Hamilton County, Indiana - Chapter 5: Adams Township, 1915

Topography

Adams township, which includes forty-eight square miles of excellent land in the northwestern corner of Hamilton county, was organized by the board of commissioners in November, 1833. As the population was limited in number this township was at first united with Jackson township for voting purposes. Hence, the settlers went to Cicero during the first few years to vote on the questions of the day.

Of all the townships of Hamilton county, Adams may be said to be the youngest, or at least the last to develop her great resources. A glance at the map will show that Adams is peculiarly situated. No streams of water flow through this township,' but her broad and fertile acres furnish the sources of three different streams ; Cicero flowing to the northeast, Eagle creek flowing to the southwest, and Sugar creek flowing to the northwest. It will thus be seen that it occupies the divide between these streams. At the same time it is interesting to note that the survey of the Monon railroad shows that the water-shed is the highest point between the Wabash river at Delphi and the White river at Broad Ripple. For this reason Adams had to wait the straightening and widening of these streams before her fertile farm lands could be utilized. But since this has been accomplished it stands at the head of all her sister townships in the beauty and fertility of her farms. The town of Sheridan stands upon the very summit of this elevation. Indeed, many places may be found in the town where the water seems to hesitate, as to which route it will take in its journey to the great Father of Waters.

Early Settlement

George Boxley was the first white man who made a permanent settle¬ ment in Adams township. In the fall of 1828 he built his cabin on the knoll north of the present site of Sheridan. An excavation four feet deep by fif- teen feet square was made in the ground and over this he built the first log house in the township. All this territory was at that time a native wilderness. As one of the early pioneers said, "there was not a tree amiss." It was the hunting ground of the Indians and was covered with vast forests as wild as the savages that roamed them. The settlers consisted chiefly of emigrants from Ohio and were of a sturdy and resolute disposition. The immensity of the task of clearing the dense forests, draining the swamps and building homes for themselves and their families, quickened their determination and zeal to accomplish the seemingly impossible. Before many years had passed the fertile fields of waving grain, the cattle grazing in the pastures, and the com¬ fortable homes proved what these hardy men and courageous women from Ohio could accomplish when their hearts and their hands were in the work. This territory had been penetrated many years previous to 1828 by hunters and trappers, but not until the coming of George Boxley, and a year later other settlers from the East, had there been a permanent settlement.

George Boxley

In many ways, George Boxley was a very eccentric and peculiar man, a man of determination and iron will, who once having determined upon a cer¬ tain course of action which he believed to be right could not be turned from that course even in the face of death itself. His home was in Spottsyl vania, Virginia, prior to the War of 1812. By honest toil and careful investments he had attained considerable wealth, being the owner of a saw-mill, grist mill and carding mill or woolen mill, all three of which he operated under one roof on the banks of a stream. As was the law and custom of Virginia in those days he became the owner of a number of slaves. Later, however, the ques¬ tion of slavery disturbed his conscience and he liberated all his slaves. From that time he hated the institution of human slavery, and fought it with all the energy of his strong character.

During the War of 1812 Boxley was given a position of honor and re¬ sponsibility which he filled with such credit as to be tendered a silver-hilted sword by the United States government in recognition of his signal service. He was loved and honored by the entire community in which he lived. Then owing to his conscientious convictions on slavery he committed an act which placed him in the light of a criminal whose punishment was death. An early historian gives the following account of his crime :

One night in the winter of 1814, two negroes stole up to his house, know¬ ing his sympathy for the fugitive slave. They were endeavoring to make their escape from a cruel master and Mr. Boxley's sympathies were at once enlisted in their behalf. He concealed them in his mill and as soon as cir¬ cumstances permitted conveyed them to Greenbriar county and started them on their road to liberty. By this act he compromised his own liberty. Some one had heard of his deed and he was arrested and cast into the county jail, where he was bound down with chains. A court convicted him of the felony with which he was charged and sentence of death was passed upon him. Shortly before the day set for his execution his wife and children were ad¬ mitted to the jail to take an eternal farewell of the loved husband and father, but the watchful guard little thought that the gentle, tearful woman who came as a mourner was to be the power through whom their condemned fellowcitizen should be restored to life and liberty; yet such was the case. In the agony of her soul she had determined to brave the terrors of the law in one last desperate effort to release her husband. On this last occasion she came with a fine spring-saw concealed in the hem of her skirt and delivered it to her husband during the visit. That night he sawed his shackles apart and escaped from the jail through an aperture previously made in the wall during his confinement and which had been carefully concealed during the day time. He reached the prison-yard safely, and looking up saw the guards pacing the walls. At this he felt a chill of fear, but pushed bravely on, knowing that death awaited him in either event and that his discovery by the guards would only hasten the inevitable. He reached the wall and scaled it safely, dropping quietly on the outside of the prison bounds and breathed the air again, a free man.

