Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 110

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472

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Jobn MeClintock come to Muncie with his father, aboul Tho yeur 1842. le irny raised n former, but is now a merchant.

James Chariunn, a unlire of England, hus lived in Muncio mul heen engageil in The grocery aml bnkory business tirenty-fire years. Ho moveil from Wayno Couuly, Indiuun.

These mon hare verifimit the truthfulness of the elil saying, " 'Tis well lo stick in your Inst, muy man."

Dupl T. Ilnines camo to Muncie from Ohio, mu 1818. For ten years he t'as engiged in the grain trodde. He is now owner and landlord of the Ilnines Ibuşe.

Cornelins Van Ausdall settleil al the mouth nf Prairie Creek, in 1825. Ile livod amil ilied where he first gottleil.

James and Robert Gordon wut Goldswilb C. Gilbert urre minong lho first settler4

There Is n story tohit uf serornl men being burnt by the ludinus, nt a place called Oldtown, a trailing paint now nearly obliterated The stake ul irhigh they were burnt was still standing and pointed out a short time ngo.

Sereral unimportant skirmishes are said lo have occurred between the lmlinns, n fen miles north of Muncie, ond Gen. Anyne, as he passed through toward Fort Wayne, culling a way through just wrule enough to let his Irainy pass, trhich hns since buen kuoien as " Wayne's Trace.

A mommul is situated ono niil a linff miles south of Mnneie. A party, a four years ugo, in digging into this wind, to obtain sund und gravel, come upon u Inrgo collection of hinminu bones. Ono skeleton was ef gigautie Hizo. Tho jury ninl thigh bones irere in u good state of preservation and nearly complete. The jair-bone uns so largo that it could be ensily slipped over the Jair of tho Inrgest man of the parly-a tall, big-boned six-foolor, wul The thigh bone of the skeleton was three inches longer than his.

Mr. Kirby does not remember exacly when the first mill iras built in the county, but as be uns riding, one lny, on his way to Logansport, he mel a man with a matlock on his shoulders, who said he wns iligging n mill-nice on the Mississinewa for .lolin Boyle's mill, eight miles from Muucie, und he was on bis u ny on foot to Wnyne Colinly to get his minitnok sharpened

The first ileed recordeil in the county iras ouo from Joseph Van Mutre to Win. Van Matre for eighty neres of land, in consideration of the sun nf $110 lowfiat money. Acknowledgeil August 4. 1848, by lohn B. Hodge, J. P' Tho first Township Trustees were Minns Turner, Thomng Kirby nul Geurge Treiritl.

Tho first marriage license is as follows :

" Be it remembered that on the 27th day nf November, 1821. State of Inilinnn, Drintrare County, As The Sinle of Indiana, to any person legally nuthorized to seleinnize unrringes iu The County of Delmivaro, greeting : You are hereby authorizeil to solemnize a minrringe fielween lohn Marsh aml . \rey Witulsor in the contity of Delaunre, irho are hereby licensed to be joined in the holy bonds of matrimour.

WM. VAN MATRE, Clerk."

Then follows the cerlifiento of John E. Hodge, Justice of the Pence, Ihal he had performed the ceremony Norember 8, 1827.

Mary Inne Gilbert un9 the first child born in the county.

NEWSPAPCILS.

The earlier newspapers of the county were as follows: Tho funcictonun, published in 1840; the Muncie Messenger ; tho .Vunaetoien Telegragh, 1811. the I'lllaye Uccold, 1842: The Froman (Clay orgin), 1813; tho Democrat (Cass organ), 1848 ; the Munere Journel, 1846; the Signal, 1848, and others nnerward.

The present newspapers are . The Muncie 75mes, Bepublicnn, published by A. C. Mellett, the Muncie News, published by Ethel & Torner: the Hoober Patron and Lady Geunger, published by N. F. Ethel ; the Coto ler Democrat, published by J. D. Williams.

The I'nirons of Husbandry hure in the county twenty-four Granges,

M MI Moody, ex-Sveretary of the Stale Grange, is residing at Muucio Ile came from Virginin in 1836, and settled al Knighilstown. The next year he remored to Delairnro County.

