Jackson County, Indiana - Chapter 5, 1886

And Weddlesville

CARR TOWNSHIP is located in the southwestern part of Jackson County, and is bounded on the east and south by the East Fork of White River; on the west by Lawrence County, and on the north by Owen Township, Jackson County. The sur¬ face is diversified, that portion along the course of White River being level or undulating, while the greater portion of the town¬ ship is broken, the hills in many parts rising to the height of from 300 to 400 feet, which with the deep gulches make the scenery quite picturesque. There is quite as much diversity in the soil as in the surface. In the eastern and southern portion the soil is very fertile, and in this portion large crops of corn are raised and excellent meadows abound, while on the hills the soil is sterile and poorly adapted to agriculture. The township was originally covered with a dense growth of forest trees, which by the woodsman's ax has largely disappeared. The giant oak, the mammoth poplar and much of the most valuable timber has been manufactured into lumber and transported to the lumber markets of the world.

Carr Township was named in honor of Thomas Carr, who was at the time of its creation a member of the board of county com¬ missioners and one of the most intelligent and highly esteemed citizens of the county.

was afterward included within the limits of Jackson and remained a part of this county for several years. The settlement was made by the Flinns and Guthries, and the township in which the set¬ tlement is located is "Flinn," taking its name from the family who made the first settlement. Flinn Township at one time included a considerable portion of what afterward became Carr, and for many years the people in the central and western part of Carr Township did their trading and marketing at Leesville.

The first settlement made in the territory now included in Carr Township was about 1810 or 1811, by Daniel Beem, who settled on the place since known as the John Durham farm. John Graig, who was afterward elected sheriff, settled near Heighton Hill, on the farm now owned by Allen Goss. Daniel Woods settled further down the river, in 1812. Stephen Sparks made a settlement at what is now Sparksville as early as 1812, and established a ferry, which, on account of the convenience of its location, being situated on the principal line of travel between the settlements of Washington and Lawrence Counties, became quite important. Michael and others of the Beem family moved across the river from Driftwood Township as early as 1814. This was one of the most prominent families in the early history of the township. Both Richard and Michael were distinguished for their bravery in the war with the Indians ; both were participants in the battle of Tippecanoe, and both fought with Gen. Tipton in the battle of Tipton's Island. Daniel Peck, John Allsup, Joseph Lanning, Joseph Goss and John McKinney settled in the eastern part of this township at an early day. Thomas Carr, the father of Hon. George Carr, came to this township in the early part of 1818, and settled on the "Ridge," which was long known as the Carr Settlement Other early settlers in that community were A. Phelps, Leonard Houston, James Brown, the Richard family, the Sawyers, and others. Soon the log cabins could be seen in all directions, standing as monuments of industry ; the sonorous sound of the woodman's ax rang through the forests from the rising of the sun till the going down of the same ; the song of the busy housewife, accompanied with the hum of the spinning wheel, were all suggestive of the means of livelihood in those pioneer days.

Puncheon floors were a luxury not to be found in every house, as in many the native soil was both the floor and carpet. The long winter evenings were spent in conversation over the events of the day, or in the recollections of events of the old homes in the East or South, from which they emigrated. The sunshine of literature did not circulate very freely. The whole library con¬ sisted of a Bible, an almanac, Pike's Arithmetic and Webster's Spelling-book Tallow dip furnished the only artificial light

The clock and the watch were novelties in that day; the pioneer marked time by the approach of the shadow of the door to the sun mark, or the cravings of the stomach for its ration of cornbread and bacon.

Early Land Entries Life In The Woods

The experience of those early settlers form a picture of hero¬ ism and triumph that no pen can ever portray. Far away from their native homes, and out of reach of comforting influences of civilization, they transformed the woodland into bearing fields. The rude cabins which protected them from the chilling blasts of winter were utterly devoid of everything that would contribute to the comfort of the inmates. One side was devoted to the fire¬ place around which the interesting group would circle. The same room was the parlor, the bed-room, the dining-room and the kitchen, and not unfrequently some of the domestic animals were sheltered beneath the same roof. The bark-bottomed chair, the bedstead constructed out of the undressed poles, the loom, the spinning-wheel, the cooking utensils, the most important of which were the skillet and pot, constituted the furniture. The orna¬ ments of the walls were the rifle and the powder horn, which al¬ ways hung above the door, bunches of medicinal herbs, red pepper and the dried pumpkins, which were always suspended from the joist just above the fire-place. The windows needed no curtains as they were made of material which kept out the strong sun¬ light and the fierce winds of winter.

