USA > Ohio > History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 49
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The following extract regarding the settlement of Shields is taken from a map of the State pub- lished some years ago:
When Patrick Shields came there were no mills, and he and his neighbors were compelled to go over to Kentucky for their grists and provisions. At the foot of what is now State street, in Georgetown, Mr. Shields, by the aid of a negro, brought with him from Virginia, cleared his first patch of ground (about two acres) and raised his first crop-or rather attempted to raise it, but it was destroyed by a severe frost in autumn.
There is no doubt that Patrick Shields was the pioneer of all that band of Virginians, a score or more of families, that subsequently fol- lowed his lead and became citizens of this town- ship. James R. Shields, a son of this first set- tler, subsequently became prominent in the affairs of the county, and especially of the city of New Albany.
William Shaw followed Shields very closely in his settlement here, but died soon after coming, his death being the first among the white settlers within the limits of this township.
The Burton family, from North Carolina, were probably the next settlers in point of time, com- ing here about 1806. They settled on the north side of Burton's branch, on a section adjoining the one on which Jacob Yenawine settled and on which Mr Lafayette Yenawine now lives, near the central and eastern part of the township. The Burtons seem altogether to have disappeared from this locality.
About the same time (1806) other emigrants came from North Carolina, among them being the Hickman, Mosier, Sisloff, Burkitt, and Bow- man families; and it is not unlikely that these families all came together in the spring of that year, following closely the Burtons. They all settled along Burton's branch, between the Shields settlement and what is now Edwardsville. James Hickman squatted on the farm upon which Mr. L. Yenawine now lives, and cleared ten acres there, then sold out in 18Ir to Jacob Yenawine. His brother, Jesse Hickman, settled on an adjoining section. These Hickmans sub- sequently became, by immigration and increase, a numerous family in the county, most of them settling further north on Little Indian creek, within the present limits of Lafayette township. One of this family, Mrs. Summers, yet resides in this township. Philip Mosier and Philip Sis- loff both reared large families on Whiskey run, and helped to give it that name by erecting dis- tilleries on its banks-a very respectable and lu- crative business in those days, and one which was engaged in for many years by the early set- tlers of this township. David Sillings was one of the earliest of these distillers. There were, perhaps, a score or more of such establishments along this little creek at one time; and, indeed, there has never been a time, even down to the present day, that some kind of fermented liquor was not manufactured on this stream. Silas Baird, a descendant of Jonathan Baird, still man- ufactures "apple-jack," and according to the statement of an old resident he made a "power" of it last year, and used "right smart apples" in the process. In consequence of these establish- ments there was a good market for corn in pio- neer days along this stream, and great numbers of hogs were fattened at the distilleries from the refuse. The business created considerable activ- ity, and kept in circulation the little money there was.
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
William Smith, one of the pioneers, was from New Jersey, and in that very early day was rather solitary and alone in his Yankee ways and opin- ions. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and had been living here some years at that date.
The Utz family were from the South, and Mrs. Utz, who lived to relate many incidents of pio- neer life, used to tell with particular satisfaction, in the more prosperous years of the family, how poor they were on their arrival and settlement in the woods-how her husband was occasionally compelled to leave her alone in the cabin and go across the river into Kentucky with his sack of corn, to get it ground into meal and to get other provisions for the family larder. On one of these occasions, when he was absent longer than usual, she was compelled to live for a few days on let- tuce and salt, so near were they to starvation; and on another occasion, believing that Indians were prowling about the cabin with hostile intent, she cautiously left it, and gaining the shelter of the surrounding forest, ascended a tree, in the top of which she secreted herself and remained during the night.
The Hanger family was from Virginia and settled in the Shields neighborhood, having, no doubt, been induced to move thither by the rep- resentations and influence of Patrick Shields.
Philip Cook settled about a mile west of what is now the village of Edwardsville, in the Hick- man and Yenawine neighborhood. He was from Virginia, and had an extensive family. Three of his sons are yet living in the township -William, Hall, and Charles, all farmers.
