USA > Indiana > Fountain County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 15
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 15
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Concerning the early settlement of Logan township it may be stated that from. words. old histories of Indiana and Fountain county, and personal interv. s recently made by representatives of the withor and publishers, the following facts have been secured, including much valuable information fur- nished from the pen of A. S. Peacock, who wrote on this topic a third of a century ago, when all was fresh in his memory, and whose statements may be relied upon as nearly correct as it is possible for mortal man to make them at this late day in the history of the township. It goes without the saying, that all of the "first settlers," and generally speaking their children, have long since died, hence the duty devolves upon those of the oldest residence, and the rec- ords left by pioneers, for making up the history of this portion of the county. It should first be observed that five years less than a century ago the country all along the Wabash in this section of the state was one vast, unbroken wilder- ness, extending from Vincennes to Fort Wayne, with here and there a trading post established by the French-Canadians and a few more enterprising New Englanders. Not a white man's axe had sounded through the forests. . \Il was wild. The Indian war whoop, the birds and wild animals made the music for the dense and lonely forest lands hereabouts. Wild fruits rew in untold quantities and with all the richness of such fruit, as if fresh froin the hand of
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the Creator. No wonder the scene attracted the home-ecke and speed' of these early years, before stran navigation. No wonder be located beneath these beautiful skies, on the best sell the sun shines on, in a land where the Indian writes had fought each other for untold centuries. The white man's history of this section, however, begins at the close of the great Indian was in which the battle of Tippecanoe, in the adjoining county, was the dinas en- gagement and by it the great Northwest was really opened to settlement for the white race, and the red brother was sent on toward the setting sim.
To have been a member of the pioneer bound in Logo thanshop with it deed an honor. It fell upon Josiah Bryant, who, in 1822, catered ilo p. s. later owned by William Clapham. In May, 1824, come Abram Treino. In the month of November, that year, all the lund comprising Logan toen- ship was placed on the market, the sales being held at Cross fordsville, the pois being a dollar and a quarter per acre. Purchases were made by Stephen it lor, Benjamin Gordy, Jacob Wilkinson, Casey Entions, Jesse Barnette, Jacob Yount, John Brady, Jacob Hushaw, Sr., and Jacob Young. At that pardo- lar date the land upon which Attica now stands could not be purchased at voy price. In October, 1824, Jacob Turman settled near the Bryant fainy, four miles east of Attica. He was a Methodist preacher, and the first of histor .. fession to find his way into this region. Ile had for years been a faithful missionary among the Indians in the southern part of the state, and his kuon]- edge and acquaintance with Indian customs saved his own life as well as his neighbors' lives, after his removal here. The same year he settled here he erected a log house, noted for its durability. It was known as the palace of the Wabash. When the Kickapoos and Pottawatomies got on their warpath this house was made a place of refuge for all the settlers, the women and chil-
The block house on the Chapman place was built in 1825 and was used as a road house at that time. The first Indian scare which caused a gathering there was in 1827 and the next was when Black Hawk and his band of red men went on the war path.
dren being locked in the house while the men stood guard outside.
In the center of what was formerly Davis township, now within Logan township, there was quite a Quaker, or Friend settlement, to which be- longed the Campbells, the Whickcars, the Pearsons and the Waldrups.
CHAPTER AVI
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.
This has long been noted as one of Fourtam buliy's most energeti .do truly prosperous sub divisions, and within its borders settled aring of the first settlers within the county, among whom there were none better in feed, word and thought.
Van Buren township is eight miles long north and south: the northern boundary is five miles from east to west : the south only three miles in width. It comprises thirty-five sections, lacking a part of one section which is frac- tional. Coal creek meanders through the center of the township from east to west until it reaches within a mile to the south of Verdersburg, where it turns towards the west and leaves the township. Coal creek branch of South fork, flows into the township on section 17, and forms junction with Coal creek on section 7. Dry run enters the township on the northern half of the eastern side, Bowing southwest and into Coal creek above Chambersburg. To the very brink of these streams the land i- generally level. There is but a small amount of bottom lands. This section of the county is well suited for farming and grazing. Osborn's prairie, in the northern part. as well as Lopp's prairie, are both excellent farming sections.
