USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Richmond > Memoirs of Wayne County and the city of Richmond, Indiana; from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Wayne County, Volume I Pt. 1 > Part 8
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The Wyandottes, a tribe originally from Upper Canada, were living on the lands about the headwaters of the Wabash and Miami rivers and towards Lake Erie.
The Indians in this part of Indiana Territory were friendly toward the pioneers of White Water. They frequently passed through this country on their way to trade at Cincinnati and Ham- ilton. When John Smith opened his store, in a log house on the site of Richmond (near the west end of Market street). the In- dians purchased large quantities of corn, ammunition, etc .. from him. For several years the settlers got along agreeably with the Indians, who frequently came among them. They were consider- ably annoyed, however, by begging Indians After the Fort Wayne Treaty, in 1800. which resulted in the cession of large
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tracts of land to the Government, part of which was the "Twelve Mile Purchase," trouble was anticipated.
The genius of Tecumseh and the craft of his brother, the Prophet, did much to arouse hostile feelings towards the whites among most of the Northwest tribes. Undoubtedly the Indians had been wronged in the treatment which they had received from the whites, but since the treaty of Greenville (1795) there had been comparative peace and it seemed to be the desire of both parties that it continue. Early in 1805 Tecumseh and the Prophet were residing at one of the Delaware towns on White river (now within the limits of Delaware county ). Here the Prophet began the enunciation of his principles and proclaiming his mission. Much excitement and dissension followed, and the next year they removed their headquarters to Greenville, Ohio, to which place they were accompanied by a small band of Shawnees. In the spring of 1808 they again removed to the banks of the Wabash, near the mouth of the Tippecanoe. Their settlement here was afterwards called the "Prophet's Town."
Tecumseh traveled much during the years following their leaving the Delawares for the purpose of inciting the Indians in the Northwest, West and Southwest to band against the whites. His brother seemed occupied in gathering together followers at his town.
The sale of more land to the United States Government, by the treaty of Fort Wayne, furnished a pretext for complaint for Tecumseh's use. He frequently visited Governor Harrison at Vincennes and expressed dissatisfaction at the acts of the Government and complained much of their injustice.
Continued complaints and rejection of peaceful overtures, fol- lowed soon after by acts of violence, determined Governor Harri- son to take decisive steps against the combination at the Prophet's Town, as he strongly suspected it to be encouraged by British agents. He therefore marched against the town, and on Nov. 7. ISII, signally defeated the Indians on the banks of the Tippecanoe river.
This battle and the prospects of war with Great Britain alarmed the inhabitants of Indiana and they turned their atten- tion to means of defense.
In the spring of 1812. Governor Harrison directed the frontier to be prepared for the threatened hostilities. Block houses and picketed forts were erected along the borders of Knox county. on the branches of White river, eastward of Vincennes, and in Harri-
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son county. The propriety of erecting similar posts of defense on the frontiers of Clark, Jefferson, Dearborn, Franklin, and Wayne counties was to be determined by disposition of the Delaware In- dians. Said the Governor :
"Means will be taken to ascertain this disposition as soon as possible and the result communicated. The Indians who profess to be friendly have been warned to keep clear of the settlements; and the commander-in-chief is far from wishing that the citizens should run any risk by admitting any Indians to come among them, whose designs are in the least equivocal. He recommends, how- ever, to those settlements which the Delawares have frequented, as much forbearance as possible toward this tribe, because they have ever performed, with punctuality and good faith, their en- gagements with the United States, and, as yet, there is not the least reason to doubt their fidelity. It is also certain that if they should be forced to join the other tribes in the war, from their intimate knowledge of the settlements upon the frontiers, they would be able to do more mischief than any other tribe."
On June IS, 1812, the United States declared war against Great Britain. During the preceding month a grand council, at which nearly all the Northwestern tribes were represented, was held on the Mississinewa. The tone of the speeches was favorable to the preservation of peace with the United States Government. All denounced the actions of the Prophet, no difficult thing to do, as that schemer was now defeated and a fugitive. The Wyan- dottes and Miamis were friendly to the Americans and the Dela- wares went so far as to defend the intentions of the Government. The other tribes were hypocritical in their profession and soon after the commencement of hostilities were upon the warpath. Tecumseh, himself, was at the council, endeavoring to explain his brother's conduct and regain his own influence. He went away dissatisfied and in a few weeks joined his fortunes with the British, at Malden, and fell in the battle on the Thames, Oct. 5, 1813. The Shawnees waited until their corn ripened and then part of them followed their illustrious chief.
