USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > History of the city of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 45
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384
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
From the oldest states and from across the sea came enterprising and intelligent men and women. Among the first of these were D. F. Gold- smith and Everton Kennerly, both prominent men in their day. Each served as county commissioner at different times and were closely interested in the public affairs of the county. D. F. Goldsmith built the first court house in Evansville. In 1818 Judge William Olmstead came here from New York, and David Negley came from Pennsylvania. They were in- telligent citizens and did much to promote the social welfare of the set- tlers. Judge Olmstead was called to the bench early in life, and served well as a county commissioner. Deacon Negley, as he was called, soon became the proprietor of the well known mill site on Pigeon creek. The deacon paid $5,000 for the mill property, the location being the only val- able part about the purchase. Joel Lambert of Henderson, Kentucky, came here and went into partnership with Mr. Negley, and they soon added improvements to the mill. For a long time it was the center of attraction for forty miles around. The old mill stood for many years, being finally destroyed by fire.
Most of the people who came from England settled in Scott township. For convenience, most of the settlers occupied the ground along the state road, running from Evansville to Princeton, this being an established high- way. The first of the settlers to go East was Mr. Charles McJohnston, an Irishman who landed at the Skelhorn hill in 1819. He brought the first wagon that was ever seen in this part of the country. He found a desir- able location and settled in the northern part of the township. He took an honorable part in the history of the township and his descendants have preserved the good name, and are still living on the ground which their ancestors rescued from its wild state. At about this time Joshua Stephens and Silas Stephens came into the neighborhood and afterward the two were joined by their father, David Stephens. Joshua was a tanner by trade, and Silas, a saddler. Joshua conducted a tannery and Silas a saddlery, both on a small scale, and they both became wealthy and prominent citizens. While working at his bench, Silas won the affections of Julia, the daughter of Gen. Evans, whom all were wont to praise as a sweet character. Their marriage was solemnized in the good old-fashioned way, and all the leading citizens of the day attended.
Up to 1830 the farmers sent to New Harmony to get plows to break their lands. The establishment of Presley Pritchett's blacksmith shop was a great improvement to the county, but it was some time before the needs could be supplied conveniently. New Harmony was also a great resort for those who had wool to be carded. There were no cotton gins in the country until Nicholas Robinson put up one in Gibson county. That of Saunders Hornbrook was the first and perhaps the only one in this imme- diate vicinity. The first horse mill was built by Charles McJohnston some time prior to 1830. The making of whisky became quite an industry. The market for corn was limited and the distillers offered better prices than the
CHAPEL IN OAK HILL CEMETERY
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
merchants and traders. Up to 1825 the woods of Center township were full of all kinds of game.
In the early days of Center township the settlers attended church in log cabins, schoolhouses or wherever a minister of the gospel pushed his way into the wilderness and announced his readiness to expound the word of God. Once a year they attended conventions or camp meetings held by the Presbyterians and Baptists. The Baptists were the strongest body in that locality for quite a great many years.
Charles McJohnston, in his will, made a valuable bequest "to help build a house to worship God in." Mr, McJohnston was a Methodist who came here from Ireland. This house, by the terms of his will, was to be free to all Christian denominations. The church was erected under the supervision of the son of the donor. It was a small frame building, and was dedicated by Rev. Charles C. Danks, with about twenty members. In 1882 this church gave way to a handsome new structure built of brick, at the cost of $6,000.
The German Methodist church began to hold services about 1843, first at the houses of its members, then at the schoolhouse and finally a church building was erected in 1849. This stood on the border of German town- ship, was a frame structure, most of the timber being sawed by hand. In April, 1888, a handsome new brick church, costing $3,000, was dedicated to the service of God. The first minister was Rev. Muth and the first class was composed of but four families, the Gottschalks, Millers, Molls and Kratz.
