USA > Indiana > Carroll County > Recollections of the early settlement of Carroll County, Indiana > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
JAMES ODELL, Inspector.
DANIEL BAUM,
WILLIAM HICKS,
Judges.
AARON DEWEY, Clerks.
JOHN BALLARD, S
The next exciting thing in the new county was the location of the county-seat. Several sites were offered ; one by William Wilson, the one finally selected. Henry Robinson offered one on the bluff south of the creek. Samuel Wells offered the land which was afterward laid out and named West Delphi, and M'Combs and Bozarth offered the tract of land which was afterward laid out and called Tiptonsport.
The commissioners appointed by the Legislature to make the location, reported to the Board of County Commissioners, on the 15th day of May, 1828 :
That we have established the seat of justice of Carroll County on a tract of land of one hundred acres, being a part of the north- west quarter of sec. 29, R. 2 W. of the second principal meridian, T. 25, north; the said one hundred acres having been received by us as a donation from William Wilson, of said county, as will more fully appear by his bond for a title, payable to the county commission- ers of said county, by which bond, herewith submitted, it will ap- pear that the said tract of land of one hundred acres is bounded
22
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
on and is to be taken parallel to the western line of the section aforesaid, the length north and south of said quarter section, and to extend east for quantity; upon which tract of one hundred acres, we, the undersigned commissioners, have, and do hereby es- tablish the seat of justice of said county of Carroll, to be known and designated by the name and style of Carrollton.
The condition of said bond, executed by William Wilson, reads as follows :
The above bound William Wilson has this day donated to the county commissioners of Carroll County, for the permanent seat of justice thereof, one. hundred acres of land, being part of the north-west quarter of sec. 29, N. of R. 2 W. of second princi- pal meridian, T. 25. The donation to be situated as follows : Be- ginning at the south-west corner of said quarter-section, thence east one hundred rods, thence north, etc., so as to include one hundred acres, except what shall be found south of the creek ; to which lot of ground the said William Wilson is to make a good and suffi- cient deed in fee simple, etc. The above donation the aforesaid `William Wil-on makes without any reservation whatever, except the crop of the present year, now growing on said lot of ground, the rails also excepted. Signed in presence of Isaac Griffith and Samuel Milroy.
At the time the first election was held, and the above donation was made, W. Wilson was living on the quarter- section of land, a part of which was donated for a county-seat-about the spot on which Robert H. Bowen now resides. He did not long survive, but died during the year 1829.
The county commissioners met on the 24th day of May, and decided that the seat of justice should be known and designated by the name of Delphi.
The sale of lots took place on the 11th day of Au- gust, 1828; but they did not bring a very high price, and so but a part of them were sold.
During the early part of this year, 1828, a Presby- terian Church was organized, by the name of " Deer- creek Presbyterian Church," and the Rev. James Craw- ford was employed as a stated supply one-half of his
23
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
time ; the other half being employed at Lafayette; the dwelling-house of Henry Robinson (the same afterward owned by Mr. George Bolles), being used as the place of preaching, for about seven months. A large number of emigrants arrived during the latter part of this year.
January 1, 1829. The last Fall and Winter were very dry, and Spring unusually so. The merchants shipped their goods from Cincinnati for the Wabash on steam-boats, which could proceed no farther than the rapids below Vincennes, at Mount Carmel. From that point they were conveyed here by wagons, very much to the injury of the merchants and the disappointment of the people.
Mr. Henry Robinson was busily engaged this season in improving the mill-site now known as the " Delphi Mill," and owned by Messrs. Bulger & Co. Judge Griffith and Samnel Wise each started a saw-mill on Deer Creek, and Samuel Williamson started one on Rock Creek.
Mr. Henry Robinson's saw-mill started early in the year 1830. The Summer was dry and very sickly. The country improved very fast, but unfortunately for Delphi, as it just came into notice this season, the un- usual amount of sickness gave it a bad name, from which it did not recover for many years. It has now, how- ever, been conceded for a long time that, in point of health, it will compare favorably with any other city on the Wabash.
24
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
CHAPTER II.
OLD SETTLERS' MEETING.