As has been said, the Indians in this neighborhood were friend- ly and no fears of trouble had been entertained until after the battle of Tippecanoe. The Indians were often trading with the whites at Salisbury and along the White Water. About this time a man named Samuel Carr got into a quarrel with one of a party of trad- ing Indians and foolishly followed them, when a scuffle ensued, in which Carr shot his opponent. The Indian did not die, but his
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tribe felt very resentful for this occurrence. Shortly after this affair, a pretty little light haired girl, named Lydia Tharp, daugh- ter of Boaz Tharp, was stolen from near the present site of Mil- ton. This created much excitement. Nearly the whole country turned out to search for her, but no trace of her could be found. Ten years afterward she was seen at an Indian encampment on the Wabash. She was married to an Indian, and when an effort was made to get her she was secreted, and never again was seen by the whites.
A great panic was caused by a white man killing an Indian whom he suspected of robbing him. This took place near Salis- bury and the people were in great apprehension that the Indians would undertake to avenge the death of their comrade. The mur- derer fled to Kentucky and nothing serious resulted from his rash act.
Early in 1812 Governor Harrison visited this county for the purpose of warning the citizens and having them prepare for the coming war. He reviewed the militia at Beeler's, a few miles south from the present site of Richmond. This review was wit- nessed by some thirty or forty Indians. They were the last large body of red men seen in this county until after the war.
The reverses which the American arms suffered in the West during the summer and fall of 1812 inspired the hostile Indians to commence a general assault along the Indiana frontier, first at Fort Harrison (Terre Haute), then at the "Pigeon Roost Settle- ment" (Scott county), Fort Wayne, and elsewhere. This state of affairs threw the Wayne county people into great excitement. Sev- eral block houses were hastily built for the protection of the vari- our neighborhoods. Hon. Joseph Holman, who moved on the "Purchase" in 1810, speaking of this period says :
"The Indian warfare commenced in our midst. We were all thrown into confusion, some killed, some ran away, some re- mained, built block houses and continued during the war. Cap- tains Holman, Whitehead, and Farlow were placed (and built forts) on the line of Wayne county, then the Indian boundary. Most of those who were left had to serve three months' tours, under the order of the Government, then returning to their block houses, having to kill game, such as they could find, to support their families, having spies to watch for them; this was worse than grinding on hand mills. Many nights were spent watching the port holes to keep the Indians from the fort."
Great terror seemed to prevail for a time among the settlers in the "Twelve Mile Purchase." David Hoover says :
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"The settlers mostly left their locations and removed to places of more security. Those who remained built forts and block houses. The settlers in this neighborhood mostly stood their ground, but suffered considerably with fear. George Sugart then lived where Newport ( Fountain City) now stands, some miles from any other settlement. In the language of the Friends, he 'did not feel clear' in leaving his home, and he manfully stood his ground, unmolested, except by those whom we then styled the 'Rangers,' from whom he received some abuse for his boldness."
Among the block houses erected in this county can be men- tioned Rue's and Meek's stations on the east branch of White Water. One mile below the site of Abington was a block house, enclosed with pickets. On the west branch of White Water there was Lewis's Station above the Walnut Level. Still further west was Jenneys' Station. At the upper end of the Walnut Level was Martindale's Station, a large block house with pickets. On the Walnut Level, below this one, was a stockade fort known as Boyd's Station. All these stations were furnished with troops by Col. George Hunt. There was a line of block houses near the Indian boundary, to protect the sparsely settled country, and also several in the more settled part. Families near each other generally made preparation for mutual protection. On an average, it may be said, every fourth house was so strengthened as to be equal to block houses. Part of the men remained to guard the forts, while the others marched to meet the enemy, under officers of their own choosing.
