USA > Indiana > Tipton County > History of Tipton County Indiana > Part 8
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HUNTING AND AMUSEMENTS.
The early game of the township was exceedingly plentiful; a farmer or settler never gave thought to the putting up of meat for the winter in the late fall, as the modern agriculturist does. There was always food within gunshot, necessitating but a few yards' walk from the cabin door. Deer, squirrels, wild turkeys, raccoons, mink. opossums and musk rats were to be seen on every side; in the territory near Cicero creek, black bears were fre- quently seen, and as often shot. their meat used for food and the thick skins for covering and protection against the severe weather. Gray wolves. catamounts and wild hogs abounded in the dense forests and were hunted mercilessly. The raccoon existed in great numbers, and the pelt of this wise little animal was much in demand, and was used as a medium of exchange. The statement of this latter fact may lead to some doubt, but it is to be re- membered that the markets for grain and hog-meat were not yet in existence. and the necessities of the home were obtained by the barter of coon, deer and wolf skins. It is interesting to note the methods used in capturing these animals. The coon was hunted mostly with dogs, which were trained for the purpose. If the small animals took refuge in trees, they were either shot from the limbs or the tree felled so that the dogs might finish the work.
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Traps or pens were used mostly in the hunting of the gray wolf. It was almost an impossibility to shoot them. Deer hunting occupied a very promi- nent place in the sports of the early settler. Fire-hunting was the favorite method. At night, hunters would climb into boats and proceed to the locali- ties most frequented by the deer. In the bow of the boat was a light, ar- ranged in the following manner: Two boards, of proper length, were nailed together, so as to form a right angle, the inner surface of each having been previously burned and charred until black. These were then fastened to the boat, and the light secured to the horizontal board. This, shining both upon it and the charred surface of the upright piece, would cast the entire boat and its occupants into profound shadow. The deer, coming to the water to drink, would see the light and nothing else. Their curiosity being aroused, they would walk close up, and thus be easy prey for the hunters. Bears were tracked down with dogs and then shot. Bears were very hard to capture by means of traps.
SPORTS.
Notwithstanding that the distances between settlements were long and intercourse difficult, the pioneer managed to create amusements sufficient for his needs. Dancing, foot races and shooting matches were frequently held. Skill with the rifle was a strong factor in the popular estimation of a man then, and the turkey or chicken shoots held were well attended and exciting affairs. Log-rollings and house-raisings were usually turned into holidays and people for miles around would go to a log-rolling or house-raising for a frolic, the women joining, always being accompanied with a big dinner, fol- lowed with a dance. It was the custom for all the settlers within a given locality to gather at one place and erect a home in a day. A bountiful feast was always on hand and plenty of hard cider and whisky. It was the custom, and no one thought of the deteriorating effects, nor was any reform crusade inaugurated. During the harvest season a jug of whisky was in many fields. It must be said to the credit of the pioneer, that seldom did he partake of sufficient liquor to reach the drunken or maudlin stage.
FIRST INDUSTRIES.
Samuel King was perhaps the owner and proprietor of the first mill in Cicero township. Lumber sawing was the principal industry of this mill, although there were small buhrs for corn grinding. The motive power was water. About twelve bushels of corn was the capacity of one day's work.
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The structure, an unpretentious one, stood on Cicero creek, two and a half miles southeast of the present site of Tipton, on land owned by Mr. King, but afterward known as the Mallory farm. At this time there were no rail- roads. The "Old Madison Road," which was chartered in 1831 and taken charge of by the state in 1836, under the "internal improvement system," was not completed to Indianapolis until the first of October, 1847.
The second mill within the township was constructed by Samuel King and William Buffington. It was situated on the north bank of Cicero creek, just west of the point where the Peru & Indianapolis railroad crossed the stream four years later. Timber sawing and the grinding of wheat and corn were the trades of this mill, and it was operated by steam power, the boiler and machinery having been hauled from Indianapolis by road, a distance of fifty miles. In 1851 a steam saw mill was erected within the reserve by George Kane and Newton J. Jackson, at a place later known as Jackson Station. On the completion of the railroad to Peru in 1854, thus forming a connection with the Wabash and Erie canal, a larger trade was built. In 1854 Thompson Innis also built a steam saw mill four miles west of Tipton, at a place known as Parker's Corner or Parker's Mill; this mill was operated by different persons until thirty-five years ago. In 1850, or near that year, Brighton Bailey, living two and one-half miles north of Tipton, had a horse mill for grinding corn. Any neighbor who desired to grind out corn, hitched his own horse to the mill-lever. Having no horse, the farmer paid a small fee for the loan of Bailey's animal.
