USA > Indiana > Posey County > History of Posey County, Indiana : from the earliest times 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 24
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
first school was taught by Samuel Annable; of his school there is no report. In 1844 Isaac Knapp was teacher; he reported a number studying the higher mathematics, six Latin, and one Greek.
Isaac Knapp was compelled to resign on account of ill health, and for a short period. there was no school in the seminary. The report of 1845 states that Thomas Collins and wife "had a good school" of thirty scholars, of whom six were studying Latin and one Greek. In 1847 Mr. Collins left the school and again there was no teacher. George Knapp taught for a time but the year can not be ascertained. The trustees report their inability to get a foreign teacher. Rev. R. K. Dibble reported on the last day of May, 1847, that the school averaged twenty-eight scholars for the term. In September, 1850, the trustees of the institution were out of debt and had a surplus of $277.66.
Mr. Dibble, the principal, reported an average of sixty-five with classes in Greek, Latin, geometry, algebra, and the com- mon branches, and that the average cost of tuition per scholar was $4.00. As an encouragement to patronage, and to give all parts of the county some benefit of the school, the trustees recommended that free scholarships should be given to one or two in each township. They thought further that this would tend to "allay prejudice." The later principals were the Rev. J. S. Barwick and Rob B. McCann. This brought the school up to 1860. The adoption of the constitutional amendment, in 1853, providing for the free school system and the putting of the same into operation a few years later, rendered the seminary as a sep- erate institution unnecessary, and it was accordingly sold and the proceeds transferred to the common school fund.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MOUNT VERNON.
The schools of Mount Vernon were properly brought to a sys- tem under Prof. A. J. Snoke, who was the first superintendent. He began his work in 1870. The school buildings are named re- spectively: High School, East Ward, West Ward and Seminary (colored school). The high school building was erected in 1868 at a cost of about $17,000. The east and the west building were erected 1869 at a cost of $5,500 each. The other superintendents have been N. E. Clark and Davis. In 1882 Prof. P. P. Stultz took charge
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
of the schools, under whose management they have been very suc- cessful. The high school course requires three years to complete. The teachers for the school year of 1885-86 are P. P. Stultz, superintendent; Chris Menmann, assistant superintendent and teacher of German; O. S. Levell, principal of high school; R. O. Cavanah, principal of West Ward; P. D. Alexander of the East Ward and Ollie Cooper, principal of colored school, with Gertrude Bland assistant and teacher; intermediate teachers are Mary Brown and Alice Howard; primary teachers are Emma Rhine, Sallie Whitworth, Mary P. Jaquees, Etta Larkin, Jennie Lichten- berger, Julia Abbott, and Nannie Foshee. The following gradu- ated in 1883: Jennie Lichtenberger, Miss Loveland, Julia Schis- ley, Rose Armhuster, Jessie Spencer, Mabel Thomas, Belle Fuhrer, Zella Harris, Emma Rhine, Sherman Carr, Minnie Sullivan, and Nora Woody. There were no graduates for 1884; for 1885 there are Mamie Dunn and Cora Duckworth.
CHURCHES, CAMP MEETINGS, MINISTERS, ETC.
It is thought that the Rev. Samuel Jones, a Baptist minister, was the first minister to preach in the county. Preaching at first was either in private houses or in the grove, as churches had not yet been built. Private houses though small would accommodate the people reasonably well as there were comparatively few peo- ple to attend church. Certain private houses became fixed places of worship as church houses now are; besides denominational lines were hardly so clearly drawn as now. The first Methodists who rode the circuit in this county were Revs. Thomas King and Thomas Davis, who came in 1815, and about the same time came Rev. John Schrader who died in 1880 at the advanced age of ninety years. It would be an unpardonable injustice to the mem- ory of this remarkable man to pass him in silence. He stood as it were "between the living and the dead" for nearly three-quar- ters of a century, preaching the gospel in all its simplicity and purity, and was himself a monument of Christian character. The Rev. Jones above mentioned performed the marriage ceremony in 1815, joining "William C. Carson and Caty Jane Donaldson," and "William Givens and Polly Bird." The Cumberland Pres- byterians had preaching as early as 1820. The ministers of this denomination were originally from Kentucky or Tennessee. Among
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
the most distinguished were two of the Denneys, Carsins, John and William Barnett, David Lowry, William Lynn commonly called uncle "Billy," and Hiram A. Hunter who recently died at his home in Louisville at a very advanced age. The Christian body or New Lights had preaching in the county as early as 1816 by Rev. James Multry and Joseph Wasson; the latter is usually considered the founder of that denomination in the southern part of the State.
