Vermillion County, Indiana - Chapter 21: Kugene Township, 1913

Chapter 21: Kugene Township

This township is the second from the north Hne of the county, and is bounded on the east by Parke county, the Wabash ri\er being the dividing hne; on the south is Vermillion township, on the west is the state of Illinois, and on the north is Highland township. In this portion of \'erniillion county, more than at any other point, were the Indian villages, laattlefields and first trading posts, as well as the first settlements by white men. \Miile it is true that John Vannest settled the county first in Clinton township, the settlement in Eugene was much more rapid than in other parts of the cmmty. Eugene township contains thirt}--three square miles, and in 1880 had a population of 1,340, with personal property valued at $681,000. In 1910 the population was, including Cayuga, 2,112. In 191 1 the assessed valuation of both personal and real property in this township was $1,376,085, exclusi\-e of Newport, which had $402,720.

In 1869 Prof. John Collett discoNcred. in a mound near l^ugene, a small coin upon which was an untranslatable inscription, in characters closel_\- resembling Arabic. This mound was covered with full-grown forest trees.

Early settlers near Eugene village found an ax imbedded in the heart of an oak tree, with one hundred and twenty-five rings about it, thus indicating that the implement hadjieen left there as early as 1712, or more than two hundred years ago. It was probably left there b}- the French people, possibly a missionary. It is true that different kinds of timber, growing in different soils, may vary in the years noted by the ''timber rings," but this ax was evidently placed there long before the Revolutionarv struggle.

The following rare exhibition nf animal nature occurred in this township: One evening about sundown in April, 1868. as "'Eel" Vickers, who lived about four miles northwest of Eugene \illage, was returning home from a house-raising, he was suddenly alarmed by the scream of a Jvnx, wliich he soon discovered was in pursuit of him. Being unarmed, he dared not give battle, and began to run homeward with all his might. Of course the beast could easily enough have overtaken Vickers at a bound or two, whenever it desired, but such is feline nature that it occasionally rested a moment and screamed most terrificall}'. When \"ickers a]iproacheil liis liouse tlie animal lumped around in front of him. to intercept his passa.ii^e to the house; l)ut at this critical moment, the dogs arrived and chased it awaw Its previous yelping had alarmed them and brought tliem out just in time, hut not a second too soon.

Early Settlement

The first mill in this county was that erected in Clinton township Ijy John Beard, either in 1819 or 1820. Ho\ve\-er, that was a small affair compared to the one built in this township by John Groenendyke, about the same date, on Big Vermillion river, at the point in the northern portion of Eugene township where the village of Eugene was laid out. This was for many years the best and largest mill in A'ermillion county.

1816 - Noah Hubbard, with a wife and a large family of children. After residing here many years he became a Mormon and went to ^Missouri, to join his people, then to Nauvoo. Illinois, remaining with them until the}- were driven away by the Gentiles, about 1847. ^vhen he returned to this county and began ])reaching that peculiar doctrine. Rejoining the ]\Iormons in the colon}' at Council BlufYs, Iowa, he died there.

1 81 8 - Isaac Coleman settled three miles south of Eugene,_ on the prairie since known as Coleman's prairie. Judge J. M. Coleman came to the township a year later, from Virginia, settling on section 16, township 17. range 9 west, and was long and intimately associated with the Collett families. He had aided in laying out the city of Indianapolis, and also Terre Haute, w here he also Iniilt the old court house. In this county he was one of the first grand jurymen, and an associate judge. Subsequentl}'. he remo\'e(l to Iowa City, Iowa, where he built the State House, diefl and was buried there. The same }'ear ( 1818) came Major Jan-ies Blair, wIkt settled on the northeast ([uarter of section 16. townshi]3 17, range 9 west, and at his cabin on this ])lace was held the first term of court in \'ermillion count}'. He had been a sharpshooter on Lake Erie, under Commodore T'err\', in the war of 1812. when he was detailed to shoot at the Indians in the rigging of the British war vessels: l)iit at the very first fire of Perry's artillery the Indians were so frightened that they hastilv "scuttled" down into the hold, and there were no Indians for Blair to do his duty upon. As his vessel sailed past the British man-of-war he could see the glittering tin canisters down through the muzzles of their guns. For his faithful services Mr. Blair received a medal from the American government. On one occasion, after he became a resident of Vermillion county, he was a candidate for the Legislature. He attended a shooting match, in which he participated, and aimed so well that every man present voted for him at the ensuing election ! On still another occasion he played an amusing trick upon the simple-minded pioneers and Indians, in the settlement of a controxersy between them. Blair married a daughter of Judge Coleman, resided for a time on Coleman's prairie, then moved up the river and founded Perrysville. which place he named in honor of his brave commander. Commodore Oliver H. Perry, remaining there until his death. Both Blair and Coleman had an intimate ac(|uaintance with the Indians and lived in friendship with them for a number of }ears. It frequently fell to their lot to act as peacemaker between the Indians and what were termed "border rufiians," wjio were much the worse of the two. These two pioneers always spoke in the highest terms of Se-Seep, the last chief who lived in the vicinity, who it is said was one hundred and ten years of age. when he was foully murdered by a renegade Indian of his own tribe. Like the fading autumn leaves, the Indians of these forests of \"ermillion county died away. The guns and dogs of the white man frightened aw ay the game from their hunting grounds, or destroyed it. and the \irtue of a dire necessity called upon them to emigrate, to make room for the ax and the plow, the cabin and the log school house of the incoming white race.

