Dubois County, Indiana - When, Why and How Jasper Became a "county-Town., 1910

Compeete List Of Pioneer Real Estate Owners

Removal of the county-seat from Portersville to Jasper - Copy of the act appointing commissioners to re-locate the seat of justice in Dubois county - Supplement to said act - Population of Portersville in 1830 - Jacob Drinkhouse, the pioneer hatter - Reasons why Jasper was made the county-town - The original town of Jasper - Court-house fire - Survey made of the county-seat - The Enlows - Why the name "Jasper" was chosen - Writing sand - Erection of the first house in Jasper - Mrs. Nancy Weathers - Record of testimony - Court held at the house of James H. Condict; at the Cumberland Presbyterian church - First two-story brick residence in Dubois county - Real estate owners in Dubois county up to 1831 - B. B. Ednionston, Sr. - Esquire Henry Bradley's account of early days at Jasper.

The thirteenth General Assembly of Indiana (1828) passed an act, which was approved by Governor Ray, Monday, January 19, 1829, for the removal of the county seat from Portersville to Jasper. The act named the following commissioners and defined their duties:

For some reason the seat of justice was not moved from Portersville to Jasper, under this act, so the fourteenth General Assembly which convened at Indianapolis, December, 1829, passed another act for the removal of the county seat to Jasper. This new act repealed the old act of the year before, and named Adam Shoemaker, of Perry county, as one of the commissioners in place of William Hargrave, of Pike county. This new act was approved Thur.sday, January 21, 1830, and since it marks an important epoch in the history of Dubois county its full text follows. Its historical information and peculiar language make it worth a careful reading. It follows:

Section i. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That Thos. Vandever, of Spencer County, William Hoggatt, of Orange County, Adam Shoemaker, of Perry County, Thomas Cisall, of Martin County, and Ebenezer Jones, of

Daviess County, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to re-locate the seat of justice of Dubois county; who, or a majority of them, shall meet at Portersville in said county, on the second Monday in August uext, or on any day thereafter, which they, or a majority of them, may agree upon; and after being duly sworn, faithfully and impartially to discharge the duties to them assigned by this act, the said commissioners, or a majority of them, so assembled and sworn, shall proceed to select, as near the center of said county, as an eligible situation can be had, the most eligible situation for a town and seat of justice for the said Dubois county; and shall procure, by donation or purchase, a quantity of land at least sufiBcient to lay out a town, with a number of lots equal to the number in Portersville, the present seat of justice of said county; and the land, so by donation or purchase obtained for a town and seat of justice of said county, shall not be liable to execution, or be sold to discharge any judgment, which now exists, or may hereafter be obtained, against the said Dubois county; but it is applied to, and is hereby reserved for the special purpose for which the same shall be purchased or donated, free and exempt from any execution, in any manner whatever, issued against the said Dubois county, by virtue of any judgment, now existing, or which may hereafter be obtained.

Sec. 2. After the re-location of said county seat, by the commissioners, pursuant to the provisions of the first section of this Act, it shall be the duty of the county agent of said county, so soon as convenient, to lay off, or cause to be laid off, a town on said re-location, on a plan as nearly similar as may be, to the town of Portersville in said county, and with a corresponding number of lots; and any and every person, who shall be the owner or owners of any lot or lots, in Portersville the present seat of justice in said county, which shall have been originally purchased of said Dubois county, and paid for in whole or in part, (whether sold on execution or otherwise) on making complete payment therefor, if only part shall have been paid, such owner or owners, his, her, or their legal representatives shall have the privilege of exchanging the same, for other lot or lots, correspondingly situated in said new town, laid off by said agent as aforesaid, by filing with, and acknowledging, before the Recorder of said Dubois county, his, her or their application for that purpose, within thirty days from and after the time, that the said commissioners shall report their proceedings to the Board of Justices of said Dubois county; which application filed and acknowledged as aforesaid, shall by said recorder be entered on record at the expense of said county; and for which said recorder shall be allowed and paid the sum of twenty-five cents for each application thus made, filed and recorded; which application shall have the effect, both in law and equity, of an absolute release of all the right, title and interest of said applicant, in and to such lot or lots; and it shall be the duty of the agent of said county, on being presented with the said recorder's certificate of such reliquishment and application, to execute to such applicant, a good and sufficient general warranty deed or deeds, to the same number of lots thus relinquished in the new town, correspondingly numbered and situated with those relinquished in the town of Portersville aforesaid.