Kratzville Methodist Episcopal Church .- At least sixty years ago the Methodists had a preaching place at the Kirkpatrick schoolhouse. After so many Germans moved to that vicinity, the place was changed to the Kratzville road and then a neat church was built which was generally known as "The Ridge Church." Among the members were Mother Grimes, Mrs. Robert Smith, Mother Short, and Henry Morgan. Rev. J. N. Ryan, Wil- liam Ingle and Isaac Owen were among the old-time preachers who occu- pied the pulpit. There were not many Catholics in those early days, but a few followers of that belief organized a church with Richard Raleigh as their head.
The principal town or village is Mechanicsville, commonly called String- ton because the houses are strung along the road. It is officially called Zipp's postoffice. At a very early date the point where the Petersburg road left the state road was selected as a good place for a blacksmith and wagon shop. It was a busy place in the early times, and when a postoffice was established old man Zipp, then a resident of the town, was appointed post- master, thus giving the place the present designation. McCutchanville in the northern part of the township, was brought into existence about 1845 by the establishment of a postoffice and the appointment of Mr. McCutchan as the postmaster.
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
KNIGHT TOWNSHIP.
This was formerly a part of Pigeon township. It is bounded on the north by Center township and Warrick County, on the east by Warrick County, on the south by the Ohio river and on the west by Pigeon town- ship. Along the old canal bed, or the present line of the L. E. & St. L. R. R., are rich lands, at one time swampy, but now considered as good land as can be found in the country. At one time this land was covered with dense forests, but now all have been cut away.
Most of the settlers of this township are from Kentucky. In the win- ter of 1806 Aeneas McCallister, the progenitor of a large family, settled near the mouth of Green river. He afterwards moved to Knight township, near Newburgh. His farm was used as the camp grounds for the religious workers, and he himself was a very devout worker. Among the first set- tlers to follow Aeneas McCallister were Daniel Nocle, Daniel James, Sam- uel Lewis, John Sprinkle, William Briscoe, Solomon Vanada, Julius Wig- gins, Henry James, David Aikin and John Garrett. Among these settlers was a man who became a man among men in the service of the nation, and his name adorns the brightest pages of history. Gen. Joseph Lane came with his father and settled a short distance from the foot of Three Mile Island in 1818. When but twenty-one years of age he made a race for the legislature and won, although he ran against such men as Gen. R. M. Evans and Judge William Foster. He was elected five times to the seat in the lower house of the general assembly and twice to the state sen- ate. When warwas declared against Mexico in 1846 he gave up his seat in the state senate, and enlisted in the ranks under Captain Walker. He rose to the rank of brigadier general, and had a military career that was with- out spot or blemish. After the war he was appointed governor of Oregon and represented that state in the United States Senate. He died at the age of seventy-nine years, at Roseburg, Oregon.
Another settlement was made in the year 1813, about four miles from Evansville on the Newburgh road. The first settlers were Isaac Knight, Martin Miller, Samuel Kinlonk, John Fickas, Adam Fickas, Robert Gib- son, Humphrey Barnett and the McCallisters. John Beach settled near what is known as the Asylum farm. Isaac Knight received the honor of having his name perpetuated in the christening of the township. His family was among the most respected in the township. The other pioneers named here were sturdy men, skillful hunters and good citizens. After the first settlement was made, the township did not grow very rapidly as they had expected. It was not until 1830 and even later that the land be- gan to be cleared up and settled upon. With the great increase of popula- tion of 1835, Knight township received a very small proportion of the foreigners that came into the country.
In 1811 New Madrid, Mo., had a very severe earthquake, which de- stroyed the town and left in its place, a large lake. The shock was plainly
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
felt all along the Ohio river and the country surrounding, and the people thought of little else than attending religious services. James McGrady, the founder of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, appeared and preached to the people. He was followed by Phineas Ewing and Hiram A. Hunter. It was at that time that the first camp meeting was started and the custom has always been kept up for about fifty years.
The Cumberland Presbyterian church has always been strong in Knight township. The only church now in existence is the little frame structure called the Church of Hebron. The first pastor of this church was the Rev. Ritchie. It started with a small membership but now has a good class. Through the recent split-up of the Presbyterians and the Cumberlands, church is held by the Cumberlands one Sunday and by the Presbyterians the next. Rev. C. M. Zwingle is the pastor for the Cumberlands at present.
