Hendricks County, Indiana - Chapter 3: Early Settlement and Organization, 1914

Chapter 3: Early Settlement and Organization

The history of the early settlement of Hendricks county would be worthy of treatment in a separate volume were the records and other sources of information in regard to those days in existence. At that time the importance of keeping such things was not realized, and consequently few can be obtained. The settlement of Hendricks county occurred early in 1820, within six years of one hundred years ago. Many of the people in the county today remember of hearing their fathers and mothers recount the thrilling tales of pioneer life in the early period of log rollings, husking bees, barbecues, cabin raisings, hunts and the thousand and one other incidents which were a part of the early life. Settlements were miles apart and social intercourse was difficult, so these entertainments aiiorded the only opportunities for the people to congregate, and these periods were generally months apart. So the pioneer lived alone with his family in the silent and mighty forest, sallying out before dawn to shoot the game or to cast a line in the stream nearby for the day's food supply. The meat of the wild game and the rough cereals raised in the patch of cleared ground provided the principal sustenance for the family; the clothes were manufactured by the women, who sat for days before the loom; linsey-woolsey and homespun, adorned with the skins of small animals, were the popular weaves. The good motlier was the teacher of the children also; meager teaching it was, but thorough.

Relative to the early settlement, it is well to quote a few paragraphs from the writings of Logan Esarey, an authority on Indiana history. He writes: "The attempt to better their economic condition was no doubt the cause that led a great majority of the immigrants to come to Indiana in the early period of its statehood. They were encouraged and many of them grossly deceived by the advertisements in the Indiana papers. The Western Sun and the Sentinel of Vincennes, the Indiana Republican of Madison, the Intelligencer and the Ledger of Richmond, from which the following data has been collected, are full of the most glowing accounts of the prosperity of this western world. Judged from these papers, there was bustle and activity everywhere. Cotton gins, ox mills, grist mills, salt wells, rich mines of silver and gold, steam saw mills, card mills, breweries were in need of laborers everywhere. Dozens of towns, each sure to be a metropolis, were springing up and in which lots could be bought for a trifle and on credit. A steamer one hundred and sixty-six feet long was on the ways at Jeffersonville. Another would soon be launched at Bono to ply on the branches of White river. Indiana seemed to be a bee-hive of industry, glowing with opportunity for the poor and industrious.

"The period from 1816 to 1825, while the capital was at Corydon, was one of unprecedented immigration into Indiana. The settlers crowded up the waterways beyond the middle of the state. The number of counties in the state rose from thirteen to fifty-two. Almost all of the territory south of White river was organized and the line of settlement was pushed well to the north of the National road. The latter had not yet been opened and practically all of the settlers came by way of or across the Ohio river."

The long, weary journey in a covered wagon, over rough hills, through tangled valleys, fording streams, slow, tortuous miles traveled, made the final stopping point inviting to the settler, even if it consisted of but a convenient nook in the forest or a sequestered spot on the banks of a stream, for it meant home wherever it was. The first nights were spent under the wagon-canopy or in a lean-to hastily erected of branches and grasses. The pioneer immediately began the erection of his cabin, hewing the logs and notching them into place. A fireplace was constructed in one end of the small hut, made of sticks and mud, and the fire therein afterward served the purpose of light, heat and as a cook-stove. The furniture of the interior was as rough as the cabin itself; three-legged stools, puncheon floor, a bed built against the wall, and a small table generally comprised the interior of the shack. The walls, through which numerous breezes penetrated, were hung on the inside with animal skins, that is, if such skins were procurable. However crude these homes might have been, the health and sturdiness of the occupants was mighty, and many of those who live today in luxury and idleness would swap their all for this strength of body and mind.

A great part of the land in central Indiana in those days was swampy. Sloughs were scattered through the forests and were far from healthy. Ague among the settlers was an established illness, and the best remedy was quinine and whiskey, the latter in quantities. Fevers, the intermittent kind which attend malaria, were frequent too. The people believed many peculiar things about these ailments and the fear of miasma and germ-laden atmosphere was wholesome.

Present Court House

Much more could be narrated in this chapter of the first days in the Hfe Hendricks county, but for the sake of unity these other facts are assigned to the other parts of the book, following closely their respective subjects.

Surveys And Indian Treaties

At St. Mary's, Ohio, in 1818, a treaty was negotiated by Governor Jennings, General Cass and Judge Benjamin Parke, men who acted as government commissioners, with the Indians. The red men gave up all title to their unceded land south of the Wabash river, except reservations, which included the territory in central Indiana, out of which thirty counties have been laid off, among them Hendricks county. This was the largest of the fifty-two purchases which were required to obtain from the Indians all of the land in the state of Indiana. In the terms of this treaty it was stated that the Indians should have possession of their improvements and reside in the country for a period of three years, after which time a portion of them would have to go upon reservations, but the majority of them were to be transported beyond the great Mississippi river. The government surveys were stipulated to begin immediately, and the ceded lands to be opened to settlers. Prior to this time the land now forming Hendricks county had been occupied by the tribe of Delaware Indians, but, not being located on any of the great war trails or fighting grounds, there were no large Indian villages or Indian improvements in this district. Hendricks county land was used principally as a hunting ground.