Skc. 3. Said Commissioners shall also, at the time they re-locate said county seat, value the donations (if any) which were given by individuals to the said county of Dubois, for the seat of justice at Portersville, exclusive of the improvements thereon; and the value thereof, thus assessed by said commissioners, shall be refunded to the person or persons who donated the same, or to their legal representatives; if such donation or donations cannot be returned uninjured by incumbrances, to the person or persons who donated the same, or to their legal representatives. But if such donation or donations can be returned unincumbered, or any part thereof, and the donor or donors thereof, or their legal representatives, choose to take them back, such donation or donations may be returned to the original donors, or their legal representatives; and if the whole shall be returned, it shall be in full discharge of all claims, which the donor thereof shall have against said county, on account of such donation; and if a part only shall be returned, it shall be in full discharge of so much of the donor's claim against said county, as the board of justices of said county, and said donor, or his legal representatives, shall agree on.

Sec. 4. Any person or persons, being the owner of any lot or lots in the town of Portersville in said county, on which any buildings or improvements may have been erected or made, previous to the passage of this act, and who shall feel him, her, or themselves aggrieved by the re-location of said county seat, may at any time, within twelve months after the passage of this act, make application to the board of justices of said county, to have the said lot or lots, and buildings or improvements thereon valued; and if any application or applications shall be so made, to the said board of justices and to their first session, held one year after the passage of this act, they shall appoint three commissioners, who are not residents of Dubois county, neither of whom shall be interested in said town of Portersville, or of kin to any person interested in any lot or lots therein; which commissioners, so appointed, or a majority of them, shall meet at the said town of Portersville, on any day, within thirty days after the appointment, which they or a majority of them may agree on, or the board of justices direct; who, after being duly sworn, faithfully and impartially to discharge the duties enjoined on them by this act, shall, so soon as convenient, proceed to view and value the lot or lots, for which application shall have been made to have valued, together with the improvements thereon; and also to view and value the lot or lots obtained therefor in exchange; and shall under their hands and seals, certify the value of each to the clerk of the Dubois circuit court, who shall lay the same before the board of justices of said county, at the session next after it shall have been received; and if the difference in value shall be in favor of any lot or lots, in the town of Portersville, the difference in value so ascertained, shall, by the said board of justices be allowed to the owner or owners of such lots, and be paid as is provided for the payment of donations, by the second section of this act; and if the difference in value so ascertained, shall be in favor of any lot or lots, obtained in exchange, such difference in value shall, by the owner or owners thereof be in like manner paid to the board of justices of said Dubois county, within six months after such differences shall have been ascertained; and for thus valuing said lots, and so certifying the value thereof, said commissioners shall be allowed such compensation, as said board of justices shall deem just and reasonable.

Sec. 5. The sheriff of Dubois county shall in due time notify the commissioners by this act appointed, and to be appointed by virtue hereof, of their respective appointments, and of the time and places, at which they are by this act required to meet; for which he shall be allowed such compensation as the board of justices of said county shall deem just and reasonable, to be paid out of said county treasury; and the commissioners appointed by the first section of this act shall receive for their services two dollars and fifty cents each for every day they shall be necessarily employed in discharging the duties enjoined on them by this act, and traveling to and from the place at which they are required to meet; they shall report their proceedings to the board of justices of Dubois county, and shall receive the compensation herein allowed, out of the said Dubois county treasury.

Sec. 6. The circuit and other courts of said Dubois county shall be holden at Portersville, the present seat of justice of said county, until suitable buildings for their accommodation shall be erected at the seat of justice re-located. As soon as practicable, the board of justices of said county shall commence the erection of the necessary public buildings at the seat of justice re-located; and after the court house shall be completed, so as to afford suitable accommodations for the courts, the circuit courts of said county and courts transacting the county business, shall be held at the seat of justice, as located by the virtue of this act.

This act shall take effect and be in force, from and after the first of June next; and the act entitled "An act Appointing commissioners to re-locate the seat of justice of Dubois Count}-," approved January 19, 1829, is hereby repealed.

