Stinesville Commercial Historic District

Old Daniel McHolland, who settled in the vicinity of Ketchum's Mills, in Clear Creek Township, in the year 1815, and who was probably the first white man to bring his wife and family to the county of Monroe, became a resident of Bean Blossom Township at an early day. He was a jovial old fiddler of exceptional backwoods skill, and officiated in the capacity of orchestra at many an early dance in the township. His musical proclivity was too preponderant for financial success. He owned no land and was content with enough to eat and wear so long as his fiddle could be played upon. He passed away with the old times. At the early settlement of the township, bears were quite numerous and several were killed. Thomas Allen killed several, and was a famous hunter of deer. A man named Wrightsill killed a bear in 1829 or 1830 southeast of Stinesville. He was hunting in the woods with his dogs and succeeded in treeing the bear in a large sycamore. He was a good shot, and brought it down at the first fire. The ground was so soft under the tree that the falling animal made a deep indentation which remained there for a year or more. The marks of the bear's claws on the bark of the tree could be seen there for several years. Thomas Wilson was another skillful bear hunter. At an early day, he went up to the vicinity of Baker Township, Morgan County, where he encamped in the hollow trunk of an enormous sycamore tree which was yet standing, and remained there for a week or more, traversing the surrounding country for bears. He killed four or five, it is said, some under rather thrilling circumstances, besides numerous deer. David Ellett killed bears in Bean Blossom Township, it is said. Coleman Puett shot one near the southeast corner of the township during the twenties. Jerry Devore crippled one west of Stinesville in later years, but the animal succeeded in eluding all pursuit. Old man McHolland was an experiented trapper and deer hunter. He killed many of the latter animals in the, township. The hides were worth from 25 cents to $1 each, and were largely used for "breeches" by the earliest settlers. When the weather was fair, they were good enough, but in rainy or foul weather they took water like a blanket, and when dried were stiff enough to stand alone. Then it was Jaughable to see the old settlers draw them on. The '' saddles'' of the deer were worth about the same as the hides. The venison was dry and required lard in which to be cooked before being palatable. The old settlers much preferred fat and lean pork, combined, to any other meat that they could get. The Baileys and the Turners and others were skillful deer hunters. It is said that one of the Baileys once had a fight with a wounded deer, and had the clothing nearly all torn from his body, besides receiving numerous bruises from the sharp hoofs and antlers before he vanquished the enraged animal.

Passage source: 1884 History of Monroe County Indiana, published 1884.

Allen and Greer are practicing at present. John McHenry was the first Postmaster. James Greer isthe present agent of Brother Jonathan. The owner of the town was probably the first blacksmith. John Easton was the first shoe-maker. Frank Ashbaugh has been the shoe-maker for about twenty years. Eusebius Stine built the first saw mill at the village. He also built a small grist mill. These buildings were erected long before the town started into being. Among the early residents of Stinesville were Eusebius Stine, after whom the village was named, Samuel Brisco, Thomas Wilson, Charles Miller, Frank Ashbaugh, Mr. Math. eny, Jackson Hite, William Easton, George Pugh and their families, and others. The great feature of the village during the past five or six years is the limestone interest. Two or three companies from Terre Haute, and one or two from other cities, are quarrying and sawing and shipping large quantities of excellent limestone.

Passage source: 1884 History of Monroe County Indiana, published 1884.

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 Bean Blossom Township - 10,276 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.