Grant County, Indiana - Chapter 11: By William Neal, 1886

MONROE TOWNSHIP - BOUNDARY AND SURFACE - THE PRAIRIES - THE GREAT HurRICANE - THE CREEKS - SURVEY AND LAND ENTRIES - LIST OF EARLY SETTLERS - ANECDOTES - FARMINGTON - MONROE - J ADDEN - CHURCITES - HARD TIMES--OTHER ITEMS.

Surface, Soil, ete - With few exceptions this township was originally covered with a heavy forest, principally white oak, interspersed with a great variety of mixed timber. The north and northeastern portions were, however, covered with ash, elm and maple, with a sprinkling of other timber.

Prairies. - In the eastern part of the '" Walnut Creek Prairie,"' following the creek of th, q ame name, enters and bears southwesterly to a point near the noreiwest corner of Section 36. This was at first but little else than a lake, held at the lower portion by a great beaver dam. This prairie has, however, been drained, and the most extensive crops of potatoes and other vegetables have been produced each year by John Smith, the great potato raiser, and others. A system of drainage for deepening and widening by dredging is now in progress for the further improvement of Walnut Creek on its upper portion, or '* Walnut Creek Prairie."

'"Noe's Prairie" was originally an open portion, or pond in the spring season, of perhaps 100 acres, covered with tall grass and inhabited by the blue and white crane, the bittern, and flocks of wild ducks.

'"Bird's Prairie," just west of the one described (Noe's), is entirely similar in its natural features, being about half as large, and its waters in the spring season were held by a great "dam." largest swamp in the country, being a "loblolly," but it has been ditched until fine crops are raised where a few years ago the foot of man or beast hardly dare be set.

The Great Hurricane. - A feature worthy of note in the southeastern part of this township is plainly marked, even at the present day, by the growth of young timber over a space of one and a half to two miles in width. The vortex of the storm came down a little west of the farm now owned by James L. Atkinson, about the year 1818, and bearing a little south of east appears to have thrown the heavy forest of oak, beech, sugar, and whatever came in the way, into heaps, prostrating every tree except here and there a solitary one that bears the marks of this terrible hurricane that extended into the State of Ohio. The timber now growing in the path of this storm is almost entirely oak; but it would seem the original forest was of considerable variety.

The Streams. - Walnut Creek enters this township not far from the southeast corner of Section 24, and has a southwesterly course to the mouth of Little Walnut; thence a more westerly course, leaving the township not far from the southwest corner of Section 30.

Sugar Creek, in the northern part, has its source in the rich black lands of this region, but further down it becomes deeply imbedded with the lands bordering thereon considerably broken; it leaves the township not far from the southwest corner of Section 7.

Hog Creek drains the middle southern part, and the early settlers no doubt well remember the wild strawberries that grew in such abundance in and around the small prairies about the source of this creek; the same can be said of strawberries in a number of localities surrounding the marshes and rich lands along the branches, making a fine treat for the first settlers before fruit was reared on the farms. None but an early settler can so fully realize the want or lack of fruit and "short" living as those who remove to a new country to better their condition, far away from the old home and a "long way" to mill, and still further from any place to obtain the necessaries of life, till it-is produced on the farm yet to be made.

The only chance is to gather "wild greens" and the early berry in the spring, and later on to call into requisition the potato, the pumpkin and the squash, with grated corn for the evening repast in the form of "mush" and "Johnny-cake." sectionized in accordance with an order of the Surveyor-General of the United States of America, and among the first entries we find that of Edmund Brown, Section 6, June 1, 1836; George W. Rigdon, Section 7, December 20, 1834; James Wilson, Section 7, May 24, 1836; Joseph Lugar, Section 7, September 29, 1836; George Lugar Section 7, May 16, 1836; Stephen Studyvain, Section 7, March 26, 1836; Absalom Strange, Section 8, October 29, 1836; Jesse Embree, Section 9, September 9, 1836; William Roberts, Section 17, October 29, 1836; George Kessinger, Section 17, October 29, 1836; Moses Jones, Section 17, July 18, 1836; David Wilson, Section 17, May 24, 1836; S. E. Pleasants, Section 17, July 18, 1836; George Stout, Section 18, March 26, 1836; Daniel D. Wiggins, Section 19, May 19, 1836; George Leonard, Section 20, July 13, 1836; Paul Roberts, Section 21, October' 29, 1836; Charles Atkinson, Section 28, April 23, 1836; Ezekiel Dooley, Section 28, Mareh 16, 1836; James Dooley, Section 28, March 16, 1836; William A. Long, Section 29, October 26, 1835; Moses Adamson, Section 29, October 3, 1833; Isaac Truax, Section 29, October 20, 1835; William Mitchell, Section 29, October 30, 1835; John Johnson, Section 30, November 10, 1834; Andrew Patterson, Section 30, August 28, 1831; John Harvey, Section 31, November 16, 1835; Silas Parks, Section 31, October 10, 1835; Josiah Roberts, Section 31, March 8, 1836; Ambrose Huffman, Section 31, October 26, 1836; Greenberry Jacks, Section 31, August 12, 1836; Benjamin Hillman, Section 32, December 23, 1835. Some of these never settled on their land, but held awhile for speculation. A number came and opened farms as will be seen hereafter.

