Adams Township

Natural Resources

THE northwestern part of the county was not settled as early as other portions, for the reason that it contained no navigable streams, or was remote from White River, then the great commercial highway. In ancient times civilization sought the sea. Almost all of rhe ancient cities of great commercial importance were on some body of water. This was due to the fact that water was the chief highway. But when steam was harnessed and driven at an amazing rate of speed to the heart of the continent, inland towns of great power sprang up, and many on the larger water-courses died, yielding their seeds of life to the new.

The general settlement of Adams Township did not take place until the thirties, at which time the greater portion of the land was purchased by actual residents. The tardiness of settlement was not the result of the poverty of the soil, as the greater portion is rich bottom land, well watered by Mill Creek on the west and its tributaries. There is a low, wet tract of country extending across the township from east to west, usually known as the Lake, which, when fully drained and reclaimed, will be the most valuable land in the township. The northwestern part is drained by Mud Creek, which finds its outlet in Mill Creek.

For several years before any permanent settlers lived in the township, the woods were thoroughly hunted over by ambitious Nimrods from the older localities along White River and White Lick Creek. The game in the vicinity of the river had become scarce, but out northwest in the forests of Adams, bears and an abundance of less dangerous wild animals could be found. Benjamin Cuthbert, who lived in Brown Township, was a professional hunter, and only a few of the early settlers could excel him with the rifle. He killed hundreds of deer annually (in the thirties, largely in Adams Township), and made his living wholly from the sale of their skins, at from 75 cents to $1.50 each, and the sale of their "saddles." Many an old settler living in the northern part of the county remembers eating venison of his killing. It is said that he killed two bears in Adams Township in the woods on Mud Creek at a very early day. He shot the mother bear, and then was obliged to use his knife on the cub. He was an experienced deer hunter, and knew enough to keep away from a wounded buck or doe. The wolves were very troublesome in the township at the time of the first settlement. The Staleys had stock killed by them, and no doubt others were served in a similar manner, as wolves are no respecters of persons.

The Early Settlement

The name of the first settler is not known. It is likely that the Staleys, who came in about the year 1825 or 1826, were the first. Several families of Treats came in about 1828 or 1829. Thomas Shoemaker was one of the first, if not himself the first. He came to the township in 1826, and entered considerable land, and soon built up a comfortable home. Other early residents of the township were James Pruitt, John Johnson, B. Pruitt, Terrell Brewer, "William Brewer, George Seaton, Richard Osborn, Nathaniel Wheeler (who entered nearly 300 acres), John Linn, Allen Wheeler, Amaziah McLain, Thomas Barker, George Elliott, Thomas Stringer, Garland Gentry, Thomas McCarty, John Tomlinson, Daniel Elliott, Eli Pruitt, Richard Wiley, George Erlinger, Thomas Hulse, James Broadstreet, Benjamin Freeland, M. A. Miller, Nathan Wheeler, John, James, William, Richard and Stephen Treat (who came in the twenties), David A. Curtis, Jonathan MqCuUom, Philip A. Foxworthy, Jeremiah Matthews, Jesse Pritchett, Larkin Parish, John RatliflF, Allen Taylor, James Dorsett, Robert Walters, Miller Howell, John Bowman, Gideon Brasier, Logan Gray, John Craven, George Moore, G. W. Bowman, John L. Ashbaugh, John and James Taylor, William Edwards, William and Edward Bowman, Israel Lewis, Robert Walter, Hiram Brasier, Isaac Brasier, Andrew Thompson, Solomon Watson, James Ogles, Joseph, William and Robert Walters, Joseph Donaldson, William Wigal, John Burnan, George Shape, Silas Nichols, A.D.Blunk, John Reeves and others. All of the above men, however, did not reside in Adams. Some were speculators, and some were residents of neighboring townships.

jah Wallace, Thomas Wheeler, Enoch Wallace, Edmond Worley, Allen Wheeler, Richard Walters, William Wigal. Several of the above men never lived in the township. They were non-residents.

