Wayne County, Indiana - Webster Township, 1884

Webster, the youngest of Wayne County townships, is also the smallest township in the county. It is about four and a quarter miles in length and three and a half in width, and has an area of about fifteen square miles. Four townships were reduced in size to form Webster - Centre gave six square miles; Green, three; New Garden, three and three-eighths; and Wayne, two and a half., The township was formed by the county commissioners, Dec. 5, 1870, and Webster Village was designated as the voting place. Chiswell Coggeshall was appointed Township Trustee, and Samuel Roberts, Assessor. The township is drained by Nolan's Fork and its tributaries. Farms and improvements are good, and the citizens thrifty and enterprising. Portions of the surface are quite elevated; all the land is arable and fertile.

Joseph and Rachel Bond, whose descendants still remain in the township, moved from North Carolina to a farm situated near the present village of Webster in 1811.

Willis Whitson, one of the very first settlers, located on the farm now owned by his son John Whitson. Rhoda Mendenhall, wife of Nathan Mendenhall, lives on fifty-five acres of

-land, a part of the farm originally settled by her father, Samuel Bond. Isaac Jessup, from Virginia, settled in this township in 1816. His son Jehu now lives in Webster. Joseph Personett settled in the northwestern corner of the township, on the present Price farm. Daniel Bond, son of Edward, and

Thomas Culbertson was one of the very first settlers. David Culbertson settled on the creek. Robert Culbertson and his son Daniel came from Kentucky to this neighborhood in 1815. Henry Hoover settled early where Wm. King now lives. Andrew and David Hampton settled east of Webster. Later, Jehiel Hampton and David Smitson settled near by.

The farm on which Alexander Cheeseman now lives was early owned by Richard Cheeseman, who had the adjoining farm. It was improved by a man named Nordyke; then by Charles Thompson. The first road ran through the eastern part of the farm, from Salisbury to Williamsburg, and on this road the first cabin on the place was erected. Later the road from Centreville to Williamsburg - now -the turnpike - was laid out on the present township line. Mr. Alex. Cheeseman, one of the oldest residents of this part of the township, says most of the farms were taken up, though but slightly improved, in 1821. Large trees were girdled and left standing, and the smaller trees being cut away left space for the small crops then planted. Log-rolling, raisings, wrestling-matches and weddings afforded the chief amusements of that day. At weddings usually all the young people for miles around were gathered. They rode on horseback in couples. Dancing and whisky gave liveliness to the gathering. Such occasions - of course excepting among the Quakers - were productive of much fun and merriment. Most of the settlers were poor, but they were very helpful one toward another.

'Lewis McLain, Samuel Hague, John Cannaday, William Thornburgh, and the Evanses were early settlers in the western part of the township. Joseph Evans, from New Jersey, bought several sections of land. He never lived there, but his children - Joseph, William, Samuel and Mrs. Satterthwaite - came out and settled.

Huldah Overman, now in her ninety-second year, is living on land entered by Joseph Overman. Hannah Roberts, widow of Walter Roberts, also in her ninety-second year, is living on land entered by her husband. These are about all of the original early settlers now remaining in the township.

In the northern part of the township Daniel and John Baldwin and Isaac Williams were early settlers. John, Thomas and Joseph Teagle settled early northwest of Webster Village. Benjamin Bishop, who had served in the patriot army in the Revolution, was another early settler. His father, a Tory, lived and died here. Charles Baldwin, son of John, was another early settler.

Stephen Comer, from North Carolina, first settled in Wayne County about two and a half miles northeast of Richmond. From this place he soon after removed to a farm near the village of Webster. During the Indian troubles he was driven to the vicinity of Richmond, but after peace was established he returned to his farm. He died in 1850.

William Thornburgh, who died in Indianapolis, came to Wayne County in 1810, and to Centre Township (now Webster) in 1816. His sons lived on the farm later.

The first grist-mill in the township was run by horse-power. It was provided with a big wheel and built by John Baldwin on the present Compton place. Healso had a saw-miil there. These mills were afterward purchased by John Baldwin, an early settler. }

The Friends established a school as early as 1821 - perhaps before. John Bishop, John Comer and Charles Johnson were among the first teachers.

The township officers for 1883-4 are: Eli Kenworthy, Trustee; Jonathan Jarrett, Assessor; H. D. Mendenhall,Justice ot the Peace; Milton Bishop, Constable.

The village of Webster, generally called Dover, after the " Dover Meeting " of the Friends, was laid out about 1850, by Edward Bond and Samuel Clark. It is a neat and pretty country village, containing two churches, and large and elegant school building. The business of the place is represented by the following: S. H. Bond, Postmaster and general merchant; A. T. Jessup, grocer; John Olinehaus, blacksmith

The first store in the place was started by James Thomas, who is now living in Marion, Grant County, about a year before the village was laid out. He sold to Woodward & Wiggins, who continued business a short time. Then came Addison H. Harris for about eight years. He sold out to Wm. Brooks, who sold out to Simon H. Bond about seventeen years ago.