In the settlement along the river near Three Mile Island the Christian Order is the strongest religious faith in that section. This church was started by John McGrary, Joseph Wasson and John Boren. The services were first held in the district school house but later a neat little frame church was erected. Mrs. Elizabeth Aikin was the most devoted and earnest supporter of this church.
The Little Sisters of the Poor .- A branch of this order was established in Evansville in 1887, through the kindness and charity of Mr. John A. Reitz, a thoroughly practical Catholic. He donated seventeen acres of land on Lincoln avenue, in Knight township, one-half mile from the city limits, whereon was erected a splendid and spacious building, fitted with all the modern improvements, to be the home for the aged poor in charge of the Sisters. The land and building are worth more than $50,000. The building is of brick, three stories, with two wings half the size of the main building. A statue of St. Joseph, the gift of Mrs. John A. Reitz, orna- ments the front of the structure. Sister Flavie is the superior and has eight assistants. No needy person who conforms to the mild rules of the institution is excluded, regardless of conditions or religious belief.
Hospital for the Insane .- This institution is located in Knight township on what was formerly the Howard farm, on the Newburgh road, about three miles from this city. Through the efforts of John William Rahm, state senator, the state legislature was induced to visit Evansville with a view of selecting the site for such an asylum as the needs of the state demanded. The legislature was royally entertained by the citizens and the location made such a good impression on them, that a handsome edifice of brick at the cost of about $250,000 was put up, large enough for 1,000 in- mates, in 1886. The farm on which the asylum is built was worth $20,000.
There are no towns of any importance in this township. The town of Smyrna was laid out by Mr. William Walker, and the Wabash and Erie canal was expected to help the place, but after the canal was given up, the town gradually became smaller until it was finally abandoned altogether. Mr.
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
Smyth, a man born in Evansville in the year 1849, settled on a farm in Knight township, which he helped to clear. In 1871 he went into business with his father, in the manufacture of tile, under a firm name of Thomas D. Smyth and Son. When his father died, the firm name was dissolved and Henry B. Smyth conducted the business alone. There is still a sta- tion on the L. E. & St. L. on the site of Mr. Smyth's tile factory, which was very successful while in operation.
UNION TOWNSHIP.
Union township was organized May 10, 1819. It lies in the southwest corner of the county and is really at times, an island, for it is surrounded by the bayou and the Ohio river. At this point the river makes a bend, to form a horseshoe. The surface is very low and is almost entirely of river bottom land. In 1884 during the high water, the entire township was under water, with the exception of two or three very small spots of land. The soil is sandy and very productive, yielding corn, tobacco and potatoes, and in the northern part, where there is more of a clay soil, they have an abundance of wheat, hay and clover.
Being so near the river and thus easy to reach, Union township was very quickly settled by the pioneers. As early as the year 1807 a number of settlers had invaded its limits, the most prominent one being Mr. Wil- liam Anthony, who settled just opposite Henderson, or Red Banks as it was then called. For years his place was called Anthony's Ferry. Another settlement was made about five miles below Evansville by George Sirkle, Nicholas Long, Jonathan Jones and others. George Sirkle was a Vir- ginian, and proved become a very valuable citizen, having served in the early wars. He was on the first board of county commissioners for Van- derburg County and occupied other positions of trust and honor. Nicho- las Long was an influential citizen, also from Virginia, who acquired con- siderable wealth, according to the times. Jonathan Jones was an upright sterling character and was the father of Judge James G. Jones, a brilliant lawyer and a prominent man in his day. One of the most prominent and well known settlers in this neighborhood was Joseph M. McDowell, who lived about four miles from Henderson. His house early became a fa- vorite stopping place for the weary hunter or traveler, and the hospitality found there gave the host a reputation to be envied, in all the country around.
