Clinton County, Indiana - Chapter 21: Kirklin Towxship, 1913

Events Agricultural Statistics The Town

Kirklin township is in the southeastern part of the county, bounded on the south by the Boone county line, and on the east by Sugar Creek township, which separates it from the lines of Hamilton and Tipton counties. Its northeastern corner - three sections - was included in the Big Miami Reserve; and the Twelve Mile Prairie reached well into its western side. Its surface has a general slope to the southwest, and it is well drained by Sugar Creek and four or five of its tributaries. It is thirty-five square miles in extent, being six miles from east to west, and five and a half miles north and south, except in the two eastern tiers of sections, where it is six miles. Two and one-half miles of the southern part of the township is in Town 20 north, and the remainder is in Town 2T. Two miles of the eastern part of the township are in range 2 east, and the remainder in range i.

The township was named in honor of Xathan Kirk, who was the first settler in the eastern half of the county. He located in the township before there was any local governmental organization, in 1826, and put up a logcabin on section 34, on the eastern side of Twelve Mile Prairie. He was the only resident of the township until 1829, when Thaddeus Panburn and Daniel Hunter came, and entered his employ, but without taking up any land. His cabin was the only stopping place for travelers and land-hunters, and up to 1833 all the locations of incoming settlers were made within three miles of his location.

In 1830, William Harris, who had originally located in what is now Sugar Creek township in 1828, moved over and located southeast of Kirk, in Sec. 2. In the same year Henry Percifield located on Sec. 23 ; John Russell on Sec. 6, and David Galbraith on Sec. 10. In 1831 John Gallaher located on Sec. 6; Joseph Bickley on Sec. 1 ; John Wheeler on Sec. 33, and Barney

Before the later settlers got in, the great problem of Kirklin township had been decided. On January 21, 1828, an act of the legislature was passed making James Scott of Madison county, Zenas Beckwith of Hamilton, and Morgan Shortledge of Tippecanoe, commissioners to locate a state road from Xew Castle, in Henry county, to Lafayette, through Madison and Hamilton counties. Three days later an act was passed appointing John McDonald of Daviess, Chester Elliott of Warwick and John I. Neely of Gibson commissioners to survey and mark the Michigan road from Lake Michigan as far as Indianapolis. The crossing of these two roads was approximately fixed by the fact that they had to keep off the Big Miami Reserve, the southwest corner of which was in the north central part of what is now Kirklin township. The land at the crossing would of course be the desirable place for a town.

But everybody thought the Michigan road would be a great thing and every section through which it could possibly pass was clamoring for it. And there was another trouble. The commissioners went to work in May, 1828, and located the northern terminal of the road at "the mouth of the River Dvsman (Du Chemin) or Trail creek," the present site of Michigan City, from which they took as straight a line as possible for Indianapolis, crossing the Kankakee just west of English Lake. Their experience with the Kankakee swamps warned them to look for something better, but they were almost as much exhausted as their horses, and did not mark the second line until October. It started at the same point on the lake, rat; east to "the south bend of the St. Josephs" (present South Bend), then practically south, through the present Plymouth ami Rochester to Logansport ; thence veering slightly to the west until one mile west of the Big Reserve, and then due south to one-half mile north of the present north line of Kirklin township; thence in a practically straight line to Indianapolis.

Both surveys were reported to the legislature on December 9, 1828, but by this time the whole state was torn up over the location of the line south of Indianapolis, and nothing was accomplished. On December 8, 1829, Governor Ray, who evidently did not know the Kankakee marshes, sent in a message arguing for the first, or west line, which he said was only seventy-three miles, as against over one hundred for the South Bend line. Luckily for pioneer travelers, the legislature did not agree with him; and on January 13, 1830, it adopted the South Bend route, and also located the south half of the road through Greensburg to Madison, which was the poorest place possible for the southern terminal. On December 7, 1830 the Governor announced that "The Michigan road has been placed under contract from Madison to Logansport."