Hounded By The Law

Traveling by night and by obscure routes, he reached Pittsburg, Penn¬ sylvania, where he changed his name to Burke and engaged in the vocation of school teaching. During his sojourn here he wrote two pamphlets which were widely circulated - one in opposition to the banking system of that day and one in opposition to the institution of slavery. During this time he con¬ trived to inform his wife that he was still living, but, believing that locality to be too near his former home for her to join him with safety, he determined to go to Missouri, where he was shortly afterward joined by his family.

Subsequently he removed to Fayette county, Ohio, where he hoped that he was safe from his persecutors, but his hope was suddenly dispelled. Two men, named respectively Jury and Walls, passed through the vicinity of his Ohio home with a drove of horses for Virginia, and recognized him. Upon their arrival in that state they saw an advertisement offering a large reward for the capture and return of the fugitive, and, arming themselves with a copy of this paper, they started for Ohio, thinking to enrich themselves by return¬ ing him to the authorities. .A* they neared his house they saw him in the field, and approaching him one of them took him roughly by the shoulder, exclaim¬ ing, "You are my prisoner!" and presented the advertisement in lieu of a war¬ rant. They overpowered him and dragged him from the field and into the woods, but his sons, Thomas and Addison, knew where to go for assistance and lost no time in giving the alarm.

New Home In The Wilderness

Two friends, John Howe and Jona Marchant, armed with guns, started in pursuit of the kidnappers and after a chase of about two miles overtook them. An exciting scene ensued and, in view of the danger that menaced them, the drovers concluded to surrender their prisoner. Mr. Boxley re¬ mained at home that night, but, knowing that his whereabouts could not long be kept secret, he fled the next day, again going to Missouri. After a few months he received a message from his friends in Ohio persuading him to re¬ turn and pledging themselves to stand by him and protect him. He did as they suggested and lived quietly in Fayette county f6r several years. He lived in dread, however, and determined to seek greater security in one of the new settlements of 'Indiana. He started west, reaching Strawtown, and then decided to go farther, to the settlement on the Wabash jn Tippecanoe county. His route led him past the land upon which he subsequently settled and which he marked at the time, intending to return to it if not satisfied with the loca¬ tion on* the Wabash. The latter proved to be the case, and in the fall of 1828 . he came to reside on the land where he passed the remainder of his life.

His family joined him here and he took up the life of a pioneer, feeling secure from any further pursuit. He was never again molested and passed to a peaceful old 'age and death. On a portion of his farm he erected a little log cabin in which he conducted a daily school for the instruction of his own children, and as new settlers came to his neighborhood at a later date, he offered to their children the benefit of his fine attainments free of charge. Under his training his children grew to honorable and useful maturity. One, however, met a violent death while in the midst of happy, innocent boyhood. After school hours the children used the building for a play-house. On this occasion a violent storm passed over this section, destroying crops and tear¬ ing away trees. The absence of the son was marked by the family, who, however supposed him to be safe in the school house; but after the storm the parents learned his fate. He had started to the house and the wind had up¬ rooted a tree which fell upon him as he ran, imprisoning him among its branches, where they found him mangled and dead. This was the first death of a white person in the township. He was interred on his father's farm.

