Jackson County, Indiana - Chapter 9, 1886

Chapter 9

IT is pleasant yet sad to recall the scenes of the past Pleas¬ ant, because we see the faces of the dear ones ; sad, because the picture is unreal and will vanish like the mists of morning. The old landmarks are passing away with those who reared them, and must be noted before they are gone. A few objects here and there along the pathway of life are preserved and cherished ; but the greater number have been allowed to perish. There are many important facts connected with Jackson Township in early years that have passed beyond the hope of recovery. Concerning the first settlers and dates of settlements, statements are conflict¬ ing and unsatisfactory. Man is mortal, and his memory is weak and uncertain, hence much of the history of the township is buried in eternal oblivion, and a complete account of the first settlement of this township could not be obtained.

The first settlement made in Jackson Township was by a man by the name of Kitchell, in 1813 or 1814. This was made in the southern part of the township, and it is believed was not permanent It is not known whether he was related to a family of the same name that settled in the county a few years later or not The first land entry was made by Joseph Kitchell in 1814. A. Arnold made the second in 1815. In 1816 Thomas Newby and Caleb Elliott, both natives of North Carolina and both

Quakers, settled about two miles south of Seymour, near where Caleb Elliott, Jr., now lives. John, William and others of the Buddick family, settled further east, and became one of the most prominent families of the county. The Crabbs, who were also among the earliest, settled further to the west. William, Jacob and Patrick Sullivan, three brothers of Irish extraction, came in 1816, and devoted much of their time to hunting. Joseph, Na¬ than and Bobert Newby, Moses Parker, Solomon Cox, were among the first. James Shields, of whom mention is made in connection with the early history of Seymour, was also an early settler of this township, and for considerable time was agent for the Government. Samuel Stanfield settled where Mr. Foster now lives. Joshua Morris located in the southwestern part of the township, in what is known as the Crabb settlement. Jacob White, Jonas Crane, Mr. Brisser, the Lancas¬ ters, David T. Harrison, were all here prior to 1820, and had built what they considered comfortable log-huts, and cleared a small piece for corn.

First Land Entries Pioneer Life

Having after innumerable hardships, such as cutting every foot of the way through the dense woods, reached his future home, the first thing to engage the attention of the pioneer was the building of a cabin. This was constructed after the follow¬ ing manner: Round logs, undressed, chinks in the cracks, daubed with mud, puncheons hewn with the broad-ax ; the roof, clapboards, and fastened with weight poles. The chimney was made with puncheons at the bottom, sticks and clay at the top, with pounded dirt jams and packed mud hearth. The door was made of thin hewn puncheons, with wooden hinges and latch. The furniture was, generally, rude and hastily constructed. A " bedstead " was constructed in the corner by fastening a part to the floor, and to this two poles placed at right angles were at¬ tached, while the other ends passed through the walls. The frame thus formed was covered with thin puncheons, upon which was placed a straw bed. This constituted the principal part of the furniture.

At the date of the first settlement in Jackson Township, the Indians had almost entirely disappeared. A straggler was occasion¬ ally seen, but he was peaceable and gave the settlers no cause for alarm. No depredations were ever committed by them in this township. It is said that a scalp dance, in which as many as twenty-five Indians participated, was witnessed by two white men - Huffman and Rodgers. This was in 1813, and occurred in this township not far from the line dividing J ackson and Brownstown.

The scalps were supposed to be those of Buskirk and Sturgeon, who had recently been killed ; captives were burnt in effigy. The scalp dance was usually carried on after the following plan: "A pole is planted in the center of an open piece of ground, to which the captives taken in war are bound and burned. Each brave participating in the dance is provided with a sharp pole, upon which are strung the scalps he had taken. When all is ready the faggots around the captives are lighted, and the dance begins. The scalps are lighted, scorched and burned, and thrown in the faces of the tortured captives, and the poles are lighted, and while burn¬ ing are thrust repeatedly against their burned and blackened bodies. The braves move slowly around the fire, dancing up and down, first with a short hop upward with one foot (while the other is raised as high as the knee), and then with the other, interspers¬ ing all with a wild succession of scalp halloos, made at first by a quavering of the hollowed hand upon the lips, but ending with a force that made the forest ring."

Early Enterprises

Of all the enterprises of a new country, the grist-mill is the most important; meat is easily obtainable; vegetables would grow almost without cultivation, wherever there was a cleared spot large enough to admit the rays of the sun. The tedious process of get¬ ting bread by grating the corn or grinding it in the old hand-mills, did not continue long before the grist-mills run by horse or water¬ power were located in what they considered convenient places. This township,- however, was not supplied with enterprises of this sort, and in consequence they were compelled to go to Rockford or Elizabethtown, the two points most convenient for the settlers of this township. No mill of any importance was operated in this township until the Collins Bros, built at New Farmington. No distilleries worthy of the name were ever located within the bounds of this township. It is said, however, that a very good quality of whisky was manufactured in small quantities by an old resident of Stringtown. There were no other manufactories of sufficient magnitude outside of Seymour or New Farmington, to deserve special mention.

