. Smith, N. G .: A. D. Hollen, V. G .; G. W. Selby, secretary, and H. C. Brenton, treasurer.
As the settlements of all the south part of this county were made while it was yet Monroe Township, it would be impossible to separate the settlements of that part of the county. It is said that the first settlement made south of the Patoka, was in the year 1815, by Frank Taylor and George Adams, at Honey Springs. In 1817, Conrad LeMasters settled the old LeMasters farm. Conrad LeMasters was the father of Simeon LeMasters who is still living, and attended the first school ever taught in the township. John Ferguson lived in Monroe before 1820, as he taught school at Henry Springs that year. Among other men of mark of the time, who settled south of the river, or near it, were the Simpsons, the Masons, the Beattys, Hugh Shaw, - Ashby, Pilly Pancake Jacob Nelson. A. J. Wells, Daniel Crow, John Mar- tin, one of the first business men, Arthur Thompson, H. T. Thompson, John S. Johnson, Aziel Whitman and Newton Brenton.
Deer and turkeys existed in vast numbers; there were also num- bers of wolves, panthers, wild-cats and bears. It may be said that game was the chief subsistence of the early settlers. It was so abundant that the smaller game was not interfered with. The powder, lead and trouble being considered worth more than the game. When a deer was killed only the skin and hams were taken or sometimes the branching antlers to grace the hunter's humble home. A favorite way of cooking food was to hang a
2
262
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
piece of venison or turkey beneath a piece of bear meat and allow the dripping grease of the bear meat to fall on the deer or turkey and thus season them by means of the rich grease of the bear. Mills being so scarce, frequently venison, turkey or bear- meat and hominy was the only food, the hominy taking the place of bread. Some of the most noted hunters of the times were Conrad LeMasters already mentioned, David Bilderback, Peter Ferguson, L. Miller, Dan Miller, Joe Honchins, Benjamin Hon- chins, Dan Hedrick, John Davis, David Corn and Andrew Corn. Miller in one winter killed 125 deer, on one occasion he shot an old doe and while sitting on a log preparatory to dress her, a fawn came galloping by, when Miller plunged his hunting knife into it and killed it. Wolves were often killed by the hunters finding their dens and by catching the puppies and making them cry their cries would bring the old ones for protection and then they would kill them. This story is related in the Centennial: David Bilderback and Peter Ferguson went to a wolf's den, they knew of, intending to kill the puppies as the young wolves were called, and get their scalps for the reward then paid for wolf scalps. Bilderback stationed himself beside a tree at the entrance of the den to shoot any old wolves should any be attracted by the cries of the puppies. Ferguson entered the den and began the work of killing the puppies and cutting off their ears. The old ones came rushing at him in a terrible fury having heard the puppies' cries. But no shot was heard and Ferguson escaping barely with his life, rushed for his gun standing against a tree, and saw Bilderback up in a sapling hallooing to the wolves "begone." They drove the wolves off without having succeeded in killing any of them, but they finished scalping the puppies and got their prize for scalps. LeMasters once discovered a genuine snake den on Snake Knob, a hill 290 feet high between Pleasant- ville and Lynnville. He awaited till the cool weather of the fall so that all the snakes would be together, and would be somewhat torpid. He, accompanied by Park Bethell, John Ferguson and others opened the den and killed 300 rattlesnakes and 200 others of different kinds. The knob is to this day called "Snake Knob."
The above is given on the authority of Rev. John Ferguson, son of John Ferguson, Sr. On one occasion while LeMaster's dogs were fighting a bear in which the bear was getting the bet-
263
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
ter of the fight and fearing to shoot, for the safety of huis dogs he crept up behind the bear, while his attention was attracted to the dogs and plunged his hunting knife into his heart.
Flat-boats began to run down the river as early as 1825. Among those who took flat-boats to New Orleans were James Amos, John Wheatley, John Ferguson and J. W. Cockrum. Vast improvements were made in the comforts of living after this time. The boats were loaded with some grain but mostly with "deer- saddles," hides and game.
