St. Joseph Township

St. Joseph Township

Geographically, St Joseph township lies in the second tier of townships from the east coimty line, and is bounded ou the north by Stanton, ou the east by Ogden and Homer, on the south by Sidney, and on the west by Urbana. The original sursey was made in 1821 by Jacob Judy, then deputy surveyor-general, and it was made a political township when the county adopted township organization.

The Aboriginal history of St Joseph township is identical with that of the whole county. However, when the Red men roamed this country in search of a suitable burying ground for their dead braves, they chose the site where the present village of St Joseph stands. This fact is still evidenced by .several mounds which are yet visible, and from some of which have been exhumed the bones of human beings.

But when the Indian jielded the territory, and it was opened to settlement for the white man, such names as tlie Stajtons. the bwearingens, the Peters" and the Bartleys. came into prominence. The first settler in the town.ship was Nicholas Yount. who came in 1S2S, and built a log cabin on the farm where J no. M. Peters now lives. Two years later. Joseph Stayton. father of David B. Stayton, moved from Kentucky, and was the first permanent settler in the township. In the spring of 1S31 Yount sold his improvement to W. il. Peters, also from Kentucky, who for many years acted as justice of the peace, and whose descendants consist of the numerous families by that name who still reside in the township. The next fall. Jno. W. Swearingen, also from Kentucky settled near Hickory Grove. In the spring of 1S32 came the Bartleys, and soon afterward Caleb Shreve and Jno. H. Strong's father. Orange Strong, settled on the banks of the Salt Fork.

The first person ever buried In St. Joseph township was the mother of Nicholas Yount. and the first child ever bom in the township was a child of Joseph Staytou"s. which died in infancy. The first school was taught in 1S33 by Jno Ford, and the school house was the kitchen of Squire Peters* residence.

The first village in the township was the Old Town of St. Joseph, situated on the State Road at the Salt Fork crossing. At the height of its glor\-, this village could boast only of three stores, a post office, a tavern, a blacksmith shop and several dwellings. The naming of St Joseph is described by the following circumstance. It is related that at one time, when Joseph Kelley kept the tavern stand, a stranger came along and stopped with Mr. Kelley, and the two became quite agreeable friends and for several days had a jovial time together. When the stranger departed. Kelley. out of consideration for the good time they had had in company, refused to charge him anything, whereupon the mysterious stranger told the landlord, that he would "do something for him"' for his kindness. Soon afterward, the stranger, whom it seems was some politician of more than ordinary influence, and in some way connected with the administration, at Washington, secured the establishment of a post office, the need of which he had i>erhaps learned during his stay at Kelley's. Kelley was appointed post master, and in his honor it was called St. Joseph, from Kelley's first name.

The present thriving village of St. Joseph dates its existence from the building of the Indiana, Bloomington and Western railway in 1^*66. The earliest settler on the site of the town was Catharine Hoss. who entered 40 acres of land in 1839. The first, busines.s house was opened in 1870. in the west part of town by Wm. O. Shreve and Van B. Swearingen. These gentlemen have since been activelv identified with the busine.ss

Shortly after. A. K. Ralph moved np a store building from the old town, and opened the tirst business house in the east part of the \lllaffe.

In the early part of 1S80. the village was incorporated under the laws of the state, and at present comprises some twenty-live business firms, two public halls, two handsome churches and a large and well conducted graded school.

On the construction of the L, B. and W. Ry.. a station called ^layview was established in St. Joseph township about 4 miles west of the \-illage. and now consists of a store, post office, blacksmith shop, grain elevator and a handsome Methodist church.

St. Joseph township has held its place among the foremost townships, and in an early day. had much to do in the civU government of the county. The law establishing this county provided for the election of three commissioners, to be the highest in authority in the county. Jacob Bartley. of St Joseph, was a member of the first board. Six of the members of the first grand jury, and three of the first petit jury were from Sl Joseph. The first poor farm in the county was in St. Joseph township, the one now owned by Abe Hoy. The first bridge in the county spanned the Salt Fork where it is crossed by the State road in St. Joseph, and the first regular preacher in the county made St. Joseph one of his appointments. The first organized drainage district in the state under the new law. was in St. Joseph, and -.'.nder the head of public improvements, SL Joseph to^^-nship donated 825.000 for the constiuction of the L. B. and W. Ry. The first supenisor was S. S. Rankin, and the subsequent representatives in the county board have been Mahlon Glascock. V. B. Swearingen. H. W. Dmlltnger. G. W. Doyle, Jno. L. Smith. David B. Staylon, Abe Thompson, W. O. Shreve and the present incumbent. V. .J. Gallion.