181Q - John Croenendyke came in from near Cavuga counl\-, Xew ^'ork. first to Terre Haute in 181 8 and the next year to this countv, settling on the Big Vermillion river where Eugene now stands. He was the father of James - who built the "Big ^"ermillion," the first large grist-mill in the countv already referred to - and Samuel, and the grandfather of Hon. John Groenendyke and his cousin Samuel, and also the grandfather of the later generations of Colletts. The name was originally Van Groenendyke, which the old-time express agent at Eugene further abbreviated to Grondyke, a word of two syllables, the first being pronounced "groan.'' The first family of this line came to .\nierica from Holland with the Knickerbockers in 1617, settling in Xew .\msterdam (New York).

i8ji - James .\rmour settled here soon after INlr. Groenendvke. and assisted in Inu'ldingthe pioneer mill: he removed to Illinois about 1877. Alexan- iler Arrasiiiith. Ijorn in I\entuck\- in 1795, emigrated to Snllixan count}'. Indiana, in I Si 8, and in either i8ji or 1824 came to Vermillion county. He died at hi.s home, two and a half miles south of Eugene, January 15, 1875, having been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for forty-odd years. He was the father of Richard Arrasmith, born in SulliAan county, 1818, and of Thomas Arrasmith, a wagon-maker at Newport at an earl\- day.

1822 - William Thompson, father of James, John and .\ndrew. and of Mrs. Jane Shelby, from Pennsylvania, settled near the big spring a mile south from Eugene. Their descendants were frugal, industrious people and hence accumulated a large amount of property. The same \ ear came in Benjamin Shaw, from Vigo county, but originally from Kentucky, and settled near Eugene, and afterward on the Little Vermillion, five miles west from Newport, where he died over three-quarters of a century ago. He was the father of ten children, three of whom survi\ed their mother. Andrew Tipton came to this township in 1822 from Kentucky, where he was born in 1800. He remained here until his death. J. ^^'. Tipton, of Ohio, settled on the \^'abash ri\er.

1824 - Jones Lindsey, born in Ohio, in 1818, came here in 1824. The next \'ear there arrixed 0]i\er Tjuilslew ])orn in Ohio in 1807. Judge Rezin Slielln-, \\ho liecame \ery wcalthw died here many }-ears since.

1826 - ^^"i]liam Fultz, Sr., born in Pennsyl\-ania in 1803. with his wife Nancy, came to Eugene township this year, locating on Sand Prairie. The\' had thirteen children. The ]>arents of Joseph Holtz. who was born in Ohio in 1822, came to the county in this year. John Holtz, who was bom in Ohio, the same year, settled here in 1834.

1827 - Samuel ^^^ ^Falone, born in Ohio in 1810, came to Helt township, this count}', in 1824. and to Eugene township in ii>2j: he conducted a liotel for a number of years. M. \\'. Newman, born in A'irginia in 181 1, was .still a resident of the.town.ship in 1887. Martin Patrick came some time before 1827. Hiram Patrick was born here in 1829, and William Patrick, in 1831, lived here many years, then moved to Missouri. About this date came also John Ross, born in Ohio in 1829. and brought here the same year.

