Dubois County, Indiana - Chapter 2: Odds and Ends of Early Days, 1896

The early settlers in Dubois County had many trials and hardships. The McDonalds had settled on the south bank of Mud Hole Creek about two hundred yards south of where the base line was laid out two years later.

The site is on a beautiful knoll that commands the little creek, which is well supplied with springs and has never been known to "go dry." Mc- Donald was a ranger, guide and fearless hunter. A short time after he settled in Dubois County, the Indians called on him, and insisted that the pale face should be initiated into the mysteries and secrets of the original Redmen. He consented, whereupon one of the braves killed a hawk; its head was cut off, and impaled on a tall pole, when all proceeded to the banks of Mud Hole Creek. Pale Face McDonald was given the pole and required co hold the hawk's head above his own, while the Indians joined hands and danced about him in all their gruesome style. He thus became the first adopted Red Man in Dubois County, and lived to tell the tale to his future neighbors.

The McDonald fort was the half-way place between the country in and about Paoli and Vincennes. Early settlers in Orange and Washington Counties had to go to Vincennes to enter their lands. Fort McDonald was the stopping place in going and coming, and thus became of some importance. A gunsmith finally came along and was induced to remain and repair the guns of settlers, explorers, and sometimes of the Indians. Some few Indians had guns, others used the bow and arrows. Many of them were excellent shots. Some could hit a "bit" with an arrow at a distance of fifty feet.

A "bit" in those days was one-half of a silver coin that in its original state was worth twenty-five cents. Change was scarce, and silver was cut into halves and quarters and passed as money. As late as the fall of 1896, the half of a silver half dollar was found near this old settlement. Some years ago a Spanish coin bearing date 17 17, vvas found where McDonald had built his residence.

It was a very common occurence to see a son of the early settler walking by the side of his father carrying his long trusty flint-lock rifle, while the father held the plow. Sometimes a daughter carried the gun.

The graves of many of the early settlers of Dubois County have been lost. Many were buried on a knoll near some corner of their land and thus their exact resting places cannot be found. There are more than two hundred of such burial plots in Dubois County.

After the Indians had left Dubois County as a tribe, a few returned on a hunting trip. Of these few one was killed near the Sherritt graveyard where they had built a wigwam of the bark of a poplar tree. He was killed by a white man, and is said to have been the last one killed in this county. The killingtook place on the land that Toussaint Dubois bought from the United States in 1807. Dubois entered 320 acres. It is well watered. Mill Creek and Mud Hole Creek flow through it, and on the north side about fifty feet south of the base line, and about the same distance from Mill Creek is "Toussaint Dubois Spring." This spring is one of the very best in the entire county. It flows a strong stream, and its waters are excellent. An analysis of its waters shows its ingredients to be (according to State Chemist John

Hurty) as follows: Thirty-two orrains of chalk, and the slightest trace of iron in one gallon. It is said there is no purer water in the state of Indiana. This man Dubois entered land in various parts of Southern Indiana, and after his death much of i , including his possessions in Dubois County, was sold for taxes. His daughter Susan, married a Mr. Jones, and he permitted the land to sell for taxes.

Col. Simon Morgan was the first clerk and recorder in Dubois County. He served in this double capacity for twenty-three years, from the establish- ^ ment of the county seat at

In the center of the court house at Portersville a small space was railed off, and within the rails sat Judge Goodlet and Clerk Morgan, in all their original dignity, while court was in session. After court adjourned dignity was laid aside and each was himself again.

The above is an exact renresentation of the penmanship of Col. Simon Morgan, the first clerk and recorder of Dubois County. Colonel Morgan, was born in Virginia, February 3, Vi'^'A, and came to Dubois County in 1816. He died at Jaspet, in January, la41. He was elected clerk and recorder when Dubois County was organized, 181S, and served as such until his death. The above shows his penmanship, as executed with a goose-quill Carolinas. pen in 1831. -1.1. ...u ..^ 1 - J

With them cotton, and raised this product on the land about Portersville. A cotton gin was in operation at Portersville. The lassies learned to spin and weave, and presented a neat and clean appearance in their homemade cotton gowns. One native, Elijah Lemmon, lost an arm at the cotton gin at Portersville. Later, sheep were brought and wool soon took the place of cotton, and cotton fell back to its natural soil, the red hills of Southern Tennessee.

