Columbia Township

Columbia Township

COLUMBIA is the central of the southern tier of townships of the county, and lies south of Connersville Township, west of the river, north of Franklin County, and east of the township of Orange. It was one of the original townships into which the county was divided in 1819, and at that time its boundaries were designated as follows: "Beginning at the southeast corner of Section 33 in Township 13, Range 13; thence west along the line dividing the counties of Franklin and Fayette to the western boundary of the county of Fayette; thence north along said count}- line live miles; thence on a direct line east to the northwest corner of Section 8, in Township 13, Range 12; thence east along the line dividing Sections 8 and 9 in Township 13, Range 13; thence south on the line dividing said Sections 8 and 9, to the southwest corner of Section 16, Township and Range last aforesaid; thence east to the line dividing the counties of Franklin and Fayette; thence south along the said line to the place of beginning."

The township then included, besides its present territory, all of Orange Township as it now is, exceptthe two northern tiers of sections, and all of Jackson as it now is, except the two eastern tiers of sections south of Jennings Township. This latter territory it lost on the formation of Jackson in 1820, and the former on the formation of Orange in 1822.

The surface of the country is rolling, portions of which are considerably broken, though along the river are fine bottoms of most excellent land. The streams are Fall Creek in the north, "West Fork of Whitewater River in the east, and crossing the central and southwestern portions are the north and south branches of Garrison's Creek. The land in general is less valuable than in other subdivisions unless it be Orange- Population in 1880, 803.

Land Enteies

The land lies in Township 13 north. Range 12 east, and was sold by the government, as follows: Northeast quarter of Section 27, 1811, to John

Grist. Northeast quarter of Section 28, 1811, to Moses Martin. Southwest quarter of Section 22, 1811, to Charles Scott and R. Russell. Northeast quarter of Section 33, 1811, to Edward Webb. Northeast quarter of Section 34, 1811, to Elijah Limpus. Southeast quarter of Section 34, 1811, to M. Huston and H. J. Byram. Southwest quarter of Section 34, to Hugh Reed. Northeast quarter of Section 22, 1811, to Edward Webb. Southeast quarter of Section 22, 1811, to William Gerard. Northwest quarter of Section 14, 1811, to Nicholas Reagan. Southwest quarter of Section 14, 1811, to William Eagan. Northwest quarter of Section 23, 1811, to William Helm. Northeast quarter of Section 15, 1812, to Morgan Vardiman. Southwest quarter of Section 23, 1812, to Gabriel Ginn. Northeast quarter of Section 9, 1812, to Benjamin McCarty. Northwest quarter of Section 34, 1812, to John Richardson. Southeast quarter of Section 28, 1812, to Enoch Limpus. Southeast quarter of Section 29, 1813, to Jonathan Gillam. Southeast quarter of Section 27,

1813, to Allen Crisler. Section 10, 1813, to John Knox, Jaraes Hamilton, James Newhouse and Christopher Ladd, each a quarter. Northwest quarter of Section 11, 1813, to W. S. Hand. Southwest quarter of Section 11, 1813, to Benjamin Sailor. Southeast quarter of Section 20, 1813, to John Bridges. Southwest quarter of Section 22, 1813, to Reuben Conner. Southeast quarter of Section 15, 1813, to William Helm. Northwest quarter of Section 15, 1814, to William Conner. Northeast quarter of Section 17,

1814, to James Buchanan. Southwest quarter of Section 17, 1814, to Robert Mitchell. Fractional Section 18, 1814, to Charles Hardy. Northeast quarter of Section 20, 1814, to Elijah Stevens. Northwest quarter of Section 20, 1814, to Wilson Waddams. Northwest quarter of Section 22, 1814, to John Conner. All except the southwest quarter of Section 8, 1814, to Benjamin McCarty, Samuel Logan and Samuel Newhouse each a quarter. Northwest quarterof Section 9, 1814, to R. Marshall, or Manhall. South half of Section 9, 1814, to Benjamin McCarty. Northwest quarter of Section 27, 1814, to William Conner. Southwest quarter of Section 21, 1814, to James Wiley. Northeast quarter of Section 30, 1815, to Robert Glidwell. Southwest quarter of Section 15, 1815, to Benjamin Sailor. Northwest quarter of SectioQ 28, 1816, to Elijah Allen. Northeast quarter of Section 29, 1816, to Eaoch Hills. Northwest quarter of Section 29, 1816, to Lewis Bishop. Southwest quarter of Section 8, 1817, to Gale Smith. Northwest quarter of Section 17, 1817, to Gale Hamilton. Fraction of Section 7, 1817, to S. Todd and William C. Drew. Eighty acres of Section 33, 1818, to Enoch Limpus. Eighty acres of the same section 1819, to Horatio Mason. (The remaining quarter of same section, 1831, in eighty-acre tracts to James Conwell, Henry Vandalson,Hugh Reed and Isaac Thomas.) East half of the southwest quarter of Section 27, 1818, to Allen Crisler. West half of same quarter, 1831, to William Wherrott. East half of the southwest quarter of Section 19, 1818, to Wilson Waddams. The rest of Section 19, from 1820 to 1835, mostly in forty and eighty. acre tracts, to Charles Hardy, Benjamin F. Utter, James Con well, George Klum, John G. Gray, John Ronald, John Combs, Horatio N. Burgoyne and William Jacobs. Southwest quarter of Section 20, 1832, to Elijah Stevens. The rest of Section 21, from 1839 to 1834, mostly in eighty-acre tracts,to Wilson Waddams, James Conwell and Isaac Limpus. The rest of Section 17, from 1832 to 1835, in forty and eighty-acre tracts, toH. N. Burgoyne, W. C. Plummer and James Conwell. The rest of Section 30, from 1832 to 1836, in small tracts to Charles Stevens, Benjamin Tharpe, Job Waltz and James Conwell. Forty acres, Section 32, 1834, to James Wells, Jr. Eighty acres of the same Section, 1826, to F. A Conwell. A portion of fractional Section 7, 1830, to Thomas Hibbs; 1832, to John G. Gray. The rest of Section 29, from 1831 to 1834, small tracts, to Cornelius and Rinerd Rinerson. Section 31, from 1826 to 1836, in small tracts, James Moore, Charles Melond, James Linville, Charles Morrow and S. Resum. Section 32, from 1831 to 1836, in small tracts, Rinerd Rinerson, Moses Harrell, John J. Shaw and F. A. Conwell.

