¥^-' .0' « ° ' <^ y i />! ^k^fy i: ^' .^' :# 'S>\ O H ■" u. «>> V^ o V '^s- .v-^. >?s-/S?r-; ■A o u ^. ""'i '";'Au^Lia!u.s Rd:^- c/iJ^ CiJcZK. ui^-f^^lcr. HISTORY HANCOCK COUNTY, INDIANA, FROM ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT BY THE'T\\Lli FACE," IN i8 18, DOWN TO 1 882. iLLUSTRATIiD WITH ViEWS, Maps, ChAUTS, PlATS, Portraits, Sketches and Dia(;rams, FIRST EDITION, PRACTICING ATTORNEY, GREENFIELD, IND EX-COUNTY AND CITY SUPERINTENDENT, AND LATE PROFESSOR OF LAW IN THE CENTRAL INDIANA NORMAL KING & BINFORD, PUBLISHERS. < ; li HEXFIELD, IN OLA X A : Wh.LIAM MlTCHKLL, SteAM HooK AXO [oi; PkiviI.K. 1SS2. Entered, accoidiiig to Act of Congress, in the year iSSj, by j. II. HIXFOKD. In tlic OfRce of the Librarian of Consrress. at Washinsfton. D. C. PREFACE. Nearl}' forty years have elapsed since the first newspa- per was established in Greenfield, and it is a singular omission that there has never been a history of the covintv published. In this respect Hancock is behind her sister counties. The necessity of the work at this time is apparent to all. The first settlers, in whose bosoms are contained our unwritten local history, are fast passing away, and it is our duty to snatch from oblivion those facts, figures and items of interest worthy of record ere it is too late. The sketch of Westland Church and school contained herein was furnished by John Brown, an old citizen, and the onlv man livino- who knew all the facts, and in the absence of the records, which were burned, could furnish the same, and he is now no more on earth, save in mem- or}'. Other instances might be cited. Had the publication of the work been postponed a few years, much of the rarest and best histor}^ of the county would have been forever lost. Besides, it is a dutv we owe to the memory of the noble fathers who have cleared the forests, made the roads, and prepared this fair land for our habitation, to ]-)reserve a record of their li\es and noble acts. The plan of the work is simple and convenient. The reader is first furnished with a bird's-eye view of the county, from which he obtains a general idea of the terri- tory to be surveyed and the magnitude of the undertaking. The townships are then considered in regular alphabetical order, and discussed as fully as practicable, consistent with the limits of the work. Followin<; these are numerous VI PREFACE. chapters, charts, tables, essays, sketches, biographies and discussions of all matters of historical interest in the county. It has been the constant aim of the publishers to furnish a complete histor}- in every respect, including an elaborate pen picture of the present. Portraits and personal sketches of the prominent men of the count}- and all the county officers will be found herein. The heavy tax-payers, all the business men and officers are noted in the proper place, that our patrons may have a book to hand down to their children and grandchildren that will give them not only our past history, but such a coni]ilele view of the present, as we should be happv to iiave of the -past, when our parents and grandparents were the pioneers, county and township officers, tax-pavers and business men of the day. The publishers have striven to give a fair and impartial history, without fear or favor, regardless of race, color, party, sect, or an\' other consideration, hence tlie reader will tind herein sketches and portraits of representative men, past and present, white and colored, rich and poor, churchmen and non-churchmen, nati\e-born and foreign- ers, Whigs, Free-Soilers, Know-Nothings, Republicans, Democrats and Nationals. The publishers are vain enough to think tliat tlie book will be interesting, not onlv as a volume to be read, but as a work of reference on all important data connected with the county. They have endeavored to give their patrons more, in ever}- respect, than was promised in the prospectus. The book contains a hundred and Hftv pages extra, twice as many portraits, vastly more "rule and hgure " work, and is fuller and better in contents and mechanical make-up than was originall}- contemplated or ever represented. In making these additions, however, it has delayed the deliv- ery of the work somewhat, but, in view of the extra labor and expense expended thereon, they trust their friends will be satisfied. To partial!}^ offset this extra outla}-, which the publishers were scarcely justifiable in making on a work with necessarily a small circulation, owing to the limited territorv, thev have introduced a verv few adver- PREFACE. Vll tisements in the rear of the book, and there only. Not a cent has ever been received or asked for any notice in the various "business directories " herein, nor for any biogra- phy, personal sketch or other complimentary remark about any person or propert}', man or matter. Only what follows page 536 is subject to the charge of "paid notice," and even that in a few years \\\\\ be valuable history, and appre- ciated bv the public as showing who were some of the enterprising business men of. to-day. The publishers em- phatically repudiate an}- charge that may be made, as is often done against county histories, that it is made up of "advertisements'' and "paid puffs." The first steps looking torvvard toward the publication 01 this work were taken about a year ago by King i& Har- den, the latter of whom did most of the canvassing, and aided materially in getting the work under headway, when he sold his interest, September tirst, to J. H. Binford, who had previously been employed to do the writing, since which the new tirm of King & Bintbrd have been the sole proprietors and managers, and upon the former has devohed largely the labor of collecting the materials from official and other sources. In presenting this work to the public the publishers beg the indulgence of their patrons and friends for any errors that may have crept in. The materials have been collected from various sources, at a considerable expenditure of time, labor and patience, and the memories of some of the aged pioneer reporters being a little deficient, their accounts may occasionally differ, yet it is believed on the whole to be correct, more so perhaps than are histories generally, vet, should the reader discover errors, as he doubtless will, let him "pass them lightly o'er," for no one regrets their occurrence more than the writer. As to the style of the composition, it was intended to be plain and simple and as free from the diffuse, labored and pompous as possible, but is not at all times as far removed from some of these detects as would have been had the writer had the time to rczuritc and properly revise, but such was impossible in Vlll PREFACE. the limited time that could be spared from his other duties. As to the comprehensiveness of the work, should any one look in vain for some biography or early reminiscence, let such a one remember that it is impossible to crowd in a single volume an account of everything of interest in a county of the size and age of Hancock. To do so would require a half-dozen such works as this and more labor and expense than the legitimate patronage would warrant, hence it is onlv a question of a judicious selection of mate- rials and representative facts. However, there are a few churches, individuals, bands, lodges and other matters left unnoticed that would have received proper attention, not- withstanding the amount of matter claiming admittance, had the publishers been able to tind any person sufficiently interested in perpetuating their memory to open the bolted doois or furnish the necessary facts, but perhaps " what is our loss is their gain/' As to the arrangement ol the portraits, with the excep- tion of a few mistakes, it is the best that could be done under the circumstances, consistent with an even distribu- tion of the same and a logical treatment of the subject. In this respect, as in every other, the publishers have endeavored to be wholly impartial and non-sectional, hence each township is fully and fairly represented, the contrast being seldom greater than the difference in size and popu- lation. To Senator Ben Harrison, State Superintendent John M. Bloss, the county officers, older citizens of the county, and others who have contributed materials and substantial encouragement to the enterprise, the publishers would return their sincere thanks and make their final bow, admitting, after all, that how well they have succeeded is for their patrons to decide, whose verdict is irrevocable. KING & BINFORD. ILLUSTRATIONS. I. VIEWS. Pagje. Ccnirt House 36 School House 38 First Log Cabin in Greenfield 179 II. MAPS. Hancock County in 1S2S 30 1 lancock County in 1S3.! Sy Hancock County in 1S50 32 I lancock County in 1S53 34 III. CHARTS. Distances and Post-offices ^4.: (Jeneral Facts Talnilated 47S Local Facts Tabulated 482 IV. PLATS. Blue- River Township 4 420 494 iiS 35^ S'.S 497 ^4 % 22S 263 220 268 34S 41S .397 5or> VI. DIAGRAMS. One, two, three and four on surveying and land descriptions. 4S7-492. INDEX. Pace. 47 Allorncys A Teacher's Experience Arnett, S. H Addison, John Mien, Thompson Alyea, James Associate Judges Additions to Greenfield Additions to Charlottsville 245 15ird's-eye View of County 25 49 :.::::: II "3 304 269 ,S2 1 29 265 59 407 3SS 75 likie-River Township. r>raiidywine Township. Hrown Township Uuck-Creek Townsliip. 15arnard, William C. . . . l!ohn,P. J. ISinUird, James L 64 Hanks, J. P 405 Kcntlcy, Thomas E 40^ I'nisiness Directory of (ireenfield . . . 1S6 r.radley. Nelson.." 3j4 llradlev, Elizabeth 410 I'.ottstord, Clara 1 310 lieeson, Amos C 420 liinford, Robert 4155 l'.arrett, Charles E. . . 4'rg l!i"to'-d,J. H ](S5 lirandy wine Brass Band S5 I'.lue-Kiver Township, Sequel 395 r.randywine Township, Sequel IJible Society Buck-Creek "Township, Continued Hand, Cornet, Greenfield Hand, Cornet, New Palestine Band, Cornet, Brandy wine Charts, General Charts, County 4S2 County Fair 4^9 Cemeteries 428 Courts 3S4 Court-house.. 36-3S6 Commissioners 46 Circuit Judges 3Sj 404 447 124 203 2^ 47S Commissioners'' Court.. Center Township Center Township, Continued Cut of First Cabin Cass, Anaretta 3S4-5 141 Commmon Pleas Court Courts in Churches and Seminary. County Officers C[irter, Joseph J Collins, Thomas Circuit Court 3S4-391 Courts of Conciliation " 392 '' ^. ^. . -^^ 3S6 226 108 Curry, Isaiah A 3^8 Coffin, Elihu, Sen 65 Collyer, Wellington 40; Chandler, Morgan 3-T Craft, John A 2-1 Chapman, Joseph. .^21; Commandery, Hancock 421 Curry's Chapel, M, E 202 COrnct Band, Greenfield 203 Coinet Band, New Palestine 299 Center Church, Friends 261 249 Charlottesville 241; Charlottesville Directory 24S CarroUton gi Cemeteries of Greenfield 17S Dennis, Augustus 66 l>ow, Eorenzo 1 22 Dickerson, Stephen T 20^ Downing, Charles -^-'o Pag I'.. Dye, John E 41 j Directory of Palestine 290 Directory of Philadelphia 292 Dunbar," H.J 4-S Dunkard Church 33^ Diagrams 48;' Daughters of Rebecca 104 Distances, Table of 442 Directory, Greenfield 1S6 Derry, Samuel 170 Directory, Offici.al 46 Exemption Laws 39^ Ex-County Officers . 484 Eden Chapel 85 Eden Chapel, Green 'J'ownsliij) 224 Eden Church, ISaptist 230 Eureka Lodge 195 Eden, Town of 223 Ex-Officurs, Center Townsliip 160 Edwards I-odge 334 Freeman, Benj. F 30S Fort, Joseph 366 Foster, John 410 Faut, E. H 461 Forkner, Mark E 4^2 Fortville Church, M. E 336 Friends' Church, Charlottesville. , . . 257 Friends' Church, Westland 399 Friends' Church, AVestern Grove. . . 7^ Friends' Church, Center 261 Farmers' Insurance 399 Fair, County 43CJ First Cabin jyy Fires in Greenfield 182 Frost, William 16^ Growth of County 436 Gilliam, C. B ... 422 Gooding, David S 451 Gooding, O. 1' 463 Gooding, Matilda 460 Greenfield M. E. Church 197 German M. P. Church 29- German Lutheran Church 360 Gilboa M. K. Church 400 Green Township 20S Greenfield Cornet Band 205 Greenfield, City of 172 Greenfield Business Directory 186 Greenfield School Building " 38 Green Township, Continued 223 Gem P. O 204 Hall, H. H., Letter of i^j Hart,Andrew T ^(^ Hawk, James C 355 Harris, Lee O 371 Howard, N. P., Senior 372 Hill, Samuel B 400 Harrison Township 115S Harlan, Stephen 107 Hopkins, John D 126 Hough, William R 3S0 Howard, N. P., Jr 41^ Hopewell Church 124 Hancock Medical Society 366 History of Schools "430 Hancock County in 1828 30 Hancock County in 1S32 89 Hancock County in 1S50. 32 Hancock County in 1SS2 34 Hays, John '. 161 Harris, Mrs. George 161 I. 0,0. F., (ireenfield 193 I. O. O. K., Warrington 104 I. 0.0. F., Charlottesville 269 I. O. O. F.. Fortville 334 INDEX. II I.O. (). F., McCorilsvilli; I. O. G. T hiy, R. G "judkins, James jiulkins. Eliun I Johns, Koliison Jackson Township Jackson Township, Continued. . .. "iMils (ackson Township Scliools "King, T:imes K Knox, Gcorsje L Kcenier, William, Mobbed Landis, Mrs. Mary l.ick-Creck Church ^^arsh, Jonas Marsh, John I^ McXamee. Benjamin Marsh, Ephraini Muth, Georjre Martin, Samuel M Mason, James L Milner's Corner Mt. Olivet Church Mt. Gillead Church Mt. Carniel Cluirch Macedonia Church ; . . . Missionary Union Baptist Church . Mt. Carmel, of Vernon McCordsville M. E. Church Masons, (Jreenfield Masons, Charlottesville Masons, AVarrington Masons, Eden Masons, New Palestine Masons, Fortville , Masons. McCordsville INIanitau Tribe Medical Profession McCordsville Methodism in Greenfield Nameless Creek Church .New Palestine M. E. Church NiUarjrer. John New, ]amesA Newby, E. P Nashville New Palestine Band , -New Palestine, Town of ■Offutt, Charles G Odd Fellows. Greenfield Odd Fellows. Warrinijloii Odd F'ellows, Charlottesville. Odd Fellows, Fortville Odd Fellows. McCordsville Order of Good Templars ■Our Country Official Directory Our Forefathers Paris. Lewis B Post Offices ... Philadelphia M. E. Church Pleasant Grove M. E. Church . . . . I'leasant Hill M. E. Church Pleasant View M. E. Church Presbyterians Papers of Greenfield Prog^ress of Schools Prefession , Medical Porter, William H Parker, Georjre W Pope, Aaron l'ope,John II Pierson, Morris Patterson, Andrew M Probate Courts I'etit lurv P.\GE. I '9+ 370 379 40,? -'3' 245 39? 25' 473 4" 16S 270 1 1 1 300 373 40S 419 457 223 .';7 132 261 341 340 260 103 227 300 334 .335 333 354 3.30 197 298 107 416 470 99 299 2S9 469 192 104 269 334 336 194 '^ 343 171 36-44^ 294 124 254 39S 19s 440 430 354 86 I2<) 306 406 349 93S 3S5 Pagk. Palestine 289 Philadelphia 292 Roberts, Mrs. Isaac SC-^ Roberts, N. H 40S Roberts, Miss Mary N 419 Reeves, Benjamin F" 104 Real Estate 444 Roberts Chapel 225 Recapitulation, Green Townsliip. . . . 222 Reedy, Jerry and Son 166 Railroads 44 Sug'ar-creek Township 273 Sujifar-creek Township, Continued . . 2S9 Streams 2S Shiloah Church 62 Sujrar-creek Church 84 Su^ar-creek M. E. Church 202 Synopsis, Jackson Township 244 Synopsis, Greenfield 184^ Streets and Walks in Greenfield .... 184 Suicide, Wm. Wood 163 Stuart, Isaac 162 Surveyinij 485 Safe Robbery 474 Sequel to Brandvwine Township.. . . 404 Sequel to Blue-river Township 49^ Shelby, Joshua W 12S Shultz, Joseph F 271 Smith, R. A 350 Smith, W.P 351 Sparks, Wm. J 3^7 Smith, Jonathan 376 Smith, Robert 427 Stuart, J. G 405 Sample, James 452 Slifer, Jacob 456 Sardis Lodge 260 St. Thomas Catholic Church 339 Tempeiancein Blue-river 396 Temperance in Fortville 33^ Tyner, Elijah 58 Trees, William 10.1 Troy, S. A 228 Thomas, Phineas 108 Tvner, James 406 Thomas, Hiram 407 Thompson, Wm. II 425 Township Trustees 47 Table of Distance 442 Taverns. Fir.st. 1S6 Union, W. C. Temperance .333 Union Chapel 125 United Brethren loi Vernon Township 310 Vernon Township, Continued 326 Warrington 98 Willow Branch 99 Wood, Wm . S 163 \Vilson, Sarah J 219 Western Grove 7.> Wcstland 399 Woodburv, M. E. Church 339 Wolf's Mill 395 Warrum, Harmon 60 Wright, Joseph 131 Walker, Meredith 272 Warrum, Noble 262 Williams, Wesley 267 Winn, Joseph 342 Walpole, Thomas D 413 AVolf, John 401 Wright, Ilenrv 4'<'^ Wright, AVm. 'M 418 White, John H 4.5^' Woodbury .332 Will, L. Dow's i.W Zion's Chapel loi CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. uird's-eye view of county. Location, size, bounciary, orgariization, origin of name, population in 1S2S and iSSj.. voters, condition of county then and now by comparison and contrast, topography, soil, w-iter, health, exports formerly and at present, productions in bushels, limber, gravely sand, streams, map of county in 1S2S, origin and organization of townships, plat of county from iSjo to 1S53, first settlers, plat of county from 1S53 to present, early inci- dents, post-offices and villages, cut of court-house, public buildings, cut of Greenfield school building, taxes for 1S32 and other years, railroads, papers, intelligence, home of prominent men, poets and politicians, churches, loyalty, official directory. 25-4S. CHAPTER II, nr.ii:-Ri\EK TOWNSHIP. Plat, origin of name, organization, changes in territorj', location, boundary, si/.u. streams, first mills, first township settled, first log cabin, blacksmith, school-house, orchard, stcri and fence, early incidents, first settlers, scenery, soil^ surface, prosperity, educational and church advantages, mills and factories, roads and railroads, population, value of real and personal property, taxes, heavy tax payers, justices, physicians, early and modern merchants, ex-trustees, former citizens living elsewhere, ex-county officers, exports, value of school property, politics and population. 49-57. CHAPTER III. ULLE-KIVER TOWNSHIP — CONTINUED. Mount Olivet Church, Luse's tile-factory, Rule''s saw-mill, Elijah Tyner, Adam Allen's pioneer life, history of Shiloah Church, James L. Binford, Elihu Coffin, Sen., personal sketch of Augustus Dennis, sketch ot the pioneer life of Harmon Warruin, Western Grove Church. 57-76. CHAPTER I\'. BRANDYWINE TOWNSHIP. Plat, origin of name, when organized and of what it consisted, changes in territory, location, boundary and size, streams, first and present mills, first settlers, topography, timber, roads and railroads, a few first things, schools, value of school property, popu- lation, polls and politics, valuation and taxation, heavy tax-payers, general items, ex-justices, trustees, ex-county officers, deaths, exports. 77-S3. CHAPTER V. UK ANDY WINE TOWNSHIP — CONTINUED. Carrollton, Sugar-Creek Church, Eden Chapel, brass band, William H. Porter, M rs_ Isaac Roberts. S3-S7. CHAPTER Vr. IIROWN TOWNSHIP. Plat, general view, plat of county in 1S32, explanations, suggestions and historical I'acts, location, boundary, size, timber and topography, streams, earliest land entries,, first settlers, first election, mills, muley and modern, roads, railroads, synopsis, teachers and schools, population, polls, vote, vahiation, taxes and tax-payers, murders, suicides an 1 rem i-kable deaths, township trustees, justices of the peace, ex-county officers, exports, si-i/'. CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. 13 HROWN TOWNSIIU' — CONTINUED. Warrington, Nashville, Willow Hrancli P. O., Concord Baptist Church, Zion's •Chapel, yi. E., the United Brethren, Christian Church at Warrington, Free Masons, I. O. O. F. of Warrington, Daughters of Rebecca, sketch and portrait of 15. F. Reeves, Steplien Harlan, John Nibarger, Phineas Thomas, Thomas Collins, Dr. William Trees, Jonas Marsh, sketch and portrait of Dr. John L. Marsh. 9S-112. CHAPTER VI!I. HUCK-CREEK TOWNSHIP. Plat, name, changes in size, location, surface, soil and drainage, streams, first settle- ment and land entry, first settlers, first births, deaths, marriages, burials, suicide, preacher, teacher, doctor and blacksmith, mills, merchandising, cut of Superintendents, ■educational, synopsis, roads, railroad, population, vote, polls, value of real and personal property, taxes and heavy tax-payers, ex-county officers, productions, physicians, justices • of the peace, township trustees, prominent families, murder and suicide. 113-123. CHAPTER IX. BUCK-CREEK TOWNSHIP — CONTINLliD. Hopewell 'M. E. Church, Pleasant Grove M. E. Church, Union Chapel, John D. Hoii- Ikins, Joshua Shelby, George W. Parker, S. H. Arnett's biography and portrait, Joseph Wright, Barzilla G.Jay, Macedonia Churcli, Eorenzo Dow. 124-140. CHAPTER X. CENTER TOWNSHIP. Plat of township, origin of name, changes in boundary, size, surface, soil, drainage and productions, streams, first entry and early settlers, first preacher, birth, death, &c., mills and factories, roads, railroads, educational, number and name of houses and teach- ers, portrait of James K. King, value of school-houses and apparatus, scholastic popula- tion, township trustees, churches, population, polls and vote, value of real and personal property, taxes and heavy tax-payers, law and esquires, portrait Andrew T. Hart, first settlers of Harrison township, first business, ex-county officers, murders, suicides and remarkable deaths, portrait of William Trees, M. D., exports, remarks. 141-172. CHAPTER XI. CENTER TOWNSHIP — CONTINUED. Greviifie/d, laid out in 1S2S, size and naming of town, report of commissioners appointed by General Assembly, outline of old to\yn, additions 1-23, cemeteries, cut of first cabin in town, early history, post-office, sidewalks, first business bricks, private residences, other buildings, remarks, big fires, incorporation as town and city, streets, synopsis, first doctors, first attorneys, first business men, first taverns, business directory, 'Citv officers. 172-igo. CHAPTER XII. CENTER TOWNSHIP— CONTINUED. Masonic Lodge ioi,I. O. O. F". 135, Eureka Lodge No. 20, K. of P., Greenfield Lodge No. 1S4, 1. O. G. T., Presbyterian Church, Greenfield Methodism, portrait of Ben- jamin Freeman, Mt. Gilead Church, Curry's Chapel, Sugar-Creek M. E. Church, Mt. Carmel M. E. Church, Greenfield Cornet Band, sketch and portrait of S. T. Dicker- son. 101-207. CHAPTER XIII. GREEN TOWNSHIP. Plat, name and organization, location, size and boundary, surface, soil, drainage and productions, streams, first land entries and first settlers, first election, historical anec- dote, a few first things, mills, roads, educational, township trustees, churches, popula- tion and poll, value of real and personal property, taxes, law and esquires, first business, physicians, ex-county officers, prominent families, murders and fatal accidents, portraits of Sarah Jane Wilson and Anuretta Cass, recapitulation. 20S-222. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. bird"s-eye view of county. Location, size, boundary, organization, origin of name, population in 1S2S and iSSu. voters, condition of county then and now by comparison and contrast, topography, soil. water, health, exports formerly and at present, productions in bushels, limber, gravel,, sand, streams, map of county in 1S2S, origin and organization of townships, plat ol county from 1S50 to 1853, first settlers, plat of county from 1S53 to present, early inci- dents, post-offices and villages, cut of court-house, public buildings, cut of Greenfield school building, taxes for 1S32 and other years, railroads, papers, intelligence, home of prominent men, poets and politicians, churches, loyalty, official directory. 25-4S. CHAPTER II. HIA'E-RIVEIi TOWNSIIIP. Plat, origin of name, organization, changes in territory, location, boundary, size, .streams, first mills, first township settled, first log cabin, blacksmith, school-house, orchard, stcr^ aud fence, early incidents, first settlers, scenery, soil^ surf.ace, prosperity, educational and church advantages, mills and factories, roads and railroads, population, value of real and personal property, taxes, heavy tax payers, justices, physicians, early and modern merchants, ex-trustees, former cilizens living elsewhere, ex-county officers, exports, value of school property, politics and population. 49-57. CHAPTER 111. BLUE-RIVER TOWNSHIP — CONTINUED. Mount Olivet Church, Luse's tile-factory. Rule's saw-mill, Elijah Tvner, Adam Allen's pioneer life, history of Shiloah Church, James L. Binford, Elihu Coffin, Sen., personal sketch of Augustus Dennis, sketch of the pioneer life of Harmon Warrum. Western Grove Church. 57-76. CHAPTER IV. nRANDYWINE TOWNSHIP. Plat, origin of name, when organized and of what it consisted, changes in territory, location, boundary and size, streams, first and present mills, first settlers, topography ,. timber, roads and railroads, a few first things, schools, value of school property, pojiu- lalion, polls and politics, valuation and taxation, heavy tax-payers, general items, ex-justices, trustees, ex-county officers, deaths, exports. 77-S3. CHAPTER V. BRANDVWINE TOWNSHIP — CONTINUED. Carrollton, Sugar-Creek Church, Eden Chapel, brass band, William If. Porter, Mrs_ Isaac Roberts. S3-S7. CHAPTER VI. BROWN TOWNSHIP. Plat, general view, plat of county in 1S32, explanations, suggestions and historical facts, location, boundary, size, timber and topography, streams, earliest land entries,, first settlers, first election, mills, muley and modern, roads, railroads, synopsis, teachers and schools, population, polls, vote, valuation, taxes and tax-payers, murders, suicides an 1 remi-kable deaths, township trustees, justices of tlie peace, ex-county officers. exports. si-^ " miles, and from Cleveland to Woodbury, instead of " 2)2," should be " 21 1^'," and from Carrollton to Milner's Corner, instead of " 2>j," should be " 21 " miles. Page 470, third line from bottom, " Hendricks " should be " Henry." Page 471, second line, " 1S72 " should be " 1S65." Page 479. In the column of important events for 1S35, " Locofoca " should be •' Locofoco," and for 1845 the representatives should be "George Henry and R. A. Riley." Page 4S0. For iS35 the representative first named should be "J. H. White." Page 4S7, third line, the words " survey, or" should be " surveyor." INTRODUCTION. After Christopher Cohimbus had returned from inakhig his great discoveries which brought another continent into exist- ence, all the enterj^rising nations of Europe fitted out vessels to make explorations in this land of promise, Spain sending her men to the Southern, France to the Northern and England to the Atlantic Coast of North America. Their claims necessa- rily conflicted, a-s the grants of Spain extended from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, France from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, and England passing over both of these from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Indiana was originalh' claimed as a part of Florida, which became a Spanish colony in 1543. Northern Indiana was included in the territory granted in 1620 to the Plymouth Com- pany by King James, and was therefore claimed by Great Britain, but the French possessed a superior claim, and retained the territory by establishing settlements and fortifications. Vincennes settlement, the first in what is now Indiana, was made in 1702, one hundred and eighty years ago. This terri- tory remained in the possession of the French until 1763, the close of the memorable French and Indian war, when by treaty it passed into the hands of the English. Indiana was at this time inhabited by the great Miami confederacy of Indians, whose territory embraced Indiana and the greater portion of Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Here the red men of the forests had held supreme control, unmolested in their rights for many years, an independent nation, commanding the respect of all the neighboring tribes. No wonder that when they saw the white man ad\ancing and taking possession of their beloved hunting-grounds tliat the latent passions which lay slumbering in their breasts burst forth with all the fury of uncivilized manhood. In 177S Colonel George Rodgers Clarke, witli four compa- nies of Virginians, captured Post \'incennes, but it was retaken INTRODUCTION. 19 by the British in the same year. In 1779 Colonel Clarke again recaptured it. The Indians now began their depredations on the settlers, and a body of men. under General Harmur, was sent against them, which was totally defeated, in what is now Allen county, by the famous Indian Chief, "Little Turtle." In 1 791 General Charles Scott destroyed the Wea villages on the Wabash. After the defeat of Harmur, General St. Clair organ- ized a new force, which was also defeated near the present site of Fort Wayne. In 1794 General Wayne (familiarly known to the Indians as "Mad Anthony, a man who never slept") appeared against them, and completely humiliated the whole confederacy, moved on to the confluence of the St. Mary's and .St. Joseph rivers, and erected Fort Wayne. This for a time ended the Indian troubles. In 17S7 the North-west territor}- was organized, embracing the present States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wiscon- sin and that part of Minnesota east of the Missisippi. In 1800 Ohio was set apart as a separate territory, leaving the remainder of the North-west territory to constitute Indiana. Of this new Inaiana territory William H. Harrison, of Virginia, was the first Governor, and the seat of government was located at Vin- cennes. John Gibson, of Pennsylvania, was appointed Secre- tary ; William Clarke, Henry Vanderbourgh and John Griffin Territorial Judges. The whole white population then of what is now the great State of Indiana, with her hundreds of* thou- sands, was only 4.875, but about one- fourth of the population of Hancock county to-day. Indiana was first organized into three counties, viz: Knox, Randolph and St. Clair. In 1803 Clark was added and a con- vention held at the territorial capital, composed of delegates from the four counties. The first General Assemblv met at \'incennes in 1805. with delegates from the above counties and Dearborn, which had since been addeil. New counties have been organized from time to time, till there are now ninetv-twf) in the great "Hoosier"' State. Governor Harrison's address to the first legislative assembly in Indiana was full of patriotism and exhor- tation to faithful, honest (hit\ . In;liana territory was divided, and ^Michigan territory struck o'.Y and organized on the north in 1805. In the territorial code, frame* 1 in 1S07, we sec a wide (lifter- iN'iuomurioN. 21 cmr liom i>,\\ |)i(-,tiit l.iw. Tici^ini, iniiidci, jimon iiiid lioi^r-sk'iilin^j wtic piiniJiiltlc liy dcjitli. Mim^^linij^litcr vviis piiniHlinldc accordint; l<> I lie coiiinioii l.iw. Tlio crimes of l)iir<^lMry and lohhciy vvfif jitin'i^lialilo l>y vvhippiiij^, rinc, and in some casc^ liy impiisonmcnt not cxicodin}^ forty ycaiH. Larceny vvjis pnni'^li;dilr l>y line and vvliip|)inj^. Forjifcry by line, dinfrancliisenient and slandin;^ in tiic |)illt (link eiinnly, was laid out at the lails (>\' the Oliin livel' aceoidin;^' (i> a plan proposed by President JeiVerson. I'd ween llic years 1805 (lli'l 1S07 Aaron r.in 1 , the m,in who at one time laeKid only one vote of heinj; President of the I Miited States, visited I he people of the ( )hio "Valley to ^et asKistniice to carry <"il iii'. pl;m ,, which were nndonl)lcd!v li cisoihihle to the ( Jeneral ( io\ ci nmenl. In iSoj IlliiioiK territory was cut from the western |)art (d' Indiana, comprisin;^ the territory west of the Wahash, from a line rnnnini^ north from Vincennes to the Dominion of (',ni;ida, and this now rcdni cil Indi.ina to her present limits, In iSio new Ironhles with the Indians commenK-d. A plan of ( ampaif^n was formed, which ended in the ^reat Indian hattlc of 'Pipi^ei inoe, where (Jeneral Harrison, routed the Indians i\ni\ caused them to sue for peace, hut the war of rSii comin;^^ on hrouj^'ht with it new difVicultics with the Indians. Many nnnders occ urre(l, ;ind I he frontier settlers wcre kept ill alarm nnlll the close of this second war with CJreat llritaill. The f.iinieis when working in the (iehls carrietl in I heir belts revolvers and knl\cs. 'The ^moi was laid on the jnonnd by a driven slake to mark the spot. Men then e\pe(tid lo be atta(d looms anfl i,'^50 spin ninj^j wheels. In 1813 Ihe seal of j^overnmenl was removed tiom \'in- cennes tr» Corydon, the latter bein^ a more central point. In u\\.\ Ihr- territf)ry was divided into live districts, Wash- in;^toii and Kno\ (onstitutiii;^ oni-, ^iibson .and Warrick oni-, INTRODUCTION. 23 Harrison and Clarke one, Jefferson and Dearborn one, ami Franklin and Wayne one, in each of which the voters were empowered to elect a member to the legislative council. Indiana adopted a constitution and %vas admitted to the l^nion in 1S16. Jonathan Jennings, under the new constitution, was elected first Governor of the State over Thomas Posev, who had been Governo'" of the territory, the vote standing 5,211 to 3,934. In 1820 the site of the present seat of govern- ment was selected by commissioners appointed by the General Assembly. In 1825 the capital was removed from Corydon to Indianapolis. In 1834 the State Bank was chartered. In 1842 imprisonment for debt was abolished. Indiana has had numerous Indian wars, and forty-four treaties have been made with the various tribes from time to time. Indiana, when the great rebellion threatened this countrv with destruction, came nobly to the front with her brave "bovs in blue,"' from time to time, to the number of 200,000. Few States can say as much ; and Hancock county was not afraid to marshal her forces and send them to the front to be trodden in the dust by the iron hoof of the war-horse. The first railroad in Indiana was built in 1846, between Madison and Indianapolis. Five thousand miles of railroad are now in operation, and others in the process of construction. In 1 85 1 our old constitution was abolished, and a new and much better one adopted. Our vote was as follows : 109,319 for and 26,755 against the same. Indiana now stands among the leading States of the Union. Her school fund is larger by two millions than any other State in the Union. Her manufacturing resources are unbounded, her coal fields are among the most productive, and furnish a large source of wealth, her water power is excellent, and her railroads numerous, Indianapolis, -our capital, being the greatest railroad center in the State, and not surpassed by any city in the United States in this respect. Jeftcrsonville, New Albany and South Bend are respectively noted for their exten- sive " car works," " glass works," and " wagon f^ictory." We have seen Indiana when a forest, dotted here and there by prairies which seemed like oases in a desert. We have seen noble, hardy pioneers with their families entering into the country and, with their glittering axes, leveling the 24 INTRODUCTION. jj^iant progeny of the forest. We have seen Indiana when the red men owned tlie soil, and when only a cabin here and there showed where the march of civilization had begun. We have seen her in infancy, with a white population- only one-fourth as large as that of Hancock county. We have seen her when the savage red men took the war-path, destroyed her property, murdered her children and rejoiced in the victory. But the noble pioneers w'ho settled this country braved all these dangers, and established their institutions of liberty, religion and truth ROBERT SMITH. upon a iirm foundation. \V"e see Indiana as she stands to-day in all her grandeur, glorying in her powder, rejoicing in her resources, sending great men to the various fields of action, educating her boys and girls without cost, and shedding the glorious rays of truth and enlightenment to all her people. May her light still continue to shine in the firmament as brilliantly as the noonday sun, and diffuse the blessings of lib- erty to all mankind. HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. CHAPTER I. bird's-eye view. Hancock county, Indiana, is located a little east of the geographical center of the state. It is in latitude 40" north, and longitude 86" west, of Greenwich, or 9° west from Washington, and is in townships fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen north, and ranges five, six, seven, and eight east. In size it is about an average county of the state, being composed of 307 sections, or square miles, and con- taining about 196,480 acres. It is bounded on the west by Marion and Hamilton, on the north by Madison and Ham- ilton, on the east b}^ Henr^- and Rush, and on the south by Shelby, Rush and Henry. It is chiefly bordered, however, by Marion on the west, Madison on the north, Henry on the east, and Shelby on the south. Hamilton forms onh' one mile of the western boundary and four of the northern ; Rush forms six miles of the eastern and two of .the south- ern, and Henry forms but one mile of the southern bound- ary. The greatest length of the county is nineteen miles east and west, and its greatest width seventeen miles north and south. Hancock county was cut oft' from Madison and organ- ized in the vear 1828, and named in honor of John Han- cock, president of the convention that adopted the immor- tal ** Declaration of Independence." 26 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. x\t the time ot' the organization of the county it con- tained but few inhabitants, and they were scattered. At the first presidential election held in the county, which occurred November 3, 1828, the whole number of votes cast were loi, and now the whole number is, according to the census of 1880, 4,170. Then the entire population of the county was about 400; now it is 17,123. Then there were, perhaps, 135 children of school age in the county ; now there are 5,646. Then there was but one clock in the county ; now there is one in nearl}^ every household. Then there were no broad fields of ijolden strain, cut with a self- binder and threshed with a steam thresher, but only here and there a small patch cleared in the green, cut with a sickle and threshed with a flail. Then our whole territory was almost one unbroken wilderness, in which were numerous Indians, wild deer, bears, panthers, wild cats, rattlesnakes, wolves, owls, turkies, opossums, raccoons, and porcupines. This condition of affairs has changed. The Indian has bid adieu to his native hunting grounds ; the church bell has taken the place of the warwhoop ; the poisonous fanged serpent, at the sight of civilization, has faded away as if under the benign influence of St. Pat- rick. What changes have taken place ! The old land- marks are nearly gone ; but few of the early pioneers, — our grandfathers and their sires, — are left, and they, one by one, are fast passing away. Our progress, from a small beginning to our present status, has cost untold toil, hardships and privations, not fully appreciated by the youug of the present generation. This book is written, in part, that their names, and the trials they underwent, may, to some extent, be perpetuated. We shall show, step by step, the progress made decade after decade. This chapter is only intended as a bird's-eye view of the territory, preparatory to a more detailed account, in which the townships will be considered separately, and elaborated thoroughly, when our minds will be carried back to the brave pioneers, to learn their names and mode of living, and to follow them up amidst the hardships incident to pio- KIRD S-EYE VIEW. 27 neer life to balmier clays and more pleasant surroundings even to the present time. Hancock county is quite flat, there being but tew hills, except in the immediate vicinity of the water-courses, and several of these have no banks worthy of the name. Blue River and Sugar Creek have considerable banks, and Bran- dy wine at places. Blue-river and Sugar-creek townships are rolling, and somewhat undulating, but the county, on the whole, is remarkably level, and was once considered "low and wet;" but since it has been so thoroughly drained by tile ditches, and good roads built, we hear but little complaint in that direction. It is now considered healthful, and as free from malaria and miasmatic diseases as any of its border counties ; though there was once a great deal of ague and fever, bilious fever, and considerable milk-sickness. Our soil, generally speaking, is exceedingly fertile ; indeed, almost exhaustless in resources. The black, low grounds, which in the early history of the country were considered almost worthless, and were, therefore, the last entered, are now, since being drained, found to be the richest and most productive. The first settlements in the county were made on the uplands, hills and knolls, if pos- sible. Thirty years ago, about a hundred feet above Blue River, in the midst of a small field, there stood a tinv log cabin, without roof, window, chimney, or floor, vmfmished, decaying, which the writer passed hundreds of times when a boy, and then learned that it was begun long years since for a pioneer cottage; but in the "raising," there being little help, the proprietor was crushed by the falling of a log on nearing the gable. The principal exports of the county are wheat, corn, hogs, cattle, horses, oats, potatoes, flaxseed, apples, hay, and sheep. Hancock county's first exports were ginseng, venison- hams, firs, flax and tow linen. The statistical returns of 1880 show that our county produced, on 27,752 acres, 580,207 bushels wheat: on 28 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. 37,072 acres, 1,187,328 bushels corn; on 1,665 'icres,. 45,129 bushels oats. The same 3'ear we produced i6,"752 bushels Irish potatoes, 51,160 bushels flaxseed, 42,028 bushels apples, and had in our county 5,228 head of horses, 285 head of mules, 9,609 head of cattle, 9,340 head of sheep, and 23,400 head of hogs old enough to fatten. The county was once heavily timbered with a large per cent, of the best kinds of saw timber, such as walnut, poplar, oak, ash, and cherry. Walnut timber of the finest quality w^as once not onl}^ used for fencing and fire-wood, but was deadened and burned in log-heaps, to get it out of the way. There are large beds of sand and gravel in various parts of the county. At least seven out of the nine town- ships have sufficient gravel, of good quality, to make all her roads, public and private, in good order. The county is well watered with numerous streams ,, springs and wells of excellent limestone water. Blue River, the largest stream in the county, a fine, clear, lasting mill stream, runs across the south-eastern corner of Blue-river township, entering Shelby county just below^ Bacon's mill. Its bottoms are broad and exceedingly fertile. Sugar Creek, the next in size, is a clear, rapid, medium- size mill stream. It rises in the western part of Henry county, near Elizabeth Cit}^ enters Hancock count}- wuthin a few rods of the north-east corner, and runs in a south- west direction to within half a mile of Warrington ; thence northwest, dipping into the edge of Madison a few rods ; thence in a general south-westerly direction through Brown, Green, and across the corner of Vernon ; thence through Center, Buck-creek, and Sugar-creek townships, entering Shelbv countv a mile and a half south of New Palestine. Brandywine Creek, a rather small-sized mill .stream, rises in Brown township, about a mile west of Warrington, and runs in a south-westerly direction through Brown and Jackson townships, and to the central northern middle HIRD S-EVE VIE\\- 29 portion of Center township, four miles north of Greenfield ; thence nearly south through Center and Brandywine town- ships, entering Shelby county six miles south of the county seat. Buck Creek, a small, sluggish stream, rises in Vernon township, about a mile and a half south-west of Fortville, runs south-west through Buck-creek township, across the north-west corner of Sugar-creek township, entering Marion count}' one mile south of the south-west corner of Buck-creek township. Nameless Creek is a small stream. Risino- in the central portion of Jackson township, it runs south-west in Jack- son, and empties into Blue River on the B. P. Butler farm. Six Mile Creek rises in Henry county, flows south through Jackson, past Charlottesville, across the corner of Rush county, entering Blue-river township at its central eastern border ; thence south-west, emptving into Blue river on the Wm. Cook farm. Little Brandywine Creek rises near the boundary line between Center and Jackson townships, runs south-west, and empties into Brandywine two miles south bv south- east of Greenfield. Little Sugar Creek, a small, sluggish stream, rises in the north-west part of Center township, and running south by south-west, empties into Sugar Creek. Flat Fork of Lick Creek rises in the south-east part of Vernon township, runs north by north-w^est, enters Ham- ilton county one mile west of Fortville, and empties into Lick Creek. These small streams have all been ditched and cleared out near their heads. Swamp Creek is a su/ goicris small stream, taking its rise in Madison county. It runs nearlv south, crossing Lick Creek in Madison countv and Sugar-creek in Han- cock county ; crossing the National road at the Robert H. Ross farm, and imallv losing itself in Brandvwine Creek. This stream presents the general appearance of the bed of a lost river, being from forty to eighty rods wide, filled with decaved and decaying vegetable matter, more or less 30 HISTORY OF HANXOCK COUNTY. soft and vieldinfr, and with a tiny, turbid stream nmninir through the center thereof. Little Swan Creek rises in the south-western part of Center township, runs south by south-west, crosses Bran- dywine township, and enters Shelby county at the south- ern extremity of the boundary line between Sugar-creek and Brand vwine townships. There are numerous other small streams, unworthy of notice, in yarious parts of the county. Sl'gar-cheek Town- ship. Brandywine Town- ship. Bt,uE-RivER Township MAP OF HANCOCK COUNTY IN 1S2S. Hancock county is reasonably well supplied with good grayel road turnpikes, there being one hundred and eighty miles of the same, 104 of which are now incorporated and pay taxes, and seventy-six of which were once taxed, but haye since rescinded their charters and gone back to the BIRD S-EYE VIEW. 3 1 public. These pikes are several in number, and were built at an average cost of $1,200 per mile, majcing a total cost of $2 1 6,00a. Her public roads are generally graded, and in many places graveled by her citizens in working out their road taxes, and personal privileges. Hancock county originally consisted of three town- ships, to-wit : Blue-river, Brandywine, and Sugar-creek. These townships were organized in 1828, at the time of the separation from Madison countv, and each extend- ing to the countv line. Blue-river township was reduced in size and located in the south-east part of the county in 183 1, with thirty sec- tions. Jackson township was the name assigned to the remainder of Blue-river, and was located in the north- eastern part of the county, by the commissioners, in 1831. Brandywane township was reduced to thirty sections in the same year, and located in the central southern por- tion of the county. Center township was, in 1831, located north of Bran- dywine township, extending three miles north and south and six miles east and west, and containing eighteen sections. Harrison tow'nship was also organized in the same year, and composed of the remainder of Brandywine north of Center to the north line of the county. Buck-creek was cut off from Sugar-creek in 183 1, and made to extend from congressional line sixteen to the north county line. Green was taken from the north part of Jackson and Harrison in 1832, and composed of that part of the county north of congressional line seventeen, and consisted of sixty sections ; being the same territory now embodied in Brown and Green. In the vear 1833, Brown township was dissevered Irom Green, and made to consist of thirty sections, its pres- ent size. In 1835, Center township was increased one tier oi sections, taken from the northern part of Brandywine. 