Early Gatherings And Amusements

We might imagine from the nature of the surroundings, that the pioneer settlers seldom engaged in any kind of social inter¬ course. However strange it may seem, it is nevertheless true, that the opportunities were greater then than they are to-day. The log-rollings, house-raisings, corn-huskings, bean-pickings, woolpickings, quiltings and apple-parings, while attended with hard labor, were never without their social elements. The night following such a gathering was spent by the young folks in dancing. Such social gatherings were known as the " frolic " or " shin-dig," and not the German or the ball. The young gallants would gather in for miles around and bring their "gals," and it was not uncom¬ mon for them both to ride the same horse. When a sufficient number had gathered, the voiceful fiddle would send forth its in¬ spiring strains and the dance would begin. Some would dance the double-schuffle, while others would " cut the pigeon wing," or other high vaulting figures. Those happy days are gone, and with them many of the old forms of amusement, which for true enjoyment far surpassed the formal social gatherings of to-day.

It is probable that the first church services held in Jackson Township were in what was known as the " Stringtown Neigh¬ borhood." At first they would meet at the residences, but soon an old log schoolhouse was erected near where John Owens lived, and for several years religious meetings were held there. A few years later a log house was built near the site of the old ceme¬ tery north of Seymour. This was used both as a schoolhouse and church. A Quaker Church was organized at a very early day near New Farmington, and meetings were held long before a house was built. This was one of the earliest "Societies" or¬ ganized in southern Indiana. Some of the early families who belonged to that church were the Elliotts, Newby s and Coxes. This society flourished for many years, although the resident membership was small. There are but one or two families now left, the others having moved away or died. A comfortable frame building still standing about half a mile west of New Farmington, has been almost entirely abandoned. The Friends as a class were devout Christians, honest in all transactions with their fel¬ low-men. They had yearly, quarterly, monthly, preparatory and indulged meetings. The monthly and quarterly meetings are subordinate to the yearly meetings, and in their reports are re¬ quired to answer eight questions. Third question: "Do Friends endeavor, by example and precept, to educate their children, and those under their care, in the principles of the Christian religion, and in plainness of speech, deportment and apparel ? Do they guard them against pernicious reading, and from corrupt conver¬ sations ? Are they encouraged to read the holy Scriptures dili¬ gently ?" Fifth question : Do Friends maintain a testimony against priests' and ministers' wages ? Against slavery, oaths, bearing arms and military service, trading in goods taken in war, and against lotteries ?" Seventh question : "Are Friends care¬ ful to live within the bounds of their circumstances, and involv¬ ing themselves in business beyond their ability to manage, or in hazardous speculative trade ? Are they just in their dealings, and punctual in complying with their contracts and engagements, and in paying their debts seasonably?"

Liberty Baptist Church, which was located three miles east of Seymour, was organized June 29, 1839. The constituent mem. bers were Laban Brown, Damaris Brown, John Swaney. Cath¬ arine Swaney, Ebenezer Bunton, Ruth Bunton, William R. Bunton, Nancy Bunton, James M. Swaney and Elizabeth Bunton.

They were organized by a council composed of members from Bethany, Ebenezer, Indian Creek and Union Churches. Bey. Jesse Robinson was moderator, and Samuel Story was clerk of the council. The meeting for the organization was held in the woods. The church continued to meet in the woods in pleasant weather, and in the schoolhouse near when the weather was in¬ clement, until the erection of a large hewed-log house, in which they worshiped until 1859. Jesse Robinson was the first pastor, and Laban Brown and John Swaney were the first deacons. The church grew rapidly in numbers, and exerted a most salutary in¬ fluence upon the community for a period of twenty years. About the year 1858 this church was moved to Seymour. It is said that all the constituent members of this church are now dead, and all but one of the early ministers too have passed away.

Adventure With A Bear

In the early days of Jackson Township wild animals were abundant, and at times gave the settlers considerable trouble. The bears were not so numerous, but were often seen and some¬ times encountered. The bears, however, would seldom attack a person unless in defense of themselves or their young.

In the early winter of 1817 a man by the name of Sullivan, who lived near the present site of old Rockford, started out early one morning to kill a deer, as the supply of meat at home was nearly exhausted. He sauntered through the dense forest until he reached the present site of Seymour, where he discovered two cub bears playing by the side of an old log. He shot, severely wounding the larger one, and had started toward it with his hunt¬ ing knife in hand when he was confronted by the mother bear, having been brought to the scene by the cries of the cub. Sul¬ livan retreated, pursued by the vicious animal, and while trying to climb a tree was caught and pulled to the ground, and in the of his hunting knife, not, however, until he had been crippled for life. He laid there till next morning, when the family became alarmed at his continued absence, and with the assistance of the neighbors instituted a search, which resulted in finding him on a spot that is believed to be within the present limits of Seymour.

New Farmington

This is a station on the line of the Jeffersonville, Madison <fe Indianapolis Railroad, located at the junction of the old State road leading from Brownstown to Madison, and the one leading from Rockford to Sages' Ferry on the Muscatatauk River. The town was laid out July 30, 1852, by William O. Lancaster, and consisted of twenty lots. Gardiner's Addition, which was made a few years later, consisted of twenty-one lots. Never since it was laid out has Farmington been without a store where the farmers might exchange their produce for almost any article of merchan¬ dise. Ruddick>Stephens, Gibson, P. L. and H. H. Carter, Henry Bawldin, Joel Littler, Parsley <fe Carter, B. Love and a few oth¬ ers have sold goods here. Collins Bros., mill ground both com and wheat, and was most extensively patronized. B. Love also owned a mill, which he operated for a few years. Saw-mills were run by Joel Littler, Sol Cox and Samuel Standfield. The last named also owned a grist-mill.