USA > Indiana > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Indiana, from its first settlement to the present time : with numerous biographical and family sketches > Part 19
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A Saw-mill is said to have been built in the south-west cor- ner of the township, by Wm. Starbuck, about 1817, and was owned at different times by several persons. A saw-mill was built on Middle Fork by Henry Newton and John Unthank, about the year 1825 ; another afterward by John White, three- fourths of a mile north of Newton's; and another by James White, three-fourths of a mile still further north, which run about 35 years, having been once rebuilt. John Nicholson and Isaac Commons built a saw-mill in the south-east corner of the township, which is now owned by Abraham B. Elliott. A. steam saw-mill, built in the north-west corner of the township, owned by Peter H. Wright, was destroyed by fire a few years ago.
In 1829, Valentine Harlan built a Grist-mill above James White's saw-mill. In 1837, William Addleman, Jun., and Stephen Elliott built, three-fourths of a mile north of White- water, a grist-mill which run about twenty years.
The first Merchant in Whitewater is said to have been John Price. After two or three years he sold the goods to Stephen Elliott, who was on the south-west corner, and by whom the house had been built. Thomas Morton, of Miami, Ohio, had a store in the north-east corner about two years, and built on the corner where Joseph A. Bowen now trades. Elliott sold his goods to John H. Bruce and Jonathan D. Gray. Wm. B. Schenck was here at least as early as 1839, and as late as 1844. T. J. Ferguson & Co., in 1844. At Bethel, Win. McFarland appears to have been the first merchant in 1845, on the north- east corner, where are now a grocery and a tavern, kept by Nathan Harlan, and traded several years. Edward Osborn, of Newport, soon after established a store, kept by Joseph Un- thank. There were afterward, at different times, John A. Unthank, Walker Yeatman, Jesse Richards, Jacob & Howard Harlan, Morgan & Henderson. Present merchants-Martin Wiley, dry goods; Nathan Harlan, grocer. Present mer- chants at Whitewater-Joseph A. Bowen, north-west corner;
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IIISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Benj. W. Addleman, south-east corner. Grocer-Wm. B. Robinson, south-west corner.
The first Physician was John Thomas, in the south part of the township, where his grandson, Henry W. Thomas, now re- sides. He had an extensive practice, there being no other physician near. He carried his medicine in a bladder, instead of the ordinary saddle-bag. At Whitewater, afterward, were John H. Bruce, Azel Owens, Richard G. Brandon, Robert Hamilton, Wm. Williams, Wm. Commons, Robert Fisher, Harlan Harrison, now residing in Union. Dr. Thomas T. Courtney, after an absence of several years, returned to White- water, and died early in 1871. Present physicians-J. E. Beverly, J. B. Stevenson, W. P. Griffis.
The earliest Religious Society in the township was that of the Friends, who built a log meeting-house two miles south of Whitewater, near the site of the present brick house on the turnpike. Isaac Commons, Job Elliott, Wm. Hunt, Joseph Ashton, John Nicholson, Jeremiah Cox, Jun., and Luther Tillson, were early members.
The Christian Church at Bethel was formed in August, 1821, under the ministration of John M. Foster. Meetings were first held in the dwelling of Valentine Harlan, afterward in a school-house; next, in a large log meeting-house half a mile east of Bethel, where the grave-yard is, until the present house in Bethel was built. Since the pastorate of Mr. Foster this church has enjoyed the ministerial services of Valentine Har- lan, 2d., Eli Harlan, Hosea C. Tillson, Joseph G. Harlan, Hardin Harrison, and Henry Polly, now residing at Union.
The Episcopal Methodists organized a church near Jesse Hunt's, in the south-west part of the township, about the year 1830. Edward Starbuck, Hugh Stevenson, Joseph Hender- son, and Joseph Whitacre were early members. The organiza- tion was given up about six years ago.
A Methodist Episcopal Church was formed at Whitewater about 1831 or 1832. Among its early members were William Boswell, Thomas K. Peeples, Wm. Brown, and their families, and Margaret Addleman. It was in the Centerville and Will- iamsburg Circuits. The congregation at first met in a log house near where the present house was built in 1854.
