USA > Ohio > History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 72
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Their labors were continued in a school-house for a short time, until finally, being assisted by a liberal community, they succeeded, by the zeal of their pastor, Rev. George W. Green, in the year 1875, in building a neat little house of wor- ship. It is a frame structure, and has a capacity to seat three hundred people. Rev. Mr. Green remained with the church two years, and was followed by others. It is now in a flourishing condition, with Rev. F. Tincher as a worthy preacher. through whose labors the church has enjoyed some seasons of refreshment.
We now notice more fully the Christian church in Ham- burg. Absalom Littell continued to preach and act as elder of the church, being assisted by Elders M. T. Littell and C. A. Robertson. The church prospered, and the Lord blessed their labors. The little house proved to be too small for the congregation; and as the village appeared to have reached its zenith and was now going rapidly into decay, the class concluded to huild a church at Sellersburg. This place was then a thriving little village. But the plan met with opposition and the project was given up for a while. The Baptist church heretofore mentioned was leased and occupied for some years, when the house was bought. This church is now known as the Christian church of Sellersburg. It has a membership of one hundred and seventy-five, with J. J. Lott and A. N. Littell as elders and J. M. Crim and Thomas Thompson as deacons. Mr. Crim is also clerk and treasurer. Preaching is held alternately; and be it said to the credit of the Christian and Methodist Episcopal churches, that love and charity abound. A Sunday-school is conducted by both denominations in the same house-one in the morning (the Methodist, with Enoch Leach as Superintendent) and one in the afternoon (the Christian, with Thomas Thompson superin- tendent).
There is also a German Lutheran church in Sellersburg, capable of seating one hundred and fifty. Its members are good workers, and carry on a well-attended Sunday-school in connection with the church. We also mention as local preachers the Revs. William Bear and S. M. Stone, both of the Methodist Episcopal church; also to the credit of the township, five schools, which are taught regularly.
Rev. Mr. Worrell was an early minister in this section of country. He belonged to a class of traveling preachers who often made arrange- ments to preach at farm-houses five or six weeks in advance. These engagements were kept with a punctuality which would surprise many minis- ters of to-day. A zeal characterized their work · which undoubtedly came from on high.
ST. JOSEPH'S HILL.
This is a German Catholic settlement, situated in the extreme western part of the township. From its surroundings one can see that it has little chance of ever becoming of much import- ance, except in a religious way. A half-mile west the knobs stand out like turrets or old Spanish castles, circling off toward New Prov- idence in a handsome manner. Soil in this locality is not very strong, but good fruits are raised in considerable quantities. A note ad-
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
dressed to the Rev. Joseph Dickman, the minis- ter in charge, gives as a reply the following:
St. Joseph's Hill is situated on the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago railroad, near the line of Clark and Floyd coun- ·ties. The people living at that place, profess the Roman Catholic faith. The early settlers were from Germany, com- ing to this country in 1846, and by their industry gained a home. After having provided for their bodies, they provided for their souls, mindful of the words of our Saviour, "What does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and loses his own soul?" by erecting a church in their midst. The building was of frame, 80 x 30 feet; it was commenced on the IIth day of lune, 1853, and finished the same year. Martin Koerner and Joseph Eringer were the carpenters and con- tractors. They received for their labor $275. The leading men were Peter Biesel, Sr., Peter Renn, Sr., Frank Acker- man, Andrew Rank, Sr., Philip Strobel, and Ludwig Her- big.
Rev. Father Neyron, the well-known priest and physician, was the first missionary attending to their spiritual wants. He resided at St. Mary's, Floyd knobs. Father Bessonies, now vicar general, attended to them afterwards. St. Joseph's was then attended by Rev. Ed. Faller, of New Albany. After the congregation numbered about seventy families, they petitioned the Right Rev. Bishop for a residing priest; but their petition was not heard immediately, for the want of priests. In the year 1860 the first resident priest, Rev. An- drew Michael, arrived at St. Joseph's Hill. His arrival was announced by the ringing of the bells, and the people re- joiced at the arrival of their spiritual director. He remained with them for four years. During his time he erected a large two-story brick parsonage, valued at $1,500, he hiinself work- ing like a laborer quarrying rock. His successor was Rev. Father Pauzer. He remained with them nearly nine years, and erected two large frame buildings, the one for a school- house, and the other for a teacher's dwelling.