Ile has lately been superseded in office by C. C. Post, of Stark County The Delawaro County Agricultural Society bay been in existence tuenty. Three years In 1864, it nus reorganized under the onmo of the Deluirare County Agricultural and Mechanical Association, with Mark Smith as Previ- denl, who served four youre.

In 1873, il was ngain reorganized, underthe nune of the Delnivaro County Agricultural Society, with J. S. Fudge ss P'residont.

The present President is Stepbeu Hothaivny.

The grounds-forty acres-nte owned by tho county. Tho buildings, stulls, ete., ore commodious, and the society is in a dourishing condiliou Jntaes A. Maddy, who came lo the county in 1881, although engaged in the mercuulite business exelusively, has ahirays taken a great interest in agricultural mutters, nud has noted sererul years ns Superintendent of the Couply Fuirs

UBIBULA AND HOANY.

In the county ore sixteen iron bridges, ovor lhe strenms, all paid for. And some ninety-six miles of turnpike roads, viz. : 1] initrs

Muncie und Burlington, . 110

Muncie to Alexander,

Muuere torvarda Newcastle,

The Middletown Pike, 12

Muncie nul Granville,

Muueio nud Yorktown,

Anueie to Selma,

Smithfield lo Albany,

And one to the county line, 12

PRODUCTS

The products, in 187-I, were :

Number of bushels of wheat, -

corn

rye,

= onis,

87,843

potatoes,

7,186

= fluxseed,

49,028

fruit,

6,680

= Lons of hay.

1,040

= buabola of limo,

26,71#

Horses,

Mules,

16,261

Cattle,

17.641

Sheep,

10,740

Blogs,

7.018 878

pounds of nool,

376,007

1,210, 100

28,1120

l'he Wheeling Pike,

307

COUNTY HISTORIES,-CONTINUED.

Delaware County furnished, iluring the war, $51, 137 for soliliers' bounlies, mud $170,768.57 for relief of soliliora' finilies. Number of school children, 1876, 5,126

Average utterulunico, 3,778

Number of scheel houses, 120

lenchers, 108 =

Value of school proporty,

$116,036 00

Amount expended for tuition, 39,984 24

Tho oity of Muncie, the rounly sent of Delnwnro County, is situated on tho Cleveland, Colutubus, Cincinnati & ludisuapolis, the FL. Wayno, Muncie & Ciucionuti, mul The Bloomington, Lafayette & Muncie Railroads, and ou lhe norllı bank of White River, fifty-Three miles from luilinnapolis. The town was laid out in 1827, by Goldsmith t', Gilbert, Jebn Brown nud Lemuel G. Jackson, who iluunted part of the ground fur the purpose, on what is called IInckey's Reserre

The Indiana Gazetteer says: " Muncie, originally an Indian town, called Muucieloun, or Omtainink, was tho resilouce of tho Muncies, one of the divisions of the Delaware tribe of lundlinus. The present town is, however, ut The south siile of Whilo River, opposite the Indian town, which ivus on the uerths sidlo. l'ho situalien is a very liny one.

" lloro The Shawnee Prophel, hrother of Tecumseh, resuled. Anil here, until it fell by decry is few years ngo, slood the post at which he cuissed his enemies, whitea und luilinus, to be burned."

Al a Citizens Centennial Rutertumment, at the opera hunse in Muncie, December, 1876, the following brief sketeli of Muncie wng rend by Miss May Davis :

" Miwew Ims hcon in existence about forty-eight years. The first settler was Golilsinith C. Gilbert. In 182G, ho purebaseil of an Indian woman u Imniion of lanil, known as the buckley Reservo, and built thereon livo small ishins, which stond upon the site now necupied by J. II. Wysor's residence. In une of these he sold whisky nuil uther articles of trade lo the Indians. It Bus custuniary, in those days, to munky whisky go ns for ns possibile, and in under to do this, it was well mixed with another cheap liquid. The Indians used to say, " No like whisk ; Too much While River; no make drunk come.' In 1815, there were three families living on the town site-G. C. Gilbert's, Gen. Vin Sickle's uml James Brown's.

