Vigo County, Indiana - Chapter 14, 1891

IN the preceding chapter reference was made to Mrs. Jane Stringham Wedding as one of those who came here in 1816 with her father. She became the second wife of Judge Randolph H. Wed¬ ding, by whom there were no children. Judge Wedding died in Terre Haute, December 10, 1866, in the sixty-nintli year of his age. He was born in Charles county, Md., April 15, 1798, the son of Thomas Wedding, one of the Revolutionary fathers, being the eighth child and was the last survivor of his father's immediate family. At the age of nineteen he left his place of nativity and located in Ohio. On August 28, 1817, he married Mary De Puy. The issue of this marriage being seven children - four daughters and three sons - three daughters and one son survived their father; Mrs. Henrietta Allen, wife of Judge James M. Allen, of Terre Haute; Mrs. Emily Roach, wife of Judge Anderson L. Roach, of Indianapo¬ lis, and Mrs. Catlin and Oliver. The last two named are dead, leaving at this time Mrs. Allen and Mrs. Roach.

Immediately after his marriage Judge Wedding, 1817, came to Vigo county. His first wife died in 1833 and the next year he married Jane Stringham, daughter of Capt. Daniel Stringham.

George Jordan was born in Pennsylvania, April 5, 1798. In 1817 he, in company with a young man, came on foot from their homes to Vigo county, and the young men stopped and built their cabin on Honey creek. The young man had but small op¬ portunities in the school-rooms of his day and therefore his train¬ ing in that line was limited, but his development of mind in the practical affairs of life in many respects admirably qualified him for the trials and triumphs of the hard pioneer life that he chose. At the end of two years the young housekeepers and farmers were as well fixed as their neighbors. They had been industrious and their economy had been as a matter of course in a country where there were no opportunities for waste or extravagance. In 1819 the two young men felt that they had earned a vacation, and on foot made a visit to some friends in Ohio. Proceeding leisurely on their way they often stopped at the Indian villages or camps and ate and slept with them. When night came they bivouacked wherever dark overtook them, and in rain or shine they pursued their way as happy as the days were long. In 1822 Mr. Jordan made his first trip on a flatboat to New Orleans. In 1824 he married Judith H. Bennett, and of this union there were born eight children.

Lucius H. Scott, "the lovely lad," with his bundle on his back, came on foot alone, from Vincennes, and who was destined so soon to become one of the leading men in the county, has told of his com¬ ing in fitting words. In a letter to a friend he said:

"June 6, 1817, in company with John W. Osborn, I arrived in Vincennes, after a journey of nearly two months, from St. Lawrence county, N. Y. Osborn being a printer, readily obtained work in Elijah Stout's printing office, in Vincennes, but after spending three weeks vainly looking for something to do, I determined to seek my fortune higher up the Wabash valley, and set out on foot for the newly laid out town of Terre Haute. In Vincennes I had met and formed the acquaintance of John Britton, who had been to Terre Haute, and was then making his temporary home at the house of Daniel Barnes, a small log cabin, situated on Section 16, at the edge of the prairie, not far from the present cemetery. Having walked the whole distance from Vincennes, and carrying my bundle, I made slow progress, and was nearly three days upon the journey. I found my new friend Britton as I expected, and was kindly re¬ ceived by him and his family, but as the cabin was small, and I found the family were not in condition to receive an additional boarder, I determined to make my stay as brief as possible. I had introductory letters from Vincennes to Maj. Cliunn and his officers at Fort Harrison, and to Maj. Markle at Otter creek, which I de¬ termined to lose no time in delivering. Accordingly, the second day after my arrival I visited the fort, and found the officers at their quarters. Nothing could excel the kindness and hospitality with which they received me, the Major insisting upon my making my home at the fort until I found some kind of employment. Situated as I was, I most gratefully accepted the hospitality, and moved my scanty baggage to the fort. In a day or two I set out in the early summer morning to cross the prairie to deliver my letters to Maj.

Markle. I missed the track, and went to Otter creek bridge. I was conscious of my error, but the beauty of the morning led me on un¬ til I found myself standing on an eminence in the midst of Otter creek prairie. On casting my eye over the broad expanse, not a tree or fence or other indication of home or civilization presented itself to view, but all was one boundless, magnificent bed of beauti¬ fully variegated flowers.