It is obvious that there was room for a good deal of speculation as to where the roads would cross, and there are old traditions of various men waiting to learn where the surveys would go. and of Nathan Kirk beating in the race to Crawfordsville to locate the coveted land. The indications, however, are that Kirk did some pretty shrewd guessing, and then, to make sure, located all the land that he thought was within the limits of possibility. For some reason, the patents he took out on his land were not recorded until July 11, 1853, and in order of their dates they are as follows: E.

Kirk built a tavern at the crowing - in the present town of Kirklin - which became the chief business factor of the vicinity. In 1831 he built a sawmill, with a corn-cracker attachment, on Sugar creek, in section 10. A grist mill was established at the same point some 'years later by Mr. Thompson. The interesting tradition is preserved of Kirk's business enterprise in connection with the fur trade, which was of considerable importance, especially in the line of small skins, and particularly coon skins. A firm known as Walker & Company had been the only buyers who invaded the region, and the Northwestern Fur company, which was an early form of trust, or monopoly, decided to put them out of business. The company's agent, John Fury, made arrangements with Kirk to buy for them, and to get the skins at whatever price was necessary. Assured of financial backing, Kirk soon had agents in every direction. Walker & Company began to advance prices and Kirk did the same, until under the competition a coon skin, which ordinarily rated at twenty-five cents, was selling for one dollar and fifty cents.

The occasion was a godsend to the community, for coons were plentiful, and money was hard to get, and many a struggling pioneer took advantage of it. The result was that Kirk got the skins, and there was a goodly lot of them. He sent out three wagon loads in the spring, and each wagon bore a dressed coon skin, with an inscription, the three being "Competition is the life of trade"; "John Fury against the world"; and "I am not to be bought for a quarter." The procession was hailed with enthusiasm, and the coon skin war was long a favorite topic for reminiscence. One of the men of Kirklin township, long known as one of its substantial and prominent citizens, who got his start by purchasing and selling coon skins at this time, was Abraham Hollcraft.

Kirklin township was not of rapid growth in population. It was originally included in Jackson township, and was not set off as a separate township until 1837. It then included Sugar Creek township, which was set off in 1841. In 1850 the population was 750; in i860 it was 955; in 1870 it was 1,266, and in 1880 it reached 1.461. The population at later dates is given in the preceding history of the county. Like the rest of the county, its development was impeded by the lack of transportation facilities, and it was later than the western and central parts of the county in getting them. Early efforts to get a line of railroad were unsuccessful and it was not until 1883 that the L., N. A. & C., or Monon, railroad was built through the township, giving new life to Kirklin town, and bringing into life the village of Cyclone.

Mention has been made of the settlers who came as early as 1832. In 1833 were added Abraham Hollcraft, John Thompson, Edward Miller, John Bland, James Hollcraft and Rev. Anson Beech. In 1834 came Jacob Boils, John Davis. William Davis, Isaac McClelland, John McClelland and Isaac Newhouse. In 1835 and 1836 David Bogan. John Furgeson, Cornelius Hall, Lewis Hall. James Parks. Mr. Williams and Ambrose Whitaker were among the new arrivals. Soon after 1836 Andrew and William Bogan. Mr. Brackenridge, James Bogan, James Clark. James Davis. John Fulkerson, Jacob and Cleland Harley, Uriah Jones, S. Moore, John Swisher and George Wimborough located in the township.

At the organization of the township, in March. 1837. an election was ordered for local officers, to be held at the house of Nathan Kirk. At this first election Joseph McKinney was chosen justice of the peace; James Hollcraft, constable; Abraham Hollcraft, Mr. Sample and Mr. Hamilton, trustees. James Hollcraft was also the first candidate for matrimony, his marriage with Nancy McKinney being the first celebrated in the township. The first religious meeting of which tradition gives any account was held at the house of William Boils in 1832. It was a Methodist gathering, and Rev. Anson Beech presided. Religious meetings were usually held in the schoolhouses, after there were any, until 1841, when the Methodists completed the first church. It was a log structure, on the farm of Joseph Bickley.

