Greene County, Indiana - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 15 of those read), 1875

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 15 of those read)

^tJICHARD WALL, of Eel River Tl township, is now eighty-four ^-^ years old. lie was born in North Hampton county. North Carolina. His father and mother were poof and made their living on a small farm, -about thirty miles from Halifax Court House. Mr. Wall is the youngest of twelve children, six boys and six girls. His parents died when he was a boy» only thirteen yeal's old, and at that early age he was cast out into the world an honest orphan boy. He managed to keep one eye open to shun all bad cotnpany, and the other open to see the plainest way to make a man of himself. When he was twenty-one years old he came to Indiana and worked for a good honest Quaker farmer named David Lindley^ near l*aoli, Indiana. He i'cmained thei'e two summel's, as a fai'tn boy ftnd chicken peddler.

The first settlers in this locality were Edmon Jean, Richard Wall, George Griffith, Caleb Jessup, Samuel and Edward Dyer, Jonathan Os= brou, Thomas Clark, and William Dunnegan - "who never went to a housebut what he come again:" John Sanders, Alexander Craig) Benjamin Huey and a few others.

The first land purchase Was at the first land sale at Evansville, by Da* vid and Jonathan Lindley, embracing all that good bottom land oh the north side of W^hite river from Wat' son's Citation down to Israel Glover's line. Old Uncle Ira Danely bought of David Lindley one hundred and sixty-six acres of that land and has made a good farm and has lived at that place for forty years.

I The first crop of wheat was raiseii i by Richard Wall and Sam Dyer, on i the farm where Garey Workman now j lives, and the first sample of that crop 1 of wheat was beat out with a flail and j cleaned up by the wind, while empty- I ing the half bushel of wheat on a : quilt iu the door yard, spread on the ' ground. Part of that wheat was ta- I ken to Craig's new mill on White river and ground into flour, but not f bolted for want of a bolting-cloth, j But Mrs. Mary Wall seived the flour j >vitha seive made of a wooden hoop 1 and a dressed buck-skin bottom, with I holes made by punching through the | bottom with a hot iron fork. i

The remainder of that little crop \ of wheat was taken to Ketcham's mill,^ near Bloomington. in Monroe county, and made into nour and was brought home and divided between the families of Richard Wall, Samuel Dyer and Robert Baber - Mr. Baber doing the milling for part of the flour.

William Dyer is ncvt seventyfoui* years old, and was one among the first new comers on White river, in the year 1818. William Dyer is the youngest of his father's family, hav^ ing three brothers and font sisters. He was born in Washington county, Virginia, in August, 1801. He Came to Indiana in the year 1814, and stopped among the first settlei'S on Lost river, near Paoli, Indiana. He then came to Greene Corlnty, in the year 1818, with his older brothers and Mr. Wall.

About fifty-seven years ago Old Uncle Billy Dyer was a mill boy, and he rode oU horse back and brought the first sack of seed wheat to Greene county from Warner l?avis', on Indian creek, in the southern part of Monroe county, Indiana. This wheat was sowed and cut by Mr. Wall and the Dyer boys, and was the first crop, of wheat made in this part of Greene county. This family also raised the first corn crop that was grown in this township.

Among the first white children b'^rn in the neighborhood were John Archer, Rachel Wall, William Wall, Annaand Jot. Osborn, and some of the Sanders, Jessup and Clark children.

The first weddings in the township were Mr. Payton Owen and Mis^ Rachael Griffl'th, Richard Wall and Miss Mary Dyef as waiters. The next lucky couple were Mr. Wall aUd Miss Mary Dyer. Harbert Sanders and Miss Jensie Jessup ; John Fires and Mdrtha Craig ; Edward Dyer and Katy Danely ; Henry Jackson and Kimcy Dver ; William Parsley and Anna Osborh ; Isaac Jackson and Elizabeth Glrifflth ; Samuel Dyer and Celia Ariiey ; Acquilla Walker and Eliznbcth Dyer ; William Fbley and Jane Osborn ; Ira Danely and Miss Olive Jessup. And, by the way, the young folks had fun at all of those early weddings ; and when old Lihole Tommy Clark was elected Justice df the Peace, a party of about a half doien young people Went there after bed-time, wisning to 8ee the Justice mal'ry a coUpic fol* the flt-st time, etc. They tailed the 'Squire up, and he asked them to come ih ; and they said they were in a hurry, Jltid wanted to sed a Wedding in the door-yard, by moonlight. The old bee hunter just stepped back, lighted a candle, picked up the book, and while he stood in the presence of the w*ituesses said the ceremony "in his shirt-tail !" All the party left for home, fully enjoying a Hoosier wed-' ding.