The Indians that lingered in the county during its early settlement were fond of milk, and would frequently carry a ham of a deer or a bear to the cabin of a white man and deliver it to the Pale Face. Then by grunts and signs they would indicate that they wanted milk in return. They drank all they could, then filled their Indian jugs, or pouches made of coon skins to take -with them. They never left any milk. Often they would give many times its worth in wild meat.

Deer was the most numerous of the wild animals. Thousands roamed through the woods in Dubois County. A pair of venison hams sold for about twenty cents. The hides were also an article of trade worth from six to twelve cents. The deer hams were shipped south on flat boats with pork, corn, beans, etc. In this way the settlers bought their powder, flint and lead, and such groceries and medicines as they needed.

To-day if an enemy's ship should fire a cannon ball into the city of Boston or San Francisco, in an hour every town in Dubois County could know it, and its citizens would begin to talk of defensive measures. Fifty years ago it took six or seven weeks before it was known that Polk was elected president. The race between Clay and Polk for president was an exciting one, yet news in Southern Indiana traveled slowly, and the result was not known for weeks. ,^

In 1835, people in j^ubois County were very sociable. The clothes they wore made no false imstinctions as now-a-days. At that time the wearing apparel of the entire people, men, women and children was manufactured at home. The loom - the big and little wheels and reel - was indispensable, and found in every house. The women did the weaving. They made jeans, blue and butternut flannels: linseys, both plain and striped, flax and tow linen. Dresses wei-e made of linsey. They frequently had turkey red stripes - the brighter, the prouder the girl was that wore it.

In 1840, the way of traveling was on horse-back. Everybody rode well. Ladies were excellent riders and seemed at home on the horse. Races were frequent along the level roads of Boone township. Old people tell us that frequently at a marriage there was a custom of "riding for the bottle. ''' The wedding party would start at the groom's home, while the bottle was buried at some place near the bride's home, well known to all the party. The race was a helter-skelter-ride across the country for the bottle. The lady who won, was entitled to select her partners for the dances at the wedding. There were also many other plans of testing the speed of the horse and the skill of his rider.

The first court held in Dubois County was held at the house of William McDonald, in August, i8rS. Jonathan Doty was presiding judge, Arthur Harbison was associate judge, Adam Hope was sheriff, and Col. Simon Morgan was clerk. From McDonald's house court adjourned to meet at Portersville. This village had but one hotel, then called a tavern. The judges and lawyers took possession of the tavern, while witnesses and jurors had to go elsewhere. Accommodations were not to be had ; so when men were summoned as jurors they knew that they were to go prepared. It was before the days of matches, so they took with them steel, flint, punk; powder, balls, gun, salt, bread, dog, horse, and blanket. The blanket frequently consisted of a bear's hide, such as are now called robes.

The jurors spent the night at "Jury Spring," about one-fourth mile south of Portersville, with no shelter save their bear robes and the blue canopy of heaven. They told jokes and played games until sleep overcame them. Early in the morning they were out for wild game which was plentiful and furnished good meat. When court opened they were ready to serve as jurors and decide the "weighty case according to law and evidence."

A few of the very first settlers in Dubois County brought slaves with them, but soon let them serve as free men. The idea of slavery was repulsive to frontiersmen. Now there are not fifty colored people in Dubois County. There was at one time a settlement of Negroes, and a colored school on the line dividing Cass and Ferdinand townships. Now, many of the colored people He buried in their little cemetery on a high hill about half way between Ferdinand and Huntingburg.