32 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY Vernon township was cut off from the north part of Buck- creek north of congressional line seventeen, and made to consist of thirt^'-one sections. Jones township was formed in 1838, by taking two tier of sections from the north part of Sugar-creek, and a like number from the south part of Buck-creek, and composed of twenty-four sections. Vernon. BUCK-CKEEK. Union. Green. Brown. Harrison. Worth. Jones. Sugar-creek. Center. Brandywine. Jackson. Bi.ie-kiver. HANCOCK COUNTY FllOM 1S50 TO 1S5?. Union township was made up from the eastern part ot Buck-creek, the western part of Harrison, and the south- east corner of Vernon, in 1838, and composed of twenty sections. BIRD S-EYE \IE\V. 33 Worth township was composed of the north part of Jackson and the north-east corner of Center, and organ- ized in the year 1850. At the March term, 1853, the commissioners divided Jones tow^nship between Sugar-creek and Buck-creek ; Union township between Buck-creek, Vernon and Center ; Worth township between Center and Jackson, and attached Harrison to Center ; thereby obliterating Jones, Union, Worth, and Harrison, and leaving nine civil townships, as we now have them. Blue-river township is located in the south-east corner of the county ; Brown in the north-east ; Brandywine in the south middle ; Buck-creek in the west middle ; Center in the middle ; Green in the central northern portion ; Jack- son in the eastern middle portion ; Sugar-creek in the south-west corner ; and Vernon in the north-west corner of the county. Thus it may be seen that the county is composed of nine civil townships, arranged in three tiers of three town- ships each. The eastern division, composed of Brown, Jackson and Blue-river, constitutes the lirst commissioner's district ; Green, Center and Brandywine the second ; Vernon, Buck-creek and Sugar-creek the third ; the pres- ent commissioners of which are, respectively, Augustus Dennis, Ephraim Bentley and John Dye. Hancock county was first settled about the year 18 18. Previous to the United States survey of 1819, Andrew Evans and John Montgomery, with their families, and Montgomery McCall, came into this county, and settled on Blue River. At the same time, Piatt and James Mont- gomery, brothers of John, and Isaac Roberts, with their families, and David Stephenson, settled in Center town- ship. In 1820, Elijah Tyner, Harmon Warrum, Joshua Wilson, and John Foster, with their families, also settled on Blue River. In 1822, Solomon Tyner, John Osborn, and George Penwell, with their families, came and settled with the others on the same historic stream. The above, and a tew others, were all in the count\' at, and before, its 34 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. organization. After this time the immigrants were more numerous, the more prominent of whom we will notice in the proper place in their respective townships. 1 Vernon. CJreen. Brown. Blck-creek. Center. Jackson. . Sugar-creek. Brandywine. Blve-river. MAP OF HANCOCK COUNTY FROM 1853 TO THE PRESENT. Among the early incidents, which are more numerous than were the pioneers themselves, we will note the followinjj : The first school-house in the county was a log one, diminutive in size, and exceedingly rude in architecture, erected near Elijah Tyner's old place, on Blue River, in the year 1823. The first male teacher who taught in the county was Lewis Tyner. Green township claims the honor of furnishing em- ployment to the first female teacher, Mrs. Sarah Gant. In 1818, the first log cabin was built by Andrew Evans. In 1824, Joshua Wilson built the first grist mill, located on the banks of Blue River. This mill was a small, one- J5IR1) S-EVE VIEW 35 Story log structure, which, soon after lacing erected, was sold to Henry Watts, on account of some difficulty about the obstruction of water. In the neighborhood of John Ilinchman's old farm, in Center township, now owned by Abriim llackleman, was organized, in 1820. by the Methodists, the first religious societ}' in the count}'. The first blacksmith in the county was Thomas Phillips, who had his shop on Blue River, in about 1822. Among the first taverns in the county, was one erected by Andrew Jackson, near Greenfield, in about 1825. Elijah Tj-ner, on Blue River, had the first store in the count}'. He was also the first to set out an orchard. The first road in the county was an old Indian trail, known as the " Napoleon Trace," which extended through Blue-river, Jackson, and Green townships, crossing Blue River near Warrum's old home, and Sugar Creek near 'Squire Hatfield's, at a place known as the " Stover Ford," When the Montgomery s, McCall, and Evans, first set- tled, they had to go to White Water to mill, where Con- nersville now stands, some forty miles distant. McCall, when he first came to the county, cleared a few acres of ground by yoking his oxen to the grubs and pulling them out by the roots. He then climbed up the Surrounding trees, and trimmed off the branches to con- siderable height, and with them constructed a fence around his little patch, thus making the first fence in the county. It has been said, in illustration of the capacity of one of the rude mills, erected in what was then Vernon town- ship, but now Center, on Sugar Creek, that Rev. Wiley Pilkenton, who was a zealous, long-winded, old-school Baptist, would put in the hopper a two-bushel grist of corn, attend a two days' camp-meeting, and return in time to toll it. This mill was located just above the Sugar Creek bridge, on the Noblesville road. In size, it was about sixteen feet square, one-storv high, constructed of small logs, or poles, and covered with clapboards. A stranger was passing this mill, on a certain occasion, when 36 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY he ^■ociterously ordered the girls to '* hold that d d thing- till I get by !"" The following are the post-offices and villages in Han- cock county : J^ost-officcs. — Westland, in Blue-river township ; War- rington and Willow Brach, in Brown township ; Cleve- land and Charlottesville, in Jackson township ; McCords- ville and Woodbury, in Vernon township ; Philadelphia and Gem, in Sugar-creek township ; Mount Comfort, in Buck-creek township ; Carrollton, in Brandywine town- ship ; Eden and Milner's Corner, in Green township ; Binwood, in Center towmship. Incorporated J7//(ig'cs. — Our incorporated villages are: Fortville, in Vernon township, and New Palestine, in corirr-iiorsE Sugar-creek township. Charlottesville has been an incor- porated town f )r a number of years until recentlw when her corporation was dissoh'ed, and a receiver appointed. BIRD S-EYE VIEW. 37 The public buildings of Hancock county consist, at present, of a court-house, jail and sheriff's residence, poor-house, ninety-two public school buildings, and about rifty church buildings. The present court-house was built by Nathan Craw- ford, deceased, an old and honored citizen, in the jear 1854, upon a contract of $14,400. It is a substantial, con- venient, and commodious building, honestly built by an honest man, and is, perhaps, not equaled by any public building in the state, at as low a cost. The poor-house is located on the National road, two and a half miles east of Greenfield, in section thirty-five, township sixteen north, and range seven east. The build- ing is a discredit to the county, being old and dilapidated, and not at all in harmony with the wealth and dignity of our citizens. The superintendent's residence is a plain, old-fashioned, stor3^-and-a-half brick, built many years since for a private residence. The infirmary building proper is a cheap frame, known by carpenters as a " plank house," built in the rear of, and attached to, the superin- tendent's residence. The building is not only cheaply constructed, and poorly ventilated, but small and wholly inadequate to the demands of the unfortunate. A new building has been contemplated for several years ; but, owing to " hard times " and " indebtedness of the county," the matter has been neglected. The county has a very elegant, commodious, and con- venient jail, and sheriff's residence in front, built upon a contract of $32,900 ; but costing, according to the records, $75,000, without interest, before completion. The build- ing is a brick, with stone foundation, slate roof, and neatly finished inside and out. The architecture is modern, and and the work all first-class. The sheriff's residence is large, convenient, and finished in good taste. Considera- ble complaint has been made on account of the number of escaping convicts, who have succeeded in cutting and breaking out ; but this is not wholly owing to the weakness of the jail, but more, perhaps, to too great leniency to the inmates. 38 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY The public school building, in Greenfield, is an elegant two-story brick, with basement, stone foundation, slate roof, and ash linish, and will accommodate nine teachers and five hundred pupils. It was built in the year 1869 ^^^^ 1870 by Harmon Everett, upon a contract of J^20,ooo, pav- able in bonds on the corporation of the town of Greenfield. Everett took $10,000 in bonds in part pavment. The GREENFIELD GRADED SCHOOE BUILDING. architects were Ennis and Hubert, of Indianapolis. The school trustees were A. K. Branham, Philander H. Boyd, and H. B. Wilson, of Greenfield. The stone for the foun- dation were shipped from St. Paul, in Decatur county. The brick were shipped and hauled, in part, from Knightstown. The. ViLiilding was begun in April, 1869, and the first school wa§ 'taught in the fall of the same year. A comparison of the taxes, mode of collecting, prop- erty, and wealth of the county, in its early history, with the present, shows that our growth has not only been steady, but rapid. The total taxes for 1829 were $703,17. The record shows the followina- : BIRD S-EVE \'IE\V. 3^ May 10, 1S32. clerk's report. Sho-ving the amount of county revenue that the collector stands charged zvith for the year 1S32. 534 polls $262 00 485 horses 342 50 172 oxen 43 00 37 watches 13 50 1 clock 50 2 covering horses c^ t^o 6,1^33 acres of ist rate land 36 I3 10,337 acres of 3tl rate land 30 7 1^^ Town lots 31 6S Non-resident road tax 10 S3 Total $713 19^ Errors ^6 84 Balance $656 35^ Attest : Morris Pierson, C. T. H. C, {County Treasurer Hancock County). The summary for the year 1833 shows the total tax to have been $787. 88^, signed by Joseph Chapman, C. II. C. C. ; which, when interpreted, means Clerk Hancock Circuit Court. The report for 1833 further shows 616 polls, 606 horses, 168 oxen, twenty-three watches, and two pleasuring carriages ; being an increase in one year of ninety-two polls, twenty-one horses, and four oxen, and a decrease of four watches and one clock, there being no clock returned for the year 1833. The reader will observe, from an examination of the summary report given above, that the ad valorem system of taxation, now prevalent, was not then used ; but a speci- fied tax was levied on each article of a certain class, regardless of value. This system continued in vogue till the year 1836. We give below a copy of the last report under the old specific tax system, made in 1835. 8,878 acres ist rate land 't 3S S ' 40 HISTORY OF HAN'COCK COUNTY. 23,279 acres 2d rate land ^9 ^3 1,345 *^cres 1st rate non-resident land, on which there is a road tax of 5 3"^ 5,920 acres of 2d rate non-resident land ^7 7^ .$5,851.60, value of town lots 29 26 $3,008.00, value of non-resident lots ^5 04 709 horses 354 50 130 oxen 32 :;o 15 silver watches 7 :^o 1 gold watch 50 3 composition watches i 50 2 brass clocks i 00 6 covering horses 12 00 6S4 polls 342 00 Total $925 28 A comparison of the two reports shows that people were increasing in numbers and wealth, and. could afford more time-pieces, and other luxuries. In 1835, ^^'^ ^^^ one gold watch, the first ever owned and taxed in the count}' ; two brass clocks, and three composition watches. Under the system of specific taxation, the following were the rates till 1832 : On each poll, 50 cents ; on each horse, 37i cents ; on each ox, i8f cents ; on each silver watch, 25 cents ; on each gold watch, $1.00: on stallions, the rate they stood at per season : for land, half the rate of state taxes. From 1832 to 1834 the rates were : On each poll, 50 cents ; on town lots, | cent on each $1.00 ; work oxen, 25 cents ; horses over three years old, 50 cents ; watches, 50 cents : clocks, ^i.oo ; the tax on every 100 acres of first- rate land, 40 cents : on second-rate land, 30 cents ; on third-rate land, 20 cents. In the year 1834, the commis- sioners adopted the following list of rates : On each poll, 50 cents : on land, one-half the state tax ; on each horse, valued at over $10.00, 50 cents ; on each watch and pleas^ uring carriage, 50 cents ; on horses and jacks, the price of the season at which they stand ; on each yoke of oxen over three j'ears old, 50 cents ; on each brass clock, 50 cents : tavern license in Greenfield, $15.00: in other parts of the BIRD S-EYE VIEW. 41 county, $10.00; license to vend wooden clocks, $10.00; foreign goods, $10.00. These rates remained in force for two years, or until the adoption of the ad valorem system, in 1836, when the rates were fixed by the commissioners at 20 cents on each $100 of real and personal property, and 75 cents on each poll. Prior to the year 1836, watches, clocks and carriages were considered luxuries in which only the' rich were at liberty to indulge, and they were corhpelled to pay for the privilege. Hence, the tax on a watch, though it be ever so old and cheap, was twenty-five per cent more than the tax on one hundred acres of the best land, listed as " first- rate ;" the tax on a brass clock, regardless of its cost and real worth, was just equal to the tax on two hundred and fifty acres of the best land, or five hundred acres of third-rate land ; and the tax on a pleasuring carriage was equal to the tax on one hundred and sixty-six and two- thirds acres of second-rate land, or two hundred and fifty acres of third-rate land. Again, the taxes on a clock or gold watch were equal to the tax on two head of horses, or two hundred dollars in money. The policy of the law seems to have been to discourage luxuries by high taxa- tion, and to encourage the purchasing and owning of land by making the tax on it low. From the year 1834 ^^ the year 1836, it cost one as much to obtain a license to vend wooden clocks or foreign goods as it did to pay the county taxes on two thousand five hundred acres of the best land, or five thousand acres of third-rate land. From the records of the year 1836, being the first under the ad valorem system, the following report is obtained : Number of polls returned, 845 — at 75 cents each. . . . .$635 25 Total valuation of property, both real and personal, $490,710.79 — at 20 cents on each $100 valuation... . 9S1 42 For road purposes — at i cent on each $100 valuation 49 07 Total taxes for the year 1836 $1,665 74 4 42 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. State receiver — at 5 cents on each $100 •1'-45 35 August 20, 1836. M. PiERSOx, T. H. C. Let the critical and curious reader compare the follow- ing figures, showing the taxables of the county for 1881, wdth the preceding, and contrast the difference. An abstract of the assessment of property, real and personal, in Hancock county for the year 1S81, shows the value of land to be $4,438,190 Value of improvements 681,195 Value of lands and improvements $5,119,385 Value of lots 217,990 Value of improvements 350,105 Value of lots and improvements 568,095 Value of personal property 2,138,390 Value of telegraph ^)455 Value of railroads 394,540 Total value of taxables $8,226,835 It may be seen from the above that the value of lands and improvements was $27.00 per acre. The total value of taxables in the county averages $43.00 per acre. According to the auditor's report, the following is a true exhibit of the financial condition of Hancock county — the amount of funds on hand June i, 1881 : County funds 'i'^5'339 3° Interest on county bonds i»i94 20 Liquor License 100 00 Fines from justices of the peace . 350 54 Fines from county clerk ^33 55 Principal congressional fund 400 60 Principal common fund 1,069 ^^ Redemption land 45 02 Congressional interest due other counties 250 54 Congressional interest due this county 788 21 Township fund 3»5J^9 27 Corporation fund ^'739 97 BIRD S-EYE VIEW 43 Dof^ fund So6 91 Special school fund 81893 28 Local tuition fund 5)732 z,^ Road fund -)249 82 Total on hand, as per report of county com- missioners .$42,612 27 From other official sources we learn that the county expends, annually, over $40,000 for school purposes. The amount expended for the year ending September i, 1881, was $42,562.83. Of this there was expended for tuition $26,077.07, and for special fund $16,485 86. In further illustration of the growth of the county and her present wealth, it may be noted that the receipts of the county for the year ending May 31, 1881, were $169,- 449.84, including a balance in the treasury, May 31, 1880, of $51,650.58. The expenditures, including a balance on hand of $42,612.27, are the same. Orders outstanding May 31, 1880, are reported at $695.95; orders issued within the year, $87,665.54; orders redeemed within the year, $87,973.50; orders outstanding May 31, 1881, $387.99; county bonds outstanding, $25,000. Early in the history of our county, the poor were left to depend upon their own resources, supplemented by the gratuitous favors of their friends. But now it is other- wise. The poor and infirm, the sick and unfortunate, who are unable to care for themselves, are provided for at the county's expense. For the year ending June i, i83j, the orders issued by the trustees of the different townships of the county amounted to $4,601.55. Of this amount Cen- ter township issued orders to the extent of $2,296.17, which was the largest amount expended by any one town- ship, and Blue-river township issued orders for the same purpose to the amount of $54.25, being the smallest amount expended by any one township. The trustee of Sugar-creek township issued orders which foot up $92.11, being next to Blue-river township in the ascending scale. The trustee of Jackson township issued orders to the 44 HISTORY OF HANXOCK COUNTY. amount of ^^719.19, next to Center township in the descend- ing scale. The county is reasonably well supplied with railroads. The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis passes east and west through the central portion ; the Cleveland, Colum- bus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis (Bee Line) crosses the north-western portion ; and the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Indianapolis (Old Junction) crosses the south-western por- tion. The Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western rail- road company is now extending a line across the county, entering Buck-creek, crossing Center and the north-west corner of Jackson, and out through Brown. This road will probably be completed early in 1882. The county will then have about fifty-six miles of completed road. Another road is contemplated, to extend north and south through the county, past Eden and the Junction, and through Greenfield to Shelbyville. The road is completed to Anderson, and if sufficient assistance is voted along the proposed route, it will be completed through to Shelby- ville. Should this road be built, as projected, there will not be a township in the county without a railroad ; and without it, all but Green are partially, or wholly, crossed by roads completed, or being completed. The P., C. and St. L,, being the old "Indiana Central,'' has a line of about nineteen miles in the county; the "Junction'' ten; the " Bee Line" nearly seven ; and the I., B. and W. will have twenty miles when completed. We have four papers now published in the county ; all in Greenfield. Three political news and miscellaneous weeklies, and one educational monthlv. Our p'eople are generally industrious, moral, thrifty, and intelligent. There is less illiteracy in the countv than in the average counties of the state. Accordiniers. Augustis Dennis Westland. John E. Dye Philadelphia. BIRD S-EYE VIEW 47 Thos. E. Bentley Greenfield. ATTORNEYS. R. A. Riley, David S. Gooding, Lemuel W. Gooding, James L. Mason, Wm. R. Hough, Montgomery Marsh, Charles G. Oftutt, Geoi'ge Barnett, James A. New, Israel P. Poulson, James J. Walsh, S. A. Wray, John A. Hughes, W. S. Denton, R. A. Black, W. W. Cook, G. W. Duncan, Marshall B. Gooding, William F. McBane, John W. Jones, William H. Martin, John H. Binford, A. R. Hughes, Robert Collins, William M. Babcock, Chas. E. Rennecamp, L. H. Reynolds. TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES. Blue-river Thomas E. Hill Morristown. Brandy wine Duncan McDougall CarroUton. Brown William L. Garriott Warrington. Buck-creek Joh^^ C. Eastes Mt. Comfort. Center Robert D. Cooper Greenfield. Green Sidney Moore Eden. Jackson James F. McClarnon Charlottesville. Sugar-Creek William C. Barnard Sugar Creek. Vernon Samuel Arnett Fortville. SCHOOL TRUSTEES. city of Greoijield. Dr. Samuel S. Boots President. J. Ward Walker Treasurer. William Mitchell Secretary. l^o-jJH of Fortville. Joseph Bills President. 