USA > Indiana > Fountain County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 17
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 17
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John Pierce. In March, 1833, Logan township was created from Davis and Shawnee townships, and a strip two miles wide was detached from the west side of the former. In March, 1839, sections 22 and 27, township 21, range 7. west, belonging to Davis, were attached to Shawnee, for reasons appearing in the history of the other townships. At the same time a tract two sections in width was taken from the south side and made a part of Richland township. An additional tier of sections was added to the latter, probably at a little earlier date. After the township was fully organized, Maysville became the polling place and thus continued until about 1837, when it was removed to "Woodhook" log school house. The only other removal, known to the writer, was to the frame school house known as Brown's school, near the old building, however.
In 1880 the census reports gave this township as having a population of 798, while in 1900 it gives it as 773 and by the record of the latest federal census, taken in 1910, it is given in as 702. In 1870 there is an account of the population being 663 and that there were thirty-three persons who could not read and forty-five who were unable to write.
EARLY PIONEERS.
The years 1824 and 1825 saw the first settlers coming into Davis town- ship for the purpose of becoming permanent residents. Just who the first was cannot be recorded with any degree of certainty. It is known, however, that the pioneers who first set their stakes here were from Ohio, but most of them had originally resided and were probably natives of Virginia, the Carolinas and Pennsylvania. Kentucky also sent forth many into these parts of the state and not a few located within what is now Davis township. The earliest improvements in this township were made in the south half of the territory, next to the prairie. In 1827, Isaac Waldrup bought land, and the next year brought his family in. Most of the following found their way into the town- ship between 1825 and 1832. . January 1, 1829, Uncle Jesse .Marvin reached here on foot from Ohio, and the following March entered land where he was still living in 1880. At that date-1829-Martin Sparr had improved the place later known as the F. M. Helterbran farm, and there Mr. Marvin spent his first winter. Sparr had evidently made a beginning at his settlement in the spring of 1827. James Morrison, his son-in-law, occupied a part of his land. Sparr and his wife died after a short period, and Joshua Dunkin, a brother-in- law, who was here in 1830, bought out the heirs. Frederick Allenduff became a resident in the autumn of 1827, and Archibald Roberts a year later, both in
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what was called "Shawnee neighborhood," in the south and eastern part of the township. Before 1829 Doctor Yandes had located where Harrison Van Meter later owned a farm. Doctor Yandes was without question the first doc- tor to practice medicine in this portion of Fountain county. It is related of him that "his practice was not more learned and skillful than his life was regn- lar and temperate." He, and a young man named Young, were both drowned while crossing the river in a canoe from Independence.
William Clark, a Campbellite minister, lived in section 16, township 21. range 6; he removed in the spring of 1834. George Sargent, a New Light minister, and one of the first teachers of the Word of Life in the township, lived on the hill north from Elijah Mattox. John Jones was another early settler of about that date. Also Joseph Chizum settled in the Shawnee neigh- borhood. Added to those already mentioned as constituting the pioneer band in this township, were the widow Kerr, Henry Young, John Beverly, Joseph Wilson, James Williams, Baker and Cyrus Houts, David Lane, James F. Mills, Charles Mick, Jehu Atherton, the Funk family, Doctor Worthington, on the south side of the old state road, Uncle Joseph Brown, who with his brother Hiram came in 1830, Nimrod Taylor, Zachariah Linton, Daniel Hop- kins, who was among the very first in the township to make for himself a per- manent home. Andrew Hemphill located on Young's run and put up a saw- mill, and not many years later erected an over-shot grist-mill just below it. The saw-mill he changed into a carding mill. Samuel Dunkin had a saw-mill at the mouth of the run. Another saw-mill was placed in motion by a Ger- man named Hetchel, who settled as early as 1828, but did not build his mill until 1835, on Grindstone creek. About the same date, Henderson & Baxley operated a distillery on Young's run. James and John Hemphill also put one in operation, after this had served its usefulness (?) and been abandoned. The first distilling in the township, however, was done by Andrew Round, who came up from Lopp's prairie early in 1828 and set up a small copper still. He sold to Frederick Allenduff, who manufactured from his own grain for sev- eral years. Corn was worth ten and twelve cents a bushel. It usually took three bushels to purchase one yard of calico.
