USA > Indiana > Fountain County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 16
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 16
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mills have nearly, if not entirely, been wiped from the face of the country as flour-producing plants. Farmers now usually purchase all the flour they con- sumie, the great milling industries of the larger cities in the grain belt having monopolized the business to a large extent. The old-time tanneries, distiller- ies, carding mills and fulling mills, with the flouring mills, have nearly all dis appeared from the industries of this county, in common with most counties in Indiana.
A UNIQUE SOCIETY.
Brown's chapel was erected under the following singular circumstances. In August, 1851, twenty-nine persons formed themselves into what they termed "Moral Associated Citizens." William Brown was elected president. B. B. Labaw, secretary, and John Houts, treasurer. The avowed object was "to build a meeting-house for the worship of God, and establish a grave yard." The plan is as follows : "The house is to be open to all men of all societies of good inoral character who preach the gospel, and men.in no church who have good characters." The capital was raised on the subscription plan, the shares being ten dollars cach, the holder being entitled to vote in the control of the house and grave yard. Sixty-two shares were subscribed, and donations made by others. The house is described as "A frame meeting-house, length thirty-six feet, width thirty feet, a ten-foot story. a wall under the house two and a half feet high and one foot. thick, one foot in the ground, and a stringer under the center." The contract was let to William Brown, who built the house and turned it over to the trustees May 29, 1852. For many years it served a most excellent purpose in the community, and showed a commenda- ble spirit on the part of the pioneers.
CHAPTER XVIL
WABASH TOWNSHIP.
On the west side of the county, and second from the south line, is that part of the county known as Wabash township. The name carries with it the history, in a large sense, of the people who at one time occupied, and owned by right of possession, these lands lying along the Wau-bash-kaw-sepe, or White, or Wabash river. It lies south of Troy, west of Van Buren and Mill- creek townships, and north from Fulton and Millcreek.
In 1880 it contained 2,266 population, but in 1900 it had only 1, 176 and in 1910 the census gives it only 1,049. This decrease has come about by vari- ous causes. Topographically, this is one of the most uneven, rough surfaced portions of the county. The numerous hills, almost approaching to small sized mountains, make it one not counted good for general agricultural pur- poses. Yet within its confines may be seen numerous valuable and well-tilled farms, some of these tracts equaling any in Fountain county. Coal creek, in its wanderings through the wild scenery, seemingly forced its way thousands of years ago through the gigantic hills that now hem it in on either side, and at an early day in the white man's history of this county attracted numerous settlers to its shores and narrow bottom lands. Here many located and reared their humble cabins and subsequently there sprung up several mills.
EARLY SETTLERS.
Daniel Richardson made the first entry of land in this township, on July 12, 1822, calling for the northeast fraction, one hundred and forty-four acres, of section 3, township 18, range 9 west. But the settlement did not corre- spond with entry, and the land was several times purchased at land sales at the government land office.
November 11, 1822, Martin Harrold entered the east half of the north- west quarter of section 23, township 19, range 8 west. The same year William White entered several tracts in section 27. He was a captain in the war of 1812-14, called to Horseshoe Bend on the Mississippi river by General Jack- son to fight Indians. By birth he was a Tennessean and well calculated to fight the great hardships of a pioneer country. He probably did not settle in this county much before 1823-4. It was he who erected the first mill in this
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county on Coal creek; it did the sawing and grinding for many miles around. This is the same mill property that was owned in succession by Bishop, Van dorn and Samuel Cade, later styled the Union Mills. The son. Anderson White controlled and operated this milling plant for many years after his father's death. Other pioneers in this township were: William Cloud of section 23, in 1822; Thomas Patton, of the same date and same section ; William Forbes, of section 20; John Simpson, of section I4; Jeremiah Hart man, of section 14: Alexander Logan, of section 28: John Rusing, of section 28; James Briggs, of section 29; John Nugent. of section 32, all of these being early settlers in township 19, range 8 west. Many others whose names have slipped from record and memory sleep the sleep that knows no waking. with their graves unmarked. Here and there are to be seen a few white slabs on the hillside, or in some out-of-the-way glen, which tells of the resting place of other settlers whose work has long since gone into oblivion and their names only known by the dim outlines carved upon the marble or sand-stone slab.