First Settlers. - Joseph Lugar came in the year 1831 and settled near the place where Andrew Ferguson now lives. He was the first settler in the township and lived on this land about five years before he entered it. He sold his claim to Dr. William McKinney in 1836, and then entered the tract and conveyed to McKinney. In 1832 came John and Barna, brothers of Joseph Lugar, and George Lugar, their father. The Lugars were all experienced hunters and capturing bear, deer and coon was their chief delight. Otter were also taken in considerable numbers. Andrew Patterson came in October, 1835, and settled on the southeast quarter of Section 30. He was proprietor of the village of Farmington. Silas Parks came in October, 1835. He was one of the first justices in the township

- elected in 1839. He was also a minister of the gospel in the Christain or New Light Church, and at one time in his life he was entranced for the space of three days. Moses Adamson came in 1836 and settled on the land he entered; Henry Woodard owns the same now. Thomas Beckford and Cephas Atkinson (blind) owned and lived on it in the meantime.

George Stout came here in 1836 and settled on the northwest quarter of Section 18, where Joseph Vanvacter now lives. The first election was held at his house in 1838. The Indianapolis and Fort Wayne State road passed by his residence, and he did something by way of entertaining the weary traveler who passed that way.

John Jacks came in 1836 and settled on a part of the southeast quarter of Section 31, now owned by H. L. Searle. Green B. Jacks came in 1836 and settled on land now owned by William Jacks and John Troxell. Isaiah Roberts came in 1836 and settled on the land he entered. Daniel Dwiggins came in the fall of 1836 and settled on lands he entered; he built a steam saw-mill and carried on considerable business in various ways; he sold out and lived near Marion, then moved to Renselaer, where he died.

Benjamin Hillman moved here from Mill Township in 1836, and settled on the north half of the northwest quarter of Section 32, now known as the McGalliard farm. Paul Roberts came in 1836.

William Harrison was an early teacher in schools, and settled in 1836 on the lands afterward owned by Shadrach Thoraburg, John W. Jones, and at present by James B. Strange. Robert Marshall moved here from Jefferson Township and settled on the tract of land where Zimri Gage's widow now lives, in 1838. Mark Gage settled on the land where his widow now lives, in 1841. Henry Gage came in 1850 and settled where he now lives. Joel Long settled where Joseph Atkinson lives in 1838. Benjamin Schooley settled where his widow now lives, but he lived awhile on the farm where his son, William L. Schooley lives at present, Jesse Oren came in 1841 and settled on the land where his son, E. J. Oren, now lives. Charles Atkinson came in 1838, and settled on the land where his son, James L. Atkinson, now lives; this farm lies in the path of the great hurricane, and was at the date of settlement deemed more easily "cleared smooth" than those in the heavy timber; Mr. Atkinson was active and energetic, and in the days that are gone by, never to return, he was an active conductor on the 'underground railroad," and was a leader in many ways in matters of reform in morals, politics and religion; in temperance he was firm and unflinching; in politics he was for whatever would do most good for most men. Philip Cole settled in 1837 on the land where Robert Wright lived before he moved to Upland. George W. Leonard came in 1837 and settled on the land where his son Zimri Leonard lives now. Stephen Studyvain settled on the tract of land now occupied by A. J. Hays, in 1838. Samuel Hodgson settled on the southwest quarter of Section 22, in 1841; this farm is now owned by James Johnson. George Philips settled in 1839 where James Brasket now lives. Israel Jenkins settled on the southeast quarter of Section 29 in the year 1840; he built a steam saw-mill and did a large amount of work in timber. John R. Palmer settled on the old Hartford road in Section 36, in 1837, in the midst of the "fallen timber." Joseph G. Vanhorn settled in 1843 on land he bought of William Jadden; Jadden settled on it in 1841; B. F. Bish lives there at present.