48 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. James B. Anderson Treasurer. J. W. Ferrell Secretary. TOWNSHIP ASSESSORS. Blue-river Nathan Newby Wcstland. Brandy wine Theodore L. Smith Carrollton. Brown Joshua P. Harlan Warrinj^^ton. Buck-creek Mahlon Apple Oaklandon. Center James K. King Greenfield. Green William H. Warrum Eden. Jackson Thomas E. Niles Charlottesville. Sugar-creek William A. Wood Sugar Creek, Vernon Aaron R. Chappcll Fortville. In the foregoing we have endeavored to take a brief general view of the county as to history, resources, and other matters of interest, which is intended to give the reader some idea of the territory to be surveyed before entering upon the work proper. This closes the first chap- ter, after which we will engage in more specific definite work, and will take up each of the townships in order, and speak of them separately ; and will, in the course of the work, give a full detailed account of the several points mentioned herein. BLUE-RIVER- TOWNSHIP. CHAPTER 11, Townshij) Line Township Township Line i; North. Scale: Two miles to an inch. MAP OF niA'E-RIVER TOWNSHIP. SHOWING THE SECTIONS, TOWNSHII', .\ND RANGES OF WIIKIl IT IS CONSTITUTED. This township takes its name from l^lue River, the principal mill stream in the township. It was ori^anized 50 HISTORY OF HANX'OCK COUNTY, in 1828, and composed of the entire eastern part of the county, what now constitutes the first commissioners dis- trict. In 183 1 it was reduced in size to thirty sections, its present limits. It is located in the south-eastern corner of the county, and is bounded by Rush count}- on the east, Shelby county on the south, Brandywine and Center town- ships on the west, and Center and Jacksan townships on the north. In extent it measures six miles north and south and five miles east and west. It is all located in township fifteen north and ranges seven and eight east ; two tiers of sections on the west are in range seven, and three on the east are in range eight. The range line dividing the two fractional congressional townships, of which this civil township is composed, extends along the center of the road running north and south by Westland Post-Oflice. The principal streams are Blue River, Six Mile Creek and Nameless Creek. Blue River cuts off" the south-east corner of the township, running through four sections, and receives from the north, in section twenty-nine, the waters of Six Mile Creek, and in section thirt\- the waters of Nameless Creek. Six Mile Creek is found in four sections of the south-eastern part of the count}', and Nameless Creek in five sections of the central portion, entering the central northern part and emptying in the central southern part. These were once all mill streams. The first mill in the county was a small log structure on Blue River, erected by Joshua Wilson in 1824. It was situated above the old Wolf's mill, now Bacon's mill. The latter is the only water-mill now in the township. Nameless Creek and Six Mile Creek both had at one time small sash saw-mills and corn crackers, all of which have long since been superseded by the modern inventions and improvements. Jesse Hunt used to run a small saw and grist-mill on Six Mile Creek, near where the Kysers now live. The writer from 1850 to 1855 spent many a day at this mill while his grist of corn was being ground, and there saw the first sawing by water-power of his life. BLUE-RIVER TOWNSHIT. 5 I John Hiinniciitt run a small saw-mill on Nameless Creek for a number of years, on what is now the William Brooks farm. There was also another small mill fvn-ther up the creek, near Westland Post-Office. Blue-river was settled at least ten years before the organization of the county. In 1818 Andrew Evans built the tirst log cabin in the township. In 1822 Thomas Philips had a blacksmith shop on Blue River. In 1823 there was built the hrst school-house in the township, or county, and Lewis Tyner was the first male teacher. Elijah Tyner, in 1824, erected the first store of the township, as well as of the county ; and he continued to do business at the same place until his death, in 1872. The writer's first pair of boots came from this store. Tyner was not only a merchant, but an extensive farmer, stock raiser, and stock dealer. For a great many years he bought and drove nearl}^ all the stock raised and sold in that part of the county, and even in the adjoining portion of Shelby county. Tyner is also entitled to the credit of setting out the first orchard in the county. He brought the trees with him from the east. The first fence in the county was built in this township. The builder was a man by the name of McCall. It was a brush fence, made of the branches of the trees which McCall had climbed and trimmed. McCall had previ- ously cleared a little spot by hitching his faithful " Buck" and " Bright" to the grubs and " pulling them out by the roots." Among the first settlers of this township were Andrew Evans, John Montgomery, Montgomery McCall, Harmon Warrum, Elijah and Solomon Tyner, John Osborn, Joshua Wilson, George Penwell, the Johnses, Adamses, James and Benajah Binford, Joseph Andrews, John Brown, David Dodge, David Smith, and others, with their families, were 52 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. among the more prominent pioneers of this section. The Binfords came in 1826. The township in its native state presented some fine scenery ; especially in the rich bottom lands. The primi- tive trees were grand and stately, and some of them of enormous size. There is an oak now to be seen on the farm of Penn Binford that measured nine feet in diameter and about seventy feet to the first limb. It fell about the year 1852. It is said, by those who saw it, to have been large enough before the falling off of the bark to have made it possible to have driven an ordinary two-horse wagon and team from the butt to the first limb. The red- bud skirting the streams in early spring presented a bright picture among the green and luxuriant foliage. Pea vines spice-brush, grape-vines, and nettles, were common everywhere. The surface in the vicinity of the streams is somewhat hilly and undulating, w^hile on the uplands it is moderately level to gently rolling. The only portion that may be con- sidered strictly level, is in the north-west corner. It is the dry est township in the countv. It consists of first and second-rate land, and is well improved and under good cultivation. Within its limits are many prosperous farm- ers, with fine residences, large barns, and good fences. Its educational and church advantages are not sur- passed in the county. Its public schools, it having none other at present, are nine in number, arranged in three tiers of three eacli, and numbered regularly from one to nine, similar to the num- bering of the sections in a congressional township. No. i being located in the north-east corner and No. 9 in the south-west corner. The teachers, for the present, are as follows: District No. i, Pleasantview, W. B. Hill; Dis- trict No. 2, Temperance Hall, W. E. Scott; District No. 3, Jessups, James K. Allen ; District No, 4, Hopewell, Bertha Scott; District No. 5, Westland, Jethro Dennis; District No. 6, Hardy's Fork, Mattie Cofiield ; District No. 7, Handy's, John M. Winslow ; Distric No. 8, Gates' Har- vey New ; District No. 9, Shiloh, Fannv Da^•is. BLUE-RIVER TOWNSHIP 53 The churches are six in number, named and located as follows, to-wit : Shiloh, Baptist, located in the south-west corner of the township, near Elijah Tyner's old place ; Mt. Olivet, Christian Union, in the central portion, near the Newby farm ; Gilboa, M. E. church, in the northern central portion ; Westland, Friends, in the central portion, near Westland school-house, the voting precinct ; Pleas- antview. Friends, in the northeastern part of the town- ship, adjoining Samuel B. Hill's farm ; Western Grove, Friends, in the central western portion, on the pike near Mahlon Beeson's farm. The present mills and factories of the township are as follows : Bacon's Flouring Mill, water-power, previously located ; Wiley's Saw-Mill, steam-power, in the western central portion ; Marsh's Tile Factory, one mile west of Westland P. O. ; Luse's Tile Factory, in the central north- ern portion. The roads in Blue-river, like other parts of the county, were once mere paths "blazed out" through the thick timber and underbrush, which presents quite a contrast to its present graded and graveled highways. The town- ship now has eight and one-half miles of toll pike in addi- tion to her public unassessed roads, many of which are nearly, or quite, equal to the revenue roads. The township has no railroad within its borders, but has five miles of the P., C. and St. L., the old "• Indiana Central," on its north line. The entire population, white and black, in 1880 was 1,258. The polls in 1881 were 217, and the scholastic population 350. The number of acres assessed in the township for 1881 were 18,755, valued at $456,290. The improvements on the same were valued at $63,840. The total value of the personal property was put at $168,455. The total valua- tion of property, real and personal, was $688,585. The full amount of taxes due from the township for the current year is $6,540.47. Among the more prominent men of the township at 54 HISTORY OF IIANX'OCK COUXTV. present, especially in a linancial point of view, are the fol- lowing, each of whom will pay taxes to the amount of $40 and upwards for the year 1881, to be paid in 1882 : Atkinson, Lurikla 4 ,^ -_ Andrews, Robert D 6S 80 Anderson, James 67 10 Binford, Wm. P. '." , \ ,^ -^ I J-Z Binford, Robert 78-27 Binford, Joseph '" y „s^ Binford, VVm. L ^^ ^^ Brooks, Wm 77-8 Butler, Joseph 5^ ^3 Billman, Leander 66 -?S Brown, Robert 72 -'6 Coffi". N. D '.'..'.'.'.'.'.'.'..'..'. 60 88 Caldwell, J. M _^^ 6^ C^^^J^ooh (3^ ^^ Eakins, Levina ^^ o^ Gates, Dayton II wj ^^ Hendren, Jerry ^o 3 , Hackleman, Lemuel -^ r i Hill, Samuel B.. . . i-'S 70 Hill,ThomasE '.'.'.'.'.'.'. .'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'..'. 4405 Harold, Lemuel =;7 87 Hunt, John ■ -^^ ^^ HatHeld, George H 86 74 Jessup, Levi ""' ^^ ^^ Johns, Robison, sr 4-? 08 Moore, William ^20-1 New, William 1 1 =; i^ Pitts, Samuel C 42 01 Pusey, Jesse F. heirs 64 47 ^^^^^^John ■ ■■■ ^6 ^^ Roots, Chas. P 124 80 Tyner, James M -- ^ Tyncr, Elbert ^3 Tyner, Sarah A g- -g Warrum, Noble 7' So ^«in Jacob G '.'.'.'.'.'.'..'.'.'.'..'. 59 xS Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis Ry Co. . 464 23 BLUE-RIVER TOWNSHIP :)0 At the present time the township has but one justice, — Elijah Tyner, — and he is not Hkely to become wealthy from the profits of the office, notwithstanding that he is much of a gentleman ; but he is living in a quiet commu- nity of peaceable people, who patronize the courts onlv in case of necessity, and hence are seldom engaged in pett}' lawsuits and acrimonious legal contests. The township has one located physician, in the person of Dr. Oliver Andrews, allopathist, and son of Joseph Andrews, deceased, one of the pioneers. Much of the practice of the township is divided up between the physi- cians of the surrounding towns — Greenfield, Carthage, Morristown, Charlottesville, and Cleveland. Among the physicians who practiced in the township thirty and fortv 3'ears ago, were : Drs. Lot Edwards, B. F. Duncan, R. E. Barnett, N. P. Howard, of Greenfield ; John Clark, Pat- terson and Stratton, of Carthage ; Whiteside and Riddle, of Knightstown ; Wolf, of Morristown, and Edmundson, of Blue-river. The latter was a one-armed man, located on the Joseph Binford farm, where he also kept a small store. A few years later Dr. Newby held forth at Moore's shop, in the eastern part of the township. B. P. Butler is the post-master, and Thomas E. Hill trustee. Samuel Heavenridge built the first store, at Westland, in about the year 1852. It was a small log structure. He sold to Levi Reece ; Reece to Ambrose Miller and Henry Newby ; Miller & Newby to Calvary G. Sample, who run the store for a few years, and then sold out at public auc- tion about the beginning of the civil war. There was no store in the place then until Wm. New opened up. New sold to Lemuel Harold and Levi Cloud ; Cloud sold his interest back to Harold, who afterward formed a partnership with James L. Binford ; Binford sold back to Harold, and Harold to Binford Brothers, who were burned out on the 13th of April, 1881, since which time there has been no store in the place. Joel Pusey erected a building in the eastern part of the township in about the 56 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. year 1855, in which he run a store for a number of years. In poHtics, Blue-river is r-epubhcan by about seventy- five majority, being the only strictly republican township in the county. The magistrates of the township from its organization to date, as near as w^e are able to ascertain, were as follows : John Osborn Unknown Samuel A. Hall ^^34 Richard Hackleman 1836 Richard Hackleman 1840 Adam Allen 1848 Richard Hackleman 1S51 James Sample ^^53 Richard Hackleman 1S56 John Coffin i^S? John Coffin 1S61 Thompson Allen 1865 Thompson Allen 1S69 John O. G. Collins 1869 Edward L. Coffin 1872 Walter S. Luse 1877 Elijah Tyner, present justice 1S78 The following are the ex-township trustees since 1859, the date at which thev were empowered with authority to levy local taxes : B. P. Buder 1859 N. D. Coffin i860 James New 1S63 Lemuel Hackleman 1S65 B. F. Luse 1869 Samuel B. Hill 1873 Lemuel Hackleman 1^77 Thomas E. Hill 1880 Of the men who once lived in the township, and now reside elsewhere, are : The News, of Greenfield ; James P. Galbreath, of Kansas ; the Binfords, of Iowa ; Elias Marsh, editor of the Commercial^ Portland, Jay county, iCiyzrucX^O. BLUE-RIV'ER TOWNSHIP 57 Indiana ; Amos Beeson, editor of the Winchester younial, and one of the trustees of the northern prison ; Milton Hodson, a former partner of Beeson's in the yotinial \ Prof. Penn Hunnicutt, of Iowa; Hon. Noble Warrum, Dr. M. M. Adams, and the writer, of Greenfield ; Oliver Butler, attorney, of Richmond ; James L. Binford and the Tyners, merchant and traders, of Morristown ; Eli Gal- breath, attorney, Pittsburg; Ephraim Bentlev, commis- sioner, now of Brand3^wine ; Prof. Joseph R. Hunt, of Indianapolis; Dr. Handy, of Arkansas; Mrs. R. P. Hill, of Rush county, author of a book of poems ; Levi Bin- ford, druggist, Joseph Binford, farmer and banker, John Hunnicutt, carriage-maker, and Dr. Nuby, of Carthage. Of the ex-county officers now residing in the township, we call to mind Ex-Treasurer George W. Hatfield and Ex-County Surveyor Calvary G. Sample. William New, of Greenfield, was for a number of }ears commissioner from Blue-river, and William Handy state representative. The chief exports of the township are corn, wheat, hogs, cattle, horses, apples, potatoes, and flaxseed. The value, in the judgment of the writer, of the nine frame school-houses in this township is $4,500 ; value of apparatus, $400 ; total value of school property, $4,900. At the presidential election for 1880, the township was republican by sixty-eight majority, the vote standing as follows: Republican vote, 175; Democratic vote, 107; Greenback vote, 18; total vote, 300. Blue-river in 1836 cast 32 votes ; in 1840, 38 ; in i860, 212. The population of the township for 1850 was 936 ; for i860, 1,060; for 1870, 1,125 5 ^or 1880, 1,258. CHAPTER HI. Mount Oi.ivet Church. The Christian church of Blue-river township, now known as Mt. Olivet, was organized in the year 1838, by 5 58 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUXTV. old Father Hubbard, in what was then known as the Allen School-House, in district No. 3. Among its early preach- ers were Elders Hubbard, Epplesizer and Jonathan Line- back. Its early members were Jonathan and Polly Line- back, Absalom Dayis and wife, Eli and Anna Risley, John and Catharine New, and Miss Lizzie Miller. The same church was reorganized in the year 1862, by Elder W. A. Gross, at what is now called the Temperance Hall School-House, in district No. 2, with a few members, prominent of whom were Jonathan Lineback and wife. Nathan Newby and wife, and Abraham Lineback and wife. The membership at that time was about fifty-six. The present building was erected in 187 1, at a cost of $1,000. It was dedicated in June, 187 1, by Elder Homer. A. H. Allison built the church, and was the first preacher, fol- lowed by Elders John Biu^ket, Dayenport, and Peter Baker. Some of the present members are : Miles S. Cook and wife, Walter S. Luse, John Hackleman, Polly Lineback, and others, about forty in number. Preaching, usually, once a month. Walter S. Luse"s Tile Factory was erected in 1879, '^^ "^ ^'-"^^ ^^ $2,000. being the second in the township. It manufactures about 1,500 rods of tile per annum. Has been in operation eleyen years. Total amount manufactured, 16.500. Lewis G. Rule's Saw-Mill, in Blue-riye tovynship, was built in 1879, '^^ '*• ^'^^^ of $1 ,500. Capacity, 3,500 feet per day. It turnishes work for six hands, and ships lumber to Indianapolis, Buffalo and Cleyeland. The mill is in the northern part of the town- ship, a little south of the National road. Elijah Tyner. The subject of this sketch was born in Abbeyille Dis- trict, South Carolina, in 1797. He was the second son of the Rey. William Tyner, a Baptist minister, who remoyed 15LUE-RIVER TOW'XSIIIl'. 59 from South Carolina to Kentucky in the \ear 1802, and from thence to Indiana in 1805, near J^rookville ; thence to Decatur county. At the age of twenty-one Mr. Tvner was married to Martha McCure, of FrankHn county. In 1820 he came to Hancock countv, or the territory now •comprising the county, which the reader will remember was not organized till eight years afterward ; and eyen Madison, from which Hancock was struck off in 1828, was not organized till 1823. In 1821, September 19, he entered eighty acres of land in Blue-river township, being the third entry made in the county. The iirst entr\' was made August 10, 1821, by Harmon Warrum, and the second August 23, by James Tyner. In 1822 Mr. Tyner married Mary Nelson, who died in 1830. In 1832 he was again married, this time to Sarah Ann Hollerston. Mr. Tyner was one of the staunch pioneers, coming into the county within two years from the first settlement made b\' the "pale-face." As a merchant, he was honest and accom- modating, and thereby gained the esteem of all who knew him. Elsewhere we have shown that he was not onh' a pioneer merchant, stock-trader and farmer, but he was the hrst in the county to give any attention to horticulture, having set out an orchard in the year 1822, according to the best information now at hand. Mr. Tyner also acted as a kind of common carrier between the early settlers and the market. As a father, he was kind-hearted and gentle. He raised a large family, and provided well for them. As a neighbor, he was highly respected on account of his many amiable qualities. In politics, he was a \yiiig and republican, but liberal in his views. He was a Baptist in faith, but by no means a bigot. He liberally supported the church, and every good cause found in him a friend and substantial encouragement. His remains lie buried in Shiloh cemetery, near his home, where loving hands have <^rected a stately monument to mark his last resting place. AuAM Allen's Pioneer Life. Adam Allen, with his family, came to Blue-river town- 6o HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. ship, Hancock county, Indiana, in December, 1827. He moved into a small log cabin covered with clapboards ; half of the floor was of rough slabs ; the front and other half was simply the earth made smooth and pounded firm. The tire-place and chimney were very rude, made of rock, mud and sticks. It would admit a back log of six or seven feet in length. The loft was made of rough boards. There was not then a public road in the township ; only a path "blazed" through the woods to a distant neigh- bor's cabin. He had but one neighbor within less than a mile, and that was James Wilson, who had settled two years before on the farm now occupied by Augustus Dennis. About 1830, while a man moving into the township was crossing the small stream that flows south, asked the name of the creek. Being told that it had none, he said : -' It is a ' nameless creek f " which name it still retains. When the Aliens came, almost the whole surface of the earth was covered with undergrowth, which consisted of spice brush, pea vines, and coarse grass. Cattle and horses subsisted on it nearly the whole year. Hogs fat- tened on the mast almost entirely, and were penned only for a few days before killing time, and then that they might be fed a little corn to harden the lard. There was an abundance of wild gooseberries, plums and ginseng. "The latter I have often gathered," says Thompson Allen, his son, " and dried for market, which sold at about twen- tv-five cents per pound." There were wolves, wild cats, turkeys, and white and black squirrels in great numbers ; and in the summer and fall, when the corn was ripening, the daily employment of the bo3^s was to scare the squir- rels away from the corn field. Mr. Allen's plow was of the old wooden mold-board kind. He cut his wheat with a sickle, and either carried or hauled it on a sled ; then threshed it out with a flail on a dirt floor. If the wind was blowing, he would clean it by standing and slowly pouring the wheat to. the ground in a small stream, letting the wind blow the chaft' away. BLUE-RIVEK TOWNSHIP. 