William Cade, above mentioned, came in 1823 and in 1880 he was ac- counted one of the richest men in Fountain county. He owned the Union Mills many years. Jane Cade, his daughter, is mentioned as being the first child to see the light of day in Fountain county, the date of her birth being May 30, 1824. In 1824 Washington Graham entered land in section 18. township 19, range 8 west. John Simpson and Jeremiah and Lambeth Heath secured lands in the same locality. Soon the township became the theatre of
a busy scene of industry. The axe was heard on every hand, timber was felled and immense log-rollings had, and brightly lighted fires lit the heavens by day and night, while this clearing process was going forward. Children grew into manhood in these valleys so long the haunt of the red man. All nature was . changed; a rising generation began to leave its impress upon the country once a howling wilderness. Forty years ago and more, this township literally teemed with wealth, dug out by the pioneer and his children who remained faithful to the old homesteads.
George Kiger came from Parke county in 1827 and in 1833 engaged in the milling business, continuing until his death in 1835. His son, John A. Kiger, then controlled the mill a number of years, when he sold to John Head- ley, who, in 1851, sold to Samuel I. Snoddy and John Hardesty, who, in 1854, sold to George Mosier. In 1855 Mr. Snoddy purchased it again, when he made many improvements. In 1869 he tore away the saw-mill and erected a large flouring-mill having three run of buhrs, carrying on an extensive business. Coal had been mined from an carly date in this region and the Chicago rolling-mill operators were attracted hither and sunk deep coal
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mines and employed many men. This caused Mr. Snoddy to put in a large provision store and a full line of ordinary dry goods. He became postmaster, a railroad, as an outlet for the coal being successfully mined, having been constructed in 1872. Ilence the place has since been known on the mnaps as Snoddy's Mills, the name of the postoffice. In 1877 Mr. Snoddy found his store too small and erected a second one. He also built several neat buildings as residences which he readily rented. He was a sort of business captain of the place, having the full oversight of the dry goods, grocery, clothing, luni- ber, grain and stock, as well as postmaster of the village.
"String Town" is close to Snoddy's Mills. It was a collection of cheaply built houses used by the miners and built by the coal companies. At one date it supported twenty saloons and liquor seen:ed to run and finally ruined the town. Seven hundred miners once found occupation there, along in the eiglities.
For history of schools and churches in Wabash township, the reader is referred to separate headings on these topics.
CHAPTER XIX.
MILL CREEK TOWNSHIP.
This township contains forty-three square miles, or sections, which equals 27,520 acres. It is situated centrally on the southern line of Fountain county in ranges 7 and 8 west, while the township line places it all in town- ship 18, except the north eight sections, which are in township 19. Wabish and Van Buren townships are on its north. Cain and Jackson on the east. Parke county on its south and the townships of Fulton and Wabash on its west. Its surface is generally level with occasional undulations. This town- ship was settled at a much later date than most of the townships within Foun- tain county, perhaps owing largely to the fact that immense tracts of heavy timber lands were held for higher prices by speculators. The population in 1880 was placed at 1,830; in 1900 it had 2, 145 and in 1910 it had only 1.987.
SETTLEMENT.