Old Caleb Jessup had tht) largest family, hftvihg had tht-ee wives ami nineteen children - eight boys nhd eleven girls* Alexander Craig and wife raised ten children - five boys and five girls. They all lived to be men and women. James Newsora and wife raised eight boys and five girls. Uncle Richard Wall and wife had six children, and raised five of them to be men and women. George Griffith and wife raised two bo5*s and four girls. Uncle Ira Danely and wife had thirteen children, and raised six boys and six girls ; all married except one, and he wants a mate. Ira Danely was born in Surry coun* ty. North Carolina, arid was an orphan boy, raised among the friendly

We have, had two distill houses built by Richard Wall^ who made a pure article when he made whisky tind brandy. It was not the kind that kills two hundred yards, oflf-band.

Our first mills were hand mills and llominy mortars> Old Alexander ^raig built the first Avater-mdl, at Point Commerce bluff, on W^hite riv- 'er. He also built a cotton gin to pick out cotton s-eed, in that mill. Squire Tommy Clark built a little tub mill on Clark's creek^ and ground corn into meal for the first settlers on that creek. James Jessup and Daniel Ingers^ll built the Junction mills on Eel river, at the Rock ford at Point Commerce. Ira Danely, Amos; Owen and Orren Talley built the old NVhite river mills, just above the hiouth of Clark's creek, about thirty J'cars ago ; and WMiite river changed its channel there, and left the mill s'ite and mill pond in a patch of willows on the sand-bar.

'The first school in Eel river township was taught by George Baber, in n log cabin at Caleb jessup"'s. Among the pupils were Jamc*, Frank and Verlin Jessup, Hnrbert, John and Charles Sanders, Ira Dancly, and Jensie and Mary Jessup, besides some of the Griffith children. The next school was taught by Amos Roark, with several small pupils. Among them wore William and Ellen Wall, N.Watson, Elizabeth Watson, John, Frank and Amey Clark, Clara Sanders, Caleb Jessup^'s children and others.

Our pioneer preachers were Elder Il"Ugh Barnes, EldelC James Armstrong, Rev. Eli P. Farmer, Rev. Abraham Kearnes, Rev. Obediah Winters, and a few traveling Shakers, who preached at Alexander Craig's, at the mouth of Eel river. We had our 'first Methodist campmeeting by moon-light, in the woods j«j!St north'of Fairplay, mot^- than fiftj' years ago. Our ministers, in those

Among our oldest people now liv^ ing iiere> We will name Richard Wall, aged 84 yearc f James NcAvsom, aged 83 years; Aunt Lydia Babev, aged 80 years ; Richard Haxton and wife, aged 70 ycars> William Griffith, aged TO years; William Dyer, aged 74 years > Mary Sanders, Elizabeth Griffith, J. Mv H. Allison and a few others.

One of the most remarkable wed^ ding parties that ever assembled in the western part of Indiana, met at the mouth of Eel river, when John Fires and Martha Craig were married ^t Alexander Craig's, on Sunday-, September 30th, 1819. On that day, about noon, while the young people of this neighborhood Averc enjoying thetoselves and having a very good time generally, a tribe of Indians, numbering about two hundred strong, floated down White river, from near Indianapolis, and lande<l their bark canoes at the mouth of Eel river, camped over night, and all the we<lding party and many of the neighbors went to see the Indians, and the Indians passed through and took a curious look at the many workings of Mr. Craig's new mill. One young brave who had recently married a young Indian squaw, offered to mako a wager with Mr. Fires, and leave it to the crowd to soy which had the best and prettiest squaw, but it has been said that John Fires crawfished. Within a few days after thut time, about three hundred Indian warriors and their chief passed down the old Indian trail and cross«<l over Eel riv' er, at the ohl gravel ford, on horseback. The old ford and Indian camps, where they made sugar, is on tnc eastl>anksof Eel river, just west of Henry ^ewsom's. Those were the last Indians that camped in this local it}'.

of Eel river, on Mr. Marcus Hays' land, half mile east of Point Commerce, is perhaps the most notable rock in the -western part of Irtdiana. This table rock totrers up in the bluff nearly a hundred feet high, above the level of "White rivef. We notice m»ny names, scratches, dates and marks, made on the top of this old rock table by old pioneer trappers and hunters, seeking public notice from all visitors passing that -way. All our young people should go and see this old Indian tea-table.