Jacob Yenawine was one of the most influen- tial and active of the early pioneers of this town- ship. He came from the solid Dutch families of Pennsylvania, and like nearly all the first set- tlers of this region, reared here a large family of sturdy, steady-going, healthy children, who have assisted materially in moulding the character of the people of the township. He came from York county, Pennsylvania, and settled about one and a half miles west of Edwardsville in 18II, purchasing, as before stated, the improve- ment of James Hickman. His son, Mr. L. Yen- awine, now occupies the farm. The sons were: Daniel, George, John, Samuel, Shelby, and La- fayette. The girls were Nancy and Elizabeth. The latter died a few years ago, but Nancy is yet living in the township, occupying the old Burton
place. The boys are all dead but three-Sam- uel, who lives in California; Shelby, in George- town; and Lafayette, occupying the home place.
The wife of Jacob Yenawine, mother of these children, is yet living on the old place where she settled nearly seventy years ago.
David Sillings, from North Carolina, and John Barkshire, settled near Mr. Yenawine about the same date (1811).
John Tresenriter, a settler of 1818 in this township, was also a Pennsylvania Dutchman. His parents were from Germany, but he was born in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, from which place he emigrated to Kentucky, where he remained but a short time. He first settled about one mile south of Georgetown. There were nine children in this family, viz: Wesley, William, Gideon, Sarah, Nancy, John, Samuel, Hamilton, and Henry. Two only are now living in this town- ship, Samuel and Nancy.
Moses Harper, yet residing about a mile north of Georgetown village, was born in 1805 in North Carolina, and came to this township with his widowed mother and her son-in-law, John Thomas, in 1808, the family settling near where Mr. Harper now lives. There were three chil- dren-Samuel, Nancy, and Moses. The first two are dead. Mr. Harper is an interesting talker, and his memory of pioneer days and in- cidents is somewhat remarkable. He says at the time they came John Smith and John Russell were here, both from North Carolina. Smith was a settler within the limits of what is now Franklin township, and had a family of ten children. Russell was twice married, and had a family of twenty-one children, but one of whom, Elizabeth Case, is now a resident of this town- ship. Mr. Harper was for many years a neigh- bor of Patrick Shields, and says of him that he was one of the best men he ever knew. Shields, Russell, William Nance (a settler in Franklin), Henry Waltz (a son of George, the founder of Georgetown), and Milton Bufford, were all with Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe. The Waltz family were Pennsylvanians, and settled in 1807 where the village of Georgetown stands. Bufford settled a short distance west of George- town and reared a large family, none of whom are now living in the township. He kept a dis- tillery.
Abraham Engleman was a settler in the north-
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
ern part of this township soon after the Harpers came. He was one of a numerous family of brothers who canie here among the pioneers and settled mostly on Indian creek, in what are now Greenville and Lafayette townships. Abraham's son Levi now occupies the old place in this township where his father settled. The Engle- mans were industrious, prosperous, and influen- tial citizens. "Jake" Engleman owned and con- ducted a distillery in the northern part of the township, on Little Indian; but the greater num- ber of distilleries on the streams of the county were located on Burton's Branch, and of these Jonathan Baird's was the most extensive. David Tyler, one of the early settlers from North Car- olina, was among the numerous distillers on this creek. Even yet Georgetown township apple- jack is not unknown in Louisville and New Al- bany.
The northern and southern parts of the town- ship were settled later than the central portion, which is traversed by the stream and occupied by the most desirable land ; but it is probable that all the land in the township was occupied prior to the date of the formation of the town- ship. The few pioneers now living are fine spec- imens of that departed and never-to-be-forgotten age, and the memory of each is a store-house of pioneer incidents. Indeed, the recollection of that olden time, when they could stand in their cabin doors and shoot turkeys and deer, when they crept through the silent forest in pursuit of game and fished in the beautiful streams, will cling to them when the memory of all other things fades away forever. In recalling these in- cidents and adventures the dimmed eye will brighten, the withered cheek flush with excite- ment, and the aged and bent pioneer will live over again in memory the days that are gone forever.
THE PIONEER TANNERY.
Among the early institutions in this township, and one which benefited the pioneers probably more than any other, was the Duncan tannery, erected more than fifty years ago by James T. Duncan, on Whiskey run, near Georgetown. This establishment has been in operation since that time, as upon the death of Mr. Duncan it passed into the hands of his son Charles.