Other denominations came in later. In 1823 the entire south- west corner of the State was called by the Methodists, the "Pa- toka Circuit." December 27, 1828, this county belonged to the " Princeton Circuit," November 21, 1835, it was changed to the " Evansville Circuit;" and December 24, 1836, it was made the " Mount Vernon Circuit." The following is a list of presiding elders between 1823 and 1850: William Beauchamp, James Arm- strong, C. Holliday, George Locke, Enos G. Woods, Aaron Woods, John Miller, H. S. Talbot, John Kern, John Kerger and E. Whitten. Black's chapel was erected in 1849 on land then belonging to Ezekiel Black. The consideration of the deed was $1. The first trustees were Thomas Harrison, Thomas Todd, Samuel Templeton, Ezekiel Black and Jacob Turner. The present mem- bership is between twenty and thirty. Prairie Chapel has a mem- bership of about thirty, and was organized about the same time. Welborn's Chapel was built in 1857, on the land owned by Eli Aldridge; the trustees of the church were Samuel Aldridge, James Welborn, A. Platt, Moses Bacon and R. Harrison. Preach- ing had been at Welborn as early as 1824. Regular conferences were begun there in 1825. Regular camp grounds were estab- lished near John Welborn's about 1830. Nathan Ashworth and Joseph Price were made class leaders in 1823. Joseph Whit- worth and Nathan Ashworth were licensed to exhort in 1825; William Pool, Andrew Joel, William Bonner, Absolom Duck- worth in 1836. Duckworth's license was revoked in 1839. Jo- seph Shasers became a licensed exhorter in 1844. Prominent Methodist families at the first organization of the church were the Welborns, Aldridges, Ashworths and Blacks. The Mount Pleasant Church of General Baptists is located about three miles northeast of Mount Vernon on the Blackford road; it was organized in 1825. The members met in private houses for a time. A Union Church
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
was built by the General and Regular Baptists. This was a small log house, but it was soon replaced by a larger house. The last named house burned down. The present house was erected in 1853 and has a seating capacity of 300. The church at first num- bered seven members, Rev. Benoni Stinson was the first pastor. For fifteen years previous to 1883, Nelson Blackburn was pastor most of the time. Rev. William Clark took charge of the church in 1883. In 1866 the membership was 240, now it is about 160. The church has maintained a successful Sabbath-school. The land on which the church stands was obtained for $1, and "good will." The trustees in 1874 were E. W. Case, Romelie F. Mills and Perry Utley.
CHURCHES OF MOUNT VERNON.
Services of all denominations were held at first in private houses. In 1828 a small brick house was erected on the corner of Main and Sixth Streets .. This was a Union Church house and was used by the various denominations. The increasing population rendered this too small, and in 1840 the Christians erected a new church on Fifth Street between Main and Walnut. The lot was deeded by Aaron Baker and William Hendricks. Elijah Goodwin and James Moore were trustees.
The church was organized in 1833. Early members were Aaron and John Baker, William Hendricks, James Moore, Noble Craig, William H. Larkin, Mrs. Larkin, William Daniel and the Donsonchett family. The first minister was Elijah Goodwin; later ones were Philo Dibble, Flower, Mason and McReynolds. Meth- odist preaching was first held at the house of Jesse Y. Welborn. They had preaching at private houses and in the brick church above mentioned till 1840, when they erected the church now owned by the German Methodists on Fourth Street between Wal- nut and Mulberry. This was used till 1852, when on April 1, it was sold to the German Methodists. The trustees of sale were W. J. Lowry, Richard Barter, William Nettleton, E. T. Sullivan, Milton Black, John A. Mann and Isaac W. White. The trustees of purchase were G. M. Bush, Phillip Stiehl, Frederick Sher- baum, Frederick Schultz and Adam Pfeiffer. The consideration was $400. The present church on Walnut between Fourth and Fifth was built in 1853. The membership of this church now is 230.