In the year 1873 Rev. Joseph Dickman, a native of Indi- ana, took charge of the congregation. He paid all outstand- ing debts, and made preparations to erect the present splen- did church, the old one having become too small. In 1880 he took up a grand subscription towards that building; he next had the members quarry rock for the foundation and haul logs to Peter P. Renn's mill, only a few hundred yards from the church, where all the lumber for the building was sawed. Peter P. Renn is a man of great enterprise. Besides his large farm and mill, he finds time to make han- dles for four or five railroad companies. During the summer of 1880 half a million brick were made and burned near the church by George Cheap, of this county. On the 18th day of October, 1880, the corner-stone was laid of the new church with great solemnity, by the Right Rev. Bishop. The foundation was completed that fall by Joseph Zipf, of Clark county, and Louis Zipf, of Floyd county. The work was done in a very satisfactory manner. The new edifice, which is 114 x 52 feet, and crowned by a spire of one hun- dred and thirty feet, was completed in 1881. It was dedi- cated by the Right Rev. Bishop, assisted by Rev. Joseph Dickman, the pastor; Rev. J. Stremler, D. D., of St. Mary's; Rev. J. P. Gillig, of St. John's, Clark county; Rev. Ubaldus, O. S. F., of Louisville; and Rev. J. Klein, of New Albany, on the 20th day of November, 1881. The cost of the build- ing is estimated at $20,000, all of which, except $2,000, is paid. The congregation numbers one hundred families. The trustees who assisted the pastor deserve credit for their activity. They were Mathias Renn, Jacob Strobel, Lorenz
Weidner, Joseph Zipf, Max Zahner, and J. C. Schmidt, all well-to-do farmers. Mathias Renn does a great business, along with his farm work, in turning chair rounds; Max Zahner is the owner of the largest vineyard in the county. He has more than twenty-five different varieties of grapcs. The church record shows eight hundred and eighteen baptisms since 1853, two hundred and sixty-seven deaths, and eighty- seven marriages.
St. Joseph's is the largest Catholic church in the county, outside of Jeffersonville. The situ- ation is well adapted for regular religious growth. Everything is in a prosperous condition. Indos- try and public-spirited enterprise have made for St. Joseph's Hill a name which many other re- ligions communities may well strive to attain. About the only thing which mars the scene is a pair of saloons-things not necessary in any well-balanced neighborhood. The train makes it a stopping-place only when signaled.
BURVING-GROUNDS.
As early as 1816 the old Cunningham burying- place, one-fourth of a mile north of Hamburg, was used by the family whose name it bears. It was located, when laid out, on the Salem and Jeffersonville road, but since the various changes in the location of this highway, the old yard has been thrown into a field, which at present is under cultivation. There is nothing to mark the resting-place in this graveyard of many of the first settlers of this township. Some few of the farmers deny that there is any difference in the growth of crops on the old burial site and the field outside of the original enclosure.
The Bottorffs had a family burying-ground on the old Henry Bottorff place. Mr. Henry Bot- torff's family were buried here first. It is now but little used.
Fifty years ago the Wellses established a grave- yard on their farm. It was used only by their families. It is now of little service, the Wells graveyard, like many others, having almost dis- appeared. These old private grounds are going out of date. People begin to see the necessity of some permanent public place where their dead can be interred.
The Hamburg cemetery, donated for burial purposes by Absalom Littell, is of considerable note. Many of the dead are buried here, it be- ing considered one of those places fit for public interment.
VILLAGES.
Hamburg is the oldest village in the township.
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
It is located on tract number one hundred and eight of the Grant, on the old Salem and Jeffer- sonville road. It was laid off by Abram Littell and Thomas Cunningham, in January, 1837, and comprises thirty-one lots of various sizes. The original plat resembles a triangle, and the ordi- nary size of the lots is sixty by one hundred and twenty feet. "Lot number three, on School street and in the forks of the same, is donated to the Christian congregation, or the Church of Jesus Christ (sometimes called, by way of dis- tinction, Reformers) for a meeting-house, and for that use forever, never to be transferred. Lot number four is donated for school purposes, and for that use forever, the same given by Absalom Littell." The proprietors also donated land for a market-house-a good idea, but never realized ; they also gave land for school purposes, "and for that use forever."
