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 27
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SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, CHURCHES, ETC.
Polly Ball is granted the honor of being the first schoo teacher in Centre Township. She taught in a little log house on Stalling's farm; this had been an old dwelling house. This was as early as 1820. Schools were also taught at Robinson's and Gale's. The first schoolhouse was built about one-half mile south of town and Polly Ball taught the first school in this house, and after her Turner Nelson, and he was followed by Zachariah Wade. Another schoolhouse was built a short distance north of Wadesville, at a little later date.
A new schoolhouse need not excite wonder, as one such as was used in those days could be built by a few men in a day. Other
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
early teachers were Samuel Gray; John R. Hays, who was con- sidered a good teacher; Daniel B. Craddic also was a good teacher, as well as George Grant and Nicholas Harmon. Thomas Moye, still living near Wadesville, was a pioneer teacher. James Ferguson taught in the early schools of the township. On the adoption of the free school system in 1855, the township was not slow to take advantage of the system, and free schools were soon funded for all. The township now has-schoolhouses and employs -teachers at an average salary of about $2.25 per day, and a school term of about 100 days with a steady growth for the better. Notwithstanding the moral sentiment of the community is fully up to the average, there is only one church in the township, Mount Zion-a general Baptist Church. This house is in Section 26, and was built on lands formerly owned by John R. Skelton. The church was built in 1876, with Weston Lewis, Robert Willis and Francis Tennison as trustees. The membership of the church is not large.
RAILROADS, TRAGEDIES, ETC.
Centre Township labored many years under difficulties for want of an outlet for her produce. This placed her at a disad- vantage as compared with sisters. The difficulty was removed when by voting a bonus of $7,191.60 to aid the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad, that branch was extended through the township. The aid was voted in October, 1881, and the road was completed the following year. Great have been the changes since the completion of the road. A man named Stanley, a school teacher, and a stranger, were passing through the township many years ago; the body of Stanley was found near the road side, partially decayed. It bore evidence of foul play. The murderer was never found. The body lies buried on the farm of John Kelton. William Hays once killed a man named Odell by stabbing. Hays went away and was never brought to justice. December 6, 1864, John Garris, or Garress, for a trivial cause, killed Michael Herman, a stage driver at Wadesville. He was sentenced to be hung, but his sentence was changed to imprison- ment for life. He has since died in prison. Henry Roeder killed William Quincy at Wadesville in December, 1870. Roeder was sent to the penitentiary for five years for the crime.
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
LAND ENTRIES.
The following parties made land entries at the dates annexed: William Dodge, 1815; John McReynolds, 1817; Sharp Garress, 1816; Andrew Cavitt, 1815; Wright Stallings, 1817; Joseph McReynolds, 1817; John Ashley, 1819; Jesse Stallings, 1817; Ajax Campbell, 1818; David Ball, 1818; E. Cross, 1815; Joan- athan Robinson, 1818; Enoch Fillingen, 1819; Archibald South, 1819; Michael Smith, 1818; Thomas Smith, 1818; George Rapp & Association, 1815; James Owens, 1818; John Crunk, 1816; John Hay, 1817; Frederick Rapp, 1817; William Nelson, 1816; Samuel Scott, 1817; Thomas Wilson, 1816; Al Wilson, 1817; John D. Hay, 1817; D. Lynn, 1816; David A. Willis 1817; John Stallings, 1816; Jacob Kern, 1816; William Alexander, 1816; Thomas Leavett, 1817; William Wier, 1815; James Robb, 1818; John Gray, 1809; Thomas Rogers, 1809.
MARRS TOWNSHIP.
At a meeting of the board of the county commissioners of Posey County, held March 24, 1817, at Blackford, which was then the county seat, Marrs Township was organized, and named in honor of Samuel R. Marrs, one of the pioneers of the township, and one of the first county commissioners. He was also the first sheriff of Warrick County. He died in this county in 1818. The town- ship, one of the largest in the county, is bounded on the north by Robinson Township; on the east, by Vanderburg County; on the south, by the Ohio River, and on the west, by Black Township.
