Greene County, Indiana - Chapter 21: Early History of Lewis Townsiiip, Clay County, 1875

(^Jr'HE first white men that settled ii\} in this locality were Elijah May- ^^ field, Mr. Crose, James Delay, James Briley, Elijah Rawley, John and Peter Cooprider, William Stewart, William Shepherd and John Savverree.

Bandy knoll just southeast of the "Woodrow Bluff cemetery. One of Mr. Mnyfield's children died there, about fifty-six years ago, and rvas the first person buried in that graveyard.

Mr. Elijah Ravrley built the first "watev-tttill on Eel river, at the old hill just below the mouth of Splunge creek. We have an old Indian tradition which is very reliable. In an early day there "was a silver mine and bushels of money buried just below the mouth of Splunge creek, on the old Rawley mill tract of land, on the west side of Eel river, near the old grave-yard there.

It is also claira'ed that the old sandy knoll, one mile northeast of Ilowesvillc, was at one time a battle ground, and that the knoll w^as filled up with dead human bodies - perhaps a thousand years ago - when the Big Lake was the bed of Eel river there.

The first land entry was made by old John Cooprider, for the eighty acres of land cornering at the gum tree, and lying on th« west side of the old Terre Haute road, just opposite the place where Bruce Chambers now lives. By a great mi^tuke in the numbers of the land, Mr, Cooprider entered the eighty acres of land just west of the Township House, where Silas Stout's family now live. By another vrntitke^ the eighty acres of land just northxvest of the Friendly Grove church, was next entered by old Uncle Peter Cooprider, instead of the place near Hooker's Point.

James Briley has lived in this township a great many years longer than any other person, and can tell more of the early settlers t\\y\x wny body else. Mr. Briley built his first little log cabin on the west bank of Eel river, just east of where Mr. Edmond Phegley now lives.

Dr. Absalom Briley was the first white child born in this township, and old Uncle James Briley has lived to see all of hisiamiiy buried, except his oldest child, Dr. Briley.

Old Uncle Joseph Liston, of Vigo county, was a noted old pioneer hunter, and the only man that could kill more deer in a month, or in a year, than Robert Babcr.

Uncle Jack Baber lived in Lewis township about forty-five years, and had more fun than fifty boys will ever have again. Uncle Jack was post master sixteen years. Supervisor ten years, and Township Trustee six years,

The first weddings were at the house of old Byram Combs, by Rev. Samuel Briley. They were: Mr. Emery Rodgers and Little Sallie Combs; Mr. Edward Combs and Barbary Fry. Both of these weddings were solemnized at the same time and place.