Center Township

Center Township

MONG the many old settlers in this locality, we Avill name old Uncle Stephen Riddle, Grandfather William Carter, Jesse Rainbolt, Rev. Thomas Oliphant, Rev. George Burch, William Brummet, Edmond and Frederick Bingham, Isaac, John and Joseph Storms, William Cole^ William and Enoch Stone, Joe and Enoch Shelton, Harden Warren, Beverly Bays, Henry Fulk, Isom Johnson, Joseph and James Burch, Thompson Brenham, Robert Hegwood, William Brisco, Wm. S. Bays, John Gallon, Abraham Young, Peter Luntsford, Abner McHergue, Lawson Oliphant, Ephriam Jackson, Rafe Martindale, David and James Bullock, . John Fodrell, John and AHarthash.

Old Uncle Stephen Riddle was born in Gifford county. North Carolina, and was married to Miss Mary Quiett, and they came to Greene county in the year 1818, and settled at the Big Spring, on the old State road, built the house, entered the land, made the farm and set out the old orchard at the place -where James Combs now lives. Mr. Riddle and tvife had twelve children. The old man died at the age ol seventy-one 3'ears, and was buried at the old Storm cemetery. The first murder in Greene county was committed at the house of Uncle Stephen Riddle.

Mr. Abner McHcrgue was born on Lynn Camp creek, Knox county, Kentucky, and came to Greene county about forty-five years ago, and shortly afterwards was married to Mary Riddle, and commenced work in this township. Several years ago his first wife died, and left a pleasant family of little orphan children. Mr. McHergue married again, and has also buried his second wife. He is now a widower, baring had two wives and nine children. Mr. McHergue is a common, plain Hoosier farmer, about sixty-five years old, with a clear head, and his large heart is just about in the right place.

Among the old pioneer preachers were Revs. Thomas Oliphant, Joseph Wilson, Samuel Doty, Elder George Burch, Richard Wright and Eli P. Farmer.

Among the first weddings were Abner McHergue and Miss Mary Riddle ; William Doolen and Eliza Bingham ; John Uland and Polly Bays ; William Stone and Matilda Chaney.

Thompson Branham came from North Carolina, and settled among the pioneers at an early day, in this township, andj, with a good resolution and a sharp axe, he has made a good farm and lives on it yet. We will speak a good word for him.

Uncle 'Wm. Carter was born in Old Virginia, and, came to Greene county about fifty -seven years ago, and then built a house, entered the land, made the farm and set out the old orchard and lived out his days at the place where his son, Wm. Carter, now lives. Mr, Carter died last January, aged ninety- two years. Abraham Young, Mr. Carter's sonin-law, was born in Frederick count^f Maryland, and came to Indiana in the year 1811, and settled in what is now Floyd county, on tho Ohio river, before the forest timber was cleared away, at the place vrhere the city of New Albany now stands. Mr. Young came to Greene county at an early day, and settled at the old Rock Bluff Bingham mill-seat, at the noted old time over-shot wheel water-mill. Mr. Young is seventy-five years old, and has been married fifty years, and he and his wife had no children.

Old Frederick Bingham built a house, and afterwards he worked for many years, making little mills at the place where Mr. Abram Young now lives.

Old Uncle George Burch was a very noted Elder and local preacher in the Baptist Church for a half century. Rev. George Burch made the farm and lived on the place where his son, George Burch, now lives. The old pioneer preacher was both blind and helpless for many years before his death.

Jesse Rainbolt settled the place and built the house, made a farm and set out the old apple orchard where his son, Elisha Rainbolt now lives.

Old Grandfather Oliphant built a horse-mill where Jacob Nellenger now lives, and a Mr. Gannon also built a horse-mill near where Mr. Lawson Oliphant's barn now stands- Old Charlie Shelton built the first distill house, and made whisky and good peach brandy, at the place where Andy Nellenger now lives.,

Ml*. Lawson Oliphant is one of our old pioneef farmerS) and came to Greene county forty-five years ago. He built the first brick house in Center township, and lives at home, entertains his friends, and boards at the same place, on his excellent farm, near the little village of Jonesboro.

Mr. Enoch Stone» Esq., was boftt in Surry county^ North Caroli»a, and came to Greene county many years ago, before the first farms were cleared up, and Is sixty-three years old. He and his wife have had eight children - six boys and two girls - and they live on the old Louisville toad, eighteen miles from WorthingtK)n.

William S. Bays was born in Surry coitnty, Korth Carolina, and came to Greene county fifty years ago, and settled in this old neighborhood. Mr. Bays and wife have had eleven children, and old Uncle Billy Bays is how considered the champion tobacco smoker in Greene county.

We will explain many names in this locality, such as these : Screamersville, Dividing Kidge, Sway Back, Ridge Port, Bridge Creek, Panther Cave, Eagle Nest, etc.

from Paoli, in Orange county, to the mouth of Eel river. That old road has always remained in the lamtJ place^ oh the Dividing Ridge, between Beech and Bridge creek?, down to Richland creek, a distance of about twelve miles ; and that road can nevei* be changed from the old ti'ace. The dividing ridge is ft hip;h hill, very narrow and twelve tailea in length - just room for a road.