The following are the names of some of the early settlers of the township: Alexander Barton, Moses Calvin, George Daws, John Caborn, William Hutcheson, James Benbrook, Gabriel Da- vid, Hamilton Corson, James B. Campbell, Bedford Lynn, Judge Marrs, Lewis Benner, Michael Schriber, John Vanwey, Wilson Jones, the Forris family, John Usery, the Winemillers, and some others. The following land entries were made in the township prior to 1820: Thomas E. Casselberry, 1807; John and Alexan- der Borton, 1811; William Downen, 1811; William Sample, 1812; Paul Casselberry, 1813; Elsberry Armstrong, 1813; Samuel B. Marrs, 1813; Adam Young, 1814; William Borton, 1814; Jacob and James Winemiller, 1814; Robert Dery, 1814; John Moon,
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
1814; Elkanah Williams, 1814; William Hutcheson, 1815; Ben- jamin Worthington, 1815; Needham Blount, 1815; Lawrence Stull, 1816; Jeffrey Sanders, 1817; John William, 1817; Charles Smith, 1817; Elias McNamee, 1818.
ELECTIONS.
At an election held April 7, 1833, at the house of Thomas Jordan, the following persons voted: John Usery, Zimri Mills, Augustus Cavins, C. M. Corson, Johnson Forris, F. D. Lynn, B. G. Corson, and C. W. Corson. John Forris was inspector of elections, Charles Corson was elected constable, Urban Mason, James Stull, Henry Dunn and Isaac Casselberry were elected road supervisors. At an election held April 6, 1835, in a house formerly occupied by Thomas Jordan, the following men exer- cised their right of suffrage: William Brown, Johnson Forris, William Boyd, James Rice, David Harrison, Z. Harrison, James Winemiller, William Dornald, Augustus Cavins, Daniel Elkins, George Forris, Alfred Martin, Benjamin Mackintosh, William Jordan, Joel Martin, Thomas Jordan, Hugh McKinnis, John Brown, David Blair, William Breant, Gabriel David, John Usery, Dillard Elkins, William Foster, James Patterson, Zimri Mills, Joseph McLane, Charles Howard, Conrad Winemiller, Henry Winemiller, William Forris, Thomas Martin, Frederick Benner, Cornelius Foster, Martin Stinson, Criswell Corson, C. H. Corson, Henry Green, Isaac S. Casselberry, Leveritt Johnson, Minnick Waddle, Jacob Kellar, John F. Benner and Lewis Benner. At this election there were one constable, four road supervisors, two overseers of the poor and two fence-viewers elected. The first election in the township was held at the house of William Hutch- eson, one of the first settlers of the township. At this election there were less than ten ballots cast.
INDUSTRIES, ETC.
The first mill in the township was one built about 1839, on Big Creek by a man by the name of Vauble, who came to the township in that same year. The structure was one of the horse-mill kind. The principal mill of the township is what was formerly known as Black Hawk's Mill, but now as Deig's Mill, now owned and ope- rated by Joseph Deig. It is a large steam-mill, erected about
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
1852, and has a capacity of about seventy-five barrels of flour per day. Prior to 1839, James Benbrook built a small distillery in the township. It was a very small affair, but was in operation more or less for about ten years. The proprietor "swopped " whisky for corn, giving a gallon of his manufacture for a bushel of corn, and was widely known as the "whisky swopper."
A prominent early day character of Marrs Township, was Cor- nelius Foster, known as "Rifle Foster " the gun-smith and pio- neer preacher. He was a first-class mechanic, and for many years he manufactured nearly all the early rifles used by the pioneers. of this township and the surrounding country. He was also a. Methodist minister and preached occasionally in his neighborhood. It has been said of him, that he would preach for one denomina- tion until a difficulty arose in the church, and then he would unite with some other denomination and there continued his work so long as peace reigned. He was sometimes a Methodist and some- times a Baptist. He was an exceedingly large man, weighing about 300 pounds. He had many friends, and was one of those generous hearted early men of the county, and a benefactor of hu- manity. He died in this township many years ago, and now and then a Foster rifle can only be found to tell the story.
AN ANECDOTE.
The following well authenticated story is told of Jacob Wein- miller who was justice of the peace at West Franklin. Suit had been. brought for the collection of a note, the obligation of which was the payment of a new milk cow. The note was past due twelve months, and the court rendered a verdict for the plaintiff in words. and figures as follows: The defendant shall pay plaintiff at once one milk cow and a young calf; the court holds that had the debt been paid at maturity the cow would doubtless have had a calf, and its payment will be for interest on the note. A second case occurred at Blackford. The place was then covered with woods, the clerk used a stump for a desk and the jury a log for seats. A man was tried for hog stealing and the case was submitted to the jury, and while they were deliberating the attorney for defendant with others went with Weinmiller to dinner. In their absence a. verdict of " guilty " was returned and the sheriff proceeded to in- flict the punishment-thirty-nine lashes on the bare back. On the.