NO DOCTORS OR LAWYERS.
One of the pioneers remarks the entire absence
of doctors or lawyers among the early settlers. There was no business for either. He often wondered in his own childish mind what a doc- tor was-whether he was a wild or domesticated animal ; whether he walked on all fours or up- right like a man, or whether he lived in a hollow log or a cave-in fact, he had no idea at all of what a doctor resembled. He sometimes heard his parents speak of the doctor, but never saw one in his childhood days.
MILLS.
The first inhabitants of this territory were compelled to repair to the Kentucky side of the river for their milling. Hominy blocks were used to some extent, but as mills had been es. tablished at the falls near Shippingsport, and others at various points in Kentucky prior to the first settlement, the settlers repaired to these whenever possible to do so. Sometimes, how- ever, the river was impassable or the weather severe, so these mills could not be visited; and then the hominy block was used, and very soon the horse-mill was substituted. The settlers in this township first resorted to the horse-mill erected by Clement Nance, mentioned in the chapter on Franklin township; but it was not long before Mr. Nance had a competitor in the milling business. This was Mr. Isaac Bowman, who caused to be erected on his place, not far from the village of Edwardsville, the first horse- mill in this township. It was a treadwheel mill, and was put up by Daniel Keller, who was a mill- wright and came here among the earliest settlers.
Engleman's mill, on Little Indian creek, was probably the first water-mill in this vicinity, and was located in what is now Greenville township. The first water-mill erected in this township was by Daniel Yenawine on Whiskey run. It was of logs and was conducted by him in connection with his distillery. These water-mills were very un- certain, however, not always to be depended upon; were stopped entirely by a drouth, and frequently washed away by high water; consequently the horse-mills were by no means deserted after the erection of water-mills. The former were the more reliable, and were in operation here as late as 1845.
Mr. Yenawine's log mill was in operation about twenty years or more. It was once washed away by a flood, and rebuilt of logs. It finally burnt down about 1840, when Mr. Yenawine
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
purchased the old Bowman wheel and erected a horse-mill near where the school house now stands, about half a mile west of Edwardsville, which was in operation several years.
About 1825 Patrick Shields built a water saw- mill near Georgetown, or rather the future site of that thriving village, which was the foundation of the present Summers grist-mill. The saw- mill has been continued at or near that place until the present day. About 1835 this mill came into the possession of Levi Summers, who ran it until 1848, when he, with hundreds of others, became infected with the California gold fever, sold out, and went to that then far-off re- gion. Meanwhile he had erected near the saw- mill a frame grist-mill, with two run of buhrs. Mr. Summers sold out to Harmon & Brother, who, after four or five years of successful busi- ness, sold in turn to Solomon 'Bierly. The mill went down in the latter's hands, became decayed, and was never rebuilt by him. In 1853 Levi Summers returned from California and erected a saw-mill on the site of the present mill, which he conducted until 1867-68, when he added the present large frame grist-mill. In 1876 it came into the possession of Albert Buckhart, and the firm has since changed to Buckhart & Summers, one of Levi Summer's sons having an interest. Steam-power was added many years ago, and the mill does an extensive business.
The present fine, large frame grist-mill on Lit- tle Indian creek, in the northeastern part of the township, known as "Cook's mill," was estab- lished about fifty years ago by John Eddleman, who first built a little log saw-mill at this spot, and subsequently added a small frame grist-mill, which he conducted until his death, when the property passed into the hands of Samuel Cook. He, after a proprietorship of a few years, demol- ished the little frame building and erected the present structure. The present proprietors are D. Cook & Son. The mill contains three run of buhrs, and may use both water and steam power. The business of the firm is quite exten- sive, as, besides doing a large custom business, they manufacture considerable flour which they ship to foreign markets.
Portable steam saw-mills are now somewhat extensively used through the township, as there is yet much valuable timber to be reduced to lumber, and the portable mill can be convenient-
ly located. The old-fashioned water saw-mill, with its heavily framed up-and-down saw has al- most disappeared from this territory as elsewhere for want of water, which few of the creeks of to- day furnish in sufficient quantities.