The government plans were carried out and the survey started at once. Hendricks county was on the meridian line from which the beginning was made, and accordingly it was surveyed first in 1819. This survey started a great flood of immigration to every corner of the new purchase. In wagons, on foot, horseback, the sturdy men came to build their homes here. Locations were indefinite and the settlers merely contented themselves with finding a convenient spot and then starting a clearing wherein to build their log homes. The Indians were not hostile: in fact, they were very friendly and assisted the home-seeker in many ways. Their knowledge of the hunting and fishing grounds was often a great help to the stranger.

Although the year specified for the removal of the Indians beyond the Mississippi was 1821, it was not until 1826 that the last of them departed. When the first white men came to this county a large band of Indians was found camping on A^'hite Lick and Eel rivers. The former they called \Va-

The First Settlement

In the territory now known and designated as Hendricks county the first settlement was made in the spring of the year 1820 on White Lick creek. The band of settlers who made this initial location, a few miles south, of Plainfield, was composed of Bartholomew Ramsey, Samuel Herriman, Harris Bray, John W. Bryant, James Dunn, George Dunn and Ezekiel Moore.

The nearest settlements to this location were along the Wabash river, and in order to establish communication and a road for the transportation of supplies, these men cut a trail through the woods and bushes, and gave it the name of the Terra Haute trail. It passed through Hendricks county about a mile south of what was later the National road, and in this same year of 1820 Nathan Kirk, one of the settlers, afterwards one of the associate judges of the county, located on this trail in the southwest corner of the county and kept a public tavern. He later transported his goods to Clinton county and became the founder of the town of Kirklin. Kirk's prairie was also named after this man.

In the spring months of 1821 Thomas Lockhart, Noah Kellum and Felix Belzer made settlement on the East fork of White Lick, in the southeast corner of what is now Guilford township. Belzer was the most notable of these three men, due to his reputation as a hunter. The tradition is that he killed one hundred and twenty-five deer within a year after he settled in this county. It was in this year, 1821, that the first death occurred in the county, that of Uriah Carson, who had come from Ohio and entered land from the government. He died at the home of Felix Belzer. In the autumn of 1821 William and Thomas Hinton, James Thompson and Robert Mc- Crackin settled on the West fork of White Lick, in the territory now com-^ prising Liberty township. Quite a number of other families settled in the territory now comprising Guilford and Washington townships in the following year of 1822, among them being Jeremiah Hadley, David Carter and Jonathan Hadley, who took the three adjoining farms on the hill immediately east of Plainfield.

Settlement In 1824

In the year 1824 the population of the county was estimated to be one thousand people, settled mostly in the regions in the southeast, with a few settlers near the present site of Danville, Nathan Kirk and Jere Stiles in the southwest corner, and Noah Bateman and a few others along Eel river. The portion of the county now occupied by Union, Middle, Brown and Lincoln townships was then a mosquito-infested swamp, and no settler had the boldness to risk his health by settling there. As late as 1830 there were not more than thirty settlers within this locality. The more rapid and thicker settlement of the other portions of the county was due in a large measure to the better drainage facilities. The northeastern portion of the county was also settled slowly. The building of the Cumberland or National road through the south part of the county in 1830 gave a great advantage to the southern part, this road being a highway for the tide of immigration to the far ^Vest. Many of these transcontinental travelers found reason to stop in this locality and remained and became permanent residents. Practically every farmer kept open house; every home was a hotel, and many of the settlers became moderately wealthy by their hospitality.

First Improvements

The first mill constructed in the county was a horse-mill on East fork of White Lick. It was built and owned by 'James Tomlinson. The first water-mill was built by John P. Benson on Rock branch in Eel River township in 1826. The first merchandise was sold in Danville by James L. Given. The first resident attorneys were Judge Marvin and Colonel Nave, the latter locating in Danville in 1832, where he was engaged in the practice of law for more than fifty years, until his death, in 1884. In the summer of 1823 the two first school houses were built in the county, one in Liberty township, below Cartersburg, and the other on Thomas Lockhart's land in Guilford township, and in them W. H. Hinton and Abijah Pierson taught the first schools in the county. In this paragraph it is well to mention that the first birth in the county was that of Silas J. Bryant, who was born in Guilford township in 1820, the son of J. W. Bryant.

Other First Events

uel Jessup, the first justice of the peace, performed the ceremony. In this same month Charles Merritt and Jemimie Leaman were married by Aaron Homan, a justice of the peace.

