Y< II rs Truu ,
JOHN S. BUMS.
[
OUR COUNTY
Its History and Early Settlement
By Townships.
ENTRY OF PUBLIC LANDS,
PRESENT OWNERS,
Reminiscences of Pioneer Life, Etc.
WITH ORIGINAL POEMS.
By JOHN S. ELLIS.
• . ' • . •
NOTE.
I have no apologies to offer for what follows, but
offer the following note of Dr. Green as one of my reasons
for presenting this book to the public. — The Author.
Muncie, Ind., July 19, 1898.
Dear Friend, Ellis:
I am glad you are writing the early history of Delaware county. We
have had two previous attempts to write it. Both have been failures,
neither being accurate or truthful.
Having been reared in the county your knowledge is so superior and so
far your history has been good. Every teacher should file away the News
for future school use as no such facilities for teaching local history and
geography have been offered them. I hope you will later find it possible for
you to place your history in book form so that it may be the better
preserved. Many of the incidents I know personally and many more I have
heard from my father who, you will know, was one of the early settlers and
pioneer teachers of the county. Truly,
GEORGE R. GREEN.
When Delaware Lodge Was Born.
The following poem was read before Delaware Lodge
F. & A. M., on the occasion of its fifty-third anniver-
sary, March 19, 1896, by the author, J. S. Ellis, a copy
of which was ordered printed on white satin, framed, and is
kept in the lodge room:
Turn back if you please just fifty-three years,
To the time when our fathers, the old pioneers,
Threshed grain with a flail and plowed with their steers
When the ring of the axe and the thud of the maul
Was heard in the woods from spring until fall,
When the woodman was cheered by the old dinner horn,
That is when Delaware lodge was born.
When the woods were lit up by great burning logs,
And acorns rained down to fatten the hogs,
When log-rollings, raisings and quiltings were rife,
Where many a Jehu courted his wife.
When " folks went to meeting " in a wagon or cart,
And log school houses were miles apart;
When boys went to mill on the old gray mare
And waited for hours for their •' grinding " there;
Their saddle a sheep skin and a big sack of corn,
That is when Delaware lodge was born.
When dense forests covered the face of the land,
When roads had no gravel, but settlers had sand,
When teachers boarded 'round with scholars, and when
Preachers "rode circuits" on horseback like men.
When coon skins were traded for sugar and tea,
When a dance was a "frolic" and a drunk was a "spree."
When women wove home-spun their forms to adorn,
That is when Delaware lodge was born.
*In a large frame house — it stands there yet —
A room was prepared, and Delaware met;
No painted emblems bright and fair
Adorned the walls of the lodge room there.
No jets of gas in glittering glare,
Emblazoned the G o'er the Master's chair.
No carpet covered the old oaken floor
When the Tyler first stood at Delaware's door.
What changes have come all over the land!
Where cabins once stood, great mansions now stand;
Where the crack of the ox whip was heard, is where
The locomotive whistle rings out on the air;
And thus, great changes, all over the earth,
Have been brought about since Delaware's birth.
But the same old landmarks, the same old rules,
The same old emblems, Masonic tools.
The same old words, in language sublime,
The same old steps for tne craftsmen to climb.
Each brother must travel the same old line.
Give the same old grip and the same old sign;
The same old Bible our alters adorn
That was used when Delaware lodge was born.
But where are the brethren who met in that hall
And took their seats at the gavel's fall ~>
Gone! gone to the lodge on the other shore,
Where they meet on the level, but part no more.
*The building referred to is No. 116 South High street, the former residence of Dr.
Samuel P. Anthony, an upper room of which was used as a lodge room when Delaware
lodge was organized in March, IS4 '..
Perry Township*
Webster defines History as a "Written statement of what
is known." Therefore in writing the history of Delaware
county we must confine ourselves to facts already known to
some one. We have been able to gather information from
many different sources, and by compiling them, to interest
and .benefit our readers without going into detail regard-
ing the first surveys of public lands which was made by
the government in 1822 when the congressional townships
were laid out, a township being six miles square. These
are all numbered, beginning at a base line running east
and west through the south part of the state, and as the
south part of Delaware county is in section 19 it must be
nineteen times six miles or one hundred and fourteen miles
north of the base line. However our townships as they are
named and generally known, are civil townships, laid out in
1827 when the county was organized.
In the organization of these there seems to have been but
little attention paid to the congressional lines, as we find them
running into each other in every case. Our congressional
townships therefore are not used except in the description of
lands. Hence in these articles we will have reference always
to the civil, and not the congressional, townships, in speak-
ing of them.
Perry township occupies the southeast corner of Dela-
ware county, being bounded by Liberty township on the
north, Randolph county on the east, Henry county on the
south, and Monroe township on the west. Its dimensions are
five tiers of sections (or five miles) north and south, and six
sections (or miles) east and west, thus containing thirty sec-
tions or square miles. Counting 640 acres to the section
gives us 19,200 acres in round numbers.
The sections are numbered from 1 to 24 and 31 to 36 in-
clusive.
The surface of the township is undulating, (or what, in
this generally level country, might be termed hilly,) How-
ever, the hills of Perry can be easily cultivated, and add
.beauty to the prospect and benefit in the manner of drainage.
PERRY TOWNSHIP. 7
The hilliest portions of the townships are in sections 3, 4, 5,
8, 9, 16, 18, 19 and 20, or in the central and southwestern
sections of the township. The soil is a clay loam with an ad-
mixture of sand in some portions, and a sub stratum of
gravel. Good gravel for making roads is found throughout
the township. A large portion of the township was originally
covered with a heavy growth of timber, consisting of various
oaks, hickory, white and black walnut varieties of ash, beach,
etc. A small portion of the territory is prairie, which we find
along the small streams, and which the writer believes could
be utilized to great profit in growing celery, as the soil seems
identical with that in the Kalamazoo celery fields.
The largest water-course in the township is White river,
which drains a small portion of the northwest corner.
Touching Section 32 it flows west along or near the
township line between Perry and Liberty until reaching Sec-
tion 31, where it takes a more southerly course through the
northwest part of Section 31 and into Monroe township. The
next in size is Prairie creek which enters the township in
Section 19, flows east of north, draining Sections 19, 17, 8,
9, 4, 33 and 22, and empties into White river near the Liberty
township line.
A tributary of Prairie creek, familiarly known as "Shave
Tail," has its source in Section 1, and flows almost west to
its mouth, near the southwest corner of Section 4, draining
Sections 1, 11, 3, 9 and 4. Stony creek flows north through
the center of Section 23, northeast across the southeast cor-
ner of Section 14, the noathwest corner of Section 13 and
southeast corner of 12, into Randolph county. So there is
not a tier of sections either running north and south or east
and west which is not drained by one or more of these
streams. This, in connection with the natural undulating
surface of the land, makes drainage very easy, which the
land owners have generally made very complete.
In matter of altitude Perry has the highest point in the
county, that beng on the northeast quarter of the northwest
quarter of Section No. 13, owned by Mr. J. A. Mills.
Although there are other points of almost equal elevation in
the township, one of them being just south of the village of
New Burlington and near the home of Hon. John Linville.
This hill has been denominated Bald Hill by some of our
surveyors, and from which one can get a fine view of the
surrounding country.
The first permanent settlers that we have any account of
in Perry township, were Cornelius Van Arsdoll, James Lee,
William Blount, David and Aaron Richardson, who came
with ox teams, cutting their road most of the way through
the forest to their intended future homes, where they arrived
8 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
in April, 1820. Arriving at this season of the year gave them
the advantage of the spring and summer weather in which to
clear off ground and erect their cabins. Their food at this
early day consisted principally of bread and meat. The bread
being often obtained by mashing corn between two stones,
placing a large stone on a stump, then using a smaller one as
a pestel. The mashed grain was then sifted and prepared for
baking. Game being abundant, the pioneer had no trouble
in procuring meat, and the question was never heard at the
table as to whether you would have roast beef or loin of mut-
ton. But instead it was squirrel, wild turkey, venison or
opossum.
The records show that but two of these first pioneers
ever entered land in this township, they being Cornelius Van
Arsdoll and Aaron Richardson. The former iocating land in
Section 31, February 16, 1829, and the latter in Section 8 in
August of the same year. Why it was that the early settlers
were so indifferent about securing their titles we of today can
hardly realize; but it is presumable that they depended largely
on their pre-emption rights.
Among the first settlers of this township was Goldsmith
C. Gilbert, who settled on Prairie creek, in Sections 32 and
33 at an early period, but through neglect or want of means,
failed to enter the land which he had improved, and a man
by the name of Wilder Potter, stopping with him a few days,
and learning that Mr. Gilbert had not secured his title went
to Indianapolis and entered it for himself. This was the east
half of the northeast quarter of Section 32, and the northwest
quarter of Section 33. Thus many men were wronged out of
their hard-earned rights.
Hospitality being one of the cardinal virtues of the early
settlers, it was no uncommon sight to find from two to five
families in one cabin of fifteen to eighteen feet square, the
proprietor and his good wife sharing their home with new-
comers until they could build their cabins. Not only in di-
viding their homes did they display hospitality, but in many
ways, such as assisting them in getting out house logs, hew-
ing puncheons for floors, raising their houses, rolling logs,
etc. Many stories of adventure are told of the trips to the
land office at Indianapolis. One which we now recall being
of Aaron Cecil starting on horseback to Indianapolis to se-
cure a tract of land in Section 32. It was a long, lonesome
trip to make alone through the forest, the road or blazed path
being around by old Strawtown on White river, below Ander-
son, in fact almost following the river all the way. Mr. Cecil
started out, not dreaming that another settler wanted to enter
the same tract, and taking his time, stopped over night on
his way to rest himself and horse. But after he had been
PERRY TOWNSHIP. 9,
several hours on his journey, a neighbor (every one living
within five, or even ten miles, was a neighbor then) heard of
his errand, and wanting the same land, started on foot and
traveled all night to get in ahead of Cecil. Just as he was
going into the land office he met Mr. Cecil coming out, he
having secured the title, not knowing how near he came be-
ing too late. Whether or not the footman secured other land
we never learned, but we hope he did, for his efforts were
surely worthy some reward.
Another instance was that of Samuel Simmons, who had
improved land in Sections 5 and 32. Neglecting to make his
entry it was entered from under him by Daniel Thompson
and sold by him to Aaron I. Cecil in 1831, who entered 160
acres in Section 32 at the same time he purchased the
Thompson tract. And thus it seems that in the pioneer days,
as now, there were sharpers (or in other terms, dishonest
rogues) on the lookout to swindle their fellow men out of
their honest earnings.
We propose in these articles to give the original entries
of lands and also the present owners by sections. Commenc-
ing at the northwest corner of the township, we find that sec-
tion 31 was entered by Cornelius Van Arsdoll, George Ribble,
Lewis Reese, Thomas Hacket and Garret Gibson, the first
entry being made in November, 1822, and the last in October,
1830. The present owners of this section are W. W. Rees,
Lavina Rees, James T. Page, J. Rees, Sr. , W. R. Moore, J.
M, Lenon and G. Hughes. White river flows in a south-
westerly course through the northwestern part of the section.
The Muncie and New Burlington free gravel road passes
through this section east and west near the center. In this
section was born one of the claimants to the honor of being
the first white child born in Delaware county, being Isaac
Van Arsdoll, son of Cornelius Van Arsdoll. The other
claimant of this honor (which neither could have prevented
had they so desired) is Rev. Scott Richardson, still living in
Blackford county, Indiana, his parents living at the time in
section 8. So Perry township certainly has the honor of
being the birthplace of the first white child born in the
county, as these gentlemen were certainly born, and both of
them in Perry township.
The lands in section 32 were entered by Wilder Potter,
Daniel Ribble, Daniel Thompson, Aaron Cecil, John W.
Cecil and George Ribble, the first of these entries being dated
December 16, 1822, and the last September 1, 1833.
This section (32) is now owned by S. R. Cecil, W. R.
Cline, S. E. Cecil, S. G. Cecil, L. Whitney, P. Whitney, S.
and E. Jordan and John Rees, Sr. The section has two
gravel roads through it.
io HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Section 33 was entered by William Poff, Isaac Jackson,
Martin Keesling, Wilder Potter and Jacob Marshall. The
entry made by Wilder Potter was the first, December 16
1822, and was the tract of land before mentioned as that on
which Goldsmith C. Gilbert had settled and improved. The
last entry in this township was made by William Poff, March
12, 1836.
As shown by our latest authority the land in this section
in now owned by M. J. Cline, Lewis Keesling, W. R. Cline
and W. A. Cunningham. Prairie creek crosses the south-
west corner of this section, and the Smithfield and Selma
pikes the eastern part.
The first entry of public lands in section 35 was made by
Loring Waldo on June 29, 1830, and was eighty acres, being
the west half of the northeast quarter of the section. The
balance of the section was entered latter on, up to August,
1834, by Michael G. Carver, Albert Robinson, Hilda Adkins
and Peter Halstead. This section is now owned by M. Dun-
kin, A. H. Ratcliff.. M. A. Murray, E. C. Clark, W. A. Clark,
Lewis Keesling and A. C. Duncan. Good gravel roads
extend along both the east and north lines of the section.
Section 35 seems to have been some later in getting into
the market than the sections west of it, as the earliest entry
of any of its lands were not made until July, 1830, and the
last entry July, 1836. This section was entered by Henry
Row, Joseph Derr, Ira Main, Thompson Stansbury and Peter
Derr; the present owners bing M. C. Moore, M. Helm, G.
Helm, W. S. Helm, C. Swingley, T. Brewer, J. Brooks, S.
Helm, A. H. Ratcliff, L. E. Chenoweth, M. A.'Andars and
G. T. Helm. The Blountsville and Smithfield pike runs
along the west line, and a gravel road on or near the north
line of this section.
Section 36 is in the northeast corner of the township.
The first entry of land was by Joel Drake, in August, 1833,
and was only forty acres. Mr. Drake entered another forty
acre tract joining the first, the following February, 1834. The
balance of the section was all taken up in 1836 by Martin Dye,
Alexander Nisbet, Henry Dye, James Barr, William Baird
and Robert R. Barr.
This section is now owned by T. M. Amburn, J. L. Re-
mel, E. Thompson, E. Sample, J. and D. Sample, E. and J.
Brooks, H. Will, M. E. Cline and J. Brooks. It is well
drained, laying as it does about middle way between White-
river on the north and Stony Creek on the southeast, and less
than a mile from either of them.
The six sections above described being the north tier, is
the only Portion of Perry township in Congressional town-
ship twenty, north. The other four tiers of sections being in
PERRY TOWNSHIP. n
township nineteen. The entire civil township of Perry, how-
ever, is in range eleven, east, the range lines being the town-
ship lines at both the east and west boundaries. The east
line of Perry, being also the east line of range eleven, makes
that point eleven times six miles, or 66 miles east of the base
range line.
The first settlers who came to Perry township (the com-
pany headed by Mr. Cornelius Van Arsdoll) brought with
them two Indians by the name of Jefferson (an Indian bov)
and Kilbuck. They were very useful in cutting the road
through the woods, which had to be done from somewhere in
Wayne county to their destination. Old Beaver and Hunter
are two well-remembered half-breeds of the early days, and as
one of the old settlers remarked to me the other day, the only
ones as he remembered that were considered drunkards in
the settlement, although whisky was kept by almost every
family and always plentiful at log-rollings and house-raisings.
A story is told of two poachers or thieves who harassed
the early settlers until they were compelled to take the law in
their own hands. The one was a colored man known as "Old
Obediah," who lived on the north side of White river oppo-
site Mr. Van Arsdoll and was noted as a chicken thief. To
stop this the settlers chose John Reese judge, and Tom
Hacket as constable, and convened a court in Van Arsdoll's
log barn. The constable proceeded to arrest the accused,
and after a short trial he was clearly proven guilty, but while
the court was summing up the evidence the officer in charge
of the prisoner purposely stepped to one side, when some
sham friend (as the whole proceeding was a sham) suggested
to the prisoner that "now is your chance," and away he went,
closely followed by his dog and the yells of the pursuers, not
hesitating for a moment when he reached the river (which
was "high") but plunged in and was not seen in the neigh-
borhood again for five or six years.
The other was a white man, known to the settlers as
"Old Tom Hall," who was a noted bee thief, and who was
arrested by Officer Hacket, tried by Judge Reese, and sen-
tenced to two days' imprisonment in the "wolf pen." This
was a pen built of heavy logs, covered with same, with a
trap-door on top. This door was so arranged that the wolves
would get into it to get the bate inside and would drop
through, but could not get out. This pen was near the river,
and also near the line dividing the east and west half of the
northeast quarter of section 31, on land now owned by Mrs.
Lavina Reese; and here the prisoner was kept the allotted
time fixed by the court.
It is said that "Old Tom" afterwards, in sticking his
arm into another man's corn crib after night, got his hand
12 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
into a steel wolf trap, and was found standing there on the
next morning, even not coming into breakfast when politely
invited by the owner of the corn crib. For this offense he
was again arranged before Judge Reese's court, but as he had
suffered a broken arm by the accident (?) the court thought
the penalty sufficient.
Game was plentiful in these early times and almost
everyone was a successful hunter. Almost every settler kept
his hunting dogs, besides a watch dog for his home pro-
tection.
One of the staple articles, much depended upon as an
article of exchange for merchandise, was coon skins, and con-
sequently coon hunting was much indulged in, and a good
coon dog was very valuable. The hunter would start out
after dark, peeling the bark off of a hickory tree and lighting
it for a torch, he would strike boldly into the woods. His
dogs, anxious for the sport, would at once get down to busi-
ness, and soon the baying would announce to the anxious
hunter that a trail had been struck. Mr. Coon, hearing the
dogs after him, would soon take to a tree, (most generally a
very large one) but as timber was of little or no value, the
hunter would at once proceed to cut the tree, without any
thought as to the owner of the land on which ii ~tood. Then
as the tree would fall, some one or more ol the company
would be delegated to hold the dogs to prevent them from
running under the falling tree, until about the time it struck
the ground, then letting them loose they would rush onto the
coon, which would frequently "put up'" a big fight. At other
times the coons would evade the dogs an succeed ind reach-
ing and climbing another tree, in fact, the writer has helped
cut the third tree for one coon.
The experienced hunter could tell the moment the game
was treed by the baying of the dogs, and you would hear the
joyful exclamation of "he's treed." He could also tell you if
the dog was running any other game than coon. As I have
often heard the remark, "that dog's on a rabbit track," and
the dog was very apt to get a whipping for so far forgetting
his dignity as to trail a rabbit when out for coon. Among the
noted coon hunters of Perry township was Garret Gibson,
who entered the west half of the southwest quarter of section
31, in 1830, lived in the township many years and has many
relatives living here now.
Section No. 1, in Perry township, was settled and the
land entered by William King, John Fetters, Bowater Bates,
John Connor, William Locke, Thomas Clevenger, William
Baird, Norris Flemming and Joseph Whitacre. The first of
these entries was made by John Connor October 31, 1822,
and the first or earliest entry made in the township. This
HOME AND STORE OF ELI W. WALRADTH,
Tasel, (Old Mt. Pleasant). Perry Township.
&
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*pw
/jkmT
m *4
-*^BrW
WM. BARNES,
(Deceased). A pioneer carpenter of
Mnncie.
MRS. EVELINE WACHTELL
BARNES,
Of Muncie.
BUGGIES ((HARNESS
THE WACHTELL BLOCK,
West Washington street, north of Court House.
PERRY TOWNSHIP. 13
was the east half of the southeast quarter of the section, and
is now owned by L. Lindsey, S. Reese and S. M. Warner.
The last entry in the section was made by Joseph Whitacre in
March, 1837. The present owners of section 1 are R. Brew-
er, J. J. Fetters' heirs, H. Fetters, S. M. Warner, A. Reese,
L. Lindsey, M. E. Cline, W. Terrel, J. E. Clevenger and T.
G. Clevenger.
Section No. 2 was entered by Robert R. Barr, Henry
Way, Andrew McAlister, William Dilts, James Barr, John
Brooks and Nelson Thayer, in the years of 1832-35-36 and 37,
and is now owned by P. A. Helm, H. Kennedy, |. M. Lenon,
M. H. McCormick, E. J. Halstead, P. R. Clevenger and J.
L. Ullom. The Blountsville and Smithfield free gravel road
runs along the west side of this section. The Christian
church stands near the southwest corner on section 11, and
school No. 1 near the northeast corner on section No. 1.
All the public land in section No. 3 was taken up in six
entries, four of which were made in 1830 and the other two
in 1836. The parties making these entries were William M.
Clark, Lyman Halstead, Peter Halstead, Joseph Walling,
Samuel Halstead and David Hoover. The present owners of
the lands of this section are W. A. Clark, C. Clark, G. W.
Keesling, L. E. Doughty, John Williams, Jr., and W. C.
Scott. This section has good roads along the east, south,
half of the west, and through the center east and west.
School No. 2 is near the west line of the section, in section
No. 4.
Section four might be termed one of the early settled sec-
tions of the township, as the first entry of land in this section
was made in December, 1822, but a short time after Mr.
Conner made his entry in section one, and was made by
James Bryson. The other settlers entering land in this sec-
tion were Joseph Walling, David Hoover, William N. Rowe,
John Will, Louisa Thayer and William J. Cecil.
This section is now owned by John Williams, Jr., Wm.
J. Williams, W. and B. Gilmore, A. R Holloway, George
W. Keesling, and J. B. Cecil; A road runs through the
section, north and south, near the center, and Prairie creek
crosses the west side.
The earliest land entry in section No. 5 was dated Octo-
ber 9, 1826, and was made by Daniel Thompson. From
then until October 25, 1834, all the land in this section was
taken up by Aaron Cecil, Benjamin Walker, George Ribble
and William J. Cecil. Relatives of some of the first settlers
still own and occupy a greater portion of this section.
The present owners are S. G. Cecil, Z. W. Cecil, J. B.
Cecil, S. and E. Jordan and John Rees, Jr. The southeast
quarter of the section joins the village of New Burlington,
i4 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
from which place a gravel road runs north through the section;
also the Muncie and New Burlington free gravel road angles
across the section.
Section six was entered in the years 1830 to 1836, inclu-
sive, but the records show no entries in either 1833 nor 1834.
These entries were made by Samuel Cecil, Joseph
Keesling, James Cecil, John YanArsdol, Daniel Keesling
and Henry Mulkins, and now owned by J. Rees, Sr., M. C.
Will, S. and E. Jordan, A Keesling, John Rees, Jr., John
Will, R. Rees and C. Cunningham. This section we find
short of 640 cares, as in fact, are all the sections of the
township bordering on Monroe.
Section seven was entered in the years 1834 and 1836,
and all but two of these entries were made in the year 1836.
The names of the parties taking this section from the
government were James Cecil, David Robinson, John Kirk-
patrick, Sr., William Drum, Isaiah Gandy, Samuel Hutch-
ings, Joseph R. Pratt and Keder Homan. This is also a
fractional section and now owned by Jane Felton, H. Temp-
lin, L. Rees, O. Ladd, John B. Jackson, E. D. Jackson, G.
W. Helmick, Jacob Keesling, E. J. Jackson and James Car-
michael. A good road passes through the center of the sec-
tion, east and west; another angles across the western half
and another along the greater part of the north line.
The public land in section eight was entered by Aaron
Richardson, Benjamin J. Blythe, Solomon Johnson, Calvin
Cecil, James Cary, William Cecil, Almron Spencer, William
Drum and Ephraim Cary, in the vears of 1829, '31, '32 and
The lands are now owned by S. Jump, ]. B. Cunning-
ham, T. P. Iron, J. and W. Williams, A. Shockley, E. Cary,
R. J. Carey, C. W. Cecil, James Carmichael and W. R.
Moore. The village of New Burlington occupies a portion
of the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter, and school
No. 4 is located on the southwest quarter of the northeast
quarter. This section is in a high state of cultivation, with
good roads.
Section nine was entered by William Powers, William
R. Roe, Eli Hoover, William Baltimore, William J. Cecil
and Stephen Bunnell, during the years of 1829, '30, '31 and
'35. The eastern portion of the section is high, or hilly, and
along Prairie Creek, which drains the western portion of the
section, is low, rich prairie land. The land is now owned by
A. B. Cunningham, W. and B. Gilmore, F. M. Gates, A. L.
Gates, A. G. Gates, L. G. Gates, J. and B. Cunningham, J.
H. Shroyer, N. Howell and S. Carmichael. The Muncie
and Blountsville pike crosses the section and school No. 9 is
on the southeast corner.
PERRY TOWNSHIP. 15
The government land in section ten was entered by John
Buck, Samuel Halstead, William Locke, William Ball,
Joseph Fifer, Thomas Edwards, Martin Hoover, Henry Hart
and Stephen Bunnell, during the years from 1831 to 1837,
and is now owned by I. W. Swingley, C. Swingley, E. H.
Valentine, J. Hawk, R. B. Linsey, J. C. F. Thornburg, P.
A. Helm, O. F. Bowers, W. L. Linsey and A. J. Blount.
This is the only section in the township that can lay claim to
a good road on each of its borders and entirely surrounding
the section.
Section eleven was entered by Moses Hudson, Benjamin
J. Blythe, George Holloway, Charles Miller, Paul Way,
John Buck and Henry Way, in the years ig32> '33, '34 and
'36. The present owners are E. C. Sutton, H. A. Sutton, G.
W. Keesling, T. C. Reese, J. A. Mills, J. C. Turnboldt, W.
A. Jordan, L. and R. Gates and O. O. Linsey. The Chris-
tian church is located on the southwest corner; gravel road
along the south and west lines.
Section twelve borders on Randolph county, and is the
center of Perry township, north and south. Its lands were
entered by Thomas Clevenger, Norris Fleming, John Thorn-
burg, Jacob Branson, Joseph Whitacre, Solomon H. May,
Samuel Rooks, Evan Jay, John Helms, Henry Hill and
Ephraim Emmons, and is now owned by John Linsey, L.
Linsey, S. M. Warner, S. Hackman, L. Gilmore, T. C.
Reese, J. Mills and J. Thornburg. School No. 8 is on the
south quarter and a cemetery on the northwest corner.
The earliest entry of land in section 13, Perry township,
was made June 4, 1822, and the last on February 1, 1837.
The original purchasers were Benjamin Carr, Edward Thorn-
burg, Sr. , Isaac Thornburg, Joseph McClurkin, Isaac W.
Beeson, Alexander Thornburg and John A. Locke.
The present owners of this section are G. H. Thornburg,
E. W. Thornburg, L. Gilmore, A. Gates, J. H. Thornburg,
R. B. Lindsey, J. A. Mills and C. E. Tr^es. The highest
point of elevation in the county is in this section, in the west
half, and near the center of the section north and south. The
section has three gravel roads and the northwest part is
crossed by Stony creek.
Section No. 14 was entered by James Warren, David
Stephens, James Livingston, Robert Hindman, William
Locke, Michael Wolfe, Jackson Brewer and Isiah Templin.
These entries, with the exception of the one made by Isiah
Templin (1835) were all made in the year 1836.
The present owners of land in this section are M. and A.
Yockey, R. B. Lindsey, S. Hindman, C. E Trees, J. C.
Thornburg, A. Yockey, M. Cunningham, J. E. Fletcher
and D. Fletcher. The section is surrounded by gravel roads
16 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
with the exception of three-fourths of a mile. Stony creek
crosses the southeast corner of this section.
The lands in section 15 were entered by Michael Wolfe,
William C. Ball, Henry Way, James Hart, Jesse Pugh, Jona-
than Warren, William Locke and Leonard Stump in the
years of 1835-36 and 37; and are now owned by I. S. Cleven-
ger, J. Clevenger, I. V. Thornburg, J. E. Fletcher, S. A.
Thompson, D. Fletcher, A. G. Gates, A. H. Hiatt, R. P.
Shanklin, L. Gates, C. Hart, F. M. Hewitt and William
Beall. School No. 6 is located on the southwest quarter and
the section has gravel roads on the south and east lines.
As early as 1803 there were petitions presented to our
national congress, asking for changes in our system of dis-
posing of public lands, whereby would-be purchasers of small
tracts could be accommodated, and where sections were be-
fore sold, they could be divided and sold into half sections,
half sections in quarters, quarters in eights, result of which
was to cause a rapid settling up of government lands, the
government, at the time of the settling of Delaware county
selling land in quantities of forty acres or more. Another
wise provision was the reservation of one thirty-sixth part of
all public lands, (or one section in each township ') which the
government gave in perpetuity for school purposes. Then for
convenience, it was determined that section 16 (it being near
the center of each township) should be designated and re-
served as such school section. For our purpose, suffice it to
say that the Indiana State Legislature passed all sections
numbered sixteen in this State into the hands of officials
whose duty it became to rent, sell, or otherwise dispose of
these sections for the benefit of the schools of the respective
townships in which they were located. This explanation, we
trust, fully accounts for section numbered sixteen never being
entered, but sold to settlers by the officials having the proper
authority, and the purchase money used for the education of
the children of the township.
Therefore, section 16, in Perry township, was sold on
August 14, 1830, as follows: East half of northeast quarter,
80 acres, to Samuel Harvey, at S2. 50 per acre; west half of
northeast quarter, 80 acres, to John Armentrout, at S2.50 per
acre; northeast quarter of southeast quarter, 40 acres, to Israel
Shoemaker, at $1.25 per acre; southeast quarter of southeast
quarter, 40 acres, to Leonard Stump, at Si. 25 per acre; west
half of southeast quarter, 80 acres, to Leonard Stump, S1.87J4
per acre; northwest quarter, 160 acres, to John Reese, at
Si. 20 per acre; east half of southwest quarter, 80 acres, to
Jesse Delaney, at Si. 75 per acre; northwest quarter of south-
west quarter, 40 acres, to Stephen Bunnel, at Si. 25 per acre;
southwest quarter of southwest quarter, 40 acres, to William
PERRY TOWNSHIP. 17
H. Underhill, at $1.25 per acre. Thus the entire section sold
for the sum of $890. While that may seem a small amount
for a section of land in the rich region of Perry to us, yet the
amount would go further toward educating the children of
the township than many times that amount would now.
The present owners of land in section 16 are E. D. Jack-
son, A. Hiatt, R. P. Shanklin, L. Hewitt, F. M. Hewitt, J.
H. Reese, L. Johnson and Thomas Marshall.
The pike running from Muncie to Blountsville (the old
State road) passes through the section near the center, and
Scott's run crosses the eastern portion. The eastern portion
is convienient to two school houses; No. 6 being near the
southeast corner and No. 9 near the northeast corner of the
section.
Section No. 17 was settled early in the twenties, and its
land taken up in 1823 to 1836. These entries were made by
Solomon Sanford, William Underhill, William Bunnel, Her-
vy Bates and Jesse Jackson.
The present owners of 17 are L. A. Linville, L.Odle, M.
J. Felton, L. Johnson! G. M. Reese, J. B Howell, J. Jack-
son, R. Felton, F. H. Linville, J. Linville, James Car-
michael, J. S. Hutchings and James H. Jackson.
The road from New Burlington to Mt. Pleasant passes
through the section near its center, being on the half section
line from the north line to the center, at which point it angles
to the west of south. Another road crosses the section east
and west on the half section line.
1834 is the earliest entry of land in section 18, and dur-
ing that and the two succeeding years all the public land in
the section was entered by Martin Galliher, Thomas C. An-
thony, Jesse Jackson, Isaac Branson, Elijah Harrold, Mor-
gan Thornburg, Joseph Cheeseman and Jonathan Thorn-
burg.
The present landlords of section 18 are E. D. Pommel,
M. Masterson, D. Jackson, F. H. Linville, S. J. Hutchings,
James H. Jackson, Lewis Keesling, Jacob Keesling,
P. Turner, O. F. Nelson and Mrs. H. Shuttleworth.
A road crosses the section east and west on the half
section line, and another almost north and south, east of the
center.
Section 19 is the southwest section of the township.
This section was entered by Mahlon Branson, John Lewis,
Samuel Poff, Peter Dragoo, Isaac Branson and Robert
Franklin from 1830 to 1836, inclusive, and is now owned by
Lewis Keesling, P. H. Chalfant, S. J. Dragoo, M. Taylor
and O. C. Dragoo. The village of Mt. Pleasant is located on
the line between this section and section 20.
Section 20 was entered in the years of 1833-35-36-37, by
18 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
John Armantrout, Isaac N. Delaney, William Honnell, David
Fetrick, Elias Burkett, Henry Riggs, William Heaton, Abra-
ham Slover and William P. Mathews, and is now owned by
R. Felton, E. Reese, Elijah Felton, M. Shockley, G. Chal-
fant, J. S. Huffman, W. A. Acker, J. Acker, P. H. Chalfant
and P. Oxley.
The first public land in section 21 was entered
as early as September, 1829. Others in 1830-31-33-34-35
and 36. The names of the parties availing themselves of
homesteads in this section at government prices were Leon-
ard Stump, James Lindley, Thomas Keener, Hosea Sisk,
Joseph Cowgill, Hervey Bates, William Lindley, Rachael
Dummit, Daniel Kessler and Charles Lindley. The land is
now owned by A. M. Ofterdinger, R. Marshall, M. Marshall,
S. Parks, E. Bird, E. Marshall, T. Marshall and H. Acker.
The Muncie, New Burlington and Blountsville pike (old
state road) passes through this section, while other good
roads run through and along the borders of the section.
Section 22 was entered by John Elliott, Ebenezer Elliott,
Leonard Stump and William Locke, all of whom made their
purchases in 1836, from March 7 to December 16. This sec-
tion has gravel roads on the east and north lines. The land
is now owned by W. Lindsey, D. and A. Fletcher, J. S. Jor-
dan, W. A. Jordan, John Daugherty, W. E. Daugherty, C.
Howell, G. Paul, C. Daugherty, William Beall and A. J.
Cross.
Section No. 23 was entered in the years from 1829 to
1836 by Tarah Templin, John Lenington, Eli Fox, Robert
Templeton, lohn Elliott, Michael Wolfe, Isaac Blount, Cal-
vin Ball and Robert Worrell. One of these first purchasers,
Eli Fox, was the possessor of the shortest name we ever
remember of having seen or heard, six letters spelling both
his first and last name. The owners of land in this section
at this time are William A. Jordan, H. Ofterdinger, J. A.
Jordan, John Daugherty, M. C. Worl, and S. M. and S.
Linville. This section has two gravel roads running north
and south, one on the west line, the other eighty rods west
of the east line.
Section 24 is the southeast corner section of both the
county and the township, and its lands were entered in 1832-
35-36 and 37, by Hugh McCune, Lemuel Hamilton, James
Lindley, Jr., William C. Swan, Abraham Lenington, John
Beckelshymer, Isaac Wrightsman and Samuel Bedwell, and
are now owned by J. H. Thornburgh, James Davidson, B.
Bird, C. E. Trees and William A. Jordan.1 This section
has one gravel road that passes through the section north
and south, eighty-three rods west of the east or the Randolph
county line. School house No. 7 is located on the northwest
PERRY TOWNSHIP. 19
corner. Perry township has nine school districts, and each
have substantial brick school houses except No. 1, which has
a new frame building. School building No. 1 is in section No. 1,
building No. 2 in section No. 4. No. 3 in section 32, No. 4 in
section 8, No. 5 in section 20, No. 6 in section 15, No. 7 in
section 24, No. 8 in section 12 and No. 9 in section 9.
THEN AND NOW.
Then, the forest covered old Liberty's lands;
Then, the red man roamed at will;
Then, the chieftain met his warrior bands
At the place where the modern mansion stands,
On the sunny slope of the hill.
Then, the hunter came from the rising sun,
His home on the eastern shore;
With muscles of iron, and trusty gun.
And built his home where the waters run,
Where the red man romas no more.
Then, his family came his cabin to cheer,
Then, the latch-string hung at the door,
Which said to the passing pioneer:
" Come in, you are always welcome here; "
But he's gone, we see him no more.
Now, orchards bloom on every hand,
Foretelling the coming fruit;
Now, towns and villages dot the land;
Now, people dress in garments grand
Instead of the buckskin suit.
Now, carpets cover the parlor floor
Where once the puncheons lay;
A silver bell on the great front door.
Must we stop at this? Is there nothing more?
Are we wiser and better than they?
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 21
Liberty Township.
Liberty township lies in the east tier of townships of the
county, and is, therefore, in range it, east. It is six miles
or sections square and all in township 20 except the north
tier of sections (31 to 36 inclusive) which are in section 21.
The township is bounded north by Delaware township, east
by a portion of Randolph county, south by Perry and West
by Center township. With the exception of the southern
portion, in the vicinity of White river, the surface of the
land is generally level, although enough rolling for drainage.
The different varieties of oak was the prevailing timber in
Liberty, although other varieties common to this part of the
country were found in many parts of the township.
The first settlements in Liberty township were made, as
is usually the case, along the water courses. In this case
there were three land entries made in the township in 1822,
all three being in sections 21 and 28, in the neighborhood of
White River, just below the old town of Smithfield. The
first of these entries was made by James Jackson, November
it, 1822, and was the east half of the southeast quarter of
section 21, and now owned by Arthur S. Cecil.
The oldest town or village in Liberty, and in fact one of
the oldest in the county, is the village of Smithfield. The
name was given to a small collection of houses which stood
here long before the town was surveyed and laid out into
town lots by the original owners of the land (David Stout
and William Duncan), Smithfield is one of those quaint
hamlets so often seen in this age, which has relapsed from a
more honorable condition, by reason of railroads and other
thoroughfares, coming just close enough to miss them.
Early in the fifties the Bellefontaine and Indianapolis, (now
the Big Four) railroad, was built and it passed about a mile
north of Smithfield. This sounded the death-knell of the
village, and although there was quite a business done
here for several years thereafter, the new town of Selma
sprang up on the railroad, and business gradually left the
old town until now it has become more valuable for cornfields
than it is as a town or trading point. We think the first
merchant in Liberty township was Jeremiah Fenner. He
was located at Smithfield in the general merchandising way
at an early date, and after a number of years sold his stock
and good will to a Mr. Garrison. Thomas Leonard opened a
store here a few years later, then William Lewis in the same
store-room. Mr. Lewis afterwards sold goods in the new
town of Selma. Probably the oldest cemetery or "grave-
22 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
yard" in the township is one which is located about half a mile
west of the site of Mount Tabor Methodist Episcopal church.
The deed to this land has been lost or mislaid, and we are
unable to give the doner's name. However, as the land was
entered by Jacob Payton in 1832, it is fair to presume that he
donated the land as was usual in such cases. About the year
1839 a young son of John W. Baughn died and was buried
on the home farm in section 36, this being the northeast sec-
tion of the township. About one year later, 1840, Mr. Baughn
donated this piece of land for a public burial place for which
purpose it has been used ever since, and Mount Pleasant
Methodist Episcopal church was afterwards erected near this
cemetery.
Much progress had been made in other directions before
even a partial system of education had been adopted in Lib-
erty township. As late as the year 1831 the township was
without schools, which was nine years after the first land en-
try was made, and in that year William J. Moore was sent
by his father, John Moore, to Wayne county, Indiana, where
his uncle lived, the object of his visit being to attend one of
the schools of that county, but upon his arrival he found the
school closed from some cause, and on foot he was compelled
to trudge home again, wiser by experience, but not more so
by education, or as the settlers use to say "Book larnen."
How much this circumstance had to do with the first school
in Liberty township we can not say, but certain it is that
John More founded the first school room after the return
of his son from Wayne county. A short time previous to this
Mr.. Moore had purchased an 80 acre tract of land adjoining
his home place of Wiliiam Downing, on which there was an
empty cabin. This was converted into a school house, and a
subscription was raised by the settlers who had children to
attend school, and Samuel Collier (father of Mrs. A. F. Pat-
terson, of Muncie), was employed to teach the first school in
Liberty township, which was a two-month term.
In the winter of 1832 and 1833 a cabin on the land of
Asahael Thornburg was converted into a school house and
Anderson R. East taught the school during that and the suc-
ceeding winter. In 1839 Amos Meeks taught a school in a
cabin in the northeast part of the township.
These early schools were supported entirely by subscrip-
tion, and the first steps toward the establishment of free
schools were taken by appropriating the congressional fund
of the township for the maintenance of free schools. For a
number of years the old buildings were made to do duty un-
der the new regime, until the accumulated funds warranted
them in erecting new and better school buildings. These
appeared here and there, one by one, until Libert)' stands
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 23
well up in the list for good schools, all of which has had a
marked effect for good on the morals of the community.
Perhaps the first election ever held in Delaware county
was the presidential election of 1824, when the candidates
were Adams and Jackson. At this time, Delaware was apart
of Randolph county and this election was held at the cabin
of William Williams in Liberty township. The total number
of votes cast was about twenty.
Liberty was first settled (like most of the country) by
squatters and hunters, who never became land owners, but
kept moving on west as the country became settled up and
game consequently more scarce. These forerunners of civili-
zation deserve and are accorded much praise by a greatful
posterity, yet it is a fact much to be regretted that while our
early pioneers were carving enduring monuments to their
memories from the dense forests, they thought so little of
what they were doing, as to leave no records from which a
history of their settlement and movements could be made,
therefore, the only source of information open to us is the
store-house of memory.
The north tier of the sections in Liberty township is in
congressional township 21. The balance of the township sec-
tions 1 to 30 inclusive being in township 20 and all in range 11
east. Commencing at the northwest corner of the township,
we find section 31. This section was entered in 1 1 different
tracts by eight different parties. The first of these entries was
the east half of the northwest quarter (80 acres) entered by
Lewis Smith November 20, 1832, and now owned by J. H.
Satterfield and P. C. Hirons. After this entry by Mr.
Smith the government lands of this section were purchased
by Jefferson Cox, John Guthrie, Stewart Cecil, Monroe Goff
and John Dragoo in 1835, and Jefferson Cox, John Moody,
Jesse Holland and Monroe Goff in 1836. The present own-
ers of the land in section 31 are J. H. Satterfield, P. and S.
Hirons, Samuel Bell, P. C. Hirons, S. Cecil and C. E. Reed.
The section has three and a half miles of public roads, one
and one-third of which is free pike. The L. E. & W. railroad
crosses the section from the southwest to northeast and Mun-
cie branch of Prarie creek drains the section. Lying east of
31 is section 32. There were no entries of public land in
this section until May 30, 1836, when Thos. Points entered
40 acres in the southwest quarter, after which time all the re-
mainder of public land in the section was purchased by the
June following, by Joseph Newman, John Newcom, George
Moody, Thomas H. Weirman, John Moody, Jesse Holland
and Samuel Moody.
At present (1899) the land owners in section 32 are L. &
W. Goontz, L. A. Goontz, E. M. Thornburg, J. Jenkinson,
24 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
P. C. Lillie, P. C. Hirons, M. M. Moody and A. Miller. The
L. E. & W. railroad crosses the northwest corner of the sec-
tion, about a mile southwest of DeSoto station.
The section has three and a half miles of public road,
one mile of which (that on the south line) is free pike. Scho»4
No 3 is located in the southwest corner of this section.
East of section 32 is section 33. John Sparr entered the
northeast quarter of this section (160 acres) on December 22,
i835- William W. Orr, of Muncie, now owns this tract. In
1836 the entire remaining lands of the section were purchased
of the government by Thos Zarner, Joseph Newman and
Thomas Bloom.
The present land owners in section 33 are William W.
Orr, F. H. Pittenger, F. Hitchcock, E. Evans, L. A. Goontz,
S. S. Williams and N. Wood.
Section 34 was entered in the years 1835, '36 and 37, as
follows: By James Orr, Adam Boots and William Henry
Williams in 1835; Ha Lake and Wm. H. Williams in 1836;
Robert Lake and Pendroy in 1837. At present the land
owners in section 34 are J. and C. Orr, J. H. Orr, Wm. W.
Orr, G. T. Orr, N. Truitt, J. S Hopping, P. E. Mott and L.
Mott. School No. 2 is located near the west center of this
section, just across in section 33. The section has three
miles of public road, two and a half miles of which are free
gravel pike.
Section 35 lies just east of section 34. Its lands were en-
tered in 1835 by John Dinsmore (southwest quarter), and in
1836 by Daniel Fox, William Woods and Samuel Lewellen.
At present the section is divided up into small farms and are
owned by S. R. Strong, A. Shroyer, P. and A. Pittenger, L.
S. Sparks, J. A. Shroyer, M. J. Murray, I. K. Ketterman,
M. R. Sparks, J. E. Campbell and W. Orr's heirs.
Section 36 lies in the northeast corner of Liberty town-
ship. It was entered in 1836 and 1837, in small tracts, there
being twelve entries made by eleven parties, as follows: In
1836 by Samuel S. Swain, David Fox, Samuel Malcolm, Sol-
omon Rohrbaugh, John W. Baughn, Elijah Reeves, Samuel
Lewellen and John Hines, and in 1837 by James Sparr and
Thomas Gough.
Section 36 is now owned by J. W. Meeks, A. F. Meeks,
J. and T. Mills, S. A. Tharp, W. W. Current, S. R. Strong,
S. A. Leavell, M. Leavell, P. and S. Pogue, J. H. Baughn,
A. B. Hoover, J. A. Shroyer and M. S. Tharp. The section
has some four miles of public road, about one-half of which
is free gravel pike.
Section 1 is the east section of the north tier of sections
in Township 20. On February 19, 1833, Benjamin Irwin
Blythe entered the fractional northwest quarter of this sec-
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 25
tion. Subsequently, by act of Congress of June 23, 1836,
the balence of the public land in section 1, together with all
of section. 2 (also fractional) was reserved for school pur-
poses. Section 1 is now owned and generally occupied bv
Oliver Jones, S. C. Bartlett, S. Ketterman, A. Ketterman,
D. A. Stephens, M. S. Tharp, Joseph Meeks and A. B.
Hoover. This section has nearly three miles of public road,
and is very thoroughly drained by the headwaters of Camp-
bell's creek.
Section 2, lying west of section 1, is owned at present
by N. Ketterman, I. K. Ketterman, W. C. Swander, W. and
H. Swander, A. C. Dragoo, W. H. Hitchcock, D. A. Ste-
phens and William H. Murray. The section has three miles
of road, one of which is free pike. School No. 1 is located
near the northeast corner of the section, in the corner of sec-
tion 35.
Section 3 was somewhat late in getting into market, as
its lands were all entered in the years of 1836 and 1837 —
during the first of these years by James H. Neal, who made
three entries, and in 1837 by Moses E. McConnell, Meeker
Shroyer and John Givan. The present land owners of sec-
tion 3 are J. H. Hopping, N. Truitt, D. R. Hopping, J. and
M. Shroyer, J. C. Huffman, M. F. Mason, N. J. Shroyer, J.
Searls, S. and E. Whitney and J. Hitchcock. This section
has two and-a-half miles of public road, the Albany and
Selma free gravel pike passing north and south through the
center.
Section 4 was first entered by John Morrison on July 24,
1834, after which time there were no further entries until
1836, when purchases were made by James H. Neal, James
Huffman, George Barton, Jonas Huffman and Samuel M.
Kinsley. In 1837 the entries of the section were completed
by John Morrison and John Givan. Section 4 is now owned
by T. B. Small, F. Hitchcock, J. Searles, G. W. Sayers
and W. H. Phillips. This section has 2^ miles of public
road, 1% of which is free pike, and school No. 10 is located
in the southwest quarter.
Section 5, like section 4, was first entered in 1834. How-
ever, the pioneer of section 5 was William Bromfield, who
entered a 40-acre tract at that time (October 22, 1834). The
other parties purchasing in this section were Joseph Howrey,
in 1835, and George W. Miller, William Broadrick, William
L. Gough and Willis Ball, in 1836. This section is now
owned by G. and L. Miller, A. Miller, John Shafer, W. H.
Phillips and E. M. Gough The section has free gravel pike
on both its north and south lines, with a public road on a
portion of the west line.
Section 6 joins Center township. Its lands were entered
26 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
in 1834, by Reuben Preston, and in 1836, by Reuben Preston,
John Kinsley, Washington Heck and Dr. Samuel P.
Anthony. The present owners of section 6 are P.M. Car-
penter, A. Harmon, S. Holt, A. H. Gough, C. C. Hirons,
M. E. Bell and John A. Jones.
Section 7, Liberty township, lies three miles east of the
north part of the city of Muncie and adjoining Center town-
ship. The first of its congress lands ever purchased of the
government was by Charles points on June 18, 1833, and was
the east half of the southeast quarter, 80 acres, and now
owned by the heirs of Milton Truitt and J. R. Sprankle. Dur-
ing the year 1835 entries were made by Joseph Rash and Wil-
lis Hance. In 1836 the remainder of the public lands in this
section were taken up by Henry Phillips, John Richey and
Washington Heck.
We find the land owners at this time to be A. Gough, L.
F. Miller, C. C. Hirons, Milton Truitt's heirs, J. and O.
Jones, J. R. Sprankle and J. S. Wood. This section has the
Centennial pike on the north, and the Selma pike on the
south line.
As early as May 27, 1831, there were two entries of gov-
ernment land in section 8, the one was the northeast quarter
160 acres by Eli Babb, and the other was the east half of the
northwest quarter 80 acres by John Robinson. In 1833 one
entry only was made and that by John Barton. In 1834 but
one entry by John Richey. In 1835 one entry by Ranzel
Barton, and in 1836 two, one by Thomas Sweetman, and the
other by Peter Clark. The land lords of section 8 at the
present time are M. and W. Hufford, W. H. Phillip's, E. T.
Babb's heirs, E. M. Gough, L. F. Miller, Delaware county
(for infirmary) and Milton Truitt's heirs. This section has
four miles of public roads, two miles of which is free gravel
pike. The north half of the section is drained by Hog
creek, a tributary to White river.
Section 9 had but one land owner prior to 1836. This
was William Barnes who entered the east half of the south-
west quarter (80 acres) on January 3d, 1834. This tract is
owned at present partly by J. F. Jackson and partly by W.
H. Burtt. In 1836 entries were made by Aaron Stout, John
Neal, Gilbert Winsett, Ranzel Barton and Charles Melone
and the last public land in the section was purchased by
William M. Clark on December 6, 1838. Section 9 is owned
in small farms generally by R. S. Arbogast, L. P. Arbogast,
J. H. Hitchcock, G. W. Sayres, J. M. Putney, C. Sholtz,
S. E. Dotson, J. E. Neal, Jr., J. F. Jackson, and W. H.
Burt. The section has five miles of public road, that on the
south line being the Muncie and Selma free pike. The south-
east corner of this section joins the town of Selma.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 27
The east half of section 10, 320 acres was also reserved
for the use of sahools by an act of congress passed June 23,
1835. The west half was sold to Isaac Barnes, John Neal
and Daniel Lutz in 1837 and the last 80 tract to John McCon-
nell April 6, 1837.
Section 10 is now owned by J. W. Bortsfield, C. Sholtz,
T. Barnes, J. McCall, S. E. Dotson and the town of Selma,
a portion of which occupies a small portion in the southwest
corner of the section. The section has nearly five miles of
road, the Albany and Selma pike crossing the center north
and south.
All of section 11 was entered in the year 1836 by four per-
sons and all entered in the month of August. Isaac Dunn
entered the southeast quarter and the northwest quarter, and
John A. Gilbert the southwest quarter August 13. Thomas
Wallace entered the west half of the northeast quarter August
17, and John VanBuskirk the east half of the same quarter
August 20. Eleven is now owned by A. C. Dragoo, j. Shrack,
A. B. Hoover, W. H. Murray, J. A. Fowler, M~. J. Gun-
kle, A. A. Yates, J. Pittenger, T. J. Simmons and N.
Jones, Jr.
Section 1 1 is surrounded by public roads, having one on
each section line.
All the public land in section 12, Liberty township was
purchased of the government on the same day, August 19,
1836. Joseph Brandon purchased the northeast quarter, 160
acres, Jacob M. Johnson, the southeast quarter, 160 acres,
and Peter Clyne the west half, 320 acres.
This section joins Randolph county and its present own-
ers are R. Meeks, J. Meeks, J. Simmons, N. Jones' heirs,
C. Jones, W. H. Pierce, L. J. Reed and S. F. Shrack.
The section has public roads on the north, south and west
lines.
Section 13 lies south of section 12, and also adjoins Ran
dolph county. The lands of this section were also all taken
up in 1836. Levi Bowersby entered the northwest quarter
on June 13; George Dickey the southwest quarter August 26,
and the southeast quarter the same day; John VanBuskirk
entered the east half of the northeast quarter August 20, and
Lewis Kendall the west half of the same quarter August 26.
The section is now owned by N. Jones' heirs, and C.
Jones, H. Yates, J. W. Goings, S. Jones, J. M. Patterson,
H. B. Murray, I.E. Crampton, G. M. Dunkin, M.J. Patty,
and J. M. Davis. The section has public roads on the north
and west; also east and west, through the center. The Big
Four railroad crosses the northern part of the section in an
east and west direction.
Section 14 was purchased of the government in 1836 and
28 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1837. During the first mentioned year the purchasers were:
Eleazer Coffeen, Benjamin Plantz and Daniel Ellenberger.
In 1837 purchases were made by Lewis Shroyer and John
McConnell. The section is now divided up into small par-
cels and owned by R. L. Vaught, B. Stonebreaker, N.
Winget, M. J. Gunkle, G. and G. Goings, W. Moore, E.