EARLY SCHOOLS.
Mr. Craven Lynn, an early settler in this town- ship from North Carolina, was probably the first school teacher, as well as the first preacher, in this part of the county. He and Clement Nance preached in Judge Shields' cabin long before any house of worship was erected. Lynn was a fair- ly educated man, and married Patsy Foote, a daughter of George Foote, also an early settler from North Carolina. Mr. Lynn seemed to be about the only one among the early settlers qualified and willing to undertake school teach- ing, and the few settlers in the western part of this township and in the adjoining county of Har- rison came together and built for him a log school-house, to which children resorted for many miles around. This county was not then in existence; and when the line was run in 1819 it left the old school-house on the Harrison county side. The building was of rough, un- hewn logs, with the bark on, greased-paper win- dows, and in all other respects as primitive as a house could well be. It was a fair specimen of all the school-houses of those days, which have been so frequently described.
Another one of the very early school-houses was located further east, on John Flickner's place. It was a log building, and was known for forty years as the Union school-house. It served not only for school, but for church pur- poses. A man named Sargent was among the first teachers. When it was considered best to erect a new building, the location was changed, the new house being placed on the highway from Edwardsville to Georgetown, and near the former place. The township now contains six school- houses, conveniently located and constructed.
GEORGETOWN.
The settlement which grew up around Patrick Shields and his saw-mill on Whiskey run, was the foundation of the present village. This settle- ment was nine miles from New Albany, and in its establishment ante-dated that now thriv- ing city by half a dozen years. Clarksville, Corydon, and Louisville consequently furnished
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
the base of supplies for the Shields settlement some years; but after 1813 the nearest trading point to the settlement was New Albany. As the settlement grew the demand for supplies of all kinds naturally increased; and this demand caused the building of two blacksmith shops on the "Whiskey Run road," where the present village is located. These shops were erected and the business conducted by Andrew Huff and Absalom Barnaby, and were the beginning proper of the town. Huff was from Virginia, had a small family, did business here several years, and removed to northern Illinois, where, at last accounts, he still resided. Barnaby was a Hoosier by birth, and also emigrated to Illi- nois, where he died.
George Waltz, as before mentioned, had, in 1807, entered the land at this point lying on the north side of the Whiskey Run road, and being a somewhat public-spirited man, he gave to these blacksmiths the land upon which their shops were erected. The shops naturally brought the settlers for many miles around to this point to get their horses shod; and Waltz was, after some years, persuaded by his blacksmithing neighbors to lay out a portion of his land into lots, which he did, and the place came naturally to be called "Georgetown." John Evans at that time owned the land on the opposite side of the road from George Waltz's tract. He had purchased it from Patrick Shields, who entered it. It took some years to convince Evans that Georgetown would be a success; but he was finally persuaded to lay out a portion of his land into lots, and thus the town began to assume proper shape. It was not properly surveyed and platted until December 10, 1833, at which time the following entry ap- pears on the records of the county :
Plat of Georgetown.
The above are lots and plat of a lown laid off by George Waltz, lying on Whiskey Run road, nine miles from New Albany.
It is situated in the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section Thirty-two, township No. 2, south of the base line, range Five east. Gamaliel Garretson appears as surveyor. The town has grown but little beyond the original plat. Two additions have since been made; one ' by Jacob Meiley, in October, 1834, and one by James Burger, April 8, 1850.
The first building erected on the town plat, after the blacksmith shops, was by one of the
blacksmiths, Absalom Barnaby, who built a hewed log dwelling near his shop. This building stood a good many years, but was torn down by William Harmon, who came into possession of the property, and erected in its place the present large frame building. Soon after the cahin was erected John Hanger and James Waltz built a small frame store-room to the east of and near it, in which they placed a small but general stock of goods, and opened the first store. Their principal articles of sale were whiskey and to- bacco, though they kept other necessary articles in limited quantities.
Messrs. Hanger & Waltz continued this busi- ness four or five years, when they closed out the stock and quit business. Mr. Hanger died at Vicksburg since the close of the war, and Mr. Waltz is at present keeping store at Springtown, Crawford county, in this State.