The first land entry was effected in this township in 1826. It was in that year that John Gilmore and Franklin Deboard entered the east half of the southeast quarter of section 36, township 19, range 8, west. It is claimed by one account that Jacob Isley entered land in section 29 in 1825. Peter Young- blood was a settler at the same time. October 12, 1826, Samuel Armstrong entered the east half of the southeast quarter of section 28, township 19. range 7. October 17, 1827, Jacob Bonebrake entered the west half of the northeast quarter of section 29, township 19, range 7, and in November that year, Isaac Kelsey claimed by entry the west half of the southeast quarter of section 28 of the same town and range. Few entries were made in 1829, but the following did enter lands and became settlers soon thereafter; Milburn C. Williams, Fielding Lacy, Jacob Isley, John Lytle, Bennet Scribird and Joseph Hawkins. In 1830 the list of settlers and land entries was all too large to be here traced out with profit to the reader. The above did without doubt affect the pioneer settlement of the township. It should be understood that many who entered these lands did not remove to the same, in many cases, for a number of years. Among those whose dates of settlement are clearly defined
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may be mentioned: Thomas Ratcliff in 1830, who entered three hundred acres in the southern part of the township. John Ewall and wife Ann and family, in 1831, made his home here. He entered a half section of land, on which he erected a double log house eighteen by forty feet. He had eleven children in his family, hence built accordingly. In 1832 came Michael and Valentine Day. In 1834 came George Norris, who settled near where Harveys- burg later sprang up. George Redenbaugh came in May, 1836, unloading his earthly effects beneath two huge oak trees, then drove some forked sticks in the earth near them, and later rived out some clapboards and plank with which he built a shed over his goods. Here the family resided while he put in a corn crop and when that was performed he set about with his trusty axe to provide better quarters on the quarter section he had then entered. George W. Sow- ers emigrated in 1837 and entered seven hundred and twenty acres of choice land. In 1839, Reuben Lindley began his improvements in this township and lived to become wealthy and was always highly respected for his manly traits. Many of these just enumerated came in from the two Carolinas. Some had stopped a few years in Orange and other counties in Indiana, while others came from Ohio. They came in four-horse, two-horse and some in single- horse rigs, bringing their earthly store along with them. At first it was hard work, but soon the army of workers got acquainted with one another and ma- terially assisted each other until by good fortune all were in possession of good homes and comfortable circumstances. L. B. Lindley resolved to build a "city," so in 1856 he laid off sixteen lots for the town-to-be, leaving a street sixty feet wide. His first wife was the daughter of Harlan Harvey, for whom the town was named-Harveysburg. The land on which it was built was entered by James P. Crawford. A brother of Mr. Lindley, named Henry, also laid off eight lots, forming the northwest part of the town. John and Charles Mark- ins built the first warehouse and lived in a portion of the building. The Markins kept a general store. Charles Markins was killed during the Civil war. Doctor McNutt erected an office building, in which he also conducted a country drug store. A small tavern was built and conducted by John W. Spencer, who was also the first cabinet maker in the burg. Robert Briggs was the first village blacksmith at Harveysburg. A postoffice was secured and Doctor McNutt was appointed postmaster, and he was followed by John and Charles Markins and Isaac Grimes. In 1880 the town was still doing a thriv- ing trade and people went there for many miles around. Steam Corner, in the northeastern part of this township, was at one time quite a trading post, but not of much importance of late years. Its principal dealer was Joseph G. Lucas, who conducted a large general merchandise house there at one time.
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The schools and churches have been treated elsewhere, hence need not be here referred to.
The sprightly village of Kingman is in this township-see special account among the history of the larger towns within the county, elsewhere in this volume. Yeddo is also a place around which there are woven many interesting historical happenings. It is the home of the Fountain County Old Settlers' Association, and large throngs congregate there annually.
CHAPTER XX.
FULTON TOWNSHIP
The southwestern sub-division of Fountain county is known as Fulton civil township. At one time this territory was included in that of Mill Creek township. Its present extent is only five-sixths of a congressional township. It is bounded by Wabash township on the north, Mill Creek on the east. Parke county on the south, and on the west by the waters of the Wabash river. The old Wabash and Erie Canal passes through the western part of this town- ship, forming, with the river, a sinall island known as Silver Island. It was told that Indians had once hidden a large sum in silver on this spot, but after long research nonc was ever found; the island was thus styled "Silver Island" from this circumstance. It is related that a chief offered a measure full of silver if a white man would consent to his son becoming the husband of his Indian maiden, and that after securing the silver and having the marriage, that the white boy paid no further attention to the poor Indian girl.