6 I If there was no wind, then two persons with a sheet woukl fan while a third poured the wheat. For several years he had no cook stove ; all the cook- ing was done by the fire. The johnny-cake board was as common then as a tea-kettle is now. They had no apples, peaches, or tame fruits, but sub- .stituted pumpkins, and, of course, were very familiar witli pumpkin pies. Dried pumpkins were laid up in the fall, which served for dessert when they had companv or on Sunday mornings for breakfast. On one occasion Mr. Allen went out to a mill on Flat Rock, and on his return brought home with him about half a bushel of apples, the first ever seen by the children. The mother gave each of them an apple, and put the rest away in the loft, telling them that, as she now had some flour, they must not touch the apples, and she would make some pies. That night Thompson Allen woke up, and hearing the boards rattle, looked in the direction of the apples, and presently saw something white descending, which proved to be one of his brothers, who could not refrain from the unfrequent temptation of satisfying a keen appetite superinduced b^- that one apple. The first school-house in the north part of the township was built on the southern part of Noble Warrum's farm, in section six, township fifteen. It was made of logs, and had five corners. It was not chinked and daubed ; had no windows and but one door. A man by the name of San- ford taught the first school therein. The second school was taught by Mr. McPherson. One day a boy had done something contrary to the "rules,'' and the teacher, to punish him, made him go outdoors and climb up in a dog- wood sapling ; he then detailed another boy to stand at the foot of the bush and keep him up there. "In 1844," sa3's Thompson Allen, "I commenced teaching school. The price then was about thirty dollars per term of sixty-five days, about ten dollars of it being public money. The law required teachers to have cer- tificates, but the examinations were not verv rifjid. Once 62 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. I went to Greentield to get license. I told the eK'aminer what I wanted. lie said: 'How long will you be in town? Call before you go home, and I will have them ready. I am busy now.' I called, ga^•e him fifty cents, his fee, and received m}- license, without being asked a single question. The tirst man that preached in the northern part of the township was Father McClain, the father-in-law of Wes- ley Williams, of Jackson township. Adam Allen was a strong, robust, honest and honora- ble man — a good representive of the majority of the early settlers of the country. [We are indebted to Thompson Allen, Esquire, and James K. Allen, teacher, son and grandson of the above,, tor most of the foregoing facts.] History of Shiloh Church. On the tit'th Saturday in Ma\\ 1841, a number of Bap- tists met at the house of Richard Hackleman, in the south- western part of the township, to consider the propriety' of organizing a chmxh. After some consultation, they agreed to call a council of brethren, to meet at the house of Solo- mon Tyner on the fourth Saturday of the next month. At this council there were thirteen persons present, and they organized by choosing Elder McQiuu-v as moderator and J. T. Price as clerk. After some deliberation the council proceeded to adopt a constitution. The names of the constituent members were as follows, to-wit : Solo- mon Tyner, John H. Caldwell, John M. Duncan, Jemima Tyner, Nancy Duncan, Caroline Randall, and Rosanna Caldwell ; being seven members in all, which was increased to fifteen at their next meeting. Elder McQi.uu-v was their first pastor. He was one of Indiana's pioneers : a man of unusual energ}' and piety, and his preaching was consid- ered powerliil and impressive. His hallowed influence still sur\ives in tiic hearts of nian\- of the brethren. BLUE-RIVER TOWNSHIP, 6^ The following are the pastors in order, and the time each served : From 1841 to 18:^2, Elder McQiiary. From 1853 to 1853, Elder Wm. Baker. From 1853 to 1854, Elder Elias Boston. From 1854 to 1857, Elder Wilson Thompson. From 1857 to 1864, Elder J. G.Jackson. From 1864 to 1868, Elders J. S. Weaver and D. Caudel. From 1S68 to 1872, Elders G. S. Weaver and A. B. May. From 1873 to 1876, Elders A. B. May and Harvey Wright. From 1876 to 1879, Elders Harvey Wright and D. Caudel. From 1879 to 1S81, Elders D. Caudel and J. F. Weaver. The church continued to hold her meetings from house to house until the 3'ear 1854 • ^^^^ then erected a frame building, 30x40 feet, at a cost of $800. The house is on the pike, just north of Tyner's old store, on the south-east corner of section 26, township lit"teen north, range seven east. This house is still her place of worship. Shiloh hrst asked admission, and was received, into the Lebanon Association ; but afterward withdrew, and, for convenience, joined the \Vhite Water Association. It would be well to state here that Baptist churches are not under the control of a superior organization, but each church is independent. The association is merely an annual meeting tor mutual correspondence. One session of the Lebanon Association and three sessions of the White Water Association have been held with this church. It was here that the Lebanon Association was held in August, 1846, at which time the great question of " Means and anti-Means" was discussed. Some churches had already divided, each party sending messengers, whose seats were contested. It was an exciting time, and party spirit ran high. Those of the means party claimed that "God quickens, regenerates and makes alive dead sin- ners bv his spirit through the written and preached word. That God has proposed salvation in the Gospel to the world of mankind. That Jesus did not die as man, but as God." The anti-means party claimed that " God quick- 64 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. ens the sinner by the power of his spirit without the aid or instrumentality of human power. That the written and preached word is for the instruction and comfort of God's people after they have been quickened by his power. That God has not proposed salvation to any one, but has secured the salvation of all saints by the blood of Christ ; and that repentance and remission of sins is a gift of God, and not the act of the creature by the free volition of his will." They also held that " Christ died as man and not as God." Other points were discussed, but the foregoing are the main ones. This church is anti-means, and though at present num- bering but thirty members, it is at peace with mankind, and enjoying a reasonable degree of prosperit}-. [We are indebted to W. N, Tharp, a teacher and the church clerk, for most of the above facts.] James L. Binford was born October 10, 1787, in Prince George county, N. C, and came to Hancock county in 1826, and was one of the first settlers of Blue-river township. He was married to Mary Ladd in 1817, by whom he had five children, viz. : Robert, Ann, Joseph, Benjamin, and William L. Mr. B. was married a second time to Jane Binford, to whom were born one chfld. In politics, Mr. B. was a staunch whig ; and, notwithstanding his father had owned and worked slaves, he was bitterly opposed to the accursed traffic, and never hesitated to denounce it in the strongest terms consistent with his Christian profession. When in health he was regular in attendance at the place of wor- ship with the Society of Friends, the church of his choice, twice or more per week. Mr. B. was a very plain-spoken man, yet kind-hearted, and ever ready to help the worthy poor. He was also very conscientious, and although he loaned a great deal of money for his time, he was never known to accept more than six per cent, interest, nor usury in an}^ form. By industrv, strict economv, and the avoidance of all vicious BLUE-RIVER TOWNSHIP, 65 iind luxurious habits, he succeeded in amassing a neat for- tune, and was thereby enabled to do much for charitable purposes, and to give each of his five children a quarter of a section of good land, and as much more in ready cash. He died August 19, 1863, aged seventy-five years, eleven months and eighteen days, and was buried according to the simple custom of the Friends at the Walnut Ridge burying-grounds, in Rush county, Indiana. His first wite died in 1822, and was buried in North Carolina, and his second December 14, 1867, at the age of seventy- nine years and nine months, and was buried beside her husband. Elihu Coffin, Sen. The subject of this sketch is a native of Clinton county, Ohio. Date of nativity, March 31, 1807. He was prin- cipally raised in North Carolina ; came to Milton, Indiana, in 1828 and remained till 1831, when he came to Hancock county, and shared with the few settlers the privations and hardships of frontier life. The roads were to make, the forests were to clear, the wild animals to exterminate, and the physical man to provide with food, clothing and shel- ter. The first winter Mr. Coffin was in the county he, in common with many others, did without bread for weeks at a time, owing to the mills being frozen up so that they could not grind, there being no steam mills in those days. They lived on potatoes, pumpkins, and wild game. Mr. Coffin has traveled quite a good deal, has a reten- tive memory, and takes great pleasure in telling of the sights. From 1850 to 1852 he lived in Iowa; thence he wended his way across the plains to the gold regions of California, where, for two years, he had an experience brighter in imagination than in reality. From California Mr. C. returned to Iowa, by way of Panama, New York and Chicago. But still not contented with any point vet visited between the Atlantic and Pacific, save on the fertile, salubrious soil of old Hancock, he determined to retrace his steps, and accordingly, in 1865, permanentl\- 66 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. located in Blue-river towrivship ; where, with the wife of his bosom and the companion of his travels, he is enjoy- ing a peaceful old age ; and would, doubtless, take pleas- ure in telling the reader a hundred fold more than we have recorded. Mr. C. is a square-built, muscular man, a good Mason, a republican, and an orthodox Friend. Personal Sketch of Augustus Dennis. Mr. Dennis was born in Virginia in June, 1827 ; came to Hancock county in 1844 ; w^as married to Miss Jemima C. Tyner in October, 1847. Mr. D. was bred on a farm, and has given that branch of industry his whole attention. He came to the county a poor boy, with only twelve and one-half cents in his pocket, and worked at eight dollars per month. He now has a good farm in tine state of cul- tivation. Mr. D. is an uncompromising democrat, 3'et he accords to others what he asks for himself — liberty to think and act for himself. He has ever since early manhood been identified with some religious society, connecting himself fii'st with the Methodists, and later becoming a member of the Friends Society, as it best suited his opinions and con- venience, without the sacrifice of any vital principle taught bv the church of his first choice. Mr. D. was elected countv commissioner lor the first commissioner's district in 1878 over Elisha Earles, a wor- thy opponent, by 3,000 majority. He has always taken a decided stand on the side of temperance, both by example and precept, and even hesi- tated to qualify as commissioner, owing to the relation of the office with the licensing of the traffic. Sketch of the Pioneicr Life of Harmon Warrum. {^l^urnisJicd by his son, I/o/iorablc JVobIc M^arr/tiii.) Harmon Warrum was a Kentuckian bv birth, the son of an Enijlishman who went to Kentuck^• from Penns\l- BLUE-RIVER TOWNSHIl'. 67 vania in an early day, and who was recognized as an expert w'ith the rifle, and also a proficient backwoodsman, being constantly employed as scovit and trailer. He died when the subject ot" the above sketch was quite a child, leavinn" him in the care of an uncle, whose name was Thomas Consley, on whom fell the duty of educating him for the stern realities of frontier life which he was destined to experience. After arriving at majority, he became a rather cool, self-possessed man, endowed with great cour- age and pM^sical ability. He was quick to resent a wrong and never forgot a kindness. He w'as an active, strong man, having fouo'ht, wrestled and run with both whites and reds, but never vanquished. He came to Indiana about the year .1807, and in 1809 or 1810 married a young lady of English descent, who had lately emigrated from Georgia. Her name was Edith Butler. I was born in 1819, and when about four years of age my father moved to Hancock county (then a part ot Madison), and settled on Blue River, in the southern part of the county, and took a title for the land now owned and occupied by Dayton H. Gates, Esq. This was the lirst piece of land entered in the county : he alse entered the last piece situated on Swamp Creek — the tirst on August 10, 1821, and the last on January 16, 1854. When he first came to Blue-river it was a dense wilder- ness for miles and miles ; no sound save the rustling ot the leaves, the moaning of the wind, and the angry voice of the storm cloud ; no music broke the calm stillness of the summer air save the buzzing of mosquitoes, the howling of the ravenous wolves, or the fierce }'ell of the prowling panther : no noisv hum of laboring factories ; no clanking hammers in dusty shops. No, the great work-house of nature, covered with the blue canopy of heaven, walled in only bv the horizon, and lit up by nature's lamps, suf- ficed . Then we heard no ringing of Sabbath church bells; no locomotive whisde. Had a train of cars passed through the country at that time, the pioneers would have declared it haunted. 68 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY, Our nearest neighbors, about seven or eight miles dis- tant, living on Brandywine, were the families of Roberts, Montgomery and Stephenson ; but after awhile here came the Tyners and Johnses ; also, Penwells, Watts and Wilsons to our immediate neighborhood. But neighbors living then at a distance of eight or ten miles apart were more neighborly than those of to-day in adjoining lots. Well, as neighbors kept coming, cabins were being put up in every direction. Everything in a bustle, and all at work that could work. The pioneer cabin was cheaplv made and easily constructed. Ours was built of round logs, notched to lay closely together ; the roof was of four-foot clapboards, weighed down by poles laid across each course of boards ; then there was what was termed the " eaves bearer," a log laying parallel with the ends of the cabin, and projecting about eighteen inches over the wall ; a good splitting stick was selected, split through the center, placed on the ends of the "eaves bearer," and notched for the roof boards to butt against ; this was called the "butting pole" ; a door-way was sawed out, and the logs were used as steps ; then a window was cut, a s/'iiglc open- ing ; we called it a window because it was the largest hole in the cabin to let in the light ; it was made by placing .sticks across as a frame-work, on which a piece of greased newspaper was placed ; through this the light shone like 73 in a very Inrge sycamore tree. After a great many trials, my father brought his trusty rifle and unerring aim to bear upon this "monarch of the clouds," and brought him to the ground severely wounded. He was then attacked by the dog, who soon drew olT much the worse for the wear, having the skin ripped open at the back and hanging down on either side. When at last he yielded, we stretched his wings apart, to lind that they were eleven and one-halt feet from tip to tip. About this time there was a tanyard, the tirst there had been in the county, established a short distance south of Cleveland, by a Mr. Wood. To this we went for our tanned hog-skin, with which we soled our moccasins. It wore very well ; but if left too near the hre, the soles would curl up and burst off, and were to be tacked on every morning ; so it became necessary for us to rise quite early tor that as well as for earning our daily bread, which was some times more than half pumpkins, meal being scarce; this was called pumpkin bread. Pumpkins being our only fruit, so to speak, we took pains to preserve them. First, we peeled them, hung some of them on poles, placed some of them in the garret, and some in the lower room, to dry. Frequently they were boiled, mashed fme, spread thin and smooth on a board, and dried into what was called " pumpkin leather." This was reserved for use when the pumpkins were gone. This was made into delicious pumpkin pies. The country was new and the people were few; But what there were, were brothers; They'd never eat this savory meat 'Til tliey shared it with their brothers. The first physician in my father's house was an old doctor from near where Freeport now stands, an old and venerable physician by name of Dr. Tracy. The second was Dr. Lot Edwards, one of the first doctors in Green- field. The settlers in those days were principally their 6 74 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. own M. D.\s, iisin*:^ roots and herbs instead of drug's and liquors. The medicinal properties ot" plants ^vere learned, to a large extent, from straggling Indians, whom the set- tlers saw quite often, sometimes in small tribes. These old pioneers, when gathered together, were not quarrelling over the political issues of the day. They left that to those occupying the higher positions. They were not in the habit of gathering to listen to flighty orations, but simply sitting around giving their hunting narrations, encounters with bears, strugglings against want, and suf- ferings from mosquitoes. The world turned the same then as now, and turned just as easily, too. And I firmly believe that were our country thrown back into a wild con- dition, where nature's handiwork alone shone torth : replace these smooth, unbroken meadows \vith mighty branching oaks, towering maples and spreading b^ech : let deer, with arched necks and statel}' step, their haughty antlers bowed as the}- graze from the abundance of wild irrass lining the little rivulet, abound ; let the hoarse and angry growls of ever-famished wolves be heard ; the rustling of the leaves and breaking of limbs, over which the sluggish bears are stalking ; together with the life-like cry of unseen panthers, the howling of wild cats and the screaming of eagles, and people it with the same people ot to-day, it would go to the dogs, and the people eventuallv starve. This arises from a different kind of education. Those pioneers were men of iron wills and nerves of steel. They were endowed with a knowledge of the differ- ence between right and wrong. Truth and honesty beamed from every countenance. They were industrious as well as adventurous. Though they loved the wild and savage backwoods life, they were working for the promo- tion of civilization. They knew none but the school of experience. At their touch the mighty monarchs of the forest turned to dust and ashes. At their glance the wild beast cowered. P'or their children and their posterity they toiled and denied themselves the luxuries of civilized life. ^'The latch string always hung outside of the door," so I{LUE-KI\'EK TOWNS I IIP 75 that the \vear\- pilgrim of lite might enter. You had but to ask, and you would recei\e. Tliey toiled. l'he\- practiced self-denial. For what? For their children. For the upbuilding of a civilized country. Have they not achieved success .'' Look aroimd you. Whence came these cities and towns, with their factories and shops and mills and beautiful buildings and churches? Whence came these lovely farms, wit!i their orchards of luscious fruits, their fields of waving corn, their ripe meadows, and gem-like lots of golden wheat? Had vou an ear for nature's song, these would Jill your ears with praises for those hardy pioneers, some of whom, much to the discredit of those for \vhom they toiled, are still in the Held, a few of them barely keeping want from their doors. They li\-ed, as God intended you and I and every one should live, by the sweat of the brow, determined to earn their bread before eating it. Many of them, like Columbus, never li\ed to enjoy what they achie\'ed, but we .hope are repaid b\' heavenly comfort. Wksti^kx Guovii CiiUKcii. This meeting was established in the Eleventh Month, 1864. The society held its meetings for ten years in a log house formerly used as a potter's shop, located a few rods north of the present building. Prominent among its first members were Elias Marsh, Isaac Beeson, John Hunt, Elihu Coffin and Mahlon Beeson. The first minister that ever preached in the house was x\senith Clark (Dr. Dugan Clark's mother), followed by Luther B. Gordon, Mahlon Hockett, Mary Rogers, Jane Jones, and several others. The present minister is Joseph O. Binford. The house now in use was built in the year 1874. ^^ is a handsome, substantial frame building, size 36x44, erected at a cost of $1,400. Regular meetings are held twice every week. The 76 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. mid-week meetinrcss Ai;r//^ — IKniKK Wu.i.is. L. BouiNc;. Posfniastcr — John D. T.icas. Ainono- tho tirsi business men dI" this little bury were : John Elmore and the tirni ot' Andrews and Roseberry. merchants; Hiram Comstock and Warren Kinix, physi- cians ; Frank Lucas, blacksmith ; ]Martin Eakman, wag'on- maker. and William Eskew, shoe-maker. The lirst post- master. (). II. P. McOonald. Sic^.ar-Crekek CiiiRCH (Christian). in lManil\ wine township, located one and one-halt' miles north ot" Carrollton. and or<]fanized in the vear 1831. tirst met at the private house of William Thomas, senior. The tollowing" were among the original members : William Thomas, sen., father of Ex-Sheriti' Thomas: Elizabeth Thomas, Helry Thomas, John liaker, Elizabeth Haker, William McConnell and wite, James and Margaret Anderson, and Eleazer Snodgrass. The tirst preachers were Elders fohn Gregg. D. Ht^lt, and J. P. Banks. The meetings were afterwards held in a log school- house one mile north o\ Carrollton. The present house was built in the vear 1869, at a cost oi $2, OCX), and dedicated by O. A. Burgess. Size of house, 38x48. The tollowing are the present trustees: John S. Thomas, Robert Davis, and Henrv Frv. Among the more recent Elders were Arthur Miller. David Franklin, Robert Edmondson. and Elder Bennett. The present preacher is Elder Coffield. This church has a good Sunday-school, organized about 1869. Present superintendent. Robert Williamson. Averaije attendance, tortv-tive. ukandvwine township. 