"I stood and gazed until my reason failed me, and when about to retrace my steps, my eye caught the glimpse of a thin column of smoke, curling up among the trees in a distant corner of the prairie. I made my way to it, and found a family in a small log cabin, which they had as yet occupied too short a time to have made any im¬ provements around them. I obtained directions which enabled me without further difficulty to find my destination. The Major was at home, busily engaged erecting his mill, and received me with that frank and graceful hospitality for which he was so widely cele¬ brated. * * * I thought him the most magnificent specimen

While stopping at the fort Mr. Scott made the acquaintance of Isaac Lambert and John Dickson, and proceeds to say: " This led me soon after, for the want of something better to do, to take a small school on Honey creek. The citizens built me a log cabin, and I opened my school in the latter part of July, but was soon afterward taken sick, and with such violence that nothing, under the provi¬ dence of God, but the kindness of the family (Mr. Dickson's) and the skill of my physician (Dr. McCullough) saved my life. I lingered with various relapses until late in October, when I went to Vincennes to recruit my shattered health, in which I succeeded far beyond my most sanguine expectations. Soon as my health was restored I began to feel with painful anxiety the necessity of employment. I had now been six months in the country without earning a dollar, had brought little or nothing with me, and my sickness and other expenses had caused me to create a debt of fear¬ ful magnitude. Whilst ruminating on these matters one day at my room at LasaHe's, in no very pleasant mood, I was called on by Mr. George A. Wasson, of the firm of Wasson & Sayre, who explained the object of his visit as follows:

"The firm had a small assortment of goods at Vincennes, and another at Carlisle and another at Merom. That at Vincennes they wished to move to Terre Haute, and, if not otherwise engaged, would like to employ me to take charge of them. The store at Carlisle was under charge of young Whittlesey, a mere lad ; the court was to meet there in a day or two, and he wished me to go up and take charge of the store during court and then pass on to Terre Haute, rent and fit up a room for the reception of goods which he would forward by water. I did all as directed, rented a room of Dr. Modesitt, employed an old man by the name of Bell to fit it up with counter and shelves, and had all ready for the goods before the first day of December, but the hard winter of that year had set in, the goods were frozen up in the river and did not arrive until the last day of the month. I had them opened and commenced sale on the first day of January, 1818. These were the first goods ever opened for sale in Terre Haute. John Earl did not arrive until the autumn of that year.

" I claim, then, to have established a permanent residence in Terre Haute in November, 1817, considered it my home, though for business purposes I spent nearly four years at Roseville, and with the exception of the Misses Modesitt and their sister, Mrs. Chauncey Warren, who were small children at that time, I know of no person now living who was as early a resident as myself. The store in which I was employed, unfortunately for the owners, was with¬ drawn in May, 1818.

" About the same time I received the appointment of county agent from the board of commissioners and of deputy sheriff from Sheriff Blackman. In August following I was elected sheriff of the county, and was the first sheriff elected by the people of Vigo. I served, with a re.-election in 1820, four years in that office, at the close of which, in 1822, was elected a representative of Vigo and Parke in the legislature which met at Corydon.

In the fall of 1822 made arrangement with Josephus Collett and opened a small stock of goods at Roseville, Parke county, where I remained until the spring of 1826, when I returned to Terre Haute. In 1827 I erected my house on the corner of Ohio and Market streets, which was the first brick dwelling ever erected in Terre Haute.'''

The writer then proceeds to give important facts in connection with the city, which will be more fully referred to iu the chapter on Terre Haute following.

This is a graphic account of the coming to the new country of a very respectable young man, as well as the generous hospitality that the few who were here stood ready to offer to all new comers. No matter how small the floorless cabin, nor how many families or people were already quartered in it, the latch string always hung out to the stranger and traveler without a question either as to his credentials or their ability to entertain any more. Such as they had was at the disposal of their guest, without price, and extended in such real cordiality that it made sweet the food and rest of the weary and worn. Young Scott was already familiar with this hearty cordiality of the pioneers before he came trudging on foot to Vigo county. Yet in after years, when writing of that occur- rence, he can not refrain from expressing the gratitude that never died in his heart for the marked kindness and hospitality he received on his arrival here. The ravishing beauties of the coun¬ try, the great sea and banks of rich and fragrant flowers of the prairie, is it any wonder that he wrote in long after years: "I stood and gazed until my reason failed." And of the people he evidently was nearly as deeply impressed, when in the same letter he says, on meeting Maj. Markle: "I thought him the most magnificent specimen of manhood I had ever seen."