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FRANKLIN TOWNSIIIP.
The Wesleyan Methodists organized a church about 1854, and built their present house of worship near the site of the old house of the Episcopal Methodists. Early members were Ed- ward Starbuck, and Edward, his son, Jacob and M --- Brown, Elijah Roberts, Elias Cheneweth, Ambrose Roberts, with the families of most of them. Edward Starbuck, Jun., was a local preacher. Among their preachers have been John W. Johnson and Daniel Worth.
A Christian Church at Whitewater was formed in 1867. Early members were James M. Gist, Jesse T. IIunt, Wm. R. Winsor, Henry W. Thomas, Wm. L. Robinson, and their wives, Sally White, Aleda Harney, Milesia Addleman. Their permanent place of worship is the lower story of the Academy building. Their preachers have been Mr. Buff, who had preached before the organization, Wm. D. Moore, and their present preachers, Joseph G. Harlan and Edward Fenton.
The Academy was built by a stock company, styled Frank- lin Township Academical Association, in or about the year 1859. The school is still continued. A select school was kept a year or longer by Milton Hollingsworth before the Academy was built.
The Town of Hillsborough was laid off by Stephen Elliott and John White, proprietors. The description and survey of the plat was acknowledged and received for record Novem- ber 14, 1828. An addition made by Stephen Elliott is dated September 8, 1832. The name of the town was, a few years ago, changed to Whitewater.
The Town of Bethel was laid out April 6, 1850; Elihu Har- lan and Joseph Anderson, proprietors.
Biographical and Genealogical.
JOHN M. ADDLEMAN was born in Chester county, Pennsylva- nia, April 14, 1790 ; married November 24, 1813, Sarah Whit- aker, who was born February 17, 1796. He settled, in 1826, in Franklin township. He was elected in 1829 or 1830 a jus- tice of the peace. He had fourteen children, of whom eight were married : 1. Ann Maria Margaret was married to Wm. Kemp; 2. Joseph P., to Catharine Townsend; 3. John C., first 16
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
to Nancy N. Wood; second, to Mary Eliza Dulin ; 4. James B., to Hannah Morton, and died about 1850; 5. William S., first, to Judith Townsend; second, to Ellen Townsend; 6. Sarah Ann, to Henry HI. Reed; 7. Benj. W., first, to Martha Kemp; second, to Melissa Addleman ; 8. George F., to Martha J. Broderick. He served in the late war. Milton W., the eldest, was killed by lightning. Five died in childhood and infancy.
WILLIAM ADDLEMAN, from Chester county, Pennsylvania, settled in Franklin township in 1819, a mile and a half north- west of Whitewater, as elsewhere stated. [See Franklin Township.] His father, John Michael Addleman, was born in Germany, December 15, 1723, and emigrated to America in 1752. He was married on the vessel during his passage, and settled in Chester county, Pennsylvania. William, his son, was born there in October, 1758, and married Mary Hennix, December 6, 1790. He had eight children, all married, as fol- lows : 1. Mary married Joseph Oglesby in Pennsylvania; set- tled in this township ; removed to Ohio, and died in that state. 2. John married -- McLease, and in a few years returned to Pennsylvania. Both are dead. 3. Margaret married Nathan Grave, an early settler in Wayne township. 4. Eliza mar- ried Elias Ogan, an early settler. She died here; he in Somer- set, Wabash county. 6. William married Mary, daughter of Job Elliott, and had six sons and two daughters. Three sons were in Col. Meredith's regiment, in the late war. Joseph O., who died in the battle of Antietam; Jacob O., who returned from the army sick, and died in nine days; and John, who, on account of sickness, was furloughed home. IIe re-enlisted, fought in the battle of the Wilderness, and in August, 1864, was discharged for physical disability. William O., another son, enlisted in the 147th Regiment in February, 1865, and served until after the close of the war. 7. Hannah married Robert Starbuck, removed to Ridgeville, where she died, and where he still resides. 8. Jacob married Mahala Starbuck, and died in 1864. Three sons, John, Andrew, and Flavins, were in the
war. John was killed in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain. died of sickness at Washington City.