IN the year 1855, an Old Settlers' Society was or- ganized in Carroll County, and the author became its secretary. Its object was to procure a reunion, onco a year, of the men who had come here while the country was a wilderness ; who had assisted each other in rolling logs and building houses; had given ready and prompt aid in sickness ; had assisted in burying the dead; had attended all the early weddings and merry-makings; and who had thus formed strong per- sonal attachments for each other. The Society also had another object in view, which was to collect as many incidents as possible connected with the early settlement. Since the year 1855, these annual meet- ings have been kept up. The old settlers find them very pleasant, and at the last meeting it was ordered that the permanent time of meeting should be on the second Saturday of August, in each year, and that the permanent place of meeting should be on the old Gen- eral Milroy farm, afterward owned by his son, Mr. Samuel L. Milroy.
The following is a copy of the call for the organiza- tion of the Old Settlers' Society, published in the Weekly Times and Dollar Journal:
OLD SETTLERS' MEETING.
The undersigned hereby request all the citizens of Carroll County, who settled here prior to the year 1831, to meet at the court-house in Delphi, at 10 o'clock A. M., on the 9th day of June next, for the purpose of spending a social day in reviewing
25
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
the scenes of the olden time ; and also with a view of forming a society to perpetuate the early history of this county. All persons who have been inhabitants of this county, prior to the time above named, are requested before the day of meeting, to reduce to writing the history, so far as they may remember it, of this county, up to the first of January, 1831, and, particularly, anec- dotes of the early settlement, and incidents calculated to throw light upon the early history of the county.
ABNER ROBINSON,
W. B. GIVINS,
J. R. BALLARD, JAMES ODELL,
A. W. GILLAM,
C. M. D. WILSON,
JAMES ALLDRIDGE,
G. C. SAUNDERSON,
DANIEL BAUM, SR.,
H. M. GRAHAM,
THOMAS STIRLIN,
JOSEPH KUNS,
WM. M'CAIN,
ENOCH STANSEL.
The meeting of the old settlers was held at the court-house in Delphi, on the 9th day of June, 1855, in pursuance of the above notice. The IIon. James Odell was called to the chair, and James H. Stewart ap- pointed secretary.
MR. ODELL, upon taking the chair, remarked: That the early history of this county was now known to but comparatively few persons, and no one but a participant was aware of the trials of the early settlers. In many counties, the old pioneers have held meetings, for the purpose of getting up the early history. In order to do this, it was necessary to meet together. The minutes of such meetings should be taken down, and published from time to time. The rising generation would be astonished at what the early settlers endured. For the purpose of perpetuating the incidents connected with the early history of Carroll County, this meeting had been called. He would recommend that a committee be appointed to collect facts, and any person might write down such incidents, as he might be in posses- sion of, and hand the same to the committee. Im- portant facts might thus be collected and recorded.
3
26
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
On motion of James H. Stewart,
Resolved, That the old settlers present give the secretary their names, place of birth, age, and date of arrival in Carroll County.
In accordance with said resolution, the following persons came forward, and communicated the facts sought :
Names.
Where Born.
Age.
Date of Settlement.
Abner Robinson
Kentucky
54
Dec. 31, 1824.
William M'Cord.
Virginia.
59 February 6, 1827.
James Odell
Indiana.
44 February, 1825.
Thomas Gillam, Sr
Pennsylvania ...
68 April 4, 1829.
John M. Gillam
Pennsylvania ...
69
March 4, 1829.
Thomas Stirlin
Pennsylvania ...
54
March 3, 1825.
John Little.
North Carolina
66 November, 1826.
John M. Ewing
Pennsylvania ...
58
April, 1827.
Daniel M'Cain
Ohio.
55
April, 1826.
William Hughes
Virginia.
68 February, 1829.
Adam Porter
Virginia
50 Nov. 20, 1829.
Aaron Gregg
Ohio,
53 October, 1830.
William M' Cain.
Ohio
52
Dec. 10, 1828.
John W. Gillam
Indiana
44
April 1, 1829.
Isaac Robbins
Ohio
39
October, 1828.
William B. Givins
Virginia
37
April, 1827.
Henry M. Graham
Indiana.
38 January 6, 1829.
John B. Milroy
Indiana
35
December, 1826.
John Archer
Ohio.
40
April, 1831.
Joseph Cox
Kentucky
37 April 17, 1829.
John Barr
Ohio
47 September, 1831.
Isaac Jackson.
Virginia Indiana
28
April, 1827.
George Royster
Indiana
29 June, 1830.
James H. Stewart.
Kentucky
46 April 10, 1830.
Andrew Burntrager
Virginia
55 September, 1829.
Enoch Stansel
Ohio
49
November, 1830,
David Baum
Pennsylvania ...
