Hancock County, Indiana - Chapter 25: Sequel to Bll'e-Riner Townshil, 1882

iro//"s J//7/._The iirst mill in Hancock count}- was built in 1824 by Joshua Wilson, on Blue river, in the southwest part of Blue-River township. It was a verv small building, partially weather-boarded, and did both 'sawing and grinding. It run one set of burrs, and, if well attended to, would grind from ten to fifteen bushels per day, and the saw-mill, under favorable circumstances, would cut trom two to three hundred feet per day, with the assistance of two or three men to help start it occasionally. In cutting the race, there was a bayou that formed all its course but about ten rods, but Wilson was unable, physically and financially, to cut this short distance, hence his few neighbors gratuitously volunteered their services, and cut the short distance which nature had left unfinished. Among those hospitable neighbors were Solomon Tyner, John Osborn, George Penwell, G. Smith, Thomas Phillips, Abram Johns, Harmon Warrum, c/ ah In 1826 Henry Watts purchased the mill of Wilson, and attached a bolt to run by hand. When this mill first started, all the white people for miles around gathered in to witness the grand scene. Wolf purchased the mill about 1840, and attached a carding and spinning machine. The mill at this point has changed hands a number of times, as noted elsewhere in this book, and has been variously known as the Wilson, Watts, Wolf and Bacon Mill, and, while owned by Bacon, was denominated the "Blue River Mills. '^ The'mill has recently changed hands, and is now owned by Jacob Wolf, son of John Wolf, the old proprietor.

the W. C. T. U., at Knightstown, and becoming enthused in the work, and obtaining a copy of their constitution and pledge to assist in organizing. A few of the citizens of Bkie-River township met at Friends' meeting-house, Westland, May 26, 1877, and organized an association, known as the "IJlue-River Township Temperance Association," at which time fort3^-five persons signed the pledge and became members.

Art. II. - It shall be the duty of this society to plan and carry forward measures which, with the blessings of God, will result'in the suppression of intemperance.

Art. III. - Any person may become a member of this association by signing the following pledge: "We, the undersigned, men, women and children of Blue-River township, feeling that the use of intoxicating liquors has reached a point no longer to be endured, do, by the help of God, promise to use our utmost endeavors to banish this evil from among us ; and in order to strengthen our influence in this regard, we hereby agree to abstain from the use of all intoxicating beverages, and we will discourage their use in all possible ways."'

Art. IV. - The officers of this association shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and an executive committee of three.

Art. VI. - It shall be the duty of the executive committee to decide upon the time and place of meeting ; to produce a programme to each meeting for the one following ; to see that those on duty are informed thereof, and to give them such assistance as is necessary in the preparation of their duties.

Meetings have been held every two, three, or tour weeks, as circumstances will admit, since its organization, circulating to all the school districts in the township ; at each meeting soliciting signers to the pledge, which now numbers three hundred and seventy-five, of ages from live to seventy-seven 3'ears.

It is conducted principally as a literary association, aiming to instill into the minds of all classes the need of moral reform and true temperance principles.

Pleasant Viczu J\fcc//ng\ Pricnds - Was established under the authority of Spiceland quarterly meeting in the eleventh month, 1850. Meetings were held for a time, perhaps a year, in a frame school-house near by ; then in the frame meeting-house, occupied as a place of worship at this date. Amonij the first members were William and Charity Hill, Libni Hunt and wife, Samuel Brown and wife, Phineas White, Matthew Ilodson, Daniel Hastings. Alfred and John Hunt, Eli and Robert Brown, Daniel and John Reece, Albert White, Enoch Picrson, and Amos H., Samuel B. and John Hill. iVmong those who have preached at this place ar ^ Melissa Hill and Jared P. Binford. A Bible School, in connection with this meeting, is sustained the year rovmd. Average attendance, thirty ; Cynthia White, Superintendent. Samuel B.- Hill x^as one of the first teachers, and has been connected therewith for more than thirt}- vears. Alfred Hunt, one of the most prompt and punctual in attendance at both the Sabbath and week day meetings, faithfullv times the sittings thereof.

