Clinton Township

Clinton Township

LINTON TOWNSHIP joins Russell on the south, and is the preceding Congressional township of the same range. It is bounded on the north by Ruson the east by Monroe, on the south by Madison Township, and on the west by Parke County. A small portion of Clinton is a little rough and broken, though most of it lies well, and the township altogether is a tine body of land, and very well improved.

The first entry of land in this township was made by Ashbery Yandever. on June 17, 1871; the next by Roan Irwin, July 22, 1821; the third by Samson Sutherlin. August 1. 1821; the fourth by Israel Linder, October S, 1821. Some of the entries of the year 1822 were made by the following named, in the order in which thev are given: Alexander Johnson. Aimer Goodwin, John Holt, John Dougherty, Isaiah Vermillion, Andrew

Among the old settlers are named James Johnson, Arthur Walker, Thomas Hart, Edward Newgent, Wilson Spaulding, Oliver McCoy, Moses Spurgeon, Stephen C. Burk, Jonathan Manker, Michael Etter, James Crawford, Oliver Tally, Eli Praekney, Robert Johnson, John Butler, Isaiah Ratliff, William C. Butcher. Jonathan Bee, Judge William McKee, Scady Chandler, Daniel Herron, William Angel and Mr. Shonkwiler, all of whom are deceased.

The first birth in the township was that of John Sigler, son of Andrew and Sarah Sigler, on December 15, 1825. Andrew Sigler and Sarah Heady were the first persons married in the township. The first blacksmith was a man named Tvvigg. The first grist-mill was put up in the year 1825, by Captain Goodwin, on Little Walnut Creek. Like many others, of those early days, it was a kind of wet-weather mill, and could run only when the heavens gave a supply of water. Captain William II. Thornburg, so well known fo the citizens of Putnam County, taught the first

The lirst church organized in this township was tlie Predestinarian Baptist. Tin's took place about the year 1831, and was conducted by Rev. Turpin Darnall, of Bainbridge. John Leatherman and Jesse Mc- Clain were "»fft'ong the earliest ministers of, this congregation. A house was soon built, and the organization was kept up for a number of years, but it is now disbanded, and the house is gone to decay. The Methodist Episcopal church was organized about the year 1832, by Rev. William C. Smith, and a log house was built a year later. Revs. Aaron Wood, DeMott, Beck, Preston and Wright were the early ministers of this church. A few years later two other Methodist churches were organized in the township, and log houses were erected. All three of these buildings have been replaced with frame ones of substantial character.; Some twelve or fifteen years ago the Tanker denomination organized a church ;in this township, and built a good frame house of worship, where they still hold regular services.

In Clinton Township there are three postoffice towns: Portland Mills, Morton and Clinton Falls. The first named is an old town, and is so situated that a part of it is in Clinton and a part in Russell Township, Putnam County, and a part in each of two townships in Parke County.

CLOVERDALE TpWNSHIP. This township was originally a part of Warren and Jefferson townships. It was organized in 1846, and is composed of the southern tier of sections of township 13, ranges 3 and 4, and the northern half of township 12, of the same ranges. It is bounded on the north by Warren and Jefferson, from which it was detached; on the east by Morgan County and Mill Creek Township; on the south by Owen County, and on the west by Washington Township. The surface is hilly and broken, and was originally covered with a dense growth of timber, such as i white and yellow poplar, maple, walnut, oak, ! ash, elm, gum, beech and mulberry. The f soil "is good and of the quality known as ! limestone land. The whole township is un- J derlaid with a fine quality of limestone well i adapted to building and manufacturing pnrj poses. The principal streams are Mill Creek in the east and Doe Creek in the center.

The first settlers in what is now Cloverdale J Township were William Hamilton and James j Robinson, who came together from Kentucky j in the spring of 1823, and built the first [-' cabin.-. Hamilton located on section 1, townj ship 12, range 4, and Robinson on section 0, ; township 12, range 3. Abraham Van Sickle, Anthony Kilgore, Thomas James, Robert j Hadden, Arthur MeNary, Mr. Goodman, j Ambrose Bandy, G. Macy and Robert Macy, : alLeame from Kentucky in the autumn of ' the same year, and settled around where j Cloverdale now stands. Jubal Meadows, ! John Macy, George Bandy and John Tabor came in 1824. In 1825 came John P. Sinclair, John Briscoe and Robert Conoly. During the next year Williain Martin* Thomas Evans, Enoch Patrick, A. Tabor, N. Nolin and Nancy White became citizens. The next four years witnessed the arrival of Philip Rouse, Peter Lyon, .lames Woods, Robert Donnoson, James Gilmore, O. Owen, T. Owen, Daniel Morgan, Robert Hood, Jacob Rule and Samuel Logan.

The first white child born in the township was Elizabeth Tabor, daughter of John Tabor, in 1824. At that time the family lived on' section 36, township 13, range 4. The first death was that of a child of Ambrose Bandy

Thomas Nelson was the first postmaster, an The Christian denomination was organized office having been established in his store in into a congregation at Cloverdale, July 24, 1836. William Hamilton was the first jus- 1841, by Eider James M. Mathes, assisted by tice of the peace. John Pearcy, Reuben Magiunis Joseph Col-

The first religious meeting in the town- well, George W. Grose, Andrew T. McCoy, ship was held by the Methodists, at the Moses Nelson, Thomas W. Dowell, Michael house of John Macy, in 1824, and conducted Grose, J. B. Ross. Andrew McMains,J.C. Moby John Cord, an itinerant Methodist Coy- 1. J. Nickson and others. Meetings had preacher, who died the same year. After been held in the township before the organizahim came John McCortl, Stephen Grimes, tion of the church, generally in private houses Daniel Anderson, William 11. Smith and Mr. and in groves. Among those who preached at Strange. They were followed by the Revs, this point are Elders Colwell, Ileadriek, Forbes. Ames, Hebenridge, Morton, Wells, George Pearcy, Ferry and James Blanken- Wood, Scam mahorn, Jackson, Brunei*, Davis, ship, Franklin, Smith, [lawn, Lockharfc, "Williams, John and Byron Carter, Lee. Ros- Burgess, Swinford, Wright.-. Wilsons, Black. son, Poynter, Allison, Walls, Webb, Hewring, Harris. Badger and Pritchard. The last Pewett, Tansey, Johnson and McNaughton. named held a debate with the Rev. Mr. This denomination erected a log church on Brooks, of the Methodist Episcopal church. section 1, township 12, range 4, in the year March 19 to 28, 1866, which created quite a 1827, which was the first built in the town- local excitement. It is claimed by the Chrisship. They continued to use this house un- turn church that about seventy members were til 1848, when they built a frame church in added to its organization, as the result of the

1827 to ls30 brought George Monabrick building in the northern part of the | chal, Anderson B. Matthews and his fatherin-law, John Heavin, A. Pickett, William

Cloverdale village is the second largest j point in the county, aud is not tar from the \ center of the township. Its history will be j jHven later on.