The act organizing the county of Hendricks was approved on December 29. 1823. The county was named in honor of William Hendricks, then governor of the state of Indiana. The act follows:

"Section i. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That from and after the first day of April next, all that part of the of Wabash included in the following boundary, viz. : Beginning at the southeast corner of section 20, in township 14 north, of range 2 east, thence west twenty miles to the east line of Putnam county, thence north with said line twenty miles, to the northwest corner of section 18, in township 17, in range 2 west, thence east twenty miles, to the northwest corner of Marion county, thence south twenty miles with said county line, to the place of beginning, shall form and constitute a new county, to be known and designated by the name and style of the county of Hendricks.

"Sec. 2. The said new county of Hendricks shall, from and after the first day of April next, enjoy all the rights, privileges and jurisdiction which to separate and independent counties do, or may properly belong and appertain.

"Sec. 3. That William Templeton, of Lawrence county, William Mc- Culloch, of Monroe county, Calvin Fletcher, of Marion county, Abel Cole, of Shelby county, and John Smiley, of Johnson county, be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners, agreeably to an act entitled, 'An act for fixing the seats of justice in all new counties hereafter to be laid ofif.' The commissioners above named shall meet at the house of the late William Ballard, in said county of Hendricks, on the second Monday of July next, and shall immediately proceed to discharge the duties assigned them by laws. It is hereby made the duty of the sheriff of Morgan county to notify the said commissioners, either in person or by written notification, of their appointment, on or before the first day of June next; and the said sheriff of Morgan county shall receive from the said county of Hendricks so much for 3iis services as the county commissioners, who are hereby authorized to allow the same, shall deem reasonable, to be paid out of any moneys in the treasury of said county, in the same manner that all other moneys are paid.

"Sec. 4. The circuit courts and all other courts of the county of Hendricks shall meet an be holden at the house of the late William Ballard in said county of Hendricks, until suitable accommodations can be had at the seat of justice in said county, when they shall adjourn the circuit courts thereto; after which time all the courts of the county of Hendricks shall be holden at the county seat of Hendricks county, established by law. Provided, however, that the circuit court shall have authority to remove the court from the said house of the late William Ballard to any other place in the said county of Hendricks previous to the completion of the public buildings, should the said court deem it expedient.

"Sec. 5. The board of commissioners for the said county of Hendricks shall within twelve months after the seat of justice shall have been selected, proceed to erect the necessary public buildings thereon. They shall also hold a special session on the first Monday in May next, for the purpose of appointing an assessor and transacting such other business as may be necessary.

"Sec. 6. The said new county of Hendricks shall form a part of the counties of Montgomery and Putnam, for the purpose of electing senators and representatives to the General Assembly, until otherwise directed by law.

"Sec. 7. The same powers, privileges and authorities that are granted to the qualified voters of the county of Dubois and other counties named in the act entitled. 'An act incorporating a county library in the counties therein named,' approved January 28, 1818, to organize, conduct and support a county library, are hereby granted to the qualified voters of the county of Hendricks, and the same power and authority therein granted to, and the same duties therein required of the several officers, and the person or persons elected by the qualified voters of Dubois county, and other counties named in the said act, for carrying into effect the provisions of the act entitled, 'An act incorporating a county library in the county of Dubois, and other counties therein named,' according to the true intent and meaning thereof, are hereby extended to and required of the officers and other persons elected by the qualified voters of the county of Hendricks.

According to the provisions of this act, the men selected began to investigate several claims made for the location of the county seat. Many localities were at work striving for the honor, among them the community near George Mattock's tavern, two miles east of Belleville, where a town had been laid out named Hillsboro. This site was discarded in favor of a location as near as possible to the geographical center of the county, and on the second Monday in July, 1S24, the site of Danville was chosen. Four men, Daniel Beals. George Matlock, Robert Wilson and James Downard, being the owners of land in four sections having a common corner, each donated twenty acres touching the common corner for the benefit of the county seat, all of which was laid out into public square and town lots.

Thomas Hinton was appointed agent of the county, and on October 20, 1824, he placed on file a plat of the town of Danville. The lots were immediately put up at a public sale, and this continued for three days. An order was made by the commissioners for fifteen gallons of whiskey to assist the purchasers in making their selection. Samuel Herriman, the coroner, was the distributor on this occasion. The price paid for the lots ranged from three to one hundred and fifteen dollars. The latter price was given by Mr. Hulse for the lot on the northeast corner of Main and Washington streets. The lot on the southwest corner brought the next highest price.

The court house was completed and the first term of court held in Danville in April of the year 1826. The building was constructed of peeled hickory logs and cost one hundred and forty-seven dollars. The jail was of the same material.

The first county commissioners were Thomas Lockhart, Gideon Wilson and Littlebury Blakely. They divided the county into nine townships, of nearly equal area, and there was suflficient population in but four of the townships at that time to give them a civil organization. The first repre- ^sentative of the county in the General Assembly was Lewis Mastin.