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
Catholic Church .- Old Father Durbin, as he is popularly called, the pioneer priest of Kentucky, visited the Catholics of Mount Vernon until the year 1851. The first Catholic settlers were E. P. Schenck, Francis Schenck, Michael Scheidel, August Keifer and John Schaler. Rev. Roman Weinzoeffel paid regular visits to Mount Vernon from 1851, and held services in the parlors of the brothers Schenck. Through the efforts of Rev. Weinzoeffel, in 1857 a lot was purchased for $660 and upon it was built the first church, a brick 40x42 feet. By liberal subscriptions the cost, $2,000, was soon covered, and the church, St. Matthew's, was ded- icated in October, 1857, with great solemnity by Kev. E. J. Dur- bin. By the rapid increase in the congregation the accommoda- tions were found insufficient, and in 1877 it was concluded to build a new church, which was begun in 1879 and completed and solem- nized 1880 by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Chatard, of Indianapolis. The building is of Roman style of architecture, 50x112 feet, with spire 146 feet high, and built at a cost of $10,000, and furnished inside for $1,700. The strength of the congregation is over 700, and still growing. The Catholics have endeavored to keep a good paro- chial school from the first. A number of good teachers were em- ployed until the arrival of Jacob Weiss, who conducted a school successfully for thirteen years. In 1862 an excellent schoolhouse was erected on the church lot, before which school was kept in rented rooms. On the death of Mr. Weiss the Sisters of St. Fran- cis took charge of the school, and have maintained its high char- acter since. They now contemplate building an academy. The Catholics have a burial ground of their own about two and one- half miles from Mount Vernon, in which are buried about 200 persons.
Lutheran Church .- In 1853 about twelve German citizens resolved to start a German Evangelical congregation. Services were held in private houses for several years with gratifying suc- cess. In 1857 the congregation built a new frame church, at a cost of $800, and it was consecrated June 28, of the same year. The first regular minister was F. H. H. Schmitz, and the church was called "Evangelical Trinity." The ministers from 1857 to 1880 have been Grasson, Haefer, Luesher, Doermer, Baur, Burk- art, Koes, Schneider, and C. C. Gebauer, the present pastor, who was chosen in 1880. In 1883 the congregation resolved to build
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
a new church, which was completed and consecrated March 17, 1884. The cost of the building, including the finish and furni- ture, was over $10,000. The church is 40x70 feet with a spire- 143 feet. The congregation now numbers sixty-five families, em- bracing some of the most prominent of Mount Vernon.
Presbyterian Church .- The Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon was organized in 1839 with ten members, of whom Mrs. Mary P. Stewart is the only one now living. The first minister was Rev. Rankin, who came as missionary and held monthly services ; he supplied the church about one year. The next were the Revs. Kimball and Tiffany, each served about three years in the order named, and both were farmers and depended mainly on their physical labor for the support of their families. In addition to doing farm work Mr. Tiffany was a carpenter, and it was through his efforts at manual labor that the first church house, a frame, was built. This was done in 1851. All the before- mentioned men were New School men. Rev. Charles Fitch was the next minister; he also did farm work, and had charge of the church several years. N. T. Tuck succeeded Fitch; both preached and taught school. He is the only one living, so far mentioned. Rev. T. W. Mitchell was pastor of the church two years, and was principal of the public schools one year. Rev. Fisher next served the church, he preached for a time at the seminary. Rev. A. Taylor preached for the church about two and one-half years, . and John L. Yomley about five years. The three last named are still living. Rev. B. Mills was pastor of the church about three months, he was a lawyer by profession. Rev. John Mont- gomery served the church about two and one-half years, he is now president of Caldwell Female College at Danville, Ky. Rev. H. A. Dodge was pastor one year; Rev. Bailey, two months; Rev. L. C. Littell, one year, and Rev. A. E. Chase is the present pastor. The membership of the church now is about seventy-three.
German Methodist Episcopal Church .-- The German Methodist Societies are identical with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Its first missionary was William Nash, and its first society was organ- ized in Cincinnati in 1836. The society at Mount Vernon was or- ganized in 1843, with about twelve members, it was then conduct- ed with the Evansville Mission which embraced the classes at Evansville, Mount Vernon and Marrs. The first missionary was
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
Peter Schmucker. Philip Stiehe and wife, Carl Schneider and wife and Carl Hens and wife were prominent members at the time of the organization. The church owned by the German Methodists was bought the English speaking Methodists in 1832. In 1883 this society was constituted a self-supporting station, and during this year the parsonage was bought. The following ministers have been appointed to the society since its organization: P. Schmucker, H. Koeneke, C. Heistmeyer, F. Backer, H. Koch, L. Miller, M. Schnurle, Ph. Doerr, J. H. Barth, J. Haus, A. Gerlach, F. A. Hoff, H. Wulzen, J. Reiber, F. Ruff, F. Pfeiffer, H. Wulzen and F. Ruff, the present pastor. The fol- lowing amount of moneys has been raised for the conference year (1884-85): for missionary cause, $110; conference claims, $30; orphans, $23; Bible, Sunday-school, education freedmen, tract and other causes, $180. Present membership is 175. Pastor's salary, $600.