Usually several traders would lash their boats together and go down the river. sell out their goods. and boat if possible, and then would begin their long tedious journey homeward on foot through tangled everglades, swamps and canebrakes, always keep- ing near the river. After months of toil they would again re- turn, thinking nothing of their hardships. One authority says that the first boat ever sent down the Patoka was one loaded with pork in 1835, by J. W. Cockrun. It would not be out of place here to say that vast numbers of wild hogs were found in the woods. They were allowed to feed on the mast and roots and to care for themselves. About the only thing the owner would do would be to determine how many he thought he ought to have, and when fat he would kill that number if they could be found. The little expense of raising hogs and the small price they brought in the markets precluded the idea of any serious contests over them as they roamed the woods.
John Hathaway built a mill below the bridge at Winslow on Patoka over thirty years ago, another was built in an early day by A. J. Kinman. John Meyo had a mill near where Pikesville now is. Summary justice was usually meted to offenders of the law without the pomp of form or display of judicial ermine. On one occasion a man named Moore was convicted of horse steal- ing and as a punishment he was publicly whipped and branded on the cheek with a "T" indicating that he was a thief.
January 15, 1812. Aaron Decker made entries for land in Town 3 south, Range & west, a part of Section 6, eight acres; Town 3 south, Range S west, a part of Section 7, 137 acres; Town 3 south, Range 8 west, a part of Section 7, four acres; David Leonard made entry for land in Town 3 south. Range 8 west, a part of Section 8, 16 acres.
264
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Frequently there were full votes for some of the more import- ant offices, while for the lesser important there would be but few. besides the voters were not confined to any particular precinct. many times the votes being nearly all cast at Petersburg or some of the larger precincts. Frequently the name of a voter will be found among the names at one precinct and possibly at the next election his name will be found in another precinct.
At an election in 1833 for school commissioner there were only six votes cast at Petersburg, and they were all for James Brenton. The voters being John Butler, Thomas Mead, Paul Tislow, Thomas Withers, Elijah Malott and Hosea Smith, all of whom were on the election board except Butler and Smith. In Monroe in 1834 only twenty-one votes were cast at a general election. At the house of John Crow on the 6th of August, 1833, the following votes were registered: George Shaw, Alex Sever- cool, John Coleman, Ben Johnson, Samuel Didman. Philip Cole- man, Robert Ashby, Milt Hudson, Samuel Black, Henry Atkins, A. Coan, L. Coleman, Jesse Honchins, Daniel Black, H. Coleman, T. Macey, John Crow, Asa Crow, Daniel Ross, James Bates, Con- rad LeMasters, Thomas Rice, James Berdett, Emmett Almont, Joseph Pancake, John Face and Simeon LeMasters.
Long before the passage of the fugitive slave law, negroes were captured and returned to their masters not as a fulfillment of law, but for the reward that was always forthcoming. Not in- frequently innocent negroes were abducted from their homes by thieves dealing in human flesh. The earliest we have was the abduction of "Old Jim." A man named Sawyer living in North Carolina, held some land warrants and laid his claims in Pike County, west of Petersburg. Sawyer dying, the family moved to their claims and they brought "Old Jim" with them. He raised a crop for them in 1820, and had just married a woman of color who was living with the family of Isaac Montgomery. Suddenly "Old Jim" was missing and was never heard of afterward. A certain man was supposed to know his fate, but the public never learned. So strong was the feeling that "Old Jim's bones " fol- lowed that man, that, though he was frequently an aspirant for office, he never succeeded in getting one. At a little later date Mathias Mount moved with his family and settled on White River, and brought with them a little negro girl, " Merit," who
26.