" It will be unpossible to give a complete history of Muncie At that early .Iny, for n cowlition of Things, dilloring hoth outwardly and invarilly from that, iuto which a luppier forlune lins introduced ourselves, is necessarily obscure 10 Ms

" . But bomen fuerte remain unchanged, The sorrow and the ein, The tosis aunt bopens ami fars of old Are to our own akto

". As late ny 1828, the spot where our prosperous little city now standy was occupied by a few struggling cabius and thickets of hazel brush, and was chiotly noted fer ita ngue, poor whisky und mud. livdeeil, the most remark. uble thing nhiont il sceuss to have been tho wiuil. The rowis were, of course, mud rouds, nud, to illustrate tho elmuracter of The minh, it is said nu ox teum passing nlung the rond would frequently disappear entiroly under the mud, but, by lenking u few yiwds ahead, the horns of the exeu would hn seen, and presently they would emerge, and so on to the next bail pluce. I cannot vilich for the truth of this story, but it is tolil by an old settler who ought to know.

" To imluce the loentiou of the county sent, which uns secured in the mitumn of 1827, donations of lawil were muade hy G. C. Gilbert, Lemuel Jackson noil Jubis Browu ; Gilbert ilounting the lund on the north and north- wcat of the court house; Jackson, that upon The south wul southwest, and Brown, thuit upon the southeast. Where The three novations joined, the public square irna siluuted aud the emiri house wny built. The Arst Cirenit Pourt was held in n leg builling, uhioh stood in the lot where the jail new stands. The jury, when a case wns submitted, assembled out of door> around a large ouk stump for deliberation-it is snill, with n bottle of Gil- bert's White River whisky in their midst to brighten ihrir vleas. In faet, ·luring the early history of Muncie, piety was not the most prominent feu- ture in society. The citizens in general lind anything but religious procliri- ties, nnil some of them " loved, unt wisely but too well," the whisky flint uboumled. It is anid one ofd Imper, who trunk prodigiouy quantities of the poison, aus oner bitten by u mid dog, mind of course everybuily expected him to ilie, lit he lived, staggered around uil drank whisky as if nothing lind happened ; luit it is a melancholy fret that the dog died.

" The first juil building was situated on the west corner of the court house square, anil wns built of foot-square osk logs ; the wall was made double. The erquinuls' room or cell way belun, and the debtors' room was abore. In time, the timturs shrunk so that the logs conld ho pried ujmrt, und, At one time, u munn attempted to esrape through un opening between The legs. Ile got upon a block, put his head Through the opening, ishen his fonting gute way uuil he wiw len standing on nothing, bul was found just in time In sore his life There are ninny incidents youneeled with the olil jnil, which was foully burned down by two men who wero in for debt. Somelime after this, tho first court house was built, and ins a small framo building, und stood u here Wulling's Hull now stonils. The present court honso wns nol built lill some years after, probably about 1838 Dorid Bages bnih the first enbin Ilunt was built in the town ufer the first salo of lols. Peter Nolau was tho first Sheriff, and Mr. Swain the first School Commissioner. The first news- paper was enlled the Munaelonion, mint uns published in 1437.

" Late in the spring of 1828, u man who lived on a farm near towo, onx- tous to cultiinte nequaiutance will u newly arrived inmily, nud see how ho prospered, wulken over le his farm umnl found him engaged in opeuing out What is now one of our sirrets. lle inquired of the new-comer, will renl curiosity, what he uns about nyil why he wns uot pulting in some crops. With the utmost simplicity ho replied, ' Why mion ! I am muvre fond of a beautiful prospect ;' to which the visitor reloried, 'Tho prospect is, that you will either starve or linse to lenso the country before spring.' And Irue eunugli, when fill canie ho huil no ruvn, unul u as unly kopt from starta- tion by whint his neighbors generously furnished him, while he went abroail to ninfor.

" In 1828, soveral new families rate in: John # :. lodge, James Hodgo, Jolin Marshall nivl ilse Miwus Tortor ml Job Strain, then young men. From This on, betllers enme in slowly.

"In 1829, the first school over tougly in the place uns in a small building, which stooil where the opera howo wow stanils. The first leacher wne lleury Tomlinson.

