Jackson County, Indiana - Chapter 7, 1886

Chapter 7

RASSY FORK TOWNSHIP belongs to that tier of townships forming the southern part of the county, and lying along the course of the Muscatatauk River. It received its name from the creek that flows through it. In area it is not as large as the average township of Jackson County. It was originally cov¬ ered with a dense growth of forest trees, which has contributed in no small degree to the wealth of the township. The soil is fertile and well adapted to the cultivation of all products peculiar to this climate. Concerning the mineral resources of the township but lit¬ tle can be said. If there are any important mineral deposits, they are yet undiscovered and undeveloped. It is particularly an agricultural township, and but little attention has been given to anything else, even around the little towns.

It is said by some that the first settlement made in this town¬ ship was in the fall of 1815, or the spring of 1816, by old Mr. Burge, while others claim that Burge was preceded by at least two or three families. There being no one now living who knew the truth of the matter, the writer was content to let it remain in doubt Soon after the first settlement was made others came, and, in 1819, we find that a dozen or more families had settled and built rude log huts. Among the first were Isaac Burge, James Smith, John Parks, William Russell, James Russell, John Blair, Jesse Tuell, Wallace Sullander, Hezekiah Applegate, James John- son, Gabriel Woodmansee, Job Carter, Joseph Brown, William Brooks, Samuel Peck, William Morgan, William Moore, Beuben Rucker, Benjamin Carter, and doubtless a few others. Peter Fleckener came early in the twenties, and was a traveling shoe-maker. He would go from house to house, take the measures and supply the settler with boots and shoes. John Sage was there previous to 1820, and built a ferry, which was of great importance to the early settlers, enabling them to visit Charlestown, and other points in Clarke County, where for a few years they procured their flour. The Sturgeons and the McKas were among the first settlers.

Land Entries

The following were the land entries made previous to 1825: Thomas Carr, 1818; Gabriel Woodmansee, 1819; Jesse Tuell, 1820; John Moore, 1821; John McDohnel, 1821; Nancy Combs, 1820; Jonathan Sanders, 1825; David Sturgeon, 1821; Will¬ iam Moore, John McKa, 1820; Hezekiah Applegate, 1818; Will¬ iam Bowman, 1821; James Russell, 1822; John Sage, 1820.

Early Enterprises

Unlike most other townships of the county there were but few manufacturing enterprises. The milling for the first two dec¬ ades was done either in Brownstown or Driftwood Townships, or at Charlestown, Clarke County. The only mill built in the town¬ ship at an early day was by a man by the name of Lee. This stood on the west bank of the Muscatatauk River. The first saw-mill was on Grassy Fork Creek, on the land of Hezekiah Applegate. This mill was run by water power and provided the settler with lumber, which was almost indispensable even in the construction of a log-cabin. Many years later Miller Bros, built a steam saw-mill which did quite an extensive business. They also ground corn for a while and thus provided the settlers with convenient means of getting bread stuff.

Miscellaneous

It is said that the first election held in this township was at the house of old man Blair. They had no fixed place of holding the elections in those days. Sometimes they would meet at a res¬ idence or bam, and often in the woods, at a point easily accessi¬ ble. Mr. Peter Carter remembers an election that was held in the latter part of the twenties under a large sycamore tree that stood in the comer of his father's field. Be distinctly remem¬ bers the demijohn which occupied a place on the table by the side of the ballot-box, and from which each voter was invited to take a drink, and he thinks there were none who refused. Game was abundant in this section, and it is said that venison was as com¬ mon at the table of the early settler as pork is to-day. One of the most noted hunters of this section was Phillip Applegate, who thinks he must have killed as many as 1,000 deer in this township. Bollings and raisings were considered the leading amusements of that day, and at least twenty days were spent each spring in this way. It was a favorite place to make a dis¬ play of physical strength, and at these gatherings the strong vied with each other and in consequence many were prematurely broken down, and lost their health as a result of these indiscre¬ tions.