It seems that there were still some doubts as to the re-locating of the county seat being for the best interests of the county, for nine days after the governor approved the above act he approved a supplement to it which the legislature had passed the very day he had approved the main act. This supplement reads as follows:

Section i. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That the commissioners appointed by the act to which this is a supplement, shall, after meeting at the town of Portersville, and taking the necessary oath, examine the situation of the county; and after having selected the most eligible situation for a seat of justice for said county, agreeable to the provisions of this act to which this is a supplement, they shall endeavor to ascertain, whether the interest of said county would be promoted by re-locating the said county seat or not; and if in their opinion the interest of said county would be promoted, by a re-location of the seat of justice of said county, they shall proceed to re-locate the same, agreeably to the provisions of this act. But if they shall consider that the interest of said county would not be promoted by so re-locating said seat of justice they shall desist from making such re-location, and shall make to the board of justices of said county a report of their opinion, relating thereto, and of their proceedings thereon, by virtue of this act.

The reader will observe that the law changing the county seat to Jasper is unique. It accounts for the public square at Jasper. Portersville had one. It also shows the reason why town lots near Patoka river, at Jasper, are not numbered in regular order, an attempt being made to number them as they were sold, or numbered at Portersville.

1817, and Portersville, founded in 1818, as the "county-town." It locates the "Buffalo Trace," the "Mud Holes" and McDonald's Cabin. The map on the right shows Dubois county in 1830, when Jasper became the "county-town." Perry county took part of Dubois county January 29,

1818, and Martin county took part January 17, 1820. The black part on the map on the right indicates all the land that individuals had purchased from the government up to December 31, 1830. At that date all the white part and nine-tenths of the black part was a wilderness. The "Irish settlement" lies northwest of Jasper, as shown on the map. Notice how separate and distinct it is from the Portersville settlement. These maps are compiled from official records, and are, in fact, the first maps of the original county ever published.

At that time, 1830, there were 1774 inhabitants in Dubois county, practically all in the northwest quarter of the county. The town of Portersville, including the settlement around it had a population of about fifty when the county seat went to Jasper. In a year or two Jasper passed it in population, and in 1839, when the county court house burned, the population of Jasper was estimated at one hundred fifty. In the old records the first county-house at Jasper is not referred to as a "court-house," but as the " clerk's and recorder's office."

It is said that at the first term of court held at Jasper, a man b}- the name of Jacob Drinkhouse was sent to the state's prison on what was entirely circumstantial evidence. He served seven months and was then pardoned. It was learned that he was innocent of the specific charge. Drinkhouse lived at Portersville and was a pioneer hatter. He made coonskin caps for the early settlers. David Harris misplaced fifty dollars, and Drinkhouse was thought to have taken it. The Harris famil}' afterwards found the money. Drinkhouse was not generally trusted, and evidently the jury thought the punishment should fit the man and not the crime.

Among the twelve men who agreed to build a court house, at Ja.sper, on condition that the county seat be moved from Portersville, were B. B. Edmonston, Sr., Major T. Powers, Jacob Enlow, Joseph Enlow, Benjamin Enlow, and Henry Enlow. These same men, and sundry others, gave as their reason for having the county-seat located at Jasper, its central location. The "Irish settlement" west of Jasper, also approved of the removal. In fact it was a contest between the "White river pioneers" and the " Patoka river pioneers " for the county-seat. Jasper became the county-seat because its site is near water (a consideration at that time) and near the center of the county, and because a mill had been erected, on Patoka, at the place where Eckert's mill now stands. Why was Enlow' s mill built at that site? An Indian trail left the "Buffalo Trace," near Otwell, came on through the " Irish settlement," and crossed Patoka river at a ford below where the mill stands, and at the foot of Mill street in Jasper. It crossed the river at the ford and then divided. For many years after Jasper became the county-town there was no way to cross Patoka river except at the ford. Above the ford the mill dam was erected, the mill built, and thus the town began. Many old citizens now living remember the old ford.

The original town of Jasper is situated on the west half of the northeast quarter, and ninety-nine feet along the west side of the east half of the northeast quarter of section thirty-five, and on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section twenty-six; all in town one, south, of range five, west. The east half of the northeast quarter was bought from the United States August 25, 1820, by Benjamin Enlow. It is upon this tract that the Enlow mill was erected. That accounts for but ninetynine feet of this tract being included in the donation. The west half of the northeast quarter was entered April 17, 1830, by Jacob Enlow and Elijah Bell. Out of this tract the Enlow's kept a part, since known as " Enlow's Reserve," but now within the town limits. The southwest quarter of the southeast quarter in section twenty-six, was bought from the United States, March 12, 1830, by Joseph Enlow. The original town contained one hundred two acres.

The original deed of donation and the record of it were lost in the court house fire of August 17, 1839. This information is based upon the affidavit of Col. Simon Morgan, as recorder, in the "Record of Testimony," a book in which are re-recorded many old deeds, previously recorded in the destroyed records.

