Grant County, Indiana - By William Neal (1 of 2 so headed), 1886

GREEN TOWNSHIP - BOUNDARY AND SURFACE - STREAMS AND TIMBER - INDIAN SUGAR CamMps - A NIGHT IN THE WILDERNESS - WILD ANIMALS - EARLY TRACES - LAND ENTRIES - FIRST SETTLERS - INDEPENDENCE - Point ISABEL - NORMAL - INCIDENTS.

~\ REEN TOWNSHIP, in Grant County, Ind., comprises four tiers of sections off of the east side of Township 23 north, Range 6 east, and Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 off Township 22 north, Range 6 east, and is bounded on the east by Liberty Township, on the north by Sims, on the west by the counties.of Howard and Tipton and on the south by the county of Madison.

Surface, Soil, etc. - The township of Green is a level plain, speaking of it in a general way. There are, however, some gentle undulations, in the vicinity of the streams. The original condition of the surface of the land in this township was slighty rolling along the water courses, and back of these came the ponds and sloughs with their attendants, maple, swamp ash and button wood. The soil is rich and productive. The removal of the forest reveals the fact that the very level portions are much more undulating than was at first supposed by the early settlers and hunters that traversed the unbroken wilderness, hence the drainage is much more easily accomplished than the first purchasers anticipated.

The Prairie. - The Wild Cat Prairie, in the northern part, consisted of a basin, or system of drainage lying in a southwesterly direction from the source in Section 2 to the west line of Section 10, over two and one half miles in length and from thirty to eighty rods in width, of open prairie, covered in summer with tall, coarse grass, and in early spring with water, resembling a lake. The first settlers mowed the grass of the prairie for hay before feed was raised on the new farms round about. This prairie has been made to answer a different purpose than for shooting ducks and snipe in the spring and for cutting hay in the fall. By having a large drain cut edge of Howard County the whole basin can now be cultivated, and produces astonishing crops of corn and potatoes. Garden vegetables grow to great size and perfection.

Streams. - Grassy Fork enters the township a little south of the northeast corner of Section 24, and has a westerly and a southwesterly course, and leaves the township on the west side of Section 21. Originally this stream was little other than a succession of beaver ponds, some of which were quite large, and water remained in them whole seasons.

Middle Fork enters the township on the east side of Section 1, Township 22, Range 6, and has a northwesterly course, and leaves the township a little south of the northwest corner of Section 28. This' stream has an extensive drainage, but does not spread as widely as Grassy Fork, and has fewer beaver dams; it has been improved by clearing out and cutting deeper.

Poley Walk, named in first settling and hunting from the fact that the great amount of sloughs along this stream in the wet season had to be passed over by laying poles or by felling sapplings in the 'direction the traveler was bending his way. A channel has been made, and poles are no longer used to walk upon in the vicinity of this stream. . The Red Earth Branch, a tributary of Middle Fork, 'has a deposit of red earth along its course, showing the presence of iron.

Timber. - The timber of this region differs but little as to kinds from the neighboring townships. The poplar, oak, ash, beech and sugar-tree all grew in great abundance. The sugar-maple grew in vast amounts on Grassy Fork (so called from the coarse wild grass that grew in and about its channel). Here was the Indian sugarcamp, on lands afterward owned by Virgil Hale, Johnson Eakins, the Nesbits and McMannaman. Here was one of the grandest sugar forests in all the country, and the Indians made sugar here in about 1841 or 1842. Here we found Wa-ka-coon-a, Lumbo and the squaws all busily engaged in sugar-making. About the same time a large camp was opened on the south side of the prairie just above the Beaver Slough. Here was a fine ridge of land with a large amount of sugar-maple, and near the edge of the prairie were some remarkably tall white oaks (quercus alba). These are only introduced as the principal localities where sugar could be made, or where fine forests could be seen. West of where Point Isabel is now situated, and on the north side in the bend of the creek was the "Walnut Garden," where all the large trees were black walnut, and they did not stand close together, leaving the ground quite free of underbrush, but covered with a heavy growth of tall weeds and nettles. A little southeast of this spot and on the south side of the creek, Asa and Levi Peacock, Brittain Wall and William Neal, who were on a hunting expedition late in the fall of the year, and before the United States surveys had been made in this part of Grant County, staid under an oak tree all night. Nothing disturbed the quietude of the forest but the growl of the wolf, who was not in the habit of seeing the light of fire in this locality, but he did not come in view. Our guns were all loaded for "bar" and deer, and the wolf staid away. If he knew what was laid up for him in camp we never knew where he "got" his information.

