Delaware County, Indiana - Chapter 1: Advent of Civilization, 1881

PERSONAL REMINISCENCES - RECOLLECTIONS OF MINUS TURNER - EARLY Days IN DELAWARE CounTY - MUNCIE IN ITs PRIMITIVE STATE - STORES, Post Or FICE - Brick BUILDINGS, First TAVERN, OLD GRIST MILL - OLD GRAVEYARD - INDIANS - INDIAN TRACE - PEDDLER AND MERCHANT - WHEELWRIGHT - EARLY Courts, Court HovusE AND J AIL - SCHOOL BUILDING, ETC.

"In making my first advent into this county, I came on foot from Randolph County, in this State. My purpose in coming at. this time, was to settle here and grow up with the country, as you would say. When I came, I had only two shirts, one coat and 12 x cents in money. I came in the summer time and kept my money until Christmas. The best part of the joke, in saving my money at that time, was, that I loaned the shilling to a fellow, and he purchased a half-pint of peach brandy with it, which we drank together.

"Upon my arrival here, in 1827, Samuel Watson was the only person selling goods. He had a general store - kept everything - dry goods, groceries, ete. His store was a little building, a log one, located on the site of the pump-shop, at the northwest corner of Washington and High streets. William Gilbert was here also, keeping a tavern on the ground now occupied by the jail. He sold whisky, and otherwise accommodated travelers with the best the country afforded. The building was erected inj 1828. A blacksmith-shop was located on North Walnut street, west side, about on the site of the Episcopal Church, and was kept by David Baggs.

"Dr. Birt was the first Postmaster here. He had the office in a small log building, a short distance north of the boarding house on North Walnut street, east side. The mail was carried on horseback, once a week, from Richmond, Ind., and I think it went on down through Chesterfield and Anderson, and perhaps Indianapolis.

_ "During the year 1828, Goldsmith 'CG. Gilbert dug a mill-race, a part of which was blasted out through the rock. The following year, 1829, the 'Old Mill - grist-mill - was built. This mill was a 'corn cracker,' and was afterward fitted with a buhr for grinding wheat. I think the saw-mill, which was a few rods north of the grist-mill, was built the next year, 1830, after the grist-mill, The distillery was built about three or four years later, and was a small, one-story frame, located near where the present grist-mill stands. The woolen-mill was built where the race put into the river. It was burned down afterward.

"The first burying-ground was located in the east part of the town, on the north side of east Main street, east of Beacon street. This was not a private burying-ground but a public one. The next buryingplace was located on the north side of Adams street, west of Franklin, running back to the alley, containing about the equivalent of two town lots. The graves were on Adams street, none on Jackson. It was cut out in the woods and was therefore surrounded by timber. I had my wife and two children buried here. They, as well as most of the others, were taken up and moved to the new cemetery. The piece of ground located on the river, in the new cemetery, was either purchased or donated by a man named Loutz, and the two additions were afterward located.

"At the time of my location here a remnant of Indians frequently passed and repassed. They probably came here to hunt. <A man, woman and boy were at that time located in a log hut on the north side of the river, near where the mill-dam is situated. 'Indian Jake' was the father's name, 'Indian Sallie' was the mother's name, and 'Indian Jim' was the son's name. Indian Jim afterward lived with Lewis Reece, six miles above town. He died some eight or nine years ago. Indian Jake died at John Smith's, who lived on the lot where Ben Rich now lives, on Jackson street, These Indians came from the West, and first located somewhere in Ohio. hey were, perhaps, driven from the band, and came back East. The older ones were very much of the Indian character, wearing blankets, leggings, ete. Indian Jim was much different, and was a very good, industrious Indian, and dressed in citizen's dress. Some of the people, here would give them liquor; and many were fined for such offenses, as it was against the law to sell or give liquor to an Indian. Some would purchase whisky, take a sip from the glass, and then leave it. These Indians always understood this, and would walk up and drink the whisky; thus the law was frequently evaded. These Indians came to my house one very cold night, and stood up against the brick wall to warm themselves. We had a good fire, and they felt the heat coming through the brick, and they 'hustled up,' making a noise that attracted my attention. I got up and took in the situation at a glance. Seeing they were nearly freezing, I took them in, under faithful promise that they would be quiet and 'good Indians.' I permitted them to lje on the floor. In the morning they thanked and laughed, showing that they fully appreciated my hospitality. They said 'good man,' etc., and always afterward held me in highest esteem.

"When I came, Thomas Kirby was peddling goods over the country. He first went on foot, next with a horse, then he went with a horse and wagon. 'This was business enterprise and prosperity for you, each regular visits showing marked evidence of increased prosperity. Mr. Kirby, I think, was the second merchant in the town. He had a general store on Washington street, west of High.