50 April, 1825.
Noble Conklin
Ohio.
48 October. 1830.
James M'Dowell
North Carolina
69 August 14, 1826.
Sam. D. Gresham
Virginia
49 April 30, 1830.
A motion prevailed that a committee of five persons be appointed by the chair, as a permanent committee, to collect historical and other facts connected with the early settlement of Carroll County; whereupon James
40 October, 1827.
James F. Givins
27
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
H. Stewart, Abner Robinson, James Odell, Thomas Stir- lin, and John M. Ewing, were appointed that committee. On motion of Col. John B. Milroy,
Resolved, That the old settlers here present be requested to make such statements as they may see proper.
Under this resolution, Abner Robinson read the paper to the meeting, from which such copious ex- tracts have been made in the preceding pages.
MR. WILLIAM M'CORD, being called upon, said : That he fully concurred in the remarks of Mr. Robinson, He was here nearly a year before removing his family to this county. In the month of July, 1826, there were only twelve heads of families in the territory now comprised within the limits of Carroll County; in July, 1827, about seventeen heads of families. When he removed to this county, there were not one hundred acres of land under cultivation. New settlers had a hard time in getting along. Corn-bread and fat meat, milk and butter, were about the only articles of food.
MR. JAMES ODELL said : He was only fourteen years of age at the time his father removed to the Wabash. His father (James Odell) was born in South Carolina, and settled in the state of Ohio in the year 1800. In the year 1810, Mr. Odell, Sr., removed to the " new purchase" near Richmond, at which place the speaker was born. He was the first white child born in that part of the country. In the year 1823, his father, and John Odell, his brother, started to explore the Wabash country ; came as far as Wild-cat, and returned. In the Spring of 1824, they came to the Wea Plains, and raised a crop. John Hedrick and Mr. M'Mahan were in the neighborhood at the same time. In November, 1824, the Odell family removed to the West. In the Spring of 1825, the families of John Carey, Benjamin
.
28
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
D. Angell, and Aaron Wiles (who were sons-in-law of James Odell, Sr.), removed to the territory now known as Carroll County ; also James Odell and family. For the first year or two, the settlers were compelled to go to Crawfordsville to get their corn ground ; but after- ward a little mill was erected at Lafayette. When they could n't get meal, hominy was substituted. Corn- bread, venison, and pork were the principal articles of living. Coffee was fifty cents per pound, in Crawfords- ville. We made our sugar from the sugar-tree. Salt was brought up the Wabash in keel-boats (the Kan- awha salt), and cost ten dollars per barrel.
In those early times, the citizens were extremely ac- commodating. If one man had a bag of meal, they all shared. All assisted in raising cabins and rolling logs. No people who ever settled a new country were more moral than the pioneers of Carroll County. In those days we had no law, nor had we need of any. We had no contentions, and the people were universally peace- able.
Mr. Odell spoke of Henry Robinson, and remarked that he had done more for the settlement of this county than any other man. He immediately engaged in the erection of a mill, at a time when he was compelled to go to the state of Ohio to get his turning done! Amid difficulties which would have appalled almost any other man, he persevered, and erected a mill. No other man, it seemed to him, would have displayed the same en- ergy. When the little "corn-cracker " (on the site now occupied by the mill of Roach & Co.), got in oper- ation, the settlers were rejoiced. Sometimes, however, the " corn-cracker " would freeze up. The early settlers were compelled to go to Shawnee (Fountain County), to get their wool-carding done. Mr. Odell himself had gone there.
May 20, 1827, Mr. Odell's mother died. Dr. John
29
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
M. Ewing had just then arrived in the settlement, and she was his first patient.
Judge THOMAS GILLAM, being called upon, stated : That he had an affection of the throat, which made it painful for him to talk, but would say something. He removed to this county on the 4th day of April, 1829. The neighborhood where he located was an unbroken forest. He had but little means, and was compelled to use great exertions to raise enough produce to supply the wants of his family. He, however, resolutely com- menced his clearing; but instead of taking the usual method of cutting down, a young man would climb the trees, begin at the top branches, and continue to lop off the limbs until the tree was stripped, while Mr. Gil- lam would throw the branches on a fire, and burn them.
