Kossuth, Indiana

At quite an early day the backbone of land extending north from Salem to the Muscatatuck river was called "Wahiut Ridge'" on account of the fine groves of black-walnut trees that grew on these lands. Along the ridge, extending from the headwaters of Blue river to the Muscatatuck, there was an old Indian trail- that had, no doubt, been traveled over a great deal by redmen, for it was easily traced from one end to the other. The first white men coming into this county', finding this trail, rightly concluded that there must be a fertile country lying to the north, and would have gone there, but for some se;ven or eight years after they first located in this county, the river was considered the "dead-line," between the whites and the warring savages, and it was very liazardous for the pioneers to venture over into disputed territory. The Indians, who remained south of Muscatatuck and White rivers were friendly to the whites and never gave them any trouble. The depredations that were committed were by Indians who came across into the county from the north and west. Walnut ridge, which is now included within the boundaries of Monroe township, was for several years rather a dangerous place for scattered settlers, some of whom were killed by the Indians, and they frequently lost stock by thieving bands of these savages that roamed about through the country.

Passage source: Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana : Its People, Industies and Institutions : with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, published 1916.

The first settlers to venture into the township were Adam Housh and Solomon Rink, in 1808. The first cabin built in the township was Housh's, which stood a few rods south of the Kossuth store. Rink had a sort of pen made of poles on his land about a half mile south of where Plattsburg stands. In the spring of 1809, several others moved in, including Jacob Hattabough, \\'illiam Logan and Thomas Denney. In 1810 George Hattabough, Jacob Rink, Michael Rink, Dempsey Rice and many others came in. Shortly after landing here Jacob Hattabough purchased Rink's right to the land he had squatted on. In those days lands sold at the land office for two dollars and fifty cents per acre, on the installment plan. Hattabough had been to Jeffersonville to make a payment on his land and had paid out all but fifty dollars and had a certificate showing that to be a fact, but on his way home he lost his receipt. The word went round that this certificate was lost, when Adam Housh went to Jeftersonville and finished paying out on the land, getting a land warrant in his own name. This gave rise to a lawsuit which came off at Corydon, in which nattabough was winner. Someone had found the certificate he had lost and left it at Royse's Lick, with Doctor Lamb, which put in evidence, with the other facts in the case, won the suit for Hattabough.

Passage source: Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana : Its People, Industies and Institutions : with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, published 1916.

To make a fish dam, small poles were driven in the mud at the bottom of the river, a space one to one and one-half inches being left between each stick. These stakes extended above the water, during the summer season, about two feet, and were bound or withed together at the top with vines or willow houghs. Two or three openings were left between the stakes to allow fish to i)ass up the stream. Below the oiiening a fish -trap, or box, was set, and any time these traps were raised all sorts of fish, eels, gars and turtles were taken out. If the traps were carefully watched when fish were running it took but a little while to get a whole wagon body full.

Passage source: Centennial History of Washington County, Indiana : Its People, Industies and Institutions : with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, published 1916.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Monroe Township - it names this place 3 more 3 times.