1828 - Ignatius Sollars, who died in June, 1833. Nancy, wife of Truman Sollars, died September 15, 1869, aged fifty-.seven and a half years. Matthew Cole, born in Ohio in 1824. was brought to this county in 1828, as was also Jesse Smith, from Tennessee, the year of his birth. Tlie same year came also \\'. L. Xaylor, and the next year Lewis T. Xaxlor. who still resided here in the latter eighties. Both were born in Ohio, W. L. in 1821 and Lewis T. in 1826. Benjamin Naylor, another old resident, was born in 1826. Jacob lies, who died forty years or more ago, was the father of James B. lies, liorn in 1829, and Jacob H., born in 1833, both natives of this county.

1829 - John Hepburn. Sr., who \> as born in A'irginia, died here about 1880. John Hepburn, Jr.. was a nati\'e of \'ermillion county, this state. William Hepburn was born in Ohio in 1823, and was larought here in 1829. Enoch \\'. Lane, liorn in Ohio in 1798, died here before 1850.

1830 - John Sims, born in Virginia in 1808, lived a mile and a half south of Eugene many years. "Crate"' Sims, his son, was born in Virginia the same year. Charles S. Little, from \^irginia, located near Eugene in 1830, and died in 1852, aged sixty-three years. His wife, whose maiden name was Rachel Moore, died, aged eighty years, southwest of Newport, in 1881. Rew Enoch Kingsbur\' came from Massachusetts to Eugene aljout 1830, and organized the Presbyterian church. His wife, Fanny C, taught scliool there for a number of terms. Their eldest .son, James G. Kingsbury, one of the editors and publisliers of the Indiana Farmer at Indianapolis, was born at the residence of Dr. .\sa R. I''almer. two miles north of Eugene village, in 1832. The same year the family removed to Danville, Illinois, where Mr. Kingsbury organized a church and preached there many years. He also acted in the ca])acity of a home missionary, preaching in neighboring counties Ijoth in Indiana and Illinois, till the close of his life in 1868.

1832 - Philo and IslWo Hosford, twins, liorn in Xew ^'nrk in t8] i. Milo died in January. 1880, after having spent a most useful and excellent life in this county. He was many years in the employ of Samuel Gronendyke. Joseph Wigley, this year, came to Eugene township.

1833 - Isaac A. Brown. Sr.. born in Tennessee in 1816, settled "Brown Town," and was still li\ing in the latter ])art of the eighties. He had at one time in his life weighed three hundred pounds.

1834 - John Kheuby. aliout this year, came in from Illinois and settled: he was a pioneer in Illinois in 1826. William Reuby was born in this county in 1834. J. W. B.oyd was Ixirn in Peunsylwuu'a in 1828. died here in the eighties.

1837 - Tlie parents df Edward B. and Joseph \Iolinsnn : father died many years since, lulw.ird 11. was born in Indiana in 1830. and losepb in this

Other pioneers, whose years of arrival are not given, are Zeno W'cirtli and Shuhael Garchier, from Xorth Carolina, who settled in \\'alnnt Grove. Mr. Worth selected lands which were iieid hy his family many years and still largely within the names of his descendants, the generation now numbering . fi\'e in this count}-, .\lexander Richardson came that }erir als;). and died in Indiana])olis in 18(14. or |)ossil)!y a little later. Lewis Hollingsworth was born in this count}- in 1835. On Coleman's prairie settled fanu'lies named \A'ilson, Dicken. Hopkins, etc.