The geographical location of this township is wholly in township 18, but in both ranges 8 and 9 west. As early as 1829 this section of the county was the scene of salt and oil excitement. The minerals found here clearly indi- cated the existence of salt. That year Norbourn Thomas came into the town- ship and entered a tract of land. He soon began boring for salt; and finally succeeded in obtaining a salt well from which twenty bushels of salt could be made each twenty-four hours. Not fully satisfied with this production, he bored again in the same well down to the depth of five hundred feet, and found a vein of saline water which afforded him fifty bushels per day. He was accompanied by his brother, Lewis Thomas, of Tippecanoe county, who worked the enterprise with him. They continued on down until a depth of seven hundred feet had been reached, which was then the deepest well in all Indiana. Some years thereafter a company was organized to prospect for oil, of which corporation Mr. Thomas became a member. On down in this old well they continued to bore. The well was situated on section 35, township 18, range 9. This brought a steady yield of two hundred bushels of excellent salt per day. Finally the well reached the extreme depth of one thousand one hundred and thirty-five feet, and after striking this vein of salt water, the auger passed through a space seemingly void of any material substance, prov-
(12)
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ing that they had encountered quite a cavity in the earth's formation. The water rushed upward with sufficient force to throw the auger out of the cavity. and gave forth a volume of water equal to fully fifty barrels a minute. Thi- work was carried on at an expense of five thousand dollars. The waters were examined by competent men, experts and physicians, who pronounced it equal, if not superior. to any water in the world for medicinal purposes. The deepest well in the world was then stated to be only one thousand nine him- dred and twenty-five feet. yielding four million gallons per diem at Passy, near Paris, France; but the Lodi well, as it is known, is the deepest in the United States, and soon attracted the attention of men in various sections of the Union. The well is still flowing into a large pool which has its outlet into the old canal bed, but is practically unimproved. Fron time to time, the attention of capitalists is directed to it as a health resort site, and the future may see located here one of the greatest sanitariums and bath resorts in the middle West.
The population of Fulton township in 1880 was placed by the census enumerators as 1, 128; in 1900 it was 1.330 and according to the last federal census, that of 1910, it was placed at only 1. 105.
The first entries of land within Fulton township were in 1822, by James Graham and William Forbes, the former entering land in the cast half of the southwest quarter of section 17, and the latter the west half of the southeast quarter, and the east half of the southwest quarter of section 20, both in range 8, west. These gentlemen, however, did not become permanent settlers in the township. In 1823 Lewis Phebus obtained a patent for the west half of the southwest quarter of section 20, while Isaac Hibbs entered lands in sections 19 and 20. Other newcomers in 1823 were Archibald Johnson, James Boyd and Joseph Hanna. Robert F. Nugent, later a prominent church man of this section, entered land in section 25, and Arthur Patterson in section 34. In the same year James Ferguson, in company with his brothers, Thomas and Isaac, and Benjamin Beckelhymer came in on a land hunting tour and all took up land at government prices. But it was over in Wabash township and not in Fulton, as intended at first.
In 1824, in range 9 west, Thomas McClure entered the east half of the southeast quarter of section 26 and Hugh Magill the west half of the north- east quarter, while James Prevo entered the east half of the northeast quarter of section 25. About the same date Daniel and Aaron Richardson and Will- iam and Jesse Eperson became interested in the township and secured several tracts of valuable land. Immigration at that stage in the county's history was slow on account of a depressing condition of money matters in the country.
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In 1825 James Carwile entered the northeast quarter of section 12, range 9, but settled farther to the north. Josiah Rush claimed lands in section 12 and William Souls in section 24. James Johnson secured land in 1826 in section 36, while William Johnson took land in section 35, and John Wade in section 25.
Not far from 1825, possibly in the spring of 1826, Nimrod Hathaway came to Fulton township, started a tannery and continued to operate the same about five years, but owing to the thin settlement and scarcity of skins, lie abandoned his enterprise. He then entered land and added acre to acre until he secured over two hundred acres. His wife dying, he was compelled to keep "bach" for some time; he came to this county as a widower.
In 1828, Robert Guy, from Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, settled in this township and also bought lands in northern Parke county. He became a well-known and highly prosperous farmer who, in 1866, removed to Kansas, where he died in 1871.