The forefathers of the people of Carr Township had a high regard for religious interests, and held Christianity as the great civilizing power, without the recognition of which the country would not be fit to live in. Consequently, we find on their arrival they began holding services of public worship, such as they had been taught and trained up in, in the part of the country from which they had emigrated. They early secured the services of pioneer preachers - those grand old characters whom nothing daunted while in pursuit of their mission, and to whose teaching

Early in the twenties, if not before, the settlers in the vicinity of the Lanning School began to look after their souls' salvation, and accordingly organized a class, of the Methodist denomina¬ tion, which was put under the care of such pioneer preachers as William Shanks, Calvin Ruter, Rev. Woods and Hurlbert. Soon a church house was built, not far from the present site of Medora, where it still stands, although no longer used for church purposes. The Lannings, the Talberts and the Wilsons were some of the first members. In the western part of the township the Brown meeting-house was probably the first, and was erected about 1834. It was controlled by the Baptists, but any sect was permitted to worship there. Early Baptist ministers: Thomas Robinson, A. Allen, R. M. Parks, and Capt. Crothers. Christian: Jacob Wright, J. A. Weddle and John Mathews. Some of the early members who worshiped at this old church were Major Cum¬ mins, Benjamin Newark, Moses Sparks, Polly Carr, Samuel Foster, Thomas Dixon, Thomas J. Plummer, William Dixon, John Kirk, David Boyles. A Methodist class was organized, and a house built about one mile west of Weddleville, some time in the thirties. To this class belonged the Houstons, Pooles, Potters, Weddles, John F. Carr and Vincent Chambers. A large frame church house was built at Sparksville, late in the fifties, and is still used for church purposes. Some of the divines whose pious teachings have been listened to by the good people of this com¬ munity are David M. Brown, Leonard Martin, Jackson Mathews and Rev. Scammehorn. Peck's Church and Eshom's Church were built by the Methodists at an early day, but have long since been abandoned. For many years camp-meetings were held at the Lanning camp-ground, where thousands of people would gather, and many souls were saved. Some of the moving spirits were the Pecks, Lannings, Talberts, Miligans, Tanners and Stilwells.

Early Enterprises

In the early history of Carr Township tanneries were one of the most common enterprises. Not being able to import a suffi¬ cient amount of leather for the manufacture of boots, shoes, pants and other articles of apparel, it became necessary to estab¬ lish tanneries to supply that local demand. Edward Talbert was probably the first to embark in this enterprise. He built a tan¬ nery, at a very early day, on what was known as the Martin place. In the year 1828, John and George Carr built a tannery on the farm now owned by Hon. George Carr, and besides supplying the home demand, shipped small quantities to the adjacent counties. Distilling was also an important industry in the early history of this township - serving the double purpose of furnishing the people with a market for their corn, and supplying them with whisky, which was considered one of the necessities of life. Daniel Brown was one of the first to engage in the manufacture of ardent spirits. His distillery was located near what was known among the early settlers as Shewmaker's "defeat." Shewmaker was an indolent, worthless character, and to rid society of him the neighbors visited his house one night and, in the contest, defeated him. Hence the name.

In the early part of the sixties, Daniel Henderson built a large still-house in the central part of the township, and did a successful business for many years.

Milling

After the hominy block, the grate, the hand-mill, and all the devices of the pioneer days had passed into oblivion, Stephen Sparks erected a tread-mill at Sparks' Ferry, and all who patron¬ ized it were compelled to loan the use of their horses or oxen to furnish the power to do the grinding. Lewis Lanning built a sweep-mill, which was run by horse-power, and one of the condi¬ tions was that the customers should furnish the power. This was a frame building that stood a short distance below Medora. An¬ other horse-mill was erected by Michael Hinderlider, on the land of J. W. Holmes. Vincent Chambers, in the year 1851 or 1852, built a large, steam flouring-mill at Weddleville, but owing to the inconvenience of the location it was not sufficiently patronized and in the early part of the sixties it was moved to Vallonia. Saw¬ mills were operated at different times by Hall and Sanders, Daniel Wood, one of the Wrights, Vincent Chambers, J. W. Holmes and many others.

The first ferry that was run on either the White or Muscatatauk Rivers, was doubtless of so little importance that its location has been entirely forgotten. Among the first, however, was the Beem Ferry, located at the mouth of Cedar Creek ; was on an im¬ portant line of travel, and was established about the year 1815. Stephen Sparks built a ferry a short distance below the present site of Sparksville, which was largely patronized for many years. Another was built near the mouth of Wood Creek, by Daniel Kindred. Peck's, afterward Huffington's, crossed the river a half mile below the mouth of the Muscatatauk. Woody's Ferry suc¬ ceeded Beem's, and many others were operated at different times on the rivers bordering this township.

The following are the ferry rates fixed by the board of com¬ missioners: Loaded wagon with five horses, 75 cents; unloaded wagon with five horses, 50 cents ; loaded wagon, four horses, 62£ cents; unloaded wagon with four horses, 37^ cents; loaded wagon, two horses, 37£ cents ; cart with one horse or ox, 25 cents ; man and horse, 12Jcents; footman or horse, 6J cents; cattle per head, 4 cents ; hogs and sheep, 2 cents.

It was laid out by Charles J. Rosenbaum, and platted, June 18, 1857 ; consisted of forty-two lots, and was surveyed by Thomas Carr. Charles Rosenbaum was probably the first to do business of any consequence. Wesley Abbot, Clarke Richards, Meyers & Beck, and A. J. Lee are the principal merchants that have sold goods at that point.

WeddleviUe was laid out August 15, 1855, by John A. Wed¬ dle, Claiborne Weddle and Gabriel Osborne, and located in Section 29, Township 5 north, and Range 3 east. It consisted of seven¬ ty-two lots, with North, Main, Center, and High Streets running north and south, and Weddle, Walnut and College Streets run¬ ning east and west The principal business done here was by John A. Weddle, L. Sullivan, Gabriel Osborne and John Nelson. There has been no business done there for more than twenty years, and the town is now entirely extinct.