Bridge creek was named for the natural ground bridge over it, at the old Hans Stalcup water-mill and carding machine place, where the creek runs under the ground for nearly two miles.

Screamersville Was the tiame of the first election pi'ecinct at Jonesboro, and was named by the old settlers on all the roads for the great noise made by the people on nights after elec^ tions.

Chaptm Xxv

MONG the very first old settler^ here were old Uncle John Beaty, John Ferrell, old John Stone, (father of Jeremiah and Jack Stone) and Robert Kizzie. Afterwards came Emanuel Hatfield, Wash^ Hatfield, Isaac Copeland, Armstead Hatfield, James Corbin and others. Up in the north end of the township, east of old Colonel Levi Fellows, were Jacob Lewis, Rawley Hopper, Joseph and William Hatfield, and others.

The Names Of The Creeks

east fork of White river, in Martin county, near Harrisonville, Indiana. Fuss creek -was named by the old pioneer hunters, on account of the frogs, in the spring of the year, making so much fuss.

Pond lick, near the little log-cabin town of Dresden, tvas the best place in all that part of the township, in early times, to kill deer. \Vhen the first white people came to Greene county, old Emanuel Hatfield and John Brown went to the pond to watch for deer, in the night titne. They had not been there very long "when Mr. Hatfield shot and killed a very fine one. The two men comtnenccd to strike a fire, in order to have a light in the woods, and Mr^ Brown went to a sugar-tree to obtain some kindling-wood. Upon running his hand into the hollow of the tree, he caught hold of a hard stick of Vrood, about two feet long, and as large as a man*s wrist. The stick was that of pine, and was chopped off at both ends, with an axe. There Was no pine timber nearer than ninety miles, and that was on the knolls, near New Albany.

Armstead Hatfield made the first land entry in Jackson township. He has made a good farm, and lives on the same place yet, just east of Owensburg.

Afterwards John Ferrell sold hi? Congress improvement to Mr. Hatfield, and the same old log house is yet standing, and is being used for the kitchen at Emanuel Hatfield's, just west of Owensburg. This is the oldest log house in Greene county, having been built and occupied over a half century.

Our first school was taught by Samuel Short, in a little log cabin at the place where Samuel Hitchcock now lives - or on that farm - and among the pupils were Jerry Hatfield, William Hatfield, Thomas, Mary and John Copeland, and about twenty-five others.

Among the first weddings was one on the head waters of Plumraer creek, at John Stone's, by Esquire Hopper - Mr. Wesley Ferguson and Misa Francis Stone.

Our old-time distill house was built at the John Ferrell place, where old Etnanuel Hatfield now lives. Mr. Hatfield built the second distill house, and made the best whisky and brandy in Greene county.

Emanuel Hatfield, father of Ale Hatfield, was born in old Virginia, and afterwards went to Tennessee and remained there about 30 years, then came to Greene county at an early day, and settled on the place where Wash. Spears now lives. Mr. Ale Hatfield had two wives and twelve children - seven boys and five girls. Mr. Emanuel Hatfield was the third son in this family, and was born December 22d, 1805, in Campbell county, Tennessee,^ and came to Greene county, with his parents, at an early day. He married Nancy Anderson, of Wayne county, Kentuck3\ Mr. Hatfield and wife have had fourteen children, and raised eleven of them to be men and women. Mr. Hatfield bought the Congress improvement and entered the land where he now lives, and made a good farm of about two hundred acres. He now owns three hundred and thirty-six acres of land. Within the first twelve years he cleared, in the heavy white-oak, poplar and hickory timber, one hundred and ten acres of land for his home farm ; and, in the same twelve years he killed nine hundred and seventy-eight deer, with one rifle- gun* In the same lengtR of time, also, with the same gun, at shooting matches, he won over three hundred dollars' worth of beef, besides the other kinds of game, etc. ^ Mr. Hatfield has killed more squir=-' tels than two boys could count in a month* He haa no education ; but he says he knows what is right among honest men - and rascals, too.

Edward Page is a shoemaker by trade, and is seventy-three years old, but looks much youngerv He was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania,, and came to Jay county, Indiana, and from there he came to Greene county, many years ago. Mr. Page and wife have had ten children - five boys and five girls.

David Baker is a common former, and came to Greene county over thirty years ago, and settled about three miles east of Colonel Fellows' old mill.

Mordica Hatfield came to Greene county about the year 1823, and settled in this neighborhood, and martied Milly Richison. They raised fourteen children - four boys and ten girls. Three pair of them are twins, six girls, and two pair oi those girls about thirty months apart - all of the fourteen children are now living, but their parents are dead and buried at the old Flynn grave-yard, in Center townsnip. - Jerry Hatfield is a common farmer, fifty years old. He married Miss I'Jancy Spears, and lives on the county road, half a mile south of Owensburg.

Old Grandmother Quick is the oldest knitting machine in Greene -county. She is a very small woman, eighty years of age^ and has knit Socks enough to buy a small farm.

Aquilla Hardesty is seventy-eight years old, was born near the city of Baltimore, Maryland, and came to Ohio in 1810, and to Greene county about twenty-five years ago, and settled on the Hilburn farm. Mr. Hardesty's father died on Plummcr creek, at the age of ninety-five years, and was buried at the Mood cemetery, in Richland township.