History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 141

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664

USA > Indiana > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships > Part 141

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).

The roads through Franklin are chiefly the route from Win- cheter to Ridgeville and northward, and the route from Greenville via Deerfield and Ridgeville into Delaware County. The rail . roads are the Richmond & Grand Rapids Road and the Union City & Logansport Road, crossing at Ridgeville, thus making that town an important center of trade, and furnishing to the town- ship a good market and abundant commercial facilities.

Some twelve or fourteen years ago, the Free-Will Baptists, in connection with leading citizens of the place and region, estab- lished Ridgeville College, which has ever since been maintain- ing a heroic, and moreover a successful struggle for existence. Arthur McKew, Esq., of Ridgeville, not to mention others, is understood to have given at various times $11,000 to its funds. Ezekiel Clough, of Jackson Township, has contributed many thousand dollars to the same excellent purpose.

The township is occupied by an intelligent, moral popula- tion, and Ridgeville in particular has been successful through much of its existence in barring from its midst those curses to humanity and foes to happiness and peace-liquor saloons.

Franklin is bounded on the north by Jay County, on the cast by Ward, on the south by White River and on the west by Green and Monroe.

ENTRIES BY SECTIONS.

Township 21. Range 13-Section 1, 1837; Sections 2, 21, 22, 28. 33, 1836-37; Section 3, 1831-36, Ezekiel Roe, November 12, 1831; Section 4, 1834-37, Randolph Hughes, March 11, 1834; Section 9, 1830-37, Francis Stephens, May 1, 1830; Sec- tion 10, 1828-32. James Addington, March 17, 1828; Section 11, 1832-37; Section 12, 1817-37, Meshach Lewallyn, July 19, 1817. first in township; Sections 13, 23, 1817-38, Solomon Horn and Jacob Sanders, December 11, 1817; Sections 14, 25, 1837- 38; Sections 24, 34, 1835-37; Section 15, 1834-38; Section 16, school land; Section 26, 1834-38; Sections 27, 35. 1834-37; Section 36, 1837. The entire township was entered between 1817 and 1838 inclusive.

TOWNS.

Carlisle .- Location on Mississinowa River, Section 12, 21, 13, directly opposite the old town of Ridgeville, Edward McKew. proprietor; D. W. MeNeal, surveyor; twenty-eight lots; recorded October 18, 1836. Ridgeville (first plat) was recorded Septem- ber 21, 1837. Carlisle was south of the river, and Ridgeville was (and is) north of it. Both the towns were still-born. Six- teen years after 1836, no town was at either place, and the plat had relapsed into ordinary farm land. Ridgeville was laid out again, however, in about 1853, and this time the town began to grow. Yet it did not do much for a long time, not, in fact, till the Pan-Handle track was completed through its limits. But Car- lisle never so much as " peeped." We have never heard that it ever had even so much as a beginning.

Olive Branch .- Stands upon Sections 27, 28, 33 and 34, Town 21, Range 13. It has two stores, two or three dwellings, one church, one schoolhouse, one smith shop, one wagon shop, one toll-gate, one lodge, F. & A. M., and one Granger Lodge. It is not laid out, though it has more business than some towns. A pike runs through it east and west. The people are trying to get a grant for a post office. How they will succeed cunnot now be told. though their euergy deserves, and we hope, may com- mand Anccess.