Originally. Van Buren was a part of Cain, Shawnee, Richland and Troy townships, but in 1841, through the efforts of John G. Lucas, Dr. Isaac Spin- ning and Daniel Glasscock, the township of Van Buren was organized, and named against the wishes of many of the old-line Whigs.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first settlement in this township is by many believed to have been the first in Fountain county. It was in the spring of 1823 when three families, Jonathan Birch, John Colvert and William Cochran, entered the domain in the month of February, having been represented here by the heads of the families 'n 1822 and purchased lands, after considerable exploration of the new country just left to the white race by the redskins. They cut out a road connecting with one from Terre Haute and made some preparations toward building cabins. This work was executed in the autumn of 1822. and Mr.
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Birch is said to have reared the first cabin in this county. It stood a half sf's east of Stone Bluff. Colbert erected the second house, while Cochran locate! one mile to the southeast of the present enterprising town of Vedderching This constituted the first settlement in Fountain county and that portion now called Van Buren township. Jonathan Birch made the first wagon track in the township, if not indeed in the county. These three families formed colon; for their mutual protection and benefit. They exchanged work and assisted one another in the early work of developing the country. A young man named Peck came in with them, but only remained a short time. This young man and William Peck remained to care for the Birch goods while he returned for the rest of the family. Before he returned there came up a furious storm and snow fell to a great depth. \ half dozen Indians came into the cabin, which scared Willam almost to death. The savages, npon getting warmed, inquired for fire-water. Being assured they had none in the cabin. one arose and said, "White man, get thee gone! This Indian's land." Where- upon Peck showed him that this Jand was not his. The Indian went his way contented. The next morning a party of warriors and squaws and numerous dogs came around the hut. Then it was that the "fun" commenced. The Indians were anxious to see Birch's dog, a large animal, which they wanted to see have a fight with their sinaber dogs. The Birch dog disabled several of the Indian dogs, and then there was a general stampede among the Indian dogs, and William Birch set out for the woods. When he returned there was a general hearty laugh and pointing of fingers at William Birch by a squan, which he failed to appreciate. Up to 1828 the Miami and Delaware Indians frequently ca ne to this pioneer cabin, but never did the settlers any serions harm.
Osborn's prairie was the scene of the next settlement in Van Buren town- ship, west of Coal creek. This was effected in 1823-4. General Osborn was the prime leader in this neighborhood settlement. He, with his company. cut a road through the thick forest west of Crawfordsville. They were in the county some time before they knew there were any other white settlers. One day they heard the ring of a woodsman's axe and heavy thud of a maul from an easterly direction. The two settlements met one day on the banks of Coal creek and exchanged happy greetings. It was in 1824 that William White. Hiram Jones, Abner Rush, John Simpson, John Course and Leonard Lloyd all entered the territory for the purpose of selecting lands and becoming per- manent settlers. Between 1824 and 1830 came in these: Elijah Board, Jona- than Osborn, John and Frederick Dice, Enoch Bowling, Fielding Smith. James Stevens, James Sutton, William Hoabler, Joseph Coats, William Riley, John Walker, Collins Smith and John Butt. All of these pioneers were de- ceased before 1880, and their sons and daughters, who were children upon
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coming to the township, or who were born here, were old men and women a third of a century ago. An able early-day writer said these settlers were noted for their strict honesty and uprightness and when loaning a sum of money considered it an insult to receive a note for same. They immigrated from Ohio, Virginia and Maryland, with a few from Delaware. They left the impress of their manly and womanly character and good citizenship upon the county and its results may stil be noticed in many parts of the county, cope cially in Van Buren township.
FIRST EVENTS.
The first mill in this township was created in 1824. on the south fork of Coal creek, by John Course, opposite to the later mill site of the Hind's mill. At first this was only a corn-cracker. Flour was at first bolted by means of a hand bolting chest. The settlers who assisted in putting in the dam for this inill were granted the first right to having a grist ground.
The first wagon road laid out was the one leading from Crawfordsville to Covington. This was first established from Veedersburg to Covington on an old route blazed through the dense timber by William Cochran for a mer- chant who wished to transport goods from Cincinnati, Ohio, through to Covington.
The earliest religious services in Van Buren townshi, were held in the tent of William Cochran prior to the erection of his cabin home. It was conducted by William Cravins, of the Methodist Episcopal faith. Only three families were present, Cochran, Colvert and Birch. Here was born Metho- dism in the township and the church history in this volume will show how it h: grown and prospered, even to this day.