Animals. - These are the same as those spoken of in Liberty Township. The prairie and "Grassy" were the great points with hunters. Game was here most abundant, and whenever a "hunt" was spoken of it was understood to 'come off" somewhere on "wild cat." Deer were very plenty in the fall season and numbers were killed every year, and a great many by parties from the older counties, who would come and camp for the purpose of resting from ordinary business and passing a few days in the forest among the wild scenes of nature. The "wild hog" at an early day was rather plenty and almost as much te be dreaded as bruin himself, but. in the winter of 1843, the long continued and very severe cold when the great comet appeared in the southwest, the wild hog disappeared from the country, frozen and starved out, the ground being too deeply frozen for his nose to be of any use.

Traces. - As early as 1840, as has already been said (see Mill Township), a party went through and cut a trace passing on the north side of the prairie and striking Wild Cat, at Greentown. This was used by hunters and later on by early settlers till it became quite a road of note, passing by Slash and Normal and continuing westward going by the bowl-maker's (John Mclain). The Pemberton trace passed by 'where point Isabel stands and ou the south side of Wild Cat, finally reaching New London on Honey Creek. This was also used a great deal by land hunters and first settlers. These traces were soon called roads as time went on and were extensively used by those who passed to and from on the look out for land or game, deer, coon or bear. At length other traces were blazed out and used until the goverment surveys were made, and then the travel began to follow and open out these lines, and very soon settlers began to come in, and these small traces were lost sight of as soon as roads began to be opened.

First Settlers. - In 1845 Samuel Osborn settled on a claim located where Moses B. Harper now lives. Samuel Kelley bought this claim of him in the spring of 1846 and made a farm there which has been known as the Kelley farm for a number of years. Alexander McCracken settled in 1845 on the Harvey Henderson farm, known sometimes as the Ware place; he died soon after by the use of poke-root tea, taken for chills, which was the first death in the township, occurring in the summer of 1846. Daniel Taylor, a great hunter, had a claim on the Swan farm in 1845, now known - the Pettay, or later as the Nathan Small farm. In 1846 came

Thomas Townsend and settled on the south side of the prairie, he was a shoe-maker and gave attention to the wants of his neighbors in that line of business; he was the first shoe-maker that ever worked at the trade in Green Township. John McLain came in June, 1846, and settled on the McQuiston farm, or later the Stephenson farm, and set up bowl-making, which was attended with great success; this was followed for sixteen years, being the first machinery set in motion in the township (McLain bought his claim of James Burton). Samuel Watson came in 1846, and settled on the Cyrus A. Swan place. William Jones settled at the head of the prairie in 1852, near the mouth of the "big slew." Peter Knote came in 1847, and settled where E. John lives. Aaron Brooks came in 1848, and settled on the land owned by William Knote. Samuel Elliott came in 1850. Moses Jordon entered and settled the lands owned by Luther Burk in 1847. Needham Beeman settled on the William R. Koomler farm in 1847. Seth Mauller came in 1849, and settled where he now lives. John E. Wright came in 1847, and settled the John M. Smith place. Johnson Eakins settled where he now lives in 1853. William Pattison came in 1857, and settled where William Newkirk lives. Eldridge Green came and settled where he still lives in 1855. Brittain Larue settled the Jarrett Covalt farm in 1847. (Sanders squatted on this tract and Larue bought his claim.) David Hannah settled where he lives in 1850. Isaac Revis settled the John Gasgour farm in 1849. James Minor lived on the southeast corner of Section 26 in 1850; he was a shoemaker. Isaac Rybolt settled where he lives in 1854. William Knox was first settler in 1848. Jarret Rybolt settled in 1851 on a farm owned by him, now in Section 27. George Ohaver came in 1846, and lived on lands now owned by Abraham Covalt, south of the creek. John Knox settled where Wesley Kilgore lives in 1848. William Perry settled where Mrs. Leer lives. Stephen Marsh settled on land now owned by Wesley Kilgore in 1849. Marlin Knox settled on land now owned by Andrew Miller in 1848. Shadrach Chitwood settled where David Heinbaugh lives in 1849. Wilson Athon settled the Busenbark place in 1849. George McKinley settled where Thomas Powell lives in 1850. Joseph R. Kirpatrick settled where N. J. Leisure lives in 1801; Leisure came in 1863. Levi Hiatt came in 1846 and settled where Mrs. Thrasher lives, and in 1847 settled on the Marcus Kilgore place. James L. Hamilton settled the Mrs. Seward farm in 1847. Jacob Saine settled the Abraham Covalt farm in 1848, Jeremiah Hammer settled the Wiley Hood farm in 1847. Virgil Hale settled where he lives now in 1849. Elihu Moon settled the Messmore farm in 1849. William Hammer settled south of Points, where Andy Miller owns, in 1850. Andy settled where he lives now in 1862.