Simmons, L. R. Black, J. Winget, L. A. Winget, W. Dun-
kin, Jr, B. F. Dunkin and J. Dotson's heirs. The section
has public roads on the north, east and west; also through the
center, with the Big Four railroad running through the north-
ern part.
School No. 6 is located on the east side of the section,
near the half section line.
Section 15 was entered in small tracts, there being eleven
entries in all, and all, with one exception, were made in 1836.
The entries during this year were made by Henr^ Ellen-
berger, Daniel Ellenberger (2), David Mays, Aaron Mar-
shall, George Dickey, Chester Searles, William Weir (2) and
Gilbert Winset. The entry in 1837 was made by William
McConnell.
Section 15 is now owned by William Hanna, J. and N.
Hutchings, A. E. Hoover, J. Greenwalt, E. J. Price, N. E.
Black, D. C. Sweeny, J. Dotson's heirs, William Lewis, and
the greater part of the town of Selma, which town lies prin-
cipally in this section. The section has five miles of public
roads besides the streets of the village.
Section 16, as in all other townships, is the school sec
tion, and as such was sold to the highest bidders on May 12,
1832, and brought the minimum price, $1.25 per acre, making
the total receipts for the section #800.
The parties purchasing this section were: Jacob Earhart,
80 acres; William Barnes, 40 acres; Samuel G. Campbell,
160 acres; William Stansbury, 40 acres; William Poland, 40
acres; Frederick Goings, 40 acres; James F. Davis, 80 acres;
A- R- East, 160 acres.
The present owners of this school section are: R. Dunkle,
S. J. Williams, J. Goings, M. W. Campbell, J. Jackson,
C. Carmichael, J. W. Goings, W. Bortsfield, and N. Black,
E. G. Campbell and D. C. East. The section has some
four miles of public road, and one mile of the Big Four rail-
road in the northern part.
Section 17 was entered as early as 1833 and as late as
1837. The entries in 1833 were made by Joseph Humphreys,
William Payton, Jr., and Jacob Payton, in 1835; by Fred-
erick Goings, in 1836; by George Dickey, John Morgan,
L< wis Kendall and Alexander Addis, and in 1837 by John
Norris. We now find this section owned by W. H. Camp-
bell, J. W. Goings, W. H. Burtt, L. Skiff et al., C. Hed-
HOME OK J. C. HUFFMAN,
Two miles north of Selma.
RESIDENCE OF J. F. MASON,
Stock dealer, two miles north of Selma, Albany pike.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 29
rick, M. Cowley, D. C. East, M Whitney, H. Whitney, H.
Graham and J. C. Watt.
The section has three miles of public road, that on the
north line being free pike. School No. 4 is located in the
northwest corner of the section.
The first entry of land in section 18 was made on the 24th
of August, 1829, by Elijah Casteel. Then followed the en-
tries of Washington Downing, in 1830; David Hamer and Jo-
seph Mulkins, in 1832; James Tilden, in 1834, and John
Guthrie, in 1835. The present land owners in section 18 are:
J. S. Graham, S. A. Graham, P. Graham, C. and V. Bul-
lock, A. Guthrie, Catherine Meeker, J. C. Watt, Charles W.
Cecil, J. M. Graham and William Ribble.
The section has a free pike on the north, and also one
on the south line, and a public road on the east line. The
Big Four railroad runs east and west through the northern
part.
Section 19, Liberty township, lying east of, and adjoining
Center township was entered in the years i83i-'32 and '33.
John Moore was the first pioneer land owner of this section,
he entering the northwest quarter (fractional) 147 5-100
ares, and the west half of the northeast quaater 80 acres on
February 2, 1831. In 1832 entries were made in the east
half of the section by Reuben Preston and William Payton.
In 1833 the southwest quarter was entered by Jacob Payton,
Jr., and Joseph Dungan.
The present land owners in section 19 are J. C. Watt,
Charles W. Cecil, C. Guthrie, P. Guthrie, Z. T. Williams,
J. R. Koons, G. Fulhart, D. Rees; Jr., D, H. Simmons and
J. L. Simmons.
The section has three miles of public road 1% miles of
which is the Muncie and Smithfield free gravel pike. The
Mt. Tabor cemetery is on the south line of this section near
the southeast corner.
Section 20 was entered in the years of 183 1 to 1839, as
follows: In 1831 by James Truitt, Reuben Preston, Thomas
Whitney and Lewis Smith. In 1832 by Thomas Hamilton,
Asaiel Thornburg and William N. Smith. In 1833 by Thomas
Hamilton, 1836 by Parker Truitt and John Smith, and in 1839
by David Rench.
The present owners of these lands are Jane Lenon, Wal-
ter A. Cecil, M. Whitney, J. Babb, E. C. Gough, Jesse
Truitt, O. S. Lenon, J. C. Hoover and J. Snider. This sec-
tion has three miles of road, also 1% of which is free pike.
James Jackson entered the east half of the southeast
quarter of section 21 on the nth day of November, 1822.
This was among the earliest purchases in the county, and the
second entry ever made in what is now Liberty township.
3o HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
This tract is now owned partly by Jane Lenon and partly by
Walter A. Cecil.
After the advent of Mr Jackson in this section, entries
were made in 1825 by David Stout, in 1827 another by James
Jackson, in 1828, another by David Stout in 1829 and 1830
by Parker Truitt, also in 1830 by Andrew Collins. In 1833
by John Stout and in 1835 the last of the section was entered
by James Truitt.
Section 21 is now owned by A. S. Cecil, M. M. Hopping,
Jane Lenon and Jesse Trnitt. The section has about three
miles of public road, and is well drained by the White river
passing through the east, central and southern parts.
Section 22 is the section in which is located the old
town of Smithfield. This section was settled early. The
first entry was made by David Branson and Morgan Thorn-
burg in 1923. In 1824 entries were made by David Branson
and Thomas Cox. In 1829 by William Wire and James
Jackson. In 1936 entries were made by John Richardson
and Abraham Bush. Section 22 is now owned by J. Dotson's
heirs, J. S. Dunkle, J. and N. Hutchings, William Lewis,
W. Bortsfield, H. Hutchings, J. L. Hutchings, W . Dunkle,
F. N Cannady and the town plat of Smifhfield. WThite
river crosses the southeast and southwest corners of the sec-
tion, which is also well supplied with public roads.
The first entry of public land in section 23 was made by
JohnG. Decas, January 9, 1824. After this other entries
were made in 1827 by Asa M. Thornburg, in 1829 by John
and Solomon Stout, and Levi Bawlsby, in 1832, by John
Rush Deeds, in 1836 by Eleazer Coffeen, Christian Life,
John Richardson and Loring A. Waldo, and in 1837 by
Landrine Rash and Thomas Rash. The section is now ownt-d
by L. D. Wright, W. Dunkle, Jr., W. Bush. J. S. Dunkle,
H. Spangler, E. Ceeil, A. D. Spangler, O. Sherwood, and
M. Lesh. White river passes through the section in nearly
a west course generally, although meandering around consid-
erably and somewhat crooked. School No. 7 is located near
the southeast corner of this section.
Section 24 was settled in 1823 to 1837. The land was
purchased in 1823 by George Blalock; in 1829 by John Con-
nor; in 1830 by Michael Mayer; in 1835 by James Barr and
Tnomas Wallace; in 1836 by Joseph Lewis and Samuel Cray,
and in 1837 by Lewis Shroyer. This section joins Randolph
county and is owned by Joseph Meeks, J. C. Naylor, J.
Cline, T. Naylor, W. H. Naylor. W. Stephens, C. E. Sut-
ton, J. G. Cecil, et al., and D. Brooks, et al. The section
has but 1V2 miles of public road. This section is well wa-
tered by White river in the southern and Phillips creek in the
northern part.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 31
Some six years before any other purchase of public land
was made in section 24, John Fowler entered an 80 acre tract
in the northeast part of the section, this was on April 4, 1825.
After which time entries were made by Michael Pepper, in
1831; John B. Bailes in 1832; John Conner in 1833; John
Gardner in 1834, and Henry Clyne, Isaac Cline and John
Pennington in 1836. This is the southeast corner section of
Liberty township, and its lands are owned by S. E. McAlis-
ter, J. Clyne, J. G. Cecil, D. Brooks, et al., J. W. Odle,
M. and J. Grable, S. Kegrice, J. O. Gable and J. Will.
The section has nearly four miles of public road, most of
which is free gravel pike. The first entry of the public do-
main in section 26 was made by Levi Bawlsby in 1829. Then
followed the entries of Peter Cylne and Lowring A. Waldo
in 1831, Peter Clyne, Uriah Bulla and Jacob Thornburg in
1833, John Gardner in 1834, and Samuel Williams and Isaac
Clyne in 1839.
The section is now owned by J. Fredline, J. O. Gable.
John J. Cline, H. E. Patterson, M. C. Cline, et al., S.
Greenwalt, C. and M . Carmichael and George Parrott.
The public land in section 27 was entered by Peter Hal;
stead and Lowring A Waldo in 1830; David Stout in 1831,
Norse Main in 1832; William Williams, Sr., George Turner,
Jr., Jonas Hammer, Francis Collins and Joseph Shields in
1836.
Twenty-seven is now owned by P, C. Spangler, A. D.
Spangler, H. Parrott, F. N. Cannady, M. A. Eckberg, J. C.
Williams, Z. T. Dunkin, J. T. Stiffler, M. Dunkin, G. F.
Dunkin, A. C. Dunkin and L. L. Denny. The section has
3^ miles of public road, and White river passes through the
north part of the section for a distance of half a mile.
One of the first entries of land ever made within the
present bounds of Liberty township and among the first in
the county, was that of the west half of the northwest quarter
of section 28, 80 acres entered by William Blunt. Sr., De-
cember 9, 1822. The other lands of this section were
entered by Wilder Potter in 1822 (but seven days later);
William Barnes in 1826; William Pallen in 1831. William
Barnes in 1832; Samuel Cecil in 1835; James H. Cecil and
William Barnes in 1836, and Henry Bates and William I .
Poff in 1837.
The present land owners in section 28 are Arthur A. Ce-
cil, Z. T. Dunkin, A. R. Lenon, O. S. Lenon, L. L.
Denny, G. A. Ribble, LB. Cline and M. Marley. White
river crosses the northwest, and school No. 10 is located in
the southeast corner of this section.
In section 29 Wilder Potter was the first landlord enter-
ing the east half of the southeast quarter, December 16, 1822.
32 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
Then William Stansbury, John Smith and Asael Thornburg
in 1S30 John Richey in 1831; Thomas Wilcoxon, Isaac
DeWitt, John Smith and John W. Cecil in 1832. At present
29 is owned by O. S Lenon, C. W. Collins, Walter A. Ce-
cil, B. Frank Smith's heirs and W Ribble, et al. White
river angles across the the southeast corner of this section,
affording good natural drainage.
Alson Ashley and Henry Bolton jointly entered the east
half of the southeast quarter of section 30 on May 30, 1823.
After this entries were made in this section as follows: In
[828 by Samuel Simmons; in 1830 by Thomas Crawford and
Henry Bolton: in 1S31 by Samuel Simmons; in 1832 by Jacob
Payton, Samuel Hutchings and Henry Bolton, and in 1834
by Samuel Cecil. The present owners of section 30 are:
Walter A. Cecil, D. Rees, L. W. Rees, B. Frank, Smith's
heirs, E. and M . Rees, H. Shroyer, S. J. Guthrie, C. Full-
hart, R. Lenon and J . M. Lenon. School No. 9 is located
near the northeast corner, and the famous Inlow Springs are
in the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of this sec-
tion .
"OLD PIONEERS."
Sometimes as I sit in a thoughtful mood,
And view the spot where the old elm stood
At the side of the road, near the end of the lane,
My thoughts run back in childish strain;
\nd I see myself 'mid griefs and joys,
At play with neighboring barefoot boys.
But all things seem to have changed with the years,
Save the tie that binds the "Old Pioneers.''
Are these the boys we played with then ?
These thoughtful, sober, gray-haired men ?
And are these the girls of olden days
Who joined us in our milder plays ?
Yes, these are some who are left from then,
These womanly women, and manly men;
But many have gone with the passing years
And broken the circle of " Old Pioneers."
The cabin looms up in the distance yet,
Where father, and mother, and children met,
Surrounding the fire on the earthen hearth,
The dearest spot on all the earth.
Where, after the evening prayer was said,
And the little ones tucked in the trundle-bed;
God's blessing came down in them olden years,
And brought sweet sleep to the " Old Pioneers,"
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 33
I see that mother as she sits at her loom,
And the father as he shapes the hickory broom,
Thus the work went on of a winter night,
The cabin lit up by the log- fire light,
Or the tallow-dip, or great pine knot,
For the hearts were light in the toiler's cot;
And they wanted no dazzling chandelier
In the humble home of the " Old Pioneer."
We may talk of improvements that time has made,
Through great inventions, through science and trade,
Of the wonderful changes we witness since then,
Of conquest by sword, and productions of pen,
Yet it comes to me as a crowning thought,
That the greatest of all great works e'er wrought
Since the days of Adam, through ail the years,
Is the characters built by our " Old Pioneers."
The girls who lived in the cabin then
Became the mothers of the kings of men;
They instilled in their sons that spirit bold
That we read in our starry banner's fold
As it kisses the breeze, and is held on high
By patriot hands that never die;
Though stained with blood, and drenched with tears,
Thou art ever the pride of the "Old Pioneers."
Delaware Township.
All of Delaware township lies in township twenty-one
and range 11 east. It is five miles north and south, and six
miles east and west, containing thirty sections, numbered
from one to thirty inclusive. It is bounded on the north by
Niles township, east by Randolph county, while its southern
boundary is the north line of Liberty, and its west line the
east line of Hamilton township.
The greater part of the township is rolling, with the ex-
ception of the southeast portion which is quite level in its
general aspect, although the entire township is easily drained,
there being a number of streams with a sufficient fall for
drainage, while in some places, excellent mill sites are ob-
tainable. The principal water course of the township is the
Mississinewa river, which enters the township in section
twelve, near the northeast corner, runs almost west then
southwest, northwest and north, draining sections 12, 2, 3, 9,
34 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
10, 16, 17, 8, 7, 6 and 5, passing out of Delaware into Niles
township,, one and one-half miles east of the northwest cor-
ner of Delaware township.
While the Mississinewa drains the northern part of the
township, much of the eastern portion is drained by Mud
creek, and the southern and southwestern portion by Camp-
bell's creek and its tributaries. Formerly Delaware was very
heavily timbered with the varieties of oaks, hickory, ash,
walnut, etc., while much poplar was found in places. In
evidence of this statement we might state that Black's mill,
built in 1845, is all weather-boarded with poplar siding, and
still in a pretty good state of preservation. The land in Dela-
ware is a mixture of clay, gravel and loam, very productive
of ail the field crops usually grown in this latitude, and we
frequently find very productive soil on the tops of the highest
hills, it being what is known as a black gravel soil. Besides
being heavily timbered, Delaware township abounded in
small hills filled with rich deposits of gravel and sand,
which has been of untold benefit to the people of the town-
ship for building purposes and road making, which fact has
been fully realized, as it is seldom we find any mud-road in
the township. Good buildings prevail generally, and the in-
habitants themselves seem to have plenty of "sand."
Before the lands of this township were placed in the
market, and prior to the time when the white men began to
settle upon them, a white man by the name of John Boyles,
( but more familiarly known to the first settlers as "Jack,"
or "Jacky Boyles,") took up his residence among the In-
dians, (by whom the land was held) about eight miles north-
east of Muncie, at a point on the Mississinewa river is where
his cabin (and afterwards his mill) were located. As to the
time of his settling it seems impossible to obtain data, but
this much we learn, his wife has been heard to say, that she
entertained the original surveyors, when they were employed
locating the county and township lines, which work was done
in 1822. As to how long they had lived here prior to that
date we have no means of knowing. Mr. and Mrs. Boyles
had both been married prior to their union with each other,
he having three daughters and two sons, and she three sons
by a previous marriage. Her former husband was a man by
the name of Dunn, but any history previous to the facts here
stated seem to be entirely in oblivion. His object in settling
among these wild people is hard to guess, as from all ac-
counts, he did not belong to that class known as "Indian
traders." Living among these people, he contracted many
of their habits and fell naturally into their mode of living. Mr.
AndrewBlack, who remembered him well, says he never knew
the water too cold to cause Mr. Boyles to even hesitate when
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 35
wishing to cross the river, but that he would wade through
without seeming to notice it.
It is said by a recent writer that he carried many scars
on his person, which he said had been received in fights with
the Indians. Mr. Boyles erected a mill here on the Missis-
sinewa river. The mill was built out in the stream, near
the west end of the mill-dam, was very crude in its construc-
tion, and of none of the "five best known orders of architec-
ture." So perhaps the only special claim it has to notoriety
is its being the first of its kind in the country.
An anecdote told by some of the first settlers is that on
one occasion a settler went to the mill to get some corn
ground, but seeing no one around, at last heard a dog
barking somewhere below, and finding his way beneath
the building discovered one of Mr. Boyles' hounds,
his mouth at the meal spout, eating the meal as fast
as the mill ground it, and barking up the spout for
more. However, as slow as it was, there is no doubt that it
was faster and more convenient than grating the corn on a
grater, or pounding it between two stones, as many were
compelled to do. This mill stood on the west side of the
river, about seventy-five rods above where the Albany pike
bridge now crosses the Mississinewa and nearly opposite the
present " Black's Mills. " The land on which Mr. Boyles
settled was the east half of the northeast quarter of section 7,
and which was formally entered by him on July 25, 1832.
The river runs nearly north through almost the entire length
of this 80-acre tract This land was subsequently purchased
by John Black, on which he erected the present mill in 1845,
and which has become as well known as any institution in the
county. A few rods east of this mill is the section line of
section 8. Mr. Black desiring to obtain a site for his resi-
dence, traded three sheep skins to James Thomas for an acre
of land east of the mill site and just across the section line in
section 8. This was the first of Mr. Black's possessions in
No. 8, of which in later years he was principal owner and
which is nearly all owned by his relatives still.
But to return to the history of the first settler, (John
Boyles). The last known of him, his son William took him
to Wisconsin, where he (William) had gone some years be-
fore, since which time he has never been heard from by his
former neighbors.
Among the early settlers of Delaware township was also
Andrew Kennedy, who, late in the year of 1827 settled on the
land where the town of Albany was afterwards located.
Here Mr. Kennedy made some improvements, which he
subsequently sold to William Venard (by the settlers pro-
nounced vinyard) who in turn purchased the land of the gov-
36 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ernment on the 3rd day of October, 1832. This was the
northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 2 (40
acres) and lies in the southwest corner of the streets that form
.the road running west to Black's mill, and the one running
north, or the Eaton pike, the two old roads passing through
the town Here, in 1833, Mr. Venard subdivided his land in-
to town lots and founded the village of Albany, the corporate
limits of which now cover nearly two sections of land. Mr.
Kennedy after selling his improvements to Mr. Yenard, set-
tled in section 15, and on November 23, 1835, entered the
northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of the section (40
acres) where he spent the remainder of his life. In 1830
Daniel Jones settled on the south half of the northeast quarter
of section 2 (80 acres) joining Mr. Yenard's tract. He entered
this land on November 30, 1831. At the first election after
the organization of the township, Mr. Jones was elected a
justice of the peace, which position he and Benjamin Drum-
mond jointly filled for several years, and though strange it
may seem to officers at present, both subsequently resigned.
Among the next settlers were Isaac Martin and Thomas
and Adam Wilson, Mr. Martin entering the north half of the
northwest quarter of section 5 (80 acres) which is now owned
by H. N. and S. Williams This entry was made November
30, 1831. While in June the same year Thomas Wilson had
entered the south half of the same quarter; same section (5).
However, according to our records, the first land ever entered
in Delaware township was the east half of the southwest quar-
ter in section 19, which was enrered by Henry Harmon on the
18th day of October, 1830.
This 80 acre tract is now owned by Daniel Pittenger, and
Corners, at what is known as the "five points" on the middle
Albany and Muncie road. Among other early settlers and
those who became well known in after years were James
Dean, John W. and Reuben Strong, Frederick and Lewis
Stoner, in section 12; Adam Keevei in section 13; Joshua
Bantz in section 10; Solomon Boots in section n; William
Black in section 4; Ezra Bantz and Jacob Pendroy in section
1 ; David Bright in section 3; Joseph O'Neal and Jonathan
Bergdoll in section 11; Joseph Godlove in section 16; Daniel
Cochran in section 17; James Campbell and Joseph Orr in
section 24; William Bartlett in section 25; James Orr and
Adam Boots in section 27; Nicholas Pittenger and Daniel
Richardson in section 28, and many others coming a few years
later.
The land office at which the Delaware township lands were
entered, was at Ft. Wayne, a distance of some sixty miles by
the route that must be traveled. As there was no accommo-
dations to be had on the road with perhaps the single excep-
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 37
tion of the home of one settler, who had located on the Sali-
mony river, not far from the present town of Montpelier,
therefore going to the land office to transact business in those
days was no easy matter, and there were in the community
but few men with the knowledge of the route, time to spare,
and courage to undertake the trip. However, as is usually
the case, proper characters seem to come forth to suit every
occasion, and so in this. Two men, of whom we have heard
much, and of whom we have some personal knowledge, were
often employed on these eriands of trust and importance.
We refer to Jacob Pendroy, of near Albany, and Joseph
Luckey, who lived in the northwest part of the township.
Mr. Luckey was a very quiet man, illiterate, so far as
books were concerned, but intelligent, and the soul of honor.
Mr. Andrew Black states that the first time his father (John
Black) saw Mr. Luckey he engaged him to enter land, handed
him his money without any hesitancy, feeling perfectly satis-
fied that he was honest, courageous and capable. He added
that but with few words Mr. Luckey threw his trusty rifle
across his shoulder and strode into the forest in the direction
of Ft. Wayne, returning in due time with his business all in
good shape. Mr. Luckey was a noted woodman and a suc-
cessful hunter. He afterwards emigrated to the state of Mis-
souri. Jacob Pendroy entered many tracts of land for settlers
in Niles, as well as in his own township, and like Mr. Luckey,
always in a satisfactory way.
One of the first roads opened for public travel in Dela-
ware township was from Deed's Mill at Smithfield, to the
village of Albany. This road ran parallel with, and one mile
west of the county line. It was opened in 1833, but was both
iil shaped and ill kept until it was formally surveyed, straight-
ened, and improved generally, in 1840 Another of the early
roads was that from Muncytown via John Boyles's mill, and
terminating at Granville. This road was on or near the pres-
ent line of the Muncie and Granville pike, never getting per-
haps more than a half mile from that line. Near Muncie it
crossed White river at the present Elm street bridge crossing
and recrossing the line of pike several times.
All the records from which could have been gleaned the
necessary information touching early road making, as well as
other early history of the township, were destroyed by fire,
and the oldest record now extant, begins with the year 1853.
The first road therein mentioned was one for which a petition
was presented to the trustees at a meeting of the board on
the 3rd day of June of that year. The road was to "begin at
the Albany state road and run south on the section line to the
road leading Irom Sheiler's shop to the county line." A com-
mittee consisting of Joseph Godlove, John Shafer and Samuel
38 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Thomas were appointed to view the road, and on June 25,
1853, made their report, "that in their judgment the road
would be a public benefit," and it was accordingly ordered
opened. Other roads followed this with similar histories.
As near as we can ascertain, the first stock of goods
brought to the township and offered for sale to the public,
was in the year 1834, when Granville Hastings opened a
store in a building near the present site of Zehner's mill in
section 16. He came from Wayne county, Indiana, and one
of his first steps after arriving here was to make preparations
for the erection of a mill at this point, and it is said that
among his merchandise he brought a quantity of Hour, an
article which in those days was regarded as quite a luxury,
and not to be indulged in except on stated occasions, such
as weddings, or the reception of special personages, the min-
isters at quarterly meetings, and for the purpose of an occa-
sional pie or dumplings and crust for chicken pot-pie.
Mr. Hastings employed a number of men to dig a race
and construct a mill-dam, paying them a barrel of flour for a
month's work. He completed His saw mill, but died before
completing his grist mill.
The next store in the township was that opened by Uriah
Pace at Albany in 1836. in a little log building that has long
since disappeared. Speaking of Mr. Pace, reminds us of
an anecdote that was told in 1852, when Franklin Pierce was
the candidate on the Democratic ticket for president, and
William R. King for vice-president. It was said that an old
gentleman, who lived north of Albany, inquired of a neigh-
bor as to who was nominated. (Now, it happened that
Bennett King lived just east of Albany, and Mr. Pace was
frequently called Piere) so the neighbor informed the inquirer
that the candidates were Pierce and King. After some
thought the gentleman said: "Well, I don't know much
about Bennett, but I expect he will make a good vice-presi-
dent, but I am well acquainted with Uriah and know him to
be a good man, so I shall vote the ticket straight.'" Shortly
after Mr. Pace opened his store John Mitchell opened a little
grocery, at which was sold the first liquid refreshments in
Albany.
In 1838 William Krohn, an intelligent German, came to
Albany and engaged in merchandising for a number of years.
He was an enterprising merchant, and kept a stock of goods
much superior to that found in small villages in the early
times. Mr. Krohn finally sold his goods business and prac-
ticed law in the community during the remainder of his life.
About 1841 or '42 Jacob Powers established a store in
Albany, but sold to his clerk. Abraham Shank, shortly after-
wards, who continued the business about a year, and left for
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 39
other parts. Abel, Elisha and Samuel Bergdoll opened a
store in Albany about 1836, but retired from the business a
few years thereafter.
The first physician of the township was Dr. Isaiah
Templin. Besides, we are told that Mrs. Boyles occasionally
looked after professional calls in this science, and her right
to do so was perhaps never questioned by an examining
board.
While the township was yet very sparsely settled, minis-
ters of the Methodist Episcopal church were sent out as mis-
sionaries by the conference, and held services at private
houses throughout the settlement. About the year 1835 a
class of this denomination was organized at the home of Ja-
cob Pendroy, in the south half of the northwest quarter of
section 1, and continued to meet at his house and at the
houses of the other members of the class for three or four
years A log house was then built on a portion of John W.
Strong's farm for the combined purpose of church and school,
but as yet the church had no regular pastor. After a few
years, however, the meeting place was transferred to Albany,
where about the year 1848 the society erected a frame church
building in the south part of the town. In the meantime the
class had been given a place in the Granville circuit and regu-
lar appointments for preaching.
In 187b Andrew Black donated a lot in section 8 upon
which Delaware Chapel was built (and a society formed also
by the Methodist Episcopal denomination), at a cost of about
$1,200. This is a neat frame building, pleasantly situated on
the Albany pike near Black's mill.
Union Chapel, also a Methodist church, was erected
about 1845 on land owned by John Pittenger and donated by
him to the society. This was a frame building, and was oc-
cupied until 1870, when it was replaced by a brick building.
Early in the fifties a Methodist Episcopal class was organized
in the eastern part of the township, and about five years later
erected "White Chapel" on the northwest quarter of section
23, and about two and a half miles south of Albany.
For a number of years after the first settlement of the
township there were no public hurrying grounds, (or grave-
yard) and the cemetery near Granville, in Niles township, or
Bethel, north of Albany, was used as the resting place of the
Delaware dead, or they were laid away on some retired spot
of the home farm. At an early date there were several in-
terments near the junction of Mud creek with the Mississine-
\va river, and this afterwards became a public burial ground,
but many who were buried here were afterward removed to
the cemetery donated to the township by Alfred B. Strong.
In 1850 Wm. Black deeded a piece of land in the n. w. cor-
4o HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ner of section 4 to the County Commissioners, to be used as a
public burrying ground. The first person buried here was a
young son of Joseph Stafford, and the second was Mr. Staf-
ford's wife. Another cemetery is at Union Chapel, north of
the village of DeSoto, and still another, the "God Love
Grave Yard," on the northwest quarter of section 16.
Schools in Delaware township, like in most new coun-
tries, were crude, but effective, and indulged in for a few
weeks each winter, provided some one could be found with
the required capabilities for teacher, which was a reasonable
knowledge of "reading, writing and ciphering" as far as the
"single rule of three" or (simple proportion). He must also
possess a good, strong right arm and plenty of courage to
back up his edicts. It has been said that the first school in
the township was taught by Joseph Godlove in his kitchen.
As to whether he had any other rooms in his house than the
kitchen we are left to guess. These were the days when on
Christmas the school teacher was expected to treat or take a
ducking, and it is said Mr. Godlove refused to treat his
school til he saw the hole cut in the ice, when he changed his
mind; perhaps he intended to treat anyhow, but wanted to see
how far his school would carry their demands. It was a com-
mon practice in these early times for the school teachers to
board by turns with the patrons, and in order to equalize mat-
ters he was expected to board the most where the greatest
number of pupils were sent from. While this arrangement
was just, it was not always pleasant, as the teacher generally
had some choice as to his boarding house, but, poor fellow,
he was supposed to say nothing, but patiently bear his trou-
bles. The weak the teacher was to board at our house was
always looked forward to with much interest. Mince pies
were baked, "crulls" were fried, the best apple bury was
opened, and a general talk had between the mother and chil-
dren as to proper conduct in the presence of the teacher.
And, oh, how proudly the mother would sit, the bright knit-
ting needles flashing in the firelight, as they were dexterously
plied by her nimble fingers, while she listened to Mary and
John rehearse their lessons to the "teacher." And, now, will
some one tell us why a boy in the forties or fifties obtained as
practical an education in two to four winters, of sixty-five
days each, as they do now in nine or ten years, of six to nine
months each? We pause for a reply.
In the year 1846 the cabin in which William Venard first
settled, near the center of what is now the town of Albany,
was converted into a school house, and a three months term
of school taught by a man whose name has been forgotten.
In the following year (1837) the first building erected
expressly for school purposes was built on the farm of Adam
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 41
Keever, some two miles south of Albany. This was a hewed-
log building, much superior to the buildings in which the
schools had been held formerly. This house became noted
as being the first representative of the free school system in
Delaware township, for, in the winter of that year the term
began, and the public money, or "congressional fund,"
belonging to the township, was appropriated to pay the
teacher. But unfortunately, this fund only proved sufficient
to meet the expenses of one-third of the term (or one month)
and the remaining two months salary was made up pro rata
by subscription, as was usual in such cases. This was the
manner of conducting the public schools until the present
free school system was inaugurated, conformably to the pro-
visions of the revised constitution of 185 1. The first houses
under the new system were erected in 1855, three in number.
One in District No. 2, near the southwest corner of section 4,
on land entered by Samuel P. Anthony, now owned by John
N. Wingate. One in District No. 6, in the northeast corner
of section 23, one mile east of White Chapel church, on land
now owned by M. S. Whitehair. One in District No. 8 on
land now owned by C. W. Confer, one mile east of DeSoto
station. At a meeting of the trustees, held June 30, 1855, it
was agreed that Enoch Current and John W. Bortsfield
should build the school houses in Districts Nos. 6 and 8 for
the sum of $275 each, and that John H. Ellis build the
house in District No. 2 for $290.
The enumeration of the children between the ages of five
and twenty-one years in the township in 1859 showed a total
of 405. During the winter of that year the writer taught the
school in District No. 2, sixty-five days for sixty-five dollars,
so you see the salary was easily calculated. However, if the
wages were low, our living was not expensive, as we had
excellent board and lodging at the home of Andrew Black at
a cost of $1.25 a week. The pioneer school teacher is gone.
(If still living, he is like the little boy in Sunday school said,
when asked by his teacher in regard to his father's business.
His reply was that he was a Christian, but he did not work at
the business of late years.) And while some of their practices
would be considered unreasonable and severe at this time,
yet we should remember that desperate cases demand desper-
ate remedies, and that great reformations are accomplished
gradually. •
Delaware township at present (1899) has eleven school
districts, each provided with good substantial buildings, all
of which are built of brick except two recently built, which
are frames. One of these (No. n) is in the village of De-
Soto in section 28, the other (No. 9) is in the northwest quar-
ter of section 29, and one mile west of DeSoto.
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 43
Section No. I in Delaware township was entered between
August 13, 1832, and November 23, 1835, by Abraham Custer,
Reuben Strong, Lewis Stoner, John W. Strong, Jacob Pend-
roy and Ezra Bantz. The entire section is now within the
incorporate limits of the town of Albany, although much of
the land is owned by individuals, and land and manufacturing
companies, yet it is all laid out in blocks of ten to the mile,
making one hundred square blocks in the section, and while
there are many buildings on the northwest quarter of the sec-
tion, yet the greater portion of the section is unimproved as
a town or village. The L. E. & W. railroad crosses the
northwest corner of the section, and has its station, or depot
building, about half way between where the road enters and
leaves the section.
The first entry in section 2 was made by David Jones on
November 30, 1831, and on March 26, 1836, (in less than five
and one-half years) the last of the public land in the section
was taken up by Absalem Boots The other purchasers of
these lands during the period intervening were John Dins-
more, William Venard, Reuben Strong, John Quinn, Stephen
Venard. Morrison Quinn, Emson H. Venard and Henry S.
and Joseph Eron.
The section is also almost covered by the corporation of
the town of Albany, the exception being that portion of the
section lying south af the Mississinewa river, which passes in
a westerly course through the section, cutting off about one
fifth of the section on the south This portion of the section
so cut off, and not being platted, is now owned by A. Strong,
J. Bantz, jr., and J. L. Bartlett, et. al. The northeast quar-
ter of this section is the original site of the town of Albany.
In section 3 Francis Venard entered forty acres in 1833,
October 7, after which time there were no more entries re-
corded until 1836, in which year the balance of the section
was taken up except one forty and a fractional eighty acre
tract, which was entered the following year, 1837. The names
of the purchasers in this section after Mr. Venard were Ralph
Stafford, Susanna Thomas, Joshua Bantz, Robert Malcom,
George Mills, Martin Depoy, David Bright and Henry Judy.
Section 3 is now owned by J. R. Stafford, James Stafford,
H. Pact, E. Rautledge. R. E. Current, G. H Current, J.
Bantz, jr., M. L. DePoy, M. F. Davis, J. Pace and J. A.
Strong.
The Mississinewa river crosses the southeast corner of
the section and the Albany and Mississinewa free gravel pike
crosses the section.
The public lands in section 4 were entered in the years
°f l833, '34, '35 and '36 by William Black, McCoy Malcom,
44 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Morrison Quinn, Joseph Godlove, William Martin and Samuel
P. Anthony.
This section is now owned by William Black (youngest
son of the original owner) J. A. Strong. R. Rautledge M.
Richey, and John N. Wingate. The Albany and Mississinewa
pike is on the south and a portion of the east line of the
Peterson and Black pike on and near the west line. School
No. 2 is located on the south side of the section at thehalf
section line.
Three eighty acre tracts were entered in section 5 as
early as 1831, three in 1833, one in 1 S 3 4 , and the remaining
eighty acres in 1836.
The parties securing these lands were Archibald Dowden,
Isaac Martin, Thomas Wilson, John Thomas Wilson, William
Thomas, David Sutton, and Adam Wilson. The greater
part of section 5 is high, rolling land, with a gravel soil. The
present owners are G. W. Younce. J. F. Black, W R.
Bryan, George A. Stafford, H. J. Williams, and H. N. and
S. Wiiliams.
The Mississinewa river enters the section from tin west
about one hundred and twenty rods north of the southwest
corner, running in an easterly direction to within forty rods
of the center, where it turns north and leaves the section at
the half section line on the north side. The Albany and
Mississinewa pike runs along the south line, the Peterson
and Black pike on and near the east line, a public road north
and south through the center, and another along the north
half of the west line.
Six is the northwest section of the township, and v. is
entered in 1831, '34 and "36 by Israel Martin, Thomas
Williams, William H. Green, Benoni Wilson, Adam Wilson,
William Thomas. Ezekiel Thomas, and John Baldridgi
William H. Green was of English stock. His father
emigrated to America before the Revolutionary War and be-
came a soldier in the Colonial army. William II. was born
in New York State, and while a young man came to Athens
county, Ohio. He served in the war with England in [812.
Came to Delaware county and entered the north half of the
northwest quarter of section 6 (this being the northwest
corner of the township) on August 4, 1836 We understand
that Mr. Green had a very correct family history, running
back for many generations, but shortly after settling in his
new home his cabin was destroyed by tire, and these, with
many other important papers, were lost. Some time after
this he lost his wife by death, and afterwards married tin-
Widow Duddleston (mother of Isaiah Duddleston, the pres-
ent trustee of Niles township*, with whom he lived until his
death, which occurred about 1856. Mr. Green was the
HOOSIER MANUFACTURING COMPANY,
Albany. Ind.
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 45
father of the late Jackson Green, of Hamilton township,
and grandfather of Dr. George R. Green, of Muncie.
The present owners of section 6 are L. W. Davis, J.
Harshman, J. I. Gray, T. W. Goodrick, James E. Stafford,
and William H. Stafford.
This section is about surrounded by public roads, with
the Muncie and Granville pike passing through it from north
to south end of center. The Mississinewa crosses the
southeast corner of the section in a northerly direction.
School No. 3 was first located on the south line of section 6,
but is now in section 7, some 40 rods south of the section
line.
Section 7 in Delaware township can lay claim to the first
white settler in the township, if not the first in the county, in
the person of John Boyles As we have heretofore stated,
Mr. Boyles was here in 1822. As to how long he was here
prior to that time it seems impossible to ascertain. Mr.
Boyles, however, did not enter his first purchase of public
land until July 26, 1832. Why he delayed so long we can
only guess — perhaps he concluded that no other white man
would ever settle here and he would virtually own all the land
and remain "monarch of all he surveyed."
Besides John Boyles the persons entering land in section
7 were Lloyd Wilcoxon, John Batreall, jr., Archibald Dow-
den, William Boyles, Squire Boyles, Charles Francis Willard
and Jefferson Walburn,
This section is now owned by Andrew Black heirs, James
E. Stafford, John H. Stafford, David Justice, J. N. Lewellen,
Moses Clark, D. E. Brammer and Elisha R. VVingate.
The Mississinewa river enters the section near the mid-
dle of the east line, and running slightly west of north passes
into section 6. On this stretch of river is where John Boyles
built his mill, and is also where Black's mill is situated.
Section 7 is well provided with roads, many of them ang-
ling and crooked, but of so long standing that they have be-
come a fixture, yet the section has three miles of straight
road, on section lines. School No. 3 is on the northwest
quarter on the Muncie and Granville pike.
The land in section 8 was entered as early as 1832, and
as late as 1836, by William Moody, Wilson Lennon, William
Thomas, Andrew Wilson, Robins Wilson, George Richeson
and John Funderburg.
The present land owners in section 8 are R. F. Brammer,
J. F. Barrett, Andrew Black heirs, D. A. Black, E. J. Smith,
O. and T. Saunders and John H. Stafford. The section has
the Albany and Mississinewa pike on the north line, and a
public road on the east. The Mississinewa river runs in a
46 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
north of west course, almost entirely across the south half of
the section.
Section 9 was entered in 1833-34 an<^ 3° by Stephen
Berry, jr., Moses Canan White, David Sutton, Reuben Ep-
pert and Silas Sparr, the junior after the name of Stephen
Berry caused some family troubles and litigations. As many
thought it to be a clerical error, and that the intention was to
enter the land in the name of Stephen Berry, sr. , the father
of the younger man, who was a boy at the time the entry was
made. Be this as it may Stephen Berry, jr., held his title.
The section is now owned by J. and W. Krohn, J. Hollo-
way, E. C. Holloway, A. Black heirs, D. A. Black, R. E.
Allen, John W. Goings, E. J. Smith. W. R. Allen, M. Cline
and M. Pershing. The section has about four miles of road,
that on the north line being the Albany and Mississinewa
pike. The Mississinewa river crosses the southeast corner in
a southwest direction.
Section 10 was entered in 1832, '33 and '36, by Joshua
Bantz, John Cjuinn, David Bright, John Bantz, Martin, Henry
Bright, John Sparr and John H. Taylor.
Section 10 is now owned bv John Bantz, Jr., J. N, Win-
gate, M. L. Depoy, E. J. Sparks, C. M. McNeily, E. Black,
H. M. Marquell, ]. McNeily, Samuel Marquell and John W.
Goings.
The section is well supplied with public roads, the
greater portion of which are free gravel pikes. The Missis-
sinewa river crosses the northwest corner of the section in a
southwest course, and the Lake Erie & Western railroad
crosses the southeast corner, running parallel with the river.
Solomon Boots, one of the first settlers, entered the east
half of the northeast quarter of section 11, on the 12th day of
November, 1831. This eighty-acre tract crosses the Missis-
sinewa river at the northeast corner and joins the present
town of Albany. It is now owned by A. T. Dehaven. The
other tracts were entered in 1832, '34, '35 and '36, by John
Quinn, Joseph O'Neal, Alfred Lee, Adam Keaver, William
Custer, Jonathan Bergdoll and Joseph H. Hulse. The sec-
tion is now owned by J. T. Dehaven, J. Khron, Brown and
Bergdoll, J. N. Wingate, and John and William Krohn.
Section 11 has pike on west and a portion of the north line,
public road on the east and crossing northeast quarter.
School No. 20 is located in the north part.
One-half of section 12 was entered in 1832, and the other
half in 1833. John W. Strong and James Dean entered 160
acres each in 1832. Mr. Strong entered another 80-acre tract
in 1833, and his brother, Reuben Strong, and Lewis and
Fredrick Stoner each entered an eighty.
All the original owners of section 12 settled on and im-
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 47
proved their land, lived here up to an old age, and raised
their families on the lands they redeemed from the forest.
The present owners of section 12 are E. and E. Strong,
C. A. Mason, G. R. Strong, A. Strong, Eliza Strong, A. T.
Pehaven, S. M. Strong and J. R. Holloway.
This section joins the town of Albany on the north and
Randolph county on the east. It has a public road on the
west, three-fourths of the east, and east and west through the
north half. The Mississinewa river crosses the north half of
the section in a westerly course.
The earliest entry in section 13 was made on the 1st day
of September, 1832, and the last of the public lands were en-
tered March 18, 1837. The purchasers of land in section 13
were Nehemiah Burden, Abner Woolverton, Adam Keever,
James Campbell, Levi Boots and James Dean.
Like section 12 this section was entered by actual settlers
who at once, after securing their title, commenced to improve
their land, and proved by their after life that they had come
to stay.
Section 13 is now owned by W. J. Burden, A. T. Deha-
ven, J. and J. Hartzell, S. Campbell, C Bartlett, N. A. De-
voss, J. Friddle and C. E. Marquell. Mud creek drains the
section by crossing the southwest corner in a northwesterly
course, and again crossing the northwest corner in a north-
eastern course. Section 13 has a gravel pike on the south
line, and public roads on both the east and west line.
Section 14. was entered in the years of 1832 to 1836 by
Adam Keever, Joseph Templer, Eli Thornburg, and Stephen
Kennedy. The first of these entries was made by Adam
Keever, being the east half of the northeast quarter (80
acres), and now owned by A. T. Dehaven. This entry was
made on September 1, 1832.
The section is now owned by A. T. Dehaven, John and
William Krohn, E. J. Selvey, C. E. Stafford, A. Carter, S. J.
Shroyer and L Marquell. Section 14 has a free gravel road
on both the south and west lines, also a public road on the
east side.
The first public land entered in section 15 was on the 5th
day of August, 1834. On that day John Puckett entered the
northeast quarter of the southeast quarter (40 acres), being
the north half of an eighty acre tract now owned by L.
Marquell, and on the same da) Joseph H. Hulse entered the
west half of the same quarter, a tract now owned by E.
Bartlett. The remainder of the section was entered by John
Bantz, Solomon Rohrbaugh, Samuel P. Anthony, John H.
Taylor, Martin Forbes, John Kennedy, Andrew S. Kennedy
and Granville F. Hastings. The present owners are D.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COT N TV.
Michael, |. ami \V. Krohn, John W. Goings, 11 Boots, |.
Boots, J. F. Dowden, E. Bartlett and L. Marquell.
This section has gravel pikes along the east line, ami
north and south through the center, with a public road along
the south line. The L. E. & W. railroad angles through the
central part of the section.
Section 16, as in all townships of the county, was set
aside for the benefit of public schools, and was sold by tin-
commissioners as follows :
November 10, 1833, to Joseph Godlove, 251 i ^ acres at
S2.50 and S3. 00 per acre.
Same date to George F. Hastings, li^'j acres at £1.25,
S2.00 and $3.00 per acre.
November 20, 1833, to Robert Malcom. 38^ acres at 51.24
per acre.
December 3, 1833, to David Jones, 40 acres at $1.25
per acre.
October 17, 1834, to Samuel Calaway, 38 ' .■ acres at $2.00
per acre, making 634 acres in the section, aggregating
Si, 739. 10.
The present owners of section 16 are John W. Goings,
L. Godlove, J. L. Allegree, A. L. Godlove, Joseph Godlove,
1. G. Moots, F. Shroyer's estate ami II. Zehner. The horse-
shoe bend of the Mississinewa river is in this section, enter-
ing the section one hundred rods west of the northeast corner,
runs south, then east, then south and southwest until within
eighty rods of the south center, where it turns north, then
west, then north of west, and leaves the section at the half
section line on the west side, running a distance of one and
three quarter miles in the section, and leaving it three-fourths
of a mile from where it enters. School No. 5 is located in
thf southeast corner of this section, Zehner's mill in the
south center, and the Godlove cemetery in the north center.
All of section 17, except eighty acres, was entered in
iS}6. Of the eighty acres entered prior to that time forty
acres were entered on November 21, 1833, by Edward Mar
shall, and forty acres on June 10, 1834, by Joseph Baird.
The parties entering in 1836 were Abraham Godlove, Daniel
Cochran, Philip Cochran, Thomas Martin and Ebenezer
Halstead.
The present owners are Joseph Godlove, Andrew Black's
heirs, M. M. Friddle, H. Zehner, A. Cline, S. Shroyer, W.
Dewitt, John H. Stafford, S. A. Holloway, O. J. Saunders,
Charles Marsh and William Ditchings. Section 17 has about
two miles of public road, but these have so many angles and
elbows that we find them very difficult to describe. The
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 49
Mississinewa river crosses the northwest corner of the section
in a northwesterly course.
Two eighty acre tracts in section 18 were entered in 1831,
two forty-acres in 1833, and all the remainder in 1836. The
purchasers of this land were Elizabeth Eriend, William
Custer, Henry Huddleston, Isaac Martin, A. Custer, William
Pence and Philip Cochran.
The section is now owned by S. A. Holloway, D. E.
Bramer, J. W. Hamilton, A. M. Peterson, William Hitchings,
M. H. Dick and J. Shafer. Section 18 has a public road
along the south and half of the east line. The Muncie and
Granville pike crosses the section; also a public road on the
west (which is the township line), and the west half of the
north line. Thus 18 is well supplied with highways.
We find the early history of our county so closely inter-
woven with the lives and biography of the early settlers and
their families, that it is very difficult to separate them. There-
fore the history of Delaware township is, to some extent, the
lives of her first settlers. We mention this fact, trusting that
our readers will pardon us for the occasional, seeming diverg-
ence, from historical facts of personal mention.
We now come to Section 19. The first entry of land re-
corded in Delaware township was the east half of the south-
west quarter of this section (80 acres). This entry was made
by Henry Harmon on October 19th, 1830. The north half
of this tract is now owned by Adam Sheller, and the south half
by Daniel Pittenger. The remainder of the section was en-
tered in 1*34, '36 an(J 37- Thus it will be seen that three
years intervened between the time Mr. Harmon made his pur-
chase until he had any neighbors, so far as government land
purchase was concerned, for the next purchase after his was
that of Daniel Pittenger on October 20th, 1833, just three
years and one day later. Besides Mr. Harmon and Mr. Pit-
tenger the purchasers of land in section 19 were Elijah Reeves,
James Russell, Stephen R. Martin, Thomas Albin, John Pep-
per and William Stansberry.
The present owners of the land in section 19 are E. W.
Hitchings, William W. Green, Adam Sheller, H. Allison, N.
Sheller, E. J. Pittenger, J. Cullen and Daniel Pittenger.
These landlords in section 19, with but one or two exceptions,
are either the old pioneers or their children. This is perhaps
as hilly a section of land as there is in the township. This
section has more than five miles of public roads bordering or
passing through it, and school No. 4 is located in the north-
east corner. The west line of this section is the township
line, dividing Delaware and Hamilton townships.
On November 17th, 1832, Benjamin Drummond and
Uriel Fox each entered forty acres of land, composing the
5o HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
south half of the southeast quarter of section 20. The forty
entered on that date by Mr. Drummond, corners up to the
present station or village of DeSoto, and the M. E. church is
located on the northeast corner of the tract. After these two
entries there were no other purchasers of public land in the
section until 1836, in which year the remaining government
land was all taken up by John Godlove, Benjamin Drummond,
Ebenezer Halstead, Aquilla Hensley, George McCullough,
Robins R. Williams and John Pepper.
The owners of section 20 at the present are W. Dewitt,
W. Polhemus, John Marks, Adam Madill, A. Sheller, Wil-
liam Hitchings, T. and M. Wilcoxon, A. M. Peterson and J.
H. Sheller. Campbell's Creek crosses the southeast corner,
and the section has a gravel pike east and west through the
south half, a public road on the west line, and another ang-
ling through the northwest part.
In section 21 an eighty and a forty acre tract was entered
in 1834, and the remaining unpurchased part of the section
was all taken up in 1836 The first purchasers of land in this
section were Jonathan Rardon, Jacob Sellers, Glass Ross,
Sam'l Thomas, Christopher Humphreys and John Pittenger
The owners of realty in section 21 at present are R. E
Taylor, E Pittenger, T. and F. Myers, J. H. Pittenger, J
Pittenger, F. Shroyer's estate, T. E. Myers and Adam Ma
dill. The section has two and one-half miles of public road
The Lake Erie and Western railroad crosses the southeast,
and Campbell's creek the northwest corner.
On March 12th, 1835, Daniel Perrine entered the north
half of the northeast quarter of section 22, (80 acres). Sev-
enty acres of this tract is now owned by A. Canter, and
ten acres by J. Boots. All the remaining land in this section
was taken up during the year 1836, by Stephen Kennedy and
Michael Beeghley.
The present land owners in section 22, aside from those
above mentioned, are J. H. Canter, E. S. Dowell, L. M.
Dowell, D. Young, G. H. Byrd, W. A. Schofield, John Ma-
dill and R. Friar.
Section 22 has a public road along the north and half
the south line, with a gravel pike north and south through
the center. The Lake Erie and Western railroad crosses the
northwest corner of this section.
One hundred and sixty acres of section 23 was entered in
1835 by Solomon Rohrbough and John Boots, four hundred
and forty acres in 1836 by Solomon Rohrbough, Benjamin
Manor, Martin Boots and Elias Beeghley, leaving one forty
acre tract, which was entered November 21, 1837, by Thomas
Berry.
The present owners of this section are M. S. Whitehair,
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 51
A. Boots, A. M. Pittenger, A. Evans, L. M. Dowell, C. E.
Dill, C. Bergdoll, J. C. Friddle, W. Progue, James Dill and
W. Hitchcock. The section has two miles of public road
north and south, also one mile of pike on the north line.
White Chapel M. E. church and school No. 6 are located on
this section.
Like section 23 section 24 was settled and the govern-
ment land purchased in the years 1835, '36 and '37. Many of
the first owners of this section were well known, and are still
remembered by our citizens. They were James Campbell,
James Dean, Joseph Orr, George Iman, Solomon Rohrbough,
James Pendroy and William Woods.
The titles to the lands of this section have changed hands
until none of the original names are now represented in the
present owners, who are L. Booker, S. G. Selvey, J. Hiatt,
M. S. Whitehair, G. S. Whitehair, H. C. Whltehair, B. Sel-
vey. John Bartlett and A. Evans.
Like section 23 this section has two miles of road north
and south, and one mil^ of pike east and west on the north
line.
Section 25 is the southeast corner of the township. The
section has public roads both north and south through the
center, also on the west line. This section was entered in
the years of 1835, '36 and '37, by William Bartlett, Solomon
Rohrbough and Samuel and Edwin Johnson. The name of
Bartlett, (a very common one), is the original name found
among the landlords of this section. At present we find the
title of the lands in the names of J. L. Bartlett, John Bart-
lett, Jos. A. Lewellen, C and M. Sloniker, J. Meeks, A.
Meeks, E. Bartlett, L. H. Cowgill and S. R. Strong.
In section 26 the public land was purchased in the years
of 1834, '35 and '36, by Solomon Rohrbough, Warren Mann,
Joseph Humpreys, William Jameson, Thomas Jones and
James Johnson.
The section is owned at this time by M. and A. Evans,
James Dill, W. J. Brewington, M. Bartlett, S. Rohrbaugh,
S. R. Strong, F and A. Pittenger, A. Shroyer, J. A. Shroyer,
T. W. Bartlett and M. A Orr. Twenty-six has three miles
of public road. School No. 7 is located on the east half of
this section.
Section 27, another one of the south tier of sections, is
well drained by the head waters of Campbell's creek, which
passes diagonally across the section from southeast to north-
west. It has good roads crossing each other at right angles
in the center of the section, and another along the west half
of the north line. This section was all purchased of the
government from September 21, 1835, to October 15, 1836,
52 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
by James Jones, Jabesh Jones, David Lewellen, James Orr,
Justice Kitterman, Ila Lake and Adam Boots.