Peter Lunger also effected a settlement here in 1828. For several years he rented land on Silver island, finally purchasing land cast of the canal. Isaac Hobert and wife Elizabeth made their home on Silver island, where they entered two hundred acres. In 1829 also came George W. and Samuel Ren- nick and they entered valuable lands in this township, reared a cabin and "bached" it a number of years. Later, their sister kept house for them. They each borrowed money with which to enter eighty acres of land apiece. Two years later George married Elizabeth Eperson. He became a prominent man in this township. The Norbourn Thomas, above mentioned, also became a thoroughgoing farmer. In 1830, came in to the township, now well started in its settlement, Dr. Edward Hall, with his wife, Susan, and five children, who came from Clarke county, Indiana, but were natives of Kentucky. Here Doc- tor Hall practiced medicine for twenty years. In 1854 he made a trip to Iowa where he purchased land and laid off a town known as Georgetown. He re- turned to Fulton township and died in 1855.
It was in the same year that Elias Dodson, with his wife, Elizabeth (Hunt) and eight children, were added to this township's population. He moved in with an ox-team, bringing but little furniture. At first he took shel- ter for himself and family under a shed connected with the grist mill, near the south boundary of Fountain county. This was a genuine "corn-cracker" mill, protected from the storm by four posts and a scanty covering. To this "mill" the settlers would flock from a distance of more than twenty miles around. Under this shed the Dodson family remained until they could erect a house of poles, eighteen by twenty fect, into which they gladly went to
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housekeeping. They then cleared a small space in the forest and planted some corn. So numerous were the deer that they had to provide means to keep them from destroying their crops. Mr. Dodson died in 1854 and his faithful wife survived until 1873.
In 1830 among those who settled here may be recalled Patrick Boner, John D. Cook, William Rickett and Henry Yazel. In 1832 came Aaron F. Randolph, who purchased a section of land on Silver island. He erected the usual large log house and in 1838 a larger brick residence, the first brick structure within Fulton township. In 1834 William and Margaret Burnside effected their settlement in the township. He secured four hundred acres of valuable land, all of which he well improved. This fell to his son John, who became by 1880 the largest landowner in the township. In 1837 Stephen Titus bought seven hundred acres. He was a mechanic and made many farm- ing implements for his neighbors, including a famous plow which was used until the Cincinnati plow came into use in this county. These with others formed what may justly be considered the "first settlement" in Fulton town- ship. For other facts concerning this section see church and school history.
The little village of Cates in this township was platted in May, 1903. Sil- verwood, another hamlet, was platted on section 35, township 18, range 9, by Cale W. Watterman, September 7, 1881.
CHAPTER XXI.
DAVIS TOWNSHIP.
Davis township is situated in the extreme northeastern part of Fountain county. It contains twenty-one sections and five fractions of sections, accord- ing to governinent survey, which is on account of the concave made by the meanderings of the Wabash river on the north line of this county. It ineas- ures about seven and a half miles north and south, by less than six east and west. By drawing a diagonal line from the northeast corner of section 4, to the northwest corner of section 13, one will be able to mark the line dividing tlie prairie from the timbered portions of this township, as originally found The prairie was to the south and the timber north of such a line of demarca- tion. The most of the south half is very rolling, while the northern is quite level in its general surface. This whole township is now a beautiful field and garden spot, where the landowner is king, and where one sees many costly and modern farm houses and barns. The scene is one ever gratifying to him who loves to look upon a thrifty farm section, where content is stamped on the faces of all the populace. Splashing water courses are seen here and there, the soil is very fertile and agriculture is here a pleasure to the husbandman. Flint creek is in the northeast corner of the township; next below comes Grindstone creek and Turkey run, after which come flowing down the pretty waters of Young's creek, or Possum Hollow creek, while in the south end of the terri- tory being described is found the Big Shawnee.
The Wabash and Erie canal was constructed through this township, serv- ing as a great outlet for trade and commerce, until the building of the Toledo, Wabash & Western railroad in 1854, when it went into decay and is now worthless.
ORGANIZATION.
Fountain county was divided into civil townships July 24, 1826, and Shawnee embraced all the territory north of township 20. In 1829, Davis township was established, with an area inclosed by the boundary commencing on the Wabash river on the section line between sections 27 and 28, range 7, and following the same to the southwest corner of section 34, township 21, thence cast to the county line. An election was ordered held at the house of
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