In 1839, John Sherry (or Sherrie) laid out a town just below the mouth of Flint creek and named the same Fulton. He erected a large distillery and carried on porkpacking two seasons. A few houses were built and for a time considerable business was transacted at the hamlet, but its existence was short. The township probably had as many inhabitants in 1835 as it had in 1875. Considerable numbers flocked hither who were unable to purchase lands, and these became renters for a time, but later sought greener pastures
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in the West. The prairie sod was hard to subdue, so tough were its roots, but when once killed its species disappeared forever-a strange economy in nature. One writer says of the prairie grasses, "One of the most singular things about these great prairies is that the native grass, which was found growing every- where when man came here, and which for ages has maintained itself against all natural elements of extinction, has neither seed nor any other organs of propagation. When once killed or circumscribed in any way, it could not by any process again spread. It was not merely comparatively. but positively impossible to spread it. Nature does not seem to have furnished another case of actual absence of the quality of propagation."
Another feature of the early days here was the old Indian trail. Near the Shawnee Mound was a village of Shawnees. The Kickapoos had another near where Independence stands, and between these the trail ran nearly from the southeast to the northwest corner of this township. It crossed the Wabash at a ford just above Independence. When the bones of the slain at the great battle of Tippecanoe were gathered up for sepulture, Silas McVane and another man, with teams, went forth from this township and assisted in the soleinn labor.
MORMONS ONCE HERE.
In 1832, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon left Kirtland, Ohio, where they had just completed the establishment of a Church of Latter-Day Saints, and made a proselyting tour in Indiana and Illinois. Some success attended their labors in Davis township, this county, but it was fortunately confined largely to the renters and other floating population. Meetings were held at private houses and in the log school house in the rear of where Salem church stands. Healing the sick and raising the dead was advocated by these people with much argument. . Immersions were performed in the waters of the Shawnee creek, but when water was plentiful the pond in close proximity to the school house was used. An exhorter, Jesse Dollyhide, having his limbs drawn up by rheumatism, joined them and was baptized according to their faith. When brought out of the water "hands were laid on" him by the im- postors and they commanded him to straighten his limbs. He could not do this, hence he abandoned the sect. The failure to effect this, and other mira- cles, undeceived many others, among them Andrew Wilson, who had been a New-Light advocate, and he went back to his denomination. Still others were not so easy to be undeceived by the humbug religionists, and thirty-two per- sons were held together, and finally, in 1834, went to Missouri, when the prac-
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tices of this deluded church were first carried on in that state. Of the prose- lytes, Samuel Trullinger and Simeon Curtis and their wives engaged in the work of the Mormon ministry. Time has revealed that only the ignorant and half-deluded, debased of both sex, can be led into the trap set by designing self-made churchmen, for solely personal and selfish reasons, as has been the case in far-away Utah. They teach many good things in order to weave a cloak around the wickedness found in the center. This sect never gained a solid footing in the midst of the enlightened and fairly well-educated people of this township and county.
SHAWNEE POSTOFFICE.
This .office was established in 1843 at Rachel Pickens', where F. M. Rob- erts lived many years later. Joseph Poole was the first postmaster. This office was on the stage route from Attica and Lafayette, and here were kept a tavern and a barn for the relay of horses. The office was kept on the move and several persons had the honor of being appointed to the position of postmaster before the abandonment of the postoffice.
MAYSVILLE AND INDEPENDENCE STATION.
These are both old towns, but never reached much importance, except as small trading posts, for a small community. Maysville was laid out and its plat recorded in 1832 by Z. Wade. Chester Tuttle opened a store for the sale of dry goods, Samuel Duncan had another for a short time, both were doing business in 1840. The place had about a score of houses and supported a hotel, stable, grocery, cooper and blacksmith shop, and the two stores just mentioned. It finally became a station on the canal, and while that internal improvement was being made, flourished quite well. It was the voting place for the township eight years. Its location was a half mile above Independence Station and never had a very creditable name. In 1879 there were but two houses left on its site.