The early schools were taught first in private dwellings. The early teachers wer6 residents who possessed some little education, enough to furnish rudimentary instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic, and to furnish correction with hickory gads. These old instruments of punishment were always, present, and usually hung on wooden hooks over the old fire-place, so that they became so hardened by seasoning from the heat that they resisted the severest exercise of the teacher in an application on some offending pupil, and even cut the wooden benches as the teacher in his fervor pursued, round and round, the howling culprit. The big whip was indispensable. A " master " who could successfully teach a term of school without using a whip, or could get along perhaps without any such corrective, was a rare object, and when one was found he was looked upon with suspicion, so prevalent was the belief in the efficacy of the rod. The old settlers were firm believers in the oracle of Solomon, "spare the rod and spoil the child," and as they did not care to have their offspring spoiled, they usually employed an Irishman who possessed both the energy and temper to apply the rod to the unlimited satisfaction of parents anxious that their children " should be trained up in the way they should go." It is worthy of note that the earliest professional teachers throughout the West were Irishmen. They were about the only class that appeared to find satisfactory emoluments in continuous teaching. Coming themselves from an humble stock, and trained in the rough school of poverty, they seemed to enjoy the rude fare always obtained by "boarding around," and seemed contented with the meager amounts doled stingily out by parents of the backwoods. It is stated that the first school held in the township was near Eminence, in about the year 1835. A rude log cabin that had been occupied a short time by some early family and had then been vacated, was fitted up, and a school was taught by some stranger, probably an Irishman, who came along. A school was taught soon afterward in the northern part of the township, the Wheelers being the principal patrons. It is said that one of them was the teacher. This school was taught about the year 1836. Another was taught east of it within a year or two afterward. In 1840, there were four established schools, two in the northern part, one near the center, and one near Eminence, or near what afterward became Eminence. The real development of the school system of the township began with the passage of the common school law of 1852. Frame houses were built, and public funds provided better wages for teachers, and thus secured better instructors. Now there are eight or nine schools in the township, and the value of the school property is about $5,500.

It is likely that the Baptists at Eminence had the first permanent religious organization in the township. The class was established about the year 1837 or 1838, at the house of Thomas Shoemaker, or as others state, at that of Joseph Donaldson. These men and their families were prominent members, and at the organization of the class were about the only ones. Joseph Applegate was an early member. Mr. Shoemaker donated a small tract of ground for a church and cemetery in 1841. This church became widely known, and was called Mount Eden. It had a large membership during the forties, and did great good throughout all that portion of the county. It is yet in a prosperous condition at Eminence. The Methodists organized a class west of Mill Creek about 1840, which met for worship at the house of William Brick. This is not now in Morgan County, but it was then. Among the members were the families of John Clark, Logan Gray, A. J. Bowman, Josiah Graves, Thomas Champion, J. P. Goodwin, Norman Nunn and others. Rev. Isaac Crawford was the pastor of the class early in the forties. The class often met at the residence of John Clark. Another early class was the Lake Valley Methodist Church. It was organized in the forties, among the early members being the families of William Wilhite, Hezekiah Johnson, Coleman Brown, James Pruitt, James McClellan. In 1852, the pastor was Rev. H. S. Talbot. This class is yet in existence. The Oak Grove Christian Church, in the northern part, was organized in the forties, some of the early members being A. M. Delaven, Richard Treat, Bright Pruitt, John Boyd and others. This class is in a flourishing condition at present. Other religious organizations have existed in the township.

Eminence

This is a thriving village of about 350 people. It was laid out in July, 1855, on Section 33, Township 13 north. Range 2 west, by William Wigal, proprietor. Twenty lots were laid out at that time, to which no further addition was made until 1865, when Jacob Surber increased the town proper by a number of lots. The early owners of lots were Abe Hadden, J. S. Holmes, Daniel N. Holmes, Elison Sliger, E. W. Spencer, G. L. Wigal, T. A. Adkins, H. R. Flook, Miller Howell, Solomon Watson. In 1862, George Kirkham, J. M. Reed, Louisa Twiss, McDonald Walters, bought lots. Later came C. C. Buchanan, Frank Mathis, J.

It is said that Joseph W. Ray was the first merchant in Eminence. Others have been McDonald Walters, Howard Hulse, Eli Watson, Emery Nichols, Hulse & Watson, Dossett & Hulse, Enoch Patrick, John Durmington, Hiram Staley, John Summers, Jacob Arnold and many others. About six years ago, the town was almost wholly destroyed by fire. The Pierce Brothers built a woolen factory there, several years after the town vras started. The enterprise started out well at carding, spinning and weaving, and numerous hands were required to conduct the divers pieces of machinery. After continuing a few years, the enterprise was abandoned. The principal feature of the town in early years, and indeed long before a town was thought of, was the grist mill owned and conducted by William Wigal. The building of the mill soon concentrated other interests there.

which demanded the laying out of a town. The growth, however, was very slow, and did not progress rapidly until after the war, even if it did then. The town has had numerous saw mills, wagon- makers, cabinetmakers and artisans, and mechanics of all other crafts almost. There is not a livelier town of its size in the county. This is accounted for by reason of the location of the village in the center of a rich tract of country, and its distance from railroad towns and the enterprise of the citizens. The present industries may be summed up as follows : General stores, Daniel N. Holmes, C. E. Nichols & Bro., Ray & "Watson, Nicholas & Ehea, Parker & Son, Rhea & Ryan ; drugs, J. K. Burges, Joel Parker and .Dr. Pottoff; undertakers, Slage & Rhea; millinery, H. Nicholas, Miller Sisters ; hotel, Gideon Brasier, Mrs. Gum ; saw mill, M. Miller ; grist mill, Summers & Tarleten ; saw mill, Twomey, Pottoff & Co. ; harness, Braisier & Hubbell, C. J. Aren & Son. There are three churches - Methodist, Baptist and Christian.