Pioneer Settlement And Biography

Similar tracts of land in this township to those in most others were chosen by the first settlors, namely, those along the water courses. It will be noticed that all entries of land made in 1811 were along the river and on other streams.

The settlement of the township may be said to have been begun in the year 1811; however, it is quite probable that William Eagan, an Irishman, though from Maryland here, settled earlier. His brother, John, it is reliably said, was living in a cabin just over the river from the Nulltown bridge, in Jackson Township, in 1809. The writer has been unable to learn anything definite as to this settlement, but inasmuch as John and his father resided on the east side of the river, and almost on its very banks, and from the fact of William entering land among the first, upon which he lived and died, it is not unreasonable to suppose that he most likely came at the same time the other members of the family came.

The settlers who came in 1811, 1812 and 1813 settled along the streams named, and were with little, if any, exception, from the State of Kentucky. Those of whom any definite or satisfactory information could be obtained are William Helm, who on the 10th of March, 1811, with family emigrated from Mason County, Ky. He and his wife had been inmates of Bryant's Station during its memorable siege by the Indians, and the husband had been engaged for some time in the border wars. At the beginning' of the war of 1812 he was commissioned Major, and placed in command of the troops guarding the frontier. Judge Helm was deeply imbued with the hospitality of his countrymen. He was a strong and good man, and for a number of years was one of the Associate Judges of the county. "His judgment was sound, and his integrity above question.'' He was the father of Meredith Helm, of this county. Dr. Jefferson Helm, of Rush, and Robert D. Helm, of Wabash.

Edward Webb, John and perhaps Daniel Conner (the latter brothers) emigrated from Boone County, Ky., and settled on the Big Bottom, where they resided a year or two or more, and while there visited the Whitewater country, and some time prior to the fall of 1813 selected and purchased laud, built cabins, set out two orchards and in the spring of 1814 removed their families. Mr. Webb was a man of considerable ability and figured conspicuously in the early affairs of the county. On the organization of the county he was chosen one of the Associate Judges and was honored with that office for twenty-seven consecutive years, at the expiration of which time he tendered his resignation for the reason that his hearing had become so affected that he could not hear the testimony.

In the fall of 1813 - not long before Christmas - Allen Crisler and Joshua Crigler, from Boone County, Ky., settled in the same neighborhood, and occupied one or both cabins above referred to until their own homes were built.

Bays, Charles Scott, the Gillams, Jonathan and David, and James Newhouse (from Virginia) settled in the township prior to 1814; Isaac, Enoch, Levi, Elijah and Jonathan Limptis, brothers, natives of Virginia, though they had settled in Kentucky early, going from thence to Butler County, Ohio, and to what is now Columbia Township in 1813.

Many of these early families were related and came from the same locality. The Webbs, Conners, Criglers, Crislers, Helms and Hacklemans were all connected in some way.

Philip and Horatio Mason with their wives settled on Garrison's Creek in 1817. They emigrated from Herkimer County, N. Y. , in the spring of 1816, going by sleigh to Olean Point on the Allegheny River, thence to Cincinnati by raft and to the vicinity of Laurel by wagon. Samuel Jenks, a brother-in-law to Philip Mason, was a resident of that vicinity and with him Philip stopped and shared their cabin home until in Januai'y, 1817, when he removed to a cabin upon land on Garrison's Creek, which he had previously purchased. He assisted Mr. Jenks during the season of 1816 in raising a crop of corn. This season was known throughout the United States as the cold season. Dr. Mason thus refers to it in his autobiography. "We finished planting our corn on the morning of the 7th day of June, our fingers suffering from the cold. Though we had frost early in October, which injured our corn, yet we had what might be said to have been good crops, yielding at least fifty bushels of good corn to the acre."

Dr. Mason became pi'ominent in the affairs of the county. Before Fayette County was formed he served as one of the Commissioners of Franklin County. He was active, useful and conspicuous from the very beginning in the pioneer settlements of the vicinity in which he resided and prominent in subsequent life. He was an early teacher, farmer, miller, merchant, physician, practicing at various points throughout the county. He was one of the early militia officers. In 1839 he was chosen the first Judge of the Probate Court of the county and served as such until 1834. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1835 with Caleb B. Smith. He served again in that body in 1838 and in 1840. Dr. Mason was a very prominent Free Mason. He served as Master of Warren Lodge of Connersville for a period of thirteen years, and as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State eight years.

"George Pogue emigrated from South Carolina in the year 1814, and settled at the 'Block-house' at William Wilson's, on the west fork of Whitewater, six miles above the town of Brookville, Franklin County. At that time it was necessary for all immigrants to settle near some military post, for protection against Indian invasions. In the spring of 1816 he moved to Fayette County, about five miles southwest of Connersville, and in 1818 he moved to the town of Conner.sville, remaining there until 1820, when he fitted up a team, and with two or three of his sons started to locate a home on White River. Mr. Pogue was accompanied by John McCormaek and family (a wife and two children), who had resided for many years in the vicinity of Connersville. Mr. McCormaek went out with the double purpose, first of boarding Mr. Pogue's hands while engaged in building a cabin and clearing a few acres of ground; and secondly, of locating a home for himself. The site chosen by Pogue for his cabin is about one mile east of the court house in the city of Indianapolis, and about eighty rods north of the National road. Afterward when the location of the city of Indianapolis was made, it was found that a few acres of Pogue's clearing was on the 'Donation,' that is, within the four sections donated for a capital for the State. His family, after the cabin was built, immediately moved from Connersville to their new home. The next year (1821) Mr. Pogue's neighbors were John Willson, Thomas Chinn, and Harris Tyner.

