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 17

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 17

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 locating commissioners met in August, 1818, and fixed the county seat at Winchester. They received and secured to the county donations of land as follows: Charles Conway, 60 acres ; John Wright, 50 acres; David Wright, 10 acres; David Stout, 18 acres; Daniel Petty, 20 acres. 158 acres in all from five men, a splendid donation. Randolph County surely has no right to com- plain that her county seat did not get a good "send off." All of the land thus donated was in Sections 20 and 21, Township 20 north, Range 14 east of the second principal meridian. The lo- cation is on Salt Creek, and some distance south of White River. The town now lies on both sides of Salt Creek, and has extended itself northward nearly to White River.

Some old settlers say that the new. county seat would have been located at Sampletown, four miles west, but that the settlers there were unwilling to "come down" sufficiently with donations.

Pursuant to the laws then in force, Gov. Jennings appointed David Wright, Sheriff, to organize the county. He did so by making two precincts, Greensfork and White River, the chief settlements being on these two streams. He created two town- ships as above, dividing them by an east and west line across the county. An election was held in August, 1818, to choose two Associate Judges, a Sheriff, Clerk, Recorder, Coroner, and three County Commissioners, which officers were chosen as follows: William Edwards, John Wright, Associate Judges; David Wright, Sheriff; Solomon Wright, Coroner; Charles Conway, Clerk and Recorder; Eli Overman, Benjamin Cox, John James, Commis- sioners. These officers were all commissioned, and the county machinery was put duly into motion. The Wright family furnished three of the eight above named, and that connection was at that time very numerous in the county, some account of which is set down elsewhere.

Thus far the organization of the county, and the election of officers therefor.

The official history at large will be furnished in a separate chapter.

COUNTY SEAT-WINCHESTER.

[Much of the following account of Winchester has been taken substantially from " Manuscripts " by Honorable Jere Smith, who came to Randolph County in August, 1817, and resided therein for more than fifty years until his death].

Winchester was the first town established in the county. The site was fixed by the commissioners to locate the county seat in 1818. As already stated, they located it on Sections 20 and 21, Town 20, Range 14 east of second meridian, by donations from five different persons, in all 158 acres.

Lots were laid out in the fall and winter of 1818. The first sale of lots took place February, 1819. The whole plat was an unbroken forest, a primitive wilderness, heavily timbered, with a thick undergrowth.

A large oak, three feet through, stood for years on Inlot No. 9, east front. It was cut down in 1825 or 1826, and the stump was standing there in state when Judge Smith built the Frank- lin House in 1839.

The Commissioners, Messrs. Cox, Overman and James, and Paul W. Way, Agent, had agreed upon the plan of the town. Overman and Way were both surveyors, back woods fashion. Charles Connor, who was also a " half surveyor," had a little stiff- armed compass, four-inch face, and an old two-pole chain, tied with leather and tow strings. Paul Way did the surveying. As the Commissioners were looking over the ground to locate the public square, Charles Conway told Judge Smith that Old Eli

Overinan stuck down the Jacob-staff, saying, " Here shall be the northeast corner of the public square," and there it was, and there it is, and is to be, unless, indeed, as seems not very unlikely in these latter days, some city " engineer" shall take it into his overgrown head to plant new corners and turn town, streets and all " awry."

The first house built was a round log cabin, one-story high, " scutched down " after it was raised, and before the rafters were put up.

It had a clapboard roof, and a clay and stick chimney. Mr. Smith says, " I do not know who built the house, but Martin Comer owned it and lived in it a long time. It stood on inlot No. 9, north front, and was built in the early spring of 1819.

The second house was put up by Thomas Wright, father-in- law of John Coats, still living in the county (1871), in the spring and summer of 1819. It was like the other, and stood on inlot No. 8, north front.

In the summer and fall of 1819, James McCool, a blind man, put up upon inlot No. 1, west front, a good, two-story, hewed-log house. When I first came to Winchester (1819) it was the hotel of the town, kept by the blind man, McCool. When next I came, James Oldham, hatter, kept tavern in it, and a hatter's shop back of it. Old Esquire Odle owned it afterward, and built a little frame store at the north end, and a frame shed back for bed- rooms, and he ran it as a hotel, store and residence for some years.

In the winter of 1819-20, James Oldham, the hatter, built a good hewed-log house, story and a half, on inlot No. 11, south- east square ; and in the spring of 1820, Alvin C. Graves built a round-log cabin on lot No. 14, in the southeast square.

The hewed-log court house and the Banta jail were built in 1819-20.