85 Eden Chapel (United I^ketiikenj, was organized in the year 1840, and located one mile east of Carrollton. Among the lirst members were George Muth and family, Mrs. Higgenbottom, John Elmore and wife, Mrs. Hoagland, and others. The meetings of the society were held in George Muth's house until 1850, when a substantial frame house, costing $1,400, was built. The first ministers were George Muth, Amos Hanaway and Rev. Father Ball. About 1866, they sold their house to the Radical Meth- odists, who are still holding forth in the same house, with Rev. Callahan as their present minister. The United Brethren removed the class to Carr(jllton about the year 1879, ^^^^ held their meetings in a small building formerly the old public school-house. Present minister, R.ev. McNew. This church has a prosperous little Sunday-school. Willard Low, Esq., superintendent. There are several small Sunday-schools in the school-houses. In 1866, the Brandywine Union Sunday-school was organized at Cow- den's School-house. J. P. Banks, superintendent. Rob- ert Williamson has been superintendent for about eight years. There are also Sunday-schools at Porter's, Scott's, and Pleasant Hill. I^RAss Band. The Brandywine Township Brass Band was organized October 10, 1880, with the following members: Aaron W. Scott, Edgar B. Thomas, J. W. Thomas, Charles Scott, John Liming, Carson W. Rush, Emanuel Smith, Frank Kinder, James Scott, William Scott, John Gwinn, and Aaron Alyea. All young men living in the township. Cost of instruments, $146. Their first teacher was Isaac Davis, of Greenfield. OfHcers : Frank Kinder, president : J. W. Scott, treasurer : Charles Scott, secretary. 86 history of hancock county. William H. Porter. The subject of this sketch was born May lo, 1810, near Davton, Ohio. He came to Fayette county \yith his parents at the age of eighteen. He run on the riyer as flat boatman for four years from Kanawha Salt Springs, W. Va., to New Orleans, at fifty cents per da3\ In 1^32 he came to Hancock county and entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in Brandywine townshiji. where he remained till his death, in 1866. His remains rest in Mt. Lebanon cemetery, near his farm. He was a successful, prosperous farmer in his time. He raised three sons. J. W. and F. M. Porter are both respectable citizens and prosperous farmers in their natiye township. William H. Porter is engaged in butch- ering in Greenfleld. P/Irs. Isaac Roberts. This good lady, the mother of John Roberts, is the old- est resident citizen in Brand}' wine township, haying come to the "new purchase" prior to the organization of the territory into Madison county and settled on the farm now owned by Marion Steele. She was married in New York just at the close of the war of 181 2. Her husband was a faithful, yalient soldier of said war. They came through on foot, carrying their effects, and crossed the Ohio River in an Indian canoe. They settled in the dense forest, making a temporary room by piling brush against a large log and covering it with bark until they could erect a small pole cabin. There was at that time no roads, and not a mill within thirty-five miles. Beat hominy, venison and spice-wood tea were the chief eatables. During the Indian troubles following the " Indian mas- sacre " in Madison county, of which this later formed a part, her husband and Mr. Rambo went to Pendleton, the KRANUYWINE TOWNSHIP. 87 count}' seat at that time, to attend the trial and act as guards. There was great uneasiness all over the country at this time, the whites not knowing at what time thev might be murdered by the justly indignant Indians. These two women remained alone during their husbands' absence at the trial, a lull account of which will be found further on. During this time one evening Mrs. Roberts, hearing- considerable noise, opened the door to discover the trouble, when Mrs. Rambo, more thouo-htful, bid her come in, which she did just in time to escape the jaws and chuvs of a hungry panther, which prowled around and over the cabin and against the door till the morning light. Mrs. Roberts tells of another narrow escape from a panther on a certain occasion when she and her little boy, eight or ten years of age, were in the r^'e patch. She was laying up the gap, when the little boy said, '"Mother, what is that in the weeds?" She, seeing that it w^as a panther just in the act of springing on the boy, snatched him from the spot, and, putting him in front of her, made for the house ; but it was not so easy to escape the cunning of the blood-thirsty panther, which intercepted their path in the rye and sprang for the boy, who, being active, barely succeeded in escaping unhurt. The mother, in seeing the ferocious beast ali'ght on the spot where her darling boy had just saved a precious life, was so fright- ened that she was unable, for some time, to move from the spot. BROWN TOWNSlilP. CHAPTER VI. In Tp. 'Pp. Line oi Sfn/c: Tzvo miles to the inch. , MAP OF nuOWN TOWNSHIP. SHOWING THK SECTIONS, TOWNSHIP AND KANtJliS OK WHICH IT IS COMPOSKD. This township took its name from Prior Brown, one of the lirst settlers. It was organized and incorporated in the year 1833, '^t which time it was struck oil' from Green, of which it had formed the eastern part for one 3'ear, prior to which it had been a part of Jackson for a similar time, and preceding that a part of Blue-river for three years. BROWN TOWNSHIP. 89 Brown not being one of the original townships, like Blue-river and Brandywine, just described, and Sugar- creek, yet to consider, it now becomes necessary to digress a little and introduce a map and explanations, in order to make clear to the mind of the young reader the origin and early history of the township now under consideration, and of the other non-original townships to follow. Green. Blck-creek. Slgak-ckeek. Harrison. Center. Brandywine. [ackson. BUE-RIVEK. Scale: Six mi lex to the inch. HANCOCK COUNTY IN 1832 Explanations^ Siigi^'cstions, and Historical Jurrts. — In order to comprehend the descriptions of the origin and earh" history of the county and several townships, the reader should study carefulh' our outline maps and history connected therewith ; also the wall map published in 1875 by the senior member of this firm. To show the number of the townships and their exact size and location by maps, would require eight illustrations. We hardly deem it necessarv to give all : but with what we shall introduce. go HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. together with the printed history, the student ma}- easily comprehend the various political changes. Let the reader ever bear in mind that the county con- sisted of — In 1828, three townships — Blue-river, Brandywine and Sugar-creek. In 1831, seven tow^nships — Center, Jackson, Harrison and Buck-creek being added. In 1832, eight townships — Green being added. In 1833, nine townships — Brown being added. In 1836, ten townships — Vernon being added. In 1838, twelve townships — Jones and Union being- added. In 1850, thirteen townships — Worth being added. In 1853, nine townships — Harrison. Jones, Union and Worth being annihilated. With this brief outline, in connection with the maps given, to w^hich we shall often refer, the reader mav readily locate any and all of the civil and congressional townships, present and historical. Location^ Boundary , Size,, Topography Timber, ete. — Brow'n tow^nship is located in the north-east corner of the county, and is bounded bv Madison county on the north, Henry on the east, Jackson township and Henrv county on the south, and Green township on the w^est. It is the only township in the county that is not partialh' bounded by Center. In dimensions, Brown is six miles east and west and five miles north and south ; and, consequently, consists of thirty sections. It is all located in township seventeen north and ranges seven and eight east, the west tier of sections being in range seven and the remainder in range eight east. In topography, the -face of the township is mainly- level, though somewhat undulating in the vicinity of the streams: soil, limestone deep, rich and lasting; subsoil, gravel and clay. It was once heavily timbered with beech, sugar-maple. BROWN TOWNSHIP 9' oak, elm, walnut, cherry, and poplar, and especiall\- abounded in fine oak. The destroying angel passed over this township and selected out the fine walnut and poplar and claimed them for his owrj. It is almost wholly an agricultural and grazing district. The only manufactories in the township, outside of the flouring mills, are a saw-mill and a tile factory. Streams. — Sugar Creek enters the township at the north-east corner and fiows south-west three and one-half miles to the center of section twenty-one, and within half a mile of Warrington ; thence north-west, dipping into Madison countv at the north-west corner of section eight : thence south-west, passing out on the west line of the township, one and a half miles south of the north-west corner, on the west middle line of section thirteen. Brandywine rises west of Warrington, in section twenty, runs south by south-west and passes out of the township one and a half miles east of the south-west corner, and near the middle southern line of section thirty-one. Wil- low Branch rises in the Western central part of the town- ship, in the eastern part of section twenty-four, and flows south two miles ; thence west, passing out a half mile north of the south-west corner. The Pedee rises in the south-east part of the township, flows north-west four miles, passes Warrington on the north-east, and empties into Suirar Creek in section seventeen. Brandvwine, in Brown, is a small, torpid stream. The flrst of these streams once furnished limited water-power for "corn-crackers" and "muly saw-mills," but has no mills on its banks to-dav. The last two are short, sluggish brooks, rising in wet, marshy land and flowing through level territory. are of little use save for drainage. Earliest Land Entries. — The flrst land entered in the township was on July 3rd, 1830, by Prior Brown, being the east half of the north-east quarter of section thirty- three, in township seventeen north, and in range eight east. The second entrv was made on December 2d o\ 92 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. the same year, by Isaac Davis. This hind was then in Blue-river township. First Settlers. — Among the first settlers of the township were : Prior Brown, after whom the township was named : John and Ezekiel Morgan, Geo. Nance, Mr. Davis, Perry Wilson, Sarah Baldwin and her family of seven children, Morgan McQviery, the Johnses, Nibargers, Sparkses, Hiatts, Seth Walker, Mosby Childers, Stephen Harlan, and Thomas Collins. All of whom are gone to the happy hunt- ing grounds bevond the rolling river, and with the spirit's eye look with pleasure on the pleasant surroundings of their posterit}', now^ enjoying the fruits of their labors. At a later date came Alfred and Jolm Thomas ; Jonas Marsh, the father of William, Montgomery, Ephraim, and Dr. John L. Marsh : William Bussel ; Aaron Cass, grandfather of Annetta Cass, murdered in Green township ; John Havs and Joel Cook, steady, prosperous farmers. First Flection. — The first election in the township was in 1834, held at the residence of Barzilla Rozell. The ballots were cast in a hat, and covered with a kerchief. There were no complaints of " stufting the ballot box "' in those halcyon days. Mills ^ ninly and modern. — The first grist-mill in the township was simply a corn-cracker, built by Stephen Harlan in 1835. '^^""^ located on Sugar Creek, one and one- half miles north-east of Warrington, near where the Con- cord church now stands. This mill was run successfullv tor several years, when Harlan abandoned it and erected a new one on a more extensive scale lower down the stream propelled In- an overshot wheel. The older citi- zens declare that the wheel was too large and set too high to secure the proper fall for the water, which in the dry season was low ; so that on the occasion of letting the water into the race, it passed down ver}^ slowly till it came to a craw-fish hole, when it suddenh' disappeared, to the utter chagrin of tlie enterprising miller and the amazement of the rural spectators. In about 1852, Lane & Co. built a sash saw-mill in the BROWN TOWN'.sIIIP. 93 central southern portion of the township, whicli tliey run for a number of years, wiien thev sold to Dr. S. A. Troy, who refitted it and kept it in operation for two years, and then traded it off, and it was moved away. Daniel Blakely, in about 1836, erected a small saw- mill on Sugar Creek, near Nashville, which fed upon the choice logs of the vicinity for a number of 3^ears. A Mr. Jenkins built a steam saw-mill in the north-east part of the township in 1850, and run it for a considerable length of time. Harlan & Brown, about 1855, erected a steam saw- mill near the old Harlan mill, referred to above, which was successfully operated for, probabh', ten years. Trees & Company erected a steam circular saw-mill in Warrington about 1863, just across the road east from where the present flouring mill now stands. A little west of Nashville, on the pike, Allen Walton & Brother built, about 1868, the largest and most successful circular saw-mill ever erected in the township, if not in the county, which continued in operation till 1879, when it was removed. I^oads. — This township is reasonab]\' well supplied with good public roads, many of which have been graded and graveled by her enterprising citizens. There are in the township nine and three-fourth miles of toll pike, besides about six miles surrendered to the public. To this township belongs the credit of having the first gra\'el road toll pike in the county, built in 1859, ^^^ known as the '• Knightstown and Warrington Gravel Road."' Railroads. — This township has no railroad completed. The I., B. and W. are extending a line through the county, which will pass through the township, entering at the S')uth-west corner and passing out near the central middle line on the east. Synopsis. — Brown township has four churches, to-wit : Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, United Brethren, and Christian. 94 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY There are three secret orders in the township — Masons, Odd Fellows, and Daughters ot' Rebecca. It has two villages, — Warrington and Nashville, — and two post-ofilces, — Warrington and Willow Branch. The former is the only voting precinct. She has a tile factory, flour mill, saw-mill, three pikes, one county officer, one mill stream, two border counties, and is democratic by about sixty majority. Teachers and Schools. — The names and numbers of the schools, and the teachers at present employed, are as follows : District No. I . . . Sparks Miss Laughlin. District No, 2 . . . Clifton P. H. Copeland. District No. 3. . .Garriott W. P. Bussel. District No. 4. . .-Buchanan S. N. Ham. District No. 5. . .Warrini^ton M.J. Scuffle. District No. 6. . .Mays Jennie Kitterman. District No. 7. . .Brewer Rose M. Thompson. District No. 8. . . Democrat Lucy Tvlorris. District No. 9. . . Spiceland W. J. Thomas. Remarks. — These several schools are numbered similar to the numbering of the sections in a congressional town- ship, No. I being found in the north-east corner and No. 9 in the south-west, there being three tiers of houses of three each. The Buchanan school-house is located in the western middle part, near J. N. Martindales farm. The senior member of this lirm once swayed the green birch with regal authority at this point, and had the honor of having under his instruction the future count}^ clerk, Ephraim Marsh ; Dr. John L. Marsh ; . and 13r. David Myers, since deceased. At the old original Spiceland school-house, Dr. J. G. Stuart, of Fortville ; Wm. Sagers, and Montgomery Marsh, also received his instruction. In 1838, Montgomer}' Marsh attended a school located just north of the Buchanan, the building of which w'as made entirely of buckeve logs. The teacher was David McKinse\-, now in the poor-house of this countw BROWN TOWNSHII' 95 Population (Did Polh. — The scholastic popuhition of Brown for 1881 is 489. Polls, 243, Population for 1850, 878; for i860, 1,161 ; 1870, 1,329; for 1880, 1,400. Vote. — The number of votes cast in Brown in 1836 were 52 ; in 1840, 1 10 ; in i860, 205 ; in 1870, 235 ; in 1880, 328. Her vote for President in 1881 stood: Republican, 125 ; democratic, 186; independent, 17. Value of Real and Personal Property. — Brown town- ship has 19,248 acres of assessed land, valued at $423,620. Her improvements on the same are valued at $53,810. Value of town lots, $2,330; with improvements on the same valued at $6,380. Personal propert}^ $158,605. Total value of real and personal property. $644,745. Taxes. — This township is assessed for the current year, to be paid in 1882, for $7,141.45 taxes. Of this amount, the following men pay $40 and upward, viz. : Armstrong, T. heirs. .$43 10 Martindale, J. N % 70 70 Armstrong, Thos. H. . 56 75 Martindale, E.J 44 ^ 5 Bussel, M. P 57 70 McDaniel, J. A 88 50 Bridges, John 61 25 McCray, S 68 40 Collins, R. J 54 00 McCray, John 100 15 Collins, J. F 49 95 Mays, John "^^ '^ Cook, J. F 6755 Reeves, B. F 9190 Combs, John 7070 Reeves, Elijah heirs. . 70 So Copeland, Lewis 98 90 Reeves, Jane S6 75 Eakins, W. S 57 75 Risk & Hosier no 90 Enright, Robert 42 55 Sparks, W. A 4° ^5 Forts, J. heirs 80 So Thomas, M. J 5^ 45 Foust, H. E. & J 44 15 Thomas. John M 197 85 Harlan, S. heirs 48 55 Trees, Wm 9^ 4^ Hamilton, J ! 47 75 Trees, J. R 4.3 7° Howrin, T. J 62 60 Trees, J. W., sen 78 25 Holliday, F. heirs 55 60 Thomas. A. B 48 05 Hays, J. B 43 9° Vanderbark, J. W. ... 86 20 Hays, Wm. M 64 25 Wilkinson, B 49 80 Hays, R. R 58 05 Woods, Robert 80 00 Hatfield, W. E 64 90 White, J. W 42 35 Johns, Mat 5° 25 ^6 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. Mtirdcrs, Suicides^ and Remarkable Deaths. — It was in this townsliip that a Mr. Bell, brother of Senator Bell, ot' Madison county, was eaten by the wolves in 1838. His body was found by Mosby Childers north-west of Nash- ville in a badly mutilated condition. His bones, and frag- ments of his clothing and pocket-book, were picked up in different places. Cause of death never known. In 1832, a child of Vincent Cooper was frozen to death on the banks of Sugar Creek, in this township. It had wandered from home and w^as lost. In the earl}' history of the township a man by the name of Tullus committed suicide, by hanging, within one hun- dred yards of Warrington. In 1856, William Mitchell, a 3'oung man, was killed by horse-racing, being thrown against a tree by the horse taking an opposite side of the tree from what the rider intended he should, and supposed he would, take. Alfred Jones' wife committed suicide in 1875, ^J h^i^li'- ing in a small house near her residence. Cause unknown. Her husband was absent from home at the time. Tozvuship Trustees. — The following are the names of the township trustees from the time they were empowered with authority to lev}' taxes, together with the date of their appointment : Wm. L. Garriott iS:;9 J. \V. Trees 1S64 Montp^omerv Alarsh 186 1 Wm. Marsh 1S6:; B. F. Reeves . 1863 Wm. L. Garriott 1S7S It will be seen from the abo\'e that William Marsii held the office of trustee for more than a dozen years, and we speak from our own personal knowledge in testifying to his earnestness and efficiency. William L. Garriott swa3's the scepter at this date, being the first and last trustee in the township under the new regime. Attorney Marsh and Esquire Ree\'es carried the township safely through the perilous times of the civil war. yiistiees of the Peaee. — The following are the justices BROWN TOWNSHIP. 