BENJAMIN HARRIS, from North Carolina, settled, in 1807,
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FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.
about six miles north from Richmond, and four miles south- east from Newport, in the south-west part of the present township of Franklin. He was a son of Obadialı Harris, Sen., elsewhere noticed. He died about the year 1850, on the farm on which he first settled. He had fifteen children, thirteen of whom attained to the age of majority, and were married : 1. Obadiah, who married Sarah, daughter of John Lewis, of Green, and settled on Green's Fork, near Williamsburg, now resides near Indianapolis. 2. Pleasant, who married Hannah Massey, and settled in New Garden; afterward on Nettle Creek, near Dalton. He has since lived at South Bend, and last in Iowa, where he died. 3. James, who married Naomi, a daughter of John Lewis, and settled on Green's Fork, where he died. 4. Beersheba, who married Job Coggeshall, and set- tled near Newport, where she died. He resides at Williams- burg. 5. John, who married Nancy Harvey; settled in Cen- ter; removed thence to near Newcastle; thence to Iowa, where he died. 6. Benjamin, who married Lydia Hiatt, lived on his farm three years, and then settled near Williamsburg, where he lived until 1868, and now resides a mile from Rich- mond. Mrs. H. died in July, 1867; and he married in April, 1870, Hannah Ann Estell. 7. Rebecca, who married Henry Dutterow, and settled in Franklin township. 8. Sarah, who married John Catey, of Green. 9. Margaret, who married John Gardner, and lives in Oregon, where he died. 10. David, who married in Illinois, and died there. 11. Aaron, who mar- ried Martha, daughter of Richard Lewis, and resides in Hunt- ington county. 12. Elizabeth, who married Seth Gardner, and lives near Arba. 13. Nathan, who married, first, Hannah Thompson ; second, Mrs. Edith Anderson, and resides at Union City.
OBADIAII HARRIS, from North Carolina, father of Benjamin, came several years later than his son, and still later, Obadiah, another son. They settled in New Garden, a mile south from Newport, whence they removed to Randolph county. Both father and son were preachers in the Society of Friends.
LUTHER TILLSON Was born eight miles from Plymouth, Mas- sachusetts, in 1766. He removed to Vermont, where he was married, and in 1802 removed with his family to Ohio, land-
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
ing with a company of emigrants at Cincinnati on Christmas eve. He bought land and settled in Butler county. In 1817, he removed to Darke county, Ohio, near Franklin township in Wayne county, Indiana, where some of the family afterward settled. He had nine children, seven sons and two daughters. All had families except the youngest, a son. Only two are living, Isaiah and Hosea C., who reside at Bethel. Both united at an early age with the Christian Church at Bethel, of which both are elders. Hosea has been a minister for many years.
JAMES WHITE, son of James White, was born in Nelson county, Kentucky, June 9, 1792. In 1800, he removed with his father's family to Butler county, Ohio, where, eighteen months after, his father died. About the year 1810 or 1811 he came with the family to this county, and settled at or near where Middleboro' now is. He was married September 20, 1814, to Jane Boswell, a daughter of Barnabas Boswell, born August 24, 1794. In 1818, he settled in New Garden, now Franklin township, about a mile and a half north-east from Whitewater, where he has resided until the present time. He had a large share of the experience of pioneer life. About the year 1826 he was elected a justice of the peace for the term of five years, and re-elected for a second term of five years; and after an interval of one term, was elected for a third term of five years. He also held the office of notary public by ap- pointment from Gov. Willard and Gov. Wright. He had twelve children, all married, as follows: 1. Malinda, to James Garrett, and died in the township. He resides at Hagerstown. 2. Lucinda, to Peter Ellis, and resides at Whitewater. 3. Eleam, to Susan Curliner, and resides in the township. 4. Israel, to Nancy Oten. 5. Tabitha, to Augustus Bunch, and died at Whitewater. Ile removed to Tennessee. 6. James, to Anna Wright. 7. John, first to Sally Hubbard; second, to Jane Tillson, and died in 1829. 8. Joseph married Esther Ad- dleman. 9. Nathan married Anna Harrison. 10. William, to Salina Vannuys. 11. Daniel, to Martha Wright. 12. Jonathan, to Eliza Guess. Those living, whose residence is not mentioned, reside in the township.