HARMONY TOWNSHIP:
This township occupies the middle of the western part of the county; and took its name from the Harmonites who settled there in 1814-15. The history of the township is so interminably interwoven with the history of the Rapp and the Owen commun- ities as to be difficult to separate. As will be seen elsewhere, the Rappites owned and settled the greater part of this township, :. and on their departure the followers of Mr. Owen took their places. The population and wealth of this township is second only to Black. The township embraces between 15,000 and 20,000 acres of land, and this is most admirably suited for farm- ing, to which purpose it is almost entirely devoted. As before stated, the most extensive land owners, previous to 1825, were George Rapp and association, and Frederick Rapp. The Rapps entered the most of their lands in 1825. William Rogers en- tered lands in 1815; Ignatius Leavitt in 1814, and John Phil- lips in 1811. Robert Allen entered the lands owned by him in 1814; William Stattings in 1816, and Mr. Allen in' 1809. All these were entered at the land office at Vincennes.
Usually the owner went there on horseback, not unfrequently he traveled the narrow road alone. Thomas Randolph entered lands in
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
the township in 1814; Isaac White in 1807, and Robert Randolph 1815. It was at his house that regimental musters were some- times held under the old militia law of the State. Berry and Henry Venable took lands in 1816; John Rogers, in 1814; Sam- uel Jaquess, in 1813, and John Gray, in 1809. It will be observed that nearly all these lands lay to the eastern part of the town- ship, as the Harmonites held nearly all in the vicinity of New Harmony. Benjamin Cater entered land in 1818; William Cross, in 1813; William H. Shepard, in 1819; Isham Fuller, in 1811, and Elias Altizer who was a resident of Lynn Township. Thomas Tuggles entered his lands in 1811; James Ritchey, in 1814, and William Nelson, in 1814; Thomas Barton, in 1814, and Nathaniel Ewing who lived at Vincennes, and who was con- nected with the old Vincennes Bank at the time of its failure. The Cox family were very prominent in the eastern part of the township, as were the Stallings and Stilwell families. Jonathan T. Emerson, who was identified with almost every public enter- prise, lived about four miles east of New Harmony.
THE CUT-OFF.
This place as the name indicates, is cut off from the main land by an arm of the river. The area of land embraced in the body, consists of about 2,000 acres of land of very rich soil. This was occupied by the Rappites in 1815; the land yielded them rich harvests, and the cut-off chute afforded an excellent mill site for water-power of which they availed themselves. The government has recently expended considerable money for the improvement of the river at this point. The wing-dam built near the head of the chute has been a failure.
MOUNDS, INDIAN RELICS, ETC.
Mounds of the Mound-Builders are frequently met with in dif- ferent parts of the township. A few moderate sized mounds may be seen in the old Rapp Graveyard. A hill below town near the grave- yard bears evidences of having been used by the Indians or Mound- Builders for burial or sacrificial purposes, as bones and shells have been found buried there. The hill was found by Dr. Richard Owen, to be 163 feet in height. An old Indian "trace" is yet dis- tinctly seen where it has been almost obliterated by cultivation,
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
through not only the township, but the entire county. It began about the Shawnee villages in Illinois, and crossed the river into Point Township, and on through Posey, Gibson and Knox Coun- ties to Vincennes, thence east through Pike by way of White Oak Springs, Dubois County, by way of the Mud Holes, thence by way of the Martin County Springs, and finally to the falls at Louisville.
ROBB TOWNSHIP.
This township was named in honor of the Robbs, early and prominent settlers. It is located in the extreme north of the county, being adjacent to Smith, Center, Harmony and Bethel Townships, the Wabash River on the west and Gibson County on the north. The original boundaries, as appears of record March 24, 1817, included the whole of Bethel and a goodly portion of Harmony Township. , The present area is 23,560 acres. The surface is agreeably diversified, the greater portion being undu- lating, that near the Wabash and Black Rivers being level while parts remote from these streams are much higher, rising in places to such a height as to be denominated hills. Numerous brooks thread the township in all directions, which together with the contiguous streams of the Wabash and Black Rivers, Big Creek and Cox's Creek afford drainage and water supply unexcelled elsewhere, and renders the atmosphere sufficiently humid for ample rainfall to mature the various crops and insure a bountiful harvest. Her soil is principally a black sandy loam, especially so in the low and level lands, while the higher lands have a clayey mixture. Wheat and corn, the principal products, grow well on either soil, though corn is grown principally on the former and wheat on the latter. The average yield of corn will approximate fifty bushels per acre, while many farms yield as high as seventy- five to 100 bushels.