William Harmon started the second store in his large frame, built on the site of the first cabin, and was the principal merchant of the place for many years, and until he died. He had previously taken his son James into partner- ship, and the latter continued the business until recently, when he died and the business passed into the hands of his brother-in-law, Hardin Crandall, by whom it is yet conducted.
The third store in the village was started by John Tresenriter, who, however, kept it only two or three years, when he sold out to John Thomas, the present owner, who has long been one of the most prominent business men of the place. He carries a general stock.
In 1875 John Bailer came to the place and erected immediately opposite the old Harmon store-room the present fine, large, three-story frame building, putting in a very large stock of general merchandise, and still continues to do a prosperous business at that stand. The second floor of this building is occupied by the Masonic fraternity, and their hall is one of the finest in this part of the State.
The first tavern in the vicinity of the village was opened by Henry Waltz, a son of George Waltz, proprietor of the town. Henry Waltz lived at that time about three-fourths of a mile south of the site of the present village. When the latter became a desirable place for his busi- ness, he came to town and erected a small frame building where Mr. Thomas's store .now stands,
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
and, putting up the old fashioned sign-post and swinging thereon a large sign on creaking iron hinges in front of the door, opened the first hotel in the future town. Mr. Waltz continued in busi- ness here several years, when he sold out and, removing to the south end of town, purchased another building, which he converted into a tavern and continued to keep a house of enter- tainment several years more. He was the prin- cipal tavern-keeper in the village during many years of its early life, but retired from the busi- ness and died some years ago. His successor was Nicholas Motwiler, who continued as the village landlord several years. During the war of the Rebellion he was a captain and subse- quently died in Texas.
James Keithley was a tavern-keeper for several years in the eastern part of the village.
The present hotel building was erected many years ago by James Burgher, who continued as landlord many years, and was succeeded by his son. He removed to the northern part of II- linois, where he died. The son was succeeded by Dr. Tucker, who in turn was followed, after several years, by George Summers. After the latter came the present proprietor.
This building was erected for a country tavern; and through all the years of its existence, and the various changes of ownership and landlords, it has remained essentially an old-fashioned inn. It has never assumed the dignity of a "hotel" of the present day. Though, as a general thing, houses of public entertainment are no longer "taverns," but "hotels," this yet remains a tavern, and those who desire to enjoy the com- forts, advantages, and special blessings of a pioneer place of entertainment, can stop here. It is an unpainted frame building, standing close to the street, with a wide, open porch extending along the entire front, upon which are a rude bench or two and a few rickety chairs for the ac- commodation of the guests 'and the swarm of loafers who make this a place to rest, smoke, and distribute tobacco juice promiscuously. The great square sign squeaks on its iron hinges in front day and night. There is plenty of dirt and to- bacco remains around the square box stove in the bar-room; there is one long table in the din- ing-room at which everybody takes a seat when the big bell rings, and where the guests are ex- pected to struggle with the flies and each other
for whatever is within reach. Boiled meat and potatoes, coffee without milk or sugar, and hot soda biscuit, form the staples of diet morning, noon, and night, while "apple-sass" of doubtful ingredients, onions, and other vegetables from the "truck-patch" in their sea- son, sometimes form the side-dishes. But the crowning comfort of this "place of entertain- ment" is the great sleeping-room up stairs, the "potter's field" where everybody, old and young, rich and poor, high or low, is laid away to rest on straw beds that are painful reminders of the great dearth of straw in the country. The beds are partly on the floor, and partly on rickety wooden bedsteads; a single blanket is the cover- ing, and here the weary, mud-bespattered stranger, after a fifty-mile ride in the middle, backless seat of the stage, is expected to stretch himself beside some stranger (for the beds are always full) to pass the never-ending night; if he is nervous, listening to the intolerable and heart-rending sounds from the throats of a score or two of heavy, phlegmatic sleepers, to say nothing of the infected air, and not unlikely the vermin that may infest the place. Such is a very faint picture of a "pioneer place of entertainment;" and the fare for supper, lodging, and breakfast is "six bits, sir, if you please" (seventy-five cents). The new railroad now constructing will probably so improve the place that it will support a modern hotel, even the lower grade of which is an im- provement on the pioneer "tavern."
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