The first school-house was built on the same farm in 1836. About a year later school-houses were built on the Isaac Miller and Thompson farms.

The first religious sect that showed actively after the Methodists was that of the Missionary Baptists, who held meetings in 1830 at the house of George Wimborough, and heard sermons from Rev. Mr. Hill. In 1846-7 the Christians, or Disciples, built a church on the Clark farm. Rev. Lockhart and Rev. McKinney were the first local preachers of this denomination. The school and church facilities were necessarily those of a rather sparsely settled agricultural region for a number of years.

Kirklin is still essentially an agricultural township. Of its 22,183 acres only 733 are accounted waste land, and in 1912 only 1,957 acres of woodland remained. There were 3,458 acres of timber land in 1885, which shows an average clearing of over fifty acres a year since that time, and indicates that there is opportunity for some reforesting. Most of the product is of staple crops. In 1912 there were 7,706 acres of corn, with a product of 313. 170 bushels; 4,871 acres of oats, with a product of 156,500 bushels; 2,472 acres of wheat, with a product of 26,150 bushels; 1.400 acres of timothy, with a product of 1,441 tons; 299 acres of clover, with a product of 352 tons; and 146 acres of rye, with a product of 3,880 bushels. In 1912 there were 2,606 acres of pasture and 532 acres covered by buildings and gardens.

The valuation of the township outside of the town of Kirklin, in 1912, in lands and improvements, $1,079,210; personal and corporate property, $426,- 570; polls, 198. In the town of Kirklin the valuation is lots and improvements, $123,525; personal and corporate property, $146,810: polls, 144. The tax rate outside of the town is 2.10, and in the town 2.55. The total tax raised outside of the town is $31,158.90. and in the town $7,004.44. These figures give an index to the development of the township, when compared with those of earlier years. In 1845 the value of all real estate in the township was $72,396, and personal property, $19,508; total, $91,904. In 1886 the value

The town of Kirkin was laid out bv Nathan Kirk, but not dated. The original plat made the town one block on each side of the Michigan road, which was called Main street, and seven blocks long, from Washington to Jackson streets. On October 24, 1836, an addition was filed of one block in width on the east, west and south sides of the original plat. The Michigan road being 100 feet in width, that width was retained in Main street, and the other streets were made 60 feet wide. Each block except No. 16 was cut by an alley 12 feet in width, parallel to Main street. The first house, as has been mentioned, was built by Nathan Kirk on block 16.

The prospects of the location soon attracted others. Edward Miller put up a log store building in which he kept the first store. William Wynkoop built a hotel on the west side of Main street, which stood for half a century. William Benson built a store, which was removed in later years farther east ; and also a dwelling. Hiram Dougherty put up a building and opened a cabinet shop in it. James Hollcraft put up two buildings, one of which he occupied as a residence and the other as a bar-room. John Heffner put up the first blacksmith shop. Columbus Kemp was the first tanner, and had a shop in a building erected by William Davenport. M. Z. Saylor was the first physician. Among other early comers were William Handlin, Peter B. Kennedy, and John Foster, who married Nathan Kirk's daughter. These early buildings have all given place to substantial structures. The oldest house now standing was built about 1856.

Although originally named Kirklin. the place was more commonly known as Kirk's Cross Roads for many years. It did not continue to grow as had been expected, and it was not incorporated for forty years. On March 9, 1876, William D. Fall and others filed a petition for incorporation, accompanied by a detailed census of the place. There were 60 males over 21 years of age, all heads of families, and 61 males under 21 years of age, with 123 females of all ages, total 224. The county commissioners called a corporation election for April 1, which was duly held, resulting 36 in favor of incorporation, and none opposed. On June 8, 1876. the commissioners declared the town of Kirklin incorporated.