Lucius H. Scott soon found employment, and soon became one of the most prominent men in the county. Iu the latter years of his life he removed to Philadelphia, where he died April 22, 1875.

When here, during all the prime of his life, he was a leader and pillar in the Congregational church. Concerning his death at his home in Philadelphia, one of his friends wrote to a citizen of Terre Haute:

" Your people will hear with deep sorrow of the death of Lucius H. Scott. Although his health had failed considerably, his death was unexpected; his physician saying that he was better and that he would rally with warm weather. A sudden bilious attack pros¬ trated him a day or two only before he died, and a few hours only before that was it evident he could not live. He did not suffer much, and died most peacefully and calmly * * Retaining his vigor of mind and body, as erect as in youth, and with only the gradual approach of age, his death seemed sudden, but he is at rest at last."

Prom the foregoing we also learn that John Britton came the same year and some weeks or months before Lucius H. Scott. He spent the most of his life in Terre Haute, and was one of the wellto-do, public-spirited citizens of the town.

Malcom McFadden was here in 1817. His daughter, Mary A., was born in Terre Haute in 1818, said to have been the first white female child born in the place. She married Napoleon B. Markle, the youngest son of Maj. Abraham Markle, and died in this city December 18, 1880, and was buried from the residence of Mrs. Lester Tillotson, corner of Second and Swan streets.

The Durkee and Barbour families were the prominent settlers in Fayette township. They came together in 1817 and settled near New Goshen. The heads of these two families when they came were Daniel Barbour and Dr. John Durkee. They came from Olean, N. Y., and arrived at where is Terre Haute in the early part of November.

Corey Barbour, son of Daniel, was ten years old when they came. He was born at Champion, Jefferson Co., N. Y., in 1807, and died on the old homestead made by his father February 19,

Truman Blackman, Jeremiah Moat, Judge Hopkins and the Durhams settled on Honey creek in 1817. George Jordan came the same year, also Isaac Pointer and John Blocksom and his sons Jerry and William, these settled near the Hull graveyard. Also Davis Pugh, who built a horse treadmill. George Jordan the same year put in a crop on Isaac Lambert's farm.

Elisha Parsons, Col. Baldwin, Mrs. Holmes and Joshua Martin, all from New York, came this year and located in what is now Fay¬ ette township - then called Independence. These were all of that class who came and bought land and determined to here make per¬ manent homes. They and their descendants became prominent and respectable citizens of the county.

As stated in a previous chapter, where is now Prairieton town¬ ship is one of the earliest permanent settlements in the county. In 1817-18 the additions to this settlement were Thomas Ferguson with a large family, who located on Section 2; Otis Jones, on Greenfield bayou; Elisha Bentley, on Section 34; George Southard, John Thompson, Sandford Haworth, the Montgomerys, Joseph Be¬ night, Joseph Thayer, John Cox - a very valuable man because he was a blacksmith, James Lee, the Paddocks, the venerable Moses Reynolds and his brothers, David and Robert, Amos P. Balch, Gen. Henry French, Henry T. Irish and Ralph White.

A son of Sandford Haworth was Samuel. He married Mary Myers December 25, 1849. He lived his life near where he was born, January 22, 1824, and died September 17, 1873, leaving a widow and five children surviving. He had been a regular minis¬ ter in the United Brethren Church.

Mahlon Stephenson was a native of Maryland, thence to Virginia, then to Tennessee, from which place he came to Vigo county in the early part of 1817. He improved a farm in Otter Creek township, on which his son, Mahlon was born in 1820. Mahlon, Sr.'s wife was Ruth Durham, a native of Virginia, who died in 1833. Mah¬ lon, Jr., married Mary Dean, a native of Ohio, born in 1821. By this marriage were four daughters: Anna T., Jennie, Melle and Cora.