Where Point Commerce now stands Avas a heavy forest of beech timber, vrhen the fiVst white people came to the Inouth of Eel river, about fiftyseven years ago, and the first settlers on that hill were Alexander Craig, Jehu Inman, Charles Inman, Benjamin Huey, James Smith, Henry Littlejohn, James BanJ^auj Mr. J^Jickles and a few others.

Old Uncle Alexander Craig built the first log cabin there, and he also built the first water mill and the first cotton gin to pick cotton seed.

There -were about half as many families living at the Craig mill^^fifty years ago, as there are living in Point Commerce now, and more people have died on that hill than eow live there.

Mr. 'James Banyan -was the first persoti .that died in Eel River township, and there being no saw mill with which to make plank within fifty miles of that place, oldj Henry Littlejohn, Jehu Inman and John Craig went to the -woods and dug out a poplar trough for 'a coffin, and Mr. Banyan was put in the trough and buried on the hill, among the forest trees, jt»st cast of where the old brick chapel now stands.

The first flat-boat ever sent to New Orleans from any place in'^Greene county, was built at Point Commerce, by the Craigs', and was loaded with staves and hoop-poles. Afterwards, several boats were sent down the river, loaded with corn and pork ; of four of the neighbor boys or yotifig men - Caleb Jessup's two sons, and James Smith's two sons - who were coming up the river on the steamer, "Car of Commerce." ./l^he boiler e?^- ploded and many passengers were scalded to death.

Chapter And Wortii

CSTlYE first white persons that set- (Ob t^ed on the west side of the riv- ^^ er, in this neighborhood, wer^ old Thomas Smith, Benjamin Shumaker, James and Thomas Stalcup, Grandfather Winters, Ell Dixon, John Craig, Joab Witcher, William Lemons, John Jessup, Jolm Stanley, Benjamin Huey, Hiram Hicks and a few others.

Benjamin Shumaker made the first land entry, after -which he b-uilt the first house, which -was located upon the ground where Uncle Jonny Myers' dwelling now stands^ in Worth-' ington. Old Thomas Smith settled on the hill-side, about; t-wo hundred yards cast of -where Verlin. Jessup g dwelling house no-w stands ) and Mr.- Smith set out that old apple otchard^ built the first ferry-'boat, and kept the old Smith's ferry, en White river,- for nearly forty years. James Stal-* cup built a lo:g house snd set outthose apple trees in George R. Taylor's field, on the hill just east of Worthington. Tliomas Stalcup built his hotisc and lived an the north side of the old State road, opposite where 'Squire Spainhower now lives. Uncle Eli Dixon entered the most land, made the biggest farm, built the best dwelling house, and set out the old apple orchard on tbef farm now own^ ed by Willis Watson^ just south of Worthington.

Old Eli Dixon was the big "bell sheep" among the Dixon^s, and he was twice elected as Representative of Greene county in the State Legis- Being a great favorite among

01(1 William Winters built a house / and set out those apple trees near the canal, on what is now known as the furnace place, north of Worthington.

Thomas J. Fires' great-grandfather, old John Craig, entered the land, built the house, and set out the apple orchard at the. old Anderson Harvey place, just northwest of Worthington. W illiam Lemons built his house and settled in the grove.

places to work among the owners, and labor in that large and handsome cotton patch. Young men, with home-spun clothes, and young women, with nice check cotton dresses, were in full fashion in those days, and when a help-mate was chosen for life, the working class of young men were "taken in out of the wet," and the best cotton spinners among the girls were always counted among tie north of where Eli tStalcup now- In the flill of the year 1819, the lives, and the stream of water was i Indians set fire to the prairie around named Lemons' creek fsr him. the Dixon grove, just south of our

The Black swamp was named by | new fiiir ground, and within less than the old pioneer hunters, and so call- 1 half a day, one old Indian killed sixed by all the old road wagoners from Louisville to Terre Haute. In early times the names of New Albany, Salem, Wood's ferry, Smith's ferry. Black swamp. Scaffold prairie. Lone tree, Splunge creek and Terre Haute were all very familiar household words. The names of all those old road wagoners will yet be given.