John R. Porter, A. ]\I., circuit judge for n-iau}- years, and an ad\-anced farmer between Eugene and Newport, was horn in Pittsfield, Alassachu.setts. Februar\- 32. i jgfi. of an "old English family:" graduated at L'nion College. Scheuectad}-, Xew "S'ork, in 181 5, taking the first honors of liis c'ass. He studierl law. and in 1818 became a partner of his preceptor. About 1820 he came to Paoli, Orange count}-, Indiana, wlierc be was count}- clerk. ])ostmaster and circuit judge. While there he married Alary \A'orth. Receiving while there the aiipointment of president judge of western Indiana, he moved to this count}-, settling in Eugene township. His circuit extended from the Ohio ri\-er to Lake Michigan. liis term expired in 1837. Llere he was elected judge of the court of common pleas for the counties of Parke and A'ermillion, which office he held until bis death, about 1850. He was a prominent statesman in earl}- days, in la}-ing the foundation of Indiana juris|)rudence. Was a close reader of Eastern agricultural papers, and also of ancient classics, as well as foreign n-iagazine literature. His conversational ]-)owers were consequently great, and his letters to the press were gems of eloquence. He was in correspondence, more or less, wnth such men as General Harrison. Henrv Cla}-. Daniel AVebster, etc., besides many Georgia "colonels." Prominent Indiana men were frecpiently his guests. He was the leading spirit in all the public n-ieetings in his neighborhood assembled for the deliberation of measures of public welfare. He was president of the Logarisiiort con\-ention, which gave initial direction to the con.struction of the \A'abash \'allev Railroad. .\s an agriculturist he was scientific and in advance of all his neighbor.s - so far indeed as often to excite their ridicule. Lie led in the rearing of fine wooled sheep, and in the cultivation of Sw-it^er lucerne, ruta-bagas. sugar beets, moris. multicaulis, P)aden corn and hemp. These paid him well in pleasure derived therefrom, if not in money receipts. The Judge was a broad, man\-sided man, the Hkes of whom are seldom met w ith in any generation.

The towns and \illages uf this township are chiefly Eugene and Cayuga. Of Eugene, it may be stated that it was laid out by S. S. CoUett, in 1827, about the "Big Vermillion" mills of James Groenendyke. Samuel W. Malone, who later became a noted hotel keeper there, located at that point in 1827. He was^still hale and hearty in 1887. James P. Xaylor, father of William L. Naylor, came in the next year. Eugene is Init another example of how a railroad may kill or make a town. The Toledo, Chicago & Eastern railroad built its line a little to the south of this village and then started up Cayuga. In 1887 Eugene had a ])0])ulation of about five hundred people. Its present population is placed at four hundred. The follovifing was written of this village nearly thirty years ago: "Two or three conspicuous features strike the stranger who visits the place. One is a most magnificent row of shade trees for a distance of two squares on the west side of the main business street - these are sugar maple. Each tree, with a perfectly symmetrical head, covers an area of fort\- feet in diameter. In the western part of the village is the most beautiful, perfect large white elm the writer ever saw.

"The ground on which luigene is situated is just sandy enough to be good for gardening and at tlie same time ]:)revent mud in rainy season. \\''ells are sunk only eighteen or twenty feet to firid the purest water in a bed of graxel. Several large springs are in the vicinity. The river, especially below tlie mill dam, afYords the best fishing of all points prol^ablv within a fifty mile radius. Fish weighing sixty pounds or more are sometimes caught, and derman carp, one of the planted fisli, weighing eight pounds are occasionally capturefl.

(^n the bank of the river here was erected by James Groenendvke some time previous to 1824 a water saw and grist-mill, which, with its successors, enjoyed the greatest notoriety of all in Vermillion count^-. While Mr. Coleman owned it, more than forty years ago, the dam went out. and in 1885 a new mill was erected, it being the third building on the same mill site, two lia\ing l)urned. The 1885 mill was a large roller-process plant, managed bv Samuel Rowers,

Parke And Vermillion Counties, Indiana. 4Oi

The business interests of this village are not large, in fact the railroads and building up of other tow ns has cast a settled gloom over all former hopes of greatness. But around this quiet, quaint old country village rests many a fond, almost sacred menKiry, to the mind of the pioneers' children and grandchildren.

Cayuga

Cayuga (or Eugene Station, as it was called many years ago) is at the railroad crossing of the north and south and the east and west lines of railroads in Eugene township (the "Clover Leaf" and the Chicago & Eastern Illinois). The census books for 1910 gave it a population of almost one thousand people. It was at first named Osonimon, after an Indian chief of that name. The place is alive to ever}- worthy business enterprise and its people are a whole-souled class, who seem to li\"e "for the hea\-en that smiles above them and the good that they can do."

The Cayuga mills were built in 18S5 by a company consisting of Samuel K. Todd, Monroe G. Hosford and Eli H. McDaniel. It was a full roller process with a daily capacity of one hundred barrels. It was run b}- a se\'entyhorse-power engine. This mill was built in the midst of a wheat field, and was a success from the start.