97 of the peace for Brown township from its organization to the present time. We copy from the records since 1840. Prior to that time we find no records either in our own court-house or at Indianapolis in the state records. BarzlUa Rozell Unknown Wm. L. Garriott 1863 Seth Walker 1836 Benjamin McCarty 1862 Robert Eakin 1840 Benjamin F. Reeves 1866 Daniel Wilkinson 1840 Benjamin McCarty 1866 Robert Eakin 1S45 Alfred F. McKinsey 1870 A. D. Childers 1848 Benjamin F. Reeves 1870 Neville Reeves 1S50 Benjamin F. Reeves 1S74 A. D. Childers 1853 H. B. Collins 1876 Robert Eakin 185:; Benjamin F. Reeves 1878 A. D. Childers 18^7 Joseph Garriott 1880 Benjamin McCarty 18:^8 Esquires Reeves and Garriott hold the scales of justice in Brown at present. Ex-Cottnty Officers. — Brown township, like Virginia, the mother of Presidents, has not been wanting in furnish- ing county officers. Amonfy these ex-officers we call to memory Ex-Auditor o Lvsander Sparks, one of the pioneers of the township. His father was the tirst merchant in Warrington. Captain Taylor W. Thomas, deceased, late resident of Center township, was elected and served as sheriff Irom Brown. Wm. G. Caldwell, one of the staunch resident farmers of Brown, was the immediate predecessor of William W^ilkins as sheriff of the count}'. Of the ex-commissioners were Seth Walker, Daniel Wilkinson, and Nevil Reeves, all honest, honorable, "well-to-do" farmers. Ex-Prosecuting Attorney M. Marsh and Ex-County Surveyor James K. King were both elected in Brown township. There may be otiiers : but as there is no record ot tin- 9^ HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. residence of the various county officers, it must be taken from memory and hearsay, which are not always rehable. Exports. — The chief exports of Brown are corn, wheat, hogs, cattle, horses, lumber, and flaxseed, with small quantities of apples, potatoes, and sheep. CHAPTER VII. Warrington was laid out near the center of the township, on the Fort Wayne State road, by John Oldham, on the 6th of Octo- ber, 1834, and consisted of forty-eight lots. The flrst and only addition to the original plat was made by Dr. Wm. Trees on the 13th day of April, 1877, and consisted of eight lots. Warrington is about tifteen miles north-east of Green- field, on the Knightstown and Pendleton turnpike, the extremes of which are its shipping points. It has no railroad, except in prospect. The I., B. and W., when completed, will have a depot within about one and a half miles. It has two churches, three lodges, a school, flouring mill, two stores, a postoffice, and other essentials to a small, village. It has been the voting precinct since 1834. The Knightstown and Anderson daih' stage passes through Warrington. It has a daily mail, with Henry C. Garriott postmaster. The post-office was kept for many years by Samuel Blakely at his private residence, between Warrington and Nashville. BROWN TOWNSHIP 99 Among those who did business in earlier dius we note : General Merchants — John Sparks, Barzilla Rozell, Robert Eakin, James K. King, furgason & goble, J. R. Trees, Seward & McComas, Trees & Marsh, Montgomery Marsh. Physicians — Logan Wai.lace. William Trees, Aaron Gregg, , William Reed, C. C. LODER. Harness and Shoe Maker Wesley Lawyer. The following are the present business men : (rcneral ^Merchants — H. C. Garriott, Tharp tt Brother. Physicians — William Trees, R. D. Hanna, Elbert Johnson. I Tn de r taker — Wm. L. Garriott. Boot and Shoe Maker — John Miller. Bla cksm ith — William Kenyon. Harness Maker — Levi Cook. Tile Manufacturers — CoPELAND & Garriott. Nashville, located two miles north-west of Warrington, on Sugar Creek, was laid out December 30, 1834, ^y I^lal<-ely and Kennedy, and consisted of thirty-two lots, most of which have been sold for delinquent taxes. The only business now in the place is blacksmithing, by Morgan Whisder. In the earlv history of the place, Elisha Thornburg kept a general store, followed b}- Allen White and others for a short time. Willow Branch P. O. is located in the south-west part of the township, on the TOO HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. Stream Willow Branch, Irom which it derives its name. The place contains eight dwellings, a store, blacksmith, painter, plwsician, post-oflice, aware-room, and a saw-mill. The first business done in the place was in 1874, by A. B. Thomas, who established a store and accepted the appointment of postmaster for Willow Branch, when the office was removed from across the line in Green, where it had been kept for a number of years by Jonathan Smith, a farmer and merchant. The business of this place is done by A. B. Thomas, merchant, grain and implement dealer ; Henry Kenyon. blacksmith and carriage maker ; George Fowler, painter ; H. B. Ryon, Phvsician ; and Pleasant Manlove, proprie- tor of the saw-mill. Mail tri-weekly. Bruce Thomas postmaster. Railroad " a-coming," to pass within a half mile. Concord Baptist Church was organized October 29, 1838, at the house of Stephen Harlan. Morgan McQiiery was chosen moderator and Jacob Parkhurst clerk, with the following members : Wil- liam Sparks, Jane Wilkinson, Hiram Harlan and wife. Charity Wilson, Jane Ross, and Stephen Harlan and wife. The way of life and salvation has been definitely pointed out from time to time during the history of the church b^' the Ibllowing Elders, to-wit : Daniel Cunning- ham, John F. Johnson, Thomas Smith, John Sparks, J. F. Collier, S. D. Harlan, and T. S. Lyons ; the latter of whom is the present preacher. The lirst meetings were held in private residences until the existence of log school-houses, which accommodated the congregation for a number of 3'ear.s, terminating in 1855, when the present frame building, thirtv-four h\ thirty-six feet, was erected and completed in good st}le, and dedicated in 1856 by Elder John Sparks. The iirst trastees were Cicero Wilkinson, William Wright, and Jacob B. Hamilton. This society is of the regular Baptist taith and order. i BROWN TOWNSHIP. Id The White Water Association has often held its annual meetings at this phice. Present membership, thirty-seven. Church clerk, J. P. Harlan. Adjoining the church on the east is a cemeter}-, where many of the pioneers Via slumbering. First interment, Caroline Mays. ZiONS ClIAPEL M. E. The Methodist Episcopal Church had a small society in the early history of the township near Nashville. Among the first members were John Kenned}' and wife, Mariah Wilson, Samuel Griffith and wife, Elizabeth Walker, wife of Seth Walker ; Sarah Newkirk, John Nibarger, Sarah Nibarger, and Amanda Childers. This society met at private residences in the winter time, and at the log school-houses during the warm season, until they built a church in 1839 '^^ Nashville. It was con- structed by voluntary labor. The chief contributors were Samuel Griffith, John Kennedy, Seth Walker, Thomas Collins, David Noble, Dr. William Trees, and Thomas W. Collins. Thev continued to meet here till 1856, at which time the building became untit for use, and a school- house near by was brought into service until 1859, '"^^ which time this society united with a small organization at War- rington and erected the present building, known as Zions Chapel, located at a midwav point, being two miles north of Warrington and one and three-fourth miles east of Nashville. Tiie Warrington wing held their meetings at the house of Dr. William Trees, one of her generous and most liberal members, prior to the coalition with the Nash- villeites. This building was biu^ned in July last ; but at this date thev are rebuilding at an estimated cost of $1,100. Present minister. Rev. John Thomas. The United Brethren, of Warrington, organized a meeting about 1859, ^^"*^^ wor- I02 HISTORY OK HANCOCK COUNTY. shiped in Zions Chapel till 187 1, at which time they built a neat, irood-sized frame buildint^ in Warrinfjton, at a cost of $2,400. The new building was dedicated in the same year by Bishop Edwards. The minister was Milo Baily. The trustees were John W. Trees, John Bridges, and Thomas Armstrong, The present minister is Rev. Felix. Presiding Elder, Milton Wright. The membership is numerous. The society is in a flourishing condition, and has upon its church rolls some of the best and most influ- ential men of the township. Christian Church, WARRiNcrrox. This church was flrst organized near Elizabeth City, and was known as the " Six-Mile Church." It was organ- ized about the year 1838 by Peter Rader, who was its flrst pastor. Haying quite a number of the best citizens as members, it continued its usefulness for several years at this point. Death and removals having crippled it so much, it was discontinued here as a church organization ; but sub- sequently reorganized near Warrington, where the follow- ing Elders preached occasionally : Robert Low% Drury Holt, John Walker, and Silas Mawzy ; all of Rush count}-. The meetings at first were held at private houses and log school-houses in the immediate neighborhood. The soci- ety struggled long and hard to build a house in which to worship ; but were unable to accomplish the object, being low in spirits and few in numbers, and, in 1862, disorgan- ized. In March, 1877, the society took fresh courage, and was again established, or reorganized, b}' Elder Robert Edmonson. J. N. Martindale and John McCray were chosen Elders, and John Vandyke and C. C. Loder dea- cons. H. C. Garriott, clerk. The church edifice is very well located in Warrington ; is a handsome frame, thirty- six b}^ fifty-four feet, constructed at a cost of $1,650, and will seat five hundred persons. It was dedicated Decem- ber 25, 1877, by Elder Wiley Ackman, who preached for the society two years, followed by Elder David Frank- BROWN TOWNSHIP. lO,^ lin, who was succeeded by Elder Cornelius Quick, the present pastor. The society is in a prosperous condition, with a membership of eighty. On the 20th day of March. 1877,]. N. Martindale, John Vandyke, and W. L. Gar- riott were elected trustees. [We are indebted to W. L. Garriott, Esq., of Warriui^- ton, for the above facts.] Free Masons. The Warrington Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. No. 531, was chartered Ma}- 22, 1877, with the following officers : William Marsh, W. M. ; J. A. Hamilton, S. W. : A. C. Walton, J. W. The charter members were, in addi- tion to the above officers, Wm. G. Caldwell, F. M. Gra- ham, John Vandyke, Wm. M. Haves, H. B. Wilson, and Robert Blakely. ' The following are the present officers : Wm. Marsh, W. M. ; J. A. Eakin, S. W. ; J. A. McDaniel, J. W. : Wm. Trees, Treasurer; J. D. Hedrick, Secretary; G. W. Coon, S. D. ; J. S. Orr, J. D. ; F. M. Graham, fylor. The past masters of this lodge are W. G. Caldwell. William Marsh, and George W. Summerville. The lodge is in a prosperous condition, and owns a lodge-room valued at $800. The total membership is twenty-five. Nights of meeting : Wednesday evening, on or before the fulling of the moon in each month. There was a lodge of Masons in Warrington organized in 1856, prior to the above, which continued for ten 3'ears. when the lodge-room was consumed by fire, the charter surrendered and the organization discontinued till the establishment of the above. Among the first members of the original lodge were the following: W. P. White, J. K. King, Lysander Sparks, John Vandyke, James McCray, Moses Cottrell. J. A. McDaniel, Wm. Marsh, W. G. Caldwell, Thomas Walker, F. L. Seward, Andrew Vandyke, Ananias Conk- lin, and James Daughert}'. I04 iiisTOKN oi" HANCOCK (.orN'rv. 1. (). (). h\ No. 411 ( Waies, Treasurer. "The total membership at present is lortw It is in i^ood condition financially and otherwise. It owns the room where it meets, built at a cost of ^1,000. R(\<^ular nii^ht of meeting, Saturday evening of each week. DAiunrncKs oi- RiciuacA (WARKixirro.N). 1^'riendship Lodj^-e No. i ^S of the 1 )auL;'hti.M-s of Re- bi'cca was organized in Warrington in iS7|. Dati' ol' charter, Dect'mber 16, 1874. CharttM" members: C. C. LodiM", |ennie Loder, W. II. Power, William Marsh, Sarah Newkirk, William Trees, Henry C. Garriott, John Miller, M. 1.. Miller, Wil- liam Kenyon, J. D. Newkirk, Matilda l^'ces, and A. M. Smith. Tlu> regular meeting of the society occurs on Thurs- (hiN on or before the full moon in each month. The mei't- ings are lu'ld in the Odd I<^c>IIo\\s' hall. Bi:N|AiMiN F. Ri':i:\i<:s, l^ls(.j^., was born in l>rt)wn county, Ohio, on the second day of Md\ , iS^S. In the fall of 1837 his parents mo\ed to Rush county, Indiana, and three ^'ears later came to Hancock county and settled on Iirandywine Creek, in iirown town- shij"), their home being a rude log cabin in the wilderiu'ss. I lis lather had a large famil\- of small children, and lu\ being the oldest, was compelled to work out from honu' to aid in maintaining the family. By the time he was grown he hail obtained, what was consicU-rinl in those da\'s, a iroocl I'ducation, and tausjiit BROWN TOWNSHIP. Iq:; school in the winter and worked at moulding brick in the summer. On the iirst day of November, 1849, ^^^ was married to Caroline Harlan, a daughter of Stephen Harlan, one of the first settlers of the county. The result of this union was ten children — five girls and an equal number of boys, eight of whom are still living. In the summer of 1863 he united with the Baptist church, and is still a member thereof. On the 25th of March, 1873, he had the misfortune to lose his wife, who was a most estimable lady, and sincerely mourned by all who knew her. On the 15th day of August, 1874, l^c was again married, choosing for his companion Nancy Garner, with whom he is still happily living. Mr. Reeves is well-known throughout the count}-, and perhaps no man in his township enjoys in a higher degree the confidence and esteem of the people ; and, as a result, lie has held many offices of trust. In 185 1 he was appointed school trustee by the county auditor, and in the spring of 1858 was elected township trustee, and again elected in the spring of 1862. In the spring of 1866 he was elected justice of the peace, and was re-elected in 1870, 1874, '^"d 1878, having served continuously for fifteen years in that capacity, and, probabl}-, married more peo- ple than any man in the county. In addition to his duties as justice, Mr. Reeves attends to a large share of probate business. By his thrift and industry he has secured to himself one of the best farms in the county ; and now, in the even- ing of his days, surrounded by all the comforts of life, and enjoying the confidence and esteem of all w^ho know him, he can look back over the record of a life well spent and forward to a crown well won. Dr. H. J. Reeves, a young physician of good standing in " Liztown," Henry county, is his son. Another son is teaching school and studying law, preparatory to entering the legal profession. s brown township. io7 Stephen Harlan wat^ a native of tlie old "Palmetto State,"" and dates his earthly career back to the tirst year ol' the present centurv. He came to Hancock county in 1834, ^^^^ settled in Brown township, on the farm which he entered, and where he lived and died. He was, consequently, one of the first settlers in this section. Mr. Harlan was married, near Connersville, to a Miss Sparks, a tall, slender, noble woman, still living beyond her three score and ten. The first brick house and the first mill in the township were built and owned by Stephen Harlan, who was not only an enterprising, thrifty farmer, but a miller and mill- wright, having built two grist-mills and a saw-mill, the first in 1835. He was a zealous member of the Baptist church. It was at his house that the meetings of this societv in Brown were first held. This liberal-hearted, brave pioneer "shuffled oft' the mortal coil" and bade adieu to earthly scenes April 19, 1877, and was buried at the Concord Baptist church ^mong his brethren in the faith. John Nibarger, •iis. — Buck-creek, a small, slu<;hi;), except tor about a mile throu<4"h the Fish tarm, on the south Hne. It has, therefore, been found necessary and expedient to deepen the channel in order to reclaim the o\erllo\ved land alonif the stream. Sugar Creek, a brisk mill stream, the largest in the township, cuts olT the south-east corner of section twenty-seven, and extends through section thirty-four. /vr.sV Sctllouciil iDui Lami E)ilrv. — This townsliip was first settled about the year 1H27, in the southern portion, llie first entry of land was made in the year 1822, Janu- ary 18, by George Worthington, being the south-east quar- ter of section thirt3^-four, in township sixteen north, in range six east. The second entry was made bv John Chamberlain, and the third by John Smith. First Settlers. — The first settlers in tliis t(nvnship were James JUirris, John Shirley, Thomas Craig, William Smith, William Arnett, Obadiah and John Eastes, J. A. Dunn, Thomas Rodgers, Isaac Snider, John Dance, Dan- iel Skinner, Archy Smith, Benjamin Percell, Charles Fish, Landis Eastes, ITance Steel, and the Beechman family. Burris, Smith, Rodgers, and Dance were from Ohio ; Shirley and Craig were from Kentucky ; Snider from Vir- ginia ; and Skinner from Delaware. At a little later date came George Grist, Joseph Wright, J. W. Shelbv. John and wSamuel Steel, John and William Collin-;, Jacob Smitli, W, A. Dunn, Lawrence and O. O. II u-voy, E, Sco::Len, S. Arnett, Owen Gritlith, J. II. M ir V.iy, J. W. Jam ob^ll,. and the Barnards and Parkers. /iirt/is, J)cat/is, Marriages, etc. — The fu'st child boi-n in the township was Permelia Craig, tiie wife of O. O. Harvey. The second, Archibald Smith, son of Jacob Smith. The first death w^as Thomas Rodgers, buried at the Scotten grave3'ard in about 1833. The first burial at the Arnett graveyard was Jennings Henderson, who was found frozen to death, one mile iVom his home, in 1847. lie had gone to Greenfield to get his Il6 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. gun repaired, and starting home late, night overtook him^ and the next morning was found dead. In about 1847 James Burris, a very industrious, quiet man, and one of the earliest settlers in the township, after giving some directions to his son, left the house, and going into the woods, sat down by a tree and opened the veins in his arms and bled to death. The first grown person buried in., the Steel graveyard was a daughter of Hance Steel. The first in the Dunn graveyard was the mother of William A. Dunn. The first in the Millard graveyard was Sarah Hodges, a sister of William A. Dunn. The first in the Snider graveyard was the wife of Isaac Snider. The first in the Eastes grave- yard was Lucinda Arnett, wife of William Arnett, junior. The first marriage in Buck-creek township was that of George Shirley and Fanny Crump. Among the first physicians were Doctors John H. San- ders, Lyman Carpenter, and J. W. Hervey. Ebenezer Scotten was the first blacksmith in the town- ship. George Grist, located near Mt. Comfort, is the only son of Vulcan following the trade in the territory now under consideration. The first resident preacher was Stephen Masters, and the second Philip Thurman. The first postmaster was Robert Wallace. The first teachers were Philip Masters and a Mr. Tisdell. The first school-house of any kind built in the town- .ship was erected near Isaac Snider's, senior, in the south- west part of the township. It was quite a rude afflur. Mills. — This township being poorly supplied with water-power, her streams being small and sluggish, she has not been noted for pioneer water-mills. The first and ■only primitive grist-mill propelled by water-power was a •small hominy mill on Buck Creek, north, near Mt. Com- fort, erected in the year 1854 ^J William Eastes, and of short duration. The next mill was a steam corn-cracker and saw-mill located west of Mt. Comfort, about the year t86o, built by Corbin. It burned down in a few years. BUCK-CREEK TOWNSHIP. 117 and was never rebuilt. Whitlock built a steam sash saw- mill in 1863, which was operated some four years, and then moved out of the township. A steam saw-mill erected by McLain and Buroaker, in 1869, located one and a half miles east of Mt. Comfort, was run several years, when it was moved north-west of Mt. Comfort two and one-half miles, where it was operated a short time, and where a portion of the mill and machinery still remain. Maulden and Hopkins erected a steam circular saw-mill on the south side of the road, a few rods east of Mt. Comfort school-house, in the year 1874, which was operated a few years, when it was burned ; but shortly rebuilt, run about two years, and then removed to Oaklandon, in Marion county. Ebenezer Steel erected a large tile factory on his farm, one and one-half miles north-east of Mt. Comfort, about the time the ditching enterprise first struck the county, which was kept in operation, doing an extensive business, for a series of years, or till all the immediate section of countr^^ was thoroughly drained. The above are the only mills of which we have any account, save the two circular saw-mills now in operation ; one of which is known as the Wilson mill, being located on the Adam Wilson farm, in the central eastern portion of the township, and the other erected the present season by Ebenezer Steel on his farm, located on the I., B. and W. R. R., about a mile north-east of Mt. Comfort. Merchandising. — From an examination of the old rec- ords in the auditor's office, we ascertain that in the year 1832 John Eastes was licensed, according to law, to vend merchandise in Buck-creek township. His place of busi- ness was in the southern portion, where he kept a few staple articles in accordance with the demands. There is no rec- ord of further business at this stand. The settlement soon extended farther north in the township, covering the north- ern portion as well as the southern, which was first set- tled, thus making it necessary, for convenience, to change the place of business to a more central location. Thus originated the first store at Mt. Comfort, kept by Charles BUCK-CREEK TOWNSHIP. Up Ray ; since which the following firms have held tbrth from time to time : Robert Chvirch, Church & Vanlaningham, John N. Eastes, Woods & Steel, W. J. Woods, Church & Thomas, Woods & Eastes, D. G. Hanna, J. W". Jay, and Smith & ]3ro. ; the latter of whom were succeeded by the present merchant and postmaster, S. S. Smith. Educational. — This township has nine frame school- houses, numbered, named and supplied with teachers for the present term as follows, to-wit : District No. i . . .Black Hawk.. . .Frank Tibbctt. District No. 3. . Boyd's E. E. Stoner. District No. 3. . .Offenbacker N. P. Whittaker. District No. 4 . Wallace Robert Hurley. District No. 5. . .Mt. Comfort. . . .Laura Dance. District No. 6. . Mints William Whittaker. District No. 7. . .Griffith Moses Bates. District No. 8. . .Russel S. S. Eastes. District JSTo. 9. . . Burris M. O. Snyder. These houses are numbered east and west as a bov would drop hills of corn in a row running in the same direction : No. i being in the north-east corner of the township and No. 9 in the south-west. The buildings are all plain, medium-sized frame houses, plastered and painted and covered with shingles, and each consists of a single room. The greatest want in an educational line at present, perhaps, is more apparatus. The nine school-houses are estimated worth $4,000; apparatus, $100; total, $4,100. Total number of school children, 492. Township insti- tutes in this township have generally been well attended, interesting and profitable ; more so than the average town- ship, owing to the interest manifested by the trustee in the matter. Synopsis. — This township has four churches, viz. : two United Brethren and two Methodist Episcopal ; one post- oflSce — ^^Mt. Comfort ; one voting precinct — School-house No. 5 ;.two circular saw-mills ; a pike ; one county officer ; one deputy ; two mill streams ; nine school-houses ; one I20 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. railroad ; live ex-count}' officers ; one store ; and a demo- cratic majority, on the vote for President in 1880, of twelve. I^oads. — Buck-creek township has less graveled road than any other township in the county, there being only three and one-half miles of toll pike within her borders. This is owing, no doubt, to her lack of gravel-pits, being, as previously remarked, low and wet. The roads are less improved and in worse condition in this township than in any other in the county. Railroad. — The Indiana, Bloomingtan and Western Railway Company has just extended its line through this township ; but have established no station as 3^et. Population. — The population of Buck-creek for 1850 was 420; for i860, 999; for 1870, 1,227; ^o'' 1880, 1,460. In i860 there were five colored persons and no foreigners, and in 1870 there were thirty-one foreigners and no colored. Vote and Polls. — The vote for i860 was 189; for 1870, 217; and for 1880, 357. The vote for President in 1880 stood as follows : Republican, 166 ; democratic, 178 ; inde- pendent, 13. Polls for 1881, 279. Value of Real and Personal Property. — The number of acres of land assessed for taxes for 1881 is 22,620, val- ued at $528,895 ; improvements on the same, $37,545 ; value of personal property, $160,830; total, $727,270. Taxes. — Total amount of taxes assessed against her for 1881, to be paid in 1882, $646,326. Of this amount, the following men pay $40 and upward : Arnett, Jane $56 71 Huntington, S .