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
opening of court after dinner, the attorney, Richard Daniels, hear- ing the sentence, but not that it had been inflicted, at once began an argument for a new trial. To the amusement of the spectators his client begged in accents more emphatic than polite that he did not want a new trial as he had already received one punish- ment and he feared the next time they would kill him. A third story is told on good authority: John Williams was justice of the peace at West Franklin. A crowd of men were quarreling; Williams ran out and said " I command the peace." His order not being obeyed, and misinterpreting the law as to his duties he again said "by -, I command the peace," and at once pro- ceeded to thrash the disputants himself.
POSTOFFICES, ETC.
St. Phillip, also. on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and like Caborn, is in one of the finest agricultural sections of the county. The village, or settlement, is situated in the northeast- ern part of Marrs Township, eleven miles east of Mount Vernon, and five miles from Caborn. There is a postoffice here, estab- lished after the building of the St. Louis & Southeastern Rail- road, and Elizabeth Deig was the first postmistress. Here one of the first Catholic congregations in the county was established. Father Distel has labored here for twenty-five years, at least. The fine church edifice, which was erected in 1870, and is a fine structure.
The first postoffice in the township, was established at West Franklin, and there continued until about 1858, when it was re- moved to what was known as Black Hawk's. Mills, and John B. Deig was the postmaster. The office was continued until the completion of the first railway through the county, when it was removed to Caborn, and the office at West Franklin was re-estab- lished.
SCHOOLS.
One of the first schoolhouses in the township is what is known as Hutchinson's schoolhouse. The first building was of logs, and not materially different from all the pioneer school. buildings of the county. Here, religious services were held prior to the erection of the Methodist Church near Caborn. An early day pedagogue of the township, was a man by the name of
G. W. THOMAS
,
.
.
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
Weatherford, who taught at Hutchison's schoolhouse as early as 1839; also John Welborn was an early teacher, and James B. Campbell was a prominent early and latter-day educator. The township is now well supplied with schools and churches, and each year brings a greater advancement in the cause of educa- tion, there being twelve houses and thirteen teachers, with an average length of about six months.
Marrs Township, has a generally fertile soil, and the greater part of which is in a fine state of cultivation and improvement. It is largely settled by the Germans, and is the second township in the county in point of delinquent taxes. In 1880 there were 14,265 acres under cultivation, and since then there has been a continued improvement.
POINT TOWNSHIP.
This township was originally, and prior to 1822, called Dan- iel Township, or "The Daniel Territory." At a meeting of the board of county commissioners of Posey County, at the May session of 1822, Point Township was organized and so named. Called Point Township, for the reason that it is the extreme point of Posey County and the old Hoosier Commonwealth, and is bounded as follows: On the east and south, by the Ohio River; west, by the Wabash River and north by Black Township. The first white settler in the county, is supposed to have settled in what is now Point Township, near the mouth of the Wabash River, some time in the latter part of the last century. He was an Irishman by the name of Thomas Jones. He died at his place of settlement in 1826. The following are among the first settlers and pioneers of this township: a man by the name of Corduff, who settled in the southwestern portion of the township. He was also an Irishman. Then came Samuel Black, Nathaniel Miller, the Robinson family, a man by the name of Roach, who settled at the mouth of the Wabash River, and his place of set- tlement was for many years, the landing and trading point for all the flat-boat business transacted at the mouth of the Wabash. Many times each year, a line of flat-boats almost a mile in length could be seen lying in wait at this place. Mr. Roach died in this township about 1848. A man by the name of Summers, an
5
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
old keel-boatman, was an early settler here. George Henchet, James Conner, a man by the name of Edwards, William and Isaac James, the Bacon family, Squire Love, Capt. Henry Stripe, the Greathouse and Dixon families. Nearly all of the pioneers of this township have returned to the dust formation from whence they were originated.
ELECTIONS.
The first election held in the township was at the house of Daniel Owen, one of the pioneers. At an election held at the house of Samuel Love, May 30, 1835, the following men voted: Richard H. Austin, Aaron Bacon, Cornelius Austin, Nehemiah Hastings, Thomas Black, Cornelius Ludlow, James Shinders, John Hancock, John Deen, Jefferson Hill, John McDaniel, James McCloud, David Dixon, Leander Johnson, John Dixon, Lloyd Marsh, Lewis Coon, Thomas Black, George Parker, William Black, Sylvanus McFarlor, William Stephens, L. York, Henry Williams, John Boothe, George W. Greathover, Elias Hancock, John Clark, William Pool, Sampson Greathover, James Conlin, Samuel N. Love, Joseph H. Black and James Dixon. This elec- tion was held for the purpose of selecting a justice of the peace, and the regular township officials. 1
LAND ENTRIES.