"Early in this year Mr. Pogue's horses strayed away toward the settlements on Whitewater, and soon afterward he took his dog and gun and started iu pursuit. Visiting Connersville, and not finding them, he then came through the new settlements on Little Flat Rock, spending some days with his son, William Pogue, and then started on his return home, making Richard Tyner's, on Blue River, near Morristown, the first night. Here he heard of an Indian camp on Sugar Creek, some eight or ten miles west, where horses answering to the description of his had been seen a few days before ifi possession of the Indians. The next morning Mr. Pogue started for the Indian camp, and the last time ho was ever seen was at the crossing of Blue River, near Mr. Tyner's. A few days after this his dog returned home. It was generally thought that the Indians murdered him; if so, it was probably the last mui'der committed by Indians in central Indiana. If I recollect correctly, a few years later one of his horses was found in possession of the Indians, in the Upper Wabash country.

"The widow of Mr. Pogue lived here for a number of years, raising a large family of children. A few years ago she was still living, at an advanced age, with her daughter, Mrs. Anna Fullen, near Crawfordsville, having spent a life-time in anxiously awaiting some ray of light on the mysterious disappearance of her long lost husband. The land on which the cabin stood was bought by Gov. Noble, and the only time I ever visited the site was on the occasion when the "Great Commoner" from Kentucky, Henry Clay, made his first and only visit to the capital of our State, in October, 1842, and made his celebrated speech to 30,000 persons assembled in the beautiful grove near the residence of Gov. Noble. The sentiments uttered by that great statesman became the keynotes for the Presidential campaign of 181:8. William Pogue and myself had come over from Rushville, by the way of Greenfield, and joined the escort of the State's distinguished guest at the latter place, and had done our share of ' kicking up a dust, ' along the National road to the Capitol, the main caravan f rom Eushville of 250 wagons having taken the direct road to Indianapolis.

"But I must not digress, as these incidents may come up iu a future number. What I wish to say is, that after the speech, William Pogue invited me to take a walk with him, a few rods north from the speaker's stand, and visit the site where he, twenty-two years before, had helped his father erect the first cabin in all that country, on the banks of a beautiful little creek that still bears the name of 'Pogue's Run,' its clear, limpid waters still sparkling and flashing in the sunlight, as in the days of yore, ever reminding the visitor of that sturdy old pioneer, George Pogue, who, in primitive times, marked out the first road through the dense forest, from the Whitewater Valley to the site of the State capital, but of whose resting-place, no man knows. After the erection of Pogue's cabin, Mr. McCormack located and built up a home somewhere in the vicinity, probably on what was afterward the 'Donation;' but of the exact site neither history nor tradition affords any satisfactory information this late day. Mr. McCormack died a little over fifty years ago, and part of his large family found homes in Rush County. One little waif (Mary Ann) floated to my father's house, and afterward became the wife of James Hawkins, who for a number of years was an honored citizen of the Upper Wabash Valley, and whose oldest son marched at the head of a company with ' Sherman to the Sea.' Mrs. McCormack always claimed to be the first white woman that lived within the limits of the city of Indianapolis, and her claim was probably correct. She died about the year 1878, having lived a number of years with a second husband, a Mr. King, near the Bluflfs of White River. On the last visit of Mrs. King to her niece, Mrs. James S. Sailors, of Indianapolis, in 1875, an ovation was given her by some of the old citizens of the place, at which time a t7o(M->iaZ reporter snatched from oblivion several incidents of olden times, as related by her."

the township, though his hair is silvered by the frosts of quite ninety winters, came to the neighborhood in August, 1815, locating on Williams Creek, but in the course of a year or little more removed to the vicinity of his present residence, and with little exception has resided there ever since. Mr. White is a native of Virginia, born in 1795. His father died when he was quite young; his mother remarrying, he, in his sixteenth year, left home, going to the State of Kentucky. In August, 1813, at Somerset, in that State, he volunteered in the Fifteenth Regiment, Kentucky Infantry, commanded by Col. Salter, Lieutenant-Governor of the State. He was on the vessel commanded by Commodore Perry, at Lake Erie, three days after the battle, and while it was yet stained with blood. He was in Shelby's brigade in the reserve of Johnson, at the battle of the Thames, and viewed the lifeless form of Tecumseh, on the batle-tield. He was on the picket line at New Orleans that brought on the battle, in which he participated; his service in all consisting of two compaigns, the first of three months' duration, when he retired to the farm, resuming his occupation. Here he remained, until, feeling that his country was in peril, he, like Cincinnatus of old, left the plow in the furrow, and again went to the front and served for a period of nine months and three days. Mr. White, in 1821, married Emelia, daughter of Allen Crisler, and they have shared life's joys and cares together upward of sixty-three years. A modest little log-cabin on the brow of a hill, just below the village of Alpine, commanding a beautiful and picturesque view of the river and suiTounding hills, built by his own hands, and which for more than a half century has sheltered them from the storms of winter and summer's heat, is yet their dwelling place, where around the hearthstone of their early married years happy hours were whiled away, and where played their children and children's children, this venerable and pure-minded couple are passing the evening of their lives together.*

Reuben Conner, from Boone County, Ky. , settled in the township in 1819. He was occupied as a farmer, and died in 1847. He was the father of B. F. Conner, of this county.