The farmers along the river in Union township were in a better posi- tion to trade than the farmers farther in from the river. The forests around had hardly been touched, and the steamers passing would stop for fuel, as the use of coal was as yet unheard of. The work of chopping up large logs, became a common occupation. Another industry common among the farmers was pork raising, as the woods at these times, were full of hogs. The farmers often found pork-raising and log-splitting, of far greater profit to them than the simple tilling of their ground.
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
The interior part of this township never was thickly settled, owing to the ground being so low. The cabins were often as far as four miles apart. John Shaffner was among the farmers of this vicinity, who bought his land and lived in the township for many years, and was much re- spected by all his neighbors.
Mortar and pestle were used for crushing corn and later they went to the mill of Red Banks, or Negley's mill, on Pigeon creek. Andrew Sirkle built a horse-mill about 1830 and operated it for about twelve years. Mat Burns constructed the first stationary mill, and in the early days many logs were taken from here to Audubon's mill at Red Banks. The whip saw was used until the year 1840. The logs were first hewed to the desired size, lines wert struck, it was elevated to a scaffold and with one man below and another above, the saw was slowly worked through it.
The development of this township was very gradual. There was never. any rush of foreigners or colonists. Much of the land is held by non- residents who purchased it from the government or from the unfortunate or reckless descendants of the pioneers. Carroll Saunders and his de- scendants and relatives occupied a prominent place in the township, as did also Mr. Samuel Barker, a wealthy man who took up his residence in the township, in 1832. He served as county commissioner and had the respect and esteem of all those he came in contact with in his walk of life. One of the most typical representatives of that class of easy-going, free-from- care pioneers, who rejoiced in the excitement of the chase, and ever loved to recount their exploits, was "Old Man Flat, the yarn teller," as the set- tlers often spoke of him. His chief delight was to pass away time in spin- ning yarns, many of which had not a grain of truth in them. He was a hunter in the woods most of the time, and the owner of a vivid imagina- tion. He kept many a fireside circle laughing with good humor at his un- reasonable stories, and thus served a useful purpose. To this day the young folks of Union township are amused at the stories of old Flat, which have lost nothing in all these years, though told so often. Some of them surpass, in their portrayal of desperate hunts, and the wonderful achievements of the narrator, the most thrilling recitals of Baron Mun- chausen. There were many of these "squatters" who lived in the woods and went away when the game thinned out. They lived for the day, and did nothing to perpetuate their names. A generation passed and they were forgotten.
The water often got so high, as to force the settlers to leave their homes to keep from drowning, and to seek shelter even in the tops of some tall trees. The story is told of two men, Philip Cheaney and Harvey Wheeler, during the year 1884, who, seeing that their home was in danger of being swept away by the waters, took a skiff and rowed up the river until they came to some tall trees, into which they climbed for safety. The waves frequently dashed over their heads and thus kept them from freezing, be- cause they were forced to move lively, to keep from being swept away.
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
The night was so cold that a great many hogs in the woods froze to death.
When the township was first founded the Baptists and Methodists pre- dominated. Meetings were held at the houses of the members until two churches were built for that purpose. The first preachers were John Schraeder, Richard and Joseph Wheeler and Robert Parrott for the Meth- odists and Benoni Stinson for the Baptists. About three miles below the Henderson ferry, there were a Baptist church and a Methodist church. The high water of 1884 swept both of these churches away. There was a small frame church built by the Catholics of that neighborhood. There were about fifteen families under the charge of Father Sondermann. The church was dedicated to the Sacred Heart and blessed in June, 1874, by Rev. P. McDermott, of Evansville.
There are no towns in Union township that are very important. On March Ist, 1820, Joseph M. McDowell laid out a town in the southeast quarter of section 21, township 7 south, range II west, and called it Union- ville. The village has long ago passed out of existence.