CICERO TOWNSHIP IN 1914.
This township is at present the largest in the county, and also one of the largest and richest in the state of Indiana. There is a remarkable amount of wealth in this township, and it is divided among many citizens, not being accumulated under a few men's control. It is this universality of wealth which makes the great enterprises, the charitable attitude, and the strong support of any worthy movement, which characterize Cicero township. The soil is rich, bountifully rich, and the crops are very large and of first qual- ity. Stock raising is practiced to a large extent in conjunction with the farm- ing. It is needless to say that the most scientific and approved farm methods are used. It would surprise one to know the number of men who go each year from this township and others of the county to Purdue University, to attend the short course in agricultural science. It signifies progress and
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prophesies accomplishments in the future beyond the realm of the ma- gician's wand.
Adequate transportation means are afforded by the railroad and interur- ban lines, and an extensive and well improved system of gravel and mac- adam roads, so that the farmer finds it an easy task to ship his produce to the city markets. Telephones, rural free mail delivery, and automobiles are also factors in the modernizing of the farm home. Schools and churches are being improved every day, especially the former, as the consolidation sys- tem and vocational training are being introduced.
Driving in any direction from the city of Tipton, the stranger is im- pressed with the magnificence and commodious appearance of the farm homes and the orderly arrangement of the other buildings. This is the fruit of education.
Too much praise cannot be given to the citizenship of Cicero township. The men are as a unit in any procedure which is for the public welfare. They not only contribute their efforts, but materially aid at the same time.
JACKSON STATION.
This is a very small settlement three and a half miles north of Tipton. The village owes its existence to the building of a steam saw mill in 1851 by Newton J. Jackson and George Kane in the vicinity. This was prior to the completion of the Peru & Indianapolis railroad in 1854. After the road was finished, trains began to stop at this station, a side track was laid and shipments were made on the line. The village continued to grow. rather slowly, and the shipments gradually increased. After the close of the Civil war, Elijah C. Elliott located at Jackson Station and established a general store. He also operated a stave and heading factory. In 1882 he erected an elevator of large capacity. Several small dwellings now mark the spot. But for an elevator the town would go out of existence, the postoffice having been abolished in 1909. They have a school house and a church. It has recently been abandoned as a railroad station and it will soon only be known as a common public road crossing.
WEST KINDERHOOK.
This village was laid off and surveyed in 1841. under the direction of Dr. Silas Blount. It was situated on the east half of the southwest quarter of section 32, township 21 north, of range 5 east. The plat was recorded in
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BAKERY
LOOKING EAST FROM INDEPENDENCE STREET, TIPTON, 1870.
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Hamilton county, of which that territory was a part, on September 4, 1841. There were thirty-one lots in the plat, sixty-six feet wide and one hundred and thirty-two feet deep. After a sale of a few lots, the growth of the vil- lage was suddenly and completely stopped. The building of the railroad a few years later two miles and a half west brought the new village of Buena Vista into existence, just south of the Tipton county line, and immediately West Kinderhook succumbed.
PARROTSVILLE.
Parrotsville was surveyed on September 29, 1853, by Edward M. Sharp, and the plat filed for record on October 5th of the same year. It was located on the railroad, on the west half of the southeast quarter of section 27, township 22, range 4, about one-half mile south of Jackson Station. Benjamin F. Goar was the proprietor. The recorded plat shows thirty-six lots, and of this number several were afterward sold by Mr. Goar. This vil- lage has now become practically extinct. Andrew J. McClannahan, for many years a justice of the peace of Cicero township, was one of the early dwellers in this village.
INDEPENDENCE.
This village was also named Parker's Mill, and was located four miles west of Tipton. The village was of so little consequence that it was never platted. A school house was built early by Jehu Van Buskirk, and the name "Independence" given the school, to signify that it was free from all alli- ances with any organization. having been built by private enterprise. Noah Parker was one of the earliest residents, and was the proprietor of the saw mill from whence originated the oft used name of Parker's Mill.