The wheat crop usually averages twenty bushels. Well clovered lands with good tillage and favorable seasons, frequently yield forty bushels per acre. Oats, barley, rye, clover, timothy, vegetables and fruits of various kinds, and in fact any and all products that usually grow in this climate, can be produced in paying quantities. The township was originally almost an
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
unbroken forest of heavy timber, the ground being covered with spice wood and pea vines. The timber was composed in part of large quantities of white oak, hickory, walnut, poplar and ash. Game was abundant, such as deer, bears, wolves, wild cats, cata- monnts and panthers; of the feathery tribe were turkeys in great abundance, eagles, ravens, pheasants, prairie chickens, ducks and paroquets.
Our sturdy ancestors having thought only of carving for themselves a home out of the wilderness, felled or "deadened" all timber as one common enemy, only reserving sufficient of the oak, poplar, ash and walnut to fence the "clearing." On many farms black walnut rails may yet be seen that were split by the first settlers, and that, too, in a tolerable state of preservation. Many of the best farms would to-day bring twice, yes in some instances many times their present value, if the woodsman's ax had not touched a tree. But notwithstanding the great sacrifice of valuable timber, there yet remains much oak, poplar, ash and an abundance of inferior grades. Walnut was originally very plentiful and of good quality, but the greater portion of what was not destroyed has found its way into market. An area of twenty acres of timber owned by T. C. Jaquess, produced 75,000 feet of first-class walnut lumber.
In addition to preparing ground for corn and other crops, the flax patch was not to be overlooked. Since all dressed in home- spun, a flax patch was an essential to every family. The process: of pulling, rotting, breaking, swingling, hackling and spinning flax was both laborious and tedious, but it was all accomplished with a hearty good will by buxom rosy cheeked lassies and stout hearted mothers.
The original price of land, known at that time as Congress land, was $2 per acre, but was afterward reduced to $1.25, while swamp lands sold for 122 cents. Land now ranges from $50 to $100 per acre, with an average of probably $60. Nearly all farms are in a good state of cultivation, many being beautified by neat residences and commodious barns and granaries.
THE FIRST SETTLERS.
The first settlers in the township of whom there is any rec- ord were Joshua Overton and Joseph Montgomery, who came
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
with their families in 1808. Though there are no records of the fact, yet it is quite probable that there were settlers in the town- ship as trappers and hunters at the beginning of the present century. The following persons entered land up to 1818: Will- iam Nelson and Robert Allmon, 1809; James Allen, Samuel Mur- phy, Joseph Johnson, 1810; Jonathan Jaquess, Maxwell Jolley, Thomas Shouse, Thomas Allmon, Daniel Drake, James Rankin, John Cox, 1811; James Murphy, 1812; John Wilkins, Thomas Robb, 1813; Right Stallings, Peter Jones, William Harrigan, Warner Clark, Simeon Reecles, John Stroud, John Waller, Thomas and William Harrison, Harrison Sartin, John Gwaltney, William Stallings, Langston Drew, Leander Defer, Thomas Owens, John Crabtree, William Price, Thomas Rogers, John Robards, 1814; John Drew, William Gray, Nathan Britton, John Calvin, Richard Harrison, William McPherson, Ezekiel Kight, 1815; Clement Estes, Joseph Endicott, Joshua Overton, Thomas McLure, Legro Bennett, John Calvin, Jesse Britton, Frederick Rapp, James Anderson, Jesse Cox, 1816; Lawrence Stull, John Walker, 1817; James Robb, 1818. Thomas Allmon and Ezekiel Kight, of the foregoing list, and Adam Fisher were soldiers un- der Gen. Harrison at the memorable battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Allmon and Fisher both received wounds, while Kight was made famous by the fact that fourteen balls passed through his coat without touching his person. His descendants still keep the coat as a memento of the event, and it is regarded as a great curiosity. On the 25th of September, 1815, the settlement of the township received quite an impetus by the arrival of a colony of forty-four persons from the vicinity of Cynthiana, Ky. They located about one mile from Poseyville, near the site of the fa- mous Sulphur Springs waters, which it may be remarked par- enthetically, though they bring not immortal youth, are fast becoming recognized as a powerful remedial agent in the cure of many ills, especially those of the stomach and kindred diseases. Prominent among the settlers were Jonathan Jaquess, James Rankin, Joseph Endicott, William Casey and Alexander Fergu- son. Of the forty-four who arrived only five remain on the stage of life, viz .: Asburry C. Jaquess, Cynthiana, Ind .; Harry Endi- cott, Arkansas City, Kas .; Betsey Cooper, Terre Haute, Ind .; Polly Price, Grayville, Ill .; Lucinda Casey, Poseyville. John
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