Kirklin was always for education, and in 1883 a large four-room brick school building was erected at a cost of $5,600. A nine-months school was maintained, which soon had 200 pupils, and three teachers for the three grades. In 1908 the township consolidated high school building was erected.

Tt is a fine modern brick building with ten class rooms and a large assembly hall, with 460 chairs. This building cost in round numbers $50,000. Both the building and the school maintained in it are matters of just pride to the town and the township.

The first fraternity to form a local organization in Kirklin was the Odd Fellows, who established Kirklin Lodge Xo. 299, on November 20. 1867, with the following membership: John Barnett, noble grand: P. T. Gorham, vice grand: C. H. Smith, secretary: G. T. Purdy, treasurer. This lodge continued for a quarter of a century and then became extinct. On October 9. 1897, Hubbard Lodge Xo. 729. was organized at Kirklin, and is still in existence. Charles Williams is noble grand, and John H. Amos, secretary. Lilly Lodge Xo. 616. Daughters of Rebekah, is also located at Kirklin. and Clinton Encampment No. 277. The encampment has 21 members. A. B. Clewell is grand patriarch, and Ed. Kiphart (R. F. D. Xo. 2), is financial scribe.

The extinction of the first Odd Fellows Lodge leaves the Masons with the earliest continuing organization. Kirklin Lodge. A. F. & A. M.. was instituted May 29. 1872. Its original members were A. C. Littleton, worshipful master; W. A. McDonald, senior warden; Nathan Henricks. junior warden; Francis Boyer, Rev. J. L. Miller, T. Stowers. Dr. D. Stowers and E. W. Bogan. This lodge reports 143 members. Murray Hall is the present worshipful master and William L. Conyers, secretary.

Ossawattomie Lodge, Improved Order of Red Men, was organized at Kirklin. March 15, 1899. It has 43 members and meets in a hall in the Gibson block. Cecil Purdy is chief of records. Kirklin Camp, No. 13,944, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized at Kirklin April 15, 1909; and at one time had a membership of 53, but surrendered its charter in 1911.

The first church erected in Kirklin was by the Presbyterians in 1867. It was a frame building and w^as occupied for over thirty years. The first pastor was Rev. J. B. Logan, and among the early members were G. M. Myers and wife, L. Fitzpatrick and wife. Dr. Elisha Bogan. J. T. Wilds and wife and Mr. and Mrs. Kingsoliver. The present church building was erected in 1900. The church now has 96 members, and recently called Rev. Henry F. Shier to the pastorate. The church had not had a regularly installed pastor for many years; and on October 14, 1913, installation services were held. The sermon was by Rev. B. YV. Taylor, D. D., of Franklin: the charge to the people by Dr. J. P. Hale, of Lafayette, and the charge to the pastor bv Rev. H. X. Ronald, of Thornton.

The Methodist Episcopal church, while the first organization in the tow nship, did not erect a church in the town until 1871-2. Its original location was about a mile from the town and in 1840 it erected a building known as Salem church. The church built in the town in 1871-2 is still occupied, but remodeled. The present membership is 125, and the pastor is Rev. L. A. Hazlett. The Christian (Disciples) church erected their building in Kirklin in 1888. This church has 160 members, and the pastor is Rev. W. W. Weidrich. The Wesleyan Methodist church building was erected in 1895. This church now has fifteen members, and Mrs. Belle McClure is the pastor.

Kirklin is an enterprising business town, and has attracted attention for the last fifteen years by its horse shows and street fairs, the broad expanse of Main street, now substantially paved with brick, affording a fine field for displays. The town has superior banking facilities. The First National Bank of Kirklin in October, 1913, increased its capital stock from $28,000 to $50,000. and its surplus from $7,000 to $23,000. The Farmers State Bank, which opened for business September 28. 1912. had at the close of its first year's business loans, $96,226.35 : deposits, $100,273.99: resources, $134,- 493-85-