CITY OF TIPTON.
The first touch of the white man's hand on the spot now occupied by the city of Tipton was in 1835 and 1836. when Samuel King, a resident of Rush county, purchased several tracts of land in the wilderness from the government. He made frequent visits to this territory, then a part of Hamil- ton county. Strawtown, on White river, was the nearest trading post. King had the idea that a town on this site would be a good thing and would add to the value of the surrounding lands. Accordingly, on April 16, 1839, he laid out a town, which he named Kingston, on the northeast fractional
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care vi ction 11. township 21 north. range & east A plat was recorded 'A November 5. 182, which shows forty-eight las each sixty-six feet wide and one hundred and thirty-two feet deep. The streets were sixty feet wide and the alleys sixteen and one-half feet wide. None of the lots were sold, and the whe inhabitants were the bears. deer. wolves and wildcats, and a few struggling Indians.
SELECTION OF SITE.
In January, 1844, Tipton county was created and a board of commis- - woners was appointed to locate the county seat. This body of men consid- ered it a prime requisite that this seat of justice should fall near the middle of the county, which was ascertained to be what was known as McMurtry's prairie, about two and one-half miles north of the site later selected. But the title of the Miami Indians to the land north of the reserve line had not been entirely extinguished. and it was not considered advisable to build a town in their territory. Then the commissioners offered to receive propositions to donate ground for the county seat south of the reserve. Samuel King of- fered to give one hundred acres in fractional section II, being the same sec- tion upon which he had, five years before, laid out the town of Kingston. His offer was accepted, and on October 16. 1844, the board met at the house of Jesse Brown and received the report of the locating commissioners. This body was allowed one hundred and fifty-nine dollars for their services.
LAYING OUT THE TOWN.
On the same day, William H. Nelson was appointed county agent, to lay off the new town, and he immediately gave bond of five thousand dollars to insure the faithful discharge of his duties, with Jesse Brown, Joseph Shank, Erasmus D. Thomas and Minor L. Thomas as sureties. The task of naming the new town now came before the county commissioners. John D. Smith, a member, and former resident of Ohio, suggested the name of Canton. The name was at once adopted. Nelson was authorized to sell not to exceed fifty lots, on the following terms: "One-fourth the amount that said lots shall bring shall be paid by the purchaser in six months, and the remaining three- fourths to be paid within eighteen months of the day of sale."
The technical description of the town is contained in the deed from Samuel King, and his wife, Delila King, to William H. Nelson, as county agent, made on December 18, 1844. It is as follows: "Beginning at a stone on the north side of Cicero creek, bearing tree, a walnut, south forty-nine
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degrees east, distance thirteen feet, diameter seven inches, west twenty-five chains and sixty-eight links, to a stone, bearing tree, a beech, north thirty-six degrees west, distant five feet, diameter seventeen inches, thence north thirty- seven chains to an oak in the Indian boundary line, thence north seventy-nine degrees and twenty-five minutes east with the Indian boundary line twenty- six chains and eleven links to a past bearing tree, a hickory, north twenty- one degrees east, distance nine feet, diameter twenty-four inches, thence south forty-one chains and seventy-five links to the place of beginning, in- cluding one hundred acres, be the same more or less, and being a part of Fractional Section No. Eleven, in Township No. Twenty-one north, of Range No. Four east of Second Principal Meridian."