Mr. Littell, who was a Christian minister and who owned quite a large tract of land in this vicinity, a man of considerable foresight and re- markable energy, was the first to bring the idea of founding a town at this point to a successful termination. A combination of influences de- cided the matter. The old stage route between Jeffersonville and Salem, established as early as 1830, had for a stopping-place John A. Smith's, two miles above the present site of Hamburg. This line made three trips each way every week. Four horses were used, and the business done was considerable.
These circumstances induced Mr. Littell to lay off the town. But previous to 1837 the post- office had been established, with William Wells as first postmaster. His office was in a little log house on " Jeff street," as it was generally called by the people. Sometime after he kept the office in a frame building on the southwest corner of the cross-roads. Both these buildings are yet standing, though in a very imperfect condition. The year the town was laid out David Young served as postmaster. His place of doing busi- ness was in a small log house on Jeff street. William Thompson came next, keeping the office in Wells's old place. Then came John W. Jen- kins, in the same building. Reuben Hart fol- lowed Jenkins in a frame house on the northwest corner of the cross-roads. Thirty-odd years ago Mr. A. L. Beck served as postmaster. He was probably the last postmaster at Hamburg, for, im-
mediately after the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago railroad was built, the Jeffersonville and Salem mail-route was discontinued. For a year or two the mail came from Bennettsville, but as soon as the Jeffersonville, Madison & In- dianapolis railroad was built the office was estab- lished at Sellersburg; hence the office at Ham- burg was not necessary, people getting their mail at the former village. The office at Sellersburg was established about 1852.
It will be seen that the above-named postmas- ters included a considerable number of the early citizens. Outside of those not named were John Adams, Joseph Summers, David Thomas, and William S. Thompson, the latter here in 1847. Mr. Wells, however, was the first storekeeper, dealing out groceries and the coarse dry goods in the same house in which he kept the post- office. Adams was engaged in marketing, and was a sort of "jack of all trades." Summers was a mechanic and had some reputation as a cabinet-maker. Thomas was the first blacksmith in the village. William S. Thompson was a store- keeper, as was also Mr. A. L. Beck.
Hamburg, ever since it was laid out in 1837, has offered entertainment. In this Mr. Wells was the first, as he was in the post-office and store business. Thompson was also engaged in tavern-keeping during his time; so also were John McCory and A. L. Beck.
The church history of Hamburg has been given in general, elsewhere. The old Christian church, a brick, was erected in 1838, or there- abouts. Among the first members were Messrs. William Wells, John Bloor, Robert Pruett, John Adams, and a number of the Littells. Absalom Littell was the first preacher. After him came Thompson Littell, Elders Harkley and Kellogg, and Dr. Nathaniel Fields, of Jeffersonville. About 1872, on account of the old house be- coming unfit for services, the class bought the old Baptist church at Sellersburg, and from this time has met there for worship.
The land, or lots donated for school purposes, were early used by those having authority in such matters. First, a frame house was erected, which stood near the Christian church. It was finally moved and is now used for a dwelling- house. In 1870 another frame house was put up, having one room.
The old Greenwood school-house was erected
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
not less than fifty years ago, by a Mr. Wright, who contracted for its erection. The old house s now gone, but another not far distant takes its place.
At an early day, before the State school laws came into force, a school was taught near John A. Smith's, on the Salem road. There were others scattered throughout the township, which, after the new system came in vogue, have entirely disappeared.
Among the first physicians in Hamburg were Drs. James L. Wallace, of Missouri, but born in North Carolina; Kirkwood, of New Albany; and Applegate, of Scott county; also John A. Oatley. These men practiced in both Clark and Floyd counties.
Hamburg has at present two stores, and con- nected with them two saloons. They serve all the purposes of the place. There is little or no business done in the village. It is only a matter of time with the village, its final disappearance from the list of towns on the slip of the census- taker.
