Shepherd, Indiana

The subject of this sketch was born in Wayne County, Ind., February 5, 1826; born and raised on a farm, only having the advantages of pioneer life, from which I wish to contrast the past with the present and let the present generation of children see the change. In the first place we had no school system, therefore the consequences was three months of school for summer and three months for winter, all subscription. The school buildings were made of round logs schutched off and daubed with clay mortar. One end of the building was about one-third cut into to make way for the chimney, which was made of sticks and clay; lighted by a window on each side; a slab, into which legs were put, for their seats; a broad board fastened to the wall for writing desks ; the books were no two alike, so there was as many classes as books, excepting the spelling classes, the big and little spelling as it was called. As time passed there was some improvement in the books, which made way for classing. The girls when arriving at the age of fifteen or sixteen concluded that their school days were about over, and their minds were directed in another direction, not to music or teaching school ; it was the big and little wheel, of which they spun their two hundred pounds of wool during the summer season ; and I must say that those days were the happiest days of my life. But since time has passed and the improvements that have taken place reminds me of that old adage, " When ignorance is bliss it is folly to be wise." As we had nothing better we were perfectly happy, so our days glided along until we were grown up. In the year 1844, on the 1st day of December, I was married to Henry M. Marvin, and on the morning of my nineteeth birthday we bade adieu to the parental roof and started out in the world to try the realities of life. We came to this place, where I have lived ever since, with the exception of two years. I have lived in the same door-yard for forty-two years, protected and guarded by our Heavenly Father, who knoweth all things and what is for our good, "and finding we have realized the trials of our ups and downs. Up to the present time our family consists of nine children, only four living, the other five having gone to try the realities of another world.

Passage source: Early Life and Times in Boone County Indiana, published 1861.

postmaster, and carried the mail in his hat, consequently. the office was not always in the same place. Abner H. Shepherd came to Lebanon in 1836, and the following year, at the age of fourteen years, carried the mail from Indianapolis to Lafayette, by the way of Piketown, Royalton, Lebanon, Thorntown, Frankfort, Jefferson, Prairieville, Huntsville and Dayton. He rode on horseback through the wilderness and mud, with nothing to guide him but the blazed road where the trees were chipped on one side to show the way to go. Mr. Zion was the contractor on this route. James Richey, the father of J. E Richey, was the first tailor in the town, and for several years cut and made the garments of our earlier inhabitants. John Peterson erected his cabin on the ground where Brown's opera house now stands and engaged in the tavern business. William Smith, familiarly known as " Uncle Billy," had a cabin where the Rose House now is. He was a "tavern keeper," too, but carried his more extensively by selling liquor. It was no uncommon thing to see hunters, with their dogs and guns, come in on Sabbath day and go in and get a drink. But Iam glad to say he afterwards joined the M. E. Church and lived a christian life. One of the miracles of his conversion was that he could neither read nor write until "wisdom from on high " taught him, and he soon learned to read the bible and had a good understanding of the same. David Hoover was the first clerk of the court, and was also recorder, holding both offices at the same time, and was not always kept employed. He was not troubled with parties running after him for deputyships. John Forsythe was selling dry goods on the lot known as " Zion's Corner," south of the square, and in 1855 William Zion bought him out, and continued in business until 1862. 'The first court house stood north of the square, court being held twice a year, lasting three days. Jacob Tipton, of Jamestown, was the first elected sheriff of the county, and was succeeded by William Zion, who held the office four years. I sometimes acted as turnkey, and one night at the late hour of

Passage source: Early Life and Times in Boone County Indiana, published 1861.

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 Zionsville Town.