Twenty-seven is now owned by L. M. Dowell, George
Swander, L. Dean, J. and C. Orr, P. Payton, John Madill
and A. H. Anderson
William E. Pendroy entered 40 acres of land in section
28 as early as October 27, 1832 (this forty is now owned with
other lands by A. and L. Devoe), after which time there
were no other entries recorded for the section until 1836, in
which year the remainder of the section was all entered by
Thomas Humphreys, Jesse McCray, Nicholas Pittenger,
Daniel Richardson, Ila Lake, Uriah Lenon and John Moody.
The land owners in section 28 are C. W. Confer, E. B.
Pittenger, J. and F. Myers, M. E. Ogle, J. Young, J. and C.
Young, I. Pittenger, B. and E. Evans, E. Evans, A. H.
Anderson, A. and L. Devoe and Adam Madill. This (28) is
the only section in the township with two district schools.
No. 8 is located in the east center of the section and No. 11
in the northwest corner, in the village of DeSoto. The L.
E. & W. R. crosses the northwest corner of the section,
where now is the village or railroad station of DeSoto.
The first entry of land in section 29 was made in 1833,
and the last in 1837. The parties securing these lands were
Jacob C. Harmon, Thomas Harmon, Josiah Wade, Henry
Pittenger, Wilson Lennon, Uriah Lennon, Jacob Furrow and
Thomas H. Weirman. The sction is now owned by B.
Marks, A. Sheller, Isaac Worley, N. Lennon, N. Tomlinson
and L. Cheesman, G. M. Wilson, J. Sheller, J. W. Myers,
and P. C. Lillie. The section has three miles of public road
and the railroad crossing the southeast corner.
Thomas Crawford entered a tract in the northwest quar-
ter of section 30 as early as 1832. but for the following three
years there were no other entries recorded, and not until
1837 was all the public land taken up in this, the southwest
section of the township. After Mr. Crawford's purchase the
remaining public domain of this section was purchased by
Thomas F. Wilson, Daniel Pittenger, James Sparr, W'illiam
Dragoo, John B. Goff and Benjamin Dragoo.
The section is now owned by N. Hurtt, Daniel Pittenger,
Z. Shreve, Isaac Worley, W. W. Shrewe, G. Payton and
William Reed.
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP. 53
SNOW. BEAUTIFUL SNOW
The snow, the snow, the beautiful snow
How we old boys love it, you know,
For we remember how we used to go
To Christmas dance or Christmas show.
And how we hitched old "Dobbin" or "Gray,"
To the pole jumper we called a sleigh,
Which we made with the ax in half a day
When other boys were out at play,
Then, wrapped in our mother's blanket warm,
To protect our body from outward storm,
Whilst within, our blood in a whirl,
We started out to get our girl.
We got her, of course, and then — oh. dear !
We cared no more for snow storm drear.
We sat so close in that jumper sleigh
(Because she couldn't get away).
Since then, whenever I see it snow,
The blood in my veins begins to flow
Just a little quicker, or faster, you know,
And I think of the nights of long ago,
When I took my sweetheart, Kittie or Kate,
To spelling school, and came home late,
And tied old Grey to the post by the gate,
And told him to be content and wait,
And then we went in by the kitchen fire,
I, frightened to death for fear of her sire,
But braced right up, for through a door
I heard the sound of her papa's snore.
Then, oh, how happy were Kitty and I,
She got some milk and apple pie,
And big red apples, a half a score,
And still her papa continued to snore.
And now I am getting old you know,
But I love the pure and beautiful snow,
It brings to my mind that younger life,
And I love my sweetheart — she's my wife.
We sit by the fire, my wife and I,
And hear the merry bells go by,
But we never think "what might have been,"
For we are happier now than then.
NILES TOWNSHIP. 55
Niles Township.
Niles township is all in congressional township, 22 north,
and range 11 east. It is the northeast township of Delaware
county, bounded north by Blackford county, east by Jay coun-
ty, south by Delaware township and west by Union township.
In dimensions, Niles, like Perry, is five tiers of sections north
and south, and six tiers of sections (or miles) east and west.
Niles was originally a heavy timbered township, having
been densly covered with several varieties of oak, ash, hick-
ory, black and white walnut, beach, and in some localities,
poplar or (as the Yankee would call it) white wood. But as
has been the case in most all parts of our county, much of the
best timber was cut off, rolled into "log heaps" and burned
before its real worth was appreciated or perhaps we should
say, before it had much value.
A former historian tells his readers that the "eastern and
southern" portions of Niles is quite level while the northern
and western portions are hilly. This writer certainly never
traveled through Niles, or lost his reconing as to lines and lo-
cations. In fact the only portions of Niles that can be called
other than level, is the southern part of the township, say the
two southern tiers of sections, sections 33 and 34 are the most
hilly, and while the Ellis and Gregory hills in these sections
are somewhat difficult to cultivate in places, and necessitates
some meanderings in road making, yet they are filled with un-
told wealth, not gold, but of the best of sand and cleanest of
gravel. The product of these hills will be highly appreciated
by any one driving over the fine gravel roads of Niles to-day
who waded through the mud in the same part of the county
forty or more years ago.
Niles township is drained by the Mississinewa river,
Essley, Half-way and Mud creeks. The Mississinewa river
crosses the southwest corner of the township, crossing sec-
tion 32 in an almost north direction, thence turning west
passes along or near the line dividing sections 30 and 31 and
passes out into Union township. Essley's creek has its course
through sections 12, 11 and 10, thence in a southwest course,
touching sections 9, 17, 10 and 19, where it runs into Union
township and reaches the Mississinewa just above the town
of Eaton. Half-way creek is a short but beautiful little
stream, having its source about the center of the east tier of
sections in 24 and draining sections 25 and 36, passing out in-
to Delaware township, dividing the town of Albany into east
and west Albany, and emptying into the Mississinewa at the
south side of the town. Mud creek is a small stream, (now
almost entirely ditched) heading in section 14, passing
56 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
through sections 23, 22, 21, 28, 29, 35 and 32, where it finds
its superior and loses its identity.
The soil of Niles township is very productive and well
abapted to the growing of all the cereals, as well as to clover,
■timothy and other grasses.
Perhaps owing to the fact that Niles being remote from
the old State road running from Richmoud in Wayne county
to Marion, and on to Peru and other towns along the Wabash
river, is the cause of the public lands not being taken up so
■earlv as those in other parts of the county. But be the cause
whatever it may, Niles was not settled up until several years
•subsequent to settlements in other localities. The first set-
tler we have any account of in the township was a man by
the name of Hessenflow, who built a cabin on the banks of
the Mississinewa river, near where the village of Granville
was afterward located, but as we have no account of him
thereafter, he probably felt too crowded when neighbors be-
,gan to locate within five or ten milss of him, and sought
wider fields still farther west, as many have been known
to do.
The first entry of land in Niles township was made by
Samuel Gregory, May 3, 1831, being the west half of the
southwest quarter of section 34. Here Mr. Gregory made his
home, reared a large and respected family, some of whom are
among our prominent citizens of today. Mr. Gregory subse-
quently entered other lands in the township, and adjoining
his first entered tract where he lived until his death, some-
time in the sixties, an honored and highly respected citizen.
The other parties making entry in 1831 were Isaac Martin,
Samuel Kite, William Battereal and John Battereal in section
32, and Peter Thomas in section 31. In 1832 there were
eight entries recorded, four of them being made by Philip
Stoner, Philip Essie)', William Custer, and Reason lams In
1833 there were twenty entries recorded, 1834 but twelve, and
twenty in 1835, while in 1836 there were one hundred and
thirteen entries, or nearly one-half of the entire township was
taken up this year. After this time entries were less frequent
until May 23, 1839, when David Smith entered the last of the
Niles township public lands, the north half of the southeast
quarter of section 28, now owned by M. Saunders and others.
While there are but few of the old settlers living today, many
of their posterity are still citizens of our county.
A great majority of the pioneers of this township came
from Ohio, direct to their new homes, although other States
did much toward furnishing the strong arms and brave hearts
to fell the forests, and furnish to their followers this goodly
heritage.
Commencing at the northwest corner of the township,
NILES TOWNSHIP. 57
we find that section 7 was entered by Stephen Hayward,
Thomas N. Sinks, Ephraim Sinks, George Leedom and
Jonathan Ballenger. This being the north section of the
west tier, we find a shortage of acres, as is the case
in all the sections bordering on Union township. The
lands of section 7 are now owned by J. A. Jernegan, W.
Matthew, E. Edwards, James Edwards, E. B. Eozier, W. R.
Toll, A. M. Craig, M. A. McClain and James Holcroft.
This section has three public roads, on its north, east and
south lines.
Section 8, lying next east of section 7, and along the
Blackford county line, was entered, as was section 7, in 1836
by William J. Knight, William J. Essley, John C. Corbley
and John Black, and is now owned by R. and A. Stafford, C.
Robbins, J. W. Andrews, J. A. Jarnegan. This section has
public roads on the north, south and west.
Section 9 was entered in 1836 and 1837, all of it being
taken up in 1836 except the the northeast quarter, which
was entered by John Thomas in 1837, the balanca of the sec-
tion having been entered the year previous by James
Wooster, John Black and George Huffman. In the fall of
1857 the writer assisted in building one of the first frame
chool houses in the township, on the southeast corner of
this section, on land entered by George Huffman. This
school house has disappeared and a modern brick edifice has
superceded it, but was built south of the section line on the
northwest corner of section 15. Section 9 is now owned bv
J. E. Stoner, T. H. Racer and others, J. E. Racer, W. C.
Brundrent, A. N. Foorman and George Huffman. This sec-
tion has public roads on the north and east, a gravel pike on
the south, and a road north and south through the west half.
Essley creek runs through the section.
Section 10, like section 9, was entered in 1836 and 1837
by William D. Field, George Huffman, Dennis Wilson, Jacob
Huffman, John Constant and John Mellit. The land in sec-
tion 10 is now owned by H. Weaver, J. S. Manor, S. F.
Huffman, Samuel S. Selvey, J. Shatto, H. Bales and J. E.
Storer. Section 10 has public roads on the north, east and
west, and a free gravel pike on the south, thus having a pub-
lic highway on each section line. Essley creek runs nearly
west through the north half of the section.
Section 11 was taken up by settlers in the years of 1836
and 1837. The purchasers of its lands from the govern-
ment were John Buckles, Joel B. Low, Eldridge Addison,
William Bell and Valentine Bone. Now owned by G. A.
Buckles, John Buckles, J. Crowell, L. Grannon, M. J.
Hartley, S. Ritter, J. Ritter, S. C. Davis and N. J. Weaver.
Like section 10, it is surrounded by public roads, with a
5* HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
graveled pike on the south line, and drained by the head-
waters of Essley creek, which runs north of west through
the section.
Section 12 is the northeast corner of both the township
and count}-. It is a full section containing 640 acres, and
was entered in 1836, '37 and '38 by Joseph Heaton, Adam
Reader, Samuel P. Anthony, John Buckles, Hugh Campbell,
Noah Shearly and James Peterson. The present owners of
section 12 are H. Bantz, the Dunkirk Land Company, J. and
C. France, J. Brotherton, C. E. Rogers, J. Buckles, J. Beal,
N. G. Weaver, J. Armstrong, W. Manning, and W. B. Wil-
son. Gravel road on both north and south and public road
on west line.
The pioneers of not only Niles, but of all the townships
of Delaware county, have passed away. The log-rollings and
and cabin-raisings are things of the past, yet the fruits of the
labor of the pioneer are still with us. With us in a healthy,
pure-blooded posterity, who have sprung from an honest and
industrious ancestry, who employed their minds and bodies
in building homes for loved ones.
How often do we hear the remark regarding some man
who has climbed high on the shining ladder of fame from an
humble starting point, whose parents were considered poor,
piling up logs and brush by day and burning them by
night, that "he is a self-made man." This is a great mistake.
He, of all men, is not self-made; he has had all the advant-
ages of poverty. Dare any man in the face of all the evi-
dence say that poverty is not an advantage to the child? I
think not. It may be an inconvenience to the parent, but
surely a blessing to his posterity. Poverty, with honesty and
industry, has been the incentive that has brought to the sur-
face all the true greatness in our day and generation, because
of the want of anything better the pioneers of this country
lived on plain food. Their evenings were spent around the
fireside with their families.
Their clothing consisted of plain, but substantial mate-
rial, home woven, and home made. Their children grew up
to manhood and womanhood with correct habits of industry
and economy, and their after lives but proves the advantages
of (what the world calls) poverty. The present generation,
who have sprung from the pioneers of our county, should
ever feel thankful that their parents were poor, that they
have been reared by those whose best advice was their exam-
ples of right living, and that the many "vices and superflui-
ties" of life were not know nor practiced by their ancestors.
Of all men, I envy most the man who has lived on the same
broad acres from his boyhood, who cultivates the fields where
in youth, his father and mother lived and died. I can im-
NILES TOWNSHIP. 59
agine no sweeter nor happier way to spend one's life than in
the country, out of the mad race for money and place and
power, and as a wise man has said, "out of the dusty high-
way where fools struggle and strive for the hollow praise of
other tools." To the young farmers of our beautiful county
I would say there is no reason why farmers should not be the
kindest and most cultivated of all men. There is nothing in
plowing the fields to make men cross, cruel and crabbed.
To look upon sunny slopes covered with daisies, does not
tend to make men unjust. And ever remember that he who
labors for the happiness of those he loves, invariably and un-
wittingly elevates himself. But farming was not the first oc-
cupation of the first settlers of Niles Township Their first
occupation was that of building cabins and clearing the
ground that thev might have shelter, and cleared land to cul-
tivate. The task of providing for their families (for most of
them had families) until the land was prepared for the first
crop grown, was a momentous question with most of them,
as ready cash was a scarce article and the necessaries of life,
to say nothing of its luxuries, very hard to procure. As we
have before stated in these articles, they depended upon
grated or pounded corn for bread and game for meat. Instead
of coffee," tea was made from broken twigs of the wild spice
bush, or, as still done, from the bark of the sassafras root, for
which we acknowledge our foundness still. Sugar and syrup
were obtained more readily, as the settler did not have to
wait for anything but for the first bright days of spring, or as
we used to say, for sugar making weather, then preparing his
troughs, which was done by cutting a tree into pieces about
two and a half feet long, spliting them into halves and hol-
lowing out the pieces thus obtained, thus forming a receptacle
for the sap obtained from the sugar or hard maple tree by
"tapping" them at the proper time.
If there are any of my readers who have never enjoyed a
night at a "stirring-off" in an old-fashioned sugar camp, you
have missed much of the sweetness of this life.
Section No. 13 in Niles township is the east section of
the second tier from Blackford county and joins Jay county
on the east. This section was ail entered in 1836 and 1837 by
Banlin Smith, John Buckles, Nathaniel Poor, James Peter-
son, Hugh Campbell and William Shrack. This section is
now owned by Perry Steel, A, Fowler, F. M. Selvey, Sarah
A. Lucas, W. A. Wilson, J. L. Bales, W. R. Routledge and
W. Frank. It is well supplied with good roads. The Dun-
kirk and Moore pike on its north line, Green street on the
west, a section line road on the south and the Albany and
Dunkirk road through the eastern portion.
School No. 1 is located on the northeast quarter or this
60 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
section. It has long been known as Green Street school,,
from the name given the road running by it. This road has
borne the name of Green Street for many years, in conse-
quence of almost all the settlers taking up or purchasing the
land along the road were formerly from Greene county, Ohio.
The writer taught this school in the winter previous to the
breaking out of the Rebellion in 1860-61. The school house
was then a frame building, and stood where the brick edifice
now stands. Although the country was comparatively new,
yet at that early day there were many pupils in school. My
recollection now is that the enrollment was eighty-three pu-
pils. But one fact I remember distinctly, and that is that
James Bales, Amos Hummer and John Beal furnished the
school with twenty-one pupils — seven each.
Section 14 was entered in 1836 and 1837 by James Peter-
son, Elisha Bartlett, Richard Higman, Nathaniel Polk, Wil-
liam Lee, Daniel Fisher and Hugh Campbell.
The land in this section is now owned and mostly occu-
pied by G. Michael, A. C. Rook, Joab Thornburgh, S.
Michael, Jonathan Bales, Peter McNelly, R. Cunningham
and Adam Shirk. This section has had a public road on each
of its borders for more than forty years, the road on the north
line now being a free gravel pike.
The land in section 15 was entered in 1835 and 1836, the
south half of the section being entered ,by George W. Staf-
ford and Samuel Sprinkle in 1835 and the north half by Rich-
ard Higman and John Constant in 1836. That portion en-
tered by Messrs. Stafford and Higman was improved soon
after the entry was made while the tracts taken up by Sprinkle
and Constant was mostly unimproved for a number of years.
The section is now owned by D. Bales, E. Bullock,.
Samuel S. Selvey, J. and A. Garr, C. Bales and heirs, S.
Bales and heirs, and Peter McNelly. School No. 5 is situated
on the northwest corner of this section. Section 15 has pub-
lic roads on the northeast and south, also through the center
east and west
Section 16 being donated to the township by the govern-
ment for school purposes, was sold by the commissioners on
November 2, 1838, to the following purchasers in eighty-acre
tracts.
Morton C. East, William Richardson, Andrew Black,.
James Black, Mary Gorton and James McMillan. The pur-
chase price paid at this sale was #1.50, $1 62 }4 and $1.75 per
acre. The tract purchased by lames McMillan was for some
cause forfeited, and afterwards the title was perfected and the
land resold to Thomas Klugh at an increased amount of
$97.50. Section 16 is now owned by H. Weaver, A. C
Weaver, D. B. Moore, Mrs. D. B. Moore, C. H. Manor, W.
INTERIOR OF 1>R. S. A. MARTINS DENTAL PARLORS,
Upstairs, 118 S. Walnut St., Muncie.
DAVID CAMMACK.
Postmaster, Muncie.
ARTHUR C. PERSHING.
Trustee. Center Township.
NILES TOWNSHIP 61
H. Richey, J. and S. Fudge, J. and E. Racer and W. Fish-
back. Sixteen has roads along its north and south lines, and
a free gravel pike through the center north and south.
Section 17 was entered in 1834 to 1839 by John Black,
Rachael Chandler, Ralph Stafford, John Barley and John D.
Heighway, and is now owned by J. W. Black, T. J. Robbins,
C. A. Barley, E. Black, J. R. Black and C. H. Manor, School
No. 6 is located on the northwest corner of this section.
Roads run along the north and south lines and through the
west half.
The land in section 18 was all entered in 1836 and all by
Ezra Wasson, except eighty acres, which was taken up by
Thomas Moore the same fall after Mr. Wasson had made his
purchase in June.
The section is now owned by A. N. Foorman, A M.
Robbins. J. W. Long, J. W. Cochran, M. Hayworth and J.
Herron and C. A. Barley. That portion of the section bor-
dering on Union township is fractional, or short in acreage.
The section has public roads on the north, south and west,
also north and south through the center.
Note. — Through the kindness of R. S. Gregory I am
enabled to give information relative to Mr. and Mrs.
Ralph Shaw. They were English people, he a bright,
scholarly young man, but unfortunately for a young
man in England, was poor. She was a daughter of
one of the noblemen of the country. Winning her
affections while they were quite young, they con-
cluded to marry and hide themselves in the "new world,"
knowing they could never get the consent of her father to
their union. So, about 1835 or 1836, they proceeded to carry
out their former plans, came to New York and started for the
then "far west." On March 16, 1836, he entered two forty-
acre tracts of land in Niles township, near Granville, before
mentioned. Here Mr. Shaw and his royal-blooded wife lived
happily together, and both being well educated, taught
school at different times and different places. Early in the
fifties, Mr. Gregory remembers Mr. Shaw and his wife coming
to his father's house with the statement that they had
just received the news from England that Mrs.
Shaw's father had recently died, and before death,
(or his representatives after his death) had relented
of the hardness toward the American daughter and her
husband, and had invited them to return to England
to receive her share of the estate, which they hastened to do.
Mr. Shaw, being a scholar and a gentleman, besides having
added largely to his store of political knowledge by his six-
teen or twenty years residence in Delaware county, was
(shortly after returning to England) elected to the honorable
62 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
position of mayor of Southport, in which capacity he served
until his death which occurred about 1N75 or 1N76.
The character of the pioneers of our county is properly
within our range. They lived in a region of exuberant fer-
tility, where nature had scattered her blessings with a liberal
hand. Their liberties, the vastness of their inheritance, the
dense forests, the many improvements constantly going for-
ward, combined with the bright prospects of a glorious
future in everything that renders life pleasant, deeply
impressed their characters and gave to them a spirit of enter-
prise and independence of feeling, and a joyousness of hope.
They were a thorough combination of characters, conditions
and opinions. Coming as they did from various states of the
union and older settlements of our own state, they found
themselves here in the wild forests, and became cheered
with the hope of being able to build up a family, an honor to
themselves, and a fortune founded on honesty and industry,
from new elements. And thus they settled down beside and
with each other. All now form one society, feeling a depend-
ence upon one another, borrowing and loaning, back and
forth, not only the " newspapers," but the common utensils
of the kitchen, frequently going a mile or more through the
woods, by the blazed trail, to borrow a peck of flour or corn
meal, that the family might subsist until the father returned
from the mill, miles away, where he had gone, with oxen and
cart, or, perchance, on horse back, with the sack of grain
across the horse, and the time of his return depending on the
number of grists that were in before him, as each had to
await his turn. His return thus depending on uncertainties
would often cause much anxiety to the mother and children
in the lonely cabin at home, when darkness would close in
and the winds beating upon the rude home, bringing unwel-
come sounds, accompanied by the howlings of hungry
wolves.
These were the dismal, desolate phases of pioneer life.
But the years passed on and the pioneers continued their
toil, ever sweetened with hope, submitting patiently to hard-
ships, until the light of a glorious civilization and prosperity
dawned on them in waving fields of golden grain and luxu-
riant meadows. Comfortable dwellings have risen on or near
the old cabin site. And might we not appropriately term
this the noonday of prosperity? In the place of the blazed
pathway or trail through the forest we have the smooth gravel
pike, bordered on both sides with substantial fences or
hedges, behind which are finely cultivated fields of grain,
rich pastures with their occupants of fat, sleek thoroughbred
stock, or orchards of delicious fruits. On every hand we
may observe this wonderful transformation. Let us, then,
NILES TOWNSHIP. 63
thank God, emulate and endeavor to imitate the pioneers of
Delaware county. And thus having the promises already ful-
filled, continue in the industry and perseverance of which we
have had so glorious an example.
Section 19, in Niles township, was entered as early as
1832 and as late as 1836. The first owners of land in this
section were Philip Stoner, Philip Essley, James Black,
Elisha Essley, Jesse Essley, Junius McMillan and Stephen
Butlar. The section is now owned by J. D. Hance, C. L.
Smith, J. Roberts, J. W. Long, F. R. Foorman and W.
C. Hance. This is another fractional section, being in the
west tier. Essley creek crosses the south half, a road on the
north side, and north and south on the half section line.
As early as 1833 settlers began to see the advantages of
the rich soil in section 20, and four entries of land were made
during the year. These were made by James Black (making
three of them) and Francis A. Essley. The balance of the
land in section 20 was entered in 1835 and 1836 by William
Constant, Elisha Essley, Cyrus McMillan, Jeremiah Priest
and James L. Veach. The present owners of section 20 are:
C. H. Manor, Z. Stanley, jr., S. J. Stanley, C. L. Smith, W.
C. Hance and Z. Stanley, sr. Essley creek crosses the north-
west corner and good roads run along the north line and
through the center of the section north and south.
Section 21 at the center of its east line is the center of
Niles township. The public land of this section was entered
in 1835, 1836 and 1837 by Alfred Barnett, William Lee, David
Mason, Frederick Thornburg, Andrew Wilson, Albert Boyd
and David Moore, and is now owned by James D. Weaver,
D. N. Peterson, L. L McDaniel, J. R. Black, R. Champ, E.
E. Miller, L. F. Smith, D and W. Frank, M. Vincent, S.
E. Stanley, S. D. Frank and William D. Barley. A good
road borders the north, east and half the south lines, and a
free gravel road crosses the section north and south on the
half section line.
Section 22 was all entered in the year of 1836 from March
7 to August 27, or within six months, by Jacob Moore, James
Bolton, Augustus A. Root, Loxley A. Rickand and Samuel
T. Kyle.
By giving our readers the facts connected with the settle-
ment of a quarter of this section they can form a pretty cor-
rect idea of the lives of early settlers generally.
Loxley A. Rickard, in company with Daniel Bosnian and
Richard Higman and their families, left their former homes
in the state of Delaware in the year 1835, and plodding slow-
ly westward with their teams and covered wagons, fording
deep streams or camping on the banks until the waters would
fall, they finally arrived in Ross county, Ohio, where they re-
64 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
mained during the following winter. Then again starting
westward they arrived at Muncytown (now city of Muncie)
about the first of August, 1836. Here they arranged to leave
their wives and children until they could select their future
homes. Striking out to the northeast, they finally selected
land in Niles township, Mr. Rickard in section 22, Mr. Bos-
man in section 23 and Mr. Higman in sections 14 and 15.
The next object was to secure their title of the government.
To do this they employed a man by the name of Pendroy,
who had settled in section 35 the previous year and was now
considered an old settler, to proceed to the land office at Ft.
Wayne and make their entries for them. Their title secured,
they at once went to work to build their cabins that they might
bring their families to their new homes. Mrs. Rickard states
that their cabin walls were erected and the roof put on when
they moved out to their home. The cabin had no floor or
chimney. A large stump stood in the center of the room,
against which they built the fire of cool evenings. Their fire
for cooking was made against a log outside the cabin. Some
large slabs, or puncheon, were split from logs and lain across
the back end of the cabin to keep their bedding off the damp
ground. The old lady adds that "we got on very nicely, but
were a little crowded at first, as Mr. Higman and his family
stopped with us the first night, as his cabin was not quite so
nearly completed." And just such lives were being lived all
over this county.
The land in section 22 is now owned by A. Devoe, O.
H. Devoe, F. S. Fosdick, A. N. Bosnian, W. D. Barley,
and W. and Mary Shirk. There is an open road on every
section line surrounding section 22, and has been for more
than forty years.
Section 23 was all taken up in 1836, except a forty acre
tract, which was entered as late as October 6, 1838, by Isaac
Spence (father of our townsman, N.N. Spence), the bal-
ance of the section having been purchased by Thomas Berry,
Ezra Porter, Daniel Bosnian, William Scott and Ira Ingra-
ham. The present landlords of 23 are Adam Shirk, A. and
E. Wilson, J. B. Bosman, J. Mendenhall, W. Foorman,
W. Campbell, C. P. Cole, C. W. Andrews, and P. Archi-
bald. Section 23 is also surrounded by open roads of many
years location.
The public land in section 24 was purchased of the gov-
ernment between the first of April and last of December,
1S36, the original purchasers being Amos Wooster, Nathan-
iel Dickson, Adam Michael, and Isaac Mailten. Twenty-four
is the most eastern section of the middle tier and joins Jay
county. The section is now owned by H. and M. Miller,
M. Shatto, W. H. Maitlen, Adam Shirk, W. Harrison et al.
RESIDENCE AND FARM BUILDINGS OF EI.ISHA R. WINGATE,
An old citizen and farmer of Delawaie township, 7 miles northeast of Muncie.
on the Granville pike.
^^J^^fiv 'Spv^^^^^mnJ^^p^B^h
rafecj^^Jol BffiiE
LI
I^HIL , 1:1 '
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M^J Jt. 1 ■— r ^^t
CH
1 Ififf?
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RESIDENCE OF R. S. GREGORY,
East Washington Street, Muncie.
NILES TOWNSHIP 65
Twenty-four has roads on the north, south and west, also the
Albany and Dunkirk road crossing it north and south.
Public land in section 25, Niles township, was entered as
early as 1833. The natural drainage furnished by Halfway
creek, which passes through this section and section 36, south
of it, was possibly some inducement to the prospector, as
most of the public land being level, was considered wet land
prior to the clearing up and draining. The first purchasers
in section 25 were Samuel Kyle, John Dinsmore, Daniel
Dean, Jr., John Wilson and William H. Houston. The first
of these entries was made by John Wilson, who settled on
the west half of the southeast quarter of the section. This
eighty-acre tract is well watered by Halfway creek which
passes through it. Here Mr. Wilson settled and reared a
large and respected family, many of whom are still living in
the county.
Besides clearing up a fine farm, Mr. Wilson instituted a
tannery in early days. Crude, of course, as compared with
that industry of our day, but nevertheless a great blessing to
the community at that time. Here the settler brought the
pelts of game and hides of animals, and in (which was a long )
time had them converted into leather. When the leather was
received, the next process was to call the family together,
and to have each one to stand with the heel of the foot
against the door post, a small stick placed lengthwise under
the foot was cut off at the end of the big toe, thus obtaining
the exact length of the foot. Sometimes a string was placed
around the instep to get the measurement of the foot in cir-
cumference, but most frequently the length only was taken,
and whoever went to the shoemaker's would have to remem-
ber if "Mary" or "John," as the case might be, had a high or
low instep.
Sometimes it would happen that the measure would be
lost on the way to the shoemaker. One instance, I remem-
ber, where the elder brother was sent with the measures and
lost one, fearing to come home and report it, he concluded to
cut another stick as near like it as he could, and the differ-
ence was never known until long afterwards when he volun-
teered to tell it after finding that the shoes fit the one his
guess measure was for as well as the others. Small tanneries
were quite numerous in the early days of our county. An-
other of these useful manufacturers was that of Ralph Staf-
ford. This was located about a mile above Black's mill, on
the southside of the Mississinewa river. Mr. Stafford once
told me of a man who had brought him a beef hide that he
wished to sell. Mr. Stafford said the hide was quite wet, the
man stating that he had dropped it in the river when crossing
in the canoe. Mr. Stafford placed the hide on the scales, and
66 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
it being so very heavy excited his suspicions, and unrolling it
he found the hair rilled with sand. It seems that the owner
had saturated the hide with water, then taking it by the tail
had dragged it through the sand until it became many times
heavier than it naturally was. But, like many do, he over-
did the natural so far that he missed the sale entirely. Mr.
Stafford afterwards (in 1853) bought a farm and removed his
tannery west of Black's mill, on what was then the upper
Granville road, now Muncie and Granville pike, where he
farmed and operated his tannery for many years.
The present owners of the land in section 25 are A. Gray,
A. Bales, H. Shirk, E. Berry, R. Berry, J. A. Bales, C.
Baldwin, R. M. Bartlett, M. Bryant, C. Wilson and G. M.
French. Section 25 has a road on the north and also west
line, another a part of the way through the section north and
south on the half section line, and another on and near the
south line.
Section 26 was all entered during the months of March
and May, 1836, by John Blakely, Sarah Kimball, Robert
Kimball, John W. Vincent and John Shrack. The land in
section 26 is now owned by J. A. Bales, P. Frank, E.
E. Frank, C. Baldwin, M. Bryant, James W. Wingate,
A. S. Wilson, G. and M. Wilson, D. C. Frank and I. F.
.Andrews.
One of the first organized churches in the township has
its house of worship in the southeast corner of this section.
We allude to the Bethel Methodist Episcopal church. Some
time in the year 1836 Rev. Wade Posey, a missionary of this
church, organized a class at the house of Eli Anderson, who
had settled about a quarter of a mile south of where Bethel
church stands. This class consisted of seven members, and
here in this cabin these faithful few met and worshiped for
three or four years, until about 1839 or 1840, when their in-
creasing numbers made the erection of a church building a
positive necessity. John Shrack, one of the members of the
class, donated a lot in the southeast corner of this section (it
being the southeast corner of his land also), on which was
erected a hewed log house of worship, or the "Bethel
church." Some years later this first building was entirely
destroyed by fire, but not discouraged, the members with
commendable energy very soon erected another house similar
to the first, on the same site. This second Bethel church
stood, and was used for worship, until 1859, when it was torn
away, and the present (Bethel) neat and commodious church
took its place. "Bethel " has ever been a prosperous society,
in a prosperous community, and many pleasant recollections
of the writer linger about old Bethel. Long may she flourish
NILES TOWNSHIP. 67
and cast her influence for good on the coming, as she has on
the passing generation.
On the lot donated for this church the first cemetery (or
grave yard) was established, and the first person buried here
was Mrs. John Kyle, who died in 1837.
Section 27 was also entirely taken up during the year
1836, with the exception of the southwest quarter, which
was entered on December 4, 1835, by Jeremiah Veach. The
other three-fourths of the section was purchased by William
McCoy, Jacob Moore, Robert Kimball, and William Foster.
The present owners are F. M. Wingate, W. A. Jones, C.
M. Mann, P. W. Vincent, M. A. Wilson, J. Ball, T.
Wingate, J. A. Wright, J. S. Fudge, J. and W. Krohn,
and James W. Wingate. The Albany and Eaton pike angles
across the southern part of the section, and there are good
roads on the east, west and north lines.
Section 28 was purchased of the government by settlers
in the years from 1832 to 1839. Those securing land in this
section were George Shearon, Samuel Martin, David Smith,
John Lewis, Robert M. Boyd, Israel Martin, William Custar,
Robert Huston, Noble Gregory, Glass Ross, Henry Shearon,
and Stephen Berry.
About the center of this section, in a pleasant grove, is
where the famous ''Gregory camp meetings" were held for a
number of years, and here during weeks in August each
year assembled the worshipers of God (and mammon).
They erected substantial wooden tents, (they forming a hollow
square) came with their families, brought their provisions
and bedding, and thus spent many pleasant days in the cool
grove, mingling with kindred spirits in the worship of God,
and social friendships. And while this was the programme
at the "camp ground," the "grocery wagons" (for that is
what they were called) would locate two miles away (required
by law), near the village of Granville, and there do a lively
business vending ginger-bread, cider, melons and candies.
Wrestling, jumping and not infrequently fighting was in-
dulged in, so that within two miles you could see the two
extremes of morals, even in those early days of long
distances.
Section 28 is now owned by William D. Barley, L. F.
Smith, E. E. Miller, C. Miller, M. R. Smith, S. and G.
Low, T. and C. Walburn, T. and G. Sanders, M. Saunders,
S. Williams and M. A. Wilson. Section 28 has two good
gravel pikes passing through it and crossing each other at
almost right angles near the center. Section 29 was entered
in the years 1833-34-5 and 36, two hundred and forty acres
being entered in 1833, one hundred and sixty acres in 1834,
eighty acres in 1835 and a hundred and sixty acres in 1836.
68 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
These entries were made by John Blakeary and John Thomas
in 1833, Samuel Clark in 1834, James Robinson and James
Hetton in 1835, and by Charles Redding and James Hetton
in 1836. These lands are now owned by M. Topp, L. Clark,
C. C. Edgington, W. C. Hance, F. S. Wingate, E. B. Win-
gate, Crooks and Wolf, J. A. Barley, A. N. Bosnian and M.
R. Smith. Section 29 has a public road on the south and
greater part of the west line, through the center north and
south, and the Albany and Eaton pike passes across the north
half of the section. In section 30 the public lands were taken
up as early as [832, and each year thereafter until the last en-
try was made in 1836. The purchasers of the public domain
in this section were Thomas Hillman, Ralph Shaw, Willis
Hance, William Gregory, John Gregory, Reason lams and
Norris Yenard. The present land owners in section 30 are
Joseph D. Hance, S. J. Peterson, W. Peterson, Calvin C.
Crooks, C. Boyd and Crooks and Woolf. This section lies
across the river and just north of the old village of Granville.
Section 30 has public roads on the east and south : also
through the center north and south, and the Albanv and
Eaton pike across the north half. The Mississinewa river
drains the south part of the section, crossing the section line
twice, and not being more than sixty rods from that line at
any point.
Section 31 is the southwest corner of the township, and
perhaps the first settled part of the surrounding country. The
first entry of public land in this section was in June, 1831,
but squatters had located along the banks of the Mississinewa
river several years prior to that date. The land in section 31
was all entered in the years of 1831 to 1836 by Peter Thomas,
John Gregory, William O'Neal, John Engard, Jonathan Rug-
gles, John Battereall, Andrew Battereall and Jacob Batter-
eall. The village of Granville, the only town or village in
the township, is located in this section. Granville is the
successor of Georgetown, which was situated a short distance
above Granville on the Mississinewa river, but from some
cause refused to grow to a large city, and was finally sub
merged into its more prosperous rival. It is stated that Price
Thomas, (grandfather of "Budd" Thomas, one of our ex-po
lice commissioners of Muncie), hewed the logs for the first
house in Georgetown, in 1833. John Gregory, (uncle to
Ralph S. Gregory of Muncie), purchased the west half of the
northeast quarter of the section. On April 17, 1832, and in
1836, divided a portion of his purchase into town lots, thus
founding the village of Granville. Afterward Peter Thomas,
(whose purchase joined that of Mr. Gregory's on the east,
the line being where the Muncie pike now enters the village),
also laid out town lots, and Granville soon become a thriving
MILES TOWNSHIP. 69
town, known for many miles around for its commendable en-
terprise, and questionable practices, for Granville, like many
of our more modern places, had all kinds of people, and many
anecdotes are told of its early days. And while the morals
might have been somewhat slack in some things, yet honesty-
was always strictly guarded, and dishonesty summarily pun-
ished. A fellow was arrested on one occasion for horse steal-
ing, taken before Squire , of Granville, the evidence
heard, the prisoner found guilty, sentenced to the state prison
for ten years, tied to a horse, and with a constable in charge
started for Jeffersonville. Arriving at Muncietown, some one
inquiring the circumstances of the constable, was told that he
was on his way to the penitentiary with the prisoner who had
been sentenced by Squire 's Court at Granville. The
constable was finally persuaded to turn his victim over to the
county sheriff until the Squire could change his papers to
committal in the county jail pending trial by a higher court,
where more money could be expended and less justice had.
Granville is situated in one of the most fertile and picturesque
spots in Delaware county. As a commercial point it has passed
through many changes of prosperity and adversity. She has
had her taverns, blacksmith and wagon shops, dry goods and
grocery stores, her schools and churches. The two last
named still remain, but most of the others are gone. Eaton,
two and a half miles northwest, and Albany four miles east,
both being situated on railroads, have taken the life away
from Granville and left but little in a business way, save the
postomce and not much of that.
The owners of land in section 31 at present are C. Boyd,
Crooks and Woolf, Eli Peterson, S. Michael, M. J. Berry,
S. A. Smith, J. C. Long's estate, W. Peterson, H. Duddle-
ston, R. Duddleston and L. W. Davis. Section 31 is well
supplied with public roads, kept in good condition, is one of
the hilly or rolling sections and well drained by the Mississin-
newa river.
Section 32 was also one of the early settled sections of
the townships, one half of its lands being entered in 1831, the
remainder in subsequent years to 1836. The entries in this
section were made by Alexander Price, John Sutton, Samuel
Kite, John Battreall, Isaac Martin, William Battreall and Wil-
liam Downing. Section 32 is now owned by J . L. Ray, J. F.
Peterson, E. H. Valentine, Crooks and Woolf, Eli Peterson
and H. J. Williams. 32 has good roads and is well drained
by the Mississinnewa, which crosses the west portion of the
section.
Section 33 is perhaps the most hilly section of land in
Niles township. The "Ellis hills" are in the southwest
quarter of this section and are rich in their deposits of sand
70 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
and gravel. They derive their name of "Ellis hills" from
the fact that Capt. John H. Ellis at one time lived here. He
was at that time a carpenter and erected many frame houses
built in the northeast part of the county. He afterwards
lived in the village of Albany, where he served for a number
of years as justice of the peace, and employed his spare time
in reading law. Came to Muncie a short time before the be-
ginning of the war of 1861 .
In 1862 Captain Ellis assisted in raising a company of
men, of which he was elected captain, mustered into the ser-
vice as Company B, 84th regiment, Indiana Volunteer In-
fantry, at Richmond, Ind , September 3, 1862, served with
his company until killed in battle at Chickamauga on the 20th
day of September, 1863, just one year and seventeen days
after being mustered. The command of Company B was then
given to the captain's son, Frank, who served with his regi-
ment and was mustered out with it June 14, 1865, and who
has held several positions of trust and profit in Delaware
county in subsequent years.
This section (33) was first purchased of the government
by James Gregory, William Lee, Alexander Price, Andrew
Battreall, Jesse Clark, William Downing and Samuel Greg-
ory in the years 1831, '34 and '36. The present land owners
are Samuel Gregory, B. M. Williams, J. and L. Anderson, J.
L. Ray, J. F. Peterson, G. W. Younce, John F. Black and
N. Peterson. The Peterson and Black free gravel pike
crosses the section north and south, a public road east and
west and another on the north of the west half.
Section 34 was taken up in the years 1831, '36 and '37.
The original purchasers were Robert Kimball, George Huff-
man, Jacob Peterson, Samuel Gregory, Michael Hedekin
and Joseph Stafford. Near the center of the northwest quar-
ter of this section once stood the old " Gregory school house,"
where Ralph S. Gregory, N. N. Spence, and many other
bright and able speakers received their first drill in oratory at
the debating societies that met here on winter evenings to dis-
cuss such questions las "Whether the negro or Indian race
had the greater cause of complaint against the white race ?"
" In which is most pleasure to be obtained, pursuit or posses-
sion ?" "Which is the mother of the chicken, the hen that
lays the egg or the hen that sits on and hatches the chick ?"
"Does the hen cackle because she has laid the egg, or does
she la)' the egg just to have something to cackle about ?" and
such other important questions that would be invented by the
fertile brain of the Niles township youth from time to time.
This section (34) is now owned by James Wingate, E. Fish-
back, M. Wright, Samuel Gregory, James R. Stafford and
Joseph R. Stafford. Section 34 has less distance of public
NILES TOWNSHIP. • 71
road than any section in the township, there being less than
two miles of road touching the section, and there is no section
perhaps better prepared to furnish gravel to make good roads
than is section 34.
Section 35 was taken up by Eli Anderson, Thomas Vin-
cent, John Shrack, Adam Keaver, John Dinsmore, John Mann
and Eli Pendroy. These lands are now owned by W. T.
Bartlett, R. Flanery, M. Vincent, Jas. W. Wingate, D. M.
Bell, C. N. Bartlett, E. L. W. and C. Bartlett and F. and
A. Cline. Near the center of the east line of 35 where half-
way creek runs into this section for a short distance are the
"haunted hills cf half-way," where supersticious people used
to see ghosts and hobgoblins, almost as scary as themselves
but the fact that such foolish notions are things of the past is
another proof of the advance of civilization. The Albany and
Eaton pike crosses the east and north portions of this section.
Section 36 is the southeast corner of the township join-
ing Randolph county on the east and the corporation line of
the village of Albany in Delaware township on the south.
The public lands of this section were entered by Isaac Pavy,
John Boots, Eli H. Anderson, Jacob Noggle, Warren Mann
and Ezra Bantz in the years of 1833,' 34 and '36. The hold-
ers in section 36 at present are D. M. St. John, J. J. Hoak,
F. P. Anderson, R. M. Bartlett, F. and A. Cline, E. L. W.
and C. Bartlett, B. W. and D.J. Manor.
The schools of Niles township are located as follows:
No. 1 northwest quarter of section 13, No. 2 southeast quar-
ter section 26, No. 3 southeast quarter section 27, No. 4
(Center) southwest quarter section 22, No. 5 northwest quar-
ter section 12, No. 6 northwest quarter of section 17, No. 7
northeast quarter section 30, No. 8 (Granville) northeast
quarter section 31 and No. 9 southwest quarter of section 20.
The school buildings are all substantial brick buildings and
the schools right up in the front of Indiana schools, which
means among the best in this or any other country.
RALPH S. GREGORY,
Attorney at Law, Muncie, Ind.
UNION TOWNSHIP. 73
WHEN "PHIL." AND I MET.
[to p. l., royerton, ind.]
Say, "Phil," do you remember the time
We met 'neath the forest boughs ?
When you was hunting the old roan mare
And I was hunting the cows ?
That was nearly fifty years ago,
Yet I remember it well.
And how you placed your ear to the ground
To catch the sound of the bell.
We had no introduction, 'Phil,"
No meaningless words, and bows,
When you was hunting the old roan mare
And I was hunting the cows.
I've wandered through halls of Congress, "Phil,"
And listened to music rare,
But I'll never forget the boy I met,
Who was hunting the "old roan mare."
The friendships made 'neath the forest shade
Are fresh in my memory still,
Though the castles I reared, have disappeared,
Since I hunted the cows with "Phil."
The clothes we wore, were not from the store
Of a fashionable tailor, I vow,
But you and I know that fashion and show
Never found a "roan mare," nor a cow,
And now, friend "Pnil,', as we pass down the hill,
May we keep up our ''hunting" no less,
And if we shall find a contented mind,
Our lives will have been a success.
Union Township*
Union township is the north township in the center tier,
or district No. 2. In dimensions it is five miles north and
south, and six miles east and west, containing thirty sections,
and in round numbers 19,200 acres of land. The township
is bounded, north, by a portion of Blackford county; east,
by Niles township; south, by Hamilton, and west, by
Washington.
The Mississinewa river enters the township on the east,
about one mile north of the southeast corner, and flowing
74 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
through the township at an angle of about twenty-five degrees
north of west, leaves it almost a half mile south of the north-
west corner, thus dividing the township in nearly equal parts.
In former years, and before the waters of this river became
polluted by the offals of manufactures located farther up the
stream, the Mississinewa, through this township, was noted
for its beautifui scenery, clear waters and fine fish. The land
along the river is a series of rolling bluffs, low enough to be
easily accessible, and high enough to be pretty, while back
from the river, on either side, the land becomes somewhat
low and flat, and before drainage became so universal, were
considered wet lands. However, at present, and in fact for a
number of years past, artificial drainage has become so gen-
eral, and these lands being ditched have become the most
productive, and, consequently, the most valuable lands of the
township.
Union was originally covered with heavy forests of the
several varieties of oak, hickory, walnut, poplar, etc., on the
high lands along the river, and elm, ash and other varieties
on the lower lands. Besides the drainage given the township
by the Mississinewa passing through the center, the township
is further drained by Pike creek in the southwest part, and
several small creeks and branches in the north. The soil of
Union does not differ materially from that of the adjoining
townships. Black loam, with a substratum of clay, and clay
intermixed with sand, are the prevailing features of the soil.
It perhaps sounds strange to the present citizen of Union
township, especially of not more than middle age, to read of
the former navigation of the Mississinewa river. However,
it is a fact that boats for carrying freight were built and sent
down the river loaded with the products of the country along
the stream as early as 1838, and for a number of years after-
ward. The first of these voyages we have any account of
was made in 1838 by Jacob Gump and Joseph Snider. Their
vessel was not fashioned after the model of our Trans-Atlan-
tic steamships, nor was it so commodious or comfortable as
our modern floating palaces on the Hudson, the Mississippi
or the Ohio rivers.
The boat of these early settlers was a flat-boat, fifty or
perhaps sixty feet in length, four feet wide and
three feet deep. On this was placed one hundred
barrels of flour, two barrels of lard, three barrels of linseed
oil, together with a quantity of bacon, coon skins, ginseng,
and in fact anything the settlers could gather up that would
bring cash in the market to which the craft was bound, which
in this case was Peru, Indiana, some sixty miles down the
river, and a short distance below where the Mississinewa
empties into the Wabash river. The pilot of this boat was
UNION TOWNSHIP. 75
one Abraham Gray, who was supposed to know the river,
although we do not suppose he had a regular United States
license, as pilots are now required to hold before being
allowed to take charge of the steering apparatus of a boat.
The crew consisted of four men, each of whom manned
an oar. The trip down was supposed to consume two days,
and as it was not considered safe to navigate at night, the
boat was tied fast to a tree, the crew went ashore and cooked
and ate their supper, rolled up in their blankets and slept
until morning, when, after a hearty breakfnst, they would
resume their voyage. Reaching their journey's end, they
sold their cargo for cash, sold their boat to some one who
wished to proceed still farther down the river, made what pur-
chases they could carry, and then started for home on foot,
where they would arrive in two or three days, to the delight
of waiting wives and children, and the envied of all the
neighboring boys. And why not? Had they not been on a
long voyage and had safely returned?
Among others who ventured their hard earnings on
the river in flat-boats was John Black, who found his first
flour market, the product of his mill above Granville in Del-
aware township, at Peru and points along the river. This
process of marketing was kept up until late in the forties,
when the big feeder dam was placed across the river near
Peru, which put an end to navigation above that point.
So far as we have been able to gather the facts, the first
school ever taught in Union township was by Miss Susan
Handley, in a cabin which stood on the southeast quarter of
section i\, then owned by Junius McMillan, and now owned
by F. R Foorman. This school was taught by Miss Hand-
ley in the winter months of 1836 and 1837, sixty-two years
ago. Her salary was contributed by six of the citizens who
were patrons of the school; these were Wilson Martin, Junius
McMillan, William Essley, Philip Stoner, Aaron Mote and
Francis Harris, who paid $1 .50 for each pupil he sent.
In 1837 a log house was built on the land then owned by
Aaron Mote, now by D. A. Barley, on the northeast quarter
of section 23. This house was built especially for school
purposes and was perhaps the first school house in the town-
ship. During the winter following (1837) William Campbell
taught school in the new school house. During the same
winter (1837 and '38) Robert Wharton taught school in a
cabin on the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of
section 19, on the land of Havilla Green. This forty acre
tract is now owned by Liberty Ginn, and lies one mile west
of school house No. 6. This was the first house known as
the -'Green school house."
About this time the township was divided into school dis-
76 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
tricts, but the expenses of the schools were still paid by the
citizens who patronized the schools, and this condition pre-
vailed until 1840, when the first money obtained, from the
sale of section 16, became available, and while the public
fund thus created was sufficient to meet the current expenses,
public education was as free as under the present system, but
this fund was limited, and nearly every year became exhausted
before the close of the term, in which case it was usual for
the patrons to subscribe prorata of their individual means for
the purpose of meeting the expenses of the school to the end
of the term. But the new system which was inaugerated in
1852 marked an important epoch in the history of public ed-
ucation in Union township, and instead of the meager ad-
vantages that characterized the schools prior to that date, a
course of study was adopted that was calculated to prepare
the student for any ordinary business in life. And about this
time a standard of qualification was established, and teachers
were selected after a rigid examination. Union is now divided
into eleven school districts, and in each of these is a modern
brick building for school purposes which would have appeared
a palace to the pupil of the thirties and forties.
In 1836 David Shilder entered the east half of the south-
east quarter of section 15, in Union township, but subsequent-
ly sold it to John B. Babb. Mr. Babb was one of those
handy men who could turn his hand to various kinds of work
besides clearing land and farming, and, in 1841, while en-
gaged in walling a well for a Mr. William Tippin, who lived
on the northeast quarter of section 15, on land entered by
Joshua Shideler, in 1835, a stone accidently fell from the top
of the well thirty-six feet, striking Mr. Babb on the head,
fracturing the skull, from the effect of which he lay uncon-
scious for six days, but finally recovered and lived many years
afterwards, a useful citizen to the community.
The first mill built in the township, and in fact one of
the first in the county, was built by Francis Harris on the
west half of the northwest quarter of section 25, Mr. Harris
having purchased the land of the government on February
16, 1 83 1. This first mill was crude in construction, the
building being of round logs, and the mill-stones or buhrs be-
ing dressed out of "nigger heads," which were and still are
found in abundance all along the river. For a bolting chest
a hollow sycamore log did duty, and a harmonious crudeness
characterized all the departments. Mr. Harris continued in
the milling business for some eight or nine years, when he
sold out to Frederick Carter, Caleb Carter and Thomas John-
son. About 1847 the firm of Carter & Johnson erected a
frame building on the same site, in which they placed two
run of buhrs and a sash, or perpendicular saw, for sawing
' ^!l!l!l!HI|IIIWI!'!!!l!!l . ■! i ! »■
GEO. REISER & CO., S. HIGH STREET.
EATON PARK,
Chas. Brown, Manager.
An ideal place for Sunday School and Society picnics. Splendid scenery,
good boating, bathing and fishing. Go once and you'll go again .Open
day and night.
GEO. K. MANSFIELD,
Clerk Delaware County Circuit Court.
CHAS. GOUGH,
County Surveyor.
UNION TOWNSHIP. 77
lumber, for which there began to be a great demand. Short-
ly after the erection of this mill, the firm sold out to Charles
and Gerge Carter, and soon after this transaction the mill was
destroyed by fire. The Carter Brothers rebuilt their mill at
once on the same site and operated it successfully for a num-
ber of years, in fact until one of the firm (George) died,
when his brother Charles purchased his deceased brother's in-
terest, extended the race some distance farther west, erected
a new saw-mill, and afterwards a four-story flouring mill.
The mill is located in the southern part of Eaton, and is
known as the Carter mill, a monument to the enterprise and
industry of one of Union's oldest citizens. About 1845 David
Studebaker erected a saw-mill on the west half of the south-
east quarter of section 22, just below the point where the Stu-
debaker pike crosses the Mississinnewa river. By turns this
mill was converted into a flouring, carding, and finally gen-
eral woolen manufacturing mills.
The first church organization we have any account of was
at the residence of John Ginn, who came to the township in
January 1830. Mr. Ginn was a native of Ireland, emigrat-
ing first to Pennsylvania, from thence to Morgan county,
Ohio, and from there to Delaware county, Ind., where he
spent the remainder of his life, a well respected and honored
citizen. The church organization referred to occurred about
1833, when seven or eight adherents to the tenets of the de-
nomination, under the pastoral labors of Rev. Robert Burnes,
were united as a class of the Methodist Episcopal church.
