Grant County, Indiana - Chapter 10: By William Neal, 1886

Surface, Soil, ete - Mill Township, like most others in Grant County, was originally heavily timbered - walnut, poplar, ash, oak of several varieties, some cherry, beach, maple, elm, hickory, buckeye, lynn and black or swamp ash.

The lands along the river were of best grade, and not so much bluff as is to be found in some places along the river. Where the river enters the township the land on the north side mostly slopes gently down to the stream; again, on the south side it is found sloping down the same way, only to the north. Then we have the bottom lands, below the mouth of Back Creek, which is first-class land for farming purposes.

Few townships present better water-power than can be obtained in this township, hence we have the name "Mill." In some places the lands near the mouth of the streams become broken, and the stream flows through a deep channel or gorge, reminding the trayeler of other parts of Indiana, where hill and vale occur to diversify the landscape.

Streams. - Walnut Creek enters this township near the southeast corner of Section 25, and has a general westerly and northwesterly course, leaving the township a short distance west of the northeast corner of Section 28. This stream is rather deeply imbedded below

Back Creek enters this township in Section 8, and flows into the river at or just below the mill at Jonesboro. It also lies deep below the general surface, and has a rapid fall or decline, and at a period in first settlement, and some time since it afforded good facilities for mills and machinery, but of late years it has failed in these respects and not a single mill or machine is driven by its power. Big Deer Creek enters this township on the west side of Section 31, near the half-mile corner, and flows north and northeasterly, and is sometimes in Center and sometimes in Mill, entering the river on the line between the townships. This stream lies far below the general surface and has a rapid current, and was a good mill stream at one time, but no mills exist now nor for some time past. Long Branch is a branch of Walnut Creek, and is of great service in drainage.

Animals. - The township of Mill had its full share originally of wild animals. There were bears and wolves, deer, coons, 'possums, minks, skunks, wild cats, weasels, foxes, squirrels, hawks, owls, blue and white cranes, kingfishers and snipe, to which must be added a great many fish in the river and creeks. But the fish as well as the quadrupeds have disappeared with the advance of population and the progress of civilization, till it is not easy to get a glimpse of that which at one time almost constituted the basis of living among the first settlers; when venison was on every table, and fish could be had for the catching and these of the finest quality. When the coon and squirrel destroyed the corn in the fall season, and their destruction became a necessity, then there was hunting almost day and night; it was not so much a sport as a business to rid the woods and small farms of these pests. The opossum went the terrible winter of 1843 and but few have been seen since. The poultry can rest safely so far as that pest is concerned, but look out for the mink and the weasel.

First Entries. - Some of the first entries are Joseph Hiatt in Section. 27, August 1, 1826; Jesse H. Murdock in Section 27, August 23, 1827; Nathan Hoggatt in Section 27, October 10, 1828; Cabel Smith in Section 27, November 24, 1828; William Hiatt in Section 28, July 31, 1826; Emanuel Mets in Section 28, March 10, 1826; John Ballinger in Section 28, February 9, 1826; Esau Lamb .

Early Settlers. - In the year 1826 came William Hiatt and entered the southwest fraction of Section 28. He settled on this very soon after and was there in the winter of 1826-27, for eight weeks entirely alone in the wilderness. He was the first settler in the township and lived till his death on the farm he made at the point where Daniel W. Hiatt, his grandson, now lives. David Hiatt, son of William Hiat, came in the spring of 1827 and settled where Jesse Jay now lives; at this time only seven or eight families lived in Grant County. Later in the year 1827 Josiah Hiatt located on the Elam Hiatt farm. In 1828 Nathan Hoggatt settled on the John Coppock farm opposite Jonesboro. James Adamson settled on the Dr. Ayres farm in 1828, and William Bates settled on the William Roush farm in the year 1828. Amos Small settled on the John Coppock farm in 1829; he shortly moved to Center Township and settled where Rose Hill dairy is kept. Thomas Reynolds, in 1830, settled on the farm owned by the late Daniel Hiatt, south of Jonesboro; his house stood down near the river where the ford was in early days. William Roberts settled on the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 28 in 1829. Jacob McCormick settled on the farm now owned by James Johnson in 1830, Benjaman Hillman settled on the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 28 in the fall of 1829; then traded for forty acres now owned by William P. Roush in 1835, then sold in 1836 and moved to Monroe Township. Jesse H. Murdock, in 1832, settled on the land where John Entsminger, Jr., lives." John Johnson settled the northeast quarter of Section 12 in 1846. Evan Benbow, in 1836, settled the land where his widow lives. Ira Hollingsworth settled on the Fankboner farm in 1837; this is a romantic farm, and is owned at present by John Dye. John Coppock came in 1835 and settled where he now lives, east of Jonesboro. James Montgomery settled the William Smith farm where Martin V. Whitson now lives, in 1835. Barham Smith settled in 1832 the James Gammel farm. Thomas. Wilson settled on the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of Section 34 in 1835. John L. Dolman settled on the Muncie road in 1833, on the south part of the William Roush farm; he kept a postoffice in the early days and sold goods to the settlers. David Moreland settled in 1834 where Jonas Moreland now lives. Daniel Winslow, where 'he still lives in 1832. Larkin Brooks settled in 1839 where B. B. Coleman lives.