Nine acres were put under cultivation that year, and they had corn to sell the ensuing Fall. One morning, his children and those of his brother, John M. Gillam, eight in all in number, started to dig ginseng, which was found there in great abundance in the woods. They got lost; night came on, but the children could not be found. The families were dreadfully alarmed, as the nearest houses were William Bishop's and John Briggs's. Three or four started in pursuit. He (Judge Gillam) came to Bridge Creek, and ascended the same. Morning came, but still nothing had been heard of the children. The neighbors were all aroused, and started to the woods with horns and guns. Allen Gillam, son of Mr. G., and one of the lost ones, observed to the other children that they must pound on a tree with a club, in order that the persons seeking them might hear. The children followed this advice, and the noise thus made reached the ears of the coming party, and the children were found, after being in the woods all night.
30
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
At another time, a child of his brother, David Gil- lam, got lost, while its mother was getting dinner. The fact of its absence was unnoticed until after din- ner. All parties started in pursuit, and hunted till dark; sent runners to Delphi; roamed the woods all night. Next morning at least fifty men were engaged in the search. They formed in a line, with men from fifty to one hundred yards apart ; thus the hunters took a sweep, and found the child at noon the day after it was lost. When found, it was asleep. [David Baum here remarked that he had assisted in hunting for that child]. Judge Gillam concluded by remarking that he could recount a great many hunting-scenes, did time permit.
Mr. JOHN M. GILLAM (now a resident of Jasper County) said : That in February, 1820, he started from the eastern part of this state, to remove to the Wabash country. "Moving," then, was quite a different thing from what it is now. Then there were no bridges, and he swam or forded the river with a six-horse team and wagon. One night, having encamped in a low place, it rained during the night, and they were compelled to cut saplings to place beds on. Fountain County then was a wilderness. From Fountain County he removed up into Carroll County. He brought up a wagon-load of corn-meal, and, of course, had meal to lend. The neighbors availed themselves of the opportunity. At the time Mr. G. settled here, union and good fellow- ship were the order of the day. Then the Christian found it extremely pleasant to worship God. He has frequently walked six miles to attend meeting.
At the first settlement, wolves were very bad; they killed five sheep for him in one night.
Mr. THOMAS STIRLIN said : That the statements made by the " old settlers" had greatly interested him. His
31
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
family was the eleventh that came to this county. He arrived in July, 1826, and cleared off a turnip-patch, on the place on which he still resided. His family came the following Winter. Provisions were scarce, and at one time he had purchased a few ears of corn of Mr. Manary. The times were "hard," but the feeling was good. It is very pleasant to meet the "old settlers." The first " log-rolling " he attended, was on the place now owned by Isaac Wilson's heirs. There were just seventeen hands in the county. We set our stakes that all things should be done without alcohol, and I still stand on that same platform. The first temperance society was organized in the year 1828, in the little old log school-house, used as a court-house, in Delphi.
The first school taught in this county, was taught by Miss Sarah B. Robinson, in a cabin, on the farm of her father, Henry Robinson.
Mr. Stirlin remarked, that the only enemy he was afraid of was snakes. A young hunter, being alone, camped on the ground on which the city of Logansport now stands, was bitten by a rattlesnake one night, and would have died; but some Indians had their tents in the vicinity, to whom he " halloed." They took charge of the white hunter, cured him of the bite, and sent him on his way rejoicing.
John Carey was bitten by a rattlesnake, on the farm now owned by Isaae Wilson's heirs. Four hundred snakes were killed in one day near Griffith's mill.
To return a moment to the young man who was bitten at Logansport (whose name was Alexander) : the Indians kept him three days, and when he left them, they told him if he got wet he would die. Mr. Alex- ander told Mr. S. this circumstance himself.
Mr. JAMES ODELL here remarked : That, by leave of the audience, he also would relate a snake story. Judge
32
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
Carey (brother-in-law to Mr. Odell) was bitten one Sabbath. They were all living together on the Isaac Wilson place. The spot where Carey was bitten, was where the old still-house now stands. Upon examination, they found seven or eight snakes, and became satisfied that a den must be in the immediate vicinity. They searched, and found holes like ground-hog holes, with a smell very much like a menagerie. The next day they killed sixty-five snakes near this den. Every warm day after that, they hunted snakes, and the practice was followed at that place for some time; but it was eight or ten years before they were all killed.
On motion of Mr. Aaron Gregg,
Resolved, That when this meeting adjourn, it meet again on the first Saturday of August next, at 10 o'clock A. M.