Jacob Palmer settled, in 1844, where James Bird settled in 1837; this farm is now owned by John Wood. Edmund Brown settled the Jo Mills farm in 1837; he was elected justice of the peace in 1839; this farm is now owned by Thomas Wilson. William Mitchel settled on north part of J. W. Connelly's farm in 1837. William Long settled in 1841 in Section 33; he cleared forty acres for the forty acre tract he lived on - such were the necessities of early settlers. Ambrose Huffman settled on the west half of southwest quarter of Section 31 in 1841. David Newport settled where John F. Johnson lives in 1846. Isaac Truax lived, last of all, on the northeast quarter of Section 7; he settled here in 1858; this tract is now owned by Boller and Hays. James M. Wilson settled on the land where his family now resides in 1844. James Haines came in 1843 and settled the land where his widow still resides. Samuel R. Thompson settled the farm where he now resides July 4, 1842. George Strange settled where he now lives in 1841. John Stout settled where he now lives in 1853. Levi Lundy settled on the land owned now by William Stout in 1840. Simon Goodykoontz first settled where Ben Robb's tile-mill is in 1846. Jacob Goodykoontz settled where David Wall now lives in 1839. Absalom Thomason settled where James B. Strange now lives in 1846. James Hults settled on land he bought of Joseph Mills in 1842;

Mills then settled the southeast quarter of Section 6. George W. Hults settled the farm south of Monroe in 1838. T. J. Hults settled the farm where his son James Hults now lives in 1842. John Wickersham first settled the George Roush farm in 1839. He traded out and was first settler in 1849 on the John Stoutfarm. James Wickersham settled where D. B. Pierct lives in 1838; Pierce came here in 1854. James Lundy was first settler in the fall of 1840, on the farm owned by Joshua Strange, one mile east of Monroe. Joel Green settled the Abi Oliver farm in 1840. Mahlon Green settled the Harvey Taylor farm in 1852. Milton Davis settled the James Wood farm in 1844. George Robb settled on the farm where T. J. Pierce's tile factory is in 1857. §. W. Farr first settled the farm where he now lives about 1839. Smiley Farr, James Farr and A. D. McMillan were old settlers. James Pierce settled the Joseph Maddux place in 1854. Abner Wickersham, in 1840, settled the farm in part where Isaiah Wall lives. Stephen Nelson owns the other part. Reuben Shannon, in 1849, settled the east part of Isaiah Wall's farm. Isaiah Miller settled John Smith's land, join- _ ing county line, in 1845. F. M. Baker owns the land where Stroup and Glasgow lived. George W. Roush came in 1862, and lives on the John Wickersham farm.

David Wall came in the fall of 1840, and settled first on the eastern part of the farm where James Hults lives; he lived here ten years, then sold, and bought where he now lives of Jacob Goodykoontz, who settled here in 1839. Lysander Noe settled just north of Noe's Prairie in 1845 - James Gillespie and John Smith own the farm. Bennett Spencer first settled the Jordan Futrell farm in 1850. Peter Pearson (Big Pete) settled in 1842, where Ed Bird settled in 1839; Mary Greenlee lives there now. Bob Thompson came in 1858; Smith G. Skinner in 1851; Nathan Haines in 1845; John Zimmerman in 1845; Charles Parker in 1839; James Tobin in 1842. Daniel C. Keever came in 1840 and settled where he lives at present. Israel Philips settled the farm now owned by Mrs. Keever in 1847. Robert Marshall settled where he now lives in 1849. Addison Wright settled on his farm in 1853. Cephas Atkinson (deaf) settled where his son George now lives in 1840. Cephas Atkinson (blind) settled where Henry Woodard now lives in 1856. John Brooks settled the place south of the Ben Hillman farm in 1842. Jerry Jacks settled where he lives now in 1851. John Simpson, in 1838, settled the Connelly farm. Thomas Smith came in 1845 and settled where Wesley Smith lives. James Gillespie settled the farm known by his name in 1838. Garrett Bird settled between prairies, where Mrs. Moore lives, in 1837. George Kessinger settled on lands he bought of Government in 1837. James A. Boller was first settler where he now lives in 1862. Matthias Stotler came in 1840. Henry Smith came in 1846 and settled east of James Haines', where the Smiths now live.

Incidents. - Barna Lugar says in the "good old days" he assisted in cutting a big elm for a coon; there was a large hole or opening in the body of the tree near the limbs; when the tree fell a large limb broke and fell back, covering the hole. Suddenly this limb was pushed aside by a large bear that had been pent up in the hollow; he beat a retreat through the woods and was soon out of sight. On giving attention to the coons there were found to be two in a hole further up than where the bear had hid himself; these coons were easily taken, and next day the bear was pursued by his track and he was overtaken and killed.

