Brown Township

Brown Township

The first permanent settlers in Brown township were the Driscolls. They emigrated to this part of the county from Kentucky in the spring of 1810, settling first on a farm latterly known as the Horner place. William Robertson, John Graham, John Hammersley, and more of the Driscolls camt in. the fall of 1810. In the summer of 1811, Hammersley located at "the cave spring," afterward called "Cliffy," and immediately went to work putting up a grist-mill, operated by water - the first in the township. He added a distillery and with numerous changes and alterations it was operated up to about 1890, being quite an extensive concern at one time under the management of Henry Robertson. When it was finally closed down it was the last still-house remaining in the county of the scores that were in operation throughout the county in almost every neighborhood at dififerent times. During the Civil War the tax placed on the manufacture of whisky and brandy sounded the death knell to small distilleries.

Joel Caulkins, a New Yorker, learning that this new country was full of still-houses and that there was a great demand for hops, decided to sell his farm back east, taking pay in hops, which he hauled to this new Eldorado, but he failed to fin<l a demand for his hops as he had expected and lost heavily in the venture. He settled on section 24, in the fall of 1818, and owing to his hop transaction, the neighborhood became known as the "Hop District." Another settlement nearby was known as "Thompsons," and when these two were consolidated, they were ever after known as the "Hop-Thompson District," and the cemetery a mile north of Carrpbellsburgh bears that title.

By an early act of the Legislature, Twin creek was declared a navigable stream and ordered to be cleared of snags and logs and for a time a few small barge loads of pork, corn and whisky were floated out for the southern market. Dr. Alexander Clark was one of the earliest physicians and had the first and probably the only tannery in the township. This scarcity of tan-vards was due to the fact that the township grew very little of that kind of oak timber from which bark for tanning purposes could be obtained. ^34)

Abner Mather and Eliab Sayles were early settlers, botli being blacksmiths. Other early settlers were Colonel Lemon, Michael W'ilfong, David Boyden, Elijah Nicholsen and Asher Wilcox. The latter built ;i cnrn-mill and carding machine on tbe old Wilcox place about 1818. Ruel Barnard, a wheel-wrigbt and chair-maker by trade, settled about 1819 and for many years furnished the greater part of the township with spinning-wheels and their best chairs, made mostly of sugar tree posts and hickory bark bottoms. Some of these old chairs are still in use, having seen service for almost a century. Joseph Hammersly, a bnither nf jVihn, started the first saw-mill a mile or so below the Cliffy mill, on (Hifty creek. It was of the old "up and down" pattern, sawing two or three logs a day.

In 1824 David Boyden, a pioneer, concluded that section of the country needed a town on the old W^esley W^oodward place, naming it Rovdenville; but like many other paper towns mapped out in early times it never grew to be a commercial center. From the rich bottom lands that lay in the north part of the township along White river, enormous crops of corn and hogs by the thousands were produced, and every season many boat loads of the same found their way to the South. Where less than boat loads were produced the nearest market was at the Ohio Falls. It would take the better part of a whole week to make the round trip.

A Noted Hunter

In early times there were many good hunters in the township, but Isaac Hammersley was concefled to be the best marksman. In the township are many caves and most all of them were bear dens. Some l>ear wallows are still to l)e seen in these caves, though the animals were all killed almost a century ago. "Old Ike" possessed a trusty flint-lock rifle and little else except two good cur dogs that were his constant companions. He probably killed more bears than any other man in the county, in his time, and in some instances had some narrow escapes. Upon one excursion he found a bear up a large chestnut tree, seated on a limli, getting his fill of nuts. The animal was within easy range and at the crack of the rifle came tumbling to the ground, and Iteing but slightly wounded made a dash for "Old Ike," who stood his gro'.md bra\'ely, battling the animal as best he could with his gun stock.

The dogs joined in the fray and were of great assistance to their master by vigorously attacking and gnawing Bruin's hind-rpiarters. The gun soon went flying through the air and as the bear crushed him to the ground he managed to get out his hunting knife, and while the animal was tearing the flesh from one arm he was inflicting some serious wounds with the knife. The dogs by this time were getting in some good work, which torture the bear could stand no longer and with a snort loosened his hold on the hunter and started on the run. With the dogs at his heels the bear was soon compelled to ascend another tree, when "Old Ike," profusely bleeding, but not seriously injured, reloaded his rifle and taking careful aim shot the animal dead and ever kept his hide as a trophy of his lucky escape.