"The hrst merchants were Mr. Thomas Kirby myl Mr. Charles Willard. " Uulil the rmitrond went into operation, in 1832, all gunils of every de- -Prigion were brought hero in ungous, from Cincinnati, il taking from two tu thyou weeks lo muko the trip. Sometimes, when the wagons wero delayel by bad roads, or other causes, the stock of goods would] gel ao low there would hardly lw n pound of colfve, lea, sull, or unylbing olso in the plner. Tlwns tho prople would stand out in the street and look wwil wait for the nagous, wil wonder why they did not come. Just think of having company cour in unvxpectvilly, und no suger or muything to be had for lure or money ! These were the ilnys that triedl women's souls.

" Prices were very different fromy wow : oggy, from three to five cuuts pvr lozen ; coffee, thirty eruts per pausul ; onlivo, from thirty- five to thirty- geven truts por yiwed-but it only took front six ty eight yards tu wisko n dress. " They Inul Thon no jinpor navwoy less than five dollars. All smaller Than that way silver, will they used what was called out-money-wide by cutting silver cuiny into halves nud quartow.

" In 1836 or '37, the first church was built It was n Methodlist Chureb, and stood where James Madily's residence now stands.

11 ]n 1841, tho nuinher of inhebilants lual inerensel lo 467. Muncie was incorporated ng n loin In 1814.

" The following description of the place was wrilton by David Gharky, in 1816:

"' Munciclown, Indiunn, is the seat of justive for Delaware County, sitis- nted on the south bank of White River, ni an elevation of thirty feet above ila bed. It was laid out in 1827, by three different proprietors, in the form of na ohlong square.

"!' It contains about 600 inlinbitants, a superb court house anil jail (the superb court house' still stands), n bnudsome semiunry, with an necon- ulishiel tencher of the iliferont langunges and sciences, a prinling uffice and post office, a Presbyterian Church, a flouring-mill, n sow- mill, a wool-enriling and filling machine, four taverns, eighil ilry gooily stores, two drug stores, tivo groceries, nunl mechanics, of every description, in proportion. soine Inrge brick buildings for mercantile purposes ure nowy in progress uf ron- atruetion, and the building of others next season under contemplution. Two weekly stages pass front Muncietown to Inilinumpolis, which lies about sixty- one miles sonthwesl'

!! ' Soon after This the railroadl begun to occupy the mints of the people. There was, of course, some little opposition. In u paper called Tho Indiana Signal, published in 181'4, I find The following article :

". We have a great tuwu here ; a couuly sent. What do you people sup- pose we want ef n ruilruud, especially os it is in conteraplalion to finish the Inwn during the summer ? Furthermore, we can inform these people who ore solicitous about our welfare, that we are unly n few miles from the ' canawl,' which is in operation fully six weeks in the year, pod runs plum straight inlo Cincinnati. We give fuir warning to all and singular, 10 all whoin il may concern, to keep clear of here with their blasteil rearin', norlin', noise makin', earth paivin', firo enlin' tizing; they might wake up soine uf our people.

"!' 'Tho town is ile vribed in 1860 as n thriving pest village, containing, besides the counly buildings, a few churches, a bank and twu nen apupors. The population, 1782.'

" During The war, Muncie did all she could, senling box after box to the wounded soldiers; sending her money and her brare sons. many of whoiu ‘ stoist, loyal hearts; never returned.

" The history from that to the present tuue is in the memory of most of our cilizens. The town lins slexilily ineressed. In 1865, we became a rity, undl now we find the poor little Muncietown uf 1829, with its three families, inerenseil te n cily of nenyly 5,000 iubnbituuts mint three railroads The shool.rooiDs hare ivereased from one to twelve, The churches from oue in nine anıl other things in proparlion; and though as yet we ure wet lightel by gas, ive have a great ileal of light, of another kind, in the 2,393 i oluines in our public library.

" The lineily, stout. hearteil pioucers, who toiled to make fruitful farras and comfortable homes in the wilderness, have, most of them, gone to their long rest ; a hundred years hence we shall he lead, most of us, and, it may be, forgotlen

"" Time Is baslening on, and we What out fibers are shall be, Shadowy abupes of memory.'