In that year (1820) Judge John Sample built the first frame house, a small one-story building, on lot No. 3, east front. He set it on the west line of the lot, some distance south of the north- west corner of the lot. He sold it the next year to George Burk- et, who extended the house north to the corner of the lot, and kept store in it for some years. He then sold it to Jesse Way, and he also had a store there for awhile."

It would seem from this account that there were now (1820) seven buildings in Winchester (if the Judge has mentioned them all).

Mr. Smith goes on, " The next frame house was in 1824-25, by David Haworth, which house was standing in 1871. It was on inlot No. 10, northeast square, where Jacob Elzroth lived so long, and where he died.

" Andrew Aker, in 1826 or 1827, built a frame house on inlot No. 8, north front, two stories, with a one-story store-room at the west end.

"In 1826-27, Abner Overman built a frame house on the north- east corner of lot No. 2, east front. He sold it to John Way in the fall of 1829, who moved into it, and started a blacksmith shop, and lived there the rest of his days. In 1823, Mrs. Mary Reed- er bought inlot No. 2, west front, built a cabin and lived there some years. She then traded it off to Nathaniel Coffin, for inlot No. 12, southeast square, on which last lot she is still living. She (Mrs. Mary Reeder) is the " oldest inhabitant " of Winches- ter, having lived in it ever since, being (in 1881) fifty-nine years old. She was in the town seven years before I was, and ten years before Jesse Way.

" There were, I presume, other cabins and shanties put up in the town during this decade, but I cannot now call them to mind." Thus far Mr. Smith.

Winchester would seem to have had an exceedingly slow growth, remarkably so, considering it was the seat of justice of a county containing at the start 200 voters, and increasing its population with considerable rapidity ; considering, moreover, that for ten years not another town was even attempted within its limits.

HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

Judge Smith appears to think that the dozen or so houses which he describes were nearly or quite all that had been built up to 1830. And information from several sources indi- cates that not more than a dozen families were residents of the town at the lapse of twelve years after the town had been platted. One jail and two court houses had been built. Court after court had been held ; jurors had heard cases in the court house, and determined their verdicts seated upon the stumps and logs out- side; lawyers and judges and clients had threaded and waded and swam their way through the primal woods to that frontier town; but lo ! almost no town was there. But in those halcyon days small nced was there of towns, people lived at home and made wellnigh every thing they used, and had little occasion to buy anything which they could not make. The larger portion of the settlers had come from the Carolinas, where towns were " few and far between," and what more need was here of such things ?

EARLY BUSINESS.

Some facts as to the early business are as follows :

The first store was kept in Randolph County in November, 1818, by William Connor, an older brother of John Connor (mail-carrier), whose widow lived in Winchester until & short time ago. It was licensed by the Commissioner's Court held in November, 1818. and was kept in a log cabin on the north bank of the creek, on the southwest quarter of Section 10, Township 18, Range 14 (a little northwest of Old Snow Hill).

David Connor's Indian trading-post on the Mississinewa was older, but this of William Connor's was the first licensed mercan- tile house in the county. He paid $20 for his license, and had perhaps $200 worth of goods. Of David Connor and his trad- ing-posts Mr. Smith says :

" David Connor, of Greenville, Ohio, established a little Indian trading-post on the little (?) Mississinewa near the pres- ent site of Allensville. When the war broke out he discontinued it. At the close of the war, or rather during its continuance, he moved farther down the river, and established his post where Lewallyn afterward settled and built his mill. Connor did not enter the land or make any improvement at either place. Mes- hach Lewallyn, then living seven miles north of where Rich- mond now is, moved out to Connor's trading-post, and Connor moved his post still farther down the river. nearer the Indians, to a point two miles below where the town of Wheeling now stands (Delaware County). After the treaty of 1818 (some years after), he made another move, following the Indians, and set his trading house near the boundary of the thirty-mile re- serve and about three miles below the present site of Marion, where he died."

[NOTE,-Burkett Pierce, Arthur McKew, Robert Sumption, Thomas Ward, Edward Edlger and others, do not agree with the above statement. They make his first location at Fort Recov- ery, his second two or three miles above Deerfield, his third below Wheeling, and his fourth and last below Marion, where he built milla and where he finally died. They say that he never had a post either at Allensville or Ridgeville, and, moreover, that he was at his station above Deerfield up to perhaps 1833, or afterward.