After the close of the special session in October, plans were at once made to complete the laying out of the town of Canton. First, it was neces- sary to clear the ground of shrubbery, trees and undergrowth, and thus en- able surveyor John Criswell to locate the lots, streets and alleys. John D. Smith, Minor L. and Erasmus D. Thomas, Jesse Brown and a half dozen other men met for this purpose. For this work in cutting away the brush, each was allowed sixty-two and a half cents per day. Criswell at once made the survey, and was paid two dollars a day. This finished, a plat was made, acknowledged by William H. Nelson before Sylvester Turpen, recorder. This plat, known as the original plat, is composed of twenty blocks or squares, divided into one hundred and sixty-two lots, each sixty-six feet wide and one hundred and ninety-eight feet deep, with streets sixty-six feet wide and alleys sixteen and one-half feet wide. The total width of the plat east and west was sixteen hundred and twenty-four feet, north and south eighteen hundred and ninety-eight feet. The eastern boundary is East street; the western, the first alley west of West street; the northern, one hundred and ninety-eight feet north of Washington street; the southern, one hundred and ninety-eight feet south of Adams street. In the center of the plat was located the public square, which is one hundred and ninety-eight feet wide, east and west, and four hundred and twelve feet long, north and south. Everything was in readiness for the sale of lots, which must have begun in November. 1844, as the record of the commissioners' meeting at their regu- lar December session shows that James Graves was allowed "Ten dollars for one day's service as auctioneer, in selling lots in the town of Canton," and Andrew Evans one dollar for clerking at the sale. By the first of March. 1845. the county agent had sold at public and private sale thirty-six lots.
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LOT SALES.
The following is the exhibit of the sales made at this time: Daniel Smith, lot 12, block 6, $29; Lewis Jones, lot 9, block, 6, $11; Silas Blount, lot 5, block 6, $10.50; E. S. White, lot 4, block 6, $10; Lewis Beck, lot 2, block 6, $13.25; Jesse Frazier, lot 7, block 6, $10.50; Jesse Frazier, lot 3, block 7, $11.75; Daniel Lister, lot 10, block 6, $10; James M. Chew, lot 10, block 11, $10; James M. Chew, lot 10, block 7, $11; Samuel Neese, lot 12, block 11, $44; Samuel Neese, lot 8, block 11, $52.25; Samuel Neese, lot 9, block 11, $46.75; D. G. Wilks, lot 4, block 11, $31.25; Newton J. Jackson, lots 2, 3, 6 and 1, block 11, $60; George Tucker, lot 5, block 11, $32.25; L. C. Fairre, lot 11, block 7, $34 : Daniel Welshons, lot 2, block 7, $6.25; Will- iam Ballard, lot 2, block 15, $37; Minor L. Thomas, lots 8, 9 and 12, block 7. $52; J. Brown & Whisler, lots I and 2, block 10, $55; Samuel Dale, lot I, block 14, $10; Samuel Dale, lot 1, block 15, $10; I. N. Starkey, lot 3, block 15, $10; Wilson Thompson, lots 4, 5 and 6, block 10, $45; Wilson Thomp- son, lots 2, 3 and 6, block 9, $47; total. 36 lots at $702.75.
From the time of this report until the following September nineteen more lots were sold, being purchased by Charles A. Thurman, Jonathan Reed. Lewis Jones, James McMurtry, D. G. Wilks. I. Tucker. A. Brandon. John D. Smith, James Cassler and Milton W. Cassler. Henry Eshelman, Jeremiah Eshelman and Allan Goings became lot owners shortly after- ward.
TAVERNS.
By the year 1845 several .log cabins had been built in the new town of Canton. In this year Daniel Smith built a double log cabin, on the site of the late frame Martindale block, and there he kept the first tavern. It was called the Canton House. In 1849 he began the erection of a building at the north- west corner of Main and Jefferson streets, but it was not completed when, in September, 1850, he traded it to Newton J. Jackson for a two-story frame house across the street, at the southwest corner, which had been built by Jackson in 1845 to serve as home and store.
Andrew J. Redmond, who afterward became sheriff, started another tavern in 1846, in a two-story log house located on the northwest corner of Main and Madison streets. In 1850 or 1851 William H. Nelson became the proprietor of the house.
In 1850 Thomas Jackson, one of the first county commissioners, erected a frame house on the ground occupied in the eastern room, located where the
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Red Men's building now stands. In 1852 Harrison A. Woodruff opened a hotel on the site of the present Odd Fellows' building.
The Smith hotel was erected about the same time at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets, and also the City hotel, a three-story frame structure, on the present site of the city fire barn. John Long built a frame hotel on the corner of Madison and Main streets in 1865, which building was destroyed by fire in 1873. A new brick hotel was constructed on the same site, and it still exists, and is known as the Commercial hotel. It is a first-class hotel. large, neat, and well equipped with all modern hotel conveniences.
EARLY MERCHANTS.