A number of these early pioneers not only were identified in the great transformation of the wilderness into blossoming fields, but played their part in the early political, civil and religious history of the county. We have noticed above the valuable services of Judges Webb and Helm and Dr. Mason. Two of the Conners, John and Daniel, were for a long

The old residence built and occupied by Judge Webb about 1817 still stands, occupying a site on the fertile bottom land along Whitewater River, a situation commanding a beautiful view. It is of the second class of pioneer cabins, constructed of hewed logs, two stories high and the building in size being about 18x28 feet; on the north end of the building is a large chimney constructed of stone of various sizes, built on the outside of the house; two doors from without open into the house, one on either side. Below on either side is one window, though of different sizes, and on the east side of the second floor are two half or garret windows. Within the house are three apartments, one above and two below, each floor being provided with one fireplace, large below and small on the second floor. This is said to have been the substantial house of that day in the settlement.

Just below Nulltown, and not far from the old burying-ground, stood the old block-house built by the settlement for protection against the Indians during the war of 1S12.

The Winchol family settled in what is now the township, during the first decade in the century, and formed a part of that noble band instrumental in converting the forests of that day into the beautiful fields of this.

Mills And Distilleries

The first mill in the township is thought to have been a saw-mill erected by Allen Crisler. It stood not far from the present site of the barn of William Seals, at the north end of Alpine. This mill was in operation in the summer of 1815, and was built not far from that time, likely in 1814. Dr. Mason in his autobiography speaks of framing a mill-house for Allen Crisler in the summer of 1816. The Doctor traded his farm for the mill that fall, and thus speaks of it: "There was a very good saw-mill, with a separate building, a good stone wall for the first story, on which stood the frame I had put up for a mill-house, with one run of common granite millstones, and a bolting chest with a small bolt, which was turned by hand for bolting flour made from wheat." The mills were operated by the Doctor and his brother Horatio, who became a partner, until in the fall of 1818, when the same parties resumed their old possessions - trading back. In about 1817 John A. White commenced as the miller at this mill. Subsequently a still-house and hemp-mill were added, and all four operated by Col. Crisler, until a change in the coarse of the river destroyed the power and all vrent into disuse.

date at Nulltown, which finally passed into the hands of the Null brothers, Israel and Michael, who built an addition to it - a little grist-mill - and after Crisler's mill went down, the Nulls built a very large flouring and grist-mill, which was not in operation many years, the canal and hydraulic destroying the power.

Not far from 1844 the present grist-mill at Alpine was built by Thomas J. Crisler, James and John Limpus. This was operated by these men for a time, then passed through various hands, and in 1863 it was purchased by Thomas and A. N. Bruner, and it is still in the Bruner name. The saw-mill here was built by the same parties two years prior.

In the early history of the township there were copper stills operated on almost every spring or branch. About 1819 William Helm had one in operation on Garrison's Creek, and about the same time John Conner had one on his farm. On Garrison's Creek, in 1815 or thereabouts, there was quite an extensive distillery carried on by Wilson Waddams. He at first, while Indiana was yet a Territory, operated a small still, and some later built the large one. There was a corn ci-acker in connection with the latter.

About the year 1833 H. N. Burgoyne built a saw and grist-mill in Section 19 on the south fork of Garrison's Creek, which after changing hands a number of times fell into the possession of Nathan Lewis and brother, some twenty years ago, and was carried on by them two years, when they built the present saw-mill on that site.

Probably one mile above the Wilson Waddam mill and distillery, on the south fork of Garrison's Creek, Isaac Thomas built a saw-mill not far from forty years ago.

Isaac Limpus for several years operated a copper still on his land. Some forty-eight or fifty years ago James Limpus carried on distilling on a large scale near Columbia.

The distillery now below Nulltown was removed from Jackson Township by a company some eight or ten years ago, by whom the business was carried on several years. It is not in use at present.

Early Schools

The first schoolhouse built in the township was near the old graveyard and Franklin Church just below Nulltown, erected in the Kentucky settlement probably in the spring or summer of 1815. Gabriel Ginn, who is thought to have taught the first school in this house in 1815, was the master in that house and settlement for several years. This schoolhouse was built prior to the old Franklin meeting house that stood by it, which was commenced in 1815. Some years later school was taught in a cabin about one mile southwest of Alpine, by Mark Whitacre, a Kentuckian; Robert Helm and Miss Klum taught in that neighborhood. In 1821 or just prior thereto a log cabin schoolhouse was built about one mile west of Alpine; Daniel Mclntyre, a Kentuckian, taught here early. Misa Klum and Dr. Philip Mason also taught in this house. In speaking of the winter of 1820-21, Dr. Mason, in his autobiography, says, "I then engaged to teach a school during the next winter in a log-cabin schoolhouse that stood on my land. Early in December I commenced my school. It was made up of children from seven to seventeen years of age, all of whom had had very limited opportunities of learning. A. B. C's. , spelling and reading constituted by far the most that was taught. A few learned to write, and a very few studied the simples of arithmetic." ***** Jq subsequent houses built for the accommodation of the children in this section of the county, or vacated dwelling cabins used for school purposes, Benjamin Smith, David Allen, George Winchell and Jefferson Crisler are remembered as teachers.

In the northern part of the township, on the Hink- Bon Halstead land, stood one of the early school - houses of that section of the country. John Bonald taught the first school in this cabin.

