Grant County, Indiana - Chapter 13: By William Neal, 1886

Surface Features. - This township has considerable variety of surface and soil although the soil is rich and very productive. The rolling lands are more extensive than in some other parts of the county, particularly along the streams, in portions of Sections 13, 14, 23 and 24, the land is very rich and quite level, and originally appeared like an elevated basin with streams flowing in all directions from it; these lands have been drained and none are more productive in the township.

Streams. - Pipe Creek enters this township a short distance south of the northeast corner of Section 25, thence southwesterly passing into Sims Township, where it makes a turn and flows northwesterly, passing into Miami County a little distance south of the northwest corner of Section 28.

Owl Creek, a branch of Pipe, does great service in the way of drainage. It has its source near the southwest corner of Section 24, and has its course nearly parallel with Pipe Creek, and enters the same a little northwest of Mier. On the south side of this creek and north of Mier an extensive gravel bed has been opened and: found excellent for building gravel roads. Drook's Creek, named after Uncle John Drook, one of the old settlers on this stream, serves as one of the drains for an extensive portion of land in Sections 13, 14, 23 and 24, The northeastern part is drained by branches flowing into Cart Creek, with rolling lands along their courses, and the northwestern part is drained by branches of Ten-Mile Creek, which falls into the Mississinewa, ,just below Somerset, in Wabash County.

Animals. - This township had a full proportion of such animals as grew and lived in this part of Indiana, from the bear down to the weasel, The animal known as the American black bear were not numerous, but he gave the hunters some interesting labor and fun now and then, and the early settler could listen to a bear story occasionally when it did his ear good, when the scene was laid perhaps on the land he had chosen for his future home. The deer were plenty, and the first settlers had their cabins supplied with the best venison the forest could produce. Hunting this animal was attended with sport and profit, for the hams and hide were always ready sale, but the real hunter was generally paid well enough when the game was taken. The raccoon must not be omitted, for he played a conspicuous part in the first settling, and his hide aided in raising the money to enter the squatters' land, of which there were a good many in this part of the county. Wolves prowled about, making the woods ring with their howling, and the settler had to look out for his lambs and pigs if he expected any advantage from them. Turkeys were plenty, and in the spring the settler heard them "gobble" from the tops of the loftiest trees before alighting from their roost. It was at this season of the year that the hunter watched them on the roost, and such as he could not kill there he would "call up" and shoot after alighting,

Gray and black squirrels were very plenty and kept the early settler quite busy and on the "lookout" for his corn crop both in fall and spring. The squirrels were destroyed by hundreds by shooting and in traps of various kinds. Sometimes a "hunt" was made by "all hands" in the neighborhood surrounding a portion of woods or lands where it was thought they staid in greatest abundance. Then by contracting the circle, such as had guns would kill them while others "watched them up;" in this way numbers would be killed in a day. Otter were along the streams and the hunter watched to see where he "slid" down the bank, then he set his trap at the foot of the "slide" and got his hide for the trade, which al- ways bore a good price. Thus he was enabled to "lay in" his sugar and coffee and if he pleased, a little something to take besides. Musk-rats were plenty about the creeks and branches and some about the ponds, and sometimes you could see a hide among the others that were offered to the trade, but generally he was allowed to pursue his way unmolested. Opassums were inhabitants of the country at the earliest day, but in the long winter of 1843, when the great comet blazed in the southwest with tail that reached the zenith, it was the last known of wild hogs and 'possums. The "wild pigeon" cut a great figure in those days, when they moved by tens of thousands in flocks nearly darkening the air, and their wings as they cut the atmosphere made a sound like the wind driving through the rigging of a vessel at sea.

This township was surveyed by authority of the United States of America, and some of the first entries are by Ginnathan Kelley, Section 1, October 14, 1847; Sol Rounbaugh., Section 2, October 25, 1847; Abner Newman, Section 9, November 1, 1847; Jonathan Young, Section 10, November 13, 1847; Margaret Whitacre, Section 11, October 11, 1847; Charles Stewart, Section 12, October 12, 1847; Elias Fisher, Section 12, October 12, 1847; George W. Taylor, Section 13, October 19, 184%; Isaac Baldwin, Section 21, August 19, 1847; Greer Newman, Section 21, November 1, 1847; Benjamin C. Miller, Section 21, November 26, 1847; Moses Fisher, Section 22. September 23, 1847; James S. Foster, Section 24, October 13, 1847; William Barnes, Section 27, August 27, 1847; Christian Pence, Section 27, August 27, 1847; Lewis Pence, Section 27, August 27, 1847; Samuel Long, Section 28, August 27, 1847; John Powell, Section 28, October 15, 1847; Martin Pence, Section 33, November 3, 1847; Darius Pence, Section 33, November 3, 1847; John P. Sinclair Section 34, December 8, 1847; Charles Parker, Section 35, December 8, 1847; Samuel Clannin, Section 35, December 8, 1847; James Braffitt, Section 36, December 8, 1847; Silas Braffitt, Section 36, December 8, 1847.