The first merchants to locate in the town of Canton, later Tipton, were James Cassler, Newton J. Jackson, John S. Ressler and a Mr. White. Cassler was, in all probability, the first to enter the field. He conducted his business on the east side of the square, in a double log cabin, which stood on ground now occupied by the Dr. Newcomer block on Court street. In September, 1845, "on petition of divers freeholders, citizens of Canton and vicinity," he was granted by the board of county commissioners a license to sell groceries and retail spirituous liquors in the town of Canton, for the term of one year, his license fee amounting to ten dollars.
Newton J. Jackson also had a stock of goods prior to 1850, in a building at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets. Jackson was the first auditor and clerk of the county.
The first carpenters were Charles and Conde Bishop, who built a shop on Fast Jefferson street. immediately east of the alley between Independence and East streets. In 1847 William and Elijah Hall begun a tanyard, at the northeast corner of Jefferson and Independence streets. This was abandoned in 1882, owing to inability to compete with modern methods in tanning leather.
EARLY TIPTON.
The day when the government was asked to establish a postoffice at Canton, 1845, it was discovered that there was another postoffice named Canton in this state, therefore it behooved the people to select a new title. They christened the town Tipton, in honor of Gen. John Tipton, for whom the county was named. The postoffice was established and the first post- master was John S. Ressler. A complete list of postmasters is published else- where in this volume.
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At the beginning of the year 1849 the population of Tipson did not ex- ceed one hundred people. The town existed splendidly on paper, but ma- terially, the place was a mass of trees, underbrush, log heaps, stumps, and covered with wild vines and weeds. On the southeast of the courthouse square was a buttonwood swamp; on the north side was a slough, and a short distance west the ground was forever covered with a shallow sheet of water. The log cabins and few ramshackle frame houses were scattered promiscuously about, with no attempt to follow the platting of the streets. Cow paths might fittingly describe the roads which led into town. The mournful howling of the wolves, the bass notes of a bull frog, and the an- noying hum of hordes of mosquitoes regaled the ear, a deer was killed in the public square, and wild game chased each other and were chased by the people through the principal streets of the town. News traveled slowly, there being no telegraph or steam. and the people of Tipton knew little, and cared less, of the events occurring in the outside world. Game was abundant for food, but wheat and corn were yet in a primitive state. Real estate was of- fered for a song, a favorite joke being that the land was offered by "fluid measure." Merchandise was transported in wagons and on horseback from Lafayette, Peru and Indianapolis, and the produce of the local farms was hauled to these places. Quinine and whisky were universal remedies for the sickness resulting from the miasma arising from the wet ground and slushy country nearby.
An old pioneer, describing his visit to Tipton during these days, relates :
"We went by way of Indianapolis and from there to Tipton over the worst railroad bed I had ever seen. The water rushed out from under the ties and the train ran but a little faster than a man could run. The train would stop anywhere and take on passengers, in fact, some places it did not stop at all. for it ran so slow that a man could get on without having the train to stop. When we got to Tipton, about twenty of us got out on the platform, there being no depot. One man remarked with an oath, that Tip- ton was the worst place he ever saw. That was the first time I ever saw a mud boat. It was loaded with a large log and we could see nothing but the oxen, the boat slipping over the mud like it was greased.
"I suppose there were twelve or fifteen small houses in the town. We then started to walk to the home of David Shockley, about seven miles west of the little village. We had to walk most of the way on logs by the side of the road to keep out of the water. It was in the month of April and it was quite cool. While my friend was acting as guide and was leading the way over the logs, I pushed him off the logs and he went into the water, which
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HIGH WATER, 1913-ADAMS AND INDEPENDENCE STREETS, TIPTON.
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was about two feet deep. After that he took straight ahead and did not try to walk on the logs any more. I had to wade ponds and several times slipped off the logs, and by the time we got to the home of David Shockley, I was about as wet as he was. There were plenty of wild geese, wild ducks, wild pigeons, prairie chickens and other wild game. I thought that the soil was good, but that it would take a lot of work and many ditches to bring it under cultivation. I understand there has been a great transformation in Tipton county. Big open ditches, the drainage, gravel roads, good farms and all the modern improvements of the age. At that time, I wouldn't have given a dol- lar an acre for the best section of land in the county."
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