Quite frequently Hammersly tracked and ran bear to their dens, where by the light of a torch he would enter and send a bullet to their brain.

\^'hile out hunting over on White river "Old Ike" heard a terrible commotion among some wild hogs down in a bottom and creeping up close he discovered two panthers circling about a sow and her pigs. The sow would rush furiously at the beasts and then hasten back to her pigs that would huddle beneath her. At the crack of the gun one of the panthers leaped several feet straight up in the air and fell to the ground dead. The dogs attacked the other one and kept it interested until the gun was reloaded, when a dead shot put an end to the beast. The larger one measured nine feet from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. During one season "Old Ike" killed over fifty deer, getting five in one day. The last days of the old hunter were spent in dilating upon his prowess as a hunter and he was buried in his old buckskin suit.

Church Organization

The old regular Baptists were the first to perfect a church organization in the county. Among the early and prominent ministers of this denomination was the Rev. Harrison Cornwell and he was the last of the old time preachers, who chanted their sermons and ended every sentence with "ah." He traveled all over the southern part of the state with bible and hymn book in one end of his saddle bags and a bottle of whisky in the other; the bottle being kept well filled by his faithful brethren with whom he happened to stop in his tour from one congregation to another. Whenever he stopped over night the neighbors were invited in to hear him expound the doctrine of the church.

On .Xugust 31, 1849, ^ short time after the extension of the New Albany and Salem railroad was surveyed on through the county, surveyor John I. Morrison was employed to lay out a new town, which was at the time named "Buena Vista," after the Mexican battle of that name. The original plat comprised five large lots, situated on a part of the southeast quarter of section 35, township 3, range 2 east. On December i. 185 1, Robert Campbell platted an addition consisting of nine lots, and the town was called "Campbellsbur^," in his honor. From time to time other additions have been made as follow : James H. McKinney, twenty-one lots ; C. Prow, R. Denney and W. J. Hitchcock, fifteen lots; J. T. C. W'ilkins, J. C. Voyles and Peter Cauble, nine lots; Corkins Brown, eight lots. The town was first incorporated on September 23, 1875, and on January 4, 1876, Christian Prow, Jacob Grimes and Samuel F. Martin were elected trustees; Rufus Mather, clerk; James W. Hubbard, treasurer; and Joseph Holmes, assessor.

The first store was oi>ened up in a twelve by fourteen foot log cal.iin, where a little of e\-erything was kept for sale or trade. It was operated by Thomas Stacy. Other earl}- merchants were Christian Prow, Corkins Brown, Robert Denney, Stacy & McCoy, and Lewis Caspar. In 1850 a -grist-mill thirty-six by forty-five feet, with engine room in the rear was erected by John Wilkins, it having a capacity of forty barrels. It was owned and operated by various parties until it burned down in 1913.

An -effort was made to sustain regular schools in Brown township soon after the first settlements were made. Most of the first settlers were from New York and New England and as a rule they enjoyed the advantages of a good common-school education of that day. Coming to a new country thev supported schools wherever they could find or erect a cabin in \\hich they could crowd in teachers and pupils. The New Englanders were all dubbed "Yankees," while other settlers were called "Tuckahoes." Parson Jenkins was probably the first teacher. Robert L. 1^'leming taught a school at Cavetown. among the \'ery first, where he conducted a school for several winters.

After Campbellsburgh was put upon the map it liecanie the ncited center of educational operations as well as business in the \\ estern ]iart of the countv. In 1853 a joint stock company was organized tO erect a hall twenty by forty feet for holding school, church, political meetings and all kinds of ])ublic assemblages. The first teacher employed in this school was Miss Mary Overni;in. In 1860 the township built a school house twenty by thirty feel and i\. < '. Woods was the l:r-t lerieliei- en-aeed. In i8(k) this house was burned. In 1872 a new school building was erected at a co'^t of one thousand five hundre<l dollars. Here at one time William 11. Crutsinger aroused great interest in school matters and built up a large school. From October i, 1877 to June i, i87(), James G. May sustained a classical

Campbellsburgh has had some very disastrous fires. In the summer of 1904 a fire broke out in the livery barn of H. N. Pollard and the town not having any fire engine, some twenty-five thousand dollars worth of property was consumed. The principal losers were Stratton Brothers, Odd Fellows hall, Frank Wires, Isaac Baker, George Brengle, Modern Woodmen hall, together with several barns and private residences. In the summer of 1913 the flour-mill was burned, but a new one was erected in 1914 by Freed & Lewis.