Robert Wilson settled the farm owned by A. W. Sanford in 1830. In 1833 Robert Wilson was licensed to keep a ferry at Wilson's. Ford by the commissioners of Grant County. The fees charged by him were not to exceed 64 cents for each footman, 124 cents for a man and horse, and for a wagon or cart 124 cents for each wheel, and said Wilson was at all times to have the necessary boats to accommodate the traveling public. Piner Evans, in 1840, settled the John Nelson farm next west of Price Wallace's; Evans served as county commissioner. Noah Birely settled the John Roush farm. Ephraim Bates settled the Zeek farm in 1830, where M. O. Dolman lives; Bates had a still-house down by the river in 1840. Pierce Hosier lived on John Wilson's farm, but bought the Smith farm and settled thereon; G. W. Smith lives there now. John Benbow came in 1830; he lived on the farm south of Jonesboro, where the late Daniel Hiatt lived before he went to Iowa. Thomas Coleman, in 1829, settled the farm on north fraction of the southwest quarter of Section 12. Daniel Thomas settled in 1837 on the northwest quarter of Section 6, Township 23, Range 8. Thomas Jay came in 1835 and settled on the northwest quarter of Section 4; he was a minister in, the Friends Church. Nathan Coggeshall came from Center Township and settled on the farm known as Coggeshall place in 1838. John Shugart settled where Denny Jay now lives in the year 1834. Joseph Ratliff settled where Eli Coggeshall now lives in 1834; he died in 1836. Elijah Thomas came in 1838, and settled where Thomas Baldwin lived on, Deer Creek. George Carter came in 1835 and settled where he lives now. David Jay came in 1834 and settled on the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 32. John Pemberton came in 1835 and settled on the northeast fraction of Section 10; he built a carding machine in 1836, which was run by water from a spring branch; he also built a firstclass saw-mill in about 1848, driven by water taken from the river at a point below his residence where he first settled, and on the south side of the river. Isaiah Pemberton came to this township in 1840. John Russell came in 1829 and settled where John Winslow lives at present. Solomon Knight came from Center Township and settled on the southwest quarter of Section 8. Samuel Russell came in 1829 and settled soon after on the farm now owned by Ithamer Russell. Caleb Smith came in 1830 and settled on the southwest quarter of Section 4, where he lived and died; he was one of the associate judges of the county. Aaron Hill came from North Carolina and settled where Henry Harvey now lives in the year 1830. Joshua Canady settled where Z. S. Richardson lives in 1840; he had a tan-yard. Obadiah Jones bought of John L. McCormick the land where Jonesboro was first laid out, June 9, 1834, and entered other lands adjacent soon after, and moved here in February, 1835; he built a saw-mill and a grist-mill on Back Creek in 1838; he laid out Jonesboro December 8, 1837. The river mill was begun as early as the fall of 1845; Joshua Small bought and finished it about 1848. The mill on the ereek just below the old one was built in 1851-52 (Daniel Jones was the mill-wright); Joshua Small bought it in 1554 of O. B. Jones and D. W. Jones. Henry Thomas settled the Jonathan Hockett farm in 1849; Hockett came in 1857. Henry N. Hockett settled in 1857 where he now lives; he does quite a business in the cultivation of bees and the best modes for success therein. John Entsminger, Sr., came about the year 1836, and settled where Isaac Roush, Jr., lives, but some improvement had been made prior to this time by Joseph Roberts, Esq. William Wallace came about 1838, and settled on the Murdock farm, now owned by John Entsminger, Jr. Benjamin P. Wallace settled in 1838 where Hiatt lives now. Ichabod Dille came in 1833, and settled where Jake Ritter lives now; he built a grist-mill in 1840 to 1841, on a spring branch, but it was laid aside long since. Alexander Dolman came in 1838; Thomas Newby owns the land where he settled. Amos Bates was an old settler and a great fire hunter; his cabin was filled with the best venison, and whatever he had was free for all his friends and early settlers; he came in 1830. John Smith settled on the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 8 in 1831. David Weasner came in 1837; he had a tan-yard on the Robert Mc- Cormick farm, down by the river; then moved and set up near the mouth of Jake McCormick's branch in 1841 or 1842; he died of cholera in 1850. John Hartman settled on the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 9 in 1836; his wife was scared to death in 1841. John Wilson settled the Hillard farm in 1831. Burtney W. Ruley settled the Henry Wise farm in 1835; he was treasurer of Grant County for nine years. Aaron Shideler entered the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of the 'southeast quarter of Section 2 in 1833, and settled there in the same year. James Adamson first settled the Dr. Ayres farm in 1828, but Joseph Hiatt lived there in the meantime. Amariah Hiatt first settled where J. W. Hill lives about 1820. Daniel Hiatt lived on the north side of Harrisburgh, where George Harris lives now; Joseph Morrow lived there in the meantime; he represented Grant County in the Legislature at one period. Willis Davis came to Center Township in 1838, and lived a while in the old schoolhouse; then settled on lands now owned by Jesse Wright; taught school for years at Mississinewa; then moved to Mill Township and settled over on the south of Baldwin's mill in 1852; he died at Fairmount. Joseph Creviston settled the farm where Thomas C. Lamb now lives; this is sometimes known as the Tutrell farm. Creviston laid out a place he named Concord in 1848, but it failed to materialize, and not even the sound of the smith's hammer nor the church-going bell is heard to cheer the wayfaring man. Reuben Small settled the David Harris farm about the year 1837. Henry Carter settled the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 32. Anderson and Meredith Hutchins both settled on the road leading from Jonesboro to Deer Creek about 1837 or 1838, but went back into Ohio sick of brush and mosquitoes. Silas Overman came in 1830, and settled on Deer Creek, where he built a saw-mill in 1831, afterward known as Lamb's mill. John Adamson settled the farm immediately east of Harrisburg, about 1829-30.