Religious Meeting

The first religious meeting ever held in Grassy Fork Town¬ ship was at the residence of Hezekiah Applegate. The exact date has been forgotten, but it was prior to 1819. The minister whose name has been forgotten, was a Baptist, and it is said died soon after in Washington County. Almost every family in that settlement attended that meeting. However there were but few when all together. Prominent among those present were the fam¬ ilies of Jesse Tuell, Isaac Burge, William Moore and John Davis. James McCoy preached in the settlement for several years, and in the latter part of the twenties organized a class.

Hi8Tory Op Jackson County

This little village, which is now extinct, was located on the line dividing Grassy Fork and Brownstown Townships, the business all being in the former. Few goods were ever sold and but little business transacted at this place. The most important industry was the manufacture of beer and whisky by Jacob Kuehn. The brewery was rather extensively operated at one time, and a suffi¬ cient amount of beer was manufactured to supply the local trade. A tanning enterprise of considerable magnitude was operated at this place by William Diller, and a saw and grist-mill by Conrad Pfening; but all are now gone. Two church buildings were erected in this place: a German Lutheran in 1858, which is a frame building 34x45 feet, and cost about $1,200. The ministers who have had charge here since its organization are William Sherman and Mathias Mertz. The membership is at present made up of about thirty-eight families. A Presbyterian church was organized in 1864, and a good substantial building erected. The services of but two ministers have been employed since the organization of this church, viz. : Bevs. Kopeh and George Ernst Henry and Frederick Stunkel, Christian Millencamp and Mr. Emme are leading members.

Cotton

It may seem strange, but it is nevertheless a fact, that in early years cotton was quite extensively grown in Grassy Fork and other townships in Jackson County. Many of the early settlers had came from the Southern States where cotton and tobacco were the staple products. It was hardly dreamed that the rich soil of the Northern States, and still less the climate, was adapted to the growth of these products of a sub-tropical clime. How¬ ever, many of the early residents grew annually from one half to two and three acres of cotton, all of which was consumed at home. The cotton was freed of seed either by the rude gin or by picking it out by hand; and not infrequently bees were held where the boys and girls of the neighborhood would meet of an evening and work with alacrity often till early morn. These were the methods used by our fathers and mothers to provide themselves and their children with sufficient clothing to protect them from the chilling blasts of winter.

The indigo plant was also cultivated to some extent in this township. Peter Carter remembers when his mother used to cul¬ tivate the indigo plant The indigo was obtained by steeping the plant in water till decomposed by fermentation, when the indigo was precipitated to the bottom in the form of sediment, which forms the indigo of commerce.

Tampico had its origin in the building of a country blacksmith shop by William McConnell and William Morgan about the year 1840, followed by the building of stone houses about 1845 by James Stephens. The land where the town stands, however, was at the time owned by Benjamin Carter and Joseph Bohall. The character of the first store was more useful than ornamental, but in the year 1847, Jesse Rucker built the first good, substantial business house in the place, which is still standing, with an additional story on it for the Odd Fellows hall. There are at this time two general stores, one by James F. Keach, and one by David Grif¬ fith ; one agricultural store, by Edward Ruddick ; one blacksmith shop, by William Morgan. There are three physicians: Dr. J. N. Charles, Jones R. Anthony and William A. Gabbert There is also a stave factory in the suburbs, by Jesse Cox, and there was at one time a grist-mill, long since discontinued. There is an Odd Fellows Lodge in the place, organized May 21, 1874, with Co¬ lumbus Sickels, N. G. ; D. H. Young, Y. G. ; J. N. Charles, R. 8.; George W. Thompson, P. S. ; James F. Keach, treasurer; John Keller, R. S. ; D. Collins, C. S. ; A. O. Beldon, W. ;

Hi8Tory Of Jackson County

J. T. Russell, Cdr. ; D. Henderson, I. G. ; W. Densford, R. S. S. ; George Johnson, L. S. S. ; I. Crumb, R. S. V. G., James A. Blair, L. S. V. G., and James R. Anthony, Chap. The present officers are Thomas Collins, N. G. ; A. Cox, V. G; Thomas A. Sturgeon, Sec., and James F. Keach, Treas. The lodge has a membership of about seventy-five. Gen. Jefferson C. Davis Post, No. 255, Grand Army of the Republic, has been organized but a short time, and many of the old veterans of this section have connected themselves with this organization and now meet semi-monthly and tell their tales of hardship and suf¬ fering. A nobler band never met