AddifioiiaJ Suicides and Sudden Deal lis in Jiliie-I^izer Township. - In 1839, Robert Marsh was killed b\' the falling of a tree, while "coon hunting" one dark night.

Mrs. T. Ballenger, October 26, 1875, stepped on a piece of pumpkin rind, slipped and fell with her neck across the Q:(\^^Q of a bucket, which dislocated the upper cer\ical vertebrae, prt)ducing sudden d.'atli.

James Anderson, of Blue-River township, while fishing in company with her sister, fell into Blue river, and was drowned. Mrs. Reed committed suicide by hanging, at Allentown, in 1870.

Farmers Insurance Association - Of Hancock county was organized June 12, 1876, with William Marsh as President; B. F. Luse, Vice-President ; Samuel B. Hill, Secretary and Treasurer, and one Director for each township. It was reorganized under the statutes of Indiana, August 31, 1878. The present officers are John H. White, President ; T. E. Bentley, Vice-President ; S. B. Hill, Secretary and Treasurer, and one Director for each township. The association has met with but three losses, amounting to $1,103, since its organization. It paid to officers for printing, postage, &c., last year, $154.75. Losses have been promptly paid, and the association is in good standing where its workings are understood.

Wcstland Meeting, Friends. - Among the first Friends that settled in the vicinity of Westland were Joseph Andrews, in 1832 ; John Brown, in 1833 ; Elias Marsh, Elisha Butler, Nathan Perisha, William and Frederick Brown, et al., at different times until the year 1839, ^vl'^en the propriety of a meeting and school-house was discussed b}' these friends of education, and they agreed on a day to meet, in which they constructed a log school-house, 16x20 feet, soon after which they employed a teacher for the small children of the neighborhood. In 1840 a meeting was regularlv organized, with about fifteen families. Among the early ministers were Mary Hodson and Melissa Hill. A First-day school was soon organized and conducted by Abigail Hubbard. After a few 3'ears, the society desired a separate house in which to hold their meetings, and all hands and friends of the cause joined in and built a small frame, without any estimate as to cost. About 1871, the present neat and commodious frame building was erected, at a cost of $1,500. Present minister, Winbern Kerns ; total membership, 102 : average attendance on the Sabbath, iiftv-sevcn.

Samticl B. Hill - Was born February 22, 1832, in Randolph county, Indiana. When one 3'ear old his parents, William and Charity Hill, moved to a farm in Rush county, two and a half miles south-west of Charlottesville, where he lived until his marriage, in 1852, to Mary M. Henley. In the following ^^ear he removed to the farm in Blue-River township, where he still resides. The years from sixteen to twenty-one were spent in teaching and attending school at Friends' Boarding School, near Richmond, Indiana, afterward Earlham College, of which institution he has been a member of the Board of Managers for some 3'ears. He served as Trustee of Blue-River township six 3'ears. He is a farmer, and engages in raising grain and stock for a livelihood. In 1875 he was married to his second wife, Mary R. Hadle}-. He has five children living, two of whom are married and settled in Blue-River township. He is interested in education, holding that it is largely a means of preventing crime and pauperism.

In person Mr. H. is large, square built, dignified in bearing, with black hair, an expressive eye, of a bilious temperament, nearly six feet in height, and two hundred pounds in weight.