Chambersburg, located on section 6, was the first village laid out within the township, and its plat was made in 1829-30; Frederick Dice was its founder. John Walker sold the first merchandise in the township and was succeeded by Joseph G. Lucas in 1825, and he continued through all the years down to 1870.
The first school house was erected in 1825 on Coal creek. Isaac Spin- ning cast the first vote within Fountain county. The first death in Van Buren township was that of Eramos Greenley, in 1824. It is recorded by another that a soldier who died here was buried some time prior to this death. He had been killed by the Indians.
The first postoffice was located on the Covington and Crawfordsville road, south from present Veedersburg, and the postmaster was Jacob Styar.
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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.
The first township officers in this township were Harva Applegate, John Wertz and Judge Joseph Coats, trustees: J. G. Lucas, treasurer: Jacob Turner, Fsq. The three trustees above mentioned organized Van Buren township into school districts and located the sites for school buildings, about the same as they remain at this date.
In 1825 the Shaw; e Indians were reported to have gone on the war- path, which fact created great excitement. At first, it was deemed wisdom to erect a blockhouse fortification, but the report proved to be an error.
Some of the natural resources of this goodly township were its heavy and excellent quality of natural timber, which has, with the passing of years, been largely cut off-too much so. Pioneers found this their greatest resource. Along the banks of Coal creek a considerable deposit of coal was found, but its extent proved to be none too great for practical, profitable mining.
At an early time game was very plentiful on every hand. The deep snow of 1834 was very destructive to deer and turkeys. These animals, up to the end of several years, destroyed much corn and other growing crops. On the prairies in the northern portion of this township prairie chickens were numner- ous and thousands upon thousands would congregate in one flock and were easily killed, making the best of meat for the table of settlers.
Previous to the building of the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western railroad, the people of this part of Fountain county were forced to market their produce and purchase most of their goods elsewhere. For many years the great trading points were Cincinnati and Louisville. To transport freight to and fro, across the country, cost usually fifty cents a hundred- weight. Four-fifths of the price of a load of pork taken to Cincinnati was consumed in transportation. The old merchant, Mr. Lucas, said on one occa- sion, "I bought in Cincinnati, in December, 1835, a bill of general merchan- dise which was shipped immediately, and after being frozen up, after waiting for a rise in the rver, and having been sunk once, reached Chambersburg the May following."
The opening of the canal at Lafayette supplied the settlement with a few of the real necessities of life, but the coming of the steam railroads was really the key which unlocked the situation and uncovered the hidden treas- ures and resources of the county, including this township. Previ is to these internal improvements, much of the produce of the country found its market at New Orleans, whence it had been transported by means of flat- boats down the Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi. These trips required great care that the cargo be not capsized en route, and the boatmen usually had to walk back the entire journey. In these cases the time and expense had really
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to come out of the co unter. Farmers did not operate on the scale seen by agriculturiis today. Many men became stock drovers and shippers. They we're mostly poor men and had to begin as lest they could. A majority of the immigrants came in with barely enough money to pay for the cheap govern- ment land they entered. A large minuber were without wagons, and a few even without a team of any kind, while sone depended for years on the trusty oxen that pulled them through the wilderness to the spot they called their "new home." It was the rare exception where a man came into Van Buren township with plenty of ready money with which to buy a large tract of land, and of course he, by reason of real estate advances, became wealthy. By about Centennial year-1876-there was approximately three-fourths of the township under a good state of cultivation. The once heavy forest had been made to bloom as the rose, with beautiful farms adorned with charming improvements. Prior to 1872, Chambersburg was the only trading point within Van Buren township, and in less than a decade from that time was almost entirely deserted and counted as one of the defunct villages fast going into total decay. The town of Veedersburg, one of the three banner places within Fountain county today, is treated elsewhere in this volume. The churches and schools are also described under appropriate heads.
According to the United States census for 1910, Van Buren had a popu- lation of 3,241, including the town of Veedersburg.
Stone Bluff, in the northern part of this township, is a thriving village, a railroad and market place and does n excellent local trade. It is hand- somely situated and near it is the only old-fashioned upright saw-mill pro- pelled by water power in Fountain county, now operated by a man eight-six years old. The old flour-mill nearby has long since gone to ruin. But the tiny mill stream flows on seaward.