Independence Station is situated in the remote northwest corner of Davis township, five miles above Attica. It has a history co-extensive with that of the Wabash railroad in this county, which highway was constructed in 1854. It was first known as Fountain City. It is but a mere hamlet, but serves the community in which it is located quite well for small trading, etc.
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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.
FULTON.
This has been so long out of existence that few of the older residents of the county know it ever lived. But it did and it was the oldest place in the county, where goods were sold and where grain was shipped and pork packed for the New Orleans markets. Fulton was situated on the south bank of the Wabash, a few rods from where Peter Weaver, the first settler in Fountain county, spent the winter of 1822 and part of the summer of 1823, before re- moving to his farm over the line in Tippecanoe county. The village was not platted, but there was the grain warehouse of William Sherrie (son-in-law of Peter Weaver), and he also operated a general store and bought, killed and shipped hogs by flat-boats to the southern country. The warehouse was directly opposite the smaller of Fulton islands in the Wabash, and a few hun- dred feet from the present summer home of J. Frank Dermond. It was on the old Indian reservation. Six families lived there at one time and were all engaged in the business above named. With the coming of the canal it went out of commission.
THE BLOCKHOUSE.
At the time of the Black Hawk war, in 1832, in the month of August, there was quite an excitement over the report that Indians were seeking revenge for supposed wrongs upon the part of the whites, and were coming east destroying life and property as they came. During this excitement the few settlers in this section of the country, including Warren and Tippecanoe, as well as Fountain county, sought a place of safety and repaired to the house of Josiah Bryant, in what is now Logan township (then Davis), and there they built themselves a blockhouse and set up fortifications, to be ready for the Indians should they come with evil intent. This blockhouse was situated two and a half miles south of the Wabash river, on lands now owned by William Clapham, south of Bethel road, on the northwest half of the southwest quar- ter of section 2, township 21, range 7.
Other points of historic interest in this township are the place on the Wabash where crossed the old ferry. The site was just about one hundred yards west, down stream, from the present iron wagon bridge at Independ- ence, between the two counties. Also at a point about the same distance to the east of the same highway and bridge is where the county's first settler in Warren county, that brave, shrewd French-Canadian, Zachariah Cicott, built his cabin and set up his trading post with the Indians. There he cleared off
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and had an acre or two of ground even and smooth, overlooking the gently rolling Wabash river front, and there was where hundreds of Indians made his friendship and there he had them shoot at a mark for a silver quarter or a Spanish fifty-cent piece of coin. The cabin he occupied stood until the year 1900 and it is a shame that it was not preserved as a relic of those long-ago days.
Less than a mile to the southeast is the great bowlder and now a few small shrubs and trees, between the Wabash railroad and the highway, that was once mounted by pioneer Weaver, who when hunting was chased by a wild boar to this rock. It is southeast of Weaver's original landing (old Fulton ).
CHAPTER XXII.
CAIN TOWNSHIP.
In the southwestern part of Fountain county is found Cain township, which is on the east line of the county and is the second from the south line. Montgomery county lies to its east, Jackson to its south, Mill Creek and Van Buren to the west and Richland township to the north. Township line 19 south, range 19, runs west two miles between sections 33 and 34 and 28 and 27 in range 7; thence west between sections 28 and 21; thence north three miles between sections 20 and 21, 17 and 16, 8 and 9; thence half a mile east between sections 4 and 9; thence north three-fourths of a mile in center of line of section 4, running north; thence half a mile east in same section : thence a fourth of a mile north to township 20; thence six miles east to the county line. These lines describe a territory of thirty-nine and three-eighths square miles.