Independence was laid out February 25, 1851, by Daniel Bayless, of Grant County, and Daniel N ewkirk, of Madison County. It lies partly in Liberty and Green Townships in Grant County. In the portion in Grant County we find Andrew Gimmel, dry goods and general merchandise; Jonathan Parsons, dry goods and general merchandige; Reuben Patrick, postoffice (Rigdon) ; Charles Hughes and Ed Davis, blacksmithing, wagon-making and repairing; John Rhine, grist-mill; Thomas Dorsey, tin shop; Riggs & Behymer, meat shop.

Methodist Episcopal Church, organized in 1852, but held at private houses till 1856. A good house was then erected. Present pastor, T. F. Elkins; members, fifty. Christian Church, organized 1852; service held at private houses till 1855, when a good building was erected. The pastor then was Brazilla Blount; the pastor at present is - Hummel; members, 200. William Behymer is notary.

Daniel B. Kelley, drugs and general store: Samuel Stewart, blacksmithing and repairing; William T. Thrawl, hotel and boarding; Stewarts, saw-mill.

The Christian Chureh was organized in 1556 and a house was erected in 1857. The first trustees were Peter Knote, John Nesbit, John McLain; elders, Peter Knote, Harrison Creamer; deacons, S. A. Swan, John Quick; pastor, Charles Smith. Present trustees, Isaac P. Cobbler, Seth Mauller, John M. Smith: deacons, Noah Span- gler, Thomas Newhouse, Hosea Knox;elders, R. V. Peterson, William R. Coonler, Harrison Creamer; pastor, Sylvanus Hummel. Regular service and Sunday-school each Sabbath; members, 150.

Antioch Christian Church was organized in 1860 at Knotty Corner Schoolhouse. No trustees were appointed till 1866, when Robert McQuiston, Elbridge Devore and John Downey were appointed trustees; George Hiser, deacon, and Daniel Luallen, pastor. The present pastor is George Abbott; has a membership of sixty. Regular service but no Sunday-school.

Knox Chapel (United Brethren) was organized in 1855; John Knox and William Knox, trustees; John Smith, pastor. Isaac Rybolt, Joseph Miller, Jesse Downs and W. Titus, present trustees, and Bolden, pastor.

Incidents. - Late in the fall of 1848 William Neal, Levi Hiatt, Spencer Reeder and James Scott were sent by the board of county commissioners to view and locate some roads in the almost unbroken forestof Green Township. Night overtook the party when near the Indian "sugar camp," on the south side of Grassy Fork, now the farms of David Kilgore, Johnson Eakins, William Nesbit and Virgil Hale. The night was very dark, and, to add to their discomfiture, a heavy rain soon began falling. For a time every effort at finding their way to a house was fruitless. They were on the verge of despair, when one of the party, with almost the last match, succeeded in lighting some bark. Aided by this torch and his compass Neal was able to pilot the party in safety through the forest, reaching the house of J eremiah Hammer at a late hour of the night, thoroughly drenched with rain.

Notes of Interest. - '* Knotty Corner " took its name from the fact that in the government survey the corner stake stood close by a very knoty pin-oak. This is the corner of Sections 15, 16, 21 and 22; for various reasons this has been a distinguished corner. The "half acre" in the first settling, became noted as a place where some property had been concealed, and this pond of very thick brush, brambles and buttonwood was named the '"Devil's half acre," on account of the doings carried on there; this is situated on the line between Sections 27 and 28.

Green Township was named in honor of Gen. Green, of Revolutionary fame. The first election was held at the cabin of Samuel Kelley in 1848. Soon after it was held at the house of Isaac Revis, then

Minor's shop; then changed to '' Knotty Corner," and then to Point Isabel, where elections 'are still held. Dan Kelley is thought to be the first person born in the township. A man by the name of Revis and adaughter of Jacob Sain were the first married; others soon followed - David Kelley and Charlotte Thomas, James Killey and a daughter of John McLain, Alexander Jordanand Sarah Mc- Lain. Moses Jordan was one of the first justices. The first meeting in the township was held at the house of Samuel Kelley in 1847. The first church was built on the land of Jeremiah Hammer in 1853, by the Methodists; Jerry gave the land to erect the house upon. The first death was that of Alexander McCracken from poison.