"TI employed Boyd Linville in my brick-yard when he came here, in 1829, at a salary of $7 per month, one-half in store goods and one-half in cash. This was considered good wages then. He usually walked home on Saturday evenings. He had just been married, and lived then some four miles southeast of town, on the east side of the river. 3

"John Smith was a Wheelwright and chair-maker. He had his shop in one end of his house, which was a double log building, and was put up by him about the time I came here, in 1829, _

"The first court held in this county was in the Gilbert Tavern, before referred to, built in 1828. The grand jury held its session in the blacksmith-shop on Walnut street, owned by David Baggs, the present site of the Episcopal Church. The petit jury met under a buckeye tree which stood on the northwest corner of the public square. This tree was a very fine one. It had a large grapevine on it, which, with the tree's foliage, afforded a very good shade. I remember quite well, when the grand jury convened in the old blacksmith-shop, that I climbed up in the loft and saw one of the jurymen creep out between the logs and go over into the hazel brush and purchase some whisky of a fellow who was selling it there. He then crept back again, and soon became very noisy and unmanageable. His case was reported to the Judge, and he was fined $10. Then he pulled out a long leathern sack, made, perhaps, of buckskin, which had all kinds of silver money in it. It bursted, and the money spilled out on the floor. He told them to take what they wanted and hand the rest back. He was a very peculiar man, and when under the influence of liquor he did not care what he said or did. His name was James Jackson, and he was familiarly known as 'Devil Jim.' He went out into the Gilbert bar-room, after being fined, purchased a glass of whisky, and chewed the glass up between his teeth. I remember seeing him - chewing and damning, with his mouth bleeding.

'The county then had no jail, and the Sheriff would take the prisoners into his house and chain them down to the puncheon floor, which was accomplished by driving a staple into the puncheon, and riveting the band around the leg. I never saw but one so served, but this was the only security. The old court house was built in the winter of 1829-30.

"Minus Turner, Thomas Kirby and Joshua Truitt. were the first Trustees of Center Township. We built the schoolhouse located in the southeast corner of the township, on the Harter farm, and is known as the 'Harter School;' also, one northeast of here, known as the 'Priest School,' and one north, called the 'Holland School' - then we skipped a location. The next one was known as the 'Shaffer School,' and was southwest of here. We built one to the southeast of town, perhaps on the Bishop land; and, a little further south, another one. All these buildings were frame, and cost us from $200 to $400. They were considered cheap.

"J remember but one of the teachers employed, and that was William Drago. He taught in the Holland School. I think Warren Stewart was the first Trustee elected under the new law. I don't remember in what year we built the several schoolhouses.

the winter. They held a couple of meetings, and were solicited to remain here and preach. They were on their way West,' and, after some persuasion, they agreed to come back, which they did in a few weeks, and one of them, Babcock, remained and conducted a series of meetings that captured the town in toto, or nearly so. About everybody over sixteen years of age joined church, except Goldsmith Gilbert and myself. These preachers were Methodist itinerants, and their meetings were held in a little log building on the north side of Main street, and between Liberty and Cherry streets, near a little brick building which I built and is yet standing, occupied now by the Widow Watchtel. This log building belonged to a Mr. Jackson. The principal place of holding meetings after this, was in a double log building located on the present site of Ben Rich's house. .The building belonged to John Smith. He and his wife were leading members of the church. He had a brother who preached sometimes. "The first barber here, was a large, jolly fat man, named Stillwell. He was located in a log building, situated about where Frank Leon's clothing store is. I have the razor he used for many years. The time he was here was about the year 1831-32. There were always barbers who accompanied the lawyers and judges, when they came here to hold court. 5

"T built what was known as the 'Jo Davis house' in 1838 and finished it in 1839. I burned the brick and laid them up myself, doing two men's work, working by moonlight in laying up the brick. After I got the building done, I opened it as a tavern, as that was what it was built for. Iran it for a few months, and then leased it to Col. Sayer, who managed it for one or two years. Then I got it back, and ran it for myself six or eight years. After that I sold the property to a Mr. Hoon. . Afterward it went into the hands of Mr. Hunter, Hoon having it in charge for two or three years. Hunter, after his purchase, ran it a few years, and then sold it to Jo Davis, who in turn conducted the business of the establishment, and, under his administration, the house became popularly known as the 'Jo Davis House.' It finally passed out of the hands of Davis into the hands of Sample and Patterson. It finally took fire and was burned partially down, the ruins being afterward cleared. away, and the present structure, Patterson's Block, was erected upon the site. I was County Agent at the time the present court house was built. By order of the Board of County Commissioners, I went to Centerville, in Wayne County, and procured plans of the court house at that place. This building was constructed after the plan of the one at Centerville. Morgan John was the contractor. He had taken the contract to build the house after a very common plan, which the Board had prepared and adopted. I persuaded the Board to build a better house, and they sent me to Centerville with that purpose in view. Mr. John accepted the change and went on with the building; but it was so much more expensive that he broke up. This building cost from $1,000 to $1,500 more than if it had been constructed after the original plan. The brick of the building were to be laid up in what was then called 'Flemish Bond,' and two bricklayers were secured from Newcastle, who were Eastern workmen. They did not, however, prove equal to the task, being unable to lay it up in that way; so, after the first story was up, they quit. Some excitement was caused among us, who had laid brick, to see this kind of work done.

"Robert Gordon's father was the first colored man in this county, and he had a white woman for his wife. There was, however, about the same time, another colored man here, named Anderson, who lived with ' Devil Jim' Jackson, about six miles east of town.

"David Kilgore was the father of the extension of the Central Canal to this point. The survey was made to this point, and the dam was located near where the present mill-dam stands. It was afterward changed to Daleville, in this county. Much excitement prevailed when the location was made to Daleville, but it gradually subsided."