The brothers and sisters of James White, above referred to,
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GREEN TOWNSHIP.
were : 1. Mary, who married Milton Ashby, who died of dis- ease in the war of 1812. She died in 1814, leaving two chil- dren, one of whom, Lavinia, married Wm. Austin, now resid- ing at Winchester. 2. John, who settled near his brother James, married Delilah Boswell, and died in 1835. 3. Eliza- beth, who married Abner Clawson ; both dead. 4. Joseph, who married Alice Clawson, settled in Wayne township, and died December 26, 1868. They had six sons and four daughters; two daughters deceased. 5. Nathan, who married, first, Eliza- beth Cook, and had a son, James C., who was killed in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain : second, Susan Cox, by whom he had five sous and three daughters. 6. Sarah, who married Thomas Gray, and settled on the state line, Ohio side.
GREEN TOWNSHIP.
The township of Green was formed in August, 1821, from Perry and other townships. It contains an area of about 30 square miles. The principal stream in the township is Green's. Fork, which passes through it diagonally from the north-cast corner in a sonth-westerly direction. It derives its name from a famed Indian, John Green, well known to many old settlers still living, and whose name occurs in several places in our history.
John Lewis, from North Carolina, in the year 1810, settled with his family half a mile south of the site of the present town of Williamsburg, on the farm on which his son Joseph now resides. Ile was accompanied by his eldest son Richard, then past the age of majority. These were the first settlers in the township.
The following are believed to have settled in 1811: Henry Way, 12 miles north-east of town, where Charles B. Ballenger re- sides. Seth Way, on the present farm of Jesse Cates. Joseph Prator, Thomas Cranor, and Win. Johnson, near the town. Joshua Cranor, where his son Milo now lives, about a mile south-east from town; and Reuben JJoy, 2 miles north-cast from town ; land now owned by Jesse Reynolds.
In 1814, John Green, from N. C., settled 2 miles north of
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
town on the farm now owned by Josephus D. Ladd, and was accompanied by Joseph Ladd and his son William. J. Ladd settled on the farm lately owned by Samuel Johnson, now by Martin Ballenger. In 1816, also from N. C., came Abel Lo- max, who settled on land now owned by James Frazer's heirs; Elijah Wright, where Alexander Wright lives; Jeremiah Stegall, on land now owned by Alexander Stegall; Wm. Cook, with his sons, Cornelius and James, about 4 miles north-west from town ; land now owned by his heirs and descendants.
In 1814, Benj. Hutchins, from N. C., settled where now Wm. McLucas lives, 12 miles north from town ; and Thomas, on land now owned by Job Coggeshall, a mile north from town. Benj. Hutchins afterward removed to the farm where he now resides, near the United Brethren meeting-house. John Hutchins settled a mile north-west from town, where James M. Cranor resides. Henry Study, a native of Mary- land, in 1818, a mile west of town, where his son John resides. Mr. Study is said to have had the first iron mold-board plow in Wayne county.
The following named persons were generally the first settlers on the lands they owned, but the years in which most of them settled have not been ascertained :
In the south-east part of the township, Joseph Comer, where now Joseph Comer, his son, resides ; Joseph Palmer, where Daniel Palmer resides ; Henry Gower, and James Irwin ; first settler on their lands not ascertained ; Thomas Teagle, where now a son resides. Joseph Evans, from N. J., entered several quarter sections, now and lately owned in part by Mark Evans, Joseph Lewis, Abner Clawson, and John Bean. John Catey, from N. J., also several quarter sections, por- tions of which, east of the turnpike, he still owns. Joseph Personett, from Md., settled on land now owned by Benj. F. Beverlin. Win. Beverlin, from Va., settled as early, probably, as 1812, on land now owned by his son Thomas, and John Catey, where the latter now resides. Jesse Bacon, from N. J., on land formerly owned by Benj. Harris. Henry Catey, from N. J., where Samuel Catey resides, 13 miles south-east from town. Thomas Bond, south line of township, land now owned by his heirs.