At nearly the same time, another class of the same denomina-
tion, was organized at the cabin of Tristram Starbuck, who
was one of the first settlers, and who made the second entry
of land in the township. Mr. Starbuck lived in section 22,
and Mr. Ginn in 18, so it only being some two or three miles
from one of these class headquarters to the other, they eventu-
ally united, and Richard Craw, one of the members, donated
a lot of ground from his farm, upon which they built a log
church, and named it "Mount Zion."
Among the early prominent members of this church were
Martin Brandt and wife, James Rutherford and wife, John
Gorthop and wife, Leonard Cline and wife, Phillip Keller and
wife, Richard, William and John Craw and their wives, Mr.
and Mrs. Tristram Starbuck and Mrs. Isaac Cox. The log
church, "Mount Zion," continued to serve the purpose of
worship until 1867, it was superceeded by the present brick
edifice.
The Christian church of Eaton grew out of an organiza-
tion formed at the home of Robert Long, east of Eaton, in
1839 or '40. Like most church meetings, this organization
first met at the cabin homes of the settlers, then at school
78 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
houses., in summer time when the weather would permit, in
the groves.
Among the early ministers of this church were Ebenezer
Thompson, Elder Montford, Amos Wilson, George H. Babb,
Benjamin Martindale, Samuel Hendricks, Elijah Martindale
and Thomas Wiley. In 1858 Charles Carter donated to the
society the lot on which was built the Eaton Christian church.
The German Baptist church was organized in 1840 at the
home of Jacob Gump, just south of the present town of
Eaton, where their meetings were held for a number of years.
In 1855 they bought a lot of James Long on the east half of
the southeast quarter of section 23, and south side of the
river, and in the same year erected a substantial frame house
for worship.
Union township has but one town and a half, all of
Eaton and half of Shideler are in this township Eaton dates
back to 1870, when the railroad from Muncie to Ft Wayne
was completed, but was incorporated in 1873. The popula-
tion in that year was one hundred and fifty-eight.
Although a comparatively new place, yet Eaton will be
noted in history for many generations as the pioneer gas town
of Indiana. Early in the fall of 1886 the first gas well in In-
diana was drilled in at Eaton. This well was about forty or
fifty feet east of the railroad, and a few hundred feet south of
the river.
Several years prior to this date, W. W. Worthington,
tlun superintendent of the Ft. Wayne and Southern Rail-
road, together with George W. Carter, a business man of
Eaton, concluded to drill at this point for the purpose of as-
certaining if there was not a strata of coal underlying this
territory, but after sinking their drill several hundred feet,
struck gas, but did not know what they had found ; but from
the roaring noise produced by escaping gas, and the stench
of the same, concluded that they were perhaps encroaching
on the territory of his satanic majesty, and at once abandoned
their project. However, in after years when gas had been
discovered in the country about Findlay, Ohio, and excur-
sions were made to see the wonderful discovery, Mr. Carter
being on one of these excursions, at once recognized the
important fact that it was nothing more nor less than natural
gas that he and Mr. Worthington had drilled into, and at
once commenced work, reopened their former operations, and
in doing so opened the way to the most grand results of any
discovery ever made in this or any other country. And now
the hundreds of factories, and thousands of operatives and
armies of laborers look to the unpretentious village of Eaton
as the starting point of their great success.
The first land ever bought of the government in Union
UNION TOWNSHIP. 79
township was purchased by Nimrod Jester on the 7th day of
May, 1829 (80 acres), being the west half of the southwest
quarter of section 22, and now owned by William Cox. Six
months and six days after this purchase, or on the 13th day
of November of the same year, the second entry in the town-
ship was made by Tristram Starbuck, it being also 80 acres,
and the west half of the northwest quarter of the same sec-
tion and joining Mr. Jester's entry on the north. Thus it
will be seen that the ouly land entered in Union township
prior to 1830 was 160 acres, a strip one mile long, north and
south, and eighty rods wide, east and west, with the Missis-
sinewa river crossing near the center.
Man)' adventures were had by the early settlers of this as
well as other localities, which have never been given the pub-
lic through print. One, which now occurs to our mind, was
that of Jackson Green, then a young pioneer hunter. Mr.
Green was out deer hunting, and his dogs coming close onto
a large buck near the Mississinewa river, just above the Car-
ter dam, the deer being pretty well run down, and perhaps
thinking that he could the better defend himself, took to the
water. Mr. Green coming up feared to shoot for fear of kill-
ing one of his dogs, they being in the water around the deer.
So, leaving his gun on shore, he started to the assistance of
his dogs, and the deer started for him, he caught the deer by
the antlers and a desperate conflict ensued, the deer rearing
and striking at him with its sharp hoofs, and he in turn en-
deavoring to drown the buck by twisting his head and throw-
ing him on his back and drowning him, which he finally sue
ceeded in doing after sever attempts, and when almost in des-
pair, wishing all the time that some one would come along to
"help him let go."
The first land entered in section 7 in Union township was
the west half of the southwest quarter. This entry was made
by John Ginn on May 1, 1830, and the last entry in the sec-
tion was made by John Reasoner on October 9, 1835. The
others entering land between these dates, in this section, were
Josiah McVicker, William Jobes, Isaac Swisher and John
Hamilton.
The present land owners in section 7 are Eli H. Roder-
ick, J. W. McVicker, William Craw. M. E. Waters, E. M.
Stiffler, E. Johnson, M. Butcher, J. E. Edwars, (trustee) and
Liberty Ginn.
The section has a public road east and west through the
north half, and another along a part of the south line. The
Mississinewa river crosses the southwest corner of the section
in a northwest course.
There were no entries recorded in section 8 until October
23> 1833- The original purchasers of this section were Leon-
8o HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ard Cline, John Seekors, John Reasoner, Jr., Nathaniel and
Henry Skinner, James Chenowith and Isaac Swisher.
The land owners of this section are now W. H. Pursley,
Eli H. Roderick, J. W. Long, O. P. Dunn, D. Smith, Sr,,
J. R. McVicker, E. Roderick, G. Waters and William Craw.
The section has a gravel pike along the east line, also publie
roads on the south line across the north half, and three-fourths
of the way across the west half. School No. 5 is in the south-
west quarter of this section.
Section 9 was entered in 1835, '36 and '37 by John W.
Pyke, Isaac Miller, Ashford Roberts, John Flummer, William
Adsit, John Reasoner, Sr. , and Letice Shideler.
The present owners of section 9 are E. Holden, H. Smith,
W. H. Pursley, M. M. Barnes and Isabel Adsit. This sec-
tion has a gravel pike along the west line, and public roads on
the east and south.
Section 10 was all taken up in 1836, Jacob Shideler en-
tered the southeast quarter May 23, 1836, Jacob Gayman the
north half September 20, 1836 and William Adsit the south-
west quarter November 21, 1836.
The section is now owned by H. Strong, Jonathan
Smith's heirs, J. Lambert, P. W. Dunn, W. and M. Haynes
and H. Smith.
Section 10 has public roads on the east, south and west
lines. The Smith ditch crosses the southwest quarter, run-
ning south of east.
Section n was also entirely purchased of the government
in the year of 1836 by John Lambert, John Gayman, Abra-
ham Gray, Abraham Shideler, Archibald Ray and Daniel
Haynes. The last named gentleman, Mr. Haynes, is still
living in his old neighborhood, a true specimen of the old
pioneer. He has perhaps seen as many " ups and downs " of
pioneer life as any man in the state, and is now living a quiet,
retired life, well known and respected by a large circle of
friends.
This section is now owned by J. L. Lambert, A. Camp-
bell, W. Campbell, Alexander Dunn, O. Campbell, M. Jester,
G. Haynes, B. F. Haynes, M. L. McGrath, S. A. Haynes,
and J. Martin. Section 11 has public roads on the east, south
and west lines. The L. E. & W. railroad passes through the
section about thirty-five rods east of the center, and school
house No. 2 is situated in the southeast corner of the section.
Section 12 is the northeast section of the township and
its lands were entered in the years of 1835-36 and '37 by
Ephraim Link, William Shearon, Aaron Mote, Patrick Car-
michael and John Lambert.
This section (12) is generally divided into small farms,
there being some sixteen owners of land in the section. They
UNION TOWNSHIP 81
are E. Blazier, W. R. Toll, G. W. Bosman, S. J. Peck, A.
and P. Carmichael, J. L. Lambert, S. J. Guthrie, N. S.
Gothrup, P. Schetgen, J. L. Ferguson, W. W. Holdren,
Lewis T. Bosman, O. and S. Carmichael, and G. W.
Blodgett.
The section has public roads on the south and west, and
the old Fort Wayne road crosses the section at an angle of
about fifteen degrees east of north.
Section 13, lying south of 12 and adjoining Niles township
on the east (as also does section 12), was entered in 1836,
except three 80-acre tracts that had been entered the previous
year by John McLain, Archibald McLain, and William Ray.
Those buying in 1836 were John McLain, Aaron Mote, and
Samuel Mote. The section is owned at this time (sixty-four
years after the first title was given) by G. W. McLain,
Charles McLain, P. Schetgen, R. and H. McLain, S. Scott,
S. Younce, D. P. Orr, E. and S. Morris, L E. Wasson, E.
S. Babb, and A. N. Foorman. Thirteen is surrounded by
public roads, with the old Fort Wayne road angling across
the eastern part.
In 1835 Hiram Cochran and Peter Shideler each secured
an 80-acre tract in section 14. Then during the following
year, 1836, Mr. Shideler entered another 80, John Van Bus-
kirk an 80, Abraham Shideler 240, and David Shideler an 80,
which consumed all the land in the section.
Fourteen is now owned by J. K. Cochran, R Cochran,
M. L. Brandt, A. S. Chitty, J. L. Martin, D. Brandt, M. J.
Morris, H. Holmes, H. E. McLain, B. McLain. D. Haines,
and John Babb.
This section lies north of and adjoining the town of
Eaton. It has public roads on each section line, and also
north and south through the center One of the land owners
of this section who now lives in Eaton, and is engaged in
merchandising, we think should be mentioned in this connec-
tion, for a history of Union township, without mention of
David Brandt would be incomplete. Mr. Brandt is not only
a pioneer of the township, but may well be considered one of
the pioneer business men of the county, and one of the old-
est, if not the very oldest, merchants, in the county. He
was engaged in business a half mile east of where Eaton is
(at "Hen Peck") long before there was any Eaton, is now
over eighty years old and still actively engaged in business.
Mr. Bandt came to Union township nearly sixty years ago
and has been a leader in all things pertaining to the interests
of the community ever since.
Section 15 was entered in 1836, with the exception of
one 80-acre tract taken up by Joshua Shideler, in July, 1835.
The persons securing the lands in this section were Joshua
82 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Shideler, Abraham Shideler, David Shideler, Peter Shideler,
Benjamin Harris, Sarah Rardon, and Nancy Rardon.
The title to the lands in 15 is now held by Robert L.
Brandt, F. J. Carter, H. Smith, W. S. Bell, J. S. Clouse, D.
Babb, M. O'Conner, and E. Taylor. Section 15 has a public
road on each section line.
Adjoining section 15 on the west is school section 16,
which was sold on November 11, 1836, to three individuals,
as follows: Caleb Sharon bought the northeast quarter at $2.50
per acre, the east half of the southeast quarter at $2.00 per
acre, the west half of the southeast quarter at 52.50 per
acre; Mr. William Adsit bought the southwest quarter
at $4.00 per acre, and John Craw bought the northwest quar-
ter at #2.25 per acre, the entire section thus bringing the sum
of §1,760. The owners of land in 16 at this time are J. T.
Nottingham, W. A Michael, R. Walters, Carrie Adsit, H.
Holdren and William Cox.
Section 16 has public roads on the east and north lines, a
gravel pike on the west and the Albany and Jonesboro pike
touches the southwest corner. School house No. 3 is located
in the northeast corner of the section.
Section 17 was entered in the years 1833 to 1837. The
persons securing the public domain in this section were
Samuel Skinner, William Craw, Elizabeth Flummer, Maria
Sarah Flummer, Richard Craw, Samuel Lyle Black and
Elijah Collins.
The freeholders of Section 17 are now O. P. Dunn, J. R.
McVicker, H. and H. Crow, H. Meyer, R. E. Craw and Jesse
Nixon. This section has free gravel pikes on the east and
south, public roads on the north and north and south through
the west half. The Mississinewa River crosses the southwest
corner of the section. All the balance of the section lies on
the north side of the river.
Section 18 joins Washington township on the west, and
lies east of the village of Wheeling one mile Eighteen was
an early settled section. The first entry in this section was
made by John Ginn on November 30, 1830. This was the
east half of the northwest quarter. Mr. Ginn made subsequent
entries in the section in 1832 and 1833. However, the last of
the public land in section 18 was not entered until May 26,
1836. The persons besides John Ginn securing land in this
section: were David Ashby, Havillah Green, John W. Harter
and Liberty and Joseph Ginn.
There are but three land owners at present in this section,
and all are well known throughout the county. They are R.
E. Crow, Jesse Nixon and Liberty Ginn.
Eighteen has a pike crossing the south and southwest
part, a public road along a portion of the north and also
UNION TOWNSHIP. 83
across the northwest corner. The Mississinewa crosses
the northeast corner, cutting off about one-third of the sec-
tion.
Section 19 lies south of 18 and also joins Washington town-
ship on the west. Its lands were entered in i833-'35-'36 and
'37 by Havillah Green, Sarah Ginn, John W. Harter, Moses
Hinton, Reason Tiffin and Thomas and George (Jr.) Carter.
The land of this section is owned at present by Jesse
Nixon, Liberty Ginn, M. E. Turner, C. L. Johnson, M.
Thompson, Andrew Johnson and W. Spitler. Nineteen has
public roads on the east, south and west. Also the Albany
pike on the northeast corner where is located school house
No. 6.
Section 20, just east of and joining 19, is another river
section all of which seem to have had an attraction for the
first settlers. Twenty was entered in the years of 1832 to '36
by Wm. Flummer, Elijah Collins, Richard Craw, John Flum-
mer, Charles Royster, minor heir of Charles Royster, Sr. ,
Daniel Cochran and George Comstock. Changes of title
have taken place from time to time until at present section 20
is owned by D. Geyer, M. Craw, R. E. Craw, G. W. Collins,
J. G. Belong, S. Barrick and M. A. Delong. Twenty is sur-
rounded by good roads, and the Mississinewa crosses the
northwest corner.
East of 20 is section 21, which was entered in 1832,
to 1836, inclusive, by Wm. Cox, Isaac Cox, Samuel Wilson,
Jacob Shideler, Jesse Lincomb and Peter Grimes. The
owners of this section are now Wm. Cox, I. J. Hunt, Carrie
Adsit, J. U. Studebaker and Joseph W. Younce. Twenty-
one has a good supply of good roads, and is well drained by
the Mississinewa, crossing the north half of the section.
We have already mentioned the fact that the two first
entries of land made in Union township were both in section
22, by Nimrod Jester and Tristram Starbuck. These were
both made in 1826. The balance of the section was entered
in 1830, '31, '32, '33, '34 and '36, by John Essley, Abraham
Zemar, Samuel Elliott, James Harter and James Galbreath.
The present land owners of section 22 are J. and R.
Dragoo, J. L. Minnick, M. Highland, J. A. Thomas, A.
Rench, J. Evans, J. S. Kirkwood and William Cox. This
section has six miles of public road, there being one on each
section line, and two passing through the section east and
west, one on either side of the Mississinewa river, which
crosses the section near the center in a north of west direc-
tion.
Section 23 was taken up in the years of 1833 and 1836,
inclusive. The parties first purchasing the lands in this sec-
tion were Abraham Shideler, Washington Heldren, John
84 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Irvin, Absalom Edwards, Reuben Hampton, Isaac Edwards,
Samuel Kite, Ochmig Bird, Benjamin Harris and James
Harter. The present owners of land in section 23 outside of
the corporation of the town of Eaton are E. N. Clouse, J. S.
Clouse, J. Pixley and J. and R. Dragoo. However, as the
amount of land owned by these parties and lying in section
23 is only 194 acres, it will be seen that the town of Eaton
covers more than two-thirds of the section, and we have
neither space nor data for giving the names of all the owners of
realty in the thriving young city of Eaton. The Mississinewa
river crosses the southwest portion of the section. School
No. 1 is in the town of Eaton, and the German Baptist or
Dunkard church is in the southwest quarter of the section.
Section 24 is the center of the township north and south,
and in the east tier of sections. The lands of the section
were entered in 1831, '32, '34 and '35, by William McCalister
in 1831, by Junius McMillan in 1832, George and William
Shearon in 1834, and Aaron Mote and James McMillan in
1835. The corporation of the town of Eaton now covers the
southwest quarter of the section, while the other three-
quarters are owned by D. A. Barley, M. Long, Wm. H.
Propps, R. M Carter, M. Babb, Mississinewa Land and
Improvement Co., and F. R. Foorman.
Section 25, lying south of 24, and joining Niles township
on the east was entered by William Essley in 1830, Francis
Harrison 1831, Reason lams in 1832. Jacob Shideler, Roland
Hughes and Mary James in 1833, and James B. Harter in
1836. About 28 acres, or that part of the section in the
northwest quarter and lying north of the river, is also claimed
by the town of Eaton, while the other lands of the section are
owned by W. Peterson, H. Metcalf, G. W. Carter's heirs,
William Bost and David Gump. The Mississinewa river
enters this section a short distance north of the southeast
corner and leaves it about the same distance south of the
northwest corner, thus dividing the section into two almost
equal right angle triangles. The Leard Cemetery is located
in the southwest corner of the east half of the southeast
quarter of the section.
Section 26, lying west of 25, was entered in 1833, '35 and
36, by Joseph Batreall, Jacob Gump, Joseph Snider, Hannah
Studebaker, James Bowman, John Meek and William Men-
denhall. About one-half of the northeast quarter of this sec-
tion (the north part) is also within the corporate limits of
Eaton. The other parts of the section are owned by the
Eaton Land and Improvement Co., J. Pixley, S. Lamar,
David Gump, S. and E. Smith, Mary Younce, S. R. Smith
and R, Brandt et, al. The section is well supplied with pub-
lic roads, and has the L. E. & W. railroad crossing it north
UNION TOWNSHIP. 85
and south near the center. School No. 11 (also a church) is
situated in the southwest corner of the section.
Section 27 was all entered in 1836 and 1837, except the
east half of the northeast quarter (80 acres), which was en-
tered by David Studebaker on the 27th day of October, 1835.
The others entering land in the section were James Galbreath,
Mary Ann McCormick, James Frazer, Philip Hedrick, Jesse
Lincome, Emelie Galbreath and William Lewis. This sec-
tion is owned at present (1899) by J. Garrard, H. Wittemyer,
J. Evans, J. S. Kirkwood, J. H. Shoup, J. V. Studebaker,
William Frazee, I Custer, W. and M. Gump et al., Robt. L.
Brandt and C. T. Bartlett. The Studebaker pike is on the
east line, and there are public roads on the north, south and
west.
Section 28 was all entered by four entries, as follows:
James Frazer entered the northeast quarter June 4, 1836, and
on August 6 of the same year he entered the southeast quar-
ter. The first of these entries is now owned by William
Frazee and D. S. Rench, and the last, or southwest quarter,
by John Evans. The northwest quarter of the section was en-
tered on May 27, 1836, in the name of Virginia Royster,
minor heir of Charles Royster, and on the same day the
southwest quarter was entered in the name of Nancy, minor
heir of Charles Royster. The present owners of that part of
the section entered by the two heirs of Mr. Royster are G. R.
Mansfield, F. Kiplinger and E. Younce. School No. 8 is lo-
cated on the north side of this section at the half section line,
and the section is surrounded by a public road on each line.
In 1834 James Love and Matthew Smith each entered 80
acres in section 29, and in the following year (1835) there
were two 80-acre tracts entered by John Fipper. Then, in
1836, the remaining four 80-acre tracts were entered by
Charles Royster, Jr., minor heir of Charles Royster, Sr. , Jon-
athan Jones two 8o's, and James Love another 80. This sec-
tion is now divided into small farms, owned by W. S. Isgrig,
S. J. Duke, S. Duke, R. C. Wisehart, Union National Bank
of Muntie, L. Miller. M. Rarrick, Snider and McKinley S.
Rarrick, J. and A. Miller, N. A. Riggin and J. E. Smith. The
seetion has a road on each section line, and Pike creek crosses
it in a northwesterly course.
The northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section
30 (40 acres) was entered on September 25, 1835, by Mat-
thew Smith, and all the iemainder of the section was entered
during the following year (1836) by Matthew R. Smith, John
J. Adsit, William Martin and Jonathan Jones.
The present land owners in section 30 are Union National
Bank of Muncie, B. Studebaker, T. Hedgeland, Andrew
86 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Johnson, A. J. Clifford, L. M. Hinton, C. Johnson. H. Wood
and M. Williams. This section also has a public road on each
section line. The west line is the township line between Un-
ion and Washington. School house No. 7 is in the southeast
corner of the section.
Section 31 is the southwest corner of the township. The
public lands in this section were purchased of the general
government in the years of 1835 to 1838 by Stephen Dunlap,
Eliza Wildy Wilson, William Adsit, William Daily, John W
Stafford, Thomas Williams, and Joseph Wilson, Jr., and are
now owned by A. Johnson, E. Shields, William Carroll, W.
Fine, D. S. Rarrick, Eli Snider, F. A. Waller, S. F. Wood-
ring, J. Wilhelm, G. Monroe, J. Rench and S. Rench. The
section has a free gravel pike along the north line, and public
roads on the east and south.
The west half of the northwest quarter of seetion 32 (80
acres) was entered on the 14th day of December, 1835, by
Stephen Dunlap, and the balance of the section was entered
in 1836 by the same man and Robert Huston, Willis Hance,
Isaac Mendenhall, and John W. Stafford. The section is
owned at present by C. F. Eiler, W. A. Brinson, D. M
Shoemaker, D. M. Snider, J. B. Rench, Snider and McKin-
ley, John Snider, and F. A. Waller. Thirty-two has a gravel
road on both the east and north lines, and public roads on
the west and south.
Aside from one 80 and one 30-acre tract that were
entered in section 33 in 1835, the section was entered in
1836. The first owners of land in the section were William
Mendenhall, John Houston, Vincent Martin, Samuel Martin,
Abraham C. Culbertson, Nicholas Sherry, and Simeon Max-
son. Section 33 is also a section of small farms, no one per-
son owning more than 80 acres in the section. The owners
of this section are A. Harkle, A. Russell, G. Russell, R.
Hest, Snider et al., C. F. Eiler, F. Waller, I. H. Shideler,
N. and R, Minnick, G. L. Calvert et al , John Snider and S.
Studebaker. Good roads surround the section. There is a
Baptist church located on the northwest quarter, and school
house No. 9 on the southwest.
There were no entries of public lands in section 34 until
1836, in which year the entire section was entered, except
two 40-acre tracts, both of these being entered the following
year (1837). The original land owners in 34 were David
Sherry (father of ex-Sheriff William Sherry), Eli H. Ross,
Daniel Sherry, Thomas Ewell, James Egnew, Israel Martin,
Elizabeth Martin, and Vincent Martin. None of the original
owners' names are now found in the section, the present
owners being A. Studebaker, J. A. Frazee, W. Snitzer, M.
UNION TOWNSHIP. 87
Snitzer, A. C. Young, A. Miller, A. Snider, G. Cruea, W. H.
Taylor, C. A. Manor and William Brown.
Section 35 was also settled in 1836 and 1837. Its lands
were first purchased by John Gregory, Maitsell M. Cary,
Harvey Millspaugh, George Pyke, David Sherry, Thomas
McCormick, Joseph S. Austin, Sarah Simonton, Joseph
Hance, Michael Thomas, Solomon McKee, and William
Sleeth. Michael Thomas entered the northeast quarter of
the southeast quarter (40 acres), lying just north of the pres-
ent village of Shideler, on the 20th day of January, 1837.
Mr. Thomas is at present a citizen of the village of Granville,
in Niles township, where he is engaged in selling groceries.
A man in his eighties, though hale and hearty still, a splendid
entertainer, and one who loves a joke and knows how to tell
one to get the most out of it. Section 35 is owned by J.
Cunkle, T. Leard, Mary Younce, J. A. Frazee, W. Saunders,
M. Cruea, M. Darton, A. L. Lewellen, A. Darton, L. Cruea,
and E. M. Rairigh. The section has four miles of good road,
the L. E. & W. railroad crosses it, and one-half of the vil-
lage of Shideler is within its borders.
Section 36, the southeast section of the township, was
entered in 1833, '34, '35, and '36 by William Gregory, Ephraim
Laird, Peter R. Bradshaw, Samuel Payton, George Laird,
Nancy Egnew and William Gutbrey. The present owners
are I. C. Goodrich, S. Laird, W. Peterson, T. R. Simonton,
T. G. Gibson, S. and C. Deeter, J. Cunkle and M. Swear-
engen. The section is well provided with roads. School
No. 10 is in the northwest corner. The section has two post-
office towns within one and two-third miles of its borders.
88 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
We love to revisit the old cabin for-sooth,
And recall the days of our childhood and youth,
When my sweetheart and I were young,
When she was a " lass " and I was a " lad,"
Oh, the good old-fashioned times we had,
The good old songs we sung.
We smile when we look at the logs in the wall
Remembering the time when receiving a call,
(Or, rather, " invite," we should say),
To "come to our raisin'," whatever you do;
Tell " Dick " to come also, and " Polly " and " Sue,"
The " gals " have a ''quiltin' " that day.
To the " raisin' " we went and cleared off the ground,
The cabin was raised to the very last round ;
The quilt was quilted and done,
Then swung to the joists quite out of the way,
Just to give room for the sport and the play,
And thus we enjoyed our fun,
And then we remember the old " huskin' bee,"
And " Oh, Sister Phoebe, how merry were we,"
And other old plays of the kind ;
Oh, jolly old times ! Oh, jolly old days !
And the jolly sweet kisses that come in the plays
The cabin brings fresh to our mind.
No wonder that old folks love to come
To a place representing their childhoods home
Of youthful, innocent joys,
It gives us pleasure to watch and trace
The smile steal over the care-worn face
Of those dear old " girls" and "boys."
—Ellis.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP. 89
Hamilton Township*
Hamilton township is in the center tier of townships, or
what is known as district No. 2, the county heing laid off
into three districts, each comprising a tier of townships (4)
running north and south, and each district represented by one
county commissioner. Hamilton in dimensions is five by six
sections, or miles. It is bounded on the north by Union
township, on the east by Liberty, on the south by Center,
and on the west by Harrison. The surface of Hamilton is
generally level, save in the southeast portion of the township,
where it is slightly rolling. But about the only places in
Hamilton township worthy of the name of hills, even in this
level country, are in sections 24, 23, 22, 15 and 16. The soil
is uniformly fertile, being composed of a rich admixture of
clay and loam, well worthy the name of a good "mulatto"
soil, and well adapted to the growing of the field crops and
fruits of this latitude. Hamilton has no water course of any
magnitude, yet the township is fairly well drained by small
creeks, which various acts of legislature has permitted our
enterprising citizens to ditch until all the land of Hamilton
has become not only tillable, but very productive. The tim-
ber of this township was much the same as those heretofore
mentioned, consisting of the several varieties of oak, ash,
hickory, maple, beech and walnut, with sassafras on the high
lands and undergrowth of prickleyash and spice brush on the
more level lands.
As to the first settlers in this township we know very lit-
tle, aside from what we may learn from the tract book of en-
tries of public lands. The first entry of land in the township
was made October 21, 1829, by Owen Russell, grandfather of
Isaiah Russell, grocer, now of Muncie. Mr. Russell, coming
to Hamilton at that time, found a settler on the land he en-
tered by the name of Boggs, and traded him a yoke of oxen
for the improvements he had made before going to the land
office and proving his title, but we have no way of ascertain-
ing when Mr. Boggs came to the township. The land he set-
tled on was the southeast quarter of section 26, now owned by
Milton Hamilton. The northwest corner of this quarter is
crossed by the Muncie and Granville pike, about three miles
out from Muncie. Prairie creek crosses this (southeast) cor-
ner of the towdship, draining sections 24, 25 and 26. Kil-
buck also has its source in section 24, running entirely across
the township in a north of west course. Mud creek also
crosses the township almost parallel with Kilbuck, with which
it forms a junction near the west line of the township. Jakes
creek drains the southwest portion and Pikes creek has its
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP. 91
headquarters in the northern part of the township. Every
one of the thirty sections of land in Hamilton township is
drained by some of these several creeks or their tributaries.
Hamilton township seems to have settled up rather slow-
ly at first, as after Mr. Russell entered his land in section 26
it was almost a year until there was any other entries recorded,
and then but two. This was on October 2, 1830, when Adam
Shafer entered land in section 22 and Peter Williamson in
section 25. These two pioneers were brothers-in-law, of the
hardy, honest and industrious type, the kind of men who have
made Delaware county to stand in the front rank among the
counties of the Union. These two lived to raise large, re-
spected families of children, and to enjoy the fruits of their
early labor for many years, and their children and grand-
children still own and occupy the early home of their honored
parents.
In 1S31 there was only nine eighty acre tracts entered in
the township, four of them being in section 24, one in 25 and
four in 26. Thus far the settlements seems to have been en-
tirely confined to the southeastern portion of the township.
As late as 1840 there were, according to the tax duplicate,
but 118 freeholders in Hamilton township, and among these
there were a number of non-residents who had purchased land
for speculation. The heaviest tax-payer in the township in
that year (1830, fifty-nine years ago) was Stephen R. Martin,
whose total taxes were $24.11. The next was Stephen Davis,
$15.72; then came Nathan Dean, $12.90; Joseph Gared
$12.10. Then came Philip Lefner, (the father of Philip
Leffler near Royerton and grandfather of the Hon. Joseph G.
Lefner), whose taxes were $8.99. The lowest on the list was
Robert Arnold, whose taxes were 60 cents. The total amount
of taxes paid by citizens of Hamilton township in 1840 in-
cluding real estate, personal and poll was $264.34.
"In a new settlement the occurrences of events that, un-
til then, were without parallel, are marked by an unusual in-
terest and live long in the memory of their witnesses, coming
naturally to the surface in a review of the olden times by one
of the surviving membersof the pioneer community. And, al-
though subsequent events transpiring in the same locality may
be of much more consequence and fraught with more import-
ant results, they are some times suffered to perish from mem-
ory while the first of their kind live through many generations,
handed down from father to son, from mother to daughter.
This is true in the history of Hamilton township. The date
of the first marriage, the first birth of a white child and the
first death can be stated accurately. These were, of course,
important, as illustrating the dawn of civilization in the wil-
derness and the introduction into the gloom of customs and
92 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
events which had their counterparts in the older settled lo-
calities from which their participants had come. But equally
important events, such as the first election, the officers chosen
at that time and other questions affecting the civil existence of
the township, seem to have passed out of the memory of the
oldest inhabitant. However, the first elections which the
writer has any knowledge of were held in the cabin on the
southeast quarter of section 15. This land was entered by
Archibald Smith in 1833, afterwards owned and occupied by
William Wire, then owned by the widow and heirs of Samuel
Collier, then Abraham Sheets, and now owned by R. W.
Stradling. The cabin stood on the west shore of a rising
ground near the foot of the hill or slope not far from a fine
spring of water and about fifty rods north of the road running
west from Royerton. Here the elections were held until Cen-
ter school house was built (No. 5) of hewn logs by the set-
tlers in 1850 or '51. And here at this cabin would also as-
semble the several candidates for the various county offices
and discuss the political issues of the day, and get acquainted
with the people.
In 1850 to 1853 the writer lived at this cabin with his
parents, and he well remembers some of the political gather
ings at a beech grove just west of the house.
During one campaign there were a dozen or more candi-
dates for sheriff, and at an appointed day they came to Ham-
ilton township to electioneer the inhabitants who might
assemble. On this occasion there were, perhaps, a dozen
farmers to hear the candidates talk. We remember the can-
didates, for they were looked on by us boys as the great men
of the community. At this particular meeting we remember
Clark McCauley, James Trimbell, Stephen Kennedy and
Solomon Barrett as candidates for sheriff. And while some
talked, others sat around on logs and listened or interrupted
the speaker with questions as they were suggested to their
minds. One of the candidates we remember as sitting on
his horse during the meeting. He was in his shirt sleeves
and bare-foot. He was not elected, the prize being carried
off at the election by Clark McCauley.
At one of these meetings is the first time we ever remem-
ber seeing our fellow citizen, Mr. Marck C. Smith, who was
then a young man and a candidate for member of the
legislature.
The first apple orchard in Hamilton was set out by Owen
Russell in 1830. This consisted of one hundred seedling
trees purchased of a man in Wayne county. Stephen R.
Martin and Joel Russell were the first to build brick dwell-
ings in the township early in the forties.
In the year 183a the dark pall of death was first thrown
PHILLIP LEFFLER,
Pioneer farmer, Royerton, Ind.
HON. JOSEPH G. LEFFLER,
Judge Delaware Circuit Court.
J. H. LEFFLER,
'eputy Clerk Delaware Circuit Court.
LEONIDAS A. GUTHRIE,
Court Stenographer, Muncie, Ind.
o
u
w
a;
w
w
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP. 93
over the settlement by the demise of Charles Hopkins, who
came here with the family of Owen Russell, in delicate
health, his malady subsequently developing into consumption,
from which he died. There being no cemetery then in the
township, he was buried at Muncietown. For several years
the deceased members of the community were buried on their
own or their neighbors' farms. We remember several graves
in different localities. There were several (as we now
remember in 1850) in the southeast corner of section 15,
adjoining the present village of Royerton. At that time
these graves were covered with rails, and these were even
then quite old and rotten, indicating that the graves had been
there for several years. Another group of graves similarly
protected were located on the northeast quarter of section 22,
and near the northwest corner of that quarter. They were
on the south side of where the road running west from Roy-
erton now runs, and nearly a half mile west of that village.
But the first cemetery (or grave yard) in the township was
deeded to "the clerk of the court, and to his successors for-
ever, for the use of the public as a burial ground" by Thomas
Reeves. This deed was executed in 1840. The cemetery
was on the southeast quarter of section 24, and a portion of
the 80-acre tract now owned and occupied by John Cullen,
and is still used for burial purposes. The act which consti-
tuted Hamilton a civil township was passed by the commis-
sioners in 1838. However, all records of this first township
meeting are lost (if ever made), as the trustee's office con-
tains no records earlier than 1853 The constitution of the
state, as revised two years previous, made the keeping of the
records obligatory upon the township clerk, and these records
have been preserved. The first entry in this volume is a
record of a meeting held by the trustees April 11, 1853.
The members present were: Stephen R. Martin, Aaron
Moore and Jacob H. Slonaker, trustees, and A. J. Green,
clerk. Stephen R. Martin was chosen president of the board
for a term of three years, and Samuel Strohm (who had been
previously elected) took his seat as a member of the board
of trustees.
April 16, 1853, the board met pursuant to adjournment,
and transacted no further business than to levy a tax of ten
cents on each one hundred dollars of taxable property, for
township purposes.
At the next meeting, May 20, 1853, we find the first
record of money paid for school purposes. William N. Jack-
son was allowed #41 . 30 for services as teacher of school in
district No. 5 (although other schools had been taught here
previous to this. The first school here was taught by Dr.
Boyd, then came William Sleeth, then Benjamin Halcomb).
94 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Money was also disbursed as follows: To John Robinson for
services as trustee, $2.00; to George Northcutt for services as
township clerk, $9.00; to Jonathan Martin for teaching
school in district No. 2, S23.70; to John Hatfield for teaching
in district No. 1, $9.10; Jacob H. Slonaker for services as
trustee, $1.75; Isaac Shideler, township trustee, S3. 20; Isaac
Freeman, receiver for Wilson F. Steen, teacher in district
No. 4, $18.95; to Stacy A. Hains, teacher in district No. 7,
$60; to Isaac Freeman for services as school trustee, Si. 25;
to John B. Armstrong, S6.00 for extra labor as supervisor; to
Seth R. Martin, $1.00; Levi Beal, $4.25; Alexander Snyder,
$5.25, and William McCormick, $2.25, for services as super-
visors.
Presuming that our readers all know the condition of
Hamilton township schools of today, and the cost of main-
taining the same, that they may intelligently compare the
early days with the present, we compend the following state-
ment of the condition of the public schools of Hamilton town-
ship for the year ending on the first Monday of April, 1854,
as rendered and filed with the county auditor. Total number
of children between the ages of five and twenty-one years, 266;
number of males, 140: number of females, 126; number of
children who have attended school during the past year, 225:
number of males attending school, 123; number of females
attending school, 102; average daily attendance, 125.5; num-
ber of teachers, 5; number of schools, 5; male teachers, 4;
female teachers, 1; average wages of male teachers per
month, $19.4423; wages of female teacher, £15.33^ per
month; length of term, 62 days. Amount of expense for in-
struction during the year, ^279.36; amount of public funds
appropriated to the township, $318.12; amount charged by
township officers for managing the educational affairs, $33.
Hamilton has but two villages, Royerton, founded in 1870 by
John Royer, and Shideler, founded in 1871 by Isaac Shideler.
so for many years Hamilton was a township without a town,
Beginning at the northeast corner of Hamilton township,
we find that section No. 1 was all entered in the year 1836, by
Jesse C. Dowden, John Gamble, John M. Thomas, William
Free, Elizabet Martin, William Silvers, William Phagan,
George Leard and George Baldridge. The present land
owners of section 1 are M. E. Studebaker, J. R. Simonton,
D. Simonton, L. K. Burt, E. M. Powell, M. A. Flinn, H.
Williams and A. Cates. A public road surrounds the section
on each section line.
Section No. 2 was entered in 1836 and 1837, five eighty
acres tracts having been entered in the former of these years
and three in the latter. The purchasers were Joseph Hamer,
Jackson Green, Isaac Shideler, John Richeson, Willam Mar-
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP. 95
tin, Rebecca Comer, William McCormick and William Sil-
vers. Jackson Green entered the southwest quarter of the
northeast quarter of this section on January 24, 1837, and
here, in 1851, was born his son, Dr. George R. Green, now
of Muncie. The doctor grew to manhood and began the
practice of medicine in Hamilton township, and is, therefore,
a purely Hamilton township production.
The lands of section 2 are now owned by Wm. H. Bos-
man, R. R Gibson, J. Cates, W. H. Mitchell, D. W. Win-
gate and J. G. Leffler. The south portion of the village of
Shideler is in this section and school house No. q is also
located here. Section 2 has public roads on the north, east
and south and the Muncie and Studebaker gravel pike on the
west line.
Section 3 was entered in 1837, except the northwest quar-
ter, which was entered in 1836 by Thomas Erell. Those en-
tering the lands in '37 were John Richeson, Samuel P. An-
thony, Howard Mitchell, Samuel W. Mitchell and Samuel
Cromer. Howard Mitchell, above mentioned, was the father
of Joseph and James Q. Mitchell of Muncie. Mr. Mitchell
never settled on his Indiana lands. However, his younger
son, James Q., settled and improved the land entered bv his
father in section 9, where he resided several years, but finally
sold out and purchased and buift the property where he now
lives on South Monroe street, Muncie.
The present owners of section 3 are L. Beall, I. H. Shide-
ler, J. M. Stafford, M. E. Pixley, S. Studebaker, J. R. Rench
and S. Stafford. Section 3 has free gravel roads on the north
and east, also a public road on the south and west.
Section 4 was entered, likewise, in 1836 and 1837, by
four persons, each securing a quarter of a section. These
persons were Thomas Erell, Alvin Sleeth, Joseph Hance and
Howard Mitchetl.
Section 4 is now owned by A. J. Yohey, W. H. Yohey,
A. White, J. Knox, J. F. Studebaker, H. Suber, H. and J.
Gump and E. F. Lovett. Like most of the sections in Ham-
ilton No 4 is surrounded by good roads.
Section 5 was all taken up in 1836 and, like No. 4, was
entered by four parties. Those securing this section were
James and Thos. Kennedy, Jos. Garrard and Thos. Stafford.
Section 5 is owned at present by J. Pierson, G. Snyder,
William Love, J. Shoemaker, L. E. Spencer, Samuel Ger-
rard, W. L. Gerrard, L. Heffner and James McCormick.
Section 5 has a road on each section line; also one east and
west on the half section line.
Section 6 was entered in 1836 and 1837 by Joseph Ger-
rard, William Singler and William Arnold.
This section is now owned by J. B. Reiber, J. F. Shoe-
96 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
maker, Otto Holaday, M. A. Brown, S. Gerrard, M. L. Ger-
rard et. al., Orlo Halady, W. L. Gerrard, J. N. Cox, J. R.
Cox, T. A. House, M. Moody, H. Bowen and M. Crampton.
No. 6 has roads on the east and north and east and west
through the center. School No. 3 is in the southeast corner
of this section.
Among the early ministers of the gospel of Hamilton
township were Abner Perdue, Henry Grist, Larken Mullen,
Scott Richardson and Benjamin Halcomb. The meetings
were generally held at the residence of some of the settlers,
then later on, at the school houses. Among other settlers
who opened their houses for worship were William Sleeth,
Adam Shafer, William Gard and others. We remember at-
tending religious meetings in a barn, on the farm of Nathan
Dean, now owned by A. McCormick, on the Studebaker pike.
This was early in the fifties, but even at that late date church
buildings were very scarce. But to return to the first settling
of the lands by sections we find that the land in section 7 was
entered by George Stafford, Barnard F. Hook and John Roop
in 1836, and Richard Chandler in 1837.
The present landlords are J . P. Baxla, F. E. Baxla, R
E. Baxla, N. J. Baxla, J. S. Baxla, L. A. Baxla, M. D. Bax-
la, M. Langsdon, L. A. Bunyan, E. J. Crist, C. C. Crampton
and W. and E. Bell. Section 7 has public roads on the east
and south. The Muncie and Wheeling free gravel pike crosses
the southwest corner of the section, Kilbuck creek crosses the
pike in this section, running almost due east at this point,
and here in early times the people would assemble to witness
the ordinance of baptism by immersion. The creek afforded
but little water, but this slight inconvenience was overcome
by digging a hole in the creek and allowing it to fill with water
to a sufficient depth to cover the candidate to the satisfaction
of all concerned and the requirements of the creed.
The land in section 8 was entered in 1836 and '37 by
Charles F. Willard, Jonathan Mason, Ralph Stafford, Cyrus
Pence and Noah Tracy. This section is now owned by Jane
North, C. C. Foster, D. Craw, O. E. Sherry, G. and J.
Meeks, J. and A. Baxla, J. Dragstrom and R. A. Johnson.
The section is surrounded by a public road on each section
line, and Mud creek crosses the northeast corner.
Section 9 was all taken up in 1836 except two eighty
acre tracts which was entered in 1837. The parties securing
these lands were James Stafford, Cyrus Pence, Jacob Fortney,
Noah Tracy and Howard Mitchell. The present owners of
land in this section are H. Heaton, J. Heaton, S. C. Mans-
field, D. Heffner, S. C. Main, J. North, T. H. Snider, P.
Mansfield, R. and A. Monroe, N. North, R. W. Stradling
and J. A. Snider. This section, like No. 8, has a road on
CHAS. A. VAN MATRE,
County Superintendent Public Schools.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP. 97
each section line and the south half is drained by Mud creek
crossing it.
Section 10 was entered in 1835 and 1836 by four persons,
each securing a quarter section (160 acres) they were Cyrus
Pence, Henry Shafer, Stephen Davis and William Commons.
The present owners of section 10 are A. McCormick, J. E.
Pixley, D. Pixley, K. P. Shafer Rachael Mansfield, C. C.
Mansfield, C. Mansfield and M. West. Mud creek drains
the section by running through the central and southwest por-
tions of it. Public roads run on the north, west and south,
and the Studybaker pike on the east line. Eden church,
belonging to the Christian (or New Light) denomination is
situated in the northeast corner of the section.
Section 11 was also entered in the years of 1835 and '36
by James McCormick, Sr. , William McCormick, Robins R.
Wilson, Henry Shafer, Jonathan Johns and James McCor-
mick, Jr. This section is owned by James McCnrmick (a
portion of his farm is the tract entered by his father, Wm.
McCormick on April 18, 1836.) J. M. Warfel, C. C. Mans-
field, Mathew McCormick, C. and A. Mansfield, and D. Mans-
field. This section is also drained by Mud creek passing
through the south half, good roads surround the section with
the Studybaker pike along the west line. The Muncie and
Ft. Wayne R. R. crosses the west half. School No. 1 is
located on the east side of the section just south of the half
section line.
Section 12 lying east of 11, and adjoining Delaware town-
ship on the east, was entered in 1834-35 and '36 by J. Ash-
craft, (for Catharine and Margret Chancy) Archibald Smith,
Robert Kirkpatrick, Henry Shafer, Henry Huddleston, Bar-
bara Huddleston, and James McCormicjj. The parties now
holding the title to the lands in section 12 are R S. Cultice,
D. E. Brammer, O. A. Stafford, E. and R. Witt, C. C. Mans-
field, W. M. Corbley, S. A. Stafford, L. Mansfield and N. P. .
and E. Martin. Section 12 is also surrounded by a public
road on each section line and drained by Mud creek passing
in almost a due west course through the south half of the
section.
Section 13 was all entered by two men, they being John
D. Albin who entered the east half of the section on April 18,
1836, and Waitsell W. Cary who entered the west half on
Sept. 9, of the same year. The northwest quarter of this
section was know in early years as " Iowa " from the fact that
William Thomas sold his home near Granville in Niles town-
ship with the avowed purpose of moving to the then new state
of Iowa, but subsequently bought and located on this north-
west quarter of section 13, and the neighbors gave it the name
of " Iowa" by which the farm was generally known for miles
98 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
around. J. Vint Abbott now owns and occupies this entire
state of " Iowa."
The owners of section 13 are R. E. Baker, F. M. Pit-
tenger, E. J. Pittenger, W. Campcell, J. V. Abbott and S. K.
Thomas. The head waters of Kilbuck creek crosses the
southwest portion of the section, and the section is surround
with good public roads on each section line.
Section 14 was also entirely taken up of the government
by two purchasers, Alexander Gilfllan entering the south half
April 18, 1836, and Henry Shafer, the north half May 28, of
the same year. The land in section 12 is now owned by J.
Morgan, F. W. Heath, J. Miller, M. D. Baker, A. and M.
Palmer, R. Hunt, D. Scott, Dick & Kirkwood and J. K. Reiff.
The village of Royerton is located in the southwest corner of
this section. The first settler, where Royerton stands, was
William Sleeth, who purchased the land and built a cabin
early in the forties. He was an intelligent and an industrious
man, going to work with a will he soon had improved a
quantity of his land, and early in the fifties, he burned a kiln
of brick, and erected the brickhouse just north of the village,
and near the site of his cabin, he afterwards sold out to John
Royer who located the village, and for who it was named.
Royerton is a railroad station on the Ft. Wayne branch of the
L. E. & W. R. R. and a convenient trading point for a con-
siderable scope of territory; 14 has public roads on the south,
east and north, and the Studebaker pike on the west line.
Section 15 was entered by Henry Shafer, Stephen Davis,
Daniel Smith and Archibald Smith in the years of 1834 and
1836. Daniel Smith entered the south half of the southwest
quarter, and Archibald Smith the south half of the southeast
quarter of this section in 1834, but could not have owned it
very long, as John Parker and William Wire owned and
improved these two tracts in an early day. The present
owners of this section are N. J. White, D. Scott, M. U.
Johnson, H. S. Mansfield, R. W. Stradling, L. F. Johnson,
J. M. Johnsonbaugh, J. Labateaux, and Alexander Snider.
Killbuck creek crosses the south half of the section, and
public roads surround it, that on the east and also west being
free graveled pikes.
Section 16 in Hamilton township, as in all other town-
ships, was sold for school purposes. This sale occurred on
January 19, 1838, and was made in 40-acre tracts. The pur-
chasers were A. C. Custar, Robert Ismael, Jacob Hardesty,
Samuel R. Collier, Jacob Holland, William Parker, and
Alexander Hewitt, Mr. Parker getting seven of the tracts,
Mr. Collier two, Mr. Ismael three, and each of the others
one. The lowest any of this land sold for was $1.82^ per
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP. 99
acre, and the highest $4.06^, the entire section aggregating
the sum of $1,746.53.
The section is now owned by J. M. Snider, J. D. andS.
Collins, G. Turner, C. Frye, T. F. Kirby, N. S. Tauberger,
A. Pardine, E. E. Phillips, T. Parker, S. Parker, M.J.
Cummings, J. A. Snider, and J. M. Laboyteaux. Sixteen
has a public road on each section line, also a road north and
south 80 rods west of the east line. Killbuck runs west
through the south half of the section.
Section 17 was all purchased of the government by
William Daily entering the southeast quarter October 31,
1835, and Samuel Snyder the other three quarters on May 17,
1836, only two men being the original owners of 17. The
section is still owned by but three persons, D. Connell and
Jeremiah Quinlan owning the north half and Prof. John M.
Bloss the south half of the section. Killbuck also drains
the south half of this section. There are public roads on
the north, east and south.
Section 18 was all entered in 1836, except 80 acres,
which was entered by Elijah Casteel in December, 1832.
The other entries were made by Jeremiah Gard, Jaeob Holi-
day, Solomon Ismael, Joseph Turner, Samuel Snyder,
William Harlan, and Robert Ismael. The present owners of
land in this section are L. L. Petre, F. G. Connell, John
M. Bloss, G. R. Keller, J. Gassell, W. Sherry, and C. A.
Moore. Eighteen has public roads on the north and south
lines, and the Muncie and Wheeling pike angles through the
section, and Killbuck crosses the northern part in a north-
western direction.
Section 19 in Hamilton township was entered in the
years of 1836 and 1837, except the west half of the south-
west quarter (67.16 acres) now owned by Geo. Luick, which,
as shown by the records, was entered by Samuel P. Anthony
as late as September 20, 1848.
The entries in 1836 and 1837 were made by John Meeks,
Thos. Pritchard, Benjamin Campbell, John Weidman and
Thos. Adams. The present owners of section 19 are T. Sul-
livan, A. Hammond, O. J. Newcomb, M. Thomas, L. Mor-
ris, J. W. Thomas, W. H. Snider, A. A. Hammond, M. W.
M. and C. Smith, and George Luick. Nineteen has public
roads on the north, south and west, and the Muncie and
Wheeling pike crosses the northeast corner.
Section 20 was all entered on the same day (May 17,
1836) by John Weidner, Garrett Williamson, Jacob Weidner
and Jeremiah Miller, each securing a quarter section ( 160
acres). This section is now owned by W. Pittenger, H.
Cooley, Eliza Pittenger, S. E. Hayden, W. A. McClellan,
E. McClellan, S. F. Kiser, D. M. Snider, C. Jetmore, M. A.
L.ofC.
ioo HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Smith and J. W. Thomas. The Muncie and Wheeling pike
crosses tne southwest corner of the section and public roads
are located on the east and north lines.
Section 21. On May 17, 1836, Samuel Wiedner entered
the northeast quarter of this section, and on the same date
John Snider entered the southeast quarter. Then on the
fifth day of the following October, (1836) Mr. Snider entered
the west half of the section, so this entire section originally
belonged to two men.
The owners of Section 21 at present are R. C. Rarrick,
J. W. Rarrick, A. Snider, T. R. Bufhngton, L. Waters, F.
and R. Reiser, F. M. Hurt and John F. Shafer.
Center (or school No. 5) is located on the northeast cor-
ner of this section. It is one of the oldest schools in the
township, having been located here in 1850, and a log school
house built by the settlers in the woods where the present
brick now stands. Twenty-one has a public road on the
north, east and west, also east and west through the center.
The headwaters of Jakes creek drain the south part of the
section.
Section 22 is one of the old sections of the township, the
first entry of land in it being by Adam Shafer in 1830. The
other parties who entered this section were Archibald Smith,
Stephen Kennedy, James H. Fitzpatrick, Thomas Pritchard
and Thomas Brumfield.
Stephen Kennedy, who located on the northwest quarter
of this section, was reputed one of the greatest hunters that
lived in the county, and we doubt if any man ever killed as
many deer in the county as did Mr. Kennedy. During the
winter of 1851 and '52116 killed thirty-two deer, most, if not
all, in Hamilton township. We can remember seeing him
start out of mornings, in his hunting garb of light colored
clothes, on his gray mare, the snow several inches deep, with
his trusty rifle, his ever companion, a strap around his mare's
neck, to which was attached a cow-bell. The game might
just as well have made up its mind to come home with him,
as he scarcely ever returned empty. If he secured but one
deer during the day's hunt, he would probably throw it across
"old gray" and bring it along, but, as was often the case, if
he killed two or more during the day, he would hang them
up in the woods, then return and hitch "old gray" to a small
sled and gather up his game. The outside walls of his cabin
were often nearly covered with skins of various wild animals,
where they were stretched and left to dry. Mr. Kennedy
was also an accomplished violinist (or as we called him, "a
good fiddler), and was at one time a justice of the peace.
Section 23 was all entered in 1836, except the west half
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP. 101
of the southwest quarter, whfth was entered by Adam Shafer
in 1831.
The parties entering these lands in 1836 were Samuel
Martin, Jr., Elijah Reeves, George Leiber, Peter William-
son and Owen Russell.