Ridgeville .-- Location, Section 12, Town 21, Range 14, north, side of Mississinewa River, William and John Addington, pro- prietors; Jere Smith, surveyor; sixteen lots; street east and west, Main street; recorded September 21, 1837. Ridgeville (new town), Arthur MeKow and Joab Ward, proprietors; 128 lots; streets, north and south, Race, Walnut; east and west, Water, Main, First, Second, Third. Location, Section 12, Town 21, Range 13, north of Mississinewa River, at what is now the crossing of the Pan-Handle. and Grand Rapids Railroads. Recorded January 5, 1853. McKew's First Addition, Arthur MeKew, proprietor; forty-eight lots; location, north and east of the old town; new street, north and south, Goorge; recorded April 30, 1867. . McKew's Second Addition, Arthur McKew, pro- prietor: nine inlots, two outlots; location, west of Race, north of Second; recorded April 30, 1867. 'McKew's Third Addition, Arthur MeKew, proprietor; fifteen lots, including college grounds, Lot No. 14; location, north of Logansport Railroad; recorded February 28, 1868. Addington's Addition, heirs of Addington, proprietors; fifty-eight lots, Section 12, Town 21, Range 14, north side of Mississinewa River; streets, north and south, College, Sheridan; recorded February 25, 1869. Me. Kew's Fourth Addition, Arthur McKew, proprietor; twelve in- lots, two outlots; west of George street; recorded June 22, 1869. Ward's First Addition, D. W. Ward, proprietor; twelve outlots, north of Second street, west of Grand Rapids Railroad; recorded December 20, 1869. Pierce's Addition, Pierce, proprietor; nine lots; recorded November 4, 1870. McKew's Fifth Addition, Arthur MeKew, proprietor; forty-five lots; new street, old rail. road bed, McKew street; recorded May 2, 1873. Thus it is seen that Ridgeville was laid out twice, and has had nine additions at various times. It was platted by William and John Ad- dington in 1837. There had been a mill built by Meshaeli Le- wallyn and a flat-boat factory, carried on by Jacob Ward for years, but not even the semblance of a town had come into be- ing. And even after the village was located by Mr. Addington (who was the proprietor of the mill after Lewallyn), no growth took place. Only three or four honses were erected, and the town seemed still-born. For sixteen years, no business of im- portance was transacted in the place, and the lots had been re- manded to their original farm state.

Some of the men who were, or had been, residents up to 1852, were Meshach Lewallyn, miller; Joab Ward, farmer and boat-builder; William Addington, Jerry Barker, Legraves and Jenkins. Jenkins had a store in 1837. Jerry Bar ker built a hewed-log house soon after. Lewallyn's mill was built about 1820, aud in 1836, was owned by William Addington. At first. it was only a corn-cracker, and was afterward changed into a flour-mill, with a hand-bolt (water mill). The stones were home-made. Joab Ward and Arthur McKew re-laid the town in 1853, calling it Newtown. It stands on the Deerfield State road, as also at the crossing of the Pan-Handle (P. C. & St. L. ) and the " Shoo-Fly " (Richmond & G. R. ) Railroads, and on the Mississin- ewa River, at the head of flat-boat navigation. A fine bridge spans the Mississinewa south of the town. The country is good and the lands are fertile. During the summer of 1880, the peu- ple of the town and region began to build pikes from Ridgeville into the surrounding country, and a few years will doubtless witness a very great improvement in Franklin Township and the regions adjoining in this important respect.

In 1853, the Uniou & Logansport Railroad was projected, and there was large activity at Ridgeville. A long row of shan- ties for laborers was built. Arthur McKew, Robert Sumption, Dr. Bailey, Dr. Shoemaker, Robert Starbuck, etc., were there. Robert Sumption was building a hotel, and the railroad men hurried him up, telling him the railroad track would be down before his hotel would be done. In 1853-54, there were thirty carpenters at work in the town at once. Railroad work, how- ever, soon ceased. The Logansport road was not made until 1867. and the "Shoo-Fly " in 1872.

Robert Sumption had a hotel in 1854. Robert Starbuck had a store; he built a pebble dash house, which is yet standing and in good repair. Arthur McKew had a store as early as 1850, or before. Dr. Shoemaker came in 1853, and Dr. Bailey in 1854.

408

HISTORY OF MANDOLPHI COUNTY.