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GREEN TOWNSHIP.
In the south part of the township, Anthony Chamness, from N. C., settled where his son Joshua resides. Drury Davis lives on land formerly owned by Stacy B. Catey. Jesse Young, on land now owned by Isaac Henshaw, who lives in town. Samuel Ball, where now Benj. Thorn resides. Enos Veal, from N. J., where he still lives. Allen M. Harris, first proprietors not ascertained. Charles Spencer, on land for- merly owned by Orr Scoville. Richard Lewis, where Nathan I. Bond lives. Benj. Satterthwaite, on land now owned by Jonathan Mullin.
In the west part of the township, John Cain settled where he now resides. Henry Oler, where his son Henry resides. Luke Dillon settled on land where Thomas Cranor lives. Joshua Ballenger had other parts of the section, now owned by Jacob Ballenger and Larkin Bond. Benj. Ballenger north part of the section, now owned by Jacob Ballenger. Amos W. Ladd, afterward Thomas Oler, who also owns land one mile north, settled where he now resides. Henry, Joseph, David, and Isaac Study, sons of Henry, Sen., where they first settled. Elliott, on land now owned by S. Elliott. Nathan Riley, from Ohio. where Thomas Judd resides. Lorenzo King, lately L. Culbertson.
In the north-west part of the township, John Beard, from Md., on township line, on land previously owned by John Shelly. Jesse Baldwin, from N. C., on land now owned by his son Eli Baldwin and Isaac Y. King. Section 23, owned by Ephraim and T. J. Cates, George W. Scantland, and Peter Hardwick, first proprietors not known. Washington Cranor settled where he still lives. John St. Myers, where his sons reside. Wm. Ladd, on land now or lately owned by Frank Beverlin, Joseph Personett, and Thomas Judd.
Ephraim Cates resides 13 miles west from Williamsburg, and owns several farms in the township.
In the east part of the township, George Johnson, son of William, settled on land now owned by Thomas Edwards. Levi Jessup, 2 m. south-east of town, on land now owned in part by Elisha and Samuel Pitts, and Jonathan Haisley. Joshua Murphy, from N. C., where Harvey Harris now lives. Jacob
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
Cook, an early settler from Ohio, a native of N. C., on land now owned by Ezekiel Johnson and George Brittain.
In the north-east part, Daniel Charles, about 1816, settled where he still lives ; land now owned by Henry Charles and Hannah Blair. Wm. Trotter and Hugh L. Macy settled where they still live. Isaiah Case, on lands now owned b: S. Mitchell Boyd and Wyatt Green. Paul Way, from N. C., where now Joseph Way lives. Jeremiah Thorp, from Tenn., where he now lives. Eleazer Smith, from N. C., where now his son, Wm. D. Smith resides. Valentine Pegg, from N. C., where he still resides. John Pegg, from N. C., on land now owned by his son John. William Clemens, where he now resides, not an early settler.
Hartman Eigenbrot, a native of Germany, came from Penn. to Richmond in 1835, and three years thereafter to where he now lives, 2 miles south-east from Williamsburg. William Sharp, from Ireland, in 1854, settled in Richmond, and en- gaged in the starch manufacture; sold out in 1862, and in 1870, removed from Ohio, to where he now lives, 2 miles south from town. Jonathan Mullen, from Ohio in 1827, settled in 1854 where he now resides, 1} miles south from town. Henry Catey, a native of Germany, from New Jersey in 1821, settled 12 miles south-east from town, where he re- sided until his death in 1850, aged about 80 years. John, his son, now lives 12 miles south of town.
Charles Spencer, a native of Conn., from Penn., in 1819, settled where he now resides, 13 miles south of town. He is said to have made, in 1820, the first pegged shoes ever made in Wayne county, and, in 1821, the first iron mold-board plow.