Gilboa Church, M. E. - About the year 1830 a few persons, who had been members of the M. E. Church in other places, settled in the vicinit}^ of Gilboa, and soon began holding religious meetings at private dwellings. Occasionally a preacher would come into the neighborhood, a runner would be sent out announcing the fact, and thus meetings were held until the year 1832, when the society had so increased in numbers and interest that they decided on building a church. James Sample and Benjamin Miller,, who then owned the land now comprised in the grave-yard, offered to give a half acre each if the society would erect a church building thereon, which proposition was accepted,. and a small log house, twenty by twenty-four feet, made of hewed popular logs, was erected about three rods east of the present grave-yard gate. It stood, as the present one does, with the end fronting the road, and had a door in either side and a lire-phice in each end, and had one twelve-hght window, with panes eight by ten inches. The floor was made of shibs and the benches of spHt poles, with the splinter side up. This building, like other pioneer public buildings, was erected bv voluntary labor, each contributing as his conscience dictated his duty. Rev. Amos Sparks was the first preacher in this building. Among the first members were James and Polly Sample, John Sample and wife, Elizabeth Wood, Sarah Sample, Polly Meek, Arthur Lewis and wife, Adam Allen and wife, Benjamin Miller and wife, Johnson McGinnis, James Lamay and wife and James and Margaret McGinnis. All the above, with the exception of Mother Sample, are with us no more, but have changed their membership from the church militant to the church triumphant. The first revival of any note was under the . ministration of John B. Burk in 1841. The next revival was under the preaching of John T. McMullen in 1848-9. In the summer of 1852 the present house, a frame, thirty b}' fifty, was completed. The next and greatest revival in the history of the church was in i860 or 1861, under the preaching of Rev. Layton. In the spring of 187 1 the church was repaired, and the old box pulpit was replaced In- one of more modern style, after which it was dedicated b\' Rev. Bowman, of Ohio, on the 13th day of August, 187 1. The church is in a healthv, prosperous condition, with a membership of forty-five. In connection with this church is a large and prosperous Sunday-school, with an average attendance of forty-seven.

yohn Wolf- - Was of German parentage, born in Center county, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1813. He came to Indiana with his lather's family in the fall of 1835, ^"^^ settled in Wayne county. In the spring of 1840 he was married to Charity Commons, with whom he lived hapily till the date of his death. Soon after his marriage he, with his older brother, Ilenr}' Wolf, moved to Blue-River township, and purchased the Watts Mill, where the brothers carried on an extensi\e business, their customers cominii from fifteen to eighteen miles, and sometimes staying two or three days waiting their turn. In 1849 they began preparations for the erection of a new mill, which is now run by his son, as noted elsewhere. This is the only water flouring mill now in the county. John Wolf was a ver}- industrious, energetic man, and equally as successful in his business. No one labored more for the development and progress of the country. He was always ready w^ith a helping hand for public improvements, and made his influence felt in religious, moral and educational matters. He was a consistent and exemplary member of the M. E. Church, and verv strict in his religious duties. Owing to

Robison yo/ms - Was born January 19, 1813, in Scott county, Kentucky, and at the age of four came with his parents to the New Purchase in October, 1823, and settled in what is now Blue-River township, Hancock county, Indiana. Abram Johns, father of the subject of this sketch, had made a trip to the new site in March, and entered eighty acres at the land-office at Brookville, Franklin county. The Johns famil}^ which were twelve in number, resided for a time in a bark shed, then in a pole cabin, eighteen by twenty, rude in its every part. Mr. Johns remembers well the building of the first school-house, in the fall of 1823, and the first teacher therein, Lewis Tyner, son of Solomon Tyner, who agreed to teach a short term, and take his pay in work on his father's farm. Light was admitted to the room through greased paper. Webster's blue-back speller was the chief book. Mr. Johns says at that date they went to Freeport for meal and Connersville for flour, being the nearest points at which they could be accommodated.

The first death in the township was that of John Smith, who was killed at a cabin raising* by the falling of a log which had slipped from a skid in nearing the gable, from which he died that night, in March, 1824. Harmon Warrum, Thomas Phillips, Solomon Tyner, John Osborn, George Penwell and George Smith, the remaining settlers at that date, were part or all present.

Abram and Elizabeth Johns, the father and mother of this sketch, died respectively in 1834 ^^^ 1863, the latter at the ripe age of ninety-five. If an}- of our readers wish to spend an liour or two pleasantly with some of the oldest living residents of Hancock county, let them call on Robison or Wilson Johns.