Across the State line the settlers were also called out to de- fend the forts along that part of the frontier. Besides Green- ville, there were Forts Nesbit and Black and perhaps one other, in Darke county, Ohio. Greenville and Piqua were important ren- dezvous.
When General Harrison was appointed to command the Northwest army, after the surrender of Hull at Detroit, he called upon the Wayne county regiment for one company to join the expedition north. This regiment, styled the Eighth, was com- manded by George Hunt. colonel, and Smith Hunt and James Brown, majors. The required company was organized and marched as far as Piqua, when the Indians commenced depredations upon the frontier of Wayne county. The company petitioned General Harrison that they might be returned and be stationed in this part of the country. The petition was granted and they returned to protect the border of this county.
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The Indians stole a number of horses from the settlers and killed three men in the western part of the county. These mur- ders produced considerable dismay throughout the entire coun- try and admonished those on the frontier to retire to their places of safety, for they did not stay in them all the time, but only dur- ing seasons when danger was apprehended. Maj. Smith Hunt says: "I spent the entire summer of 1813 finding my own horse and provisions, in raising troops and arranging to protect the frontier. But not having been enrolled in the regular army I could not derive any pay under the pension laws."
There lived in Green's Fork about the commencement of the war a Delaware Indian named "Johnny Green." He is said to have been a man of more than ordinary talents and ferocity, shrewd but of ill disposition. When drunk he would brag of killing palefaces in Kentucky. He appears to have lived very near the whites for the greater part of his life and to have been frequently among them. His drunken babblings and his crafty ability gave him an unenvia- ble reputation, which, together with his known influence in his tribe, made him a personage to be feared.
Early in 1813 a scouting party, reconnoitering the frontiers, approached the Indian town of Blue River. The inhabitants of this town were at peace with the whites. Johnny Green happened to be there and requested the scouting party to let him accompany it to the white settlements. His request was granted and a prom- ise was given that he should not be injured. But no sooner had they got fairly beyond the reach of his friends than they bound him, and some even insisted on taking his life then and there. He was finally taken to the house of Col. George Hunt, where a num- ber of men assembled to decide on his punishment. There was much division of opinion and a conflict seemed near at hand. The tribe to which Green belonged was on peaceable terms with the Americans, and as yet Green had done nothing to interrupt the existing friendly relations. Notwithstanding this, the majority was for immediate death. Thomas McCoy and a few others were stoutly opposed to this treacherous and inhuman decision. Find- ing their remonstrances unavailing, to prevent the wanton act, in defiance of his opposers, McCoy cut the rope which bound Green, mounted him on his horse behind him, and carried the warrior beyond the reach of his more savage captors.
A settler named Charles Morgan was present. Hle was an un- relenting hater of the Indians and on this occasion was clamorons for blood. Shortly after this (March 10. 1813) Morgan and his
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two half-brothers went to boil sugar water near Martindale's Sta- tion. Next morning they were found dead, scalped, and one of them had been thrown into the fire.
Some time previous to this murder a young man named Short- ridge was shot three miles southwest from Boyd's block house. Ile wore at the time parts of the dress of a George Ish, who had indulged in threats against the Indians, and it is supposed that Shortridge was mistaken for that man. The murder of the Mor- gans following created great terror and numbers fled from the frontier. But it was evident the Indians intended to harm only such as they thought hostile to them. "Candor compels me to say," writes David Hoover, "that, as is usually the case, we Chris- tians were the aggressors."
Early in the existence of the Territorial government the So- ciety of Friends had memorialized the legislature for an amend- ment of the law imposing fines for not mustering, so as to ex- clude religious societies conscientiously opposed. After the battle of Tippecanoe they were re-enacted with great severity. A large part of the settlers of the White Water Valley were Quakers and the war brought them trouble. Until then no notice had been taken of the differences of faith among the settlers. All shades of opinion lived together harmoniously and rendered each other such neighborly assistance, as was customary among pioneers. But the breaking out of the war demonstrated the fact that Quak- ers would not bear arms, and their refusal caused them to be char- acterized as "Tories."