There are four churches in the town and surrounding vicinity, viz. : Mt. Pleasant, a missionary Baptist church, organized 1829, by James Blair, Charles Morgan, Peter Morgan, Joshua Kelley, and Kinchen Kelley, with Samuel McConnell as pastor, and others. They now have their third building. The first was a small log house built as above stated. The second, in 1837, was also a log structure, large hewn logs, which was replaced by a third one, a frame building, 40x20, built in 1850, which still stands Their pastors have been Revs. Samuel McConnell, Jesse Rob¬ inson, William Gillispie, John Robins, James Baily, John McCoy, John Agens, and William Storks. The present mem¬ bership is about 112, and the present pastor is Rev. John Agens. There has for many years been a Sabbath-school organ¬ ized in and held at all these churches during about six months of each year. "Freedom Church," is also a missionary Baptist organization, which began its existence about 1838, the organ¬ izers being Rev. William H. Young, Mary Young, John Young, Judah Young, Nancy Sturgeon, Thomas Richie and Nancy Richie. The first church edifice was built in 1840, which stood until 1879, when it was replaced by a new frame which still stands some distance southwest of Tampico. Rev. Will¬ iam H. Young was for many years pastor of that church.

The present membership is about thirty. The membership of Sabbath-school is also about thirty. The Christian Church is represented by an organization dating back to about 1868, in this community, when they organized a vestry and built their present church building, which is a frame building about 30x42 feet The original members were Rev. William Krutsinger, pastor, Dr. M. H. Field, Aggie Field, G. B. Field, Eliza A. Field, James F. Reach, William Field, David Trowbridge, Elizabeth Trowbridge, John White, Mattie Empson, Shiveral Rucker, Har¬ riett Rucker, William Rucker, Katherine Rucker, Wyatt Rucker and Susan Rucker. The pastors who have attended them in this con¬ gregation were John Hartly, Charles Wayman, Joseph Lester, Thomas Jones and G. M. Slutz.

The Methodist Episcopal, "Russell's Chapel," is about one and a fourth miles from Tampico, south, and was dedicated in June, 1885. In connection with this society, or rather under its auspices, there is a regularly organized Sabbath-school, with a membership of sixty. The present membership of the church is ninety. The organization of this church dates back to 1823. The original members were very few, and their names now uncer¬ tain. Among the pastors they had in this work are Revs. Zoring, Haring, Dunham, Reynolds, Wade, Falkenburg, Bright, O'Neal, Northcot, Conner, Scott and A. M. Londen, the present pastor. The first edifice the society built here was a very dimin¬ utive log structure, which served its time till 1850, when a second one was built, and was burned down some years ago. The present building is a very good yet pl$in country church building, 42x36 feet, and well finished both inside and out. The trustees are John T. Russell, Alexander Gage and Arthur Han¬ cock; superintendent of Sabbath-school, David J. Griffith.

Sidney

germ was the founding of Sage's Ferry in 1819, by James Sage. The first storehouse was built in 1839, and kept by Will¬ iam Edwards. Not long after Mr. Enoch Gibbons built a black¬ smith shop. There was a kind of saw and grist-mill there run for many years by William Hobson. James Smith and O. Compton did business there at one time. The above ferry has been discon¬ tinued, and in its stead a joint county bridge has been built. The business interests of the place have practically been aban¬ doned for twenty-five years. There is, however, a stave fac¬ tory being erected there, of some considerable proportions, by Messrs. McDonald & Edwards. At one time Sidney did a fair country business, but the changing of the postoffice and other enterprises to Tampico gradually drew upon its resources, and it is no more. In the year 1841 James Sage and wife deeded to the trustees of the Methodist Church Lot No. 41, in Mount Sidney. A class had been organized a few years before, and many of the leading citizens had connected themselves with this church.