The land owners of 23 are now W. W. Spangler, S.
W. Williamson, J. Morgan, James Williamson, J. M. Wil-
liamson, Mary Martin, G. F. Shafer, and J. Roach.
Section 23 is surrounded by good roads, that on the west
line being the Muncie and Stndebaker pike.
Section 24 was one among the first to be settled, one-half
of it being entered as early as 1831, and the last of the gov-
ernment land in the section was taken up in 1835. The first
purchasers of the section were Owen Russell, Mordecai
Massey, Stephen R. Martin, Thomas Reeves, Isaac Massey,
James Massey, and Joel Russell.
The present landlords of section 24 are E. Martin, T.
B. McCulloch, John Clillen, M. Adams, W. W. Spangler,
and W. H. Anderson. Section 24 joins Delaware township on
the east, has public roads on the east, west and north, with
the Muncie and Granville pike angling through the center.
The first land entered in section 25 was an eighty acre
tract by Peter Williamson, and an eighty by his brother-in-
law, Adam Shafer, both entrief being on Oct. 2, 1829. The
other entries were made by Alexander Crawford, Stephen R.
Martin, Joel Russell and Archibald Hamilton in 1831-32-33
and '35. This section is now owned by C. M. Kauffman, G.
Payton, Wm. Reed L. O. Wilson, E. V. Palmer, J. M. Wil-
liamson, J. Keener and G. Green and E. G. Wilson. Twenty-
five is the southeast section of the township. The Granville
pike crosses the northwest corner of the section.
Section 26. The first land ever purchased of the govern-
ment in the township, was the southeast quarter of this sec-
tion. This purchase was made by Owen Russell on October
21, 1829, or nearly seventy years ago. The others who
availed themselves of the government prices of land in this
section were Morgan and William Conner, Joseph William-
son, Geo. Lieber, James D. Collier, Henry Slover and James
Nottingham.
These lands are owned by J. M. Williamson, J. Keener
and G. Green, Milton Hamilton, M. F. Hamilton, F. J.
Settle and C. and A. Bartlett.
The Granville pike angles through the section and school
No. 10 is located in the southwest quarter.
Section 27 was all entered in 1835 and '36 by Samuel R.
Colier, Abraham Slover Jeremiah Miller, Wm. H. Brumfield,
James P. Mathews, John Snider, Peter D. Green and James
Bowman. The present owners of the land in the section are
102 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
M. F. Hamilton, F. J. Settle, Joseph Sheets, W. A. and C.
B. Price, M. S. Harris, E. M. Weir, Adam Williamson and
L. Morris. The section has free gravel pikes on the east and
west, a public road on the south and school No 7 in the west
center.
Section 28 was entered and settled in 1836 and 1837 by
Naomi Powers, William Harlan, George Leiber, Stephen
Norris, Mary Butcher and Thomas Brumfield.
The present owners of 28 are Carl Spilker, E. M. Weir,
Adam Williamson, L. G. Cowing, A. Cowing, E. Wilson and
John Williams. This section has public roads on the south
and west and a free gravel pike on the east line.
Section 29 was settled in the years of 1834-35 and '37.
The purchasers of the land were Samuel Snyder, John Not-
tingham, Stanley L. Lobertson, Isaac Branson, Joshua
Turner, Robert Ismael and Josiah Williams.
This section is owned at present by G. and A. WTissel,
W. W. Scudder, E. Wilson, G. Cowing, L. Morris, L. C.
Watson and Duncan Williams. The Wheeling pike (form-
erly the old state road) angles through the section and the
head waters of Jakes creek furnishes drainage.
Section 30 is the southwest section of the township and
was all entered in 1835 and '36 by Solomon Burris. Lewis
Moore, William Moore, Samuel Moore, Isaac Freeman and
Peter D. Green. (Perhaps if there had been any more
Moores they would have come in for their share). This sec-
tion is owned at present by William Ginn, L. Moore, F. and
W. Minton, John Minton, A. Moore, W. R. Moore, F. F.
Hartley, T. Freeman and J. Freeman. There is a public
road on the north, also on the west, while another runs
through the section at different angles. School No. 6 is situ-
ated an the northeast corner of the section.
CENTER TOWNSHIP. 103
As I walk the streets of the city gay,
I often think; and sometimes, say,
Is all this real, or is it a dream ?
Are things and places what they seem ?
Is this where 'neath the forest shade
The warrior courted the dark-eyed maid ?
If so, then what has become of the race
Who lived and loved in the self-same pake
Where you and I in modern life
Enjoy the comforts of home and wife ?
Who builded this church with tapering dome
To take the place of the Red Man's home ?
Who built the city of mansions grand
On the Indians' home and the Indians' land ?
Perhaps it is right, but then somehow
When at my couch I humbly bow
The thought comes to me as I pray,
Are we much better now than they ?
What have we done for the human cause ?
What are our lives, our morals, laws ?
Can we believe that this, our race,
Was sent to take the Red Man's place ?
And if so, why shall we remain
If we are sinful, cruel, vain ?
Well, perhaps, in former years,
When first the sturdy pioneers
Came with rifle, axe and plow,
And earned their bread by sweat of brow,
Before the days of trading tricks,
Corruption, now called politics,
And other evils gained the sway;
Perhaps we were as good as they.
We love our country and her cause,
We love our liberties and laws,
We ought to love the world beside;
But none of those with boastful pride.
And may we ever bear in mind,
God will survive the fittest kind.
RESIDENCE OF MAYOR ED TUHEV,
South Walnut St., Muncie.
T. H. BARTON,
Treasurer, City of Muncie.
F. W. CLEVENGER,
Clerk, City of Muncie.
CENTER TOWNSHIP. 105
Center Township*
In Center township, Delaware county, is located the
county seat of government, the city of Muncie, the geograph-
ical center of the county, is in the center of section 33 of this
township, where the lands of Stephen Hamilton, W. H. Har-
rison, C. R. Weaver and Mrs. A. A. Truitt corner, or at the
northwest corner of Mrs. Truitt's land, or in other words 2^
miles north and one-half a mile west of the crossing of Wal-
nut and Jackson streets. Center township is bounded north
by Hamilton, east by Liberty, south by Monroe and west by
Mt. Pleasant and a portion of Harrison township. The
principal water way of the township is White river, which en-
ters the township near the southeast corner in section 25,
drains sections 25, 24, 13, 14, n, 10, 9, 16, 17 and 18, from
which section it enters Mt. Pleasant township. The south
west part is drained by Buck creek, which finds its way to
White river near Yorktown in Mt. Pleasant township. All of
Center township is in Congressional township 20, except the
north tier of sections which is in 21, and all in range 10 east.
There was but one entry of land in the township under the
treaty with the Delaware Indians of 1818, but our records do
not show the date of this entry, it was made by Goldsmith, C.
Gilbert and was the southeast quarter of section 18. White
river, the Big Four railroad and Yorktown pike, all cross this
quarter just west of the city of Muncie. A good portion, if
not all, of this tract was subsequently owned and occupied by
Thomas Bishop and was once known as the Bishop farm.
But the first entry of land in Center township after the estab-
lishment of the government land office, was made by James
Bryson on the 24th day of December, 1822. This tract was
the east half of the southeast quarter of section 25, lying in
the southeast corner of the township and now owned by the
widow of John Fulhart and R. A. Johnson (assignee). Some-
time subsequently to 1825, Goldsmith C. Gilbert bought the
Hackley reserve of the widow Hackley, she being of the' Del-
aware tribe of Indians, and having inherited the said tract of
land. There was 672 acres in this reserve, the southeast cor-
ner being not far from the Boyce flax mill, the southwest cor-
ner is now in the river near the old dug road nearly north of
the new Jefferson school building, the northeast and north-
west corners being one mile north of the two corners men-
tioned, the tract being parts of sections 3, 4, 9 and 10. The
south line of this reserve passes through the center of the
Court house Mr. Gilbert paid $960.00 for the tract which at
that time was considered a very fair price. Here Mr. Gilbert
erected two cabins, a residence and trading post, which were
106 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
the foundation of the present prosperous city of Muncie. The
name of Muncie seems to have been taken from one of the
principal chiefs of the Delaware's (Little Munsee, ) and for
many years the place was known as Munseytown . Technic-
ally speaking, Delaware county was organized on April i,
1827, at which time it became necessary to locate a seat of
justice for the new county and a committee having been ap-
pointed by the Legislature for that purpose, after having ex-
amined the several sites proposed in conformity with the re-
quirements of the law, selected the site owned by Mr. Gilbert,
Samuel G, Jackson and William Brown. All three of these
pioneers making liberal donations of land to the county, the
donations centering in the middle of the public square, where
the court house now stands. The donation of Mr. Gilbert
coutained 20 acres and g-100. That of Mr. Jackson g acres
and 72-100, and that of Mr. Brown, 20 acres, so the entire
tract contained in round numbers 50 acres of land, yet, it is
said that at that time persons thought it was useless to include
so much territory as it was thought it could never possibly be
utilized for town purposes. The first term of the Delaware
circuit court was held in a log house near where the jail now
stands, and after hearing the evidence and the charge of the
Judge, the jury retired out of doors to a big oak stump to de-
liberate, and the business of the sheriff was to keep intruders
out of hearing. The first newspaper printed in Muncietown
was the Muncietonian and we give here verbatum an article
that appeared in one of its issues in 1837, believing that it
will be of interest to many of our readers.
" Muncietown, the seat of justice of Delaware county, is
situated on the south bank of White river, on an elevation of
about thirty feet above the bed of the river. It was laid out
in 1827, by three different proprietors, in the form of an
oblong square. The four principal streets are sixty feet wide,
the others forty-five, all crossing each other at right angles.
It contains at present 320 inhabitants, a post office, a print-
ing office, four physicians, six mercantile stores, three taverns,
three groceries, one grist mill, one saw mill, one distillery,
one carding machine, one cabinet maker's shop, two tailors,
two hatters, one shoemaker, six house joiners, one brick layer
and plasterer, two chairmakers, two tanners, two black-
smiths, one gunsmith, one wagon maker, one painter, one
saddler's shop, four milliners, one school mistress, one
sheriff, one clerk of the court, two magistrates, one school
commissioner, one county surveyor and recorder. A superb
court house, with cupola, etc., 45 feet square and 28 feet
high, is to be built, and is now under contract. The contem-
plated central canal will pass through this place, and the con-
necting link, to be by railroad, between the Central and
CENTER TOWNSHIP. 107
White water canals will, in all probability, terminate at this
point, as the Board of Canal Commissioners have reported
favorable to such termination. The state road, from the Ohio
state line to Indianapolis, passes through this place. A state
road from Richmond to Logansport, a state road from New
Castle, in Henry couuty, to Fort Wrayne all pass through
this town. There is also a state road leading to Pendleton
and one to Delphi. Muncietown is about 61 miles northeast
from Indianapolis; north latitude 40 and 7; west longitude 8
and 9."
The first court house in Delaware county was a frame
building, erected on the west side of High street, between
Main and Washington streets, about the year 1829 or 1830.
This building did duty as a court house for some ten years
and until its successor was built in 1838 or 1839, on the site
of the present court house.
The first school in Muncietown, of which we can get
anything like an accurate account, was taught in a log cabin
that stood at or near the southwest corner of Main and Wal
nut streets, during the winter of 1829 and '30 by Henry
Tomlinson, a native of North Carolina, who had come here a
short time previously from Preble county, Ohio. The fami-
lies represented in this school were about eight in number,
sending some twenty pupils. It was maintained by subscrip-
tion, the patrons agreeing to pay and paying so much for each
and every scholar. Such was the custom of those days. As
a consequence the schools were not continuous, occupying
about three months during the winter, with an occasional
summer term.
Sections 31 to 36, inclusive in Center township is the
north tier of sections and are in congressional township 21 .
Beginning with 31, we find the first entry of public land
in this section was made by John H. Collins on may 11, 1835
and was the east half of the southeast quarter, (80 acres)
now owned by James McClellan. After Mr. Collins entry
Bowen Rees entered two 80 acre tracts in the section the
following November after which time (in 1836) John Miller
entered the north (fractional) half and Daniel Jarrett the
(fractionel) west half of the southwest quarter. We find the
present owners of 31 to be W. Ginn, Jane Taylor, M. Mc-
Graw, James McClellan, Joseph Huffman, J. E. Smith and
A. Justice. The section has about two and a half miles of
pubiic highway, half-mile of which is the Bethel pike which
crosses the southwest corner.
John Isaac Jetmore was the first to procure a title to
public land in section 32, which was the south half of the
southwest quarter (80 acres). This entry was made on
November 15, 1834, and is now owned with other lands by C.
108 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
M. Preston. The remainder of section 32 was entered by
William P. Williams, Charles Francis Willard and John A.
Gilbert in 1834 and by Charles Francis Willard, Daniel
Jarrett. John Whiteside and George Leiber in 1836. The
present owners in section 32 are E. H. Jones, S. E. Seitz,
Wm. Tell Seitz, E. M. Everett, G. Eiler, P. Eiler, G. Eber,
C. M. Preston, J. Eiler, M. A. Willis and Joseph Heaton.
The section has some two miles of public road, a part of
which is the Muncie and Wheeling free pike, which crosses
the northeast corner of the section.
Section 33 was all entered in the years of 1835 and '36.
In 1835 by William and David S. Collins in the southwest
quarter and in 1836 by George Leiber, Joseph Dean and
Mavor Powers. At present the section is owned by S.
Hamilton, W. H. Harrison, Henry C. Marsh, Mrs. A. A.
Truitt, John Williams, C. R. Weaver and John S. Petty's
estate. The section is almost surrounded by public roads,
that on the east line and across the southwest corner being
free gravel pikes As before stated the geographical center
of Delaware county is in the center of this section. The first
purchase of government land in section 34 was made October
21, 1829, by Joseph Bennett and was the east half of the
southeast quarter (80 acres) and now owned part by Abner
Keplinger and part by Brice Powers. After this entries were
made in 1831 by Jacob Holland, in 1835 by Ezekiel Bazzill,
in 1830 by Mayor Powers, David Adams, George Leiber and
a second entry by Jacob Holland. We find the present land
owners in section 34 to be M. Mansfield, W. J. Cassady,
Brice Powers, William Strandling, Abner Keplinger and
John Williams. The section has four miles of public high-
way, one and a half miles of which is free pike. Ft. Wayne
bradch of the L. E. & W. railroad crosses the east part of
this section.
The first land entry in section 35 was made by Thomas
Reeves on March 28, 1829, and was the east half of the
northwest quarter of the section, a portion of the farm now
owned by Milton Hamilton. After this entry our records
show purchases by Joseph Bennett in 1829, Stephen Hamil-
ton in 1830, Owen Russell and Jacob Holland in 1831, and
Daniel Leiber in 1836. The present land owners in section
35 are Milton Hamilton, Mrs. Harriett Hamilton, B. Moore,
A. A. Hamilton, Brice Powers and Abner Keplinger. The
section has three miles of road, one-half mile of which is the
Muncie and Granville free pike angling across the northwest
corner.
Section 36 is the northeast section of the township, and
consequently joins both Hamilton and Liberty townships.
The first entry of public land in this section was made by
GLOBE CLOTHING HOUSE, C. L. BENDER & CO.
118 South Walnut, Muncie.
RESIDENCE AND OFFICE OK DR. H. A. COWING,
S. High Street, Muncie.
CONGRESSMAN GEO. W. CROMER,
A Delaware County Production.
CENTER TOWNSHIP. 109
Stephen Hamilton November 11, 1830, and was the 80-acre
tract now owned by Thomas Gibson, after which entries were
made by John Guthrie and Archibald Dowden in 1835,
Truman Conklin in 1836, and Thomas Albin in 1837. The
section has a public road on the north and also on the south
line. Section 36 is now owned by John McCormick, J. E.
Reed, S. Holdt J. Cullen, C. Kauffman, Thomas Gibson, J.
S. McGalliard, E. H. Holt, and T. Pacy.
All of section 1 in Center township remained unsold by
the government until June 1, 1835, when Benjamin Goodin
purchased two tracts, being the north fractional half of the
section. The next purchaser was Penelope Anthony on May
12, 1836. The three remaining 80-acre tracts were entered by
Dr. George W. Garst, for many years one of the best known
citizens of the county. The doctor was at one time eminent
in the practice of his profession, and was a natural humorist,
all enjoying his jokes. A number of his family still reside in
the community, and are among our oldest and respected citi-
zens. This entry of land, above referred to, was made on
June 18, 1836.
The present owners of land in section 1 are J. S. McGal-
liard, A. J. McGalliard, W. F. Holbert, S. A. Richison, J.
Priest, E. Priest, L. Shirey and R. Jones. The section has
public roads on the north, south and west lines, that on the
south being the Centennial free gravel pike. The L. E. &
W. railroad angles across this section.
Joseph Bennett was the first purchaser of public land in
section 2. The date of his purchase was November 24,
1831, and his purchase was the fractional northwest quarter,
containing 95 68-100 acres. William Helvie entered the east
half of the section in 1835 and 1836, and James Sears the
southwest quarter June 1, 1835.
The present owners of section 2 are W. Hibbitts, E. D.
Keplinger, I. E. Crews estate, T. Wilson, W. S. Wilson,
J. H. Smell, T. R. Buffington, and W. McMahan. Two
has public roads on the north, south and east, that on the
south line being the Centennial free pike, and school No. 1
is located on the southeast corner of the section.
The first entry in section 3 was made March 26, 1829, by
Joseph Bennett, and was the fractional northeast quarter, 95
35-100 acres. Then followed the purchases of Owen Russell,
December 7, 1829; James Howell, February 4, 1833; David
Brooks Buckles, October 16, 1835, and William H. Brum-
field, December 14, 1835.
A portion of this section is now platted and a part of
the suburb of the city of Muncie, known as Northview, the
balance or unplatted part being owned by E. D. Keplinger,
Samuel U. Huffer, B. W. Bennett, John Williams, W. Car-
no HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
son, M. E. Streeter, H. W. Streeter, and S. R. Streeter.
The Granville pike angles across this section, and the Central
pike forms the west line.
Aaron Taff was the first party to enter land in section 4,
which entry was dated November 16, 1832. This entry com-
prised the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter (40
acres). The next entry was that of Abraham Buckles,
father of the late Judge Joseph S. Buckles, deceased. This
entry was made June 14, 1833, and comprised the fractional
southeast quarter, containing 136 12-100 acres. After this
other entries were made by John Buckles and John Black-
ford in 1833; William Diltz and Thomas Gustin in 1834, and
William Diltz again in 1835.
The section is owned at present by Simon Conn, Carson
and Meeks, M. A. Marsh, C. H. Anthony, E. Lindsley, C. B.
Campbell, L. Cowing, R. G. Anthony, Delaware County
Fair Association, and William F. Watson. The Central pike
is the east line. There is a public road on the greater part
of both the north and south line, and the Wheeling pike
angles through the section, while school No. 2 is located on
the northeast corner.
The first entry of land in section 5 was made on Febru-
ary 4, 1833, by Pete Nolin. This was the south half of the
southeast quarter (80 acres), and now owned by C H. Anthony
and William F. Watson. After this entry by Mr. Nolin,
others were made by Thomas Kirby, and Charles Francis
Willard, jointly, in 1833; James Nottingham in 1834; John
Collins, James Nottingham, John Buckles and Peter Shanks
in 1835, and John Sutherland in 1836.
The land owners in section 5 are now William F. Wat-
son, James McClellan, C. H. Anthony, James Huffman, A.
Anderson, and S. A Pierce. The section has over two miles
of public road, more than half of which is free pike. School
No, 3 is located at the west center of the section.
The first land entered in section 6, in Center township,
was a 40 acre tract in the northeast corner of the section and
now in the name of A. Anderson. This entry was made on
the 1 8th day of March, 1833, jointly by Thomas Kirby and
Charles Francis Willard, two of Delaware county's best known
citizens, both having lived and prospered in the town (after-
ward city of Muncie, for many years, and have left a respecta-
ble posterity who are still among our most enterprising citi-
zens. After this, entries were made by William Beatty, Dec.
18, 1833, Peter Shanks, Thomas J. Collins and Nathan Stans-
berry, in 1835, and Thomas C. Anthony in 1836. The pres-
ent owners of the section are A. Andrews, S. Hathaway, S.
A. Pierce, E. A. McKinley, G. S. Wilson, E. O. Weir,
Joseph S. Buckles heirs, and Thos. Weir, Jr. The section
CENTER TOWNSHIP. in
has about 2^ miles of public road, one-half of which is the
Bethel free gravel pike which crosses the northeast corner of
the section.
Land in section 7 was first purchased on the 22nd day of
April, 1831, by Isaiah E. Beck, being the east half of the
northeast quarter, containing 80 acres. The second entry
was made in 1832 by George Shafer, this was an 80 acre tract
lying immediately south of the purchase of Mr. Beck, and
still remains in the family, as the present owner, as shown by
our latest map, is Mr. John W. Shafer. Following this, en-
tries were made by Nathan Stansberry and William Notting-
ham in 1833, Isaac White and Thomas Collins in 1834 and
by John Henderson Collins and Jeremiah Howell in 1835.
The section is owned at present by S. A Pierce, J. W. Mc-
Kinley, The Kimberlin Mfg. Co., Joseph S. Buckles' heirs,
John W. Shafer, Joseph Stradling and James E. Eber. The
section has nearly 3 miles of public road, much of it being
free pike. The L. E. & W. railroad angles across the south-
ern portion of the section. On the 24th day of July, 1830,
Jacob Calvert purchased land of the government just west of
White river, containing 160 acres, 80 acres of which was in
section 8, and was the first entry made in the section, it being
the east half of the southeast quarter and now being entirely
in the town of Westside and lying on the north side of Jack-
son street pike. Here Mr. Calvert lived for many years, and
here he reared a large family of children, some of whom still
live in Muncie and are among our very best citizens. After
Mr. Calvert's entry, the next in this section was that of John,
William, James and Mayor Nottingham, Oct. 14, 1830, Joseph
Williamson. Nov. 27, 1830, Isaac E. Beck, April 22, 1831,
George Shafer, July 2, 1832, Joseph Emmerson, Nov. 3,
1832, Joseph Williamson again Nov. 30, 1832, Elijah Reeves,
Oct. 18, 1833, and Joseph Williamson his third entry, Nov.
19th, 1835. At present the section outside of what has been
platted is owned by J. Munsey, L. Shick, M. A. Mills and J.
W. McKinley. Three-fourths of this section has been platted
and is within the boundry of the new town of Normal City.
The Normal College being located in this section, also the
Westside school, and we predict that the south half of section
S is soon to become an important adjunct to the city and
county.
Almost three-eights of section 9 was included in the
Hackley reserve before mentioned in these pages and pur-
chased by Goldsmith C. Gilbert prior to the purchase of any
government land in this section by individuals. The first
entry made in the section was a part of the southeast quarter,
(58 and 62-100 acres) by Elemuel Jackson, Feb. 13, 1827.
Next was 36 and 43-100 acres in the northeast quarter by Con-
ii2 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
rad Mutter Oct. 12, 1829. Aside from these two purchases,
all the balance of the east half of section 9 was included in the
reserve. The west half of the section was entered by four
parties each securing an 80-acre tract, as follows: Philip
Mose, the east half of the southwest quarter (the Jackson
street bridge over White river west of the city is located near
the southwest corner of the tract) Jacob Calvert the west half
of the southwest quarter July 24, 1830. John Nottingham
the west half of the northwest quarter, now owned by L.Shick)
Oct. 14, 1830, and Samuel Merrill the east half of the north-
west quarter Dec. 16, 1831. With the exception of 77 acres
owned by L. Shick and sixty-two acres by the heirs of Jacob
Calvert (the original purchaser) section 9 is all platted as
suburban additions to the city of Muncie. The Delaware
county court house is in this section (9) near the southeast
corner, which corner is at the crossing of Walnut and Jack-
son street.
All of section 10 was included in the Hackley reserve
except 113 and 55 100 acres in the southeast quarter entered
by William Blynk, Sr., Oct. 2, 1826, 27 and 64-100 acres in
the southwest quarter by William Brown June 13, 1827, and
103 and 84-100 acres in the northeast quarter by James Howell
June 1, 1833. The section lies entirely within the boundry
of the city of Muncie, and the suburbs of Whitely and North-
view. The first land entry in section 11, was made Oct. 8,
1827, by John Trimble. This purchase was the west half of
the southwest quarter 80 acres. That our readers may be
able to locate it more readily, we will state that the L. E. &
W. , railroad crosses White river east of the city on the
southern part of this tract. Mr. Trimble spent a long and
useful life in this community, and was identified with most of
the enterprises for public good. One of his daughters is still
a citizen of Muncie ; we refer to Mrs. Jacob Dodson. The
other original purchasers of government land in section 11,
were Elijah Casteel in 1831, Elijah Walden in 1832, Moses
Wiison in 1833, Thomas Kirby and Charles Francis Willard
in 1834 and Moses Wilson, George Howell, Jesse Bracken
and Elijah Walden in 1835. Aside from about one-hundred
acres in the northwest part of the section, platted and within
the boundary of Whitely, the section is now owned by T.
Wilson, G. Haney. E. Austin, Austin B. Claypool, James
Boyce, A. Patton, N. S, Smith et al and J. Maring. A num-
ber of important factories are located on this section and the
suburb of Boycetown is in the southern portion.
Section 12 is on the east side of Center township, the
third tier from the north, and joins Liberty and was all pur-
chased of the government in the years 1835 and 1836. The
first to avail himself of these lands was Jesse Bracken. Mr.
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CENTER TOWNSHIP. 113
Bracken was a blacksmith by trade and lived many years at
the village of Graville on the Mississinewa river. A number
of his children still live in the county. His entry was a 40
acre tract in the southwest corner of the township, now a
portion of the Claypool farm, and was dated January 9, 1835.
After which entries were made by Michael Sills, Dan Sills
and George Howell in 1835 and by Aesop Gilbert and Archi-
bold Dowden in 1836. At present we find the land in 12
owned byC. W. Linsey, A. Rodgers, Thomas Wilson, J. M.
Watt and Austin B. Claypool, Mr. Claypool owning the entire
south half of the section and an 80-acre tract adjoining, in
section 11 The section has over 3 miles of public road, the
north line being the Centennial free pike. The public domain
in section 13 was in the market nearly ten years, as the first
entry was dated December 7, 1826. This entry was made by
George Truitt; this was the west half of the northwest quar-
ter, 80 acres. And the last entry was the southwest quarter
(160 acres) made by Lewis Moore, August 14, 1839. Mr.
Parker Moore's residence, at the point where the Muncie and
Smithfieid pike crosses White river, is on the tract above
mentioned. Between these entries, purchases were made by
John Moore in 1831, Lewis Moore and John Moore in 1833,
James Blackford and Michael Sills in 1835, and James Black-
ford again in 1836. We find section 13, now owned by
Catharine Meeker, L. F. Fender, M. Moore, S. E. L. Truitt,
M. and E. Butterfield, Parker Moore and P. W. Franklin.
White river crosses the southwest corner of the section, as
also does the Muncie and Burlington free pike. The Smith-
field free pike forms the south line and the Big Four railroad
crosses the north end of the section. On June 23, 1827, John
Brown purchased of the government the west half of the
northwest quarter of section 14, (80 acres) after which entries
were made by Solomon Hobaugh in 1828, George Truitt and
Elijah Reeves in 1829, Littleton Dowty and James Franklin
in 1831, James Barton Eastburn in 1832, and Joseph Walling
in 1834. More than one-half of this section is now platted
and sold in small parcels to various owners too numerous to
be here mentioned. But the larger tracts are owned by
S. E. L. Truitt, G. and V. Palmer, O. L. Meeks, John Luicks
heirs and G. Hughes. School No. 5 is located at the east
line of the section, one-fourth of a mile north of the southeast
corner on the north side of the Muncie and Burlington pike.
The city of Muncie water works company have their machin-
ery and wells on the southeast quarter, near White river,
which angles across the southeast, northeast and northwest
quarter of this section.
The first land entry in section 15 was made by William
Brown and was the west half of the northwest quarter (80
1 14 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
acres). The northwest corner of this tract is at the corner of
Walnut and Jackson streets, where the Senate block is
located, extending thence south along the line of Walnut
street a half mile to what is now the north line of the ground
occupied by the Anthony residence, or, Willard.street, thence
east one-quarter of a mile to Madison street, thence north on
the line of Madison street to Jackson and west on Jackson to
Walnut, to the place of beginning. This entry was made on
June 13, 1827. The next entry in section 15 was the east
half of the northeast quarter on August 24, 1829, by James
Murphy. Two days later, August 26, 1829, James Thompson
entered the west half of the northeast quarter. June 1 1, 1830,
Jonathan Reeder entered the east half of the northwest quar-
ter, August 10, 1831. Samuel P. Anthony entered the west
half of the southwest quarter, a portion of which tract is still
owned by his heirs and where Mr. Anthony died some time
in the seventies. More than forty years after his purchase.
Mr. Anthony was a physician by profession, although he was
frequently engaged in mercantile pursuits and was one of the
best known men in the county for many years. Several of
his grand-children and other relatives are among our best
known and highly respected citizens of today.
September 13, 1831, James Franklin entered the east half
of the southeast quarter, where he made his future home.
He was the father of P. W. Franklin and the grandfather of
C. P. Cary and Loan Franklin and also of Mrs. W. W. Shirk,
all citizens of Muncie and highly respected by the community.
June 9, 1832, Daniel Thompson purchased of the government
the east half the southwest quarter; and January 5, 1833,
William Clary entered the last of the government land in
section 15, which was the west half of the southeast quarter.
Fifteen is now all within the corporate limits of the city of
Muncie.
Section 16, as in all other townships, was donated by the
government to Center township for school purposes. This
section lies south of Jackson and west of Walnut streets, hav-
ing its northeast corner at the crossing of these streets. The
commissioners who were empowered to do so, sold the sec-
tion on April 12, 1830, to the highest bidders. David Gharkey
was the largest purchaser, he buying one tract in the north-
west quarter of 135 and 25-100 acres for 3500.38. Samuel G.
Jackson bought 28 and 50-100 acres in the same quarter for
$1 16.56. Other parcels were sold as follows: Lots 14, 5 and
1 1 -100 acres to David Gharkey for $51 . 15: lot 15, 9 and 45-
100 to same for $94.59; lot 26, 12 and 54-100 acres to same for
$28.34; lot 27, 21 and 56-100 acres to same for $40.53; lot 1,
39 and 24-100 acres to Thomas Galyon for $49.05; lot 2, 41
acres to James Jackson for #51.25; lot 3, 40 acres to Samuel
CENTER TOWNSHIP. 115
Jackson for $50.00; lot 4, 40 and 25-100 acres to same for
$50.31 ; lot 5, 40 and 75-100 acres to Peter Nolin for $107. 17*^ ;
lot 6, 40 acres to David Gharkey for $60.00; lot 7, 41 acres to
same for $61.50; lot 8, 39 and 24-100 acres to M. Buck for
$58.86; lot 16, 3 and 44-100 acres to James Hodge for $16.-
37^2; lot 17, 3 and 33 1-3 acres to James Murphy for $13.48^ ;
lot 28, 3 and 34-100 acres to same for $16.28^2; lot 19, 3 and
54-100 acres to Ezekiel Jewell for $15.93; 1°* 2°> 3 arjd 93-100
acres to William Fitzpatrick for $17. 17^; lot 21, 3 and 92-
100 acres to Joseph A. Vestal for $23.52; lot 22, 9 and 71-100
acres to John Marshall for $38.84; lot 23, 6 and 82-100 acres
to Abner Smith for $20,663^; lot 24, 6 and 82-100 acres to I.
Edwards for $20.46; lot 25, 6 and 82-100 acres to James Hodge
for $13.64; lot 28, 21 and 56-100 acres to David Gharkey for
$53.12^; lot 29, 24 and 83-100 acres to William Fitzpatrick
for $55 86^. This left only the strip of land extending from
Jackson to Adams streets and six blocks beginning at Walnut
and running west to Gharkey street. This strip was laid out
in six blocks, numbered from one to six consecutively, these
were sub-divided into lots, eight to the block, making each
lot 62^ by 125 feet.
Block No. 1 is that portion of ground surrounded
by Walnut, Adams, High and Jackson streets.
Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4 front on Jackson, beginning at Walnut,
conseqnently lot 1 in block 1 is on the corner of Walnut and
Jackson streets, 62^ feet on Jackson and 125 on Walnut.
This lot was sold to Joel Russell for twenty dollars and was
the highest priced lot in the block. Thomas C. Anthony
bought lot No. 2, where Turner's saloon and Dr. Morin's bar-
ber shop is located for seven dollars. Lots No 5 and 6, the
corner now owned and occupied by Dr. Kemper (one-fourth
of the block) was sold to Samuel W. Harland for six dollars
each $12 for two lots. The corner now owned and occu-
pied by the Misses Calvert was sold to William VanMatre for
nine dollars, while that part west of the alley now occupied
by Mr. McNaughton and W. H. Moreland as residences was
sold to Samuel W. Harland for seven dollars, and the corner
lot owned by Mr. Kerwood to the same person for eight dol-
lars. The quarter of this block now occupied by the High
street M. E. church and parsonage was sold to William Van-
Matre for eleven dollars, the one bringing five and the other
six dollars. D. Thompson bought the two lots now owned by
Henry Klein on the corner of Jackson and Liberty streets for
fifteen dollars. D. W. Lyons purchased the lot where C.
B. Templar's residence stands for eight dollars, and the one
joining it on the west extending to the alley, for seven dollars.
David Gharkey bought the west half of block six, extending
from the corner of Jackson and Gharkey streets south to
n6 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Adams street and east to the first alley, for twelve dollars.
And all this was only about sixty-nine years ago.
Section 16, like 15, is all inside the Muncie city limits.
White river crosses the northwest corner of the section. April
25, 1829, Isaac Fielder entered the east half of the southeast
quarter of section 17; (80 acres).
The next entry was made by Levi Bishop, March 20,
1830, when he entered the entire southwest quarter of the sec-
tion (140 acres) during the same year (1830) entries were
made by David Gharkey, John Collins, James and John Mc-
Kee and in 1832 by George Calvert. Most of this section is
now platted and within the limits of the city or suberbs. How-
ever there are still some outlying tracts; these are owned by
H. C. Keesling, J. A. Umbarger and D. Kinney. Under ar-
ticle 7 of the treaty made with the Indians at St. Marys, O.,
October 5, 1818, Goldsmith C. Gilbert secured the fractional
southwest quarter (149 and 59. 100 acres) and the southeast
quarter (160 acres) of section 18; this included the entire
south half of the section. Entries were afterward made in 18
through the land office by Thomas Collins in 1829, John Mc-
Kee in 1830, Levi Bishop in 1831, Thomas Collins again in
1834 and Morgan Johns in 1835. The section lies just west
of the city of Muncie on both sides of White river which pret-
ty evenly divides it, and is owned by J. A. Umbarger, Joseph
Stradling, H. Stephens, A. Humes, J. J. Warfel, Consumers
Paper Company, D. Kinney, J. B. Scott and T.J. William-
son. May 26, 1831, Jeremiah A. Wilson purchased of the
government the fractional west half of the southwest quarter
of section 19, containing 74 acres. This land, with others, is
still in the Wilson family. After Mr. Wilson came William
Briggs and John Tomlinson in 1832, Asher Storer in 1833,
Abner Perdieu in 1834, Thomas Bishop, Absolem Perdieu
and Joseph Yount in 1835. The present owners of section 19
are J . B. Ssott, T. J. Williamson, M. Perdieu, A. Yingling,
S. and R. Martin, J. Perdieu, John Castle, William Y. Wil-
liams, M. and S. Martin, C. and M. Huffer and W. and B.
Wilson. The section has three miles of public road and
Buck creek crosses the southeast corner of the section in a
southwest direction.
On October 25, 1831, William McConnell entered the
ease half of the northeost quaater of section 20 (80 acres).
Here Mr. McConnell lived for many years and raised his fam-
ily. The old family residence stands a little west of the Mid-
dletown road (now pike) on the north bank of Buck creek.
Ou the same day of this entry John McConnell, Jr., entered
the west half of this quarter, making 160 acres in the two
entries. John, the eldest son of Wm . McConnell, still
CENTER TOWNSHIP. 117
owns the north part of this tract. A portion of it, however,
has been platted as a suburb of the city.
Near the southeast corner of this northeast quarter of
section 20 a saw mill was built in the early days, and power
furnished by the water of Buck creek. Subsequently, early
in the fifties, Mr. Samuel Hurst, a gentleman of English
nativity, purchased this mill site and erected a woolen mill,
which he operated successfully for a long time. After his
death his son, William, continued the business for a number
of years, when the machinery was taken out and the whole
converted into a flouring mill; but those old land marks have
all disappeared. Other settlers followed Mr. McConnell, and
entries of land were made in section 20 by William Y. Wil-
liams, in 1832; Samuel and Asher Storer in 1833; Daniel
Wilson and John McConnell in 1834; William McConnell
again in 1835, and Charles Storer in 1836.
Aside from the portion of section 20 above mentioned as
being platted, we find the land now owned by John McConnell,
J. A. Miller, H. C. Keesling, C. Witt, John W. Wilson, M.
West and F. Hines. The section has over four miles of pub-
lic road, including the Muncie and Middletown free pike,
which crosses the southeast portion of the section, and school
number 10 is located on this pike in the northwest part of the
southeast quarter. Buck creek crosses the north half of the
section in a generally west course.
The first entry of public land in section 21 was made by
Job Garner on November 5, 1831. This was the east half of
the southeast quarter, (80 acres.) The south half of this
tract is now owned by ex-Sheriff John W. Dungan. The next
entries on record were these of Benjamin Irwin Blythe, James
Garner, Daniel Cline and Asher Storer in 1832 and William
Clary, Samuel Storer and David Storer in 1833. The north
part of the section is platted and much of it improved, being
a portion of Avondale, a suberb of Muncie. Other lands in
the section are owned by the Muncie Land Company, J.
Stewart, S. Campbell, G. Bowers, M. D. Witt, John Dungan,
John W. Wilson and The Muncie Pulp Company, who have
their extensive mills in the south-eastern portion of the sec-
tion. Another large manufacturing interest carried on in sec-
tion 21 is that of the Muncie Steel Works which is located
near the half section line on the east side of the section and
west side of Walnut street, which forms the east line of the
section. Isaac Tilden was the first purchaser of land in sec-
tion 22 his entry bears the date of July 8, 1830, and was the
west half of the northwest quarter having its northwest corner
at the present crossing of Homer avenue and Walnut street.
After this enteries were made in 22 by Pairpoint Blowers in
1830, Daniel Thompson in 1831, Anderson Redman in 1832
n8 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
and by Oliver H. Smith and George Thompson in 1835. The
section with the exception of 60 acres in the southeast corner
belonging to George Luick is all platted and mostly in the
suberb of Congerville.
Section 23 was all purchased of the government during
the years of 1835 and '36. The first of these entries was made
by Thomas Kirby on July 21, 1835. This was the west half
of the northwest quarter, following the purchase of Mr. Kirby
were those of Joseph Jackson, Oliver H. Smith, Stewart Bol-
tin and George Thompson in 1835' and Joseph Johnson,
Henry Henkle and Oliver H. Smith in 1836. The present
owners (others than those owning in the northwest quarter
which is all in the town platt) are P. W. Feanklin Muncie
Land Company, M. Kurp, W. H. Luick, C. Luick, L. Det-
rick, C. Heath, J. Heation, J. Mock and George Luick.
Section 24 is on the east side of the township, and joins
Liberty. The first entry of land in this section was made on
the 3rd of October 1827 by Charles Stout. It was tne east
half of the northwest quarter 80 acres. White river runs
through this tract near the center in almost a due nort direc-
tion James Jackson entered an 80 in the section Dec. 7 of the
same year. In 1830 (Jan. 21) Johnson King entered the
east half of the southwest quarter of the section. White
river runs in a north course through this tract also, and along
the river the banks are high and bluffy. Here among these
hills was the famous "Old town,'' and here near the south
line of section 24, is the place where legent says was planted
the stake where the Indians executed their prisoners by burn-
ing them at this stake. It is said the stake was afterwards
cut down and made into canes or walking sticks, but be this
as it may, when we were boys there were many stories told of
the ghosts that were seen hovering about the "old town"
hills, supposed to be the spirits of the departed Indians and
their victims, and many bloodless battles were fought over
again by these specters for the especial delectation of the
gullible and the superstitious, and at one time the excitement
ran so high that persons came from many miles around to
witness the uncanny ghost dances at "old town" hills, but
after a certain painter, (who by the way still lives in Muncie)
with other associates had played ghost, until they were about
to be captured, or at least feared so, they desisted, which
broke up the ghost business, and nothing has been heard of
them for many years. Near the northwest corner of 14 is an
old residence on the west side of the Burlington pike owned
by Mr. P. W. Franklin, which is one of the old landmarks.
The house stands a short distance south of where the Smith-
field pike leaves the Burlington pike. It was built early in
the forties, has been occupied by thirty-one families and,
CENTER TOWNSHIP. 119
strange to say, there never was a death in the house. After
the entry above mentioned of Mr. King in 1830, the next was
that of John Moore, in February, 182 1, then that of Lloyd
Wilcoxon in November, 1831, and Joseph Dungan, James
Jackson and Littleton Dowty in 1833. Section 24 is now
owned by W. Ribble, William Walling's heirs, M. Leonard,
W. H. Luick, P. W. Franklin, D. H. Simmons, J. L. Sim-
mons, John Inlow, E. C. Ribble and M. V. Warner.
The first land that was ever entered in the government
land office and lying in Center township was the east half of
the southeast quarter of section 25, lying in the southeast
corner of the township. The 80-acre tract was entered on
December 24, 1822, by James Bryson. After this, purchases
in 25 were made by Henry Massburg in 1831, Samuel Sim-
mons and Samuel Cecil, Jr., in 1832, Samuel Simmons, Sam-
uel Cecil and Johnson King in 1834, and Littleton Dowty in
1835. The present land owners in section 25 are John Inlow,
Wm. Driscoll, S. Cecil, W. H. Luick, C. Fullhart, R. A.
Johnson, (assignee) O. Lenon, H. Morris, J. Reynolds, J.
Hopping and C. Hopping.
Section 26 was all taken up in 1834, '35 and '36, by Wm.
Heaton in 1834, Littleton Dowty, Henry Massburg and Sam-
uel Moore in 1835, and William Fowler, James Homan,
Arthur Morrison, Henry Keys, Thomas C. Anthony, Samuel
Heaton, Robert Gibson and Daniel Heaton in 1836. Twenty-
six is owned at present by W. H. Luick, J. H. Huffman, R.
Walburn, W. Heaton, Cox & Brown, Lewis Rees, H. C.
Parkison, F. W. Ross, A. Whitney and L. Ross and heirs.
The section has 3^2 miles of public road, one mile being free
pike, and school No. 6 is located on the northwest quarter of
the section. Pairpoint Blowers and Thomas Goble were the
pioneer land owners in section 27, their entries dating back
to 1830. In 1832, Charles Mansfield entered two 80-acre
tracts. In 1833 there were two entries made by James Mans-
field, in 1834 one by Anda Gibson and in 1836 the remainder
of the public lands were taken up by Wm. Kiger and Thomas
C. Anthony. The section is now owned by Lewis Rees, G.
W. Carmichael, B. A. Rees, E. Postal, E. and L. Postal,
O. A. McConnell and S. and A. Postal. The section has
three miles of public road, one mile of which is the Walnut
street free pike. The southwest and west part of the section
is drained by Buck Creek.
In section 28 entries of public lands were made as fol-
lows: In 1831 by John Brown; in 1832 by Charles Mansfield;
in 1833 by James Mansfield, and in 1835 by Wm. H. Brum-
field, Wm. Chipman, Oliver H Smith and Elizabeth Brum-
field. The present owners of this section are W. A.
Haymond, John R. Hines, John W. Wilson, John McCon-
120 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
nell, Thomas J. Fuson, A. McKinney, J. N. Shaw and
J. F. Carpenter. The Cincinnati Division of the L. E. & \Y.
Railroad crosses the east part of the section.
Section 29 was taken up in 1835 and '36 by Oliver H.
Smith and Arnold, Naudine, Edward, Tatuall and Merritt
Canby (in 1835 and 1836) and William Y. Williams in 1835,
and by Thomas Brumfield. John Brooks and David Storer in
1836. At present the land owners in section 29 are John
W. Wilson, I. B. Barrett, G. L. Lenon, C. E. Armintage,
W. A. Reynolds, A. Clark, R. Carmin, O. Clark, W. Clark
and William Clark.
Section 30 is the southwest corner of Center township.
The first land entries of this section were in 1831 by William
Finley, Jeremiah A. Wilson and Jesse McKinney. One entry
in 1834 by Abner Perdieu, two in 1835 by Asher Storer and
Patrick Justice, and three in 1836 by Daniel Wilson, Warren
Stewart and Joseph Thomas. Section 30 is now owned by
C. E. Armintage, W. Wilson, J. A. Wilson, N. F. Pittenger,
E. J Pence, Farrer & Fudge, C. Coffman, E. & M. Storer,
C. M. Perdieu and A. C. Perdieu.
m'naughton's big department store,
:heast corner Walnut and Charles Sts., on the site of the old Presbyterian Church,
Muncie.
MONROE TOWNSHIP. 121
Old time slips away
'Til it seems but a day
(Yet 'tis seventy-odd years, we know),
Since the fiast cabin stood
In the dark, gloomy wood —
The pioneer home of Monroe.
Old earth for the floor,
Split puncheons the door,
But the latch-string hung outward, you know
Warm welcome and rest
Awaited the guest
Of the first pioneers of Monroe.
But the old pioneer
Is no longer here,
Yet his influence continues to grow.
Golden fields now appear
Where roamed the wild deer
When the pioneers came to Monroe.
Modern mansions are found
On the same spot of ground
Where log cabins stood years ago,
And mud roads at last
Are things of the past
Since the pioneers came to Monroe.
The old corduroys,
When we were beys,
Were bumpy, rough and slow,
But the pikes of today
Have chased them away
Since the pioneers came to Monroe.
But the old pioneer,
With the bear and the deer.
Have gone, like the melting of snow.
Yet still we may find
Many men of their kind —
Warm-hearted, brave men of Monroe.
MONROE TOWNSHIP. 123
Monroe Township*
Monroe is the most southern of the middle tier of town-
ships. It is bounded on the north by Center, east by Perry
and west by Salem township, while its southern line is the
north line of Henry County.
In size Monroe is fine by six miles, containing thirty
sections, and, in round numbers, 19,200 acres. In this, as in
most of our civil townships, the congeessional townships ran
over the border lines, and we find all of Monroe in Range 10
east, but only four-fifths — or Sections 1 to 24, inclusive — in
Township 19 north, while Sectiens 31 to 36. inclusive — they
being the north tier — are in Township 20 north. Monroe is
generally level land, the only notable exceptions being along
the southern line, and ^in the southeastern part of the town-
ship, where the land is more rolling.
The township is well drained by Buck creek, Flat Spring
creek and Juda branch in the eastern half of the township,
while "No name" and other tributaries of Bell creek drain
the western portion of the township. Most of these creeks
and branches have been straightened by being ditched, thus
reclaiming many acres of land, which have become very pro-
ductive and proportionately valuable.
Monroe was originally covered by dense forests of valu-
able timber, which has almost entirely disappeared. The
natural law of supply and demand regulating values is very
evident in the advance prices of timber from the pioneer
days of our county to the present-. Where the timber at
one time was considered of no value, would, if we had it
today, be of many times the value of the land on which it
grew.
As to the first settler in Monroe township, there seems
no doubt of his being Mr. Jonathan Mills, who came with his
family from Wayne county to Monroe township in Delaware.
This was in the fall of 1821. Mr. Mills was related by mar-
riage to the Gibson family, also pioneers of Monroe and
Perry, and a name as familiar in the southern part of the
county as is that of Black and Stafford in the northern part.
Mr. Mills seems to have been a perfect type of the woodsman
and hunter, never clearing more land than was needed for
raising grain and vegetables for home consumption, depend-
ing on the chase for his exchangeable commodities. It is
said of him that whenever he could hear a neighbor's chickens
crow the neighborhood was too crowded for him, and he at
once broke camp and went in search of more retired territory,
And so in the case of his Monroe township home, as he
remained here but a few years (about 1830), when he moved
i24 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
on to the westward, locating near Anderson. Mr. Mills
never entered land in the township, but, it would seem, just
squatted and remained until the settlers began to get thick
and game scarce.
The first entry of land ever made in Monroe township
was on January 15, 1N27, by Amaziah Beeson. The tract
purchased was the east half of the northeast quarter of sec-
tion 10 (80 acres). This tract of land lies on the east side of
the Muncie and Newcastle pike, five miles south of Muncie,
and is owned by W. F. Anderson, M. Losh and fames
Watson.
The next entry in the township was the east half of the
southeast quarter of section 3 (80 acres), and was entered on
March 31, 1827, by Benjamin Antrim. This tract lies adjoin-
ing the entry made by Mr. Beeson, on the north, so all the
lands entered in Monroe township prior to 1828 was this strip
of land, one mile long by one-fourth of a mile wide. During
the year 1828 Valentine Gibson entered the west half of the
southeast quarter of section 2; Robert Gibson the west half
of the northeast quarter of section 12, and Zenas Beeson the
east half of the northeast quarter of section 23. Thus it will
be seen that in the space of two years five settlers only had
taken up their abode within a territory of about two and a
half miles each way, and this was about the time that Mr.
Jonathan Mills concluded that the neighborhood was becom-
ing entirely too thickly settled for him. During the year
1829 there were five entries in the township. They were
Peter Simmons, in section 10; Willliam Gibson, in section
12; Rebecca Gable, in section 15, and Lauvel Brown and
James Mansfield, in section 23. Thus in three years from
the time of the first purchase of public lands in Monroe
township there were but ten entries of about 800 acres.
However, it should not be presumed that there were only ten
families living in the township at this time, for we find many
settlers lived on and improved their land extensively before
making their purchase. This was, perhaps, in many instances
on account of financial inability, and, perhaps, sometimes
neglect. Be that as it may, it is a matter of history that
these delays very frequently caused neighborhood troubles
and feuds that required years to heal, as sometimes one man
would improve land that some one would enter and dispossess
the original squatter.
During the year 1830 there were ten entries of public
land recorded for Monroe township, and the following year
(1831) the purchases numbered nineteen. In 1832 there
were twenty-two. But here we note a decrease in the settling
up of the township, as in 1833 there were but ten entries
recorded. However, in the next year, 1834, the number had
HOME AND NURSERY OF WILLARD FULLHART,
Four miles southeast of Muncie on Burlington pike, Monroe township.
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MONROE TOWNSHIP. 125
again increased to the maximum up to this time, there being
twenty-two entries made again this year. In 1835 tne num-
ber of entries reached thirty-four. However, during the fol-
lowing year (1836) the rush at the land office was correspond-
ingly great for Monroe lands, as in other townships, and the
choice lands in all parts of the county seem to have been
taken up by the close of this year. The number of entries
of Monroe lands during the year of 1836 were ninety-seven,
or more than in any three years before or afterwards, as
during 1837 there were but ten entries, and in 1838 there
were but three. The last of these were two 40-acre tracts,
entered on December 6, 1838, by William M. Clarke, they
being the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of sec-
tion 1, now owned by E. Carmichael, and the northwest
quarter of the southwest quarter of section 17, now owned
by E. and R. Nixon, the two tracts being some five and a
half miles apart, and the last of the public lands in Monroe
township, except school section No. 16, which was sold in
July and Angust, 1847.
In this chapter we propose giving the history of that por-
tion of Monroe township lying in township 20, north, being
the north tier of sections and numbered 31 to 36 inclusive.
The public lands of section 31 (the northwest section of
the township) were entered by Ralph Heath in 1830; Edmond
Aldredge, Enoch Tomlinson and Jesse McKinney in 1831;
Enoch Tomlinson in 1835 and William Hurton and Arnold,
Nadine, Edward, Tatuall and Merritt Canby in 1836.
This section is now owned by B. Reynolds, A. W. Ross,
C. Gibson, J. A. Tomlinson, E. Miller, J. W. Driscoll's
heirs and J. A. Ross. Section 31 has a public road on its
south line, and the Muncie and Middletown pike angles
through the section.
The public land in section 32 was all entered in the year
1836, from January 6 to October 17, by Abner McCartney,
William Hutton, Arnold Nadine, Edward Tatuall and Mer-
ritt Canby, Mary St. Clair, John Rupe and Jeptha Johnson.
The present land owners in section 32 are G. F. Heath,
J. and Peacock, B. Reynolds, A. W. Ross, Samuel
Drumm, B. Bartling, C. Gibson and the heirs of J. W. Dris-
coll. Public roads are located on the north, south and east
lines, also along the south half of the west line, and school
No. 10 is in the northeast corner of the section.
During the year 1835 Isaac Branson, Oliver H. Smith
and Patrick Carmichael entered land in section 33, on Jan-
uary 1, 1836, Wm. H. Brumfield entered an 80 acre tract,
and on the 27th of the month Mary St. Clair entered a quar-
ter section which was the last of the public land in the section.
The present landlords of 33 are T. J. Fuson, L. Fuson, D.