CHAPTER AVIL.
SHAW NEE TOWNSHIP.
Shawnee is one of the northwestern sub-divisions of the county. its northwestern border line is washed by the waters of the Wabash river. It comprises six sections of land in township 20, range 7. eight sections in town- ship 20, range 8. eleven sections in township 21, range 7. seven whole and five fractional sections in township 21, range 8, being thirty-two full and five fractional sections west of the fifth principal meridian. It's extent is 22,002 acres, well watered throughout by the Shawnee, Coal creek, Bear creek, and their numerous small tributaries, all eventually finding the waters of the Wabash river.
The township had a population of 1, 1oo in 1880; 1,128 in 1900 and in Igto it was less than a thousand.
Of its natural scenery it may be said that it is varied and beautiful, cspe- cially when clothed in midsummer and autumn time with its living green and amber foliage, and its enchanting rural scenes. Hills and valleys, wood- land and prairies, its narrow extent embracing a variety of topography, and all made charming by its numerous dells, ravines, swift-flowing streams and tiny rivulets, rounded knobs, etc., presents a wonderful panorama that is ever a feast to the eye. The arched rock, near Bear creek, is a remarkable natural curiosity and frequented by the true lover of nature. The hills along the Shawnee from Rob Roy to the river beggar description.
The geological formation in this township, named for the tribe of North American Indians with such a wonderful history, is rich in its variety of alluvial soil. Here one sees the rich dark deposit, the lighter clay sub-soil, so productive of annual crops. In the west the woodlands abound in more sand and real clay soils, making an excellent wheat section. This is beyond ques- tion the outcroppings of the great coal basin of Indiana. Again here one finds excellent building stone from the inexhaustible quarries of yellowish white sandstone.
ORGANIZATION.
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Shawnee township, one of the five original sub-divisions in Fountain coun- ty, was constituted July 24, 1826, by order of the board of justices of the
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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.
peace, who convened at the house of Joseph Collier. It was given boundaries embracing all of Fountain county lying to the north of the line of township 20. The first dlection was held at Mr. Collier's residence, and he was appointed inspector of d'actions. Joseph Bryant was appointed overseer of the poor, and Thomas Ogle and James Brady fence viewers. The election resulted in the choice of Thomas Clawson and Joseph Collier, justices of the peace. The entire area covered by the township was divided into two road districts by a line running west to the Wabash river from the southeast corner of section 16, township 21, range 6, and Daniel Clark was appointed supervisor of the south district and Frederick C. Paine of the north district. In January, 1829, the township was divided into two parts by an order of the following words : "On petition of suudry citizens of Shawnee township, it is ordered by the board that Shawnee township be bounded as follows, to-wit: Beginning at the . Wabash river, where the line dividing township 20 and township 21 strikes said river; thence northeasterwardly with the channel of said river to where the center of range 7 strikes the same; thence with the said center line of said range south to the south line of township 21 ; thence with the south line of said township to the place of beginning." The next change was made by the board in 1833 when that portion lying north of a line running east with the section line, from the point on the river where the line dividing sections 14 and 23, township 21, range 8, strikes it, was set off to constitute a part of Logan township, and Shawnee was left but a small fraction of its original self. About this time there arose a contention between Rob Roy and Port- land, then both smart, enterprising burgs. Rob Roy had become the polling place and Portland planned to be one itself. In furtherance of this plan, two miles in width were sliced from the townships on the south and attached to Shawnee. Citizens of Rob Roy and vicinity, to restore in some degree the lost territory, petitioned for an addition to the area on the northeast, and the county commissioners' court, at the March term, 1839, ordered that sections 22 and 27, township 21, range 7, be taken from Davis and attached to Shawnee township. The contest was ended by an order making Portland voting pre- cinct number 2. Peace has ever since reigned supreme in the township.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
This township dates its first settlement from 1822. In the somber autumn of that year, John Lopp entered the cast half of section 2, where Benjamin Brown later resided; George Jolinson also claimed a part of sec- tion 12. The following year came Abel Claypool, Daniel Peck, George Stew-
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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIAN !
art and John Galloway. In 1823 John Miller entered a part of section 4. and he, with five brothers, were the founders of a settlement on Coal creek known ever since as the "Miller settlement," to which belonged Edmond Parrott, Robert Gregg and George Wilson. In 1824 two more settlements were opened up. Four brothers, Cox by name ( Peter. Thomas, Joseph and Girl- eon), settled on a large tract, reaching from Big Shawnee to Little Shawnee while eastward, on both sides of the stream, Wilson Claypool and Thomas Clawson began the task of home-building. To this settlement was soon added Joseph Collier, John Buckles, George Ives, and westward were Cleveland. George Minor, Daniel McMillen, William Graham, James Orr, and on the south side of the stream, on section 28, James Goodwine. Abraham Clawson and James Foster, Others soon made the settlement a good sized one. The lands in township 20, range 8, were brought into market later on and then rapidly settled up. James Brier entered land in section 25, in 1827, and in 1828 William McCrery entered land in the same section, he choosing parts of the west 1. ilf of the same section. To the south were Patrick Conuer, William and John Ross and James Adams.
The towns and villages within this township include Rob Roy and Port- land, both old towns, but not of great present importance.
ROB ROY.
This village was platted in 1826 and was laid off into forty-eight town lots. John Foster, a lover of literature and especially fond of Scott's novels. named his town in honor of the Scotch outlaw, Rob Roy. An addition was platted in 1829 by Hiram Jones. An early writer describes the village in 1833 as a small interior village, with but few inhabitants, but increasing in improvement and population. In 1836 it had five dry goods stores and four groceries, a hotel, three physicians, and was in the center of a very active settlement. When the Chicago & Block Coal railway crossed the township it made it a station point in its plans.
VILLAGE OF PORTLAND.
This place has a history dating back to April, 1828, when Major Whit- locke, William Miller and Barnard Preble platted the town. It is situated on the Wabash river about seven miles north of Covington. It was described by Sanford C. Cox in his early historie writings, as on the list of towns on the river that were ambitious to become the great emporium of trade on the upper
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Wabash. Keep's store was one of the two business places that furnished most of the goods used by the people for a hundred miles up and down the river. Powder, lead, salt, iron, whisky and leather were the staples of trade in those days, and these were exchanged for the productions of the country. such as beeswax, tallow, feathers, ginseng, furs, deer skins, wild hops, etc. In the flight of time Portland had eleven stores, a hotel, six physicians, crafts- men of various kinds, and a considerable population. It was a postoffice town from its beginning. With the passing of years and changes in the business of the county. Portland was left in the cold and today has but a small collection of houses and not more than fifty population recorded by the last census. The schools and churches of Shawnee township are treated under appropriate head- ings, within this volume.
MILLING INTERESTS.
Almost as soon as the first crops had been gathered in, there arose a demand for mills by which meal and flour could be produced for the pioneers. The first of these mills were of the corncracker type and small affairs, but served well the times in which they were erected. Thomas Cox built one of these mills at the falls of the Little Shawnee river in 1824. One owned by Elisha Range was near Rob Roy bridge, one where the Rob Roy road crosses the Little Shawnee. Customers came in for many miles around and the set- tlers greatly appreciated these corn-crackers. William Graham erected a fulling-mill and carding machine at the Rob Roy bridge in 1826, and soon after Daniel Myers a saw-mill seventy rods down stream. Other saw-mills were built as they seemed to be needed, on the Shawnee and Bear rivers. Joe ยท Hagerman, in 1827, and Daniel McMillen, in 1828, each built merchant flour- ing mills, and Ezra Crane and Daniel Burntriger built one on Bear creek. The first of the later mills was erected by pioneer John Lopp, at the confluence of the two Shawnee rivers, a second was by John Keep and Ebenezer Franklin a quarter of a mile down stream, and the third near the mouth of Shawnee called the "Yankee Mill," by Smith & Gibbs. This mill, which would have become worthless by the feeder dam of the canal, was burned in 1844. The . Burbridge mills, the highest up the river, were erected in 1840 by John Kingore. The mill-race was constructed in 1830, and a carding machine built and operated for two years, and then gave place to a large brick distillery. which, in its turn, gave place to a flouring mill. The mill at Rob Roy was built by William Bookwalter and A. L. Claypool, in 1870. With the march of years, and the revolution in the manner of grinding grain into flour, these
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