Neighbors Stood By Him

Other stories illustrative of George Boxley's peculiarities after he lived in Hamilton county are also related. He was opposed to banks and to the collection of debts by law, and to all taxes imposed by the government. At one time B. F. Cogswell persuaded him to buy some cloth for a coat on credit. When the debt came due he refused to pay it. Cogswell sued him and re¬ ceived judgment by default. An execution was issued and placed in the hands of an officer who levied upon and advertised for sale some of Mr. Boxley's cattle. When the day of the sale came the cattle could not be found and the sale was postponed. A second advertisement was made and the cattle were taken to Noblesville for safe keeping, but on the day of the sale were driven back to the Boxley place to be sold. Evidently the officer feared trouble for he deputized nine other men to go with him to conduct the sale. Cogswell sent W. W. Conner as his representative, with instructions to bid on the cattle in payment of the debt. But Boxley's neighbors decided if Boxley was op¬ posed to that sale they would stand by him. So during the morning, before the sale began, about fifteen pioneers fully armed, as was the custom in those days, assembled to the defense of their friend. When the officer in charge stepped up to begin the sale the neighbors informed the would-be pur¬ chasers that any one bidding on the cattle "would be in danger of bodily harm." A hint to the wise was sufficient in this case as the odds were very much in favor of Boxley. Conner did not bid on the cattle and the sale failed. Cogswell never collected his debt. Mr. Boxley was a very ready help to any of his neighbors in time of need. He had more cattle than his neighbors, and often loaned his milch c6ws to his friends, exacting only the increase in pay- ment. He taught their children free of charge and in many ways was a model of generosity. Whenever he needed help his neighbors, whom he had befriended, were only too glad to come to his assistance.

Outwitted Tax Collector

Another story is told of Mr. Boxley outwitting a tax collector. An officer levied on some cattle of Mr. Boxley's for delinquent taxes and the said officer rode over from Noblesville and was returning driving the cattle before him. Mr. Boxley followed the officer unseen and upon the arrival of the cat¬ tle at a particularly bushy thicket uttered a peculiar call which the cattle under¬ stood. They broke from the officer who was unable to control them, and he was forced to return to Noblesville without the cattle which went safely home with their master.

The Second Settlement

In 1829 Thomas Spencer, John Blanch, James L. Masters, L. Acord and Washington McKinsey made a settlement a little west of the present site of Boxley. They were later joined by James Mann, Thomas and William Harbaugh, Payton Harris, Reuben Tansey, James Harbaugh, Even Teter and others. There were but two roads or trails in the township, one from Nobles¬ ville to Lafayette, and the other from Strawtown to Lafayette. These'early pioneers, when not traveling on either of these trails, made their own roads, keeping to the high ground when possible, for much of this territory was a swamp in those days. When they came to the "slashes," as the streams were called, corduroy bridges were built by laying logs parallel and crossing these with other logs laid horizontally to the first until the entire "slash" was bridged and the party crossed in safety.

A settlement was made at Baker's Comer between the years of 1831 and 1837 by the following: Christopher Williams, Mr. Hodson, Stephen Masters, James Lackey, George Rushton, William Davis, Daniel Smith, Leroy Fitz¬ patrick and others. This settlement was made up largely of Quakers, who, having no church of their own, attended at Hinkle Creek church until West Grove was built. They had their milling done at the Shryock Mill and at the Fallis Mill until a mill was erected in Jackson township.

The First Election

The first township election was held at Boxley. There were thirty voters present, but the voters were not the only persons in attendance. The streets were crowded with women and children who wished to be present at the first election. While they were debating what should constitute the ballot box Robert Collins offered his hat for the purpose. His offer was readily ac¬ cepted and the election proceeded with the following results : James A. Lackey and Reuben Tansey were elected justices of the peace and John McKinsey and Joseph McMurtry were elected constables. Two political parties were repre¬ sented in this first election, the Whig and the Democrat.

Leveling The Forests

After the first settlement was well established the industrious farmers began to cut their way back into the dense forest and by slow but steady de¬ grees to transform this vast, dreary wilderness into the beautiful country it is today. They struck out boldly in all directions and presently, here and there over the township, sprang into life the busy villages of Millwood (later Sheridan), Ekin and Rakers Corner. Later, fine commodious homes and big roomy barns replaced the early log cabins, and a network, of gravel roads re¬ placed the Indian trail and the corduroy roads. Where once the Indian hunted and his camp fires gleamed, the waving fields of corn, oats, rye and wheat, now flourish abundantly, while orchards of apples, plums and peaches lend their chartji to the picture.

Schools And Industries

The important industries of the township include milling, dairying, rais¬ ing hogs and cattle, manufacturing tile and brick and sawing lumber, and making condensed milk. The township is rich in gravel which is used on the pike roads.

As recorded above, George Boxley taught the first school in a little log cabin on his own land sometime in the early thirties. The early schools fol¬ lowing this one were maintained by private subscription. The township schools were established after 1852 and at first were few and far between. Their number gradually increased till a school had been established in every district. At present there are two excellent high schools in the township, situated at Sheridan and Boxley. There are graded schools at Ekin and Baker's Corner and five one-roomed buildings.