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
was to stay with the family until grown and then have her free- dom. Mrs. Osborn. mother of Elias Osborn, her sister and "Merit" were sent to the field to piek cotton and in addition were to call at Archibald Campbell's, who live.l where George H. Siple now lives, to borrow a flat-iron. The negro girl was sent from the field to Mr. Campbell, while the other girls awaited her return to the field, that they then might return home. "Merit" never reached Campbell's nor was she seen afterward. There was a strong feel- ing in the county against slavery but not a strong one for inter- fering with it as it was. On the passage of the fugitive slave law in 1850 feelings on this question were greatly intensined. As early as 1837 two negroes, one named Sam, were arrested and guarded in Petersburg, awaiting word to be sent to Kentucky, when some anti-slavery men slipped them away from their guards and hid them in Posey Coal Shaft for a time, when they made their escape. George Deen, living near Winslow; Lewis Wilson, near Coat's Springs; Dr. John W. Posey, at Petersburg; a Mr. Stevenson, in Daviess County, and Benjamin Moore, at New- berry were considered friends to runaway negroes, while H. W. Kinman, Josiah Hoggatt, James W. Bass, George H. Seott and Jackson Kinman were particularly eonspienons for their efforts against runaways and made themselves very obnoxious to the con- servative element. In 1833 three runaway negroes were chased down and captured near the fair grounds. The excitement over the event was intense. The people turned out as if the negroes were wild beasts. The fugitives were taken to Kinman Hotel, where Mr. King now lives, and tied to await their masters. The captors received $300 for their services. A negro from Vincennes came to Petersburg and opened a barber shop. A man named Turner, from Washington, with two other men concocted a seheme to have " Morris" taken into slavery. A description of him had been previously made out and sent to Petersburg. Morris was ar- rested and of course answered to the description. Turner swore he had eaten at his master's table and knew the negro well. Dr. Adams and Robert LaPlant and others swore to the negro's birth and freedom, and he was accordingly released. As a historie fact, Morris was the first barber in the county. The rapid changes of thirty-one years enabled the negroes to hold religious services almost on the very spot, where the three were captured in 1835.
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
The coming ou of the war with the changes wrought by it, ended all the struggles over the question of slavery.
The efforts of Pike County for an outlet to the great business ne aters began with the " Internal Improvement System " of the thirties. the Wabash & Erie Canal being the branch that affected this county. The failure of the State to complete the work with- out complete bankruptcy, the leasing the same to a syndicate by the donation of a vast amount of Congress lands, the failure of the company to complete the job honestly, and their efforts to sad- dle the debt upon the State, again by persistent lobbying, and the final triumph of the State, are matters of history. The next ef- fort for outlet was in the old "Straight Line " from Evansville to Indianapolis. To this enterprise the citizens donated over $100,- 000 in money and a vast amount of labor and other assistance, but the failure of Willard Carpenter and the Alfords to pay for labor and supplies, brought wreck and ruin to many, particularly to the laborers and small farmers along the line. Many never recovered from the crash of 1854 and 1855. The next effort that seemed likely to succeed was the Air Line, organized and par- tially constructed in 1868. The road failed under the first man- agement, but was reorganized under a new management of which Stephen Boyle was president. The franchise of the old having been bought by the new, and by very liberal aid along the line, Patoka and Marion voting a two per cent tax as aid, the road was at last completed in 1879. The completion of the Air Line was the beginning of a new era of prosperity to the county. The vast coal fields of the county are being opened up with their untold wealth. Ingleton, Whitman and Ayrshire are sources of great wealth to their owners, and supply vast quantities of coal to New Albany, St. Louis, and other markets, besides the road furnishes transportation to market for produce and other commodities. In 1879 the old Straight Line was revived again under the "Her- vey " management. A proposition was made by Hervey to build the road through Washington Township on condition of the town- ship voting a two per cent tax-about $18,500-and private donations enough to swell the amount to $40,000. The most of the private subscriptions were promptly paid, but on the failure to complete the road according to contract, or at least the spirit of the contract, the two per cent tax was refused.
267
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Labor and supplies were not paid for by the management, something the people justly demanded. Only one install- ment of the tax was ever placed on the tax duplicate, and that was not collected. However, it is but just to state that Hervey completed the road from Washington to Petersburg. Suit has been brought against the county commissioners for the tax, and the case is now in the supreme court on an appeal. The road was thrown into the hands of a receiver, and has since passed into the hands of Mackey, who has completed the road to Evansville with- out further aid from the county. Thus, after nearly thirty years of delay, the Straight Line is a success, and the county is sharing the benefits.