The postoffice at Webster was formed in 1851. The names of Postmasters, and the dates of their commissions are as folows: Allen Teagle, Jan. 6, 1851; Joel Jeffrey, Jan. 13, 1852; Isaac G. Sheward, Dec. 19, 1855; Addison H. Harris, April 12, 1858; Samuel Cook, June 1, 1860; Wm. Brooks, June 14, 1860; Simon H. Bond, Oct. 30, 1866, present Postmaster.

Odd Fellows. - Webster Lodge, No. 871, I. O. O. F., was chartered May 7, 1871, with the following charter members: Joseph W. Overman, Al. Borton, John N. Irvin, H. M. Irvin, Geo. W. Davis, Thos. Eubank, Milton S. Davis, David Miller, G. W. Stiggleman, J. Milton Harris, Wm. Frame, Jonathan Jarrett, Thos. F. Swain. The lodge now has twenty-eight members and property worth $976.

Daughters of Rebekah. - Cassandra Lodge, No. 528, Daughters of Rebekah, was chartered Aug. 1, 1883. Following are the names of the charter members: T. W. Taylor, N. Bishop, S. H. Davis, Jonathan Jarrett, ©. R. Unthank, G. W. Stiggleman, Eber Borton, James L. Love, Jesse Borton, A. C. Harvey, L. B. Jarrett, W. W. Roosa, Cassandria Taylor, Mary E. Bishop, Sarah E. Davis, Mollie Unthank, Lydia E. Jarrett, Roselie Stiggleman, Rachel J. Love, Hattie Borton, Maria Evans and Amanda E. Roosa.

Dover Meeting. - This meeting was named after the town ot Dover, N. C., from which many of the early settlers came to this part of Wayne County. Dover Meeting was organized by the Friends in 1821. Among the leading early members were: Willis Whitson and wife; Walter Roberts and Hannah his wife, the latter still living, Isaac and Ann Jessup, Joseph Bond and wife, Stephen and Mary Comer, Samuel and Charity Bond, and Edward and Anna Bond. Elizabeth Bond was the first minister belonging to this meeting. Her father, Thomas Bales, who died in Ohio, and was buried near Chillicothe, was the first Quaker preacher that ever crossed the Ohio River. He came from North Carolina.

The church Jot and cemetery was purchased of Edward Bond for-$5. It contains three acres. A meeting-house, 16 x 18 feet, of hewed logs, was erected in 1821, and was afterward used as aschool-house. A second meeting-house was built of hewed logs, about twenty-five feet square. It had no chimney, but a hole in the roof instead. A charcoal fire, kept upon a stone hearth in the centre of the house, served to warm the building. The third house was a frame about 25 x 40 feet. It was succeeded by a frame house 25 x 50 feet. In 1855 the present meeting-house of brick, 26 x 52 feet, was erected. Each of the earlier meeting-houses, when given up for meeting purposes, were used as school-rooms. The Friends maintained one of the earliest schools in this part of the county at Dover. The meeting now has about 245 members. The Ministers are: Jehu Jessup and Jehiel Bond; Trustees, Levi Bond, Henry J. and Samuel Roberts; Clerks, Wm. Black and Eunice E. Bond; Overseers, Isaac Stiggleman and Wm. Black; Elders, Lewis Bond, Eli Kenworthy, Isaac Williams, Thos. Clark and Mahlon Bond.

Canaday Chapel M. E. Church. - Prior to 1839 circuit preaching was held at the house of Robert Culbertson for some years. In 1839 a camp-meeting, which resulted in a revival and the formation of a church, was held on the farm then owned by John Canaday. Shortly afterward a frame church was erected on a lot of land donated by Mr. Canaday. It was used until 1878, when the present house was built on the same lot. Camp-meetings were held for a few years. Among the first preachers was Miltietus Miller. Early members: Robert and Rebecca Culbertson, David S. Culbertson, a local preacher, son of Robert, Daniel Culbertson, Davidson Culbertson, John Canaday and wife, A. J. Russell and wife and Henry Hoover. The present membership is small. The church is on the Williamsburg circuit.

M. E. Church. - The M. E. church at Webster was organized in 1865, and a honse of worship erected the same year at a cost of about $1,000. There had been occasional preaching for several years previous. Among the early members were: Burgess Lake and wife, John Comer and wife, Emsley Overman and wife, and others. The present membership is small. The church belongs with the Wiliamsburg circnit.