""" Anil let us hope, as well we can, That Ibo olteni angel, who giren mug. 31ty And some grain, as of old he found. In The buman corn-field, ripe stul conod. And the Lord of harvest deign lo own The precious aned by the fallers @own " "

The population of Muncie, in ISTO, uns 4,992. Since that Inte, it has uenrly luubled.

The eily buildling ins erected in 1ST3, nud contains the fire engine room, fremen's room, city jnil, cily library, Muyor', nthey, City Court ronm und oity Inilor's residence. It is n large, commodinus, unut substantial bnililiug, costing $14,000.

M. C. Smith is the present Mayor, Cal Warhyl, City Clerk, und ThemAs Errickson, City Treasurer.

There ure, in Muncie, three Methodist Churches, one Universalist, one l'reshyterian, one Baptist und one Homan Catholic Church, all good build- ings, two Masonse Loilges, one Chapter, one Council, one Cumninndery ; one Longe and one Encampment of Odd Fellows, one Louge of Gooil Templars, one Lodge of Kuights of t'ylhins, one Tribe of linprored Order of Red Mon, ene Louge of Knights of Honor. The Masons have n fine building ; su, also, have tho Oild Fellows.

There are, in the city, tiro sicam cabinet impufuetories, que chuir factory with the Intest and heyt machinery, two> steam coopering establishments, uae flax-mill, where bugging is extensively inade~], Ikke yards, on an average, per day-three machine shops for making porlahlo and stationary engines and boilers, and one large flooring will, whose capacity is sn0 bushels per ılay.

There are three hanks in Mnacie, riz. : The Muncie Bank A. B. Clay- pool, of Fnpelle County, President; A. . ] Claypool, Cashier ; the Monoie Nutiunul Bank, F. F White, President ; the Cilizeny' National Bank, Grorgo W' Spilkes, Presidenl.

There are in the city eight dry gouts stores, fourteen groceries, four liardunre, fire drug stores, une store store, one wholesale liquor store, fire boot aud shoe storo«, three marble shops and three lumber yardi.

This is one of the thriving and enterprising cities of the State. Busi- works of all kinds is dourishing, nud on n solul basis. Probably no city has folt less the financial depression of the last two years than Minere. Many lino business blocks nadl residences have been built during the last three years, and the work is still going on.

YORKTOWN

un tho C., C., C. & 1. R. R. und ou White Rivor, was laid out by Olirer H Smith, of Indianapolis. Its present population is 400. It contains one Methoilise, aml uno Presbyterian Church and one Oud Fellou's' Loilgr.

on the Mississinowa River, has ROM inhabitants ; also, one Methodist Church, www. Masonio and one Child Fellows' Loilge, mwl one grist- will.

on the Mississinewu, elmitus a population of Ditt It contains one Metledist Church, ono Masonic uael one Odd Fellow's' Folge.

AIB111

siled on the Mississinowa Ricor, hay n population of almut Sitt; has two ohuvelses, ono Musonie Loilge, one Dild Fellous' Lutge and one flouring. mwill.

on the Mississiown River and t'incintinti, Muncie & Fort Wayne Rnilrosy, hna n population of #1k) It contains one Christinu Church aud, ( one mile distu ul, ) ono Dunkor Church ; also, que Odd Fellows' Lolge.

is vitunieil on the C., C., C. A . R. R., six wiley fint Manoie. I'mpulitiou, tilKI. It has one l'resbytyrin und one Methodist Church, oue 1xdd Fellows' ntul one Musuvio Lodge.

SMITHFIELD.

one mile south ul Selin, on White River, hne a good water- power and one grist-mill.

is eight miles from Muncie, on the Burlington pike. It contains one Metho- dist Church, ono Presbyterian Church and one Magunie Lodge.

The Lafayette, Muncie & Bloomington Railroad, just completed, running from Muncie to Bloomington, Illineis, will add greatly to the business inter- ests of Munric, and no doubt frily come up to the expectations of the peo- ple, and justify the appropriation of $150,000 made 19 it by the county.

TIPTON COUNTY.