The following land entries were made in the township prior to 1820: William Broadhead, 1800; Samuel Kimmel, 1809; Seth Hargrave, 1813; James Black, 1813; Samuel Aldridge, 1814; George Bow, 1814; Hugh Todd, 1814; Robert Hargrave, 1814; Nathaniel Ewing, 1814; Samuel W. Parr, 1814; Joseph Kennedy, 1814; Francis Black, 1815; Aaron Bacon, 1815; Thomas Jones, 1817; Elisha Boudinott, 1817; Christopher Ashworth, 1817; Martin Shlater, 1818; George Hershman, 1818; John Hamilton, 1818; David Greathouse, 1818; William F. Daniel, 1819.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
The first schoolhouse in the township was what was long known as the Stripe Schoolhouse. The same was a log structure, erected in the Greathouse neighborhood. The building was also used for religious services, and in it the Methodists, Baptists and
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
Christians worshiped, and the pioneer circuit riders expounded the word of God. The then old. building was thrown about twenty years since, and another erected in its stead. There are now six schoolhouses in the township, and the educational facil- ities are greatly advanced.
The only church in the township is Greathouse Church, which is a frame building about 40x60 feet, erected in 1872, at an esti- mated cost of $1,500. The same is located in the Greathouse neighborhood, and the ground upon which it is situated was given by Henry Stripe, upon the condition that the building should be called and retain the name of Greathouse Church. It is a Meth- odist institution. The first minister was a man by the name of Johnson, and the present is Rev. Miles Woods. The primitive religious exercises of the township were held in private houses, or in the woods.
The township has one postoffice, Hovey's, established in 1879, at the house of John S. Phillip, who was the postmaster. Here the office was continued until 1881, when it was removed to Furhrer's grocery, which is on the stage line running from Mount Vernon to Uniontown, Ky. The office has a daily mail, and George R. Furhrer, is the present postmaster. Politically the township is Democratic. At the election of 1884 it cast for Grover Cleveland, 110 votes, for James G. Blaine, 90, the former securing a majority of 20 votes.
"BONE BANK. "
This is a famous Indian burying ground situated on the bank of the Ohio River. The Indians seem to have been using this place as sepulchral grounds so far back that the "memory of man runneth not the contrary." The artificial mound made by these dwellers of the forest has been undermined by the river and vast quan- tities of human bones and other relics of Indians have been ex- posed. There have been found thin plates of copper, buttons, gorgets, tiny bells, flints, arrow heads, ornamented vases engraved with rude figures, sea shells from the ocean, and various other things that serve as a kind of an index to the peculiarities of a very peculiar people. Mr. James Samson of New Harmony has the best collection of relics of any one in this part of the State. His sanctum sanctorum is a study for any one.
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
While it is true that this township contains a number of fine and well improved farms, it is also true that the major part is yet in the wild, and totally unimproved. Many thousand acres in the township are held by non-residents and hence a hasty development is unexpected.
A LARGE TREE.
It is stated on the authority of Mr. Fred Nolte of Mount Vernon, that there stands on his lands in Point Township, a sycamore tree which measures thirteen feet in diameter, and five cows have been seen standing in the hollow of the same at one time.
ROBINSON TOWNSHIP.
This township occupies the central portion of the eastern part of the county. It is bounded on the north by Smith Township; on the east by Vanderburg County; on the south by Marrs, and on the west the meanderings of Big Creek separate it from Centre Township. The township was not reduced to its present limits until within the last few years. It was named in honor of Jonathan Robinson. Very few early land entries were made in this township, and it was not until the great influx of Germans began to pour into this county that the lands were taken up rap- idly, owing doubtless to the distance to market and that there was plenty of more desirable land elsewhere.
The only land entries made within the present township pre- vious to 1820 were made by William Dodge, in 1817; William Rodgers, 1818; Ajax Campbell, 1818; Charles Kimball, 1818; Ezekiel Dukes, 1818; Rezin Halsell, 1816; Isaac Slover, 1819; David Murphy, 1819; John Crunk, 1818; Josiah Denney, 1814; Joel Preuitt, 1818; Thomas Halsell, 1817; William Holson, 1819; Alex S. Morrow, 1818, and Samuel Barton, 1816.