During a portion of the year 1883, and several years previous, the people of Stendal and vicinity were annoyed by a band of counterfeiters, who were operating, not only throughout Pike County, but several counties of the State. They grew so bold and defiant that a remedy became necessary. Killing stock, steal- ing, and terrorizing the citizens by threats and insults, forcing spurious coin upon them, and many other criminal acts, were common occurrences. The authorities were informed, and Detect- ive Charles Hobbs was sent to Stendal under the guise of a doctor, assisted by J. M. Killian. Negotiations were carried on with the band for nearly a year, and it was found that the spurious money was made in Crawford County, near New Albany. When every- thing was deemed ready, the quiet people of Stendal were sur- prised when, November 1, 1883, United States Marshal Fos- ter, with a heavy force of detectives swooped down upon the place, and after a terrific fight, in which Jesse Honchins, Joseph Honchins and Detective Killian were wounded, the second dan- gerously, succeded in arresting almost the entire gang. Jesse and Columbus Honchins were sentenced to seven years in the penitentiary by Judge Woods, of the United States Court, Joseph Honchins five years, Zimri Kinder three years, and Wesley Woods three years. Others received lighter sentences.
The following was placed on record November 28, 1817:
This indenture, made and entered into this 28th day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, between Francis Cunningham, of the county of Knox, and State of Indiana, of the one part, and Ede, a woman of color, of Pike County, of the other part, she being of full age, Witnesseth, that the said Ede, for and in consideration of the sum of two hundred
268
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
and eighty dollars, good and lawful money, to her in hand paid by the said Fran- cis Cunningham, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and him, the said Francis thereof, forever exonerated and discharged. The said Ede doth hereby voluntarily, and of her own free will and accord, bind herself to serve the said Francis, his heirs or assigns. either within or without the State, as an indented servant, for and during. the term of thirty years from this date, fully to be com- pleted and ended, her said master's secrets keep, his lawful commands gladly do and obey, for and during the said term of thirty years, and the said Francis Cunningham hereby obligates himself to find the said Ede good sufficient meat, drink, clothing, fit and sufficient for an indented servant, for and during the said term of thirty years, and also to pay to the said Ede, at the expiration of said thirty years, one good feather bed, bedstead andclothing. and also two good and sufficient suits of clothes. In witness whereof the said Ede and Francis Cun- ningham have herennto set their hands and affixed their seals the day and year first above written.
FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM. Her
EDE x Mark.
a free woman of color.
Witness:
JOHN MCINTIRE.
Taken and acknowledged before me, Joseph W. Loan, a justice of the peace in and for said county
JOSEPH W. LOAN.
The following ventures were made on the tempestuous sea of matrimony in 1817: Ephraim McLean and Jane Blackgrave, Hiram Kinny and Hannah Goodwin, David Miley and Nancy McManis, James Blackgrave and Peggy Curry, Thomas Mills and Roda Lindley, Thomas Stewart and Elizabeth Simington, James Poor and Juliet Williams, Job Weace and Rachael Harbi- son, B. Twitty and Rebecca Brittain, Peter Wolf and Mary Frederick, Samuel Kinman and Carrie Love Traylor, Thomas A. Good and Priscilla Williams, Ebenezer Case and Elizabeth McBride, Elijah Malott and Selah Kinman, Alexander McDaniel and Rachel Harbison, Joseph W. Loan and Susan Potts, James Harris and Juratia McCain.
Indians and Mound Builders .- What school-boy is there whose blood has not been made to thrill while reading the stories of In- dian atrocities and Indian butcheries? He is ready to shoulder gun, dress in deer-skin suit, and with his hunting knife, start out to avenge the wrongs committed by those red men of the forest. Next to the bandit story, the Younger or James brothers, or Buf- falo Bill, the Indian story of massacre catches the average boy, little thinking that where he now walks to school or plows the furrow the Indian walked, and all within the memory of people now living. While the school-boy's blood boils to shed the blood of an Indian, there is the sentimentalist who grieves over the "noble
269
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
red man " and sheds tears for " Lo! the poor Indian. Notwith standing, there is a studied indifference as to the fate of the In- dian. The writers experience with him in his uncivilized state is that he is a very uncertain, careless, indolent and untrustwor- thy individual, while if brought within the pale of civilization he readily develops habits and traits worthy of his white brother. The law of development in mind is slow, and a course of training extending hundreds of years back into the misty past cannot be overcome in a short time. For this reason the spasmodic re- former soon gives up the task of making anything out of the In- dian and abandons the undertaking in disgust.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.