Churches And Grave -Yabd8

At the grave -yard just south of Nulltown was originally located the Old School Baptist Church. The land now constituting the grave-yard and that adjoining it on the north, where the old meetinghouse stood, was purchased of Abraham Bays and William Egan late in the year 1814, or in January, 1815. On the 5th of February, 1814, at an assembly of the Old School Baptists residing in the surrounding country, it was agreed to meet at the house of Mary Martin on Garrison's Creek, March 27th following, for the purpose of constituting a church. At this meeting Elders Lewis Dewesse and William Tyner, from Cedar Grove, Elder James Smith from West Fork, and Elder John Blades, with some lay members or messengers, constituted the church, which was designated, Franklin Baptist Church, with the following members: Charles Scott, William and Elizabeth Helm, Archibald and Rachel Guthrie, Allen and Frances Crisler, John and Polly Conner, Joshua and Sarah Crisler, David and Elizabeth Gilliam, Jonathan and Polly Gilliam, William and Sarah Morgan, Edward and Polly Webb, John Webb, James and Elizabeth Newhouse, and Hugh Brownlee.

Meetings were held at private dwellings until the meeting house was constructed, which they agreed to build the following February. This meeting-house was constructed of hewed logs, having one story and a gallery. In March, 1815, Messrs. Webb, Crisler and Sailors were appointed to let the building of the meeting-house to the lowest bidder. It seems from the records that the gallery, pulpit lloor and seats were not finished until 1817; however, the building was in use long before its completion.

The pulpit was for several years supplied by the preachers from the neighboring churches. John Conner was ordained an Elder in 1817, who, in connection with Elder James Newhouse, served the church until his death, and the latter until his removal. Later, another of the Elders was Daniel Conner. Elder Madison Conner was for years one of the regular resident ministers. Next came Elder William Sparks, who still preaches for them. The old meeting-house in the course of years became unfit for use, and not far from 1850 was abandoned, and the congregation secured land of Allen Crisler at Alpine, that point being more convenient, and upon it built the present frame edifice.

In 1855 the present frame church building near the grave-yard before referred to was erected and has since been used by the Fayette Baptist Church. This was the outgrowth of the division in the church general, occurring in 1845 or 1840. June 30, 1849, Elder Daniel Conner, H. D. Conner and wife, Mary Conner, Nancy Reed, Henry Morrfs, Corwin Millspaugh and wife, and Benjamin F. Carter were constituted the Fayette Baptist Church. Before the erection of the meeting-house services were held in the neighborhood schoolhouse. Elder Daniel Conner, until his death, was the regular preacher in charge of the congregation. He was assisted by Elders Harvey Wright, Corwin Millspaugh, H. W. Conner and Benjamin F. Carter, four gifts that had soon come out of the church, and were ordained in 1854, from that year until they were removed by death or left the neighborhood. One of the number. Elder D. H. Conner, is still with the conejreg'ation.

The first person buried in the old grave yard was the body of Sally Martin, who died in 1814 or 1815. The oldest grave marked by a tombstone is that of Elizabeth Fullen, consort of Samuel Fullen, born January 30, 1775, died November 18, 1818. Among the aged whose remains rest here and are marked by tombstones bearing legible inscriptions are Phoebe, wife of John Egan, died in 1855, aged sixty-five years; Levi Limpus, died in 1867, aged seventy-nine years; Elizabeth Limpus, died in 1854, aged sixtyfour years; Joel Scott, died in 1855, aged sixty-nine years; Ellen Burrows, died in 1831, aged seventythree years; Thomas Ross, died in 1877, aged ninetysix years.

the family of that name - parents, daughters, and a son, John, and possibly others. The father was a local preacher, who had traveled in Georgia before his location here. This was an appointment on the Oonnersville Circuit when it was organized in 1822, with which it remained until Columbia Circuit was organized in 1851, with Rev. Thomas Williams as preacher. Since that time Columbia has been one of the appointments with the several Methodist Episcopal Churches in the western part of the county. Their next frame edifice was erected some years prior to the late war.

Near the church is a beautiful cemetery which is dotted over with graves marked by a number of monuments of neat and pretty design. The yard does not give evidence of age, as the oldest inscription we found bears the date of 1845. Among the aged interred here were Liters Black, died in 1881, aged eighty-live years; William Jones, born in 1790, died in 1871; Lucinda Jones, born in 1790, died in 1862; William Wherrett, died in 1852, aged eighty-one years; Zimri Utter, born in 1794, died in 1880; Susan, his wife, born in 1798, died in 1864.

TuUis Chapel, a Methodist Episcopal Church, situated in the northern part of the township, dates back to the organization of Connersville Circuit, in 1822, at which time a class had been assembling at the house of Mr. Hinkson, which was located in what is now the southern part of Connersville Township. Among the early members were John Hinkson and wife Elizabeth, and their daughter Susan, Anna Reagan, a Mrs. Roberts, William Harrall, and George Hinkson and wife. Of this class John Grace was the Leader. The first building erected by the society was of brick, and not far from the year 1836. The present building was built during the early part of the late war Until the organization of Columbia Circuit in 1851, this appointment was on Connersville Circuit. It has since been connected with other societies along the western part of the county - on circuits that have since been the outgrowth of Connersville Circuit.

The grave-yard near by is as old as the church. One acre of ground for both purposes was given by Henry Tullis. The new building was erected on ground deeded by John Messersmith.

In 1829, or by the spring of 1830, the Rev. John D. Thompson, formerly an Old School Baptist minister, though then recently preaching the doctrines of the Reformation (Campbellism), organized such a society at the house of Judge Webb, along the river near Nulltown. This may be said to have been the beginning of what years afterward resulted in the society organized at Columbia, which erected the church building still standing there, though with little exception disused during the past decade by that denomination. Among those identified with the church in after years were the Blakes, Utters, Thomases, Heizers, Michners and Johnsons.

Not far from 1855 the United Brethren Church located close by the Lewis saw-mill on the creek was erected, the organization having taken place some time previous. The minister organizing the society and for some time the preacher in charge was Rev. Mr. Shumway. Among the early members of the church were the Stephenses, Wilsons, and Cushners. Of the early ministers who preached to this people are remembered Revs. John Morgan and Alexander Carroll.