.The northern part of this township is rolling prairie land, while in the southern part at an early day there was much flat and wet land, but time has made it wonderfully productive and it is now very valuable for general farming purposes. Along Coal creek the land is quite rough and full of ridges. Black walnut, poplar, wild cherry and sugar maple trees are the prevailing timber, while in the southern portion burr oak, elm and linn predominate, owing to the moisture in the latter lands. Oak, hickory and hickory elm abound on the creek lands to quite a goodly extent. In 1826 most of the township was cov- ered with a dense, hardy growth of forest trees, but with the passing of three- quarters of a century and more the scene has greatly changed and today one views the greater part as one great, rich agricultural district. Wanton de- struction, ill care, the making of tens of thousands of rails for pioneer fences, the sawing of lumber and in other ways these forests have been disappearing rapidly.
This township has been greatly aided in its material development by its fine waterpower, Coal creek being the most valuable in the years gone by for the purpose just named. Milling, both for lumbering and grinding, was at one time a great industry in these parts. By 1880 all these mills save three flour- ing-mills had disappeared. The upper one of these mills was on section 16, range 6, built by John Petro, about 1846, occupying the site of the corn- cracker and distillery said to have been built in 1824. In 1871 a large mill was erected on this site by G. D. Brown, costing eight thousand dollars. One
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mile below a corn-cracker was started in the pioneer days, but after a few years abandoned. About 1840, William Simpson built a saw-mill on this site. A mile below this was a saw-mill built by William Sears in either 1837 or 1838 and abandoned in 1866. The Hillsboro flouring miil, a mile and a half down stream, was built by David Kester in 1824, and is said to be the earliest mill in Fountain county. In 1854 the account books show this mill was producing flour from two hundred bushels of grain per day. At this point the creek gives (or did) an average of twenty-eight horse-power. Later a roller inill was placed at this splendid milling site. High water has taken out many dains in this part of the county, causing much loss to the mill- site owners. While most of the mills have gone, Cain township owes much of its early development to its mill streams and other fine resources, including a good soil and a pretty certain crop. Sandstone ledges and other stone are found in great abundance and affords an excellent material for construction of stonework including bridges. Grindstones of excellent grit are produced from some of the quarries within this township. In 1880, Hillsboro village had but six wells for drinking water, most of the populace using cisterns or springs for their domestic uses.
The population of this township at various decades has been as follows : 1880, it stood as 1,763; in 1900 it was 1,537 and in 1910 it was but 1,403, including the village of Hillsboro.
For schools and churches, see chapters treating on all within the county, appropriately headed.
HILLSBORO.
Hillsboro is situated on the line of the Big Four railroad, slightly east of the center of the township. It was laid out by David Kester in 1830. The first store was opened by George May, who, it is stated, refused to sell a pound of nails for fear it would break his stock. Doctors Scott and Reese were the pioneer physicians, and Absalom Mendenhall was the first justice of the peace. At present Hillsboro has a population of about six hundred, and is a good trading point for the surrounding country. The waters of Coal creek flow in their babblings by the south side of the village, whose main street is located a little more than a quarter of a mile from the railway station. The first substantial wagon bridge was constructed in 1870, at a cost of four thou- sand eight hundred dollars. For banks, schools and churches see other chapters.
The only other village ever platted within this township was Rynear, in the extreme northwest corner. It is now numbered among the defunct places on the maps.
CHAPTER XXIII.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP,
Jackson is the extreme southeastern sub-division in Fountain county, and was named for President Andrew Jackson. It covers an area of six full sections, in township 18, ranges 6 and 7 west. It had a population in 1880 of 1,272; in 1900 its population, including the town of Wallace, was 1,322 and in 1910 it is given by the census books as but -1, 139. Its territory was originally included with that of Cain township, but as the county settled up it was deemed wise to cut down township lines and make more sub-divisions in the county, hence -Jackson was carved out and has always maintained a separate township organ- ization, with a government fully up to the standard found elsewhere in the county. Of its educational and religious, development, other chapters will speak in a general way. Of its natural features, it may be said that it has an elevated surface generally even in the north half and moderately so in the southeastern quarter. The southwest quarter of its territory is cut up with numerous ravines and creeks, making it a wonderfully rough country. The township is drained largely by Mill creek and Prairie creek. Lick branch is famous for its high. sharp bluffs, swift running waters and beautiful, but bold, wild scenery. It rises in section 14 and empties into Mill creek where the latter crosses the line between sections 24 and 25. Other creeks of this town- ship are Buffalo, Little Mill, Stillwater, Wolf, Dan's run. Coal. abounds in considerable quantities in Jackson township. On Lick branch are found fine beds of valuable building stone.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
.Among the first to claim a residence in Jackson township was Esquire John Bowman, who came from eastern Tennessee in 1826, and entered the land across the creek from Jacksonville, where Z. T. Ward later resided. Richard Williams settled on the site of Jacksonville a year later. William Guilliams, his son-in-law, was living on the west bank of Mill creek next to the town. Isaac Crowder had a cabin home on the farther side of the creck south from the town of later years. In 1827 also came John Hybarger, who had left Tennessce the year before and stopped at Russellville for a time.