T. J. Hults and George Strange one very wet season were looking over a corn-field belonging to Hults - the crawfish had "worked up" a little, doing some corn a little damage. Hults, rather indignant, said he wouldn't live in a country where the crawfish "took up" corn, and he moved back in "yonder," but his stay was short; he put in a second appearance and remained during life.

In 1851 George Strange cut the date of the year on a terrapin's back - it being a very wet season, almost too wet, even for terrapin. This animal was taken twenty-six years afterward by E. J. Oren, in corn planting time.

A large white oak, standing near a noted beaver dam on the lands of George Strange, within a few rods of Lugar's creek, was recently cut for staves, and on "splitting up" a cut of the tree there was found some carving done with an ax or tomahawk (no indications whatever on the outside of the tree), the figure of a duck, one of a serpent and one of a fish, but imperfect. On another piece was plainly seen where a bullet had been cut out; 150 growths were counted outside of these marks and carvings.

Places of Business. - Farmington was laid out in 1848 by Andrew Patterson and Benjamin Hillman as proprietors. Isaac Truax and Elam Hiatt sold goods. Hiatt bought Truax out. He sold to

Thomas Bleckford, he to Daniel Hiatt he to Alfred Hiatt, he sold to Samuel Patterson, and he closed out the goods business. The usual amount of blacksmithing, repairing, etc., was carried on. The town lots have long since been vacated. Monroe is situated at the corner of Sections 9, 10,15 and 16. At present it is the place of holding elections in the township. The Arcana postoffice was established here in 1852. William H. Harrison sold goods at first. Robert Gilbert bought of him, and Barley & Patterson bought of him, Barley & Thomas bought of them. Lorenzo Boles bought of them, Thomason bought of him and Boles bought of him.

Patrick Geggan erected a tan-yard and sold it to John King; he carried it on a while and closed. Isaac Green carried on the business of blacksmithing, and Wesley Webb also did blacksmithing for some time. A schoolhouse (No. 2) with a Masonic hall in the second story. JoshuaStrange runs a steam saw-mill, a planing-mill, and grinds corn for feed.

Jadden. - This place has a postoffice of the same name where Cumberland road cuts the line between Sections 12 and 13. H. C. Templeton has a general store; he bought of J. D. Lacey and he of Micah Nelson. Thereisa steam saw millhere. A handle factory was carried on a while by J. D. Lacey. Aaron Bennett does the blacksmithing.

Churches. - Oak Chapel, United Brethren Church, was organized about 1873, but preaching by ministers of the denomination was had for years before this date; a board of trustees organized in 1874. There was no house till 1876; it was dedicated by Bishop Weaver, a very eminent minister of the denomination. The trustees are John Stout, D. B. Pierce, A. Y. Stout, Rachel Baker and Isaiah Wall. Some of the ministers are and have been C. Smith, D. E. Myres and Z. M. New. Has a membership of sixty and a Sabbath - - school regularly with a good attendance.

"Rama" Methodist Episcopal Church was organized February 27, 1863. Methodist' Episcopal Church of Monroe was organized March 6,1876. The Friends have organized a church to be held at Walnut Creek schoolhouse.

The Methodist Protestant Church at Antioch was fully organized February 12, 1856, though partial organization was made in 1842 through the influence and aid of Samuel-Fulton and Gabriel Williams, occupying the schoolhouse till a church was erected about

1855 or 1856; they have about seventy-five members. -Samuel Pulley has been class leader a good part of the time since the class has been organized. A Sabbath-school was permanently organized and kept up ever since 1853.

Hard Times. - The first settlers in any new country have not their way strewn with flowers of ease and plenty; but on the contrary many privations have to be endured and difficulties to be surmounted.

As soon, however, as the country has "settled up" and new comers have ceased to put in an appearance there comes what some are pleased to call " hard times, " for the game is all gone and the farm is not yet large enough to be self-sustaining; when this is the case with the whole country for miles around nothing but a financial pressure can follow. If, in addition to this, there should be a failure of crops or general sickness it becomes distressing and discouraging in the extreme - but most new countries have passed through such scenes and experiences, and this was the case with Monroe Township from 1842 to 1845.

Notes of Interest - Edmund Brown and Silas Parks were first justices elected in 1839. John Stout and Jerry Jacks are the only two persons living in the township who were here at the time of its organization. Virginia Lugar, in 1834, was the first to die in the township; she was buried not far from where Andrew Ferguson's house now stands. Elam Hiatt and Louisa Patterson were married October 25, 1838, being first in the township; G. B. Jacks and Cinderilla Cole were married September 6, 1839.