What is known as the old Webb burying-ground, located on high ground on the creek west of the old Webb homestead, heretofore described, had its origin in the family burying-ground of the Judge, after whose death the land fell to a son. Forest, who deeded it to the county for a public place of burial. This was not in use quite as early as the old Franklin j^ard. The first interment here was an infant grandchild of Judge Webb. In this yard rest the remains of many of the pioneers of the vicinity:

Michael Hackleman, died in 1869, aged eighty years; Edward Webb, died in 1851, aged eighty-one years; Reuben Conner, died in 1847, aged sixty-nine years; Nancy Conner, died in 1870, aged eighty-six years; Sarah Gaines, died in 1858, aged seventy-six years; Allen Crisler, died in 1837, aged fifty-eight years; Frances Crisler, died in 1846, aged sixty-two years; Joshua Crigler, died in 1859, aged seventyfive years; Sallie Crigler, died in 1839, aged fortyfive years.

Columbia, situated north of the center of the township, was laid out on the lands of Isaac Limpus and James Buchanan; that part north of Main Street and the State road, on the land of the latter, and that south of Main Street, on the land of Isaac Limpus. The surveying was done by Isaac Fowler, June 15, 1832. In 1849 an addition to the place was made by one Martin. Isaac Limpus is thought to have built the first frame house in the hamlet, and in it he kept a place of entertainment, or inn. He was licensed by the Commissioners to keep a grocery and retail liquor in 1834. The year previous John Hardy was granted a license as a merchant, which was renewed for several years. Later, George Scott, David Smith and George Logan sold goods here.

In 1843 the hamlet had two general stores kept by George Scott and Horatio Mason and John Hardy; one wagon -making shop, by Louis Black; one general repair shop, by D. O' Darby; one shoe shop and postoffice combined, by William Wherrett, and one blacksmith shop, by Joseph Little.

The estimated population of the place at this time is fifty, and it consists of a postoffice, one repair wagon shop, a blacksmith shop, and a church (two church buildings).

Alpine, situated in the eastern part of the township, is a station on the Whitewater Valley Railroad, and consists of a few dwelling houses, one store, one saw-mill, one grist-mill, a cooper-shop, and a blacksmith shop.

The hamlet of NuUtown is located on the same railroad, nearly two miles north of Alpine. It is also a station on the railroad, and a postoffice is located here. The place has two stores.

Half- Century Citizens

John A. White and wife, James Limpus and wife, T. J. Crisler and wife, John Limpus, Mary Conner, Margaret Limpus, Anna Reed, John Conner, William Perkins, Thomas Reed, William Mcllwain, James Cotton, Hiram Custer and wife, Levi Pike and wife, Charles Stephens, Julia Conner, Forrest Webb and wife, George Clam and wife, Charles Hardy and wife, Jack Stephens and wife, Jemima Heizer, Lydia Heizer, George Utter, Jemima Northern, Delilah Hall, G. W. Eddy, Jane Eddy, Otho McCarty.

Source changes here: from History of Fayette County, Indiana : Her People, Industries and Institutions, by Barrows, Frederic Irving, published 1917; 9,187 words in this source stream.

Columbia Township

Columbia township, one of the five townships organized by the county cou^ittissioners on February 8, 1819, originally included all of its present limits, more than half of Jackson and all but the two northern tiers of sections of Orang-e township. Its limits as defined originally were as follows : "Beginning at the southeast corner of section 33 in township 13, range 13; thence west along the line dividing the counties of Franklin and Fayette to the western boundary of the county of Fayette; thence north along said county line five miles ; thence along a direct line east to the northwest corner of section 8, in township 13, range 12; thence east along the line dividing sections 8 and 9 in township 13, range 13; thence south along the line dividing said sections 8 and 9, to the southwest corner of section 16, township and range last aforesaid; thence east to the line dividing the counties of Franklin and Fayette; thence south along the said line to the place of beginning."

When Jackson township was organized by the commissioners at their August, 1820, session it was made to embrace all that part of Columbia township east of White Water. Two years later, February 18, 1822, Orange township was organized by the commissioners, leaving Columbia township with its present limits. -

All of tlie recent township falls \\ithin the Twelve-mile Purchase of 1809, except a small portion of sections 18 and 7, in the northwestern part of the township. All of the seventeen sections and six fractional sections of land in the township lie in township 13. range 12.

The first land entries were recorded in 1811, eleven settlers having entered upon land during that year. .\ complete list of the land entries of the township, designated by sections, is as follows :

Section 19 - Sold in 1818 and 1820-1835 to Wilson Waddams, Charles Hardy, Benjamin F. Utter. James Conwell, George Klum, John G. Gray, John Ronald, John Combs, il. N. Burgoyne and William Jacobs.

One of the iirst things to be noticed in connection with the settlement of the township is that nearly all of the land entries made in 181 1 were along the water courses. William Eagen is thought by many of the pioneers to have been the earliest settler in this township. With only a few excei>- tions, nearly all of the early settlers came from Kentucky. Among the number were William Helm, Edward Webb, John Conner, .\llen Crisler, Joshua Crigler, Vincent Cooper and Michael Hackleman. From Virginia came Abraham Bays, Charles Scott, Jonathan, David and James Newhouse, Isaac, Enoch. Levi, Elijah and Jonathan IJmpus.

Philip and Horatio Mason, with their wi\es, settled on Garrison creek in i8ig. They emigrated from Herkimer county. New York, in the spring of 1 8 16, going by sleigh to some point on the Allegheny river, ithence to Cincinnati by raft and to the vicinity of Laurel by wagon. Samuel Jenks, a brother-in-law of Philip Mason, was a resident of that vicinity and with him Philip stopped and shared their cabin until January, 181 7, when he removed to a cabin that stood near Ciarrison creek.