During the winters of 1812-13-14 the poor settlers who re- fused to leave their families exposed on the extreme border had their axes, plows, and farm implements taken by the officers and deposited in a building at Salisbury, and when more room was wanted the articles on hand were sold.
Some were drafted and their property taken as fines; at the next call drafted again, fined or taken to jail, as though a man lying idle in prison, when the country was already drained by war, was of service to the community. Four young men were thrown into the county jail during the inclement cold weather. Fire was denied them until they should comply, and had it not been for the kind heartedness of David F. Sackett, who handed them hot bricks through the grates, they would have suffered severely. Suit was afterward brought for false imprisonment. The trials were held at Brookville, Franklin county. Damages were recovered.
In December, 1815, the Territorial delegate, Mr. Jennings, pre-
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sented a memorial to Congress, asking that an election be ordered for a constitutional convention. An election was held on May 13, 1816, and four members of the convention were elected from Wayne county, viz: Jeremiah Cox, Patrick Baird, Joseph Hol- man, and Hugh Cull. The last named was placed on the anti- slavery ticket to secure the vote of the Methodists, in which de- nomination he was a local preacher. The anti-slavery candidates were elected with little or no opposition. Wayne county had 1,225 white males of twenty-one and upward, and 6,407 inhabitants, being sixth in number of population.
On the first Monday in August, 1816, a general election was held for State and county officers. Patrick Baird was elected State senator, Ephraim Overman, John Scott and Maj. James Brown, representatives. The last named died before he took his seat and Joseph Holman was chosen to fill the vacant place. David Hoover was elected clerk; John Turner, sheriff ; and Thomas J. Warman, James O'Dell, and Thomas Beard, commissioners. These commis- sioners met for the first time, Feb. 10, 1817, and divided the coun- ty into five townships: Washington, Jackson, Perry, New Gar- den, and, apparently having exhausted their knowledge of appro- priate names, dubbed the remaining one by the same name as the county-Wayne. They appointed John Beard as treasurer.
As the war was drawing to a close steps were taken to build a town near the banks of Noland's Fork, and on Oct. 20, 1814, the village of Centerville was surveyed and platted by Henry Byran, on land donated by Israel Elliott and Ethan Stone. The sale of lots took place the next year. The first lot was bid in by Chris- topher Roddy, an old soldier under Wayne, who claimed that privilege in consideration of having named the place. Isaac Julian purchased the "corner" where the American House formerly stood.
The new town being three miles nearer the geographical cen- ter of the county, it became a successful rival of Salisbury. (Those were times when railroad connections and the aggregation of in- habitants had not rendered geographical centers unimportant con- siderations.) The subject of removing the county seat soon be- gan to be warmly discussed. The legislature passed an act, Dec. 21, 1816, ordering the county seat to be removed to Centerville.
The first ferm of the Wayne Circuit Court under the State Constitution was held at Salisbury, March 17. John Test was judge and William MeLane and Jesse Davenport, associates. At this term there were seventeen prosecutions, fifteen of them for
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fighting. The men of those days seem to have continued the pugi- listic method of arbitration long after the establishment of the courts. Perhaps many of these cases grew out of the discussion of the antagonistic claims of Salisbury and Centerville to the court house.
On Aug. 11, 1817, the Board of Commissioners adjourned from Salisbury to Centerville, Warman dissenting, however. Before the county seat could be legally removed the trustees of Centerville were to erect, without expense to the county, a court house, jail, and estray pen in that town, on or before Aug. 1, 1817, of the same dimensions and as well finished as those at Salisbury. Failing to do this the county seat was to remain where it was. Short as the period was, the buildings were up in time, some citizens of Center- ville subscribing $1,000 to $1.500.
The October term of 1817 was held in Salisbury. Associate Judges Davenport and McLane only were present, and as the docket shows, "After consultation, the court being equally divided, as it respects the place of holding the courts in said county, it is therefore considered that all causes be continued until court in course." This is the first allusion on record to the vexed question of the location of the county seat.