126 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Shaw, Samuel Davis, M. Beemer, A. E. Pugh, J. N. Shaw,
E. R. Clark, W. T. Clark, C. L. Pence, N.J. Ogle and N.
Ogle.
This section has a public road on the north, south and
west line. The Cincinnati division of the L. E. & W. rail-
road runs across the section one quarter of a mile west of the
east line.
Land was entered in section 35 by Charles Mansfield,
Wm. Clark, John Mansfield and Samuel Andrews in 1832,
by Jacob Whitinger in 1833; by "Anda" Gibson and Amos
Harrold in 1834, and by Samuel Heaton, Henry Whitinger
and James Mansfield in 1836.
The present owners are V. G. Carmichael, L. Carmichael,
Charles Cooley, J. Stifner, N. McKinney, O. and L. Wil-
liams, O. Williams, A. P. Reed, T. Fuson, Anda Gibson
estate and L. Humbarger. The section has public roads on
the north and south lines while the Muncie and New Castle
pike crosses the sction on and near the center, tne section is
crossed near the center by Buck Creek in a west of north
direction.
In 1833 James Allison, Christian Acker and John Acker
purchased public land in section 35. In 1835 Garret Gibson
and Samuel Heaton entered 40 acres each. In 1836 the
remainder of the section was entered by William Heaton and
William Abrams. These lands are now owned by William
W. Ross, J. Drumm, J. W. Abrell, S. Carmichael, V. G.
Carmichael, Catherine Gibson and I. Lenox. The section
has two miles of public roads besides the Macedonia pike
crosses the section north and south through the center.
School No. 1 is in the south center, of section and a M. E.
church in the northeast corner.
Lewis Rees entered two 80 acre tracts of land in section
36 in the year of 1830 and one 80 acre tract in 1831 . In 1832
Thomas Hacket (a step-son of Cornelius Vanasdol, the first
settler of Perry township) entered 40 acres. In 1833 Lewis
Rees and Stewart Boltin each entered a 40 acre tract. In
1835 Samuel Cecil entered 40 acres. In 1835 Lewis Rees
entered two 8o's and a 40; leaving a 40 acre tract which was
entered by Samuel Cecil June 6, 1836. Mr. Rees' entries in
cludeded three-fourtes of the section or 480 acres. The sec-
tion is owned at this time by W. Fullhart, W. Moore, A.
Conner, J. Rees and J. Reynolds, A. G Kiger, David Rees,
G. and L. Hughes, O. M. Bell and G. W. Fullhart. The
section has two and a quarter miles of public road, and a
half mile of free gravel pike. White river crosses the north-
east corner of the section cutting off about 30 acres on the
east side.
Section 1 in Monroe township is the most eastern section
MONROE TOWNSHIP. 127
of the most northern tier in Congressional township No. 19
North. In 1830 Bowater Gibson and Rebecca Keasling each
entered an 80-acre tract of land. In 1831 Mr. Gibson entered
another 80-acre tract. In 2832 Daniel Keasling entered an
80 and a 40-acre tract. In 1833 John William Rhoades en-
tered 80 acres. In 1836 Valentine Gibson entered 80 acres
and Jacob Keasling 4c, which was the last of the public land
in the section. The land owners in section 1 at this time are
G. and L. Hughes, R. Rees, C. A. Fullhart, M. Bell,
P. Walburn, E. Rees, C. Cunningham, E. Carmichael and
J. W. Walburn. Section 1 has no public roads on its section
lines, although one crosses the section east and west through
the center, and another three-fourths of a mile, near the east
line.
In section 2 Valentine Gibson was the first purchaser of
the public domain. His entry was made on January 19,
1831; following his entry was that of Elisha Gibson, in 1832;
William Clark, in 1833; John Gibson, David Beard, Otho
Williams and Elisha Gibson, in 1836, and Boyd Linville in
1837. The present owners of these lands are W. W. Ross,
P. Walburn, Catharine Gibson, G. and M. Ross, M. J. Clark,
J. W. Walburn, E. Carmichael, M. E. Anderson and W. F.
Anderson. This section has two miles of good roads, more
than half of which are free gravel pike.
The first purchase of public land in section 3 was Oct. 25,
1831, by Isaac Branson. Then came the purchases of Abe
Williams in 1832, Jacob Whitinger, Jr., in 1833, French
Triplett, John Crum and Homer Brooks in 1834, Arnold,
Naudine, Edward, Tatuall and Merritt Canby and Absalom
Gibson in 1836, followed by the last entry in the section by
Benjamin Antrim, on March 31, 1837.
The title to the lands in section 3 is now held by L.
Humbarger, M. J. Clark, W. E. Driscoll, M. Oard, J. A.
Stewart, C. Gibson, W. B. Kline, R. J. Henley, W. F.
Anderson, W. F. Watson, and William Snider. School No.
2 is located at the north center of the northwest quarter of
this section. The section has one and three-fourth miles of
public road, besides one mile of the Walnut street pike.
The east half of the section is well drained by Buck creek
crossing it from south to north.
The first public land taken up in section 4 was on
November 4, 1835, this entry being made by John Rudolph
Palmer, and is a 40-acre tract now owned by W. B. Kline
The balance of the public land in this section was a 1^
entered the next year (1836) by Arnold Naudine, Edward
Tatuall and Merritt Canby, John Rudolph Palmer and Mary
St. Clair.
Section 4 is owned at this time by C. Gibson, W. B.
128 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Kline, G. Nichols, John Nichols, W. S. Finley, William
Snider, M. Gibson, W. H. Peacock, R. Cheesman, and J.
and M. Heaton. The section has public roads on the north,
south and west, and the L. E. & W. railroad crosses north
and south through the section.
In section 5 the first entry was made by William Owen
on March 17, 1834, and another by George Washington Fin-
ley in the following month (April) of the same year. In
1835 Robert Heath, Jr., entered a 40-acre tract, a portion of
the land now owned by R. Cheesman. Then the balance of
the public land was taken up in 1836 by Mary St. Clair and
Abner McCarty.
Section 5 is now owned by M. D. Witt, A. McConnell,
W. W. Ross, E. A. Funkhouser, R. Cheesman, William
Miller, W. Cheesmsn, and F. and C. Clevenger. This sec-
tion has a public road on each section line.
On the 25th day of July, 1831, Aaron Ross purchased
the first land in section 6, Monroe township, of the govern-
ment. This was the north half of the northwest quarter of
the section, and is still owned by a member of the family,
Mr. J. A. Ross. James McKinney entered a tract in 1832,
the Canbys in 1834; Abner McCarty, the Canbys and Harvey
Heath in 1836. This was the last of the public lands in sec-
tion 6.
The present owners of these lands are D. R. Armentage
estate, J. A. Ross, S. Acker, F. M. Mercer, J. T. Heath, E.
Dewitt, Harvey Heath and W. W. Ross. The section has a
public road on the north, south and east lines, a free gravel
pike on the west line, with the Middletown pike crossing the
northwest corner of the section.
On the 19th day of February, 1836, Harvey Heath
entered the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter t 40
acres) of section 7, and the following May he entered 40
acres just north of this tract in section 6 (before mentioned.)
Here Mr. Heath built his cabin and brought his wife, and
here the two have lived continuously ever since, and still live,
one of the few instances of where a Delaware count}' pioneer
can be found occupying his original home that he purchased
of the government, and the only case we have yet found
where the husband and wife are still enjoying that first home
together. Mr. Heath is in his 86th year, and his wife is his
senior by a few years. They have accumulated a competency
and are prepared for the other home at the Master's call.
The others entering land in section 7 during this year (1836)
were William Drumra, John Losh, Sr., William Tamsett,
Ephraim Bundy, Richard S. Taylor and Thomas Fleming.
These purchases included all the land in the section, except a
<v*-
AFTER FIFTY YEARS.
Fifty years ago there was a firm doing a furniture and
undertaking business on the north side of Main street, oppo-
site the old Anthony "Tavern." The old "Tavern" has
been superseded by the Kirby House, and on the opposite
side of the street is the magnificent establishment of Potter &
Moffitt, Undertakers and dealers in Furniture, showing as
great improvement as does the modern university over the
old log school house.
MONROE TOWNSHIP. 129
47-acre tract, which was entered on February 13, 1837, by
Buford Jones.
The owners of the land in section 7 now are S. Pitzer,
Harvey Heath, E. T. Sharp, J. H. Heaton, D. M. Hays, W.
H. Sweigart, J. H. Clevenger, and J. McLain. School No.
4 is located in the east center of this section, and public
roads surround the entire section, that on the west line being
a free pike.
Mary St. Clair, who entered several tracts of land in the
township, purchased the first public land in section 8 on
December 18, 1834. This purchase was the east half of the
northeast quarter, now in the name of A. Tuttle, L. Trow-
bridge, and G. W. Kabrick. All the remaining land in the
section was entered during the next year (1836) by Mary
Moore, Mary St. Clair, and John S. Resler.
The land in this section is owned at this time by A.
Tuttle, L. Trowbridge, G. W. Kabrick, S. Davis, N. J.
Clark, J. Houck, I. Turner, U. and C. Springer, C. Good-
win, P. Oxley, and A. Acker. Public roads surround the
section on each section line. .
One-half of section 9 was entered in 1835 and the other
half in 1836. The first entries were made by John Gibson
and Enos Strawn, both on November 19, 1835, Mary St.
Clair making the other entry of that year December 18.
In 1836 the balance of the section was entered by John
Beard, John Gibson and Thomas Strawn, Jr., and now, some
sixty-two years since these first purchases, we find none of
the original names among the free-holders of the section, but
in their stead we have Mrs. W. Snider. Wm. Snider, W. and
E. Quick et. al., John H. Reynolds, A. Peacock, S. Drumm,
J. Hill, J. A. Flemming, C. Houck, S. Houck, M. Houck,
B. C. Bowman, J. Houck, U. andC. Springer and I. Turner.
The section has public roads on each section line. The vill-
age of Cowan is situated in the southeast part of the section
in which is school No. 5, and through which passes the Cin-
cinnati division of the L. E. & W. railroad.
Section 10 can justly lay claim to the first entry of land in
Monroe township, this was the entry made by Amaziah Bee-
son on January 15, 1827, being the east half of the northeast
quarter of the section. The next entry in the section was
made January 17, 1829 by Peter Simmons; in 1830 there were
two entries made, one by John Mansfield and the other by
Samuel Merrill; one in 1832 by Andrew Carmichael, four in
1836 by Miles Harrold, Samuel Underhill, John Branson and
Allen Beeson. At present we have as the freeholders in sec-
tion 10, M. Losh, James Watson, O. P. West, W. H. Neff,
A. Quick, H. West, T. Hiatt and C. H. and C. Harris, 10
has 3^4 miles of good road and is in a high state of cultiva-
tion. In section n the entries were made as follows: Gar-
130 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
rett Gibson and John Lenox in 1831, Daniel DeWitt and John
Lenox in 1834, Henry Taylor in 1835, Ezekiel T. Hickman,
Otto Wilson, John Lenox, Wm. Culberson, Samuel M. West
and Henry Taylor in 1836. The present owners of this sec-
tion are G. and M. Ross, M.J. Simpson, T. Lenox, M. Losh,
James Watson. R. and S. Gibson and M . E. Casper. 11
has a public road crossing the southwest part of the section
and the Macedonia pike on and near the east line. School
No. 6 is located in the east part of the section.
Robert Gibson entered an 80 in section 12 in 1828, Wm.
Gibson entered an 80 acre tract in 1829 and another 80 in
1 831, after which time there were no more entries untin 1835,
when Alexander Cheesman took up an 80 acre tract. In 1836
entries were made by John H. Payton and Wm. Townsend,
and the last entry made by Robert Maples April 11, 1837.
The present land owners of section 12 are John Driscoll,
M. Gibson, M. and V. Gibson, G. B. Gibson, P. Gibson, J.
W. Keesling, N. Gibson, C. E. Turner, Vol. Shockley and F.
Shockley. The section has two miles of public road, Flat
Spring Creek drains the section passing through it from south-
east to northwest.
On the 17th day of March, 1830, Daniel Ribble entered
the first land in section 13, Monroe township, it being the
northeast quarter of the section, and now owned by J. W.
Keesling and J. and N. Chalfant. On September 14 of the
same year, Daniel Yandes and John Johnson jointly entered
an 80-acre tract in the southwest quarter of the section, after
which time entries were made by William Cheesman in 1831,
by Jonathan Beeson in 1832; Joseph Cheesman in 1834, and
Isiah Lee, Elisha Ogle, Alexander Cheesman and William
Cheesman in 1836.
In the list of land owners in section 13 we now find the
names J. W. Keesling, J. and N. Chalfant, Vol Shockley, M.
Oliphant, P. P. Turner, J. A. Welch, R. Foster and J. W.
Nelson.
The section has a public road on the south line, another
through the center, east and west, and the Macedonia free
gravel pike on the west line.
In 1830, Jonathan Beeson and Jonathan Harrold each
entered an 80-acre tract in section 14. After this came the
entries of Homer Brooks, John Mansfield and Abel Williams
in 1832; Henry Bower in 1834; Joseph Brown in 1835; and
William Hickman and John Mansfield in 1836.
The owners of these lands sixty years after the last public
land in the section was entered, was U. Springer and T.
Turner, W. A. Reynolds, W. Reynolds, et al., L. Benbow,
T. Fierce, R. Brown, J. and H. Priddy, S. A. Hiatt, et al.,
and I. L. Nichols. This section has public roads on the
MONROE TOWNSHIP. 131
south line and across the northeast corner, also the Mace-
donia pike on the east line. The section has three church
buildings, two in the northeast and one in the southeast cor-
ner; also School No. 7 in the southeast part.
One of the early entries of the township was made in
section 15, being the east half of the southeast quarter, on
July 14, 1827, by John Crum, then Rebecca Gable in 1829,
Homer Brooks and William Mansfield in 1831, Andrew Car-
michael and David Williams in 1832, David Williams again
1834 secured the last of the public lands in the section. The
present owners of 15 are James Watson, F. Nottingham, M.
S. Ulrich, J. B. Hupp, J. E. Harrold, M. Harrold, W. B.
Harbaugh and D. W. Hickman.
Section 15 has a public road on the south line, also one
north and south eighty rods west of the east line. (School)
Section 16 was sold as follows: On July 17, 1847 80 acres to
Allen C. Perdue for $131; on same date 40 acres to Walter
Gibson for $100; on same day, 40 acres to same, $71; same
day, 80 acres to Joseph Clevenger, $125.50; same day, 40
acres to Enoch Nation, $71; same day, 40 acres to Walter
Gibson, $99; Aug. 13, 1847, 40 acres to Isaac McLain, $71;
Aug. 13, 1847, 40 acres to Isaac McLean, $61; July 17, 1847,
40 acres to Enoch Nation, $51; July 17, 1847, 46 acres to
Enoch Nation, $61; July 17, 1847, 47 acres to Enoch Nation,
$81; July 17, 1847, 40 acres to Wm. J. Hightower, $91; July
17, 1847, 40 acres to Enoch Nation, $61; July 17, 1847, 40
acres to Enoch Nation, $112.
This was sold in lots as here given from one to fourteen
inclusive, to the highest bidder, and as will be seen the entire
section (640 acres) brought the sum of $1,186.50 or some-
thing less than two dollars per acre. This may seem like a
very low price for this valuable land, but when we calculate
the coast of clearing, ditching, fencing and otherwise improv-
ing the land, and compound the interest for fifty-two years,
we will perhaps conclude that it cost about as much then as
now, yet this would hardly be a reasonable comparison, as
the land has yielded some returns to its owners for many
years past.
The village of Cowan is partly in this section, the land of
the section, the land of the section is now owned by R. and A.
Marshall, J. Rinker, D. M. Tuttle, S. H. Reynolds, O. A.
Shaw, A. Marshall, .J. and E. Kern, J. W. Kern, R. A.
Johnson, A. M. Comstock and J. J. Jefferson and E. M
Crandell. Sixteen has public roads on the north and south
lines, also through the center north and south. The L. E
& W. R. R. passes through the section one-quarter of a mile
west of the east line.
There was no entries of land recorded in section 17,
132 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
until October i, 1835, when Jacob Bowers entered the west
half of the southwest quarter. School house No. 9 is now
located on the southwest corner of this eighty acre traet. On
the 17th of the same month Samuel Fessler entered the
east half of the southeast quarter, now owned by J. A. Bates.
In 1836 entries were made by Peter Shiveley, Samuel Fessler,
Philip Shiveley, John S. Ressler and Edward Jones, then the
last of section 17 was entered by William M. Clark on
December 6, 1838. Sixty years later we find the land in sec-
tion 16 owned by M. Himes, N. J. Ralston, R. E. Chalfant,
Priddy et al H. L. Petterson, M. J. Ball, J. A. Bates, E.
Nixon and E. and R. Nixon. Seventeen has public roads on
its north, south and west lines.
The southwest quarter of section 18 containing 173 and
96-100 acres, was entered by John Swope November 8, 1832.
The next entry in the section was that of William Haines in
1834. The next, that of Jacob Bowers in 1835. and the re-
mainder of the public land in the section was taken up by
Henry Richman, Wm. Andes, John Tuttle and Adam Banks
in 1836. After sixty years we find the owners of land in sec-
tion 18 to be Joseph Mann, A. Andes, J. J. Clevenger, W.
J. Painter, C. Ball, M. Ball, C. Burcaw, S. R. Burcaw, A.
D. Welsh, J. W. McKinney and R. M. McKinney. 18 has
a public road on each section line, that on the west being a
free gravel pike.
The first entry of land in section 19 was made by Wm .
Clevenger who entered the east half of the section on No-
vember 22, 1832. Michael Thompson entered the east half
of the northwest quarter in 1834, and John Fessler and
Eleakin Wilson the remainder of the section in 1835. The
present owners of land in section 19 are J. W. Jones, S.
Davis, N. J. Fleming, N. R. Fleming; G. Fleming and R.
C. Ball. Public roads- extend along the east, north and west
lines of the section. 19 is the southwest corner of the town-
ship and consequently the west section of the south tier, and
borders on Henry county,
Section 20 was all taken up of the government in 1835,
'36 and '37, by James Jones, John Dusthimer, Jesse Raider,
John J. Bulingall and George Hivecker in 1835, A. Rhoton
in 1836 and John Howell in 1837. The list of landlords in
section 20 at this time are N. and H. Swain, C. D. Hale, M
and E. Drumm, J. L. Rinker, W. P. Bowers, D. H. Jones
and N. R. Fleming. 20 has public roads on the north and
west lines, also through the south from east to west.
Section 21 was all taken up by four persons, each secur-
ing a quarter section as follows. David Williams the north-
east quarter June 4, 1832, Abel Williams southeast quarter
October 17, 1831. James Orr the northwest quarter and John
MONROE TOWNSHIP. 133
Dusthimer the southwest quarter, both on October 16, 1835.
The village of Oakville is in the southeast quarter of this sec-
tion, being near the Henry county line. The section outside
of the village is now owned by R. Hickman, C. A. Hickman,
L. D. Williams, E. Peckenpaugh, Charles Hill, J. Kern, J.
Metzker, T. H. Johnson, M. Veach, A. D. Ball and J. Ball.
The section has three miles of public road and the Cincin-
nati branch of the L. E. & W. R. R. passes through it.
The first entries of land in section 22 were made in 1830
by Michael Bonner, John Howell and John Rutledge. Then
in 1831, by Abel Williams in 1833, by Temple Smith, and the
last in 1834 by David Williams. This section is now owned
by J. B. Yost, D. L. Wright, S. Fleming, J. and W. Yost,
L. J. Hickman, J. V. Koons, John Robe, John Rutledge, J.
J. Rutledge, J. Metzker and T. Robe.
Section 22 has about 4^ miles of public road, the south
half of the section is perhaps entitled to the name of hilly, if
any part of the county is worthy of the title. School No. n
is located in this section at the east end of the village of Oak-
ville.
In 1828, September 10, the first entry of public land was
made in section 23. This was an 80-acre tract in the north-
east corner of the section, and the entry was made by Zenas
Beeson. In 1829, Lauvel Brown, James Mansfield and John
Howell entered an 80-acre tract each, after which time we
find purchases made by Aaron Stout in 1831, John Mansfield
and Abel Williams in 1832, James Orr in 1835, Wm. Under-
bill and Sarah Davis in 1836. This land is now owned by
C. Benbow, A. Nelson, P. Turner, H. Howell, Walter Gibson,
T. H Nelson, J. W. Kern, A. West, J. and W. Yost, D. L.
Wright, John Robe and Stephen Fleming. Section 23 has
roads along the north and south lines and a pike on the east.
Buck Creek drains the west part, and since being dredged and
ditched has proven that some very valuable land lay hidden
along its banks for many years.
Section 24, the southeast section of Monroe township,
was entered in small tracts, there being fourteen entries of 40
accres each and one of 80. The entries were made in the
following order: David Ogle in 1832, James Ogle and Samuel
Shockley in 1834, Valentine Gibson in 1835, David Ogle,
Jonas Turner, John Brown, Jonathan Turner and Elisha Ogle
in 1836, David C. Martin, William Morris, Gilbert C. Mills-
paugh, Robert Morris (2 entries) and Jonas Turner in 1837.
And now after a lapse of some sixty years we find these lands
owned and generally occupied by eight land owners, to-wit:
James A. Reynolds, P. Turner, William West, H. Howell,
G. L. Holbert, M. B. Preston, M. Gibson and J. Gibson.
i34 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Section 24 has public roads on the north and south lines, also
a free gravel pike on the west line.
SETTLEMENT OE SALEM.
The pioneer of Salem,
As all must agree,
Was Joshua Baxter
In the year twenty-three.
Then in twenty-six,
(Some three years later)
Came Robert Williams,
John and David VanMatre.
During the year twenty-seven,
(For so goes the tale)
Came Johnson and Marsh,
Suman, Huston and Dale.
The name of the latter
Remains with us still,
But to the name Dale
We have added the "ville."
In the year twenty-eight,
One eighty acre lot
Was the only entry made,
And that by Powell Scott,
In the year twenty-nine
There came many others
Fosnot and Tomlinson,
The two Nichols brothers.
Daniel Shawhan, Ralph Heath,
John Lain and Perdue,
George Michael came also,
And a Carpenter too.
Then in eighteen-thirty
As by record appears
There were ten names added
To Salem's pioneers.
In the year thirty-one
Twenty-seven more came,
After that they become
Too numerous to name,
But as its more easy.
As all may suppose,
I shall give you the rest
Of this history in prose.
SALEM TOWNSHIP. 135
Salem Township*
From the circumstances that Salem township lies in two
oongressinal townships and also in two ranges, we find two
sections No. 1; two No. 2; two No. 13; two No. 24, and two
No. 36. The west tier of sections (all bordering on Madison
county) is is range 8, east, while all the sections of the town
ship east of that tier are in range 9, east.
The north tier of sections, bordering on Mt. Pleasant
township, is in congressional township 20, north, while all
south of this tier are in township 19, north.
Salem township is five miles north and south, by seven
miles east and west, containing thirty-five sections or (in
round numbers) 22,400 acres of land. It is the southwest
corner township of Delaware couty, and is bounded north by
Mt. Pleasant township, east by Monroe township, south by
Henry county, and west by Madison county. The surface of
the land is generally rolling. This is more observable in the
proximity of the streams, but sufficiently so in all portions of
the township to make drainage easy and complete. The soil
in Salem township is perhaps not excelled in fertility by any
body of land of the same extent in the state, and equalled by
but few. Originally the face of the country was covered by
heavy forests of the variety of timber common to this section
of the country, but the immense growth of black walnut tim-
ber in section 21, the west half of section 22, the east half of
section 20, and the south half of section 16 gave to this neigh-
borhood the name of the "Rich Woods," by which name it
has been known for many years. The name has been often
more generally applied to a much greater scope of the town-
ship than that mentioned above, but we think we are correct
in our statement that the term was applied originally to the
above described territory, but today the name would seem a
misnomer, as the "woods" are nearly all gone, while the
"Rich" only remains, and that richness of soil extends gen-
erally through the township.
The township is well drained by numerous creeks and
branches (now ditches) passing through almost every section
of land in the township. White river is the only stream in
the township of much size, and it has but two and a half or
three miles of its course within the boundaries of Salem,
entering the township about one and a fourth miles east of
the northwest corner, flows nearly south one mile, thence
southwest, and leaves the township two miles south of the
northwest corner, thus merely crossing the corner of the
GEORGE E. DUNGAN,
Recorder Delaware County.
/f 9fe
•1
v ***" fl
HH
LARHUE M. DUNGAN,
Deputy Recorder Delaware Counts .
ARTHUR H. DUNGAN,
Deputy Recorder Delaware County.
SALEM TOWNSHIP. 137
township. Other parts of the township are drained by Bell
creek, Sly Fork, Williams creek, Prairie ditch and others.
It is said that William Dilts was the first white man who
ever became a permanent resident of the township, although
the first person to enter land in the township was Joshua
Baxter, who entered the west half of the northeast quarter
of section 31 on May 15, 1823. This 80-acre tract lies about
one and a half miles northeast of Daleville, on the Yorktown
road, and is owned by C. and R. Helvie and L Hoover.
Mr. Baxter entered this land about the time Mr. Dilts came
to the township. There were evidences of former residents
in the township, as huts, built apparently for habitations,
were found in different localities, but as they were vacant
when the first settlers came, it is fair to suppose they were
built as temporary residences for parties who were hunting or
trapping in the vicinity, and who, after supplying themselves
with meat and furs, sought their former or new homes. Mr.
Dilts became a citizen of the township, and resided here a
number of years, but later moved to Chesterfield, a few miles
west in Madison county, where he spent the remainder of
his life, and near where many of his descendants still live.
After the entry of Mr. Baxrer in 1823 we have no other
land entries on record until November 1, 1826, when John
Van Matre entered an 80-acre tract in section 20, and also
the northwest quarter of section 21, and on the same day
(November 1, 1826) David Van Matre entered the southwest
quarter of section 21. Fourteen days later Robert Williams
entered an 80-acre tract in section 22. So we see that from
1823, the year of the first purchase of public land in the town-
ship, until the close of the year 1826, we have but four pur-
chases of land within the boundary of Salem township.
After this the settlers began to arrive and take up the land in
increased numbers, until in 1835, during which year there
were eighty entries of public lands recorded. The year fol-
lowing (1836) there were but forty-five entries made. How-
ever, in this year section 16 (being a school section) was sold
in six lots, so that we might consider the purchases in 1836
equal to fifty-one entries, but the years of 1835 and 1836
seem to have about consumed the public lands of Salem
township, as at the close of the last mentioned year there
were but forty acres of public land remaining unsold in the
township. This was the southwest quarter of the southwest
quarter of section 24, township 19, north, range 9, east, the
southeast section of the township.
This 40-acre tract was entered by Christian Sauerwine on
March 22, 1837. This tract is owned at present by O. and
L. Pence, and was the last of the Congress land in Salem
Among the early settlers of Salem there were many who after-
13K HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ward became prominent characters in the community and who
left living monuments to their memory in their posterity,
many of whom are still residents of the county. Among such
we might mention the names of Dale, Williams, Nation, Witt,
Perdue, Summers, Van Matre, Sharp, Pitser, Makepeace,
Kilgore, Shoemaker, Stewart, Sunderland, Campbell, Jones,
Suman, Fenwick, Fosnot, McAlester, Oliver H. Smith and
others.
The first effort at merchandising in Salem was that made
by John C. Gustin at what is now Cross Roads, in the year
1832, but for the want of sufficient custom, Mr. Gustin very
soon quit the business and returned to Madison county.
However, after the lapse of several years, about 1838, William
and Erasmus Moffitt opened a stock of goods at the same
place (Cross Roads) and continued the business for several
years. About the same time of the opening of the Moffitt
store at Cross Roads, Abraham Depboye "hung out" the first
general store sign at the village of Daleville. Mr. Depboye
seems to have met with sufficient success to hold out for some
two years, when he, too, closed out his business. And so it
seems that for many years merchandising was almost as un-
certain in Daleville as is the gold crop in Alaska.
The first school house in Salem was in the "rich woods."
The building was on the land of David Van Matre, in section
21, and we find a school taught here as early as 1828-29, by
Elza Watkins, a man of superior culture and attainments, and
feel it is no disparagement to other townships in the county
when we say Salem has ever kept up her reputation for good
schools and competent teachers.
As has been heretofore stated, Salem township is in con-
gressional townships 19 and 20 Also in Ranges 8 and 9.
Now, in giving its history by sections, we will first take up
the tier of sections bordering on Madison county, commenc-
ing at the northwest corner of the township we have Section
36. This section is in Township 20 north and Range 8 east.
The first to enter land in this section was Oliver H. Smith,
father of Hon. M.C. Smith, of Muncie, on May 30, 1831. He
entered the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of this
section, 40 acres, and a portion of the land now owned by H.
C. Schlegel. On October 15 of the same year Wm C. Van
Matre entered the east half of the southeast quarter, now
owned by G. Goodpasture.
In 1893 there was but one entry, that of Aaron Brewer,
40 acres, on October 31, 40 acres in 1833 by Samnel Brown,
a 40-acre tract by James M. Chambers and an 80 by William
Nelson in 1834. In 1835 there were entries made by Jesse
Dearth, Frederick Bronenberg, Jr., and James Miller Cham-
bers, which included all the land of Section 36, except a 40-
SALEM TOWNSHIP. 139
acre tract which was entered by John McClanahan on January
27, 1836.
Our records show the present owners of lands in Section
36 to be: H. C. Schlegel, G. Goodpasture, M. and J.Walters,
J. J. Schlegel, G. Chambers, J. Rinker and C Thomas. The
section has public roads on the north, south and west lines,
also a free pike on the east. School No. 3 is located in the
southeast corner of this section.
South of Section 36 is Section 1. The earliest purchase
of government land in this section was made on March 20,
1827, by Campbell Dale, although Mr. Dale had made pur-
chases in the section south of this some two months prior to
this date. The tract entered by him in section 1 was the east
half of the southeast quarter, the south part of which is now
occupied by the village of Daleville, and the north part owned
by M. E. Bronenberg. In May following Chamberlain Hut-
son entereh the west half of this quarter. In 1831 purchases
were made by Jason Hudson and William Caldwell Van
Matre. In 1834 by Johu Bronenberg, and the last of the
public land of the section was entered by John and Frederick
Bronenberg in 1833.
The section is owned at the present time by J. Beck, J.
Rickers' heirs et al. , J. Bronenberg, H. Bronenberg, Peter
Bronenberg, John Bronenberg and M. E. Bronenberg. There
are roads on the north, east and west lines. The village of
Daleville occupies the southeast corner, with the Big Four
railroad crossing throngh the village.
On January 10, 1827. Campbell Dale purchased one half
of section 12 of the government, including the northeast quar-
ter (three-fourths of which is now within the corporate limits
of Daleville) the east half of the southeast quarter and the
east half of the northwest quartei. In May and June 1829 en-
tries were made in the section by Isaac Carpenter and Thomas
Fostnaugh. In 1844 by Allen Makepeace and in 1835 by
Allen Makepeace and Joel Copher. The present owners of
the land of this section other than town lots in Daleville, are
J. Beck, J. Bronenberg, Jos. Dale, A. T. Stewart, J. J. Hur-
ley, J. R. Shoemaker, W. Rozelle, R. I. Frazee, J. G. Hupp
and B. F. Lefter. There is a public road on the east and
also one on the west of the section, White river enters the
section about one-third of a mile west of the northeast corner,
then turning almost west, flows out into Madison county a
few rods south of the northwest corner of the section.
The first land entry in section 13 was made in 1833, in
which year Robert Lindsey Bartlett entered two 40 acre tracts.
In 1834 Joshua Hurley entered 80 acres. In 1835 Robert L.
Bartlett entered 40, and Joseph Dipboye 240 acres. In 1836
the last of the public lands were purchased by Lewis Rogers
i4o HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
and Arbena Doubt. Section 13 is now owned by J. G. Hupp,
James H. Walsh, A. C. Ellison, D Yount, S. F. Lanley,
M. A. Moffett and R. I. Frazee. The section has about three
and a half miles of public roads and school No. 12 is located
on the south side of the section. As early as May 5, 1831,
John Fleming and Peter Miller entered the southeast quarter
of section 24. Mr Fleming taking the east and Mr. Miller
the west half of the quarter. However, prior to this (Oct. 23,
1829) the east half of the southwest quarter of the section had
been entered by B. F. and Joseph Nichols, after these en-
tries others were made as follows: In 1832 by Jonas Calla-
han; in 1833 by Joshua Hurley, in 1835 by William Fleming,
Benjamin Bartlett, William O'Briant, Joshua Hurley and
Abraham Dipboye, leaving a tract of 40 acres in the northeast
corner of the section which was entered by Abraham Dipboye
on November 14, 1836. This is the southwest corner of both
the township and county, and the section is now owned by F.
and E. Cooper, J. Huffman, R. Witt, J. J. Hurley, D.
O'Bryant, C. Hurley, C. C. Hurley and C. Dipboye. The
section has about three miles of public road on section and
half section lines except one road which angles through the
section, running from southeast to northwest.
In section 31, township 20, north, range 9, east, is where
the first land in Salem ever purchased of the government is
located, and as we have before stated, was entered by Joshua
Baxter, on May 15, 1823, it being the west half of the north-
east quarter of the section . The road running from Yorktown
to Daleville enters this tract of land about two miles out from
Daleville, and the traveler is on this first entered 80-acre tract
when he crosses the little stream near the old Peter Helvie
residence. The next entry of land in this section was the
west half of the northwest quarter, and was made by John
Suman on November 6, 1827. Then came George Michael
in 1829, Francis Pugsley in 1832, John Suman, Joseph Van
Matre and William Nelson in 1834. Then William Nelson
and Jonathan Sheff entered the last of the public land in the
section in 1835. The section is now owned by F. Kilgore,
L. Hoover, C. and R. Helvie, G. Goodpasture, R. N. Can-
non, H. Richman and William Pugsley.
The Yorktown and Daleville public road crosses the east
half of the section, and White river the west half in a nearly
south course.
The first purchase of public land in section 32 was an
80-acre tract, being the east half of the northwest quarter of
the section. The purchaser was Powell Scott, and the entry
was dated June 18, 1828. This tract is now owned by J. P.
Shoemaker. The Big Four Railroad crosses the southeast
a
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n
o
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F. S. HEATH,
President Muncie News Co.
F. J. CLAYPOOL,
Sec. and Treas. Muncie News Co
C. K. HF.ATH,
Vice-Pres.' Muncie News Co.
SALEM TOWNSHIP. 141
corner of this land about midway between Yorktown and
Daleville.
There were no other entries of land in section 32 for
almost six years, when in 1834 entries were made by John
Knopp, David Kilgore and James Washington Brown, in 1835
by Benjamin Franklin Hancock and Oliver H. Smith, and in
1836 by Oliver H. Smith and David Kilgore.
The present owners of section 32 are W. K. Helvie, F.
Kilgore, J. P. Shoemaker, W. R. Moore, J. Miller, J. and M.
Miller, Henry Helvie, W. M. Helvie, V. Sullivan and J. F.
Cummings. The Big Four Railroad crosses the section from
northeast to southwest. The section has free gravel pike on
the east and south line, and Prairie ditch drains the south
half.
In section 33 John Stewart entered an 80-acre tract on
August 22, 1831. This was in the northeast corner of the
section. In 1832 two entries were made by Willis Hardwick
and William Antrim. In 1834 two entries were made by
Jacob Saunders, in 1835 two by Theodore Lewis, and in 1836
two (they being the last of the public lands in the section) by
Oliver H. Smith.
This section is now owned by Jeff H. Claypool, W. K.
Helvie, Daniel Richman, J. Miller, J. and M. Miller and
Henry Helvie. The south half of this section is also drained
by Prairie ditch, and has gravel pikes on the east.
Section 34 was all entered by Oliver H. Smith on Angust
10, r835- Mr. Smith was an eminent jurist in the broadest
sense of the term, as well as an author aud historian of some
note. He became extensively interested in the early part of
our county settlement and his only son, Hon. M. C. Smith,
who has represented Delaware county in both branches of the
state legislature, as well as having served the city of Muncie
several terms as mayor, with distinction and honor, is still
one of our respected citizens, hale and hearty, although
seventy four years of age, most of these years having been
spent in this community.
We now find this section (34) owned by J. Jernegan, M.
Jernegan, E. Coffman, M. and C. Paulin, M. Paulin, R. G.
Paulin, J. Bennett, E. R. Stewart, and W. Wiseheart. Sec-
tion 34 has pike on the south and west lines, also a public
road on the east line, aud north and south through the
center.
Warren Stewart entered the east half of the northeast
quarter of Section 35, on Nov. 10,1832. In 1833 Daniel Prila-
man entered two eighty-acre tracts. During 1834 there were
on entries made but in 1835 Thomas Brumfield, Sr. , and Oliver
H. Smith each made two entries. In 1836 Thomas Pierce
and Joseph Prilaman secured the title to the balance of the
142 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
public land in this section. These lands are now owned by
J. H. Jones, E. L. Athey, J. and A. Wiggerly, W. J. Painter,
Daniel W. Rees, J. Richman and S. McNairy. The section
has some three and one-half miles of public road, about one-
half of which is free gravel pike. School No. i is located
on the north half of the southeast quarter of this section .
The first landlord in section 36, township 20, north,
range 9, east, wast Ralph Heath, who on June 18, 1829 after
prospecting in differant parts of the count)', and while he had
choice of almost all the land in the county, located on the
southeast quarter of this section, securing the government
title to the entire quarter section, 160 acres. He was the
father of Jacob Heath, who is stilj. with us now (1899) and it
might seem to my readers like presumption on my part, were
I to attempt giving a history of the Heath family in the
southern part of Delaware county. Suffice to say they be-
come a numerous family. Some of them have filled, and are
still filling high positions of trust and profit in our county,
state and nation, and alwavs with credit to themselves and
honor to the served.
After Mr. Heath came Samuel Stewart in 1830, Jesse
McKinney and James Moffett in 1831, James Moffett again in
1832, James Knott in 1834, and James Goff in 1836. This
section of land is now owned by Elijah Miller, S. Coffman,S.
and G. Stewart, J. H. Jones, A. W. Ross, T. W. Tuttle, S.
McNairy, M. Shirk and S. P. Heath. The section has some
three miles of publie road, and is well drained by Bell creek
and its taibutaries.
We now come to notice that portion of Salem township
in Township 19, north, and Range g, east. Section 1 was
first settled for a home by John Lane, a relative of Mr. Heath,
who first settled in the adjoining section (36). Mr. Lane
entered his land on the same day with Mr. Heath, (June 18,
1829), entering the northeast quarter of the section, so that
his future home joined that of his kinsman. In 1832 entries
were made in this section by James McKimmey and Asa
Bishop. In 1835 by James Knott, and in 1836 by Thomas
Perdue, William Simpson and John Jones.
We find the present owners of this valuable land to be
John Sunderland, W. Hill, E. Sunderland, S. McNairy, W.
Sharp, C. Sunderland and J. Richman. Section 1 has public
highways on the east, north and west line, a portion of the
south line, and the Muncie and Middletown pike crossing the
southeast part of the section.
Robert Heath entered the northeast quarter of Section 2
on New Year's day 1830. In 1831 John Adams, Jr., entered
an 80 acre tract, after which time entries were made by Adam
Campbell in 1832, Robert Heath, Samuel Grimes Sunderland
SALEM TOWNSHIP. 143
and Adam Campbell in 1834, by Eben Pitser, Francis Mc-
Nairy and William McAlister in 1836.
Section 2 is now owned by J . A. Neese, S. McNairy, A.
and L. May, S. Kendell, et. al. , I. Pitser, S. Sunderland and
William Sunderland. The section has four miles of public
road and is well watered and drained by Bell creek and its
branches.
The first entry of public land in section 3 was made by
Abner McCartney on December 1, 1835. This was the north-
east quarter of the section, but Mr. McCartney was not left
long without neighbors, as all the land in the section was
taken up during the following year (1836) by Griffith Thomp-
son, William McAlister, Theodore Lewis and John Stewart.
The present owners of section 3 are E. R. Stewart, Daniel
Richman, S. E. Richman, A. H. Bronenburg, D. Richman,
J . Moreland and G. Mingle. The section has public high-
ways on the north, south and west lines, those on the north
and west being free gravel pikes.
Section 4 was purchased of the government as follows:
Southwest quarter by John Marsh June 1, 1831; southeast
quarter by John Kennedy May 17, 1834; northeast quarter by
James Leviston December 1, 1835, and the northwest quarter
by Oliver H. Smith January 1, 1836.
Section 4 is now owned by D. and M. Dillman, J. Fen-
wick, G. M. Richman, Daniel Richman, W. and J. Coffman,
G. Mingle, G. W. Richman and W. A. Shoemaker. Section
4 is a fine section of land, in a high state of cultivation, and
the only section in Salem township entirely surrounded with
free gravel pikes.
Section 5 in Salem township was somewhat late in getting
her lands into market, as the first to avail himself of these
lands was Haden Makepeace, who entered the north half of
the northwest quarter (now owned by M. E. Helvie), on Oc-
tober 9, 1834. During 1835 purchases of public land were
made by John Knoop, William Stewart, John Stewart, Jacob
Saunders and Tandy Reynolds, leaving three 40 acre tracts
not entered, which were taken up, two by Jonas Shoemaker
and one by Wm. Fenwick, in 1836.
Section 5 is now owned by Henry Helvie, Daniel Rich-
man, M. E. Helvie, T. Campbell, J. M. Hancock, J. Shoe-
maker, W. N. Reynolds, W. A. Shoemaker and Jonathan
Shepp. The section has a public road on each of its section
lines, those on the north, south and east being free gravel
pikes.
School No. 6 is located near the southwest corner of the
section, on the pike running east from the village of Dale-
ville.
On the 6th day of November, 1827, when but few white
i44 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
settlers had located in Salem township, John Simian entered
the north half of the northwest quarter of section 6. White
river, in a meandering course, divides this tract in almost
aqual parts, the tract contains 81 and 17-100 acres, and lies
just north of the village of Daleville. Mr. Suman had no
landed neighbors in his section until 1831, or four years after
his locating, in which year Ransom Makepeace entered the
tract adjoing him on the south. On September 1, 1832, Justin
Steele entered the southwest quarter of the section, in the cor-
ner of which is located a part of the village of Daleville. In
1S33 entries were made by Ransom Makepeace and Samuel
Rogers; in 1835 by Thomas Fosnot and James Griffith, leav-
ing one 40 acre tract, which was purchased in 1836 by Oliver
H. Smith.
Section 6 is now owned by H. Richman, F. W. Heath,
William Pugsley, P. Bronenberg, M. Campbell, D. Rinker,
J. Harkey and W. Ketchum. The section has about four
and a half miles of public road. The C. , C, C. & I. Railroad
crosses the section from northeast to southwest. White river
crosses the northwest corner of the section, and the southwest
corner of the section is in the business center of Daleville.
Section 7, having its northwest corner in the village of
Daleville, was entered in 1833, '34 and '35, by James Fen-
wick, in 1833; Michael Gronendyke, in 1834; John Simpson,
Stephen Rogers, Henry Rogers and Abraham Pugsley, in
1835. The real estate of this section is now owned by Cary
Fenwick, C. Goodpasture, W. Rinker, J. Rinker, E. Chrisman,
A. and W. Rinker, M. Herman, J. G. Hupp, A. Rinker, John
Davis and D. N. Minnick. The section has public roads on
the east, west and north lines, those on the north and west
being free gravel pikes.
On the 22nd day of September, 1832, Morgan Van Matre
purchased of the government the northeast quarter of the
southeast quarter of section 8. This first entered land in this
section is now owned, with other lands, by H. Moreland.
Following this entry of Mr. Van Matre, the entries in the
section were made by James Fenwick, in 1833; Mathias
Furrow, David Strickler and John Fesler, in 1834, and Henry
Richman and Jesse Windsor, in 1835.
The real estate owners of section 8 are now S Coffman,
J . N. Coffman, A. H. Pugsley, Jonathan Shepp, H. More-
land, S. E. Huffman, A. W. Huffman and D. M. Strickler.
The section has public roads on the east, west and south to
the center of the section on the half section lines.
The west half of the northwest quarter of section 9 was
entered by Thomas Windsor on the 10th day of May, 1830.
Thomas Pierce made an entry in this section in 1832, Law-
rence Wilson in 1834, Thos. Pierce, Wm. Curry Windsor and
SALEM TOWNSHIP. 145
David Van Matre in 1835, and William Price and David
Strickler in 1836. At the present time we find the title to the
lands in section 9 in the name of the following persons: W.
R. Landry, George McWilliams, J. R. Shoemaker, M. Rich-
man, W. Swanger and J. P. Huff. Section 9 has free gravel
pikes on the north and east sides; also a public road along the
west line.
The first entry of land in section 10 in Salem township
was made in 1832, in which year there were four entries re-
corded by two persons, two by Obadiah Meeker, on August
16, and two by Adam Campbell, on August 27, after which
there were no further entries made until 1835, when titles were
secured by John Davis, David Strickler, Asa French and
William Tomlinson. In 1836 William McAlister and Samuel
Dusang secured the two remaining 40-acre tracts.
We find the land owners of this section at present to be
A. and J. Corwin, H. H. Taylor, D. M. Yingling, M. Make-
peace, W. R. Landry, J. M. Fisher, and M. Richman. The
section has a free gravel pike on the west line, a public road
on the north side and another crossing the southeast corner.
School No. 7 is situated in the northeast corner of the
section.
The east half of the southeast quarter (now owned by S.
J. Moffett and J. Moffett) was the first land purchased of the
government in section 11. The purchaser was Evan Pitser,
and the date of the purchase September 26, 1831, after which
the purchasers of the public lands of this section were as
follows: Adam Campbell and William Summers in 1832;
Lambert Moffett in 1833; Samuel Grimes Sunderland in
1834 and also in 1835, and David Stickler and John T.
Vardeman in 1836.
The land in section 11 is now owned by M. E. Stewart,
S. K. Sunderland, Perry V. Stewart, H. H. Taylor, I. Mof-
fett, S. J. Moffett, and Wr. N. Summers. The section has
public roads on the north and south sides, north and south
through the center, another crossing the northwest corner,
and the Muncie and Middletown pike crossing the southeast
corner.
Bailes E. Jones entered the east half of the northwest
quarter of section 12, on November 5, 1830. This 80-acre
tract is still in the name of Jones, being owned by J. and W.
Jones. John Braden Finley and Abner Perdue made entries
in 1832; William Scruggs, Lambert Moffett and John B.
Finley in 1835; and Abraham Hall, Edward Sharp and Dan-
iel Miller in 1836.
The present owners of section 12 are S. I. Sharp, S. S.
Stewart, J. and W. Jones, J. Moffett, J. A. Stewart, R.
Bowers, M. E. Bowers, M. Bowers, and W. N. Summers.
146 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
The section has gravel pike along the east side and across
the northwest corner, a public road along the south and a
part of the north line. School house No. 8 is located on the
west side at the half section line, and Tabor post office is in
the southeast corner of this section.
Joining section 12 on the south is section 13. The pub-
lic land in this section was entered by John H. Taylor March
11, 1830; Thomas Kidd January 3, 1831; Samuel Clevenger
May 24, and Reece Carter June 19, 1833; and William
Miller January 7, 1834.
Section 13 is now owned by O. E. Clevenger, Samuel
Davis, A. F. Andes, S. C. Bowers, N. J. Fleming, and S.
Ball. The section has free gravel pike on the east, and also
on the south, and a public road on the north line.
On June 10, 1829, John Tomlinson entered the north-
west quarter of section 14. In 1831 entries were made in the
section by John Pitser and Aquilla Davis; in 1832 by Asa
Bado Watkins and Christian Pence; in 1833 by Lambert
Moffett and David McNutt. Present owners are A. F. Andes,
Samuel Davis, Joseph F. Bowers, E. Abshire, J. G. Bowers,
and M. S. Bowers.
Section 15, in Salem township, is in the south central
part of the township, and that our readers may the more
readily understand its location, we will state that Cross
Roads, Post Office and Village, is situated in the southwest
corner of the section. As this section borders on the Rich-
woods neighborhood, the land has been held at a high value,
but whether or not the facts sustain the values, is a matter to
be determined by those more directly interested, as it is the
duty of the historian to state facts, and then let others search
for the reasons. More than two years before any other pur-
chases of public land in this section (July 30, 1829) Daniel
Shawhan entered the east half of the southwest quarter of this
section, an 80-acre tract, now owned by G. Young, after
which entries were made by John Tomlinson in 1831, Chris-
tian Wall and Isaac Pitser in 1833, John Tomlinson in 1H34
and William Parent and Christian Wall in 1835.
As owners of land in 15, we now find E. Abshire, M.
West, W. S. Swanger, J. L. Mowery, Josiah Cromer and
G. Young. The section has pike on the west and south,
with other public roads through the section, but at such short
unreasonable angles that it would almost require a cross-eyed
and pigeon-toed person to follow them with any degree of
certainty. The school section of Salem (16) was sold by the
commissioners in the year 1836, as follows:
April 9th, 80 acres to Samuel McCulloch for -5*750.
May 21st, 160 acres to David Strickler for $1,500.
June 4th, 160 acres to James Windsor for $1,000.
SALEM TOWNSHIP. 147
June 6th, 160 acres to John Fesler for $1,000.
June 7th, 80 acres to William Windsor for $750.
Thus the section, 640 acres, bringing the sum of five
thousand dollars, or an average of $7.81^ per acre. This
price in 1836, when there was any amount of public land even
in Delaware county to be had at the government price of $1.25
per acre, should be sufficient proof of the high estimation in
which this land is held.
Sectton 16 is now owned by, A. Swanger, Fred Cromer,
L. Sayford and S. VanMatre, M. E. Sayford, M. S. Graves
and S. J. Strickler. The section has two miles of gravel pike
and one mile of other public highway.
The first to avail himself of the public domain in section
17 was Homer Brooks, who entered the east half of the
southwest quarter October 29, 1831, after which entries were
made in 1833 by John Simpson, in 1834 by David Crist,
Ephraim Cole, William Schofield and Samuel Stephens and
in 1835 by David Strickler and John Fesler. We now find
the land in 17 owned by R. Richman, W. H. Huffman, W.
Rader, J. Rader, D. and A. Getts M. Richman and N. V.
Franklin. Seventeen has 4^ miles of public hignway, one
mile of which is gravel pike, school No. 11 is located on the
southwest quarter of this section.
On May 23, 1833, Lemuel Fleming entered the first land
in section 18, Salem township, this was a 40 acre tract, being
the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter. This 40 acre
tract still retains its individuality, and is now owned in its
entirety by Mr. George W. Davis. The next entry in the
section was an 80 acre tract in the northeast quarter by Evan
Stephens, Oct. 17th, 1834.
In 1835 entries were made by Francis Lonsdale and John
Graham. Then the last of the public land by John Graham,
March 26th, 1836. This section is now owned by A. Van
Matre, C. Van Matre, G. W. Brandon, L. Lambert, M.
Woodward, A. Johnson, J. T. Brandon, H. C. Brandon, J.
and A. Brandon, Geo. W. Davis and C. C. Shedron. Eigh-
teen has over four miles of public highway, one mile of which
is free pike.
On the 21st day of January, 1831, John Groves purchased
of the government the west half of the southwest quarter of
Section 19. After this entry by Mr. Groves we find the next
entry by Zachariah Clevenger in Oct. 1832, and James Marsh
in November of the same year. In 1833 entries were made
by James Marsh and Lemuel Fleming. In 1835 by James
Marsh, Abraham Dipboye and Wm. Fleming, and in 1836 by
William Roberts and Arbena Doubt. The present land
owners of 19 are: C. A. Brock, Geo. W. Davis, W. Wise-
heart, E. C. Snider, et al., S. Lindemond, J. P. Prigg and J.
148 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Graves. Nineteen has a public road on the north line, also a
gravel pike along the east side and a road across the south-
west corner.
On the first day of November, 1826, John Van Matre
came into the wilderness and selected the east half of the
northeast quarter of Section 20 for his future home. He
afterwards, in 1833 and 1834, secured the title to the balance
of the quarter section. In 1827 James Marsh entered the
quarter section adjoining Mr. Van Matre on the south. The
west half of the section was entered by William Summers in
1831, Joseph Chapman in 1834, Van Matre Stewart in 1835,
and William Roberts and John Rinker in 1836. A portion of
this section is in the original Richwoods, and at one time was
literally covered with fine black walnut forests. The section
is owned at present by Margaret Snoemaker, Henry Van
Matre's estate and W. Wisehart. The section has three
miles of highway, two of which is free pike.
On November 1, 1826, John and David Van Matre each
entered a quarter section of land in section 21, John taking
the northwest quarter and David the southwest quarter of the
section. After this entries were made by Samuel Johnson in
1827; Naomi Van Matre in 1830, and Alexander McAllister
and Mathias Pitser in 1831. So all the land in section 21
was entered by September 22, 1831, making it one among the
oldest sections in Delaware county. This section is all in
the original Richwoods, and is now owned by Enoch Witt,
E. E. Pittenger, D. A. Funkhouser, R. H. Cromer, Josiah
Cromer, Van Matre and Pianter, and C. Van Matre. Twenty-
one has a public road on the east line, and free pikes on the
north and west. The Cross Roads post office is at the north-
east corner of thr section.