The railroad coused in 1857, and the town laggol. Mr. Sump- tion's hotel prospered, and the stores, also, but up to 1866 there were no more than one hundred people, perhaps not so muhy. From the completion of the Pan-Handle Railroad, the growth of the town has been constant. The foundation of Ridgeville Col- lege was laid in 1867, the instruction bagan in 1868, and the college building was inclosed and occupied in 1869. The nam. bor of students has nevor beon larga, there being now about eighty. First President. J. L. Collier. Present President, S. D. Bates; professors and teachers, Messrs. Atkinson, Reed, Moulton, Harrison, Boltz, Misses Brockett and Abbott; Executive Committee, Messrs. McKew, Farquhar, Pettijohn and Sump- tion; Treasurer, Robert Sumption. The college is under the control of the Free- Will Baptists.

The business of Ridgeville may be stated as follows: Two grist-mills, one water, one steam; two saw-mills, both steam; one handle factory; two dry goods stores, one large; four gro- eries, three shoe stores, three drug stores, two hardware stores. two harness shops, ono tin and stove store, five physicians, three clergymen, four attorneys, three smith shops, three shoe shops, one jeweler, three barbers, two livery stables, two churches, one college, one post office, one schoolhouse. two depots, two hotels, one butcher shop, two grain merchants, one cooper shop, one furniture dealer, two stock buyers, two milliners, one agrienlt- ural store, one brick-yard, one tile factory, ono sewing-machine store, one pump dealer, one book store, one lodge F. & A. M., one lodge I. O. O. F., one printing office, one coal dealer. one wood dealer, one lime doaler, etc., etc.

Principal men; Arthur MeKow. shoo dealer. ote; R. H. Sumption, trader; D. W. Porter. grocer; A. H Farqubar, phy- sician; Rev. S. D. Bates, President of Ridgeville College: Rov. Harrison, professor and Acting President of Ridgeville College; Brooks, blacksmith; Wellinger, butcher: James Addington. carpenter; Asa Orcutt, carpenter; E Myers, architect: David S. Kitzelman, merchant, dry goods; Houry Kitzelman, dry goods; William E. Miller, merchant ; C. C, Hiatt, physician: Joseph Edger, salesman; Robert Starbnek, business man and trader; Reuben Whipple, miller; Charles Starr, miller; J. W. Soney; grain dealer; Henry Meyer. Joseph Bowersox, miller.

Two railroads cross at Ridgeville, the P. C. & St. L. and the Grand Rapids (Pan-Handle & Shoo-Fly) Railroads. The Missis sinewa River passes near the town on the southside. For many years this placo was the point whence flat-boats were sent down the stream. laden with flour, bacon, apples, ote. Joub Ward built great numbers of those in the earlier days. That business, however, stopped long ago.

Ridgeville is now a prosperous and thriving villlage, and an important and growing center of business and trade. In the vi- cinity is a good lime kiln, and there is also a rock quarry on the banks of the Mississinowa. A fine stato of moral sentiment ex- ists, and temperance and good order largely prevail. Saloons, for the most part. have boon suppressed, and wherevor the pub. lie feeling and principle are strong enough to prevent their ox- istence, good morals aro sure to be in the ascendant.

Distances: Deerfield, three miles: Union City, fourteen miles; Winchester, nino miles; Randolph, three and one half miles; fairview, nino miles; Emmettaville, four miles; Farm- land, twelve miles.

For nearly or quite half a century, the dwellers in that region have beon ilonudering, helpless and well nigh hopeless, in the und. But they are now waking up to the hitherto muren- oguized fact that gravel banks are located here, and that for the express purpose of being spread out over the surface of the high- ways; and they are actively engaged in putting that late- found knowledge into energetic practice. Several pikes have already been commenced, and some, perhaps, have been completed, and ere long the prospect is that the reign of mud, for that section of country at least, will be over.

BIOGRAPHIES.

Below are given, somno of thon briefly, accounts of the per sonul history of a few of the residents of the conuty:

Jesse Addingion was born in Wayne County, Ind., in 1814,

and his wife, Margaret Sullivan, in North Carolina in 1815. She came to Washington, Ind., in 1828, and moved to Wayne County. In.l., in 1831. They ware married in 1834, and moved to what is now Franklin Township in the same year. They set- tle l on Bur Crock, " in the woods," three and a half miles from Ridgeville. Ho ha- always been a farmer, has had three chil. dren, 'is a Meth alist nud Republican; only one child of theirs is living.