Matters of Note. - Barham Smith and Rachel Dille were married September 20, 1832, by Caleb Smith, associate judge. David Weasner and Susannah Dille were married July 13, 1837, by Wade Posey, minister Methodist Episcopal Church. Caleb Smith and Nancy Dille were married September 20, 1832, by William Roberts, justice of the peace.

A saw-mill was built on Walnut Creek, north of Harrisburg, about 1840, by William Wallace, which after doing good service for years passed through various ownerships till 1855, when Charles Ink became owner, and it was then known as Ink's mill for several years; it is doing nothing now.

John Lamb bought a saw-mill on Deer Creek of Silas Overman; he built a grist-mill on the same site. It was well patronized in its day and was last known as Baldwin's mill, but it is quiet there now.

Joshua Small built a grist-mill on Deer Creek, just above the pike from Marion to Jonesboro, about 1840; this was an excellent mill in its day, but years have come and gone since a wheel turned in this mill.

A saw-mill was erected on Back Creek, a little way above J. W. Hill's, but quiet now; also a saw-mill and some machinery near the west end of Mill Street in Jonesboro, was in operation for a time; this was on the creek. In cutting the race for this mill alongside of the creek bluff and displacing some conglomerate rock, a large quantity of bones, presumed to be those of the rattlesnake, were discovered and brought to view.

In 1840 John Lamb sold his mill on Deer Creek, and a new location was the main idea at that time. He took an ox team and two of his sons. Henley Snead, John and Eli Thomas, all started from Lamb's mill on Deer Creek, and went to Honey Creek (on which New London was afterward laid out) through the wilderness, cutting their way through, striking '' Wild Cat" at Green Town and keeping on the north side to Kokomo; here they saw 'Old Kokomo" himself, and conversed with him; his locks were white with the frosts of many winters. They crossed the river at that place and went down on the south side, still cutting their way through. At the end of five days they were at their journey's end on Honey

Creek, but New London was not then 'staked off." After looking around for some time our pioneer party set out on their return, and in two days were at the starting point, with a "big" experience in the way of frontier life and travel. John Lamb moved to Honey Creek and built a mill one-half mile above where New London was laid out.

Deaths by Accident. - The wife of John Hartman was scared to to death about 1840. The wife and little son of Thomas Cook were drowned while crossing the river just below where the mill-dam is now erected. A son of Charles Hinshaw was drowned near the point where the road strikes the river as you go north from town. Two Irishmen and one woman, and a team were drowned a short way above Jonesboro. A son of J. D. Beatty, drowned; a daughter of Isaac Schooley, drowned; Calvin Bookout and a young man by the name of Pucket, drowned - both citizens of Fairmount Township. William Jay was murdered.

Churches. - The old Walnut Creek Church was organized first at a private house, that of William Robers, by James Stackhouse, about 1833-34. February 14, 1838, John Adamson conveyed atract of land for church and grave-yard purposes. This soon became a popular place of meeting, but has gone down and nothing been done for years. The first meeting held in the township was at the house of William Bates, in 1832. Robert Burns was minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Soon after a church building was erected on Ichabod Dille's farm, near the mouth of Jake McCormick's branch, called '"'Bethel;" afterward moved further up the river and disappeared as time advanced. The Friends at Deer Creek set up a meeting in 1835, and at Jonesboro near the same time, holding meetings at the house of Obadiah Jones.