It will be seen that up to 1830, Winchester as a town was not much of a success. The business of the place was sinall, the buildings were few and poor. the roads leading to it were new and bad, the people needed but little trade, and all went thoroughly on the slow order. The court sat and did whatever there was for them ; Charles Conway, as Clerk and Recorder, had all the county writing to do, which was not as much for the whole eleven years as has been since recorded in a single year. County offices were at a discount then. The Sheriff could not have done much, though he was Collector and Sheriff both, as the county tax for 1829 amounted to a sumn less than $900. Jurymen came and returned without any bills to find or cases to try, and were paid the magnificent sum of 50 cents per day; and

the Associate Judges maintained their dignity and satisfied their desires for food and lodging to the tune of $2 per day.

Winchester was a town in the woods, but for a long time there was decidedly more woods than town. It was an old saying by some odd specimen of humanity concerning a certain town, that " he could not see the city for the houses." But at Winchester he would have found no such difficulty. The houses were not in the way, the city was all in full view, the buildings were not near enough together to obstruct the vision in any direc- tion. The trees, with their huge trunks and far-reaching branches, may have hindered the sight somewhat. Doubtless they did. But what of that ? They were cut down and felled to the ground and reduced to ashes one by one, or else in vast heaps they formed a holocaust to the God of Fire, submitting helpless and palsy-smitten to his terrible power.

And gradually, too, but oh ! how exceeding slowly, the town increased its fair proportions until, at last, we behold a city, goodly in size, bustling and thriving in its business, and success- ful in its prosperity.

Winchester has been hindered in its growth by the fact that Union City stands on the one side and Farmland on the other, but there is room for her also, and she shall make her victorious way throngh trial and struggle to assured renown dur- ing the days to come. There are those who affirm that Winches- ter, instead of Union City, might have been the original railroad center for the region. Possibly so. Some who are quick to find fault insist indeed that one prime cause of the slowness of growth of Winchester, is, that the capitalists of the place have not been sufficiently enterprising in investments for business of various kinds. One thing at least is true of the chief citizens of Winchester, which cannot be said of that class of persons in every town, that they are genial, estimable, relia- ble men, and the form of investment which any man shall adopt must be left to his own volition.

The judicious investment of capital in enterprises affording useful, honorable and remunerative employment to large numbers of people is, in fact, a great advantage to a town, and a great blessing to her people; and wealthy men who thus furnish such means of employment and useful industry are a benefit alike to themselves and to the public.

OFFICIAL HISTORY.

[Much of this official history is from Hon. Jere Smith's manuscripts].

William Edwards, elected Associate Judge in 1818, was a younger brother of Jonathan Edwards, who located south of Win- chester in 1818. He continued to be Judge some sixteen years ; was Representative two or three times, and then moved to Illinois.

Charles Conway continued to be Clerk and Recorder three terms (twenty-one years). In 1832, he was strongly opposed by Daniel Worth, who was beaten. In 1839, he moved to Missouri. He was born in Pennsylvania. His father was in the north- western army, and was killed in St. Clair's defeat. His mother then moved to Tennessee, where Charles was raised. He mar- ried there, and came here in 1814 or 1815. [Perhaps not so soon as that]. Mr. Smith snys, " He was truly an honest man, which, the poet says, is the 'nobleat work of God.' "

David Wright resigned as Sheriff, and the Coroner filled the term. David Wright soon died. He had three brothers-Will- iam, James and John B. David was the youngest of the four.

Solomon Wright, Coroner, was elected Sheriff in 1820 and 1822. Ten years afterward he moved to Grant County, and died long ago. The Solomon Wright now living in the county is another member of the Wright family.

Of the Commissioners, Eli Overman served two years, and was succeeded by John Wright (blacksmith). Eli moved to Grant County twelve or thirteen years afterward, and died there.

Benj. Cox served two years. He lived many years in the county. Overman and he were Friends. Cox was a preacher.

HISTORY OF RANDOLPHI COUNTY.

John James was Commissioner five or six terms, moved to Grant County and died many years ago. He was a Baptist.

1818, 1819.

The Commissioners met August, 1818. They accepted the Report of the locating Commissioners; appointed Paul W. Way Agent, and selected grand and petit jurors for the Circuit Court in October.

The grand jurors were John Ballinger, Jesse Roberts, Will- iam Diggs, Armsbee Diggs, John Way, Jonathan Edwards, Isaac Wright, William Wright, William Kennedy, Jesse Johnson, James Massey, Travis Adcock, William Way, Sr., Daniel Petty.

PETIT JURORS.

Paul W. Way, Samuel Lee, James Jacobs, William Way, Jr., Jonathan Heath, Jesse Green, Solomon Wright, Meshacli Lew- allyn, David Stout, Joshua Cox, Abraham Wright.

Some account in detail of these jurors: Jonathan Ballinger, foreman, died soon after. He was a resident of West River settlement.