In the original plat the town of Sellersburg is spelt with an "a" in the second syllable. This little error, or perhaps the correct spelling of the surname of Mr. Sellers, the founder of the place, was discovered by Mr. James Van Hook, of Charlestown, a very excellent gentlemen, who a few years since had charge of the preparation of a county map. It is but just to say of Mr. Van Hook that he has a more thorough acquaintance with the county records than any man within the present limits of Clark. He prepared the most accurate map of the county ever completed, and at a very small cost to the publishers.
Sellersburg is very irregularly laid off. None of the forty-two lots have a right angle. It resem- bles an isosceles triangle pressed together from its base. One writer says, "Sellersburg resembles a box twisted and squeezed together." The vil- lage was laid out in 1846 by Moses W. Sellers and John Hill. It is situated on the Jefferson- ville, Madison & Indianapolis railroad, about twenty miles from the county-seat. The railroad passes by the east side of the village and has for a station the smallest house for a waiting-room of any village in the county. It is not over 7 x 10, and when the train is about due is packed full to overflowing by travelers bound for the cities about the Falls. The station is a noted shipping point. Here are the famous cement-mills spo- ken of in preceding pages.
Moses W. Sellers was the first man in Sellers- burg who kept a store. His place of doing bus- iness was in the brick house now occupied by Mr. W. H. Harrod, on the north side of New Albany street. After M. W. Sellers came his son, A. L., who kept in a frame house opposite his father's. He is yet doing business at the old stand. John A. Eisman has been engaged in commercial pursuits in Sellersburg for many years. He has always done much in the way of keeping a saloon and furnishing a place where the boys of the village and country could meet and spend the evening and have what they called a good time. He keeps what may properly be termed a general country store.
John Shellers was a store-keeper in the town not less than thirty years ago. He was born in Floyd county. His place of doing business was on the northwest corner of New Albany street. The house is now out of existence.
Frederic Dold kept a store in town twenty or thirty years ago, on the south side of New Albany street. He left the village long since. The present store-keepers are Messrs. A. L. Sel- leis, Jr., William P. Miller, John A. Eisman, and W. H. Harrod.
The village has never done much in tavern- keeping; Christopher Eisman, however, has been engaged in this business for more than forty years. Aside from this house there has never been any regular place of entertainment. "In the village there is a would-be tavern with a large sign and post, which reads, 'Union Hotel."' Presenting yourself at this house for entertain- ment you are told-"For your dinner, go to the first cottage below the blacksmith shop on the left of New Albany street."
Among the most prominent of all the black- smiths of Sellersburg has been Anton Rentz, who is described by Mr. Harrod as a "wheel- horse." The present smiths are A. J. Mabsey and John Beck, "who have as good shops as are in the county."
Probably the first physician in Sellersburg was Dr. Stage, now of Scott county. Drs. John Poindexter and Meek were practitioners in this vicinity for a number of years. The physicians now are Drs. Covert, Houtz, and Sallee.
Mr. Moses W. Sellers was the first postmaster in Sellersburg. The office was established soon or immediately after the Jeffersonville, Madison
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
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& Indianapolis railroad was completed. It was on the southwest corner of New Albany and Utica streets. The house is now occupied by Mr. Harrod as a dry goods and grocery store. Mr. A. L. Sellers was next in succession. He had his office on the southeast corner of the same. W. H. Harrod was the third postmaster, in the same house where Mr. Sellers had his of- fice. The incumbent is W. P. Miller, who has been in charge of the office for about one year. John Schellers was postmaster for about eight years, beginning in 1872. His office was on the northwest corner of New Albany and Utica streets. Mails were carried at first once a day each way, then twice a day, now three times a day.
The first school-house in the neighborhood of Sellersburg was built in 1835, or soon after, on the Utica and Salem road one-half mile west of town. The means for building the house were raised by subscription. The land on which the house stood was donated by Mr. Jeremiah Jack- son. After the school was taken to Sellersburg, making the village the center of the district, the land on which the old school-house stood re- verted to the original owner. The first teachers were Messrs. Veach, Arthur Bills, Spenser, and Joshua Smith.
Sellersburg has a pretty frame school-house with two rooms. It stands on New Albany street, in the northern part of the village.
In the village there is a flouring-mill, built in 1874-75, by a company under the name of H. Williams & Co. This is the only flouring-mill ever built in Sellersburg.