First Settlers. - It is proper to remark that in the township of Richland as well as all others lying west of the boundary line in whole or in part, that all settlements noted prior to 1541 are squatters or pre-emptors under an act of Congress made to protect actual settlers. It is in many cases very difficult in the midst of the circumstances surrounding first settlers in those days when "claims" and "pre-emptions" were the business of the very first settlers, to "keep up" with the movements of parties from one claim to another as to time or date.

It would seem that the name " Richland" had been very appropriately given to this township. About the period from 1840 to 1842 we find Isaac Baldwin had erected a small cabin on what is now the Shaw farm, but this location did not suit him in all respects, and he soon settled on what is now the J. W. Coan farm, so that Isaac Baldwin was the first settler on the lands where J. W. Coan now lives; he had formerly been a hotel-keeper at Kokomo, but his success as a farmer has been good, and to-day he is one of the large land owners of the township. Willis Steinbarger came in 1841 and settled on the Stephen Harvey farm. Edward B. Tucker, an Englishman by birth and by trade a shoe-maker, came and settled in 1842 where he still lives; by close application he has made great success in life.

In the year 1842 Samuel C. Brownfield settled on the Jacob Hudson farm. Joseph Cole settled on the lands now owned by John Brubaker in 1842. In 1842 Jacob Maulsberry settled where his widow now lives. About the year 1842 came Theoderick A. Searle, a native of Philadelphia, and lived in the township; both he and wife were educated people and appeared to enjoy a backwoods life. They did not own land. He was a great violinist, and a party or a "Shoe-down" in those days was not considered complete without Searle and his fiddle. He appeared to have a contempt for that which did not come up to his idea of refinement. On one occasion as he and a neighbor were covering corn with hoes in the "good old way," Searle inquired of his friend what he knew of geography. His friend said his knowledge was not as extensive in that science as he could wish. Searle started up briskly on the next row saying he wouldn't give a d - n for a person who knew nothing of geography.

In 1842 E. J. Fisher settled on the Perry Wimmer farm. Michael and John Miller were early settlers in 1841 to 1843. Jobn Bash came in 1848 and settled where his widow still lives; he built the first brick house in the township in 1850. Michael Bash settled where he lives now in 1843; he has been a successful farmer in raising grain and stock and in erecting good and substantinl buildings. William Cochran, a gunsmith, came about 1843-44 and settled the Philip Bash farm. Bash carries on blacksmithing and repairing quite extensively. In 1843 came John Drook and settled on the farm best known as the Drook farm; at present it is owned by Drook & Highly. Mr. Drook previous to moving employed Elihu Endsley, who lived -on the Abbott place; Isaac Baldwin, of the Coan farm, and Thomas Creviston, just over the line in Miami County, to build him a cabin on Drook's Creek, where he settled and where now can be seen the big willow and the house erected by him, one of the pioneers of the country. William M. Potter, in 1842, settled where Harrison Knotts now lives. The first child born in the township, now the wife of William Coble, is a daughter of his; and here (at Mr. Potter's) was the first regularly appointed meeting in 1845 by the Presbyterians; Hans did the preaching. In 1843 Silas Braffit settled on the Delphi road, on the farm now owned by Julius C. Lake. Braffit was one of the first justices of the peace. William Taylor settled the Martin Pence farm where the Delphi road crosses Taylor's Creek at an early day; a child of his was the first buried in the Pence Grave-yard. Martin Pence bought Taylor out about 1847. Here Allen B. Downs, in 1854, erected the first tan-yard in the township. Darius Pence settled in 1847 where his heirs still own. After Martin Pence bought William Taylor out he went and settled the Jake Drook farm in 1847. Joseph Stair, in 1845, settled where Mrs. Stair now lives. Samuel Stair settled where Hugh Mayne lives in 1845. Mayne came in 1853. Jacob A. Gailor was an early settler. Membrance Blue, one of the first justices of the peace, came in 1845, and settled on a tract of land a part of which is owned by Elson. Isaiah Blue settled the A. Power farm in 1845. Samuel Mayne settled where Samuel Burk lives in 1848. Samuel Logan settled on lands now owned by E. B. Tucker in 1848; he was killed by falling on a small stump one dark night about 1860, while returning from a fire in which the house of Michael Burk was consumed. Lewis Pence came in December, 1845, and settled where Scott Walker lives. George Miller settled on the Samuel Green farm in 1844. Jacob Collins settled on the eastern part of the Solomon Pence farm in 1845. Mordecai Cross - settled the Christian Pence farm in 1844, he soon sold out and settled the Goff farm in Pleasant. James St. Clair settled where Fadely lives west of Mier, 1847. John P. St. Clair settled, about