The first purchase of public land in section 22 was the
east half of the southeast quarter, entered on November 14,
1826 by Robert Williams, and now owned by A. White, after
which the entries were made in 1829 by John Perdue; in
1830 by Francis Colburn; in 1831 by Edward Sharp, Rufus
Perdue and Mathias Pitser, and in 1832 by William Summers.
This section is now owned by J. G. and J. B. Bowers,
Josiah Cromer, B. C. Bowman, A. White, and James
Groendyke.
Twenty-two has two and one-half miles of highway, one
and one-half miles of which is free pike.
On November 14, 1826, Robert Williams made two
entries of land in section 23, being the northwest quarter and
the west half of the southwest quarter. In 1830, four years
later, the next entries were made by John Myers, William
Sharp and Enoch Nation. Abraham and Samuel Davis
entered 80 acres in 1831, and Enoch Nation in 1833 and again
SALEM TOWNSHIP. 149
in 1834. At this time we find the titles to the land in section
23 in the name of J. Van Matre, N. Runyan, J. G. and J. F.
Bowers, W. F. Painter, and John S. Moore. Twenty-three
has two and a fourth miles of free pike, also one mile of
other public road.
Section 24 is the southeast corner section of Salem town-
ship, and although Edward Davis entered an 80-acre tract of
land in this section as early as November 14, 1831, yet the
last piece of public land in Salem township to be sold was
the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of this section
and was entered by Christian Sourwine on the 22d day of
March, 1837. This tract is now owned by O. and L. Pence.
Other entries were made in this section by Timothy Ives in
1832, and Enoch Witt, Eleakim Wilson, and Christian Sour-
wine in 1835.
The lands of section 24 are now in the name of Jesse
Clevenger, Jacob Clevenger, Samuel Davis, L. Davis, N.
Swain, D. Cooper, O. and L. Pence, and A. M. Pence.
Twenty-four has three miles of public highway, one of which
is a free gravel pike.
MT. PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 151
Mt. Pleasant, where the waters of White river run,
Where the pioneer came with his ax and his gun,
And drank of thy waters at gloaming and dawn,
Where the mother deer came with her young spotted fawn.
Where the red man roamed over valley and hill,
And was soothed to sleep by the sad whipoorwill,
Where the dark forests shaded the loamy rich soil
Which promised reward for the pioneer's toil,
Where the howl of the wolf or the growl of the bear,
Brought to the father both courage and care,
While the mother sat and her vigil kept,
By the trundle-bed where her babies slept.
But the pioneer came with his magic wand,
Preparing the way to a prosperous beyond,
The howl and the growl have ceased to alarm,
And the babies sleep on without fear of harm.
The ponds and slashes have melted away.
And the woods disappeared as if in a day,
The mansion now stands where the cabin once stood,
And the people are happy because they are good.
Mt* Pleasant Township*
Mt Pleasant township lies in the west part of the county,
in the west ties of townships and the second township from
the south, or Henry county line. It is 4^ miles north and
south and seven miles east and west, is bounded north by
Harrison township, east by Center township, south by Salem
township, and west by Madison county. The north tier of
sections in Mt. Plersant township is but three-fourths of a
mile wide, and this shortage extends also through Center and
Liberty townships east of Mt. Pleasant. This township, like
Salem, has one tier of sections (on the west border) in range
8 east, all the balance of the township being in township 20
north, and range 9 east.
The general surface of the township presents a pleasing
variety of hill and vale, being rolling in places, especially in
the neigeborhood of the streams and more level as we leave
the water courses. In some localities, along the streams, the
hills terminate in precipitous bluffs, at the foot of which
stretch level plains of rich bottom lands. The principle wa-
terway of the township is White river, although Buck creek
southeast and Mud creek north of White river, drain an ex-
tensive tract of valuable land. White river enters the town-
152 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
ship in section 13 crossing from Center township at the mid -
die of the east line of Mt Pleasant, directly draining sec
tions 13, 14, 15, 22, 21, 20, 29 and 30 on the southwest quar-
ter of which section the river leaves the township, passing in-
to Salem. Mt. Pleasant was originally heavily timbered with
oak, walnut, poplar, ash, hickory, maple, beech, sycamore,
etc., which in many instances grew to enormous size.
The first school taught in Mt. Pleasant township was by
Judge David Kilgore in a deserted cabin. This was in 1831,
and the teacher afterwards became one of the most prominent
men in Delaware county history, leaving behind him a numer-
ous posterity, many of whom are still prominent citizens of
our county.
During the next year (1832) the first house was erected
especially for school purposes. This was built of hewed logs.
It was located near where school house No. 6 now stands in
section 16, and the first teacher in this first school house was
Mr. Sargent. This house, at that time and for years after,
was known as the "Reed School House." The next school
houses erected in the township were, Mt. Pleasant school
house in 1841, Antioch, Yorktown and Nebo in 1842, and the
Shepherd, (since known as the Lincoln School House) in
1844. These were all of the pioneer style of architecture,
and presented a striking contrast to the neat and substantial
school buildings in every school district of the township to-
day.
School section 16 was sold in the year 1832, and the reve-
nue thus obtained was in after years applied in payment of
school expenses, partially relieving the strain on private
purses entailed by the "subscription system" under which,
until that time, the schools had been conducted, but this
fund was insufficient to pay the expenses of a full term, and,
when it became exhausted, the deficiency was made up by
private subscriptions, as was the common practice in all parts
of our then new country. The provisions of the public school
law of 1851-52 became operative in Mt. Pleasant township in
1854, when the proper officers received the proportion of the
public fund allotted to the township, and the old buildings
were converted into free schools. A revised and improved
course of study, better equipped teachers, and a consequent
advance in the general intelligence of the community, were
among the results following the adoption of the new system.
On October 3, 181 8, a treaty was entered into with the
Delaware Indians at St. Mary's, Ohio, the seventh article of
which provided for the sale of government land within certain
territory, including Delaware county, Indiana. Under the
provisions of this article there were two purchases made in
what is now Mt. Pleasant township. The first of these (as
MT. PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 153
well as the first purchase in the township) was that of Samuel
Casman — usually pronounced Cossum by the pioneers. This
was the north half of section 22, at present nearly ail of which
is within the corproate limits of the village of Yorktown and
West Muncie.
The date of this purchase was September 16, 1820.
Casman subsequently sold his land to Hon. Oliver H. Smith,
who platted the village of Yorktown. The only other entry
we find on record as being made under the provisions of the
St. Mary's treaty is that of Samuel Tindall, being the south-
east quarter of section 15, and joining the Casman entry on
the north. Although other entries were made of public lands
during the time intervening between these purchases, there is
no mention on our records of their having been made under
the treaty above referred to. The second purchase ever made
in the township, according to the records, was that of Uriah
Bulla, in section 20, and David Hillis, in section 29, both of
which bear date of October 24, 1822.
Our record next shows the entries made by Joseph and
William Van Matre, on July 22, 1823, when Joseph purchased
the east and William the west half of the southwest quarter
of section 20. As nearly as can be ascertained in the absence
of records bearing on the subiect, the date of organization of
this township is the year 1831, at which time it embraced not
only the present territory, but also that of what is now Salem
and Harrison, making the township some seven miles east
and west by sixteen miles north and south.
The first election of officers within the territory then em-
braced in the township of Mt. Pleasant was held in what is
now Salem township, at the residence of Solomon Eisnagle,
in the spring of 1831. The election was held shortly after
the passage of the act creating a civil division of this territory
and its erection into a township, as was usual in such cases,
and establishes with a fair certainty the date of organization
by the county commissioners. At this election William Jones
was elected Justice of the Peace, in which capacity he served
for a period of some twenty years, entitling him assuredly to
the title of "Squire Jones," by which at one time almost every
person in Delaware county knew him.
In writing the history of Mt. Pleasant, we shall first take
up the tier of sections bordering on Madison county, as this
tier is in range 8, east, and numbered accordingly, the num-
bers of these sections being identical with those in the east-
ern tier of sections. We will, therefore, commence with
section number 1, it being the northwest section of the town-
ship. This is one of the fractional sections and containing
but 485 and 13-100 acres. This section was entered entirely
by John Groenendyke on the 25th day of May, 1832.
i54 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
The present land owners in this section are L. Delph,
O. P. Jones, J. and H. Black, T. G. Neely, J. R. Wellington,
F. W. Younce, H. C. Brown, and J. A. J. Brunt. Killbuck
creek enters this section from the north, near the center of
the north line, thence running in a southwest course, thus
draining much of the section very completely. The section
has a free gravel pike along the north line, and public roads
on the west, through the center and a portion of the south
line. The section joins Harrison township on the north and
Madison county on the west.
Section 12, lying just south of i, and also in range 8, was
entered in small tracts, there being but one entry recorded of a
quarter section, that of Robert Griffis, who purchased the
southwest quarter August 26, 1835. In the northeast quarter
we find the entries made by James Groenendyke October 7,
1834; Aaron Adamson November 15, 1854, and William
Jones June 28, 1838, and this was the last piece of public
land sold in Mt. Pleasant township. It is the southeast
quarter of the northeast quarter of the section (40 acres)
and now owned by J. S. Aldredge. In the southeast quarter
of this section the purchasers of public land were Robert
Griffis August 25, 1835, and Purnell F. Peters, March 8, 1836
The northwest quarter was entered by Harlan Stone
October 26, 1833, Robert Swan Jones, and Bethene F
Morris, February 11, 1836. These with the entry of Mr
Griffis, first mentioned, comprised all the land in the section
We now find the section owned by J. S. Aldredge, J
W. Mahoney, J. M. Hancock, Job Mahoney, J. P. Curtis
R. C. Curtis, G. Simpson, H. M. Childs, and John L. Han-
cock. The section has over five miles of public roads along
or through its territory. Killbuck creek crosses the north-
west corner, and school No. 4, or Sycamore school house, is
in the southeast corner of the section.
In section 13, range 8, the northeast quarter was secured
of the government by Robert Griffis and Thomas H. Sharpe
in 1835 and 1836. The southeast quarter by Thomas H.
Sharpe, February 12, 1836. The northwest quarter was
entered by Thomas Fife in 1834, and Robert Griffis in 1835,
and the southwest quarter by Thomas Fife, October 18, 1834,
and Abner Ratcliff, October 31, 1835. The section is now
owned by A. G. Ellison R. G. Van Matre, S. R. Childs,
John L. Hancock, W. W. Hensley, and James W.
Hensley.
This section has a public road on each section line and
another crossing it north and south through the center.
Section 24, range eight south of section 13, was entered
by Zimri Moon in 1830, Joseph and Jonathan Dillon in 1835.
MT. PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 155
Oliver H. Smith, Flemming Reed and Daniel R. Moon in
e836.
The present land owners of this section are J. Shields, M.
S. Walker, S. R. Watson, F. Bonner, W. Haney, and J .
and E. Vermillian. This section has nearly five miles of
public highway.
In the southwest corner of Mt. Pleasant, is section 25.
range 8, east. This section was all entered during the years
of 1835 and 1836 by Absolem Van Matre, Oliver H. Smith,
John Walters and Daniel R. Moon in 1836. Section 25 is
now owned by C. H. Lennington, William Pittser, Mattie
Flowers, et al, S. F. Martin, M. Watters and W.A.Watters.
The section has three and a half miles of public roads.
That part of Mt. Pleasant township lying in congressional
township 20, north, and in range 9, east, comprises all the
civil township, except the west tier of sactions as before
stated, and are sections numbered from one to thirty inclu-
sive. No. 1 is the northeast corner of the township, its east
line joining Centre, and its north line Harrison township.
This section is also in the fractional tier and consequently
only contains about 490 acres. The northeast quarter of the
section was purchased by Thomas C. Anthony November 17,
1836. The southeast quarter by John Hayhurst April 4, 1835.
The northwest quarter by Thomas C. Anthony November 21,
1836 and the southwest quarter of Sarah Swisher on October
24, 1834.
The section is now owned by M. A. Eber, J. Eber's
heirs. Squire Fimple, Joseph S. Buckles' heirs and H. W.
Wier The section has a public road on the west line, north
and south through the centre and half way along the north
line from the northeast corner.
Section 2 was all purchased of the government in the
year 1836, except the east half of the northeast quarter (41
and 47-100 acres) which had been secured by Martin William-
son on December 19, 1835. The names of the parties enter-
ing land in this section in 1836 were John VanBuskirk, Oliver
H. Smith and John T. Drummond.
The present owners of the land in section 2 are William
Bennett, J. Weaver, S. Russell, B. S. Dragoo and S. C. Dra-
goo. This section has a public road on both the east and
west line, and the Jackson street pike crosses the southwest-
ern corner of the section. The L. E. & W., railroad touches
the southwest corner.
In section 3, Oliver H. Smith purchased the northeast
quarter on December 1, 1836, Stacia Haines the southeast quar-
ter May 27, 1836, Jesse Coil the northwest quarter December
156 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
16, 1836, and Andrew Danner the southwest quarter Septem-
ber 23, 1835.
This section is now owned by S. B. Bradbury, D. P.
Howell, Charles Fuson, Thomas Darbyshire, B. Dragoo, E.
Dragoo, G. Dragoo and the village of Cammack, which covers
some forty acres of land. The village was laid out, and named
for Mr. David Cammack, who operated a saw-mill at this
point for a number of years, but which was destroyed by fire
several years ago and has never been rebuilt. The section
has a public road on the east line and also on the west, a por-
tion of which is free gravel pike. The L. E. & W. railroad
crosses the section in a north of west direction, and the Jack-
son street pike crossss the south half.
In 1835 entries of public land in section 4 were made by
John Danner, William Reed and James Cummings. The
following year (1836) the balance of the section was entered
by Samuel Danner, William Palmer and Willirm Norris
Stewart.
The present landlords of the section are D. B. Snod-
grass, F. W. Heath, H. and S. Darter, G. B. Snodgrass, S.
Danner, W. Danner, H. Humbert, J. and N. McKinley, T.
C. Stewart, J. Fullhart and M. L. Snodgrass. A portion of
the village of Reed, a station on the L. E. & W. Railroad,
lies in the northwest part of the section. The section has
two and a half miles of public road, most of which is free
gravel pike.
Entries of the public domain were made in section 5 in
1834 by Thomas Palmer and Thomas Draper; in 1835 by
James Cummings; in 1836 by Robert Antrim, James Justice,
Israel H. Shepherd and James Wiley; in 1837 Robert An-
trim, Beltshazer Dragoo and Samuel Proud.
At present this section is divided up into small farms,
there being no one person in the section holding more than
an 80-acre tract. The owners of land in section 5 are M.
Reed, H. Camp, M. Smelser, Samuel Stout, J. H. Snodgrass,
W. L. Snodgrass, S. Darter, R. Curtis et al., B. D. Snod-
grass and J. A. Jester. This section has three miles of public
road, ome mile of which is pike. A portion of the village of
Reed is in the northeast, and School No. 3, or Lincoln school
house, in the northwest quarter of the section.
Section 6 had a purchaser of public land as early as No-
vember 22, 1832, in the person of John D. Jones, who entered
the northwest quarter of the section (93 and 9-100 acres).
The next to enter land in this section was Thomas Draper in
1834, then Peter Shepherd in 1835, and James Wiley, Nathan
Williams, Solomon McLaughlin, John McLaughlin and Mark
Martin in 1836.
Section 6 is now owned by J . K. Snodgrass, R. M.
A
jRi A. Spilker, Pres.
Edw. Olcott, Cash. j. C.f Abbott, Asst. Cash.
Corner Walnut and Jackson Streets.
ARCHITECTURAL IRON WORKS, C. HANIKA & SONS,
South Walnut Street, Muncie.
EVERYTHING IN
MUSIOj*^
PIANOS and ORGANS,
i oof the standard makes.
MANDOLINS, GUITARS,
BANJOS, VIOLINS.
All small instruments.
The Leading Talking
Machines, Records
and Supplies.
THE MUNCIE MUSIC COMPANY,
DENNIS & UETERLING, Props.
307 East Main Street, Muncie, Ind.
MT. PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 157
Snodgrass, C. Wright, M. A. Jester, O. P. Jones, G. G.
Curtis, M. Pence, J. Wellington, J. Stout, E. F. Aldredge
and W. and M. Shoemaker. Section 6 has some three miles
of public highway, much of which is graveled pike.
Section 7, in Mt. Pleasant township, was secured of the
government in 3835, 1836 and 1837 by the following entries:
Thomas Draper, the west half of the northwest quarter
(74.44 acres), January 15, 1835; William Carman Parks,
northeast quarter of the northeast quarter (40 acres), Janu-
ary 8, 1836; east half of the northwest quarter (80 acres)
by John Greer, February 15, 1836; the southwest quarter
(154.40 acres) by John Hutson Moore, June 6, 1836; west
half and southwest quarter of the northeast quarter (120
acres) by William Palmer, June 23, 1836; west half of the
southeast quarter (80 acres) by Joel Clem, July 1, 1836, and
the east half of the southeast quarter (80 acres) by Isaac
Darter, January 23, 1837.
This section is now owned by G. W. Dipple, K. A.
Jones, J. Stout, E. J. Harmon, E. Dipple, H. J. Dipple,
M. L. Kirkpatrick, J. Doyle, M. Brown B. Curtis and C.
Curtis. This section has public roads on the east, west and
south lines, also on the west half of the north line, and north
and south through the center of the section.
There were no entries of public land in section 8 until
January 8, 1836, and the last entry in the section was made
on January 23, 1837. So it will be seen that the land in sec-
tion 8 was only in the -market one year and fifteen days after
the first sale. The purchasers of these lands were Thomas
Danner, Phineas B. Kennedy, Samuel Parker, William
Carman Parks, and Stephen Reed in 1836, and Samuel Proud
and Wesley Oliver in 1837.
The land owners in this section are now: Thomas Allen,
W. S. Reed, E. Dipple, P. J. Hofherr, D. Cook, M. C.
Ratcliff, W. J. Hunter, H. C. Dipple, S. Reed, S. and W.
Hayden, and M. Reed. The section has four miles of public
road, either through or along its borders.
The first entry of land in section 9 was made by Robert
Gordon on November 2.. 1832, when he purchased the west
half of the southeast quarter (80 acres), now owned by P.
J. Hofherr. After this, entries were made in 1833 by
Andrew Cummings; in 1835 by Samuel Danner, Thomas
Morris Gordon and William McKinley. Then the remainder
of the public lands were purchased in 1836 by William
McKinley, Robert Gordon and Samuel Danner.
Section 9 is now owned by Joseph McKinley, George
McKinley, J. and N . Childs, G. Reed, S. and A. Summers,
M. Miller, M. Summers, J. W. Black, J. Swift, Jr., C.
Jones, S. Childs, P. J. Hofherr, and M. Hofherr. This
158 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
section has public roads on the east and south lines, also
through the center, north and south.
Section 10 was parchased of the government in small
tracts, there being thirteen separate purchases, although two
of the purchasers made two entries each, but at different
times. The first of the these lands were taken up in 1833.
The north half of the southeast quarter by Washington Reed,
November 4, and the northwest quarter of the northwest
quarter by John Antrim, December 5. In 1834 entries were
made by Jefferson Reed and Samuel McKinley; in 1835 by
William McKinley, John Reed, and Robert Antrim, and in
1836 by Christopher Terrell, Christopher Wilson and John
Antrim.
The lands in Section 10 are now owned by Thomas Dar-
byshire, James McKinley, William Bennett, John McKinley,
George McKinley, B & S. Dragoo, S. H. Dragoo and W. D.
Dragoo and W. D. Childs. There is a public road on both
the east and west line of this section and the L. E. & W. rail-
road touches the northeast corner.
The first entry of public land in Section 11 was that of
James Williamson who purchased the southwest qnarter and
the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter (in all 200
acres), on July 25, 1833. In 1834 but one entry was recorded
in this section; that of the southeast section, by Samuel Mc-
Kinley. That of James Williamson in the northwest qnarter
again was the only entry in 1835. Benjamin Owen entered
the remaining public land of the section in 1836, it being the
northeast quarter (160 acres), and the northwest quarter of
the northwest quarter (40 acres).
This section is now owned by William Bennett, S. R.
O'Day, C. O'Day, M. J. Rhoades, M. T. Keys, B. Dragoo. J.
L. McKinley, S. J. Isnogle, S. C. Dragoo, M. Williamson
and Robert McKinley. This section has public roads on the
east and also west lines, and another passing through the
center of the section east and west. The Lake Erie & West-
ern railroad crosses the north half, and Mud Creek ditch
drains the south half of the section.
James Williamson was the first purchaser of the land in
Section 12, his purchase being the southwest quarter of the
section and dated November 30, 1832. Other entries in this
section were made by Martin Johnson Williamson in 1S34,
John Howell, Martin J. Williamson and Henry Merritt, in
1835, and Samuel W. Harland and Jonathan T. Merauda in
1836. These lands are now owned by Joseph S. Buckles'
heirs, C. Johnson, L. Johnson, A. A. Condit, S. Rowland T.
S. Guthrie, T. C. McAlister, E. R. Miller, E. Williamson
and S. Williamson.
Section 12 has some two and a half miles of highway, a
MT. PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 159
part of which is the Jackson street free pike, which angles
through the north half of the section. The L. E. & W. rail-
road crosses diagonally through the center, and Mud Creek
drains the southern part and School No. 1, better known as
" Nebo," is located in the west center of the section.
Public land was entered in Section 13 as early as April 1,
1830, by Joseph Emersom after which entries were made by
Isaac Norris and James Williamson in 1833, and John Fuller,
John Howell and James Williamson in 1834. These lands
are now in the name of J. J- Warfel, J. E. Eber, S. A. Wil-
liamson, E. R. Miller, S. Williamson, M. A. Stevens, J. W.
Crawford, heirs of D. Proctor et al, and Otto Williamson.
This section )i3) is in the middle tier, and its east line joins
Center township. White river crosses the section near the
center, in a generally west course. The section has a public
road on the west line, another through the section north of
and near the river, while the Muncie and Yorktown free pike
crosses the section east and west about sixty rods north of the
south line.
Our records show that the south half of Section 14 was
reserved for the use of the heirs of Isaac Wobby, whose rep-
resentatives afterwarcs disposed of it to other and different
parties. The first regular entry of land in Section 14 was
that of Lemuel Green Jackson, on July 23, 1832. The next
was Wm. Daughtery February 26, 1834. In 1839 entries
were made in the section by Sophia Prince, William T. Scott
and William Daugherty, and in 1836 by Oliver H. Smith and
Christopher Wilson. We find the present land owners of 14
to be Otto Williamson, J. Gilbert, T. J. Williamson, J. Gil-
bert and T. B. Parkison. The section has a public road
along both the east and west lines, another through or near
the center, east and west, and the Yorktown free pike across
the southern part. White river crosses the section in a west
course, near the center. The southwest corner of the section
joins the the northeast corner of the corporation of West
Muncie, in Section 22.
Section 15 was entered first by Robert Gordon on Sep-
tember 16, 1829, who secured 80 acres. John Gordon then
entered 80 acres on May 17, 1830; W7illiam Daugherty, Sr.,
80 acres, and Jonas Cummings, 240 acres in 1835. But prior
to any of these regular entries, Solomon Tindal had been
granted the southeast quarter of this section by the treaty of
October 3, 1818, at St. Mary's The grant was dated on the
25th day of February, 1824, some five and a half years prior
to any regular entry The William Daugherty, Sr., above
mentioned, was a soldier of the revolution, and his son Will-
iam (who was the stepfather of Hon. J. Harvey Koontz, of
Yorktown) fought in the war of 1812.
160 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Section 15 is now owned by James McKinley, E. V.
Myers, M. E. Warfel, M. Warfel, H. C. Warfel, J. Warfel,
I. Humphries, A. L. Reynolds, C. Jones, M. C. Parkison,
P. A. Gilbert, T. Allen, George W. Parkison, M. Rice and
A. Cornelius.
The section lies immediately north of and adjoining the
village of Yorktown and West Muncie. It has some four
miles of public road, and the southeast part of the section is
crossed by White river.
Section 16, the township school section, was sold by the
commissioners for school purposes on October 27, 1832, to
lames Reed, William Antrim and Willis Hardwick. The
minimum price was $1. 25 and the maximum $1.51 per acre,
the section bringing the total sum of $832. This section is
now in the names of T. G. Coil, P. J. Hofher, M. L. Jones,
S. O. Hawk, J. A. Ward, J. A. Ward et al., N. and G.
Richie, J. E. Cook, George W. Parkison, A. Cornelius, J. M.
Williamson, Ellen Reed, G. Cook, M. McCristie and R. J.
Stout. The section has three and a half miles of public road.
Mud Creek drains the west half, and School No. 6, or "Lib-
erty" school house, is located near the center of the section.
Section 17 was all entered in small tracts, there being
four entries of 80 acres each, the balance of the section being
all taken in 40-acre tracts. The first entry made was by Peter
Smelser in 1834. Then followed those of Beltshazer Dragoo,
Stephen Brewer, Oliver H. Smith and Benjamin Franklin
Laing, in 1835; William Antrim, James Clark and Zadoc
Stewart, in 1836, and John Reed and Robert Watkins in 1837.
The title to the lands of section 17 are now held by J. R.
Antrim, S. Hardwick, G. Reynolds, H. Stout, H. Stout et.
al., J. and E. Jones, R. H. Curtis, E. J. Jester, R. J. Stout,
A. F. Jones, F. J. McAlister and P. Miller. The section has
five and one-fourth miles of public road, and is well drained
by Mud creek and its tributary branches.
Section 18 was also purchased of the government in small
tracts, there being some ten different entries, the first of
which was that of Peter Smelser, in 1834; then Edward Red-
ington (2), Oliver H. Smith (2), Phylonzo Redington and
Joseph Danner in 1835, Joseph danner in 1836 and James H.
Jones and William H. Stewart in 1837.
This section is now owned by R. H. Curtis, W. Pugh,
N. Yingling, Charles Brown, C. Brown et. al., J. G. Dona-
van, J. Jester, J. Overman and W. W. Hensley. This sec-
tion has a public road on each section line, also one crossing
the section north and south on the half section line.
The first public land purchased in section 19, Mt. Pleas-
ant township, was the southeast quarter of the southwest
quarter (40 acres). The purchaser was Amos Dillon Ken-
T. G. NEELY,
Merchant and postmaster at Gilman, Ind., with farm land in Harrison and
Mt. Pleasant townships.
JAMES M KINLEY
was born in Pickaway county, Ohio,
Nov. 25, 1828. Departed this life
April 5, 1897, aged 68 years, 4
months and 10 days. He moved
with his parents to Delaware county,
Ind., when a small boy, where he
spent the remainder of his days.
On Jan. 10, 1850, he was married to
Nancy A. Landry. He was an ar-
dent Democrat all his life.
MRS. NANCY A. l.ANDRV
m'kinlev
was born one mile west of York-
town, Dec. 8. 1833. Was married
to James McKinley, Jan. 10, 1850,
and has lived at her present home
for about fifty years. Mr. and Mrs.
McKinley have always been active
workers in the M. E. Church.
MT. PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 161
nard, and the date of purchase October 7, 1833. This entry
was followed on the 16th of the same month by James Thomas
Watson entering the west half of the southeast quarter (80
acres), and William VanMatre the northeast quarter of the
southeast quarter on November 28 of the same year. In 1834
but one purchase was made, that of the east half of the north-
east quarter by Peter Smelser, on August 18.
In 1835 entries were recorded in the name of Oliver H.
Smith, Wm . VanMatre, Fleming Reed and Adam Antrim.
No entries were made in 1836, but in 1837 the last of the pub-
lic land in the section was purchased by Timothy Stewart on
the 28th day of January. These lands in section 19 are now
in the names of P. Miler, J. Harmon, Jr., T. C. Stewart, S.
R. Watson, N. E. Burke, C. Harmon, M . C. Pool and J. E.
Walker. The section has nearly four miles of public high-
way, and School No. 5 (or Walker school house) is located
in the southwest quarter of the section.
One of the earliest entries of public land in the county
was that of the east half of the southeast quarter of section 20.
The entry was made by Uriah Bulla on October 24, 1822.
This tract is owned at present by Margaret Reed and C. P.
Keys. In fact, the entire section was settled at an early date
by Joseph and Wm. VanMatre, in 1822; Stafford and Madi-
son Hunt, in 1830; William Miller, in 1832; Joseph Landry
and Thomas Hardwick, in 1833, and by Wiltiam Daugherty,
Sr., and Peter Smelser, in 1934.
This section is divided into small farms, the owners be-
ing: J. W. Black, Margaret Reed, S. Landry, S. O. Hawk,
W. R. Landry, J. Reed, M. Taylor, C. P. Keys, R. M.
McKinley, L. McKinley, M. G. Davis, P. F. Knight and C.
Priest. The section has between three and four miles of pub-
lic road, but much of it is so crooked that it would require
a pretty good knowledge of geometry to get a very correct
measurement of it. White river crosses the southeast and
Mud creek the northwest portion of the section.
The first of the public domain in section 21 was purchased
by Joseph Bell on June 28, 1825, being the west half of the
northeast quarter (80 acres), and Joseph VanMatre entered
the west half of the southwest quarter the same year, Septem-
ber 16. After this the land in section 21 was purchased as
follows: 80 acres by William Hardwick, December 12, 1827;
80 acres by Absalom Daugherty, October 20, 1828; 80 acres
each by Timothy and William Jones, in 1829; 80 acres by
William Jones in 1832, and 40 acres by Samuel Parkison in
i835-
Section 21 is now owned by J. M. Williams, George W.
Parkison, T. Allen, David Campbell, Ellen Reed, G. S. Slack
et. al., R. J. Stout, Margaret Reed, A. Crawford, J. Hard-
162 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
wick, B. Hardwick, C. P. Keys and J. VanMatre. The sec-
tion has some three miles of public road. White river crosses
the northern part, and the Big Four railroad the southeast
corner.
Section 22 has the honor of being the first settled section
in the township, if not in the county, if we can call it settle-
ment, as the most done in that direction was the purchase of
land on September 16, 1820, by the half-breed, Samuel
Casman, under the provisions of the St. Mary's treaty.
This was the north half of the section, containing 320 acres,
with White river crossing the northwest part and Buck creek
the center, in a northwesterly course, furnishing excellent
water power for mill sites, which were in later years utilized.
It is said of this first land owner (Casman) that in the pur-
chase of land and his love of " fire-water" were found his
only traits of the white man. His first wife was a negro
woman, who died here at their home. He married again,
sold his land to Hon. Oliver H. Smith, moved to the Indian
reserve on the Missinewa, near Peru, and was finally found
dead in a hollow log somewhere in Madison county.
The remainder of section 22 was purchased regularly of
the government, at its land office at Indianapolis, by William
Hardwick in 1827, and Abner McCartney, Theodore R. Lewis
and Charles Jones in 1835
The villages of Yorktown and West Muncie cover this
section, with the exception of a small portion in the north-
west corner, owned by the Muncie Strawboard Company and
J. M. Williams, and some 68 acres in the sounthwest part, of
the section, owned by David Campbell.
Although Yorktown would strike the stranger passing
that way now as a staid and steady-going old town, yet I can
assure my readrs that Yorktown was at one time a dashing,
jolly place, a kind of " rounding-up " town for hunters, horse
racers, etc., where it was supposed one could find about as
much "fun " and "frolic" as any other place of its size in
the country. Yet Yorktown always had her steady-gcing,
law-abiding citizens.
Section 23 was all entered in qaarter section tracts.
The first of these was secured by Benoni Tindal, under the
St. Mary's treaty, of 1818, on the 25th day of February, 1824,
and was the northwest quarter of the section, now owned by
S. and J. E. Andrews. The northeast quarter was entered
by Thomas Bromfield, November 16, 1835, the southeast
quarter by David Yount, November 6, 1835, and the south-
west quarter by Oliver H. Smith, December 24, 1835.
Section 23 is now owned by G. Lenon, H. C. Brindel, J.
R. Applegate, S. Andrews, J. E. Andrews, Thomas Port's
heirs, J. R. Campbell, J. P. Stagg, J. Myers, and H. A.
MT. PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 163
Goings. Besides these owners there is about one-half of the
southwest quarter of the section occupied by the village of
West Muncie. There is a public road on the east and south
lines, and the Big Four railroad crosses the north half of the
section.
Section 24 was entered in the years 1831 to 1834 by
John Beeth, William Templeton, Jeremiah Wilson, John
Braden Finley, Thomas Bromfield, James Stewart and Oliver
H. Smith. Those now owning it are: W. G. Huffer, E. F.
Huffer, J. S. Huffer, I. J. Williams, VV. and J. Landry, N.
F. Pittenger, W. N. Williams, M. Hoechst, and M. G.
Brindel. The section has three miles of public road, the
Big Four railroad crosses the north half, and school No. 7,
or Center school house, is located in the west center of the
section.
In Section 25 there were two entries in 1830, one by John
B. Brown, the other by James Tomlinson. In 183 1 entries
were recorded in the name of Parnell Tomlinson and Edward
Aldredge, leaving one 80-acre tract, which was taken up by
Kezia Keasby May 13th, 1833.
Section 25 is now owned by P. W. Williams, N. P, Wil-
liams, I. J. Williams, A. C. Perdieu, J. Harmon and J. H.
Koontz. The section has only one mile of public road — that
on and near the east line. Buck Creek drains the section by
running in a west course through the central part.
The first purchase of public land in Section 26 was by
John B.Brown, in the year 1830. The next was by Keiza Keas-
by and Isaac Norris in 1833 and the last purchases in the section
were by Thomas Bromfield and Oliver H. Smith in 1835
The land owners in 26, at this time (1899) are J. Harmon, J.
J. Hoferr, J. R. Antrim, J. H. Koontz, W. J. Painter, J.
Griesheimer, P. J. Hufherr and W. J. and A. Wiggerly. The
section has three miles of highway and is drained by Buck
Creek passing through the center in a west course.
The first entry of land in section 27 was by Samuel Bell
in 1827, then followed that of Timothy Stewart in 1828, from
that time five years intervened between the entries, or until
1833, when purchases were made by Thomas and Robert
Hasket and Henry Enilseizer, and the last purchase in the
section by Oliver H. Smith, August 10, 1835. Twenty-seven
is now owned by A. S. Cooley, D. R. Warfel, S. Grice, M.E
Bowers, O. Stewart, W. A. O'Day, G. Lenon (trustee) J.
Paulin and C. Paulin. The section has nearly three miles of
public road, that along the west line (one mile) being free
gravel pike. The north part of the northeast quarter of this
section lies in the village of West Muncie.
Section 28 in Mt. Pleasant township was all entered in
1835, save a 40 acre tract in the northwest quarter that had
164 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
been purchased in 1833 by Timothy Stewart. Those secur-
ing these lands in 1835 were Thomas Hardwick, Theodore R.
Lewis, Willis Hardwick and Joseph Stewart. Twenty-eight is
now owned by J . S. Aldredge, Jeff H. Claypool, C. P. Keys,
John Aldredge, J. S. Huffer and C. F. Warfel. The section
has a pike along the east line, a public road on the west line
and the Big Four R. R., angling through the section in a
northeast to southwest course.
In section 29 we find another early entry of land that of
David Hillis, October 24, 1822, being the northwest quarter
of the section. No other entries were made in the section
until that by Line Newland in 1829. The next after this was
that by Joseph Van Matre in 1830, then David Kilgore in
1834. followed in 1835 by the purchase of Jefferson Reed and
David Kilgore in two other entries.
As the landlords of this section, we now find C. P.
Keys, D. Kilgore, Jr., J. S. Huffer, W. K. Helvie, J. P.
Shoemaker, F. Kilgore, M. G. Davis, P. F. Knight, C. Priest
and W. R. Moore.
The section has some two miles of public road, White
river crosses the northwest corner and School No. 9, or Kil-
gore school house, is located in the north center of the section
on the Yorktown and Daleville, or old state, road.
The land entries in section 30, Mt. Pleasant township,
extend over a period of eleven years, from 1824 to 1835, the
first of which was that of James Madison Van Matre in 1824,
Isaac Jones, John Neely, Amos Dillon Kennard in 1833,
Morgan Van Matre in 1834, and Oliver H. Smith and Jacob
Redington in 1835. The section is now owned by N. E.
Burke, J. Burke, A. Miller, W. R. Moore, J. C. Darst
(trustee), L. and S. Donovan, C. H. Lenington, L. Harmon,
S. F. Martin and L. E. Kilgore. White river crossing this
section in a southwest course, divides itself in the northeast
quarter, forming a junction again in the southwest quarter,
thus forming an island in the center of the section of some 75
acres in extent.
HARRISON TOWNSHIP. 165
HARRISON TOWNSHIP.
Harrison, the largest, the latest, the last,
The biggest, and one of the best,
Why, oh why did you linger so long?
Why did you not start with the rest?
The wild roses grew as rich and as rare,
Your trees grew tapering and tall,
Your forests were filled with turkey and bear
That came at the rifle's call.
Thy forests stood stately for many long years,
Awaiting the ax and the maul,
Which came in tne hands of the old pioneers,
Making music from spring until fall,
And now, where once the dark forest grew,
The fields are waiving and brown,
For labor's reward is pronounced by the Lord,
So Harrison; take up thy crown,
Harrison Township*
Harrison is the largest of the civil townships in Dela-
ware county, being six by seven miles in entent. It is all in
congressional township 21, and all except the west tier of sec-
tions in range 9 east.
Harrison therefore has 42 sections of land, aggregating
26,880 acres. It is bounded north by Washington township,
east by Hamilton and Center, south by Mt Pleasant and west
by a portion of Madison county. The soil of this township
can be said as a whole to consist of a clay with an admixture
of sand, which condition prevails generally throughout the
entire township. Big Kill Buck creek is the principal stream
in the township, entering near the northeast corner and pass-
ing out near the southwest corner, it drains sections 1, 12, 16,
21, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32. Jakes creek enters the east end of
the township in section 25 and running in an almost direct
west course, empties its waters into Kill Buck in section 29.
The general lay of the land in Harrison is level, although
sufficiently rolling for drainage. The township was origion-
ally covered with a heavy growth of timber, of the varieties
common to this latitude.
As has heretofore been stated in these pages, the early
settlers seemed to choose their homes in the neighborhood of
the water stream, as we find all the earlier settlements made
along the White and Missisinewa rivers, and thus account for
HARRISON TOWNSHIP. 167
the seeming lateness in the settling up of Harrison township,
and although Big Killbuck creek passes through the township
and furnishes drainage outlet to much of the territory, yet it
was never considered sufficient for water mill power, although
Joshua Howell erected a mill for grinding corn, on Big Kill-
buck about one and a half miles below Bethel in 1842. This
was one of the primitive contrivances so often found in the
pioneer settlement, and was soon dispensed with, as mills of
large capacity were erected on neighboring streams, and as
roads were constructed whereby the settlers could get to them.
Jesse Stout, a Baptist minister, erected a distillery on the
west half of the southwest quarter of section 29, in 1842. Mr.
Stout had entered the land in 1836, and seeing the demand for
whisky concluded he could make a financial success of his
enterprise and at the same time accommodate his neighbors.
However, as the capacity of his still was but about three gal-
lons per day the demand, and subseqnent legislatures, inter-
fered somewhat with his business, he abandoned the enter-
prise, which gave him more time to devote to preaching.
Perhaps the first school in Harrison township was taught
in the winter of 1834 and 1835 in a log school house built for
school purposes on the land entered by John Garner, being
the east half of the southeast quarter of section 29, and south-
east of where school house No. 6 now stands and on the same
section. Schools in these early days were very uncertain, as
a teacher and an empty cabin could not always be obtained,
but our early pioneers seemed to have had high appreciation
of education as demonstrated in their early efforts to establish
schools and which has culminated in our present healthful
school system of which every lndianaian may feel justly
proud.
The first merchant of Harrison township was Jacob
Miller, who erected a store room adjoining his residence in
the southeast part of section 20, in 1851, then in September
of that year went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and bought three wagon
loads of dry goods, groceries, etc., and hauling them home
was prepared to accommodate his customers with many of the
necessaries of life.
Harrison has never been noted for her towns and villages,
but is entirely rural in her pretentions, her entire territory
being given up to agricultural interests. Bethel (or Stout) is
the only village in the township, although Gilman is geo-
graphicaly in Harrison township, yet, in fact, in Madison
county. In other words, the paper town is in Delaware
county while the buildings are in Madison. Job Garner at
one time laid out a village on his farm in the southeast part
of section 20 and named it Harrison, but after the land was
168 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
sold to Jacob Miller he converted the town into farm land,
as others might be converted to advantage.
In giving the history of this township by sections we
shall commence at the northwest corner of the township, giv-
ing the west tier of sections, or those adjoining Madison
county, and being in range 8' east, then commencing at sec-
tion i, take the sections alternately as they are numbered.
Section i in Harrison township, in range 8, is in the
northwest part of the township. The first land entry in this
section was made on October 17, 1836, when Otis Preble
entered the west half of the southeast quarter (80 acres), and
John Robb on the same day entered the southwest quarter
(160 acres). In 1836 entries were made by Milton Lawrence
and John Perdue; in 1838 by Almon B. Brand and Milton
Lawrence, leaving the south half of the northeast quarter,
now owned by A. J. Corwin, which found no purchaser until
1852, when it was finally entered by Allen Makepeace. The
section is now sub-divided into small farms and owned by J.
T. Broyles, O. Broyles, J. Broyles, A. J. Corwin, James B.
Barwick, S. Dilty, E. Poindexter, R. Stiltz, L. Thomas, A.
Woodring, W. Thomas, T. C. Day, E. E. Cramer and T. C.
Archer. The section has three and one-fourth miles of pub-
lic road.
South of section 1 is section 12, also bordering on Madi-
son county. The first purchase in this section was also made
by Otis Preble at the same time of his entry in section 1, it
being the west half of the northeast quarter, 80 acres, now
owned by W. H. Carter; and James F. Robb entered an 80-
acre tract, joining him on the west, the same day. Then fol-
lowed the purchases of John Perdue, John Hodson and
Richard Justice in 1837, and that of Harrison H. Deal and
Michael Null in 1839. Section 12 is now owned by W.
Thomas, A. Jackson, W. H. Carter, G B. Finley, B. and E.
Kline, M. and E. Myers, B. Kline, J. O. Kirkman, J. D.
Kirkman, E. Leeson, and W. B. Leeson. The section has
three and one-fourth miles of public road, and school No. 4
is located in the northeast corner.
Section 13, range 8, was all entered in 1837 by Enoch
Garner, George Turner, Joseph Cook, Adam C. Lewis, and
Miles Marshall, in the order named, and all made their
entries from February 25 to March 14. The section is owned
at present by C. Thomas, L. M. Jackson, W. Zimmerman,
V. E. Garner's heirs, G. W. Clevenger, O. Garner, N. Shaw,
L. E. Sayer, J. H. Smith, C L. Nesbit, M. J. Stafford, C.
King and T. C. Day. This section has four miles of public
road, three-quarters of a mile of which is free gravel pike.
Section 24 was purchased of the government in the years
of 1836, '37 and '39 by Tobias Benner, Jonathan Langley,
HARRISON TOWNSHIP. 169
and Joseph Cox in 1836; Jesse H. Healey in 1837, and James
Marshall, Thomas Worley, and Curtis Langley in 1839 The
present landlords of this section are J. A. Hiatt, R. Brown,
C. King, S. Hiatt, G .C. Stephenson, Draper and Miller, M.
Hutson, Enos Hutson, T. Hutson, I. Hutson, M. Ferguson,
and J. Wellington. The section has something over one mile
of pike and three miles of other public road. School No. 5
is located on the east line, one-third of a mile south of the
northeast corner.
Section 25 had a purchaser as early as July 10, 1834, in
the person of Robert Swift, who on that date entered the east
half of the southeast quarter. After this the entries were
made by Jonathan Langley, Joseph Cox, Samuel Langley,
John Starr and Francis Davis in 1836, and Curtis Langley in
1839. The present owners of 25 are John Simpson, A. A.
Manning, Enos Hutson, D. W. Bowers, W. and C. Colson,
J. Parker and John Miller. The plat of the village of Gil-
man covers some no acres in the south part of the section,
and school No. 12 is located in the southeast quarter.
The first entry of land in section 36 was made by Isaac
Adamson on October 18, 1832, and this was the first purchase
of public land ever made in Harrison township. The tract
was the southeast quarter of the section, 160 acres, now
owned by Eliza and O. P. Jones, Jr. Other entries were
made in the section by Archibald Parker, in 1833 and '35, by
John Parker, John Fenny, and John Crawson in 1835, Ste-
phen Crawson and Samuel Langley in 1836, and Miles Mar-
shall and Nathan Hodgson in 1837. The present land owners
in section 36 are William and S. Lee, Gas Center Land Com-
pany, O. P. Jones, E. Jones, J. Curtz, S. M. Miller, and T.
G. Neely. Big Killbuck creek crosses the east half of the
section, and a large portion of the village of Gilman is located
in the north part of the section. The only drawback to that
portion of the village that lies on the east side of the county
line is the lack of improvements and inhabitants, for all must
admit that it is a very pretty place to build a town.
Section 1 in range 9 east in Harrison is in the northeast
corner of the township. The first purchase of government
land in this section was the soutewest quarter, now owned by
Francis Bilby, 160 acres. This purchase was made by
Jonathan Johns on August 13, 1836, after which time pur-
chases follow in rapid succession by Bernard F. Hook, John
Sutton, John Conner, James Ashcraft and David Enry in
1836, William Gard and Samuel P. Anthony in 1837, and" the
last 40 acre tract by James Ashcraft in 1841. The present
owners of this section are J. N. Cox, E. L. Miller, W. H.
Young, S. Kinnett, M. Crampton, I. E. Crampton, H. Bovven,
E. M. Carter, and Francis Bilby. The section has something
170 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
more than 2*4 miles of public highway which includes the
Muncie and Wheeling free gravel pike which angles across
the east half of the section and Kill Buck creek crosses the
southeast corner.
Jonathan Johns was also the first to purchase land in sec-
tion 2, entering the southeast quarter, 160 acres, on the same
day as he did his purchase in section 1, (Aug. 13, 1836,)
which gave him 320 acres all iying in a body, the same year
(1836) on Nov. 15 Jonathan Stewart entered the southwest
quarter, Dec. 7, 1836 Job Garner entered the south half of the
northwest quarter, 80 acres, Jan. 21, 1837 John D. Jones en-
tered the north half of the northwest quarter 98 84-100 acres,
and in 1839 Samuel P. Anthony purchased the north half and
David Hays the south half of the north east quarter. Section
2, is owned at present by M. Driscoll, P. Dunn, W. T.
Janney, J. Cheesman, W. Stanley, Francis Bilby, C. Steel,
A. Rector, W. Rector and G. Wilson. The section has two
miles of public road.
There was but one-quarter of section 3 taken up in 1836,
that being by Gideon McKibban on May 30 of that year and
was the southeast quarter of the section now owned by S. J
McCreery, T. Beamer and S. Muller. The othei lands of
this section were purchased by John Tomlinson and John
Collins in 1837 and Samuel McCreery in 1838. We find the
present owners of section 3 to be W. B. Woodring, Thomas
McCreery, J. W. McCreery, William McCreery, S. J. Mc-
Creery. S. Muller and T. Beamer. The section has 3)4 miles
of public road, 2j^ of which is free gravel pike.
There were no entries of the public domain in section 4
until 1836 in which year there was one 80 and two 40 acre
tracts taken up by Joseph Gobie and John Gilliland. Samuel
Richerson made the only entry in the section the north half
of the northeast quarter, 100-14 acres, in 1837. During the
year of 1838 entries were made by Henry W. Smith, and
Samuel McCreery and in 1839 by Andrew Welch and William
Bentley. The present land owners in section 4 are J. H.
Gruver, R. M. Miller, S. McCreery, S. D. Ferguson, R.
Miller, Josiah Ferguson, J. W. McCreery and A. Oxley.
The section has 4 miles of public highway, that along the east
line being the free gravel pike running south from the village
of Gaston which is one half mile north of the northeast corner
of this section.
The first purchaser of public land in section 5 was Samuel
Brady, who entered two 40 and one go acre tract on October
20, 1836. Joseph McGilliland and George W. and Jefferson
N. Horine made purchases during the same year (1836). In
1837 two purchases were made, one by Reason Davis and the
other by Jacob C. Paisley. There were no purchases made
HARRISON TOWNSHIP. 171
in 1838, but the remaining lands were entered in 1839 by
Elisha Galemon and Harrison Dean. Section 5 is owned at
present by A. and L. Stephenson, H. B. Trout, J. Burgess,
L. Stephenson, W. Duncan, F. Sharp, J. E. Sharp, J. W.
McCreery, A. Oxley, A. C. Brady, F. R. Langsdon, S. Fer-
guson and L. and A. Bond. This section has four miles of
public road and is divided into small farms.
Section 6 was late in coming into market as there was no
purchases of public land within the section until February,
1837, however all the section except the north half of the
northeast quarter was entered during this year (1837) by
Reason Somers, Jacob Beals, Zachariah Cook, Jesse Mellett
and John Perdue. The tract excepted was entered in 1839
by Harrison Dean. At present section six is owned in small
farms by J. Newberger, F. Sharp, J E. Sharp, W. P. Brim-
hall, S. F. McNett, L. Jackson, J. Underwood, R. Ady, Ben-
jamin Barclay, H. L. Miller and W. F. Carpenter. Six has
four miles of public road and school No. 4 is located in the
southwest corner of the section.
It was almost fifteen years from the time of the first pur-
chase of public land in section 7 by Amos Ratcliff on Decem-
ber 7, 1836, until the last entry in the section by James H.
Swoor on June 18, 1851. The first being the southwest quar-
ter and the last the east half of the northeast quarter. Be-
tween these, purchases were those of Vincent Garner 1836,
John Perdue and Robert Robe in 1837, Henry Garner and
Giddeon McKibbenin 1838, and Jacob French in 1839. Section
7 is now owned by A. E. Vanlandingham, M. L. Thurston,
J. Ocker, A. Morris, J. and M. Findley, W. S. Findley, W.
Walling, J. M. Love and C. S. Thomas. This section has
but two miles of public highway, consisting of a road on the
north and one on the south line of the section.
Section 8 was all purchased by three persons as follows:
Josiah Robe entered the northwest and southeast quarters
(320 acres) on December 7, 1836. Thomas Dean entered the
northeast quarter (160 acres) on November 15, 1836, and
Robert Robe entered the soutewest quarter May 1, 1837.
From the original three owners the section has been subdivided
until we now find the unlucky number of thirteen represent-
ing the ownership of section 8. They are M. Gronnendyke,
W. Robe, M. J. Robe, L. and A. Pond, S. Barclay, M.
Parker's heirs, T. M. Oxley, M. Beuoy, R. Thomas, J. F.
Sollars and H. Heath. The section has 3 miles of public
road, they being on the north and south lines and also cross-
ing the west half, north and south.
The first entry of public land in section 9 was an 80-acre
tract in the northwest quarter of the section, by Anderson
Miller, on the 28th day of October, 1836, another 80 was en-
172 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
tered in the southwest quarter by Aaron Adamson the follow-
ing December 17th. In 1837 but one entry was made and
that by William Gard. In 1838 all the remaining public land
of the section was entered by Job Garner and Michael Null.
The present land owners of this section are Thomas Mc-
Creery, R. M. Miller, T. McCreery, O. L. and S. Stokes, L.
B. Wiggins, j. and M. Gray, John VanBuskirk, G. W.
Boxell and R. J. and F. Woodring. Section 9 has four miles
of public road, that on the east line being free gravel pike.
School No. 3 is located in this section near the northwest
corner.
Section 10 was purchased of the government in 1836 and
'37, in four 80 and two 160-acre tracts. The purchasers in
1836 were Samuel McCune and Prior Rigdon. In 1837 they
were Samuel McCune, Mathew Burrows and John Woods,
Samuel McCune and Mathew Burrows securing each 240
acres.
We find the present land owners in this section to be
M. E Johnson, J. W. McCreery, S. J. McCreery, C. M.
Rector, C. W. Rector, Emerson McColm, L. M. Chalfant,
T. J. Freeman and Ella McColm. The section has four
miles of public road, more than one-half of which is free pike,
and school No. 2 is located on the north line one-quarter of
a mile east of the northwest corner.
Section 11 was also entered in the years 1836 and '37.
October 12, 1836, Lewis M. Wilson entered the northeast
quarter, and on December 3 of the same year Anderson
Merritt entered the southeast quarter. The two remaining
quarters were entered the following year (1837) by John
Tomlinson, Thomas Brumfield, Thomas Collins, James Wash-
ington Cload and John Collins.
The lands of section 11 are now owned by Arthur Rector,
James Rector, Allen Benadum estate, E. O. Drake, F. Bena-
dumandW. Benadum. The section has some iy2 miles public
road, one mile along south line of which is free pike. The
U. B. Church is located at the south center of this section.
Section 12 joins Hamilton township on the east. The
first land owner in this section was Oliver H. Cogshill, who
entered the east half of the northeast quarter August 13, 1836.
During the same year entries were made in the section by
Owen Morris, Asher Storer, Watson W. Fitzpatrick and
Jonas Sutton and in 1837 by Jane Stafford and Abraham Mc-
Connell. None of the names of the original owners of land
is now found in this section, but instead we have the names
ofW. and J. Langsdon, C. Murphy, C. C. Crampton, M.
Langsdon, W. H. Brown, J. S. Brown, and W. and E. E.