Campbellsburg Business Directory

At the present time (191 5) general stores are conducted by Wilkins Brothers, the firm consisting of James D., Thomas and John Wilkins; and Hardin & Wade, composed of Heber C. Hardin and James C. Wade; a hardware store is operated by John and James B. Stratton under the firm name of Stratton Brothers; grocery stores are run by G. L. Dalton, Carson Barksdale, and Benjamin F. Stephenson; Oscar L. Hancock and Louell G. Driskell are druggists; Carson Barksdale conducts a bakery; William A. Kelso and Charles V. Trinkle, restaurants; Joe Sharwell is proprietor of the Up-to-Date clothing store; O. H. Hackney is a jeweler; John Stratton and W. R. Hayes are dealers in automobiles ; Elmer Knight conducts a shoe shop: Hiles Brothers, consisting of F. M. and W. E. Hiles have large monument works: Paoli Milling Company, with H. C. Harding, manager, have a flour and feed exchange; James W. Holaday, a harness shop; a tin shop is managed by W. R. Hayes for Stratton Brothers; Mrs. Lizzie Mather and Mrs. Alice Hoyt are milliners; Harvey N. Pollard and Edward Hayes run livery stables; Stratton & Company, consisting of John Stratton and Rolla C. Martin, conduct a saw-mill, while Stratton Brothers, John and James, have a planing-mill.

A flouring-mill is operated by Alvin L. Freed and Fernandow W. Lewis, under the name of Freed & Lewis ; there are three hotels, the Mather House, operated by R. P. Mather, Central Hotel, by C. A. Housefield, and the Star Hotel, by W. A. Childers; George W. Wener and George K. Evans have barber shops; James W. Holaday and John J. Trinkle are blacksmiths; E. L. Woodward is manager of the Standard Oil Company agency; James C. Brown is agent of the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville railway; Lawrence W. Paynter is a ])hysician; Charles L. Holesapple a veterinary surgeon: Dr. B. E. Diefendnrf is a dentist; Harry C. W'esner is postmaster; Max .Abrahams conducts the affairs of the Bank of Campbellsburg, which has a large patronage; R. P. Mather is editor and proprietor of the Graf^Iiic, a Hve weekly newspaper which has been pulilished by him for many years and now enjoys a liberal patronage; Frank L. Driskell is an attorney.

The schools of the town are under the direction of William M. Goldsbury, superintendent, and offer complete courses in the grades and high school work. Rev. N. M. Rumbley is pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church; Rev. N. E. Florence of the Christian church; and Rev. L. B. McKinley of the Baptist church.

Saltillo Village

Madison Bowles owned a lot of land where Saltillo is now located and in 1849 he employed John I. Morrison to plat the town, naming it after a battle of the Mexican \\"ar at Saltillo. It comprises one hundred and thirtyseven lots, one being reserveil for the school building and one for church purposes. The plat included parts of sections 2y and 28. Bowles was the first merchant and subsequent ones were William Knox, George A. Rosenbaum, William Galahan and John Rosenbaum.

Colonel S. D. Sayles was the first blacksmith and also worked at edgetool making much of the time. Fie worked at his trade there several years l>efore he moved to Salem and started a plow factory. While the railroad was being built Wright Stacy built a saw-mill, the old-fashioned "up-anddown" mill which he operated several }-ears, but during the war it was moved away. Harvev & Hiram Mathew built a grist-mill in 1856 which burned in 1875. They jnit up a new mill in 1876, to which was attached a good circular saw-mill, both operated by steam. George Rosenbaum was first postmaster.

The business houses are: Lenuiel Wdlimi, and Manuel & XeUdU. both general merchants: Leroy \'ellom. furniture and undertaking; John H. Matliew & Son, blacksmiths; Refe, Haller X- Fhipps, broom makers: Harry Gresham & David Case, carpenters: Richard ^Mills & H. P. Xeyman. physicians. There are three churches. Christi.an. Methodist and Church of Christ. A saw-mill is operated by Joseph Schultz.