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
The daring exploit of Commodore Perry, by which he achieved one of the most brilliant victories known to the early history of the nation, caused this township to be named in his honor. The township was organized in 1840. Prior to this time it was part of Pigeon township. Most of the early settlers came from Kentucky. The Indians still had possession of this country, but through the bravery of the pioneers, they were resisted and soon driven out of the territory. Mr. William Linxweiler was among the first to settle here and landed at the mouth of Green river and settled upon the tract of land afterward known as the residence of J. B. Stinson. His son William was the first white child born in the county of Perry. The family of George Miller made three attempts to locate near here, but were driven back by the Indians. Following the Miller family came John B. Stinson and his father, both of whom were coopers by trade. They settled on the banks of the river, about two miles below Evansville. John B. Stinson became an able preacher in the General Baptist church. Al- though there were many "squatters" who came through the township, it was some time before there were any more permanent residents. Between the Miller and the Stinson place there was a strip of woods, which was soon tramped through by these pioneers, who became neighbors in the full sense of the word. About three miles from the Miller's farm was the home of William Ragland and William Martin. These were the only homesteads until Posey County was reached.
George and Susan Edmond were early settlers who afterwards moved to Union township, where the former was found dead by the roadside some years later, and his death has always been a mystery. Among the later settlers of this township were James Robertson, John M. Lockwood,
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
Patrick Lyons, Reuben Long, Nicholas Long, Thomas and William Hooker, and Peter Miller. Peter Miller was a great hunter and story tel- ler, and it is said that in one year he killed fifty deer. He could win almost any foot race.
Among these early settlers progress became the watchward and grad- ually the forests and wilderness around began to be cleared up and lux- urious homes were erected. The narrow paths running through the woods were changed into meadows planted with hay, barns went up and were filled with food for the cattle, which heretofore had to feed on dry twigs, etc. Perry township received a great many Germans that came here be- tween the years 1830 and 1840. Their descendants compose the larger part of the population.
The first church organization in Perry township was that organized by Ezekiel Saunders, a Baptist preacher of early days. He was prominent among his co-laborers. Their early meetings were held at the old Saunders homestead until the society built a church in Posey County, which ended the history of it as far as Perry County was concerned. In 1823 Benoni Stinson started a church with about thifty-five members who withdrew from the old church after it had moved into Posey County, and here they worshipped for about three or four years, in a small log cabin about one mile from Henderson.
The German Evangelical Lutheran Emanuel's Church .- This church was organized in Perry township in 1854, through the efforts of Rev. A. Saupert. This is a part of the first congregation of Trinity church of this city, having come here with Rev. Saupert.
There are no towns of note in Perry township except Perryville or Babytown, as it is commonly called, but this is really a part of the city of Evansville, and has no importance as a separate town. Col. John Rhein- lander established a grocery and cigar store shortly after the Mexican war and the growth of this place is attributed to these small enterprises.
GERMAN TOWNSHIP.
German township was organized in 1845. Before its organization it was part of Pigeon and Armstrong townships. It is bounded on the north by Armstrong, on the east by Scott and Center and on the south by Perry township and on the west by Posey County. The land is thickly covered with timber and because of this fact the game has always been plentiful. Even when the game began to grow scarce in Indiana all around, there was still a great deal in this county and almost any one that could fire a gun could go into the woods and secure venison or ducks and geese for his larder.
It was about the time that the few Anglo-Saxons began to occupy the wild lands of what is now Armstrong township, that German was first in- vaded by the hardy pioneers. It is probable that occasional hunters and
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
trappers crossed its territory while still in the possession of the Indians, but such persons had little influence upon its future growth. The first permanent settlement, which, by gathering together a few families for mutual protection from hostile red men and wild beasts, for a nucleus about which a neighborhood was gathered and where the woodman's ax first made a clearing and raised a cabin, which, though rude and uninviting in its aspect, was designed for more than a temporary shelter, was made in the northwest corner of the township by the Hensons, David and Jesse, and Joseph Chapman. Walter Bryant came into the Henson settlement in early days. Under the leadership of Jesse Holloway, a band of about six families settled about two miles from the first settlement and raised a cluster of log cabins. The land was bought from the government at the price of $2 per acre, and money was so scarce that it was difficult to ac- quire that sum. John Warren succeeded in clearing not less than forty- two acres on the congress land and after building a house, stable and a few smaller buildings, he sold his farm to John Morgan for $40.00.
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