Bell as the parties holding the land titles in section 12. The
section has something more than 2^ miles of public road,
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PRESIDENT FRANKLIN A. R. KUMLER, A. M., Ph. D.
Was born near Hamilton, Ohio, 1854. His early education was acquired in the common
schools of Butler county, Ohio. After reaching his majority he entered the Normal Univer-
sity at Lebanon, Ohio, and remained there two years. He then entered Otterbein Univer-
sity at Westerville, Ohio, and continued his studies six years, graduating in the classical
course. Two years were then spent in the study of medicine in the Cincinnati Medical Col-
lege. To complete his education more fully, especially in the classics, Mr. Kumler spent ond
year in Berlin, Germany He has attained the degrees A. M., Ph. D. Prof. Kumler servee
as President of Avalon College, Trenton, Mo., for ten years, ending in June, 1897. Since
then he has spent a large portion ofjhis time in Muncie in the organization of the University.
HARRISON TOWNSHIP. 173
that on the south line being free pike, and the Muncie and
Wheeling pike crosses the northeast corner. School No. 1 is
located on the southeast part of the northwest quarter of the
section.
In section 13, Harrison township, there were two 80 acre
tracts entered in 1836, Samuel Moore securing the east half of
the southeast quarter and Samuel Snider the west half of the
same quarter, the first, dated Oct. 4, and the latter and day
thereafter (Oct. 5). In 1837, entries were, made by Daniel
Jarrett, Hiram' Adams, William Beaty and a second entry by
Samuel Snider. The last entry of the section was made by
Jacob Miller on June 15, 1839, the tract so entered by Mr.
Miller was the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter (40
acres) now owned by J. A. Rector. The present land owners
of section 13 are C. and A. Kiracof, A. and J. Mulreed, L.
Rees, J. A. Rector, H. Clements, George Phibbs, C. De-
laney and L. M. Hawkins. The section has three miles of
public road, that along the north line being free pike. Scotts
ditch, one of the tributaries of Kill Buck creek, drains the
south part of the section.
Section 14, lying west of 13, was entered by Geogre
Griffin. Thomas Anthony and Thomas B. Jenett in 1836,
Isaac Barnes ann Benjamin Wallingsford in 1837 and Jacob
Miller in 1839. Mr. Miller's entry was dated June 15, on
which day he made numerous entries in different parts of the
township. Section 14 is .now owned by M. E. Cary, J. and
L. Richardson, W. T. Downing, J. Brown, C. W. Porter, J.
H. Moore, E. Kitzmiller, Samuel Gray and W. H. Brown.
This section is well supplied with public roads having one on
each section line and another north and south thongh the center.
The south half of this section is also drained by the Scott
ditch.
Section 15, was all purchased of the government in 1836
by four pearsons, each entering a quarter section as follows:
James Newhouse entered the southwest quarter May 30,1836,
Thomas Haworth, the northwest quarter June 3, 1836, Joseph
Lafavor the southeast quarter August 12, 1836 Geo. Griffin
the northeast quarter and October 18, 1836. These pioneer
names have all disappeared from the records of land titles
so far as concerns section 15, in Harrison township and we
find in their stead as land owners, the names of A. S. Cecil,
Mathew Gray's heirs, A. Trobridge, J. and L. Richardson and
J. H. Null. The section has public roads on each of its bor-
ders, that on the west and one fourth of a mile on the north
line being free gravel pike. School No. 7 is located in the
southwest corner and the north part of the section is drained
by Big Kill Buck creek.
Next in this tier of sections, going west, is school sec-
i74 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
tion No. 16, which was sold on November n, 1836, to the
following named persons at the prices named: South half of
the northeast quarter (80 acres) to Bigger and Kennedy for
#140.50; northeast quarter of the northeast quarter (40 acres)
to John Coon for $76.00; northwest quarter of the northeast
quarter (40 acres) to Eleazer Coffeen for $70.00; to William
Martendale, the west quarter of the northwest quarter (80
acres) for $230.00; the east half of same quarter (80 acres)
for $160.00; the east half of the southeast quarter (80 acres)
for $160.00; and the west half of the same quarter (80 acres)
for $160.00, Mr. Martendale thus securing one-half of the
section; to A. Adamson, the southwest quarter (160 acres)
for $300.00, the entire section bringing the aggregate sum of
$1,296.50.
We find none of the original owners' names now in this
section as landlords, the titles having passed to T. McCreery,
J. W. McCreery, J. and M. Gray, J. and M. Whistler, E. M.
McClelland, P. N. Stout, T. J. Bowles, et al., L. E.
Archer, E. Gumm, and V. Stout. The section has three and
a quarter miles of public roads, one mile of which is free
pike. Killbuck creek crosses the southeast and the McClel-
land ditch the northwest corners of the section.
The southwest quarter of section 17 was entered on
October 15, 1836, by Thomas I. Collins taking the east and
Jonathan West the west half. The east half of the section
(320 acres) was entered by George Rouse on October 18,
1836; the west half of the northwest quarter (80 acres) by
Stephen C. Collins April 3, 1837, and the east half of the
northwest quarter by Michael Null, December 17, 1838.
The present land owners in section 17 are D. Gunning,
E. M. McClelland, John Howell, W. A. Jackson, G.
Besser, E. Gumm, J. and M. Gray, J. and M. Fuller, J.
J. Lake and W. Lake. The section has three miles of pub-
lic road. The McClelland ditch crosses the southeast and
the Jones ditch the northwest corners of the section.
Section 18 was first entered by John Starr, who secured
the southeast quarter and the east half of the sothwest
quarter on March 17, 1836. The next was Benajah French,
October 24, 1836. There was but one entry made in 1837,
that of David Whitson Cook. February 21, 1839, Wiliam
Brady entered a 40-acre tract. This left three tracts, con-
taining in the aggregate 188 16-100 acres, which found no
purchaser until finally entered by James H. Sworr on Janu-
ary 18, 1852.
The land in 18 is now owned by G. W. Maynard, Joseph
A. Quick, C. S. Thomas, W. Wilson, W. Walling, W.
Zimmerman, M. L. Brunton, L. A. Johnson, J. W. Chris-
tie, C. and S. Swindell and V. E. Garner's heirs. This
HARRISON TOWNSHIP. 175
section has two miles of public road, and the southeast cor-
ner is drained by the Johns ditch.
The pioneeer entries in section 19 were made in 1836 by
John Starr, Henry W. Smith, John Smith, and William
Campbell. In 1838 all the land unentered by the settlers of
1836 consisted of an 80-acre tract in the southeast quarter,
which was entered by Job Garner on October 17.
At present ig is owned by I. N. Poole, M. Smith, L.
Beall, H. Simpson, C. V. Parker, A. C. Ellmore, S. H.
Jackson, C. Pierce, T. C. Pierce. B. Simpson, E. Stafford,
J. E. Fuson and W. Hayhow. The section has some three
miles of public highway, more than a mile of which is free
pike, which crosses the section in a northwest to southeast
direction. School No 5 is located on the west line of this
section.
Land in section 20 was entered as early as 1834, when
Job Garner purchased the east half of the southeast quarter
(80 acres) on the 17th day of January of that year. (Prior
to this time there had been but two entries in the township,
and they were both in section 36, range 8.) This was the
land afterwards owned by Jacob Miller, and where he estab-
lished the first merchandizing enterprise of the township.
After Mr. Garner's entry others were made in the section by
Isaac Ridout, William Ridout, Tobias Renner, James Stout,
Isaac Stout, Joel Biggs and Levi Lynn in 1836, and the last
entry by Isaac Stout January 21, 1837.
The present owners of this section are E. Duckett, N.
V. Markle, S. Sites, Joseph A. Quick, H. Miller, L. A.
Johnson H. Vennemen, and William Wilson. The section
has nearly four miles of public road, one mile of which is
pike. Killbuck creek crosses the section in a southwest course,
and the village of Bethel is situated in the southern part.
In section 21 the first land entry was also made on the
same day as that of Mr. Garner in section 20, January 7,
1834, and joined that tract, being in the southwest corner of
section 21, both tracts now owned by H. Miller. This entry
was made in the name of William Barton Wilson. Other
entries were made in this section by William Newhouse and
James Newhouse in 1836, and the last of the public land of
the section was taken up by James Newhouse, February 27,
1837. Section 21 is now owned by T. J. Bowles et al., J. Black,
J. M. Conner, M. V. Markle, M. J. Richey, E. J. Stinson,
F. B. Miller, C. F. Miller and H. Miller. The section has
three miles of public road, one of which is free pike. Kill-
buck Creek crosses the northwest corner of the section. The
lands in section 22 were entered by Isaac Ridout, John Mc-
Carty, James Newhouse, Thomas Brumfield, Solomon Will-
iams and Elijah Newhouse in 1836, John H. Garner and
176 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Mary Jones in 1837, and Vincent Garner in 1838. The pres-
ent land owners in this section are J. W . Gray, I. Coffin, P.
Schwinn, S. B. Childs, W. Bailey, J. and R. Miller, A. J.
Miller, W. A. Branson, P. M. Ruddy and S. Lee. The
section is well supplied with public roads, having one on
either section line, that on the west line being a free graveled
pike from the village of Cammack in Mt. Pleasant to Gaston
in Washington township.
All of section 23 with the exception of one 80-acre tract
was entered in 1836 by Joseph Lefavor, Jacob Calvert and
Oliver H. Smith. The exception above mentioned was the
east half of the southwest quarter, which was entered by
James Marshall, January 31, 1839. This 80 is now owned by
J. C. Smith and was the last entry made in the section. The
present land owners in the section are A. Gough, M. Gough,
D. L. Williams, A. P. Gray, D. and G. Smith, S. A. Smith
and M. A. Modlin. The section has a public road on each
section line, and School No. 8 is located in the northeast
corner. All the land in section 24 was entered in the year
of 1836, from July 21 to November 17. The first of these
entries was made by John Applegate on July 21 and was the
west half of the southwest quarter of the section, and now the
west half of the farm is owned and occupied by Enoch Drumm.
The next entry was made by William Cavitt, August 21, which
was the east half the southwest quarter, and the whole of the
southwest quarter was entered by Charles Thatcher, October
4, and the northwest quarter by Jacob Haynes, November 17.
The landlords of 24 are now A. Watson, O. H. Scott, R. E.
Needier, D. Stewart, S. J. Newman, F. Rhoades and Enoch
Drumm. Twenty-four is well supplied with highways, having
a road on each section line.
Section 25, in Harrison, is the east section of the second
tier north of Mt. Pleasant township. The land of this sec-
tion was all purchased of the government in 1836, from
March 9 to October 28, by William Cantwell, John Apple-
gate, WTilliam Moore, Josiah Williams and James Freeman.
The land in 25 is now owned as follows: that entered by Wm.
Cantwell by J. Newman, R. W. and P. T. Moore. The
entry of Wm. Moore by S. H. Hartley. The entries of John
Applegate by Wm. Bennett, L. Fulhart, M. Deviney, C.
Deviney, J. R. Fimple and L. Bennett. The entry of Josiah
Williams by H. E. Hartley and that of James Freeman by D.
Scott. The section has 4 miles of public road and is drained
by two branches of Jakes creek.
In section 26, James Smith entered two 40-acre tracts
(one being the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter and
the other the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter and
consequently adjoining each other making him 80 acres in a
HARRISON TOWNSHIP. 177
body) on September 3, 1834. George Shafer entered the west
half of the northwent quarter October 30, 1835. Nicholas
Maceltree entered a 40 acre thract in the southwest quarter
November 7, 1835 and the remaining public land of this sec-
tion was all entered in 1836 by John Applegate, Thomas
Applegate, Daniel Jarrett, Thomas Nottingham, Peter Sim-
mons and John Nottingham. Twenty-six is owned at present
by L. Fullhart, J. M. Hartley. J. O. Hartley, J. C. Smith, W.
Richey, G. McWilliams, S. Branson. M. J. Hartley, I. F.
Brimhall, S. C. Tuttle, E. Nottingham and D. G. Root. The
The section has 4 miles of public road, the Bethel free gravel
pike crosses the northwest corner and School No. 9 is located
in the southeast corner. Jakes creek crosses the central part
of this section in a westerly course. The settlement of sec-
tion 27 might be considered early when compared with other
sections of Harrison township. The first land entry in this
section being on December 26, 1833, when Isaac Tildon en-
tered two 40 acre tracts in the eastern part of the section.
The remaining entries were all made in 1835 by George
Shafer, James Garner, Christopher Wilson and William
Patten. The present land owners in this section are G. Mc-
Williams, Samuel Gayman, M. E. Daugherty, S. M. Lee, L.
Kendall, G. A. Lee, E. Hawkins and J. J. Snodgrass. The
section has nearly five miles of public road, more than two
miles of the same being free pike, Jakes creek passes westerly
through the central part of the section.
The public land in section 28, was purchased by Jacob
Meek Holloway in 1834, William Patten and John Coon in
1835 and John Woods, John Coon, Elias Wilson, Caviner
Conner, Job Garner, Thomas Haworth and Jacob Cline in
1836. Section 28 is now owned in small farms by C. A. Tay-
lor, H. Taylor, S. Lee, E. Wallace, O. F. Miller, C. B.
Miller, H. Miller, J. W. Smith, M. Martin, S. Gayman, E.
Grice, R. Conner, O. P. Snodgrass, E. Rutledge, E. E. Rey-
nolds and W. W. Hensley. The section has some 4 miles of
public road 2^ of which ,is free pike, Jakes creek drnins the
north half of this section.
The public lands in section 29 were entered in the years
of 1834-35 and '36, by Job Garner in 1834, Joe^ Briggs and
Charles Stout in 1835, and John Woods, Jacob Cline, Jona-
than Eddy and Jesse Stout 1836. It was in the southwest
part of the section where Jesse Stout erected his distillery
before mentioned in these pages.
The owners of the real estate in section 29 at present are
H. Miller, J W. Smith, J. Null E.J. Hayden, J. McKinley,
J. R. Antrim, S. and J. Hiser, O. F. Miller, J. Icley, S. A.
Gwaltney, M. F. Harris, J. and S. Tuttle, G. Benner and
M. L. Smith. The section has 3^4 miles of public road.
i78 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
The northwest part of the section is drained by Kill Buck and
the northeast by Jakes creek, they forming their junction in
the northeast part of the northwest quarter.
Hugh Finley was the first to enter land in section 30; his
entry is dated November 9, 1835, and the land described in
this entry is the east half of the southwest quarter, 80 acres,
and now owned by J. J. Baker. The next entry in the section
was made on the 30th of the same month by Abraham Smith
and was the east half of the northeast quarter, 80 acres, now
owned by T. O Pierce and M. J. Hall. After this, entries
were made in 1836 by Abraham Smith, Nicholas Reel, Luke
Wright, Jonathan Langley, James Wright and John Langley.
The present owners of land in this section are T. C. Pierce,
M. J. Hall, O. L. McLaughlin, J. andC. Jester, J. E. Fuson,
O. Wasson, J. W. Jones, Joseph Stradling, J. J. Baker and
William and S. Lee. The section has three and thrre-quarter
miles of public highways. The southeast part is drained by
Kill Buck creek and the northwest by Johns ditch.
Section 31, one mile east of Madison county line, and
bordering on Mt. Pleasant township, was first entered by
Oliver Perry Jones, October 12, 1833; then by Wm. Miller jn
1834, James Fortner, William Miller and John P. Jones in
1835, and William Palmer, William Miller, Jacob Crouson and
Samuel Adamson in 1836. The present land owners of sec-
tion 31 are D. Mahoney, Joseph Stradling, H. Miller, C. M.
Riggin, William and S. Lee, M. Antrim, James Reed, J. A.
Wright, I. Wright and O. P. Jones et al. The section has
3^ miles of public road, three-quarters of which (along the
south line) is the Jackson street free pike
Section 32 was entered in 1836-37 by Jacob Miller, Moses
Shepherd, William Palmer, Solomon McLaughlin and James
McLaughlin in 1836, and by James Williams in 1837. The
section is at present generally divided into small, well im-
proved farms, and is owned by C. Nauman, A. S Gwaltney,
S. Icley, A. L. Snodgrass, J. Antrim, W. J. Antrim, W. and
A. Antrim, D. Mahoney, M A. Folkner, A. E. Stevenson,
F. W. Heath, M. Heath, M. Reed, M. Hawkins and J. H.
Snodgrass. The section has three miles of public road, and
the southeast corner joins the village and railroad station of
Reed in Mt. Pleasant township.
In section 33 the first entry of public land was made by
James McLauglin in the southwest quarter on April 5, 1836.
The other entries made in this section during this year were
Thomas Patton, Dickson Thomas, Jacob Cline, Daniel Yan-
buskirk and William Reed. Elias Humbert entered a 40
acre tract in 1837 and Amos Jenna the last 40 acres on No-
vember 23, 1838. Section 33 is now owned by F. M. Lee,
J. F. Rees, A. L. Snodgrass, S. R. Snodgrass, O. Snodgrass,
HARRISON TOWNSHIP. 179
J. O. Snodgrass, S. and I. Stephenson, A. E. Stephenson and
F. W. Heath. The section has 3 miles of public highway,
one mile, (that on the east line) being free pike. School No.
10 is located in the northeast corner of the section.
Section 34 was purchased originally of the government in
1836 by Samuel C. Bradford, Oliver H. Smith and Christo-
pher Wilson. In 1837 by Jane Williamson, Philander Cass-
man and Samuel P. Anthony. The section is now owned by
JohnW. Taylor, Samuel Gayman, M. Carter, R. Williams
I. Branson, R. B. Bradbury, M. Fallis and J. H. Hayden.
The section has 2^ miles of public road, one mile of which
is free pike.
In section 35, there were originally eight entries of pub-
lic land and all of these were recorded in the year 1836,
the first by John McBride on March 8 and the last by Wil-
liam H. Brumfield November 8. The parties making pur-
chases between those dates were Daniel Jarrett, James Wil-
liamson and John Vanbuskirk.
Section 35 is owned at present by W. Stephenson, J.
Brown, William Bennett, E. Baker, G. L. Nottingham, D.
P. Root, T. H. Fimple and S. B. Bradbury. The section has
2 miles of public road beside one mile of the Bethel free pike,
which crosses the northeast part of the section.
Section 36 is the southeast corner section of Harrison
township and its lands were all entered in 1836 by Daniel
Jarrett March 10 and April 14. John Hayhurst and Thomas
Williamson Sept. 24 and Thomas Brumfield November 9.
The lands in this section are now owned by T. H. Fimple, J.
F. Drumm, L. Bennett, M. J. Armintrout, S. A. Smith, C.
and M. Galliher, S. E. Crumm, M. Mann, J. Wiers heirs and
J. R. Fimple. The section has about 4 miles of public road,
including the Bether pike, which angles through the center
part of the section in a northwest to southeast course.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 181
WASHINGTON.
Washington township, thy name we revere,
A name to every American dear.
The pride of a nation, with never a peer,
A name you may mention wherever you will.
When coupled with Trenton or old Bunker Hill,
Will cause the American heart to thrill.
A name that caused our fathers to start
From the field or forum or busy mart,
And shouldering their guns, with manly tread
They followed where the peerless Washington led,
A name our mothers learned us to say
When at her knees she taught us to pray,
Thanking our God for the gift of His son,
For our beloved country and Washington.
- Now, as in days of old the same,
The little ones learn to lisp that name,
For each lijtle "tot" can tell you when
George Washington's birthday comes again,
So, Washington township, we confess
That thou hast made a great success,
But how couldst thou have done any less,
Directed by thy sons of toil,
To fell the forests and till the soil,
Where teachers taught in church and school,
That he was either knave or fool
Who lived not by the Golden Rule.
With these, I say, 'twould be a shame
For you to fail with such a name,
Washington Township.
Washington is the northwest township of Delaware coun-
ty. A portion of Grant county bounds it on the north, Union
township on the east, Harrison township on the south and a
portion of Madison county on the west. The township is
seven miles long east and west, by five miles wide north and
south.
Washington lies wholly in Congressional township 22
north. The west tier of sections are in range 8 east, and the
balance of the township in range 9. The general nature of
the surface of the land in Washington is level, except in the
vicinity of the streams, the principal one of which is the
Mississinewa river in the northeast part of the township. In
the neighborhood of the river the surface is generally rolling,
and in many cases terminates in high hills and precipitous
182 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
bluffs. These bluffs we generally find on but one side of the
river (as seems the case with streams in all instances), while
on the opposite side of the stream are wide stretches of
fertile bottom lands, stretching back to sloping second bot-
toms. Passing along the stream the scene changes, the rich
bottoms narrowing down until they run to a point and the
bluff banks and hills come close to the stream, but as the val-
leys cease on the one side they commence on the other, as if
nature desired to treat the inhabitants equally fair on both
sides of the stream.
Washington township has a marked diversity of soil —
black loam, underlaid with clay, and clay soil with a sub-
stratum of sand or gravel being often found in the same neigh-
borhood. The admixture of sand and gravel becomes a more
prominent feature as we approach the Mississinewa river.
There is much fertile land in Washington, but perhaps
more original swamp land than in any other of the townships
of the county, which accounts for the lateness of the purchase
of some of the public lands in this part of the county. These
swamp lands, however, have been drained, and in the majority
of cases have become very valuable to their owners.
From the fact that Pipe Creek, in the southwest part of
the township, flows to the southwest, seeking its outlet into
White river, and that Hoosier creek, in the northwest part,
flows northeast to the Mississinewa, we must conclude that
the dividing ridge or elevation is between the sources of those
tributaries, and that the land is well elevated, although flat.
The township was orignally well timbered with all the varieties
of this section of country, with the exception of the swamp
land, which is believed at no distant day in the past to have
been a lake or inland sea, and was barren of timber.
The first public land in the township purchased of the
government was by David Conner, on December 23, 1823.
This was the east half of the northeast quarter of section 15.
The north half of this 80-acre tract is a portion of the Mc
Cormick farm, lying one mile west of the village of Wheeling.
The traveler will know this oldest of Washington township
settlements when we inform him that in passing west from
Wheeling along the old state road, that where the road makes
its first divergence or angle to the north, is the east line of the
Conner purchase, and where the gravel pike running west
leaves the state road, just north of the McCormick residence,
is the north line of this purchase. So, while passing between
these two points (some fourth of a mile), we are not only on
the first land entered in the township, but we pass in that
short distance a place of much historical interest.
It was here that a Mr. Broderick, early in 1824, establish-
ed a trading station and tavern, the first for the traffic with
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 183
the tribes of Miami, Delawate and Pottawatomy Indians still
remaining in the vicinity, and the second for the patronage of
emigrants moving further west, as well as the trade he had
with the wandering white hunters and trappers who chanced
to come his way. It is said his stock consisted chiefly of a
few articles of merchandise, ammunition, and an unlimited
supply of wiskey, and for some three years he was the only
white resident of the township, one of his nearest neighbors
being John Boyles (or Jacky Boyles) in Delaware township —
Black's Mills — some twelve miles up the Mississinewa. At
the expiration of Mr. Broderick's lease he was superseded by
Robert Sanders, who carried on the business of "tavern
keeping" and general trader or merchant for a number of
years, but finally changed his business, and gave his attention
more exclusively to that of farming, having cleared a tract of
land and made various improvements.
In 1829 Robert Sanders sold his home to William Mc-
Cormich, and on November 13, 1830, he entered an 80-acre
tract in Section 14, it being the west half of the northwest
quarter, adjoining his former home on the east, and is a part
of the farm now owned by Samuel M. Gregory. Mr. McCor-
mick afterwards entered three 80-acre tracts in Section 15,
besides which numerous purchases were made by him at dif-
ferent times in other sections of the township.
During the year 1829 William Heal, of Muskingum
county, Ohio, left his home, traveling on foot, prospecting.
He came on west until he finally decided that he had found
the place to build his future home, and going to the land
office at Fort Wayne he purchased three 80-acre tracts in
section 11, Washington township, his purchase being on both
sides of the Mississinewa river. After securing his land Mr.
Heal returned to his Ohio home. William Heal's entries are
dated September 12, 1829. Upon his return, Mr. Heal at
once set to work getting ready to bring his family to his west-
ern home, and, starting with three wagons, they came on to
Columbus, Ohio, where they fell in with the family of
Thomas Littler, who were also seeking a western home.
Acquaintances were soon formed in these early days, and
these families, cutting their road through the woods by day
and surrounding the same campfire by night, soon formed a
friendship that could not be easily severed, and when Mr.
Heal reached his destination it did not take much persuasion
to induce Mr. Littler and his family to remain, and so on
November 17 of the same year (1829) we find Mr. Littler
entered the tract of land adjoining that of Mr. Heal on the
west. And here these families lived side by side for more
than thirty-five years, neither having cause to regret the for-
mation of their friendships, nor the choice of location of their
184 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
western homes. These families can safely be called the pio-
neer families of Washington township. Other early settlers
in Washington were the families of John Graham in section
ii, 1830; John Cephus and Silas Dille, in section 12, 1830;
Joseph Wilson, Robert Wharton, John Ginn and James
Watson, in section 12, and Eli Lansing, in section 11, were
also settlers of the year 1830. The interior of the township
did not settle up so early as that portion along the Mississin-
ewa by a few years, for we find but little, if any, lands entered
in the interior until the choice lands were all taken in the
vicinity of the river.
The first white male child born in Washington township
was John W. Heal, February 12, 1831, and the first white
girl baby was Mary Graham. This happened about the same
time.
The first marriage was solemnized at the residence of
Robert Sanders, in 1834, the high contracting parties being
Nancy Sanders and Nathaniel McGuire.
The first cemetery in the township was Olive Branch
cemetery, at the north center of section 11, and near the
Grant county line It consisted of one acre of land, and
was donated by William Heal, in 1836, to the township.
The first person buried in this cemetery was the remains of
John Watson, who died in 1837.
The first school in the township was taught in the winter
of 1833 and 1834, by Mrs. Olive Heal, wife of William Heal,
in a room of their home, at $1.25 per scholar. However,
the first school house was built in 1839, and Ezra Maynard
engaged as teacher. Mr. Maynard afterward became a min-
ister in the M. E. church, and still later a successful mer-
chant in the village of Albany.
Elizabethtown, the oldest village of the township, it is
said, once aspired to the honor of becoming a county seat.
But as fate would have it, the county lines were drawn in the
wrong place, and the court house and other public buildings
seen in the day dreams of the people of the northeast corner
of Washington township proved to be but "castles in the
air," and so the mayor's scepter of the great city was turned
into plowshares and pruning hooks, and Elizabethtown is no
more, and the only towns or villages of Washington town-
ship are Wheeling and Gaston. The latter has passed
through the ordeal of undergoing some two or three changes
of name, such as "Snagtown," then "New Corner," and
now Gaston. However, the little city has stood all this
nobly, and is now threatening some older places in the way of
becoming a rival for railroad honors.
To avoid confusing the reader in the study of the history
of Washington township, we will first take up the west tier
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 185
of sections, that tier bordering on Madison county. This we
more especially do because each of these sections has its
duplicate in other parts of the township. This is caused from
the fact that Washington like each township in the west tier
or district No. 1, lies in two different ranges east, that is, the
west tier of sections are in range 8, while the balance of the
township is in range 9. With this explanation we commence
with section 12, which is the northwest section of both the
township and county. The public lands of this sectoin were
all purchased in the years 1836 and '37. The first of these
purchases were made by Frederick Ice and Robert Burke on
August 22, 1836. Mr. Ice taking the east half and Mr. Burke
the west half of the southwest quarter of the section.
During the same year in October, Christopher Hudson
entered the east half and Robert Hudson the west half of the
northwest quarter. Joseph Farley purchased the northeast
quarter in February and November, 1837, and Christopher
Scott and John Ellison the southeast quarter on February 6,
the same year (1837).
The parties now owning land in section 12 are Daniel
Richards, H. W. Foster, K. T. Grave, J. Vs McCune, D.
Richards, C. H. Conkle, J. W. Foster, R. E. Glass and H.
S. Rominger. The section has 4^ miles of public road and
Hoosier creek crosses the southeast part of the section in a
northeast course.
Section 13, just south of 12, and therefore adjoining
Madison county also, was entered as early as 1836, and as late
as 1850 as follows: George Lewis, Ephriam Lewis and Isaac
Foster in 1836, patrick O'Brien, Hiram Lee and Madison
Broyles in 1837. James Paine and Francis Ice in 1838.
Madison Broyles again in 1849 and Lewis Hull on January
18, 1850, entered the northwest quarter of the northeast quar-
ter now owned by E. Musick et. al.
This section (13) was originally entered in eleven sepa-
rate lots and is still held in small parcels as follows: J.
Janney, Benjamin Ice, E. Musick et. al., M. Powers, H.
Dunlap, E. Benbow, E. Caplinger, R. C. Howard, S. and
M. Evans, S. Evans, O. C. Atkinson, G. R Thurston, C.
A. Broyles and J. E. Broyles. This section has 4 miles of
public road, iy2 miles of which is free gravel pike. A ceme-
tery, M. E. church and school No. 5 are located in the south-
east part of the section.
Going south we pass into section 24. This section was
purchased of the government in six original parcels or lots as
follows: By William and Henry Walker in 1835, Jediah
Adams and Anderson H. Broyles in 1836. Thomas Broyles
in 1837 and John Farley, Jr., in 1838.
Twenty-four is now owned by O. and C. Webster, J.
1 86 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Quinn, O. A. Todd, S. Janney, M. Andrews (trustee), M.
Harris, W. H. Broyles, H. Broyles' heirs, A. E. Broyles and
J. W. Hamilton. The section has 3^ miles of public road,
and is well drained by Little Pipe creek crossing it diagonally
through the center.
Section 25 was secured of the government in nine parcels
as early as August 29, 1836 and as late as September 8, 1838.
The purchasers of this section were Amos Ratcliff, Eli Hock-
ett, and Solomon Fussell in 1836, Jesse Munden, Nathan
Macy and Thomas Broyles and Wilson Burass in 1838, Eli
Hockett having made two entries. The land owners of sec-
tion 25 are now A. E. Broyles, J. A. Broyles, L. and S.
Davis, James Thomas Broyles, J. W. Hamilton, J. Barrett,
D. Spitzmesser, M. Millhollin and S. M. Roseboom.
Section 36 in range 8, is the southwest section of Washing-
ton township. The first entry of land in this section was
made on October 29, 1836. At which time Samuel Brown
entered an 80 sere tract in the northwest quarter and Isaac
Marshall on the same day entered a 40 acre tract in the south-
west quarter. In 1837 entries were made in this section by
Jesse Munden, William Burass, Phineas Hall, John Hall and
William Laurk. Then on November 12, 1838 Asa Davis
purchased the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter (40
acres) it being the last of the publib lands in section 36. This
40 acre tract is now owned by James B. Barwick and M. B.
Gill. The other owners of land in this section are James T.
Broyles, William H. Broyles, J. W. Broyles, George Perdue,
H. Brown, William Long, J. Barrett, E. Brady, M. Styers
and R. Livingston, 36 has 4^ miles of public roads and
School No. 12 is located in the northeast corner of the sec-
tion. Section 7 is in the north tier of sections of both the
township and county. The section is ten acres short of tne 640
acres, said shortage being taken out of the westside of the sec-
tion. The first entry of public land in this section was made
by John Beauy on January 9, 1834, and comprised two 40
acre tracts in the east center of the section, Other entries
were made during the same year by James Hinton and Wil-
liam Knight. One entry was made in 1835 by David Hinton. In
1836 James Hinton and William Knight made each another
purchase, during 1837 pnrchases were made by Elles Jones,
Willinm Knight and David McCormick; leaving the west half
of the southwest quarter 76 52-100 acres which was taken up
by John Hanway and George Kramer on January 5, 1838.
We find the section now owned by W. Millspaugh, J. A.
J. Brunt, R. C. Howard, Isiah Howard, Daniel Richards,
James Knight, M. F. Carpenter, J. McShay and P. Creamer.
The section has 4 miles of public road, one half mile of which
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 187
is free gravel pike, while Hoosier Creek drains the north,
half and School No. 4 is situated in the center of the section.
On October 29, 1834, Sampson Brewer entered 40 acres
of public land in the northwest qnarter of section 8 and the
public land in this section was in the market for sixteen years
thereafter, the purchases occurring as follows: Samuel Beouy
in 1835. Gabriel Ginn, Sampson Brewer, Thomas Beouy,
John Beouy and Richard Dickerson in 1836, Richard Dicker-
son and William Beouy in 1837 and Joshua Dickerson in
1850. These lands are now in the names of John W.Richards,
W. W. Hoover, J. A. J. Brunt, B. and J. Newberger, R. C
Howard, J. N. Reynolds and J. S. Richards. The section
has a public road on the north, which is also the county line,
and a free gravel pike on the south line. The northwest cor-
ner of the section is crossed by Hoosier Creek.
The public lands in section 9 except one 80 acre tract was
taken up in the year of 1836 by Willard Swain, John Wesley
McCormick, John Hawkins, Gabriel Ginn, Amos Janney and
Samuel Knight, leaving an 80 acre tract as before mentioned,
which was purchased by Ira Swain on January 5, 1837, and
was the east half of the southwest quarter of the sectron.
Section 9 is now owned by R. C. Nottingham, R. Beouy,
M. Cory, L. Nottingham, B. W. Lewis, S. Lewis, and Wil-
liam I. Janney. The section has public roads on the north
and east, with a free gravel pike on the south line.
In section 10 we find the first entry of public land made
by William McCormick on May 16, 1831. This is the east
half of the southeast quarter, and still remains in the McCor-
mick family. After this purchases were made in section 10
by Samuel Moore and Thomas Beouy in 1832; by John Dunn
in 1833; William Wharton in 1834; Thomas Dunn in 1835;
William McCormick again in 1836, and the last by John
Wesley McCormick in 1837.
The land owners in 10 are now John Dunn, Jr., R.
Beouy, William McCormick, A. H. Benbow, E. Beouy, and
Benoni Beouy. Section 10 has four and one-half miles of
public road, two and one-half of which is free pike.
The first public land in section 11 was purchased by Wil-
liam Heal on September 12, 1829, and the next by his old
friend and neighbor, Thomas Littler, on November 17 in the
same year. In 1830 purchases were made by Eli Lansing
and Thomas Wharton; in 1831 by William McCormick; in
1832 by Thomas Wharton, and in 1834 the second purchase
of Thomas Littler was the last of the public domain in
section 11.
The present owners of the section are G. E. Heal, D.
Heal, Ed Beouy, W. R. Moore, S. A. Milhollin, B. and J.
Newberger, J. Newberger, Samuel M. Giegory and William
1 88 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
McCormick. Section 11 has more miles of river than any
section in the township. It has about three miles of public
road, some of which is rather crooked in its efforts to follow
the windings of the Mississinewa river along its northern
banks.
Section 12 is the northeast corner of Washington town-
ship. The southwest quarter of this section was entered by
John Dillie on March 3, 1829, and all the remaining public
land of the section was purchased the following year (1830)
by Robert Wharton, Joseph Wilson, James Watson, and
John Ginn.
We find the present owners of realty in section 12 to be
L. Watson, M. Butcher, G. E. Heal, E. Beouy, Liberty Ginn,
A. Shafer, and Sarah F. Ginn.
It was in this section that the old town of Elizabethtown
was laid out, on the north side of the Mississinewa, but was
never destined to reach the prominence and importance
anticipated for her by the founders. The section has. some-
thing more than three miles of public road, but much of it is
so angling and ill-shaped that we will not undertake to give
its exact length, as we are a little rusty in our geometry.
Section 13, Washington township, lies one mile south of
the Grant county line, and joins Union township on the east.
The Albany and Jonesboro pike passes through the north
half of the section, which is the only highway the section can
lay claim to except a fourth of a mile on east line at the
southeast corner. The first entry of land ever recorded for
this section was that made by Joseph Wilson, May 27, 1830.
The second entry was made November 13 of the same year by
Thomas Reynolds, after which there were no further entries
made until 1833, when John Ginn entered 80 acres. In 1834
William Richeson entered 160 acres. In 1835 entries were
made by John Sanders and Margaret Watson . In 1836 one
entry was made, by Jacob Holland Bowers, and the last 40 acre
tract was entered by Jesse W. Thompson on January 5, 1837.
The owners of section 13 at this time are Liberty Ginn, O. and
S. Baldwin, R. Trout, M. M. Henley. Sarah Ginn, James S.
Rigdon, S. J. Ginn, Caleb Johnson, H. and S. Brown and
N. and C. Mahoney.
Pipe creek crosses the west half of the section and the
east part of the village of Wheeling, with School No. 2 in the
northwest corner.
In section 14, the first entry of government land, was
made by Robt. Sanders, before mentioned in these pages. The
time of this entry was November 13, 1830, and the tract en-
tered was the west half of the northwest quarter. After Mr.
Sanders' purchase there were no others until November 4,
1833, when William McCormick purchased the east half of
INTERIOR OF THE MERCHANT S NATIONAL HANK,
Corner Main and Mulberry Streets, Muncie, Ind.
Capital, $100,000.00.
Surplus and Profits, $28,000.00.
r> T^^-uc ' Hardin Roads, Pres.
ufficeks, . pKANK A Brown, Cash
INTERIOR VIEW OF THE MUTUAL HOME AND SAVINGS ASSOCIATION.
Incorporated 1889. Authorized capital, $1,000,000.
Officers: D. A. McLain Pres. Board of Directors: D. A. McLain,
S. M. Reid, Treas. E. P. Smith,
Geo. N. Higman, Sec. H. C. Haymond,
Edward M. White, Atty. S. M. Reid,
109 East Adams Street, Muncie, Ind. Carl P. Franklin.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 189
the northeast quarter, containing 79 88-100 acres. John
Wharton made three purchases in this section in 1835, and
Tohn Crow the last 80 acres, September 28, 1836. The and
owners in section 14 are now James S. Rigdon, Samuel S.
Gregory, William McCormick, N. and C. Mahoney, Nathan
Millhollin and Michael Crow. The Albany and Jonesboro
pike crosses the north, and the Muncie and Wheeling pike
the east part of the section. There is also a pub he rwd on
the west line, except some fifty rods of the north end of this
line The greater part of the village of Wheeling is in the
northeast quarter of this sdction.
As heretofore stated, the first land ever purchased of the
government in Washington township wa's that purchased by
David Conner, being the east half of the northeast quarter of
section 15, on December 23, 1823, after which time there
were no other entries in this section for almost eight years,
which must have seemed a long time to persons so isolated.
The next to purchase in the section after Mr. Conner was
William McCormick, in 1831; then David Beouy and John
Dunn, in 1832; William McCormick, two tracts in 1833;
William McCormick, another 40-acre tract in 1835; Thomas
Beouy, in 1836, and David Beouy, the last 40 acres, in 1837.
Section 15 is now in the names of William McCormick
A Beouy, N. Beouy, G. W. Beouy, Benoni Beouy, Michael
Crow, John Dunn, Jr., J. Dorton and R. Dorton. This sec-
tion has some three miles of public highway, two miles of
which is free pike. ,
School section No. 16 was sold on April 14, 1855, in lots
as follows: Lot 1, northeast quarter of the northeast quarter
L acres), to Levi Adison at $7 .03 per acre; lot 2, northwest
quarter of the northeast quarter (40 acres), to John Dickeson
at 57.50 per acre; lot 3, northeast quarter of the northwest
quarter (40 acres) to Thompson Gherton at $7.00 per acre;
lot ± northwest quarter of the northwest quarter (40 acres)
to Thompson Gherton at $7-oo per acre; lot 5 southwest
quarter of the northwest quarter (40 acres) to William Mc-
Cormick at $7. 10 per acre; lot 6, southeast quarter of the
northwest quarter (40 acres) to David Beouy at £7-oo per
acre- lot 7, southwest quarter of the northeast quarter (40
acre^ to David Beouy at $7. 12 per acre; lot 8, southeast quar-
ter of the northeast quarter (40 acres) to Streeter & Ginn at
$7.00 per acre; lot 9, southeast quarter (160 acres) to Street-
er & Ginn at $4.01 per acre, and lot 10, southwest quarter
(160 acres) to Robert Winton at #4.00 per acre, lhus the
section (640 rcres) brought the total sum of $3,552 40^ 1 he
present owners, as near as possible to ascertain, are Benoni
Beouy B W. Lewis, Nathan Millhollin, H. Dorton (heirs),
i go HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
M. Dorton, B. and J. Newburger, I. B. Miller and John
Dorton .
Section 16, like 15, has three miles of public road, two
miles of which is free gravel pike, and school No. 3 is situ-
ated in the northeast corner of this section.
Amos Janney entered the east half of section 17 (320
acres), on October 27, 1836. On February 2, 1837, Isaac
Whiteley entered the northwest quarter (160 acres) and on
the same day Wright Anderson entered the west half of the
southwest quarter (80 acres) and then on the 6th day of De-
cember of the same year (1837 ) William Miller obtained the
remaining 80 acre tract, the east half of the northeast quarter.
Section 17 is now owned by D. Miller, S. Hayden, A. F.
Janney, H. Hyer, C. B. Hyer, J. S. Richards, W. T. Janney,
Harriett Janney, M. A. Brown and M. S. Thorn. Section 17
has one mile of free pike and two miles of other public road.
The entries of the public domain in Section 18 were as
follows: Isaac Farmer, in 1836; Joseph Jones in 1838, and
Jacob Miller and Robert Dunlap, in i83g. Section 18 is now
owned by J • J. Corn, W. Foster, H. B. Dawson, Amanda
Carter, S. Hinton, M. Ice, Hinton & Hyer, M. & M. Sitze,
M. & G. Hayden, M. M. Gwinnup and D. L. Richards. Sec-
tion 18 has two miles of public highway, three-fourths of
which is pike.
The first land owners in Section ig were Samuel Sweaney,
Robert Dickey, Nathan Henderson, Griffin Tira and William
Drennen, 1837; John C. Gustin, in 1838, and Michael Mes-
senger, in i83g. After a lapse of some sixty years and
numerous transfers we find the present owners of land in Sec-
tion ig to be H. Sweaney, M. M. Gwinnup, J. W. Sweaney,
J. M. Harris, M. E. Hazelbaker, J. M. Robertson, W. W.
Orr, A. L. Broyles, J. T. Broyles, L. H. Broyles and W. H.
Broyles. Section ig has four miles of public roads, and the
south half of the section is crossed by Big Pipe creek.
Sectiod 20 was in the market for seventeen years, it being
that length of time between the first and last entries of its lands.
The first entries were in 1836 and were made by Amos Janney
and John Johnson. In 1837 Hugh Hazelbaker, William Car-
min and Simeon Dickenson; in 1838, Nathan Maynard, and
on July, 16, 1853, Dr. Robert Winton entered the northwest
quarter of the northeast quarter of the section, it being
marked " swamp land." This is one of the latest entries of
the county there being some four or five entries made on the
same day.
The present owners of section 20 are Harriett Janney,
Jeff Janney, W. T. Janney, W. R. Janney, A. G. Kennard,
H. Munk, D. Miller, G. A. Schlenker and J. B. Yannater.
DR. CEO. R. GREEN,
Born and raised in Hamilton Township, now a resident of
Muncie.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. i9i
Section 20 has four miles of public roads, and School No. 6
is situated in the east center of the section.
Government land sales commenced in section 21 in 1835.
The purchaser in that year was Jonathan McCarty. In 1836,
John Dunn and John Johnson; in 1837, Joseph Grimes, and
in 1839 Samuel P. Anthony and William Vannater. The
present landlords of section 21 are H. Barrett, James A. J.
Brunt, M. P. Dunn, T. W. Petty, S. A. Dunn, and B. F.
Beouy. Section 21 has a public road on the south and free
gravel pike on the east line.
Section 22 was entered in the years of 1832 to 1853, by
Samuel Carmin, in 1832, 1833 and 1835; John Knight in 1834
and 1836; Peter Thorn in 1837, and Robert Winton in 1853,
which last entry was also recorded "swamp land." The
present land owners in section 22 are William McCormick,
C. Carmin, O. L. Hall, N. Millhollin, M. A. Skillman, J.
Brock, S. L. Miller, S. Vannater N. Lawson and W. C.
Huffman. The section has three miles of highway, one mile
of which is pike, and School No. 7 is in the west center.
Section 23 was entered in five tracts by John Kain, Sam-
uel Knotts and John Johnson in 1834; Mowerry H. Thomp-
son in 1835, and John S. Thompson in 1836. The present
owners of these lands are Nathan Millhollin, G. Powers, M.
C. Braddock, I. Parkison, A. Parkison, W. Crow, I. Keller,
M. Powers and J. Y. Rowzie. This section has four miles
of public road, nearly one-half of which is free gravel pike.
Section 24 was purchased originally in five tracts, by four
persons, as follows: William Carman (1), Mowerry H.
Thompson (2), and Stephen Swain (1) in 1835, and Moses
Hinton (1) in 1837. After many changes and transfers, sec-
tion 24 is now owned by A. M. Shafer, Nathan Millhollin,
Joseph Hinton, John R. Cox, J. Swain and W. A. Swain.
Section 24 has about three and one-half miles of public high
way, and the section is drained by Pike creek.
South of section 24, in Washington township, and also
joining Union township, is section 25. The first purchase of
land of the government in this section was made by James
Ashcraft on October 14, 1833, when he entered two tracts,
they being the west half of both the northwest and south-
west quarters of the section, making him a strip of land 80
rods wide by 1 mile long, north and south. At present the
Muncie and Wheeling pike runs through this strip of land,
very near the center. We are crossing this first entry (in
traveling north on this pike) for the distance of one mile
immediately after passing the postoffice of Stockport. After
Mr. Ashcraft the next to secure public land in section 25 was
Mowery H. Thompson, in 1835, and the remainder of the
192 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
public domain was purchased in 1837 by Absolam Williams,
John Kain, David Williams and James Hamilton.
At present the section is owned by Joseph Hinton, John
W. Mills, H. H. Williams, D. M. Williams, and Jesse Nixon.
The section has public roads on the north and east lines;
also free pikes on the south line and across the west half as
before mentioned. School No. 8 and a Baptist church are
situated in the southwest corner of the section, one on either
side of the Muncie and Wheeling pike.
The public lands in section 26 were purchased of the
government as follows: By John S. Thompson, James Asch-
craft, Jonathan Barton, and William Conner in 1836; by
Henry Smith, Amos Grubb, and George Tippin in 1837, and
the last tract by Margaret Taylor December 15, 1838.
At the present time we find the land in section 26 in the
names of J. A. Bryan, G. K Lewis, A. Campbell, William
McCormick, Jesse Nixon, N. Shinn, R. Strohm, A. Sailors,
J. Pittenger, M. E. Templin, M. Beouy, J. F Bryan, S.
Gruver, and E. M. Carter. The section has three miles of
highway, three-fourths of a mile being free pike.
In section 27 the first entry of land was made by John
Johnson, on September 28, 1836, it being the northeast quar-
ter, and now held as trustee by John Swisher. After this
entries were made by Philip Woodring and Isaac Coe in 1837;
by James Burgess, John Burgess, and Christopher Grimes in
1838, and the last tract by Jacob Miller in 1839.
The section is now owned by John Swisher (trustee), R
Woodring, William F. Burgess, George N. Shaw, M. Beouy,
J. Kirklin, M. E. Hedgland and John Burgess. The section
has public roads on the east, west and north, and that on the
west line is free gravel pike.
Section 28 was originally purchased and owned in six
tracts by that many persons, the purchases being made as
follows: By John Johnson, in 1836; Thomas Beouy, in 1837;
Elizabeth Umphreysand Ann Umphreys, in 1838, and Michael
Messenger and John Black, in 1839. Section 28 is now owned
by numerous small farmers as follows: B. F. Beouy, Emily
Grimes, E. E. Grimes, William B. Carmin, J. Brock, W.
Minton, Jr., I. H. Gray, George Boyles and A. H. Miller.
Section 28 has four miles of public highway, one mile (that
on the east line) being free gravel pike.
In section 29 the original purchases were all made in
small tracts, there being but two 80 acre tracts entered, all the
balance having been taken up in 40 acre lots, making fourteen
entries in all, although several parties made two entries. The
original owners were John Johnson, in 1836; James Porter and
David Hatfield, in 1837; Orin Chapin, John Summers and
Levi Miller, in 1838; John Summers, Levi Miller, Hiram
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 193
Hendricks, Hugh Sharp and Thomas Morley, in 1839. Then
on July 16, 1853, Jeremiah Wilson and John McCulloch each
entered a 40 acre tract of registered swamp land.
Section 29 is now owned by William H. Carmin, B. F.
Beouy. J. W. Gilmore, I. Gilmore, A. G. Gilmore, W. H.
Gilmore, C. C. Boyle, F. Huber, A. H. Miller, C. and F.
Guinnup, Wash Maynard and W. M. Grimes. This section
has three miles of public road. School No. n is located on
the south line of the section, one-fourth mile west of the
southeast corner.
In section 30, the first land owner was Michael Messen-
ger, who entered two 80 acre and one 40 acre tract on May
4, 1831, after which time entries were made in the section by
Samuel Richardson, Felix E. Oliphant and John Rains, in
1837; John Farley, Jr., in 1838, and Thomas Morely, in 1839.
We find the lands of section 30 now owned by E. H. Strad-
ling, G. Newberger, J. H. Schlenker, J. Johnson, Joseph A.
Broyles, A. F. Patterson, C. L- Pence, W. H. Howe and
James T. Broyles. The section has 3^ miles of public road,
and is drained by Pipe creek and its tributaries.
Section 31 is one mile east of the Madison county line
and joins Harrison township. The land in this section was
somewhat late in coming into the market, as there were no
purchases made within its boundary until March 1, 1837,
when Purnell F. Peters purchased the east half of the south-
east quarter, a portion of which is now owned by R. S.
Gregory. Following the purchase ot Mr. Peters were the
entries of John Barkaloo and Stephen Thorn during the same
year (1837), John Hanway and George Kramer in 1838, and
John Goarle in 1839. Since this time, through many trans-
fers, we now find the lands in section 31 in the names of J. F.
Nickey's heirs, James T. Broyes, S. Culbertson, M. Conk,
O. Spears, William H. Broyles, R. S. Gregory, P. Mast &
Co. and J. Thompson, W. A. Meeks, I. N. Miller and J. W.
Broyles. This section has three miles of public road.
Section 32 was also late in being settled up, as there were
no lands purchased of the government until 1838, when en-
tries were made by Woodson Cummins, Levi Miller and
Purnell F. Peters. The remaining public land in the section
was all secured during the following year (1838) by John R.
Williams, Samuel Clevenger, Levi Miller and John Hanway
and George Kramer. The section is now owned in small
tracts by H. W. Larue, J. O. Needher, J. A. McLaughlin,
Wash Maynard, V. Nickey, J. F. Nickey's estate, V. and J.
Nickey et al., M. V. Rhoads and P. P. Mast & Co. and J.
Thompson. The section has 3^ miles of public road.
Section 33 was all entered in 1837 and 1839. Those
purchasing in 1837 were William O. Bryant, Thomas Bartlett
194 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
and Benjamin Bartlett. In 1839, January 18, William Van-
nata entered the two remaining 80 acre tracts. The present
land owners of section 33 are John Burgesr, W. Minton, J.,
D. Rowlet, L. Miller, George Boyle, Thompson Sharp, N. S.
Sharp and J Ferguson. The section has four miles of public
highway, one mile (that on the east line) being free gravel
pike. The village of Gaston lies on the east side and about
one-half of the town within this section.
The firsty entry of land in Section 34 was the northeast
quarter, 160 acres, by Thomas Veach, December 9, 1836. The
nexty entry in the section was made by Sarah Wharton, Jr.,
in February, 1838, then by Jefferson N. Horine in the same
year, after which the remainder of the section was taken up
by John G. Collins, Thomas Covalt, John Burgess, Thomas
Dillon and James Hamilton, in 1838.
Section 34 is now owned by G. W. Bryan, S. L. Bryan,
W. R. Bryan, S. Bryan, M. E. Hedgland, John Burgess, M.
J. Clemons, A. Boyle, J. Kirklin, G. R. Hedgland, J. Munsey,
H. A. Jones and L. H. Larue. This section has three miles
of public road, two of which are free pike. The east half of
Gaston is in this section, and School No. 10 is situated in the
section, being in the northeast part of the village.
Section 35 was also all purchased of the government dur-
ing the years of 1836 and 1838. The purchases in 1836 were
those of Lewis and William H. Veach. In 1837 the entries
were made by Joseph Tippin, John Tippin and Samuel Nick-
son. This section is now owned by L. J . Hooke, S. Moo-
maw, R. J. Bryan, S. Needier, C. Needier et al., E. M.Carter
et al., D. O. Munsey, Lewis Bond, M. Driscoll and Sol Mier.
The section has a public road on the west line and "Two
Mile " pike east and west through the center. School No. 9
is located in the east center of this section.
Section 36 is the southeast corner of the township. Its
lands were purchased of the government by James Ashcraft
in 1833; Mathew Xorner in 1834; William Daily in 1835;
Hannah Corner in 1837, and James Ashcraft in 1841.
We find the present land owners of 36 to be C. Lecing-
ton, John Clark. P. Hayden, A. Campbell, L. A. Moomaw,
Joseph Hinton, S. Markle, and W. A. Allison. The Muncie
and Wheeling pike crosses the west half of the section and a
free pike runs along the greater part of the north line. The
postoffice of Stockport is situated in this section in the
northwest part.
THE END.
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