Joseph Elger. Ridgeville, was born in 1822 in Harrison County, Ky .: came to Darko County, Ohio, in 1824, his father died there, and he was brought up by his uncle, Edward Edger. In 1837, he accompanied this uncle to Deerfield, Randolph Co., which town having been laid out a few years before that date, had not yet began to grow. Four log cabins at that primal period constitute l th . sum total of that. embryo town. In one of them, Henry Taylor played at keeping hotel, and also sold whisky. In another. Huury Sweet worked as a blacksmith. Jonathan Thomas lived near and was a farmer. William Ander. son was also a resident, but what was his occupation is to us ut- terly unknown. Edward Etger came there to show the dwellers in those woods what could be accomplished in the business of a merchant, bringing with him a magnificent stock of goods, the value of which could not have been less than $200. After a time, a second store was opened by John Jenkinson. A somewhat amusing instance of apparent larceny occurred in connection with Mr. Jenkins it's stock of goods. Some ribbons were missing, and in these days the absence of a few rolls of ribbons would be readily discovered. The lost treasure was looked for high and low, and were given over at last as having been stolen. They had been stolen in fact. but not by folonious biped burglars. They were found weeks afterward in a monso hole in one of the logs of the wall. George Ritenour owned a mill ono milo below Deerfield very early, as he was one among the vory first sottlors in the region. Since that primeval period, there have been as trerchants, among others, Beales' branch store, in a log cabin; IL L. Searl, B W. Hawkins, Fitzpatrick & Edger, Putnam & Avery, etc.

Hotel keepers: Henry Taylor, H. L. Soarl (excellent hotel), Judge John Moek, Wellington Stuart, Benjamin Thorn, Uriah Pierce, Mrs. Novis, etc.

The first physician was Dr. Ayres; he went to Marion, and is there still. Others have been Drs. Longshove, Beales, Floyd, MeAfee, Washburne. Banks, Snow. Bosworth, Purcell, Clevin- ger, etc.

There has been for a long time a flouring mill, built and at first operated by Jason Whipple. There was for many years a woolen factory by Robert Murray; it is now gone. Josoph Edger had a grain house; he also built an ashory, the second and the last in the county.

Deerfield was at one time an important center of trade and business, and bid fair to become a prosperous place. It was rather too high up the river for flat-boats. Two, and only two, were built and launched there. Deerfield is now nearly extinct. Union, Ridgeville, Randolph have " sucked out " nearly all the life it ever had. Henry Taylor was the first settler in the town of Doorfield. Burkett. Pierce was the first in Ward Township, in 1820, probably.

Joseph Edger married Alice Kinnear in 1846, and has had six chiktren. He has lived at Deerfiehl, Winchester and Ridgeville; went to New Orleans and Texas, hunting a homo, but came back to Ridgeville, where he now resides. He was partner with his uncle Edward in a store at Deerfield; built an ashery and oper- ated it two years; clerked for Hawkins; partner with Fitzpatrick four years; was several years at Winchester, selling out to Har- mon Clark: sold grain and produce at Winchester, but failed, and tried farming two years; started for the Southwest and went to New Orleans and Texas, returning at length to Randolph Connty and settling at Ridgeville. In 1874, he was elected Jus- tice of the Peace, but after serving three years, he resigned the office. HE is now selling boots and shoes for Arthur MeKew.

George Huthinan came to Randolph County, two miles west of Winchester, in 1818; moved to Franklin Township, on Bear Creek, in 1838, and died in 1863, having had ton children.

409

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

Their names, etc., are as follows: Polly (Parsons); Nancy (Lidy). five children; Samuel, dead; Lydia (Sutton), two children: John (married Susan MeNees), four children; Henry (married Lydia Debay), two children; William (married Jane McGuire), seven children; Isaiah (Mary McNees, Prudence Wright), five children; Jeremiah (Mary Ann Coons and Tabitha Miller), ten children; Si- mon (married Miss MeNees), one child; Milton (married three times), two children. Mr. Huffman's descendants who survive all reside in Randolph but two, and they are all farmers by ocenpa- tion.