The March ( ISIS) term of the Circuit Court was held in Cen- terville, in a little log house on the north side of Main street. Courts were held in Centerville the next two terms without any opposition, as far as the records show. However, at the February term of 1819 (held at Centerville), the question was brought be- fore the court whether Salisbury or Centerville was the legal coun- ty seat. John Watts was presiding judge. On the meeting of the court the first day, Daniel J. Caswell moved an adjournment, be- cause, says the record, "Some doubts being entertained as to the propriety of sitting at Centerville, in the county of Wayne, and that the court and parties may take the matter under mature de- liberation, the Court stand adjourned until to-morrow."
Next morning the Court said: "The subject being now sub- mitted to the Court, and solemn argument having been heard on both sides, the Court decides and determines that the seat of jus- tice was permanently established at Salisbury and that the act of Dec. 21, 1816, not having a sufficient repealing clause, had not removed it; but the act of Jan. 28, 1818, authorized the court to hold their pro tempore sessions at Centerville, until the legislature Should otherwise direct." The legislature never otherwise di- rected. so there the matter rested.
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Shortly after this decision Samuel Woods, the grantor of the land upon which Salisbury was built, brought suit to recover the grant, claiming that the condition of the donation was forfeited, as Salisbury had ceased to be the seat of justice. The suit was two years in the United States court before judgment was ren- dered. Meanwhile, Salisbury was rapidly depopulating. The pub- lic business gone, nobody cared to remain, and the suit met little opposition. The United States marshal came and gave Woods possession, moving out for the time the remaining residents. The court house was taken down and the bricks were used in the "Ham Building." Many other houses were removed to Richmond.
Thus ended the brief career of Salisbury, not without angry and bitter contentions, which did not die until long after Salis- bury was a cornfield. At the height of the contest, the ill feeling between the two parties was so great that when any of them met it was almost sure to result in a fight. No citizen of either place would visit the other unless he was bully enough to run the risk of having to whip the whole town. Even the children would take up the quarrel. Men of opposing sentiments would not work 10- gether. An old citizen tells of a man who hired some Centerville men to do the masonry about his new house, and some Salisbury men to do the carpentering. A quarrel arose between them and Salisbury drove Centerville from the field, and the work was not finished for months. At elections and musters the hostile spirit was plainly evinced. Men of one party would open their barrels of whiskey and invite all who agreed with them to partake freely and without price, but strongly intimated to those of the opposite opinion, that they, though "confined to fast in fires," should not have one drop to cool their tongues. An enthusiastic citizen of Salisbury declared that it was destined to be another Moscow. This expression was received with so much jeer by the opposite party that the term "Moscow" bade fair to supplant that of Salis- bury for a while. But both are now nearly forgotten.
While these contentions were going on in the years of 1816. 1817, and 1818, Richmond was laid out and was being settled. Salisbury seems to have been pulled down to build the new town on the east bank of the White Water.
CHAPTER VI.
TOWNSHIP HISTORY.
LOCATION-BOUNDARIES-FORMATIONS-EARLY SETTLERS.
ABINGTON TOWNSILIP.
Abington township was formed in 1837. The land was originally a part of both Washington and Wayne townships. The eastern part of the township was settled very early. Among the earliest settlers was John Endsley, formerly from South Carolina, who settled on John's creek in the eastern part of the township in 1806. His brother, Abraham Endsley, came with him and set- tled on the White Water river, a mile from the mouth of the Elk- horn. In 1806, John Cox, from Kentucky, purchased the land where the present town of Abington is located. He died in ISII and his death is said to have been the first in the limits of the township.
In 1807, Charles Hunt, from North Carolina, settled in the southeast part of the present township. His son, George, was the first surveyor in the county and the first clerk of the county court.
Other early settlers in the limits of the township were Henry Fender, Gabriel Fender, Thomas Moffitt, Thomas Bradbury, David Carson, John Wright, John Hunt (the first blacksmith and gun- smith), William Dye, James Lamb, and William Jarrett. On the land of Thomas Moffitt was built one of the forts constructed dur- ing the war of 1812 as a means of protection against the Indians.
The western and central parts of the township constitute good level or slightly rolling agricultural lands. On the east, the east branch of the White Water river passes through it. This section is hilly, but the valley land is rich. The township is touched by the Elkhorn branch, Butler creek, and a number of other smaller streams which give a necessary water supply.
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