In September, 1830, Hosea Smith, the surveyor of Pike county, laid out the town of Jasper. He had previously laid out Petersburg and Portersville as "county-seat towns." He was assisted by William McMahan, the " Agent for Dubois County," who conducted the sale of the lots in the new town, and James McMahan and Abraham Corn, principal chain-carriers. The land was covered with a forest at the time of the survey. The Enlows had not received their title deeds from the government to the main part of town until nearly ninety days after the enabling act had been approved by the governor. However, they had the papers about four months before the actual survey of the town began. " The Enlows " so often spoken of in connection with the settlement of Jasper were Jacob and Elizabeth, his wife; Benjamin and Fanny, his wife; Joseph and Elandor, his wife, and Henry Enlow, who became a county commissioner. Nancy Enlow was born September, 1798, and died at Jasper, May 9, 1840. Her grave is at Jasper. Joseph Enlow was born November 4, 1766, died at Jasper, and his remains are buried in the town cemetery. Mrs. Elandor Enlow seems to have been above the ordinary, for she could write her own name, a thing not all women of her time, in this county, could do.

Mrs. Hayes, a distant relative of the Enlows, and the wife of William Hayes, at one time a school examiner of Dubois county, gives this account of the naming of the new "county-town," - "The commissioners were going to call the new town 'Eleanor' or 'Elandor,' in honor of Mrs. Elandor Enlow, wife of Joseph Enlow, one of the donors, when that good lady said, 'No, wait, let me select a name,' and going for her Bible, she soon returned and suggested the word - and the word was 'Jasper,' - and thus the town was named." \_Revelations , Chapter 21 , Verse ip].

All the early records in the court house were written with a goose quill pen, and even as late as 1S65, "writing sand" was used to absorb the surplus ink, for the same purpose for which blotters are used to-day. The prepared sand came in small boxes, resembling pepper-boxes, and it was used in about the same manner. The sand was left on the paper long enough to absorb the surplus ink, then it was returned to the box for future use.

Mrs. Nancy Weathers, a daughter of Col. B. B. Edmonston, was born on the banks of White river, about three miles above Haysville, in Harbison township, May 30, 1829. She is authority for the statement that "the first house erected in the original town of Jasper was built on lot 153, by B. B. Edmonston, Sr., about 1830. It was torn down in 1905. The house became the first postoffice at Jasper and its owner was the first postmaster. Mail then came from Vincennes and Paoli once a week. B. B. Edmonston, Sr., died at Jasper, and his remains are at rest on what was his farm on White river. He was at one time, a probate judge and also an associate judge."

Mrs. Weathers attended her first school, in a log school house where Kellerville is located. Her second school-room was in the first court house, at Jasper, and Col. Simon Morgan was her teacher. That was in 1838. Mrs. Weathers says further: "The first church house at Jasper was the Cumberland Presbyterian, a log building, afterwards replaced by a frame building, on lot number eighty-three. Much trade was carried on between Jasper and Troy. Ox teams were used and three or four days were required to make a trip. Frequently four oxen, and often eight, were required to each wagon."

The loss of the court house, by fire, caused the loss of much valuable information concerning the early history of the county; however, some of it is preserved in the "Record of Testimony." In it is found the following affidavit of Col. Simon Morgan, then clerk and recorder, made before President Judge EHsha Embree, of this circuit, namely:

"Be it remembered that on the i6th day of November, in the year 1840, John Hurst, agent for Dubois county appeared in open court, by his attorney, L. Q. DeBruler, and produced here in open court the following testimony relative to the existence and destruction of certain deeds of conveyance and the records thereof from Jacob Enlowand wife, and Benjamin Enlow and wife to William McMahan, agent for Dubois county, which testimony is as follows, to-wit:

Dubois County. Simon Morgan, being duly sworn, says that in the year of our Lord, 1830, Jacob Enlow and Elizabeth Enlow, his wife, donated to William Hoggatt, Adam Shoemaker, Thomas Vandever, Thomas Cisall and Ebenezer Jones, commissioners appointed by the Legislature of the state of Indiana to locate the county seat of Dubois county, and to receive donations therefor, the following tract or parcel of land lying and being in said county of Dubois, state aforesaid, to-wit: The west half of the northeast quarter of section thirty-five, township one south, range five, west, containing eighty acres, for and in consideration that the county seat of said county was located at this place where the town of Jasper, in said county is now situated, etc., that afterwards, to-wit: On the night of the 17th of August, 1839, the said deed and the record thereof, were wholly destroyed by fire by the burning of the clerk's and recorder's office in the town of Jasper, in said county.