Elizabeth Janes, Ridgeville, was born in 1797, near Colum- bus, Ohio. The region must have been a deep and pathless wil- derness, since the date of her birth is five years before the ad- mission of Ohio as a Stato. She married Samuel Janes, and lived for many years near Hill Grove, Darke Co., Ohio. They reared a large family, and her husband died at Hill Grove, aged about eighty years, and was buried at Union City Cemetery. The aged widow removed to Huntington to reside with her danghter at that place, and in 1876, changed her home to Ridge- ville, Randolph County, with her son William, continning with him until her death, May 5, 1882, at the ripe age of eighty-four years. Her funeral was preached by Rev. Prof. Harrison, of Ridgeville, at that place, and her remains were deposited boside the body of her husband, in the cemetery at Union City, Ind. One of her sons was Dr. John M. Janes, formerly of Union City; later, and now, a practicing physician in Illinois.

Arthur MeKew was the son of Edward MeKew, who moved to Ridgeville, Ind .. in 1831, from Fayette County, Ind., andl pre- viously from Cincinnati. He was born Angust 14, 1819, above Cincinnati, in Ohio. and was taken to Fayetto County, Ind., in 1819, and to Ridgeville in 1831. He married Margery Ward, daughter of Joab Ward, and sister of Hon. Thomas Ward, of Winchester, Ind., in 1844. They have had six children, one only of whom is now living. He farmed in Jay County four years, but returned to Ridgeville and sold goods, and has done so ever since. He owned a mill twenty eight years at Ridge- ville, and now he runs a boot and shoe store, a farm, etc., being understood to be wealthy. He was County Commissioner of Randolph County two terms, and President of Winchester Na- tional Bank for sixteen months. He isa Ropublican in politics. and by religions profession, a Methodist. He is a man of high public spirit, greatly interested in all schemes of public advan- tage, and is a supporter of the temporaneo canse, and of intelli- gence and morality in general. Ho was one of the chief found- ere of Ridgeville College, as also he has been one of its tirmest friends and most efficient helpers since its establishment. He is still in active business. His wife is a worthy and estimable lady, a fit companion for her respected husband, though for some years feeble as to bodily health. Arthur MeKow died Jan- mary, 1882, highly respected and greatly lamented; he was in his sixty-third year.

Jeremiah L. Mock, son of Daniel Mock, of Ward Township, was born in 1815, in Ohio; came to Randolph in 1828; married Matilda Pierce. in 1834, who was the daughter of Barkeit, Pierce, and born in 1817, and died in 1873. Mr. Mock has had ten children, and has resided in Franklin Township, north- east of Ridgeville, for twenty-eight or thirty years, being a member of the Democratic party and in vocation a farmer. When he came, with his father, to Ward Township, southeast of Deerfield, some of the settlers southeast and northeast of that town were Francis Peake, Eli Blount, Riley Marshall, James Massey, ---- Massey, ---- Massey, --- Massey, Reason Ma- lott, Allan Wall, Samuel Kane, Daniel B. Miller, Jephtha Sut- on, William Kizer (south of Deerfield), William Jackson (head of Mud Creek, farmer). David Conner still had his trading post cast of Deerfield. Wo had supposed that Conner left that post sooner than 1828.

Pardon Sherman was born in 1801, in Greene County, N. Y. He married Mary D. Parke, in 1826; they came to White River, Randolph Co., Ind., in 1835, and to Franklin Township in 1837. He entered eighty acres, on which he still resides, having been a farmer ever since. They have had six children; four are liv- ing, and two are married; one lives in Randolph County, Ind ..

one in Illinois and two in Minnesota. The settlers when he came here were William Wright, west of New Dayton, on Bear Creek; Seth Elliott, north of Wright's; Jonathan Addington, near Elliott's; Jesse Addington, near the Mississinewa; George Huff- man, died in 1869; James Addington, near Jesse Addington's. After his arrival came Mary Helms, 1837; Jesse Helms, 1845; William Huffman, 1845; John Henry, 1841; Josiah Bundy, 1845. Mr. Bundy died in Kansas. The country settled slowly. It was difficult of access, and few people found it. Mr. Sher- man is a Republican and a Methodist, residing at New Dayton. His son has kept a store there for many years.