The first School in the township was kept by Richard Lewis in a log house on his father's farm.
The first Blacksmiths in the township were Wm. Underhill, below town, and Joseph Way, 13 miles north-east from the town. Also, Hanan Roberts and Moses Davidson were carly blacksmiths. The present blacksmiths are Elias and John Roberts, and two sons of Win. Richter.
The first Wagon-maker was Wm. Richter, who still con- tinues the business. He was a son-in-law of Richard Lewis,
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GREEN TOWNSHIP.
son of John Lewis. Reynolds carries on the carriage-making business.
Wm. Johnson built the first Grist-mill about the year 1818, where the present mill in Williamsburg stands. A year or two later, Stacy B. Catey built a saw-mill 13 miles below town, where also a grist-mill was built. About the same time Reuben Joy built a saw-mill 12 miles above town ; and a few years after Hugh Johnson built a grist-mill; both are now owned by Jesse Reynolds.
The first Merchant in Williamsburg was [name lost], who commenced trade about the year 1831; prior to which time the inhabitants were supplied at Richmond. Of those who have since traded for longer or shorter periods, were John Pennington, Joshua and Thomas Cranor, Stephen and Samuel Johnson, Stephen Coffin, eight or ten years in the firms of B. & S. Coffin and Andrew Purviance & Co., Pleasant Un- thank and Griffin Davis, afterward Davis alone. Present Merchants-Griffin Davis, Pierce Brothers, [James and Asher,] and William Campbell.
Dr. Curtis Otwell was the first resident Physician, the in- habitants having been previously served chiefly by Drs. Warner and Kerl, of Richmond, Waldo, of Jacksonburg, and Way, of Newport. After Otwell, George Blair, Linus P. Taylor, and John T. Chenoweth. The last two are the present practicing physicians.
Richard Lewis is said to have been the first Justice of the Peace. Other early justices were Barnabas McManus, Joseph Ladd, John Green, Joseph Lewis, Samuel Johnson. Ezekiel Johnson and Winston E. Harris are at present justices.
Abel Lomax served two or more years as representative, and a term of two years as senator in the legislature ; and Joseph Lewis as a representative, at the session of 1845-6.
The Baptists probably formed the first church in the town- ship, which was organized Nov. 21, 1818, about 3 miles north of town. Among the first members and those who joined soon after, were Isaiah Case, Benj. Jones, Eleazer Smith, and their wives, James Martin, Hannah Case, Polly McQuary, Jeremiah Swafford, Sarah and Rebecca Potter, David Frazer, Margaret Shoemaker, Nathaniel Case and John Stigleman
17
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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.
and their wives. Rev. Wm. Oldham, from Salem church, Rev. - Martin, from Elkhorn, and others, officiated at the organization. In June, 1819, Benj. Jones and Nathaniel Case were ordained deacons. In December, 1819, Rev. Isaac Cotton became their minister, and continued his pastoral labors about twenty years. He was succeeded by Nathaniel Case about six years, and Andrew Baker some ten or twelve years. Henry Rupe, Mr. Lyons, and others have supplied the church at different times. Meetings were first held in a log house. A frame meeting-house was built about 1830, 3 miles from Williamsburg, and about twelve years ago a brick one, near the same place.
A Methodist Episcopal Church and society was formed about the year 1820, perhaps earlier. Among its first members were Abel Lomax, Henry Study, Joshua Ballenger, Nathan Riley, and their wives. Their first was a log meeting-house, where the house of the United Brethren now stands, about half a mile west from town. A brick house was afterward built in its place. In 1851, their present house in town was built. Their preachers have been Joseph Tarkington, Miltideus Mil- ler, John Kiger, John Burt, Mr. Morrison, Caldwell Robbins, John Metzker, Benj. Smith, Asahel Kinnan, Ner Phillips, George Newton, Abraham Gorrell, Lewis Roberts, John F. Pierce.
The Friends formed a society a few years later, and built a log house about 3} miles north-east from town. After an ex- istence of about fifteen years, the society was discontinued, a part of its members going to Newport, and a part to Cherry Grove.
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