Among the first settlers of the village were M. W. Sellers; John A. Smith, who, however, lived near by; John Anson, Henry Bottorff, Peter Mc- Kossky, and Absalom Pettijohn. There are in the village now about three hundred people, three churches, two saloons, three dry-goods stores, one grocery, two blacksmiths, two shoe- makers, and three physicians.
Many of the citizens are employed by the ce- . ment companies. These mills furnish employ. ment regularly to from one hundred to one hun- dred and fifty hands. Many of the hands are German, and are people of steady habits and economizing industry. Many of them own the 'houses in which they live. There is no need of being a loafer in this busy little place. People
are bent on living well, and strive to attain a position which will, during old age, release them from hard labor.
Petersburg, one of the little villages of Silver Creek township, was laid out about the year 1854 by Lewis Bottorff. The survey was made by Daniel H. McDaniels. Owing to some irreg- ularity in the recorder's office the plat was never recorded. There were eighteen lots fifty by two hundred feet, and the village was named in honor of Peter McKossky, a Russian who lived near by on the Muddy fork.
Petersburg has the appearance of a modern Western hamlet. The Louisville cement mills attract much notice, and the citizens are engaged mainly in working for this company, wages rang- ing from $1.20 to $1.50 per day. Muddy fork divides the village into halves, but otherwise leaves it unmolested. An old grist-mill, with great, gaunt arms, gazes down wistfully as the locomotive rushes past, a reminder of the pio- neer age. At present the old house is used for a saw-mill, supplying material for much of the building in this section of country.
Many of the houses are after the tenement pattern. Weather-boarding is poorly done. In the village there are perhaps sixty people. One store, which serves as the station, and in fact for all other resorts-such as loafers' corner, a place for telling stories and spinning yarns-stands in the southern half of the village, on the west side of the railroad. Health in the town is good. Work is always found at a good price, and none suffer because of want, unless too lazy to earn a living.
John McCoy was an early settler in Peters- burg. He lived on tract number one hundred and thirty-one. In religion he was a Regular Baptist, and was considered an exemplary mem- ber. Mr. Manning, who was from one of the New England States, was an early store-keeper in sight of Petersburg. His store was near Muddy fork, above the old mill. As a partner he had a Mr. Baldwin, who many years ago removed to North Vernon.
EARLY SETTLERS.
James Brown was born in North Carolina in 1787, and came to Silver Creek township in 1824, renting a tract of land of Absalom Littell, Camp run passing immediately through the place. Some few years afterwards Mr. Brown
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
purchased forty acres of land from James Wells, of the same township, on which he lived the greater portion of his life. In character Mr. Brown was a man who held conscience in the highest esteem.
The journey from North Carolina was made in one of the carts peculiar to the Southern States during the period of British interference in American affairs. One horse was hitched in front of the other, and in the cart were placed furniture, cooking utensils, wearing apparel, and the family. In crossing the Ohio river at Jeffer- sonville the last half-dollar was expended in pay- ing the fare. During the later years of his life he frequently spoke of the immense growth of timber which covered the Silver Creek bottom when he came here in 1824. He lived to see much of the original timber cleared off, and rich, well-developed farms take its place.
C. S. Poindexter, a native of Virginia, was born in 1797, and came to New Albany with his father's family at an early age. After remaining in New Albany for a short time, he removed to the vicinity of Sellersburg, where he had previ- ously bought a tract of land from Absalom Lit- tell. Nancy (Holland) Poindexter, his wife, was born in Virginia and died in Sellersburg in 1854, at an advanced age. By this marriage were born seven children, five sons and two daughters, one daughter being dead. The sons are among the most noted men in the county, one of them having filled the honorable office of State Sen- ator.
The Littell family came from Pennsylvania and settled on Silver creek, one mile east of Pe- tersburg. There were five sons and two daugh- ters.
The Wellses were from North Carolina. They settled on Camp run as early as 1800. There were four daughters and five sons.
William Adams was of Scotch-Irish extraction. He had a large family, and settled on Camp run.
An early statistician says there were five hun- dred voters in Clark county in 1840 by the name Bottorff. John Bottorff was the father of twenty- six children. 'They were long-lived people, and from them descended a numerous posterity, who now live in nearly every State in the Union.
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