This county is situated ou the Jevol table land lying between the White anil the Wubash Rivers. In many of its features it resembles Howard County, whueh adjoins it on The north, but, with this difference, that ne minerals of nhy kindl are found in the county, not even gravel in any quan- lity sufficient lo by of economic raluc.

The surface of the county iy remarkably level, but the soil, which is an unvarying blark minek, has in it all the elements of great fertility, and merely requires good drainage to 6t it for the production of crops of all kinds, which, in their average yield, will compare favorably with any raised in Indiana. A ilimly defined water shed runs through the county, hear its center, from east to ivest. South of this water shed is Cicero Creek, with numerous tributaries, which finally empties into White River. North of the ilividing line the county is drained by Mud Creek, which Rows from west to easl in its goneral course, tod enlering lloward County some four miles be- fore the enstoru limit of Tipton County is reached. These tivo atreams bare tributaries, froms half n mile to three miles apari, which ramify all the ceu- trol and western portions of the county. The eastern portion, including nearly one-fourth of the county, ix drained by Duck Creek and the Dismal Slough. The former finds its outlet in the southeastern corner of the county, and the latter in the northeast.

Those who were the godfathers and gave a nomenclature to the water courses und various localities in the enuuly seeni to huve been swayed more by a sense of the ludicrous than a proper regard for the pride of the future residents of the county. Accordingly we find recurring in numerous in- stances onmes such as the Disiunl Slough, the Devil's Den, u swampy thicket nearly a mile in width and ever four tuiles in length ; Pollawog Creek, and olber equally expressive, if noi futteriug, names.

Several thousand acres of wes prairie are found in the county, the largest of these being Round Prairie, not more than two or three square miles in area. The ingority of these prairies do not, however, cover more than 160 ocres, and are found in the southern half of the county.

The county wns originally, with the exceptions noted above, coveredl with heavy limber, for the growth of which the rich, moist soil was admira- hly adopted. The principal varieties of ivood found are onk of several species, poplar, walnut, beech, soft maple, sugar tree, ash, beside other timber of lesser economio value.

The timber is n great source of wealth lo the county, and much capital is invested in preparing the same for market, giving employment to numerous workmen. The completion of the Lafayette, Muncie & Bloomington Roud, in 1875, openel up a region rich in resources of this kind, which will gire ah additional impetus 10 the lumber trade now carried on. When this rond shall have licen fully put in operation, the cilizens of the county will have but litlle additional te desire in the way of railway facilities. The L., M. & B. Rond runs onst and west through the entire length of the county, inler- secling the Indianapolis, Peru & Chicago liue ut Tipton. The last mentioned road, being the first completed, in 1852, has proved itself of incalculohlo valuo to the inhabitants of the county, ns unlil that time there were no railways nearer than Noblesville, which for a time was the northern terminus of the [ust mentioned line. The Richmond & Logansport Road, completed sereral years after the I., P. & C., runs through the northeastern part of the county,

The population, in 1870, was 11,053. The estimated population In 1875 was 1-1,000. The area of The eunuty is 260 square uules.

SETTLEMINT OF THE COUNTY.

The settlement of a greater portinu of Tiptou County was made al a com- paralively recent date. The lands nurth of the Miami Inilian Reserve line were not surveyed by the government until the wintor of 1841-3. The first settlements nere consequently mivle in the southern part of the county, and especially iu the vicinity of New Lancaster. This was in 1630, hut for the succeeding ten years sentiers came in slowly, our was there any rapid influx. in fact, isutil the I., P. & C. Railir ty was completel, in 1852.

In the Neir Lancasler neighborhood tho first settlers were: M. Jackson, Iredell Wright, J. C. Cole and others. lo ficero Township, and in the vicinity of Tipton, along the Erst to loesto were Harvey Goodkoontz, Alexander Smith, Joseph Sumner, Jacob Whi-ler, William Deal aud George R. Smith. Among the first to locate in the southwestern part of the county were Will- iam Coates, D. Kemp, A. Evans, George Teter, B. Siepp, [' Gi. Pritchard. J. Horton and T. Shannon. The territory in the south, over which the above- natued pioneers irere scattered, included about all tlini purt of the conniy not included in the reserve.

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Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 110

Author: Publication date: 1876 Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co. Number of Pages: 472

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472