A similar record is made of a six-rod-tract along the west side of the east half of the northeast quarter, of said section which was donated by Benjamin Enlow and his wife, Fanny, and Jacob Enlow, and his wife, Elizabeth. The deeds were made in 1830, and had been recorded by Simon Morgan, recorder, but both deeds and records were lost in the fire.

After the fire, court was held at the house of James H. Condict, who conducted a hotel on lot 57, at the southwest corner of Fifth and Jackson streets, at Jasper. At that time the county commissioners were Henry Enlow, the soldier; Robert Oxley, an Englishman; and John Donald, a

"Be it remembered that on the i6th day of November, in the year 1840, John Hurst, agent for Dubois count}^ appeared in open court, by his attornej^ L. Q. DeBruler, and produced here in open court the following testimony relative to the existence and destruction of certain deeds of conveyance and the records thereof from Jacob Enlowand wife, and Benjamin Enlow and wife to William McMahan, agent for Dubois county, which testimony is as follows, to-wit:

Dubois County, Simon Morgan, being duly sworn, says that in the year of our Lord, 1S30, Jacob Enlow and Elizabeth Enlow, his wife, donated to William Hoggatt, Adam Shoemaker, Thomas Vandever, Thomas Cisall and Ebenezer Jones, commissioners appointed by the Legislature of the state of Indiana to locate the county seat of Dubois county, and to receive donations therefor, the following tract or parcel of land lying and being in said county of Dubois, state aforesaid, to-wit: The west half of the northeast quarter of section thirty-five, township one south, range five, west, containing eighty acres, for and in consideration that the county seat of said county was located at this place where the town of Jasper, in said county is now situated, etc., that afterwards, to-wit: On the night of the 17th of August, 1839, the said deed and the record thereof, were wholly destroyed by fire by the burning of the clerk's and recorder's office in the town of Jasper, in said county.

A similar record is made of a six-rod-tract along the west side of the east half of the northeast quarter, of said section which was donated by Benjamin Enlow and his wife, Fanny, and Jacob Enlow, and his wife, Elizabeth. The deeds were made in 1830, and had been recorded by Simon Morgan, recorder, but both deeds and records were lost in the fire.

After the fire, court was held at the house of James H. Condict, who conducted a hotel on lot 57, at the southwest corner of Fifth and Jackson streets, at Jasper. At that time the county commissioners were Henry Enlow, the soldier; Robert Oxley, an Englishman; and John Donald, a well known pioneer. Between 1841 and 1844, court was held at the Cumberland Presbyterian church on lot 83, at the corner of Sixth and Mill streets.

In 1850, Jasper had five stores, three groceries, two ware-houses, one brewery, one distillery, and a population of 532. In 1849, the town lost in population through a cholera epidemic.

In 1S50, mail arrived at the Jasper postoffice from Paoli on Wednesday; from Troy, New Albany, and Rockport on Thursday; from Petersburg on Friday; and from Leavenworth on Saturday.

In 1849, Joseph and Sophia Gramelspacher erected the first two story brick residence in Dubois count5\ It stands to-day on lot number 116, in Jasper. The scaffolding used in the erection of this building was put up on the ontside of the building and it was held in place by hickory withes, nails being too expensive and practically not to be had.

At the close of the year 1830, when Jasper became the "county-town," the following men were the only real estate owners in Dubois county. The list is chronologically arranged and serves to show the names of the pioneer land owners in Dubois county in the order of their purchases. The figures following the name refer to acres.

In The Year 1830

The above represents all the land entered or purchased by individuals at the time Jasper became the "county-town." The area of the land thus owned is 21035.67 acres. If it had been in one body it would have made a township practically the size of Marion township, at this time. On November 17, 18 18, William Gibson entered section twenty-one, in Patoka township. It was the first full section entered by one man, in Dubois county, and remained, in one body, longer than any other section in the county. Joseph Kelso was the largest landowner, having 823.20 acres. Not all of these real estate owners lived in Dubois county, but the greater number of them lived upon the land they purchased, so that the list of landowners given above is practically a list of Dubois county pioneers up to January i, 1831. The first entry was made in 1807. In the years 1808, 1809, 1811, 1813, 1821, 1823 and 1827 no one purchased any land in Dubois county. The entire area of Dubois count}^ is 273976.40 acres, or 428 square miles, according to the original government surveys. There are many old citizens in Dubois county, at this time, who are well down the western slope of life, with the hill-tops of the future looming upon the horizon of the great beyond, that can recall to mind many of the pioneers named hereinbefore, or whose names appear upon the accompanying map.