In 1819, Joshua Heizer, a native of Virginia and a soldier of the War of 1812, settled in the township, as also did Reuben Conner, from Kentucky.

During the early part of the century Judge Webb constructed what was considered to be the most substantial cabin of that day in that settlement. The cabin occupied a site on the fertile bottom land along White Water river, a situation connnanding a beautiful view. It was of the second class of pioneer cabins, constructed of hewed logs, two stories high and the building being eighteen by twenty-eight feet in size. On the north end of the building was a large chimney, constructed of stone of various sizes, built on the outside of the house. Two doors from without opened into the House, one on either side. Below on either side was a window, though of different sizes, and on the east side of the second door were two half or garret windows. \Vithin the house were three apartments, one above and two below, each floor being provided with one fireplace, large below and small on the second floor.

The industries durino- tlie early days were confined mostly to mills and distilleries. The first mill in the township is thoujjht to have been a saw-mill erected 1>\ .\llcn t'risler and which stood at the north end of the village of Alpine. Doctor .Mason became the owner of the mill in 1X16 and operated a flour-mill in connection. A still-house and a hemp-mill were added, all four beinsj operated under the i^eneral luanaijement of Colonel Crisler, until a change in the course of the ri\er destroyed the power and then all went out of use.

.\t a very early day a saw-mill was luiilt at .Xulltown by Thomas Silvey, who sold it to Null brothers, .\fter they became the owners they added a very small grist-mill and then, after Crisler's mill went out of oi>eration, thev built a large flouring- and grist-mill. Avhich was not in operation manv years, the canal and hydraulic destroying the ])ower.

.\l)Out 1H44 a grist-mill was built at Alpine by Thomas Crisler. James and John Timpus. In 1863 the mill was purchased by Thomas and .\. X. Briuier. who operated the same for many years.

During the period of early settlement several men operated copper stills, aiuong whom were \Villiam Helm, on Garrison creek, and John Conner. Wilson \\'addams also o])erated a corn cracker in connection with his still.

.\ saw- antl grist-mill w;is erected by H. X. P>urgo\-ne about 1833 in section iq. on the south fork of Garrison's creek. The mill changed owners many times antl finally Xathan Lewis and brother became the proprietors. .\fter operating the mill alwiut two years, they built a new saw-mill.

E.Vui.V Schools

The first school house built in the township was near the 1-ranklin church, iust below Xulltown. erected in 1S15. The first school teacher seems to have been Gabriel (Hun. \ few years later a school was conducted in an old cabin about a mile southwest of \l])ine by Mark Whitacre. Robert Helm and a lady by the name of Klum also taught in the same comnuuiitv. About i8_'i a log school house was built one mile west of .\lpine and among the first teachers were Daniel McTntyre and Dr. Philip Mason.

Probably the ttrst school in the northern part of the township was held in the little log house that stood on the farm of Hinkson Halstead. John Ronald was the first teacher.

This little \ illa^e of Coluniliia. located north of the center of Columbia township, has a histor}' not uncommon to the other villages of the county. At one time it served well- its purpose as a local commercial and tradingcenter. The. little hamlet was laid out on laild beldn_^ittg- to ISaac Limpus and James Buchanan and was surveyed b\- Isaac Fowler, June 15, 1832. An addition was made to the original plat in 1849 liy a man by the name of Martin.

The first man to build a house in the village was Isaac Limpus, and in it he conducted an inn. He was also the first postmaster, the postoffice having l)een established on February t6. 1833. For several )'ears following he conducted a grocery and saloon. In 1835, John Hardy was granted a license as a merchant, a privilege which was renewed for several years. Later merchants were George Scott, David Smith and George Logan.

In 1843 the hamlet had two general stores kept by George Scott and Horatio and John Hardy ; one shoe-shop and postoffice combined, by William Wherrett; one blacksmith shop, by Joseph Little; a general repair shop, l)y IX O. Darby; one wagon shop, by Louis Black. What was once a lix'ely commercial center has long since fallen into decay, and at the present lime the little hamlet consists of a Methodist church, one store conducted by Will Larmore, and a few houses.

.\s Macaula} has (lei)icteil ancient Ronie in all of its tiillncss, sn has William H. Tate preserxed for all (generations a <:^rai)hic descrijition of the little village of C'ohimhia as outlined in the following- poem:

Thk Village Oi-' Columbia

Sometime in eighteen hundred and thirty-five, .John Hardy, who was then nli\e. Thought he himself would liU(> to tlii-ivo. And oi)ene<l up a store to drive Ike Limpus from his hive.

Soon after Hardy cast here his lot. The store of Linipus was quite forgot ; Then came another, knowni as George Scott, Followed by Dave Smith and (Jeorge Logan. I wot - And all playing for the self-same pot.

The old town liiiU conclemuecl to use Still stands, a model of excuse; For social welfare's plain abuse, I-iike a game wliere playing's loose And the ace is taken by the deuce.

In nineteen seventeen there is but one store Kept open now by one Will Larmore; This makes it seem like times of yore When Henry Crago swung his door To welcome customers upon his floor.

Xo blood has slained the sacred soil In this old town of ceaseless toil. No troi)ic heat has risen up to boil. No arctic breezes are here to foil. No wells are here to give us oil.

The hum of spindjes can't be heard. The only sound is simg of bird; The woodman's axe is .seldom incurred The rattle of cars lias never occurred To disturli our people in (piiet interred.