William Diggs (then called old Billy Diggs) was father of Armsbee Diggs, also a juryman. William Diggs has been dead a long time. There is now a William Diggs, a very old man- not, however, that William Diggs, but his son-who is nearly ninety years old.

William Way, Sr., had also three sons on the same jury- Paul W., John and William, Jr. Old William lived to a great age, and died at Newport, Wayne County, (Fountain City) some years ago.

John Way lived and died in Winchester. His son, Jesse, still resides there.

Paul W. Way lived and died in Winchester. His children are all dead but his oldest son, William M. Way, who lives in Illinois, and his oldest daughter, Anna, the wife of Nathan Reed. [Mrs. Reed is dead]. Isaac and Jacob Wright, two of three who were triplets, emigrated West years ago.

William Kennedy lived southeast of Winchester and died about 1870.

James Massey was an old man, and died soon after. He lived in (Jackson or) Ward Township. His son-in-law, James Smith, was Commissioner two or three terms. His sons left the county early. One of them was Associate Judge of Grant County a term or two. [NOTE-A James Massey settled in Nettle Creek, who may have been the same man].

Jesse Roberts we can say nothing of.

Jonathan Edwards died a few years ago one mile south of Winchester.

Jesse Johnson lived and died a half-mile south of Lynn. He came to the county in 1817 (or sooner).

Travis Adcock lived in the south part of the county. He afterward had his name changed to Travis Emery. The resi- dents near Lynn say Travis Adcock (Emery) removed to Iowa about 1837.

Daniel Petty lived on the Moorman Way place. In 1826 or 1827, he moved to Walnut Level, where he was living a few years ago.

Joshua Cox lived and died east of Winchester, where his sons, Andrew and Joel, still live (or did a few years ago).

Samuel Lee was an old man, and died in 1827.

Jonathan Heath we can give no account of.

Meshach Lewallyn was an old man, with a large family of sons and daughters. He lived at Ridgeville, and built a inill there. [Lewallyn seems to have been a resident of Randolph, August, 1817].

Mr. Smith says : "The Connor trading post, Lewallyn's mill, the building of pirogues and flatboats, the killing of two Indians, and the (somewhat frequent) 'mistakes' in killing hogs in the woods, constituted the chief interest in Ridgeville life in

those days." Mr. Smith would seem to be in error as to the location of David Connor at Ridgeville.

James Jacobs there is no account of. Mr. Jacobs was a set- tler on the Mississinewa.

David Stout moved to Delaware County; built a mill on White River, and laid out Smithfield near his mill.

FIRST CIRCUIT COURT.

The first court was held at the house of William Way, Octo- ber 12, 1818, Associate Judges Edwards and Wright. James Rariden was admitted to the har and appointed Prosecuting Attorney. The grand jury were impaneled and discharged for lack of business with an allowance of 75 cents each.

The petit jury was not impaneled. The court allowed Mr. Rariden $12. There were no cases and the grand jury re- turned no indictments. Adjourned to the next term.

The second court was held May 7, 1819, at Charles Conway's house.

John A. Daly was admitted to the har. James Rariden was made prosecutor.

Mr. Daly was the brother of George Daly, and the latter was the father of ex-Sheriff W. A. W. Daly, residing near Lynn.

Mr. Rariden is the same famous " Old Jim Rariden," so well known ever since.

GRAND JURORS FOR MAY, 1819.

John Wright (Hominy), Isaac Wright, David Stout, Joshua Cox. James Wright, William Haworth, John Wright (Bl.), James Massey, David Haworth, William Wright, Tence Massey, Armsbee Diggs, Jonathan Hiatt. Five of the above are Wrights. They found no bills, and were discharged the same day. No cases were pending in this court.

Third court, September 10, 1819. John Watts presiding Judge of the Third Circuit, and Associate Judges Edwards and Wright.

GRAND JURORS FOR SEPTEMBER, 1819.

Paul Beard, Benjamin Cox, John James, Paul W. Way, Meshach Lewallyn, Abram Peacock, William Blount, Travis Adcock, David Bowles, Thomas Parker, Ephraim Overman, Jr .. John Cammack, Abner Overman, Isaac Wright, Jesse Cox, Jolin Thomas, Jesse Ballinger. No bills were found ; jury discharged same day. One case in court, an appeal from Esquire Moor- man, Greensfork Township. Cause dismissed.

Up to the third term of court no trial, and but one judicial decision, viz., the dismission just named.

COMMISSIONERS' COURT-CONTINUED.

Board of Commissioners held second term at the house of Benjamin Cox, November 1818. Appointments: Jesse John- son, County Treasurer, one year.

Overseers of Poor-Francis Frazier. John Thomas, Greens- fork; John Way, John Wright, White River.