The B. B. Edraonston, Sr. , mentioned as a pioneer of Jasper, was the father of the late Hon. Benjamin Rose Edmonston, who was a member of the Constitutional Convention, of Indiana, in 1850. Benj. R. Edmonston was a man of large physical frame and great personal courage. He was devoted and strong in his attachments to principles or friends and ever ready to defend them. He was always bitter in his denunciations of what he considered wrong. These traits in his character fitted him to be a leader in the days of the early settlement of Dubois county, when personal encounters often settled the political status of a neighborhood or county. Many times before he was of age he demonstrated his physical strength in " fist and skull " encounters with the champions of his political opponents, as was customary in pioneer days. Benj. R. Edmonston was a man weighing over two hundred pounds and when flat-boating was the means of transportation, he would frequently shoulder a barrel of corn and carry it upon the boat - a feat ordinarily requiring two men. He had more than an average intellectual ability, although having but the scant education the public schools of that day afforded. He was a successful public debator and ' 'stump orator" of his time, in the then first congressional district. He was once a presidential elector of that district, and cast his vote for James Knox Polk. His style was fervid and pointed, more calculated to arouse enthusiasm in his own party than to win over persons from the opposite party. Edmonston had red hair, a florid complexion, and usually wore a red flannel shirt. His friends called him "Red Rover." He was a native of Buncombe county. North Carolina, and was always jealous of the honor of his native state. His political speeches were spiced with his own solos - he being a good singer. He was born March 8, 1807, and died in August, 1856, and his remains lie buried in Harbison township Benj. R. Edmonston was a member of the house during the 20th, 24th, 28th, and 33d sessions and he was a state senator during the 29th, 30th and 31st, sessions of the Indiana legislature. He was a brother of Col B. B. Edmonston, many years a county clerk. At the time Benj. R. Edmonston died he was serving the state as one of its Canal commissioners. He also served Dubois county as sheriff. His first wife was a daughter of Josiah Gwin, a pioneer. His second wife was a daughter of Dr. J. T. Poison, also a pioneer. A daughter of the first Mrs. Edmonston, became the first wife of Clement Doane, the late editor of ih& Jasper Courier. Hon. Benjamin Rose Edmonston was a typical successful Dubois countj^ pioneer.

The signature above is an exact reproduction from the original engrossed sheepskin copy of the state constitution, now on file at Indianapolis. In the constitutional convention that framed the present constitution of Indiana, Benj. R. Edmonston moved that the senate consist of fift)' members and the house of one hundred. It so remains to-day.

In 1S40 and 1841 I went to school at Jasper, and at noon the children played over all the ground where the court house now stands. We never thought a brick and stone building would ever stand there, neither did it ever occur to me, as we played where the soldiers' monument now stands, that some day a monument would be erected there to commemorate the achievements of a Civil War in which I would take part. I was then about twelve years of age. Prof. Cheaver taught school at the southeast corner of the public square. He taught school in his front room and lived in the back room. My schoolmates were Martin Friedman, John Friedman, Ignatz Buchart, Henry Holthaus, Samuel B. McCrillus, the Edmonstons, Enlows, Shulers, Grahams, Gramelspachers and Ballards.

The early settlers about Jasper as I now recall were Silas Davis, a United Brethren minister, Henrj' Barker, Joseph Barker, Charles Buchart, B. B. Edmonston, Benj. R. Edmonston, Major Powers, Samuel Graham, John Graham, Benj. Enlow, Miles Shuler, Jacob Weedman and Benj. Hawkins.

I distinctly remember the old log court house and the old log church house. I used to go to mill at Jasper. Often I went to Reiling's mill, four miles above Jasper. I had to turn the bolt by hand to get flour for bread. Jasper had an old water mill. William Monroe was the miller. The old wooden bridge across Patoka had a puncheon floor. I used to pull flax, spread the rack, use the swingle, and spin flax linen for pants, shirts, gallowses, flax aprons, and flax dresses. I remember when Joseph Gramelspacher built what in those days was the largest brick house in Dubois county. It is standing to-day, and was once called "Hotel Daniel."