John Craig built the first distillhouse, in the bi..nch east of where John B. Poe's chair factory now stands ; and then Benjamin Huey built another distill'house, at the Fuller spring, on the Terre Haute road, three miles from Worthington, Avherelie made whisky.

After the Indians had left here and gone west to Arkansas, the old settlers in Jefferson township were called the Pottawataraies, and the white people over in Eel river township were called the Delawares, besides many other nick names - such as North Carolina Shabs, Tuckeyhoes, Buckeyes, Corncrackers, Suckers and Hoosiers.

When the first white families came to Jefierson -township, the nearest mills were about forty miles distant, being located on the Shaker Prairie, above Vincennes. Afterwards ono known as Kt'tctiam's mill, went into operation near Bloomington, Monroe the cotton'gin from Craig's mill, and I county, and another called Rawley s made a tramp-wheel cotton gin and j mill, on Eel river, at the old hill, a little horse mill on the hill, at the j near the old reservoir Fuller place, in this township.

Fifty years ago, the land on which Worthington now stands was a large and beautiful cotton field, of nearly fifty acres of choice cotton, in full | first settlers raised plenty of corn and

Before Welton and Colonel Fellows built their mills on Richland creek, and for a few years before Craig's mill was built on White river, the bloom about the 1st of August, 1824 This cotton field was cultivated by Benjamin Shumaker, William Winters, William Huey, Jehu Inman, John Craig, Thomas Stalcup and a few others ; and that cotton field in bloom was said to be the nicest place and the prettiest crop in the western garden vegetables, and- had to live on sweet and Irish potatoes, lye hominy, beat meal and deer meat. In fact deer skins and venison hams were almost a "legal tender" on all little debts at William Smith's store, which was located a little south of Willis Watson's brick house and bears the part of Indiana. A great number of i name of being the first store house m young folks from other localities came i Worthington. Mr. Wdliam Smith to the mouth of Eel river to look for j also established the fiiot tan-yard lu toAvn, and it was located opposite the "Swainp Tavern," on the Terre Haute road. Old John Padgett bought the farm where Uncle Jonny Myers now lives, of old Bcnjarriin Shuiiraker, and Mr. Padgett lived there an the old Terre Haute State road for many years, and established the iirst drinking saloon, and kept a gi'ocery in a big sycamore gum. At all the corn-shuckings, cotton-pickin-gs, Avedding parties and other public gatherings, a "spiritual greeting" sent out from that big sycamore gum.

The first school house was built on the hill, just east of Worthington, and the first teacher was James Campbell. The pupils were Jolm 11. Di.xson and brothers, Prior and "William ; Merrit and ITain Jamison, Joseph and Mariah Fiehl, Staloup's boys, Frank and Verlin Jessup. Harrison, Benjamin an<l A. J. Huey, Levi and Mariah Shuraaker, Robert and Alexander' Craig, together with others from the Winters, Inman, Smith and Crance families.

Among the first weddings in this neighborhood were,' Josei)ii Smith ami Sallie Jessuj). David Smith and I'olly Bryson, William Huey and Sallie Stanley, -JohngJlStanley and Mary Ball, Abrara Shumaker and Mariah Morris, Obediah Winters and ]lannah Duncan, Thomas Huey and A'^estie Stewart, Joshua Duncan and Mariah Shumaker, William Smith and Mary McKee, and a few others.

Worthington is tiow an incorporated village, in Jefferson township, is pleasantly located jon a prairie, a fhort di.stance west of the junction of Eel and White rivers. The town was laid out by Messrs. Andrews and Barrackraan, in 1849,

The first p;iper published in Worthington was called the WoriJiinf/ton Advocate, and was established in October, 1833. by Deal & Morrison. This }»aper survived for a short time, but was superceded, in J^ovember, 1855, by The White Jlivct' Valh'ij Times, with the name o^ L i^. Morrison as editor and proprietor. Mr. Morrison continued its publication for quite ri number of years, but was finally compelled to retire from the business on account of failing health. The paper yet has a very healthy existence,and is the oldest periodical in Greene county, being now in its twentieth volume. It is now known as the Worthington Times, and is publiahed by W. J. Ward, with Fred. N. Miller, proprietor.

We will yet give the family history of several of the oldest citizens and pioneers of this neighborhood and other localities connected with our.early times in Greene county.