1847, the first farm west of Mier; he was one of the proprietors of Mier. Charles Parker settled in 1847 where Cy. Barnes lives; he was the other proprietor of the town of Mier. William Barnes settled where Emanuel Pence lives in 1845. Joseph Woods settled the McLane farm south of Mier in 1845. George W. Taylor settled where his grandson, J. W. Taylor, owns in 1847. Isaac Fluke settled where George Sharp lives in 1846; Sharp came in 1850 and still lives on the farm. Michael Burk came in 1850 and settled where he now lives. Mike and John Miller settled here in 1841. John M. Abbott came in 1850 and settled where he now lives. HKlihu Endsley was first here about 1842, and Eber Forshee, a doctor, had lived here in the meantime. John Magee bought of William Duff and settled the John Minnick farm in 1849. John Haines settled where he now lives in 1846-47. Thomas Brown settled where he now lives in 1846. Philip Dice, in 1847, settled the southwest quarter of Section 4, owned by A. S: Ross.

James Garlinger settled the Lewis J. Pence farm in 1845. Martin Garlinger settled the Shaw (Converse) farm in 1845. Samuel Clannin settled the farm where he now lives in 1848. Thomas Rooks settled on the Anderson farm in the year 1845. Thompson Clannin settled on the Fadeley farm, east of Mier, at an early date, his mother living there also, about the year 1845. John Mayne, Jr., came in 1848, and settled where James Mayne lives. James came in 1849. Jeduthan Harnden settled the Samuel Grinde place in 1856, Dooley settled the William Irvine farm at an early period. James Highley settled where he now lives in the fall of 1847. Wright Highley came and settled the Saxon farm (now Coan). George and Jeremiah Stricler came in 1847. Clark Highley came in the fall of 1847, and settled where he now lives. John Highley came in 1850, and settled where he now lives and carries on tile-making. James Highley, Sr., about the year 1847 settled on the east part of Clark Highley's farm; this part has two flowing wells, answering an excellent purpose for stock water. John Mc- Culloch settled, the Allen N. Stephens farm. Stephens came in I865. T. J. Keener in 1848 settled the Jacob Minnick farm. John R. Lewis carried on blacksmithing in the town of Mier in L849), esting feature that deserves notice in a work of this kind. Itis a matter of interest to citizens generally to know where they can obtain supplies of the kind produced by nurserymen that can be relied upon not only as to kind, but as to quality. It is needless to say to the thoughtful mind that nursery stock produced at home is more valuable than that brought from a distance.

About the year 1844 Elmas Fleming and Eben Badger killed two deer, one each; one was fully two-thirds white; this covered the rump and extended forward in an irregular manner. The other was covered over with large white blotches or irregular spots, in all nearly one-half its body was white.

The wife of Abraham Oakley, Betsey, was accidentally shot. and killed in the year 1851, or about that time. A swarm of bees came out, and she had heard it said to fire a gun among them would aid in settling them. She took the gun, but it did not fire from some cause; setting it down and putting her toe on the cock, she was just going to blow into the muzzle when it fired. She only lived a short time.

The Town of Mier was laid out September 11, 1848, by Charles Parker and John P. St. Clair, Itis situated on the Chicago, St. Louis & Pittsburgh Railroad, and is in the midst of a good farming country, and, therefore, does a thriving business. The business houses are as follows: Edward Barrett, dry goods; William Paulus, general store ; Frank P. Barnes, drugs, groceries, saloon; Elisha Marks, blacksmith ; Cyrus Barnes, pump-maker; W. C. Barnes, physician; J. M. Drook, saw-mill; C. W. Barker, plasterer; G. W. Miller, carpenter ; Joseph Peters, painter; L. C. Lillard & Co., dealers in grain; A. M. Wolf, shoe-maker; J. O. Spergeon, teacher; A. L. MeGuire, postmaster.

Universalist Church, organized September 14, 1873; the building erected 1875. Trustees: William Hardacre, Gabriel Hays and Samuel Clannin; pastor, T. E. Ballard. Present trustees: J. M. Abbott, J. N. Long and John Snyder; present pastor, Rev. N. A. Saxton; members, forty-eight.

The first church in the township was erected of logs on the Baldwin farm (now J. W. Coan), just by the grave-yard, on Drook's Creek. This was known as Richland Chapel ( Methodist Episcopal). The wife of David Warrenburg was the first buried in this cemetery, and a Mrs. Miller was the next. This church was organized about 1843-44. Meetings were held in the edge of Miami County, and after several changes as to location was permanently established at the present site, on the southwest corner, Section 10, about 1854-55. The house was badly damaged by the 4th of July storm in 1873. A good permanent building was erected in 1874. The trustees are Jeremiah Stricler, George Sharp, Sanford Brumfield, F. M. Wright and Daniel Flummer; G. 8. V. Howard, present pastor; membership, twenty-three.