$ 56 28 Boyd, D. D 48 08 Herr, Kasper 47 46 Craig, Sable 95 00 Parker, G. W 5° 54 Camiibell, J. W 44 80 Steel, Samuel 106 39 Crump, C. F 42 08 Steel, Ebenezer 151 36 Duncan, J. W 56 38 Steel, Hance heirs .... no 35 Eastes, Jolin C 42 78 Steel, Frank 243 03 Fink, Henry S4 ^o Stoner, Daniel 51 86 Griffith, Owen 41 45 Smith, Wm. sen 168 90 Hanna, E. D 96 24 Sanford, F. M 46 72 BUCK-CREEK TOWNSHIP. 121 Ilanna, T. J 59 -^S Thomas, Ephraiin .... 68 :;6 Harvey, O. O 49 6 1 Wright, Joseph 7^ 74 The levy for each one hundred dolhirs in this township is seventy-eight cents.* Ex-Coiinty Officers . — Buck-creek was the home of Bazil G. Jay, ex-county auditor; Mordecai Millard, ex- sheriff; and John Collins, ex-commissioner; all deceased, but green in the memory of the older citizens. On her fertile soil and broad plains still flourish Joshua W. Shelby, ex-sheriff, and Ephraim Thomas, ex-commissioner, prom- inent men well-known throughout the countv. Productions. — ^Buck-creek is almost wholl}^ an agricul- tural and grazing territory, there never having been any manufactorfes in the township, save a tile factory, saw- mill, and a hominy mill, which did only a local business. Owing to the great abundance of bvu^r oak in this section, it is probable that when the new^ I., B. and W. Railroad is completed there wall, for a time, spring up a lively trade in lumber for staves, heading, etc. There is also an abun- dance of white elm poles, used in making hubs, which will probably be used. Phxsicians. — There being no located physicians in this township at present, the northern part of the tow^nship, for medical skill, call on the ph3'sicians of Fortville and Mc- Cordsville ; the eastern and southern part go to Greenfield and Philadelphia ; and the western to Cumberland and the above points. Dr. J. W. Hervey, of Indianapolis, named in the foregoing as one of the pioneer ph^'sicians, still has considerable practice among his old friends in the western portion of the township. The old citizens say that at one time nearly all the practice of the towmship was done bv tlie said Dr. Hervey and the following phvsicians from Greenfield, viz. : Drs. Lot Edw^ards, B. F. Duncan, N. P. Howard, and R. E. Barnett. *To ascertain the assessed valuation of a man's property, real and personal, divide the ta.N by the levy, which will give the number of hundreds. 122 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. y/(s//ri's of the Peace. — Though the people of this sec- tion are quiet and peaceably disposed, it has been neces- sary, in compliance with law and the needs of the com- munity, to have disciples of Blackstone to settle the pett}' differences arising between people ; and for this purpose, the following justices of the peace haye been appointed from time to time in and for said township, to-wit : Alorgan Briiiegar 1S31 T. J. Ilanna 1S60 Owen Jarrctt L-iiknown Joseph ^Vrio■ht 1S60 Wyatt Denney Unknown \V. C. Wray 1864 Esq. Peas. Unknown Allen Scotten 1S64 William Arnett 1S41 Joseph Wright 1865 Bazil G. Jav 1S41 James McKean 1867 William Arnett 1S45 Joseph Wright 1869 John II. Murphy 1848 G. W. Parker. . .• 1872 John Eastes 1849 Joseph Wright ^873 Mordecai Millard 1852 G. W. Parker 187(3 R. A. Dunn 1853 Edward Rose 187S J. W. Shelby 1856 Wm. McConnell 1880 Joseph Wrij^ht 1856 The present acting judges of law and equit^^ in which township officers have jurisdiction, are Esquires Rose and McConnell. Tozunship Trustees. — In the early history of the county trustees were scarcely more than mere nominal officers, ha\'ing but few duties, subject to yarious changes. The following are the names of those acting, with dates of election, trom the time their duties were enlarged, and their powers so increased that they could leyy a local tax : Ephraini Thomas 18^9 O. O. Harvey . . 1869 Wm. L. Harvey 1863 Wm. M. Wright 1876 Henry R. Clayton 1865 John C. Eastes 1880 J. W\ Shelby 1S67 Remarks. — ^The needy poor of this incorporated por- tion of the county look to John C. Eastes for assistance in the day of adversity ; the farmer calls on him for pay for y KUCK-CREEK TOWNSHI?'. 12^^ his sheep killed by the hungry hounds ; and the taithful teacher pays him a yisit at the close of the term (if neces- sity does not prompt an earlier call) to receiye remunera- tion for his seryices. F'a III flics. — Buck-creek is the home of the Steels, Park- ers. Wrights, Shelbys, Easteses, Dunns, Smiths, Harveys, Craigs, Collinses, Grists, and Arnetts ; all prominent, well- known families. It was once the home of Professor A. C. Shortridge, ex-superintendent of the Indianapolis public schools, and late president of Purdue Uniyersit}'. Upon her fruitful soil once trod the yeritable Lorenzo Dow, tlie " Qiiaker Methodist" itinerant preacher, who had more than a national reputation for his zeal, industry and peculiarities. Here he entered land, a fuller account of whom will appear elsewhere. Here liyed, in his peculiar style, the eccentric John D. Hopkins, and still liyes the industrious Mrs. Sabie Craig, perhaps the most extensiye, successful, industrious, prac- tical lady farmer in the county. Murder and Snicidc. — Here occurred the Kenned\- tragedy, in which Thomas Kennedy killed his own daugh- ter, the wife of George Hudson, for which he was sen- tenced to the penitentiary for life ; but was in the course (jf a few years, through the intercession of his attorney, T. D. Walpole, pardoned, after which he returned to his own neighborhood, where he remained till his death, which occurred only a few years since. It was in this township that James Norman became tired of terrestial scenes, and determined to put an end to his earthh' pilgrimage, which he accomplished by hanging himself in the south-east part of the township, in about the year 1861. With this brief outline, we close the general reyiew of the township. A more specific account of many of the matters mentioned herein will appear in the next chapter. 124 HISTORY OF HA^■COCK COUNTY. CHAPTER IX. nUCK-CREEK TOWNSHIP Co)lfilll!cd . HoTEWELL M. E. Church was organized about the year 1836, and was originally known as Sycamore Chapel. Among the first members were Thomas Craig and wife, Hiram Crump and lady, John Cochanhour and helpmeet, Miles Burris and wife, Jeremiah Beach and wife, Obadiah Eastes and lady, A. Cooper and family, and Mother Burris. The tirst ministers were Revs. Edwards, Landy Havens,. Morrow, George Havens, J. B. Birt, and Millender, some of whom are still living as \-alient soldiers of the cross. Meetin(>\s were originally held, before the buildinij of the Sycamore church, at the private residences of Daniel Skinner, Thomas Craig, and Obadiali Eastes. In 1840, the hrst church building was erected, and con- tinuously used till 1863, when it was burned. The society was without a place to worship till 1870, when it erected the present building, a neat frame, at a cost of $1,000, and known as Hopewell Chapel. This organization has upon its church rolls but few members, and is, consequently, not strong, and have preaching only semi-occasionally. Pleasant Grove M. E. Church was organized by Re\'. C. Harvey, in the year 1872. Among tlie tirst members were the said Harve}^ and wife, Samuel S. Smith and wife, D. D. Boyd and wife, William Vest, Jackson Apple and lady, and William Horton and family. This society had no building in which to meet for the lirst two years of its existence. In 1874, it erected a neat, handsome church building, at a cost of $1 ,450. Dedicated by Dr. Robison. BUCK-CREEK TOWNSHIP. 1 25 The trustees are D. D. Bovd, Hamilton Wellincr, and Samuel Smith. The first minister in charge was Samuel Lamb, fol- lowed by Freeman and John Cain ; they by Freeman and R. H. Smith ; the last of whom served till 1875, when the Fortville circuit was divided and the Pleasant Grove church attached to the McCordsville circuit. Since which time the following divines have led the flock: R. B. Powell, T. J. Elkin, and G. N. Philipp, the last of whom is the present minister. Union Chapel. The United Brethren perfected an organization in Buck-creek township about the year 1856, and held their meetings in private residences and log school-houses till the year 1858. In January of this year, Washington McConnell, Thomas Preble, and Jackson Price were elected by the Qiiarterly Conference as trustees to build a church, to be called Union Chapel. At this time, D. Stoner was presiding Elder and Thomas Evans preacher in charge. The circuit was called Pleasant View, and belonged to White River Conference. The first sermon preached in the building was on Christmas evening, 1858. On the following day (Christ- mas) the funeral of John Underwood, senior, who donated the ground on which the church stood, was preached. Meetings have been continuously sustained since its -organization, notwithstanding the building was burned in 1880. The circuit has been presided over from time to time by the following Elders : A. Kin<,r, A. E. Evans, J. Myers. A. Ilaiuvay. John Vardeinan. R. B. Beattv, Wm. Nichols, Hallcck Floyd, R. B. Beattv, W. Wit, W. C. Day, Lewis Crawford. D. O. Ferrell, Ilalleck Floyd, J. Pruner, Milton Wright, M. Caltrich, \v. C. Day, D. Stoner, Thomas Evans, Alexander Carrol. 126 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. C. Smith. A. B. Darv. William Hall. P. S. Cook, Alexander Carrol, Monroe Cironeiulike, Thomas Evans. Amos Han way, T. II. Halstead. A. E. Evans, D. Stoner, J. M. Ware, D. Stoner, Thomas Evans, A. Davis. Simon B. Irvin, Henry K. ]Muth. The preachers in charge for the time were William Gossett, Irvin Cox, A. C. Rice, I. Tharp, and Henr}- Hiiflman. I. Tharp preached but one sermon till he was thrown from his sulky and had his leg broken, and Henry Hullman finished out his term. The present Elder is Milton M. Wright, and the minis- ter in charge F, M. Demunbren. The charge is attached to the Warrington circuit. The more marked revivals were during F. Evan's tirst year, T. H. Ilalstead's ministr3% and William Gossett's supervision, when there was quite an ingathering of souls. This society was doubtless established through the instrumentality of J. B. Collins, local preacher, since gone to his long home, and of precious memory to many. [We are indebted for the above facts to James H. Mur- phv, an obliging. Christian gentleman.] John D. Hopkins, an exceedin<^lv eccentric man, came to Hancock count\' about the year 1843, and built a pole shanty in the woods of Buck-creek, about four by seven feet, covered it with dirt, and daubed it inside thoroughly to the exclusion of all light and air, save at the small entrance, about fifteen ijiches wide and live feet long, which was closed by a sin- gle blue board called a door. The furniture consisted of a rude stool, on which he sat, made bv his ow^n hands ; a primitive writing table, at which he spent much of his time ; and a small sheet-iron stove, which he carried on his shoulder from Richmond, Indiana, and at the same time, under his arm, the fancy door for his contemplated rustic home. Mr. Hopkins was a single man, and li\ed alone, not so BUCK-CREEK TOWNSHII' 127 much from choice, perhaps, as from force of circum- stances. Physically, he was large, strong, and vigorous, ^veighed two hundred pounds and upwards, of Horid com- plexion, and had sandy hair, inclined to redness. Men- tally, he was truly stii grnrr/s, loved sport, courted flattery, inclined to poetry, and imagined himself the " preacher, poet, orator and philosopher of the age.'' He spent much of his time in writing hymns, poems, and political songs, which he would sing on seasonable occa- sions. He has been denominated a monomaniac on the subject of religion. He termed himself a "good gather- ing preacher," and did finally succeed in gathering a half dozen or more joiners in the township to his little band, which he termed '"The good gathering army." To this little "army" he preached for some time, composing his own hymns and texts, never adopting anything, know- ingl3% from even the best authors. Of him it may truh' be said that he was never guilty of plagiarism. His poetr\' was not classic nor polished b}' any means, nor was it faultless in meter and figure ; but was like much of the early spring poetry, mere doggeral. He courted a certain prominent young widow of energ^' and means and portly appearance, and for a time appar- ently received some encouragement, which prompted him to compose a number of songs expressive of his feelings relative thereto. During the political campaigns he was especially an object of interest. For ten cents he would make either a whig or democratic speech, it was immaterial which. In- deed, for a dime he would make a public speech on the street on a goods-box, or an}' public place outside of a house, on any subject, political, religious, or scientific, or sing a campaign song, adapted to either party, or sing a " sabie song," which was one of his love eft'usions. After singing one of his ballads, he would pass through the au- dience and offer them for sale. A single dime would pay the bill for the entire lot, which he had been at the trouble and expense of having printed. 128 HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY. In dress Mr. H. was not less odd than in other respects. He seldom wore a hat, coat, or boots, save in the coldest weather, and his pants he had usually rolled up to the knees. He was exceedingly strong and active, and prefer- red jumping a fence to opening a gate. Mr. Samuel Harden says that he saw him, a few 3'ears since, in Ander- son, and invited him home with him for dinner, which he accepted, ate heartily, took his departure, and leaped over the fence rather than open the gdte, though it was con- venient and in good working order. The last seen of Mr. H., in Greenhed, was about three years since. Of his present whereabouts we are not relia- bly informed. We heard that he was located in Missouri, on a rivations and hardships incident to pioneer BUCK-CREEK TOWNSHIP. I 29 life. The following are the names of their children : Catharine F., Samuel N., Sarah J., Lvdia, Elvira and John F., six in all. Mr. Shelb}' is not a member of any church, for reasons best known to himself. Though rough in speech and ex- terior, he is social, kind-hearted and well disposed. George W. Parker, Esq^. was born November 13, 1842. He was married to Marv C. Coleman (whose parents came from South Carolina), January 7, 1866. Mr. P. was elected to the office of jus- tice of the peace in 1872, and held the position for eight years, with general sjrtisfaction to his fellow citizens. Mr. P. is also a teacher of some considerable experience in the schools of his township, and prides himself on being an unflinching democrat. Mr. P. is especiallv possessed of the distinguishing characteristics of the famih' industrv and econom}-, and has, thereby, succeded in accumula- ting considerable means for a young man, owning a fine farm under a good state of cultivation. The following are his children's names: Clinton, Dora A., Mar}' J., and William ; four in all . Shadrach H. Ar.nett was born September 3, 1819, in Franklin county, Indiana. He came to this county with his father, William Arnett, in 1831, and settled in Buck-creek township, where he lived, bearing a good name, till his death, which occurred February 13, 1879. ^^^^ ^''^^^ remains peacefull}' rest beneath a statelv monument erected bv loviniT hands. The deceased was an active, influential member of the Masonic order, in which he took the greatest deliirht. Early in life he was a member of the Baptist Church ; but at the time of his death was not associated with any relig- ious order. Mr. A. filled credita-bly the office of trustee for several years; and, also, that of "enrolling officer" during the late civil war. Bv industrv, good habits, and BUCK-CKEKK TOWNSniP. I3I economy, he succeeded in acquiring a large estate. In appearance Mr. A. was large, portly and athletic, weighing two hundred pounds, and of fair complexion. Unto his kind oversight were committed the following children: Sarah A., ]Mar\-, Isabelle, Elizabeth, Lucinda, and Wil- liam H. His widow, still living, resides on the old home- stead. Joseph Wright, a distant relative of Ex-Governor Joseph Wright, is a native of the "Keystone State,"' beginning his earthly career in 1810, December 27. He came in early youth with his parents to Butler county, Ohio, where he remained a few years ; thence to Wayne county, Indiana, where he remained till the year 1832, when he was married to Eliza- beth Stephens, of that county, and afterwards removed to Buck-creek township, Hancock county, Indiana, where he has since resided. Mr. Wright is the father of Auditor Henry, and Deputy Auditor William M. Wright. He served in the capacity of justice of the peace in his town- ship tor twenty rears. When Mr. W. first came to the townsliip it was one vast wilderness, inhabited by wild animals ; but b_v determined hands and a strong will he has succeeded in making a commendable transformation. x\mid all these changes and vicissitudes of life Mr. W. has been encouraged and strengthened by the companion of his bosom, a noble woman. God bless her I Mr. W. is an uncompromising democrat, yet accords to others what he claims for himselt", the rio'ht to vote his sentiments. He is a member of the Masonic fraternit}', and no good brother ever knocks at his door without receiving admit- tance. Unto him were born the following children : John W., Marv, Henr\-, Isom S., Celia, and William M. ; all of whom are still living, save John W. and Celia. Barzii.la G. Jay \>jfis a native of North Carolina, born in 1794, where he lived till 1837. ^^ 1822 he was united in the holy bonds 132 HISTORY OF HANXOCK COUNTY. » of wedlock to Miss Jane McCullough, of the same state. In company with his companion he emigrated to Hancock county, Indiana, and settled in Buck-creek township, in 1837. Mr. J. was from birth and education a democrat unwavering ; and, as such, was elected to the office of county auditor in 1855, which position he held creditably and satisfactorily for four years. Mr. Jay also served as justice of the peace for some years, with credit to his judg- ment and good sense. He was a man of firm character, "honest and conscientious, and was an influential member of the Masonic order, by which he was buried June 17, i860, at the Hodge cemeter3% in Buck-creek township, where, by his side, the companion of his life was laid in February, 1876. His children were Eliza A., Mar^- J., Margaret C, John H., Martha A., James W., Susan F., and Amanda A. Macedonia Church •of United Brethren was organized, about the year i860, on the land of William Shaffer, but was afterwards moved farther south, on the opposite side of the road, where it now stands. The society v/as organized by Thomas Evans, followed by Rev. Hanway. The following were among its flrst members : John and Isabelle Parker, Isaac Wilson, Thomas Price, James Wilson and wife, William and Margaret Wilson, Lewis Barnard, Mary Barnard, James Wallace, Sarah A. Wal- lace, and Cynthia Barnard. The following are the present trustees : John Parker, James Wilson, and Thomas Price. The society is not very strong in numbers, and have -services onl}- once a month. The house is a log, and Mdiolly insutticient for the demands of the audience and the times, and the society contemplate building, at an early - contradiction in U. S. Mist(iry which claimed my attention while pin^siuno- tlie study. One author stated that there were one hun- dred of the Puritan Fathers on the May Flower, and another asserting that she bore up a precious cargo of one hundred and one souls. Why this discrepancy? I queried, there being no note of a death ; and I determined to look it up. A number of authors were examined before I dis- covered the explanation which harmonized the statements of the apparently conflicting authors. The number w'as one hundred on starting, but on the wa^' was increased to •one hundred and one ; and I have since had the pleasure of seeing the cradle in which that extra pilgrim w^as rocked on the briny deep. I iirst read Dow's journal in the back- woods of Arkansas about thirteen years ago, and then obser\'ed a little laughable contradiction, which I am still unable to satisfactorily explain. Lorenzo Dow, on page 212 of his "Journal," says he and Pegg\' were married on September 3, 1804. Peggy Dow, in her "Journey of Life,'" 1 2th edition, page 610, sa3'S that she and Lorenzo were married late in the evening on September 4, 1804. The query is how that could be. Future generations in Hancock count}' may be equally puzzled over the real cost of our present jail and sheriff's residence. The records sliow that it was contracted to be built for ^32,900. IVr say that it cost $75,000 ; but it has otherwise gone down in history as costing over $100,000. Why this discrepancy? Possibly owing to adding interest to the original cost in one case and not doing so in the other. After fully examining and weighing all the evidence, parol and written, w^e are of the opinion that the yeritable Lorenzo Dow twice preached in Greenfield, and entered land in Hancock county, which, after his death, there beinir no other leijal heirs, his wife deeded to said Hector H. Hall. Lorenzo Dow was in many respects a most remarkable buck-ci