SETTLERS.
One of the pioneer settlers of Robinson was Silas Parker who settled near where the New Harmony and Evansville road crosses the Cynthiana and Diamond Island road. Parker lived and died at his old homestead. Ezekiel Dukes lived near where Parker died; he settled there about 1820. He was a farmer and also built a
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
horse-mill, but as a mill would not support a man and his family he was compelled to follow an additional business. Not unfre- quently small distilleries were attached to the mills. Richard Ed- wards and the Grant family were early settlers and farmers who lived south of Blairsville, all of whom are now gone. Jacob, John and William McMann lived near Silas Parker. An old and well known early settler was William Dodge, who entered lands in the township in 1817 and was a farmer; he also built a horse-mill on his farm about two miles from Blairsville. These horse-mills had a capacity of from fifteen to twenty-five bushels per day, and would yield the miller only two or three bushels per day of very in- different meal or flour. Samuel and " Steve " McCollons settled near St. Wendel, as did James Haynes, who was one of the last of the pioneers of the township to pass away. George Ramsey came from Alabama and settled in the township within the twen- ties. He lived uear St. Wendel and was a brickmaker by trade. Hugh McKinnis lived between Blairsville and Dukes, about three miles from Blairsville; he was a very successful farmer, and Charles Kimball built a mill at the bridge where the Evansville and New Harmony road crosses Big Creek. Kimball obtained permission from the county commissioners to build his mill in 1817, and that is supposed to be about the date of the building of the same. Isaac Slover was a pioneer of whose history little is now known. David Murphy, a man formerly well known lived a short distance southwest of Blairsville. Josiah Denney, Samuel and Daniel Barton lived in the southwest of the township. Daniel G. Walson, a far- mer, lived near St. Wendel. Benjamin Garris was a man of some- what unsavory reputation. Greenberry Ratcliff and John Stephen- son were farmers who lived south of Blairsville. John DePaster, Frederick, Christ and Herman Ryster lived a short distance east of Blairsville. Samuel and Jonathan Wilkins, and William Hop- son were other old settlers. Samuel Lee was a blacksmith and lived north of Blairsville.
Utley and Mills were old settlers; Mills was the father of Thomas Mills who lives in the southwest part of the township. Thomas Denney who entered lands in 1814 was the father of George F. and Timothy Denney who live in the southwest part of the township. John Williams an early settler was a noted fighter at fisticuff. John Raller and John Mitz were old settlers. Mr.
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HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
Wies was one of the oldest German settlers. It is also claimed that the Hon. William Heilman resided in the township during his first years in this country. Peter Cole or Kohl lived east of Blairs- ville, and there built a horse-mill at an early period. Gardner built the first steam-mill near Blairsville, and John Baker owned the same before the war. The township now contains but the two small towns, Blairsville and St. Wendel; the inhabitants are almost entirely Germans and are engaged in agricultural pursuits. The country is somewhat broken toward the eastern part, and is ex- tremely well suited for the growth of fruits, particularly apples and peaches. The township contains about 20,000 acres of land, about half of which is under cultivation, and according to the cen- sus of 1880 yielded fifteen bushels of wheat and thirty-five bushels of corn per acre. The people are quiet and inoffensive, but being mainly of foreign birth are somewhat exclusive in habits and manners.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
The public schools of Robinson compare very favorably with other schools of the county; there are nine school buildings and nine schools in the township, with an average length of about six months. Zion's Evangelical Church located in the southern part of Robinson Township was organized in 1843, with sixteen families, the building then erected was of logs. In 1856 a new frame house was built at a cost of $2,200, with a $600 and a $700 pipe organ. A parochial school of seven weeks is maintained each year. St. Jacob's and St. Peter's are two fine churches, located not far from the central part of the township; they are both strong in numbers and are of the Lutheran faith.
FOSSIL FIELDS.
The geological fields about Blairsville are very rich, yielding fossil ferns and other coal plants, thin seams of coal, argillaceous shales and the Sigillaria Oweni of large size. The place has been visited by Sir Charles Lyell, Dr. Owen, William McClure, Thomas Say, C. A. Le Seuer, Dr. Troost, Norwood, Shumard, Pratten, Worthen, L. Lesquereux, E. T. Cox and others. Posey County, particularly New Harmony, has been called the Mecca of geolo- gists.
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