Constable-Jonathan Edwards, White River ; Abner Over- man, Greensfork.

Viewers-John Wright, William Diggs, Joshua Cox, White River ; Joshua Wright, Isaac Kinley, David Bowles, Greens- fork.

Superintendents School Section-William Hockett, Towns 18 and 19, Range 14; James Massey, Town 21, Range 14; John Way, Town 20, Rango 14.

Board granted license to William Connor to sell merchandise one year-first store in county, Section 10, Town 18, Range 14 (between Snow Hill and Winchester). Special term held December 6, 1818, to let court house and jail (see Public Build- ings).

Third regular session was held February, 1819. George Bowles was made Lister (Assessor) for the county.

Fourth term Commissioners' Court held May, 1819, George

HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

Bowles made his report and was allowed $10 for assessing the county.

Levy on every horse, beast, etc., 25 cents. And this was all in 1819 (for county taxes).

Jesse Johnson, Treasurer, reported-Received taxes, $20; paid out, $20.

It were enough to make the heads of the present tax-ridden population whirl to think how different matters are now.

First road laid out May, 1819 (see Roads).

August, 1820, Commissioners organized all the territory northward, probably to the State line, into a township, calling it Wayne (see elsewhere).

November, 1819, Treasurer reported-Receipts, $260; ex- penditure, $259.75.

February, 1820, Abner Overman, Lister.

May, 1820, Lister reported.

Levy-Each three year old horse, 372 cents; each house of en- tertainment, $10.

November 1820, Treasurer reported :

Revenue

$152 00

Lots sold.

309 63

Fine ...

1 00 $462.63

Disbursements

437 08

On hand

25 55

As the law then stood, the Commissioners had to fix the rate of charges at licensed taverns. They did it thus :

Dieting (per meal). 25

Gin (half pint) 28

Brandy 25

Whisky (half pint) 12}

French Brandy. 373

Rum (half pint). 377

First delinquent list had seventeen names ; amount $11.50. Up to 1824, Sheriffs were ex-officio collectors. The county busi- ness was done by three Commissioners. But in 1825, the Board of Justices hegan, embracing every Justice in the county, service gratis. This board had to appoint a Collector each year.

February, 1825, John Coats, Justice, White River, was made President of the Board.

May, 1825-Present, Justices John Coats, White River; Geo. Ritenour, on Mississinewa River ; David Moore, on West River ; Joshua Wright, on Martinsdale Creek ; David Vestal, on Stony Creek ; Joseph Hall, on White River (crossing of Lynn road) ; David Frazier, Greensfork ; Noah Johnson, S. Sample's Mill.

LEVY TAXES.

Poll, 50 cents ; gold watch, $1 ; horse, 37} cents ; carriage, 50 cents ; ox, 12} cents; liquor license, $5 ; brass clock, 50 cents ; foreign merchandise, $10; silver watch, 25 cents; town lots ($100), $1; covering horse, price of standing.

LAND.

One hundred acres (first quality), 25 cents ; 100 acres (sec- oud quality), 20 cents ; 100 acres (third quality), 15 cents.

Treasurer reported :

Liquor License. $10 00

Estrays ...

3 374

Taxes, Collector. 552 382 $556 51}

Disbursements.

575 70

Due Treasurer. $ 9 19

May 1826, rates were changed : Tavern license, $3 ; meal, 182 cents; whisky, 6} cents; peach brandy, 12} cents ; rum or French brandy, 182 cents ; horse (one gallon), 6} cents ; horse, all night, 25 cents; lodging, 6} cents.

May, 1829. Levy-Covering horse, once-and-a-half the price; 100 acres of land, first quality, $1.20; 100 acres of land, second quality, 90 cents ; 100 acres of land, third quality, 60 cents; ferry, $2; licensed store, $10; horse, 75 cents; ox, 372 cents ; town lot, 3 per cent; watch, silver, 432 cents ; watch, gold, $1.50 ; Carriage, $2; brass clock, $1.50.

Treasurer's Report, 1829-Receipts, $817.49; disburse- ments, $826.93; balance due Treasurer, $9.44.

Thus, after twelve years, the annual county taxes fell shortof $1,000.

Now we have, one does not know how much-and in all more tban $150,000. Then only a few things taxed, now everything !

Treasurer to 1824, Jesse Johnson; Treasurer to 1825-29, John B. Wright; Treasurer, 1829-30, James T. Liston.

The Sheriff was Collector, 1818-24.

Thomas Wright was Sheriff, 1825-27, and was appointed Col- lector also. But for 1828 he was not appointed.

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 17

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