A Grand Army of the Republic post was organized at Cayuga in 1S76, with about twenty-two charter members and later had as high as thirt\--five enrolled. , The first post commander was William C. Eichelberger.

A Good Templar society was formed here in 1S73 and continued until 1884. It had seventy members. The Red Ribbon movement was introduced here by Tyler Mason and the Blue Ribbon movement by George ]\IcDonaM. In 1886 a total abstinence society was formed, made up largely of reformed drunkards. It was sometimes referred to as the "Reformed Roosters."

The churches of today in Cax'uga are the Christian, I'nited Bretlu-en. In Union, the Presbyterian. The lodges are the Alasonic. Odd Fellows. Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World and Moose.

The \illage was made a town l>y act of incorporation in about iNi>i. and its i)resent officers are: President of the board, John T. Higgins : the balance of the board are S, C. Darroch, J. X. Spinks, Claire Duyn. D. P. \\'i!liams: town clerk, George T. Ritter: marshal. Charles Prater - (26)

The town is lighted by an electric plant owned by a Chicago capitalist, while the telephone service is of home capital. The town has great need of water works. The electric light plant here snpplies the county seat, Newport, with lights, under a ten-year contract.

The postofifice safe was blown up l\v dynamite at one-thirty o'clock on the morning of April 12, 1890. So hea\-y was the charge that the safe was blown to fragments. Window glass was broken in the front of residences and business houses. No mone}- was obtained, however, neither any stamps : but the midnight thie\-es carried away many valuable papers belonging to the postmaster, and also those of Conway & M. W. Cofifin. lawyers. No clue was ever had to the parties who blew up the office.

This institution is situated near the \'ermillion and Kugene tmvnship line, about three and one-half miles from Newport, tlie county seat. It was opened in June, 1902, and was founded by Prof. John Collett anfl Josephus Collett, both deceased, l)ut whose property had been divided so that it was possible to endow this home. It stands on a beautiful four-hundred-acre tract of farm land. It is a handsome building, costing originally twenty thousand dollars. The home was first opened 1\\- a sujierintendent who had been elected by the trustees of the Collett estate, named Charles ^^'. ^^^^r(l, with Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Campbell, of Danville, Illinois, as overseer and matron. The conditions upon whicli this orphans' home was founded were such that any bright orphan who had li\ed in Vermillion countv six months miglit be received and cared for, but no idiots or feeble-minded children find a home here, sa\'e in special cases. .\t first, before the place became too much crowded, old ladies of good character were allowed a home here, but after a fe\\' \-ears it was found that childhood and old age did not seem to agree one with the other, and the ladies had to leave tlie home. The board reserves the right to reject any they see fit, but the worthy and tmfortunate orphan. here is ever welcome and well cared for. One thing was stijnilated in the endowment, and that was that the place should forever be for orphan chi'dren and that the name should never be changed. The building is thirty-.seven by ninety feet, and the rooms include librar\-, reading r(ioms, matron's and su]ierinlendent's ofifices and rooms, an overseer's room, etc. Toilet rooms and bath rooms are provided on both floors. An excellent kitchen and butler's room, a nursery de]mrtment, for boys and girls, a sick room, a basement, with laundry, <lry room, vegetable cellar and coal room with a large attic, where is a play house and room for ten extra beds, completes the rooms of the home. The floors are hard maple and the rooms are finished in hard pine. A large porch extends over the entire frontage of the building, and attractive columns, two feet in diameter, extend from the ground up in front of both stories, which are of the Southern colonial style of architecture. A heating plant and lighting plant provide many conveniences. This institution is a credit to the designers and the kind-hearted men of philanthropy, who made it possible to provide such an excellent home for orphans in Vermillion county. The board of tru.'^tees, with the secretary and treasurer, annually provide for the management of the home, which has accomplished much good alread}'. -\s the years go by the people more and more appreciate this generous gift from two highly honored men who sought the happiness of the weak and jiarentless children. The orphan, above all others, will ever exclaim "Peace be to the ashes of the two Colletts."

The present secretary of the home is C. ^^'. \A'ait. of Xewpurt. The author is indebted largely to the editor of the Hoosicr State, published at Xewport, for the abo\-e facts concerning this humane institution and its