Before parting, it was resolved that at the next gath- ering each person be requested to bring his family and a basket of provisions. Also, that some person be se- lected to deliver an address.
Abner Robinson was chosen President of the Society for the ensuing year.
The meeting adjourned, to meet again on the 4th day of August, 1855.
33
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
CHAPTER III. OLD SETTLERS' SECOND MEETING.
August 4, 1855.
MTHIS being the day appointed for the meeting of the " old settlers," in pursuance of adjournment, the fol- lowing persons convened at the court-house in Delphi : Abner Robinson, William M'Cord, James Odell, John M. Ewing, William Hughes, John B. Milroy, George Royster, James M'Dowell, and James H. Stewart.
The following persons were received as members :
Names.
Where Born.
Age.
Date of Settlement.
John D. Wilson. Isaac Wilson
Virginia
26
October, 1829.
Carroll County ...
24
Abner Robinson, President of the Society, took the chair, and James H. Stewart officiated as secretary.
Dr. JOHN M. EWING, being called upon, stated as follows:
"In the year 1827, when I first landed on Deer Creek, there were but forty families living in what now forms Carroll, White, and Cass Counties. Where the town of Delphi now stands, was a hazel and blackberry thicket. Where the town of Logansport stands, every thing was in a state of 'nature,' except a trading- house on the point, occupied by a Mr. M'Cain. What is now the city of Lafayette, had then but six log- cabins, and a one-story hewed log-house, occupied as a tavern.
34
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
"There were then no roads, except one that was opened by Father Robinson, in December, 1824, his being the first family that crossed the Wild-cat. Trav- eling had then to be done in Indian trails and deer- paths. The face of the country was then covered with a growth of nettles, which were in the upland as thick as a crop of flax and about as high, and on the river bottom as high as a man's head, on horseback.
"There were then no rabbits, partridges, larks, thrushes, or other variety of birds that follow civilization. Frogs were abundant. I have traveled for days with- out ever getting out of hearing of their croaking music. Snakes were also plenty, especially the large rattlesnake. The settlers watched their dens in the Spring, and killed them when they came out to sun themselves. I have killed as many as five at one time. Wolves were also plenty-the large gray wolf-and, like the Indians, they surrendered their rights to the country with re- luctance. I have seen them walk off with a snarl and a growl, looking at me as though they thought me an intruder on their domain.
" Indians were not very numerous in what is now Carroll County. A few came to the settlement occa- sionally to trade. The principal Indian trade was es- tablished at Logansport. It was the Indian trade that made Logansport what it is, by bringing men of capi- tal and enterprise there, and also the ' Indian Agency.'
" The location of the Michigan road, also, gave it a permanent advantage over Delphi. That road would have been located through Delphi, on a much better and nigher route, if any person here had taken the time to show the commissioners the route. They came to this county for the purpose, and were sent to Cass County, where they found men that were willing to spend the time to gain this important thoroughfare.
" Henry Robinson was the first justice of the peace
35
CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA.
elected in Carroll County, commissioned by Governor Ray, July 14, 1828.
"The first court held in the county, was at the house of Daniel Baum, Sr. The first post-master in the county was Abner Robinson. The first apples grown from the seed, was on the farm of Henry Robin- son (the General R. H. Milroy place).
" The natural advantages of Carroll County in re- gard to fertility of soil, the facilities for water-power, and good springs, were not surpassed by any county on the river. It was at the head of steam-boat navigation on the Wabash. Boats could always ascend to Delphi, at any time they could come to Lafayette. Nature did all for Carroll County that it has ever done for any place; and the early settlers depended on its natural advantages bringing in an enterprising population, and building them a town. They used no efforts of their own, so that business and capital concentrated at La- fayette and Logansport; and Delphi, with all its natural advantages, was left in the rear. 20703
" There were comparatively few difficulties and pri- vations experienced by the first settlers of Carroll County. Provisions were generally plenty in the lower counties on the river; and the settlers soon raised enough to supply themselves, and a surplus for coming emigrants. They were not molested by the Indians, as is often the case with new settlements. They had noth- ing to do, but to go to work, open up their farms, and receive a bountiful return for their labor.
"In a small prairie near Delphi (now Manary's ad- dition), Mr. Manary raised one hundred and ten bushels of corn to the acre. The labor of the husbandman was bountifully rewarded in the luxuriant productions of the soil.
"In opening up farms and raising cabins there was a union of effort and harmony of feeling, in which all
36
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.