Mr. Sherman was one of fourteen children, eight boys and six girls, all grown, ouly eight of whom, however, were married, and only two are now living. His wife died in January, 1882, and her husband ended his life among mortal men in about a month afterward.

Francis and James Stevens came in 1830, from Monroe County, Ohio, to Franklin Township, west of Ridgeville. Fran- cis during his life had nine children, and James had seven chil- dren. They each entered eighty acres; they were both farmers, and have been dead fifteen or twenty years.

Andrew and Alexander Stevens came in 1835. Andrew had right children, three now living. Alexander had twelve children, four now alive. Andrew has been dead twenty years. Alexander has been dead twenty-five years. James Stevens has three sons liv- ing in Jay County. Andrew Stevens has three sons living in the re- gion, Garvin, Jacob and Francis. Alexander Stevens has two sons. Joseph and Elijah. The Stevenses have always been active farm- ors and Democrats from olden time.

Robert H. Sumption, Ridgeville, was born in Darke County, Ohio, in 1817; - moved to Deerfield. Ind., in 1835, and graduated at Green Castle, Ind., in 1845, teaching school more or less during his time of study. He married Berilla Ward, in 1815, and moved to St. Joseph County, Mich., teaching and farming till 1854. They returned to Ridgeville in that year, and he kept hotel in that place till 1872. Since that time, he has been a real estate donler. They have three children; the two sons are railroad agents and operators. The daughter is a graduate of Ridgeville College; has been a teacher in Nebraska and is now employed in Ridgeville among her youthful acquaintances and friends, making a success of her chosen profession. Mr. S. is a Free Will Baptist and a Republican; he is an influential mom- ber of the community, being a member of the Executive Commit- tee of Ridgeville College, and also the Treasurer of the institu- tion, having been one of its active friends from the beginning. He was acquainted with the famous Indian trader, David Con- ner, in early times, especially during the residence of Mr. Con. ner at the place of his final settlement, below Marion, having taught school in his neighborhood, Mr. Conner being, also, among his most liberal patrons. Mr. Sumption has been a citizen of Ridgeville ever since the renewal of the town as the village of Newtown. The new name did not hold, however, but Ridgeville it was from the beginning, and Ridgeville it is to-day, and will continue doubtless so to bo while countless ages roll, or at least while the " Yankee Nation " lasts on the shores of America.

{ The name of Newtown did " stick " somewhat for awhile. In the " Soldiers' Record," a volunteer is said to have died (in 1863 or 1861, perhaps) in Newtown, Ind., meaning the new town of Ridgeville. |

John Woodard, Franklin Township, was born in New Jersey in 1801; married Sarah Lake; came to Green Township in 1837; has had ton children. six living and five married; is a farmor; entered forty acres when he came; was poor; has worked hard and has gained a competence for his old ago. He is a Republi- can.

Early settlers: Peter Hester, Monroe Township; David Haas, buried on Hester's farm; William Gray, Green Township; Ben- jamin Lowallyn, Green Township, moved to Kansas; Joah Ward, Ridgeville; Jacob Winegartner, Felow Ridgeville; An drew Martin, Monroe Township; David Call, Monroe Township.

There was onee a little town called Rockingham, laid out by John Marine on the Mississinewa below Ridgeville. It has been extinet a long, long time. It never had much growth, and grad-

410

HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

ually went down, until not a vestige remains. Hopewell Church (old) was built abont 1840. Hopewell Church (new) was built about 1877. The cemetery there was laid out in early times. and has been in use as a burial ground for many years.

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.

History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 141

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman Number of Pages: 664

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664