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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Other very early settlers may be named as follows: Thomas Allen, Jonathan Cunningham, Joshua Bland, of Ohio, had homes on section 16; Ephraim Dell, a young man, George Low, Cuthbert Harrison, James Garrison, Michael Hutts, Ezekiel Nelson, William Murphy, Isaac Gooding, William Murphy. William Hinton, Messrs. Myers, Fines, Shulers, Livingoods, Sowers, Scotts, Clarks, Kellers, John McSpaddens and George McLain. After the first four years the township settled very rapidly. For the first ten or a dozen years almost all who came in and took lands were from North Carolina or Tennes- . see. A few came in from Virginia and still less from Kentucky.
When the first settlers entered the township they found only a dense for- est, and as settlements were niade saw-mills were erected here and there along the numerous streams affording sufficient waterpower. The largest of these saw-mills was built by Harris Reynolds, who sawed the material for the plank road. As many as five stills were in operation in the township at one time. In all there is an account of twenty-six stills and various kinds of distilleries, in- cluding six large steam distilleries and eighteen copper stills. This township never had a flouring-mill within its borders, so far as can be learned. The only corn cracker of any importance was the first, which was erected by Ephraim Dell, on Mill creek, a half mile below Jacksonville. This has gone to total decay many long years since. Up to the eighties, whisky seemed to have been the chief article of revenue for the people in this township. However, the coming on of the Civil war and the high internal revenue placed upon liquors greatly hindered the business here, as well as elsewhere in the country. Dur- ing all of the years in which whisky was produced in Jackson township, it was a scene of great and never-ending excitement. It was much dreaded by the collectors and inspectors of revenue sent in to see that the government got its share of the profit derived from converting grain into whisky. At an early date these stills afforded a home market, as nothing else could, for the corn grown in the neighborhoods near the stills-and that was almost everywhere. Twenty-five cents was the going price for corn for many years, but had it not been for these distilling concerns it would not have been worth more than twelve cents, and at times could not be disposed of at any price. One bushel of good corn made from two to three gallons of excellent whisky, which sold usually at twenty-five cents a gallon.
Hence it was that often a man might have been seen going from home on horseback, with a sack of corn and with it a jug, en route to the still-house where he could exchange the former for the latter's fill of "pure and un- adulterated whisky." So it was, that when a "foreign power" in the form of a meddlesome government agent came around, trouble generally was the
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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.
result. But things have all changed and now farmers no longer depend upon the still-house for their living, and but few of the citizens of the township, once so full of such plants, care for the liquor that the pioneer felt he must have-in summer to drive away the excessive heat and of course in winter . he felt sure it was an antidote for frost-bites and chilly mornings.
The reader will find an interesting account of the schools and churches under the separate headings in the general chapters of this volume.
The earliest marriage records of this township disclose the fact that the first to be made man and wife were Paul Garrison and Cyba Snook, March 3, 1831 ; Martin Guilliams to Polly Bowman, March 19, 1832; James Cun- ningham to Ann Allen, June 12, 1832; and Samuel K. McSpadden to Nancy Bowman. Squire.Isaac Gooding performed the ceremony in one instance and Squire John Bowman united the balance.
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