Xnlltowii, a village of seventy-eight people, is located in the northwestern part of Cohimliia township and is five miles south of the county seat. It is also another village that owes its (jrigin to the mills erected during the period of early settlement. The village apparently was named in honor of the Null brothers, Israel and Michael, who became the owners of a saw-mill built at this point at an early date and later the ]>roprietors of a riouring- and grist-mill. .V jjostofiice was estal)lished here, February 26. 1847, and called Ashland, later known as Null's Mills and finally designated as Nulltown. James .\i. Conner was appointed the first postmaster and was succeeded by the following: William O'Neal, January 24, 1848-49;

Caleb P). Clements. i84()-i8si: Snlnnion I'.rown. i(S5i-i<S5_' ; Oliver (iritiliii. 1852-1854: Solomon Hn-wn. 1854-1855; Oliver C. McUvvain, 1855^857: Nelson M. Smith. 1857-1858: Anthony j. Cavender, 1858-1861: Oliver II. Millspaugh, 1861 to May 4, 1864 ; discontinued ) : Henry Alcllwain, March 19, 1867 (re-established) to 1870: Samuel Cra.sjo, 1870-1873: John W. Tilton, 1873-1874: Sere]>ta King, 1874-1881 : Jacob Faikert. 1881-1884; Andrew J. Salver, 1884. Among later i)ostmasters were VAun Turner and Jacob I<"aikert, the last incumlient of the office. The vfllage and the ci immunity is now being ser\ ed by a rural route out <it the count)- seat. Dora l-'aikert has the only store in the hamlet : b'aikert Brothers handle farming inT]>lejnents. coal and building supplies.

Alpine

The \'illage of .\lpine. located iu the eastern jiart of Columbia township, owes its origin to the mills erected there during the early settlement of the count\-. The lirst luill in the township was a saw-mill erected about 1814 by Allen Crisler at the north end of the \illage. A postoffice was established ^'ebruar^- J4. 1868. with William T. l.imjius ;is postmaster.

Alpine is a station mi tlie Cbicag(j, Cincinnati, Clexeland and St. Louis railroad, about seven miles south of Connersville and foiu" miles north of Laurel, the banking point for the village. Idie noi)ulation is about sixty. E. 1. Chance conducts a general store and is also postmaster, railroad and e.Kpress agent. The industries include two saw-mills, one operated b\ Sherwood Brothers and the other by Shuttleworth & Stone.

Herein

Berlin was one of the villages which came into existence as the result of the building of the canal. It was laid out In Dr. I'hilip Ma.son, who was also the proprietor, and recorded October 2(), 1838. It was a ])retentious village - on paper - of seventy-three lots and was located about half way lietween Nulltown and \l])ine (section 23, township 13, range 12). on the west side of the canal. It may be better defmeil to the ])resent generation as being located at the crossing of the second road south of Xulltown and the river road. There was never much of a \illage at this point. The best evidence on the village gives it a shoe sho]) owned by Morgan T. N'ardiman.

a store 1>elonging to S. Brown, a i)hysician named John Turner and a few dwellins^ houses. As a 'trading center it could not comi>ete with Nulltown to the north and Alpine to the south, and within a few years it ceased to have anything which might give it the right to be called a village. Apparently it was born only to die and can hardly he called a town at any stage of its brief career.

Connersville township, one of the five townships of the county organized February 9. 1810, was set off as follows: "Beginning at the southwest comer of section 5, township i_^. range 13: thence west to the western extremity of said county of Fayette; thence north four miles; thence east to the line dividing sections 20 and 17, in township 14, range 12; thence east to the northeast corner of section 20. in townshi]) 14, range 13; thence south to place of beginning." Thus the township included as much territory as it does today, with the addition of the two northern tiers of sections of Orange township, and the two southern tiers of sections of Fairview township. W^ith the creation of Orange township February 18, 1822, Connersville township was left with its present limits.

The township is the largest in the county, containing thirty-two full sections of land. An examination of the original entries of the township discloses the fact that practicalh- all of the township had been entered before the county was organized in iSiQ. Tiie first' land entities wei-e recorded in 181 I, no less than twenty settlers entering land in that }-ear. The last entry was made in 1833. .\ comj)lete list of the land entries of the township, described by township, range and section, is exhibited in the following table:

Section ii)- - Sold in i8_>i, 1822, 1824 and 1830 to John Huston, .Scott Horsely, Isaac Martin, A. R. ( )rr. David, Milton and Benjamin Huston.

The first settlement in the to\vnshi]> w;is clustered around the tradingpost estahlLshed Ijv John Conner. The history of Connersx'ille township is larg-elv the history of the count}- seal, which for many x'ears has contained more than half of the ]K)pulation of the cinii-ity. In 1910 the total population of the county was 14,415, while the population of Conner.sville and East Conners\-ille combined was 8,444.

The list of original land entries has been given, but in this township, as in all other t(-)w-nships of the count}-, many of those who entered land never settled on it. Since there was no land in the county open for entry before 181 1, all of the settlers prior to that date were "squatters" :uid were nominallv under the jurisdiction of either b'ranklin or Wa}ne counties, both of which were organized in 181 1. In fact, if the year 1808 is taken as the date for the hrst .settlement in tlie count}-, that of John Conner, it follows that there was a period of more than ten }-ears that the territory now comprehended within tl-ie limits of Fayette count}- was a j^arl of either Franklin or W'a}ne counties.

When John Conner conceixed the idea of la}-ing- out a tow-n in 1813, he ]irobabl\- had no idea that it would ever lie a county seat. If tradition ma\- be trusted in any wa\', the town of Waterloo rather than Conners^'ille was l(-)oked upon as the future count}- seat of a count}- which was to l)e org-anized out of parts of bTanklin and Wayne C(junties. In the organization of the county tlie fact was set forth that the iiurtheni limit of l*"rankiin county was the present houndary hue I>etween Conners\'ille and Harrison townships of Fayette county. Consequently, the history of Connersville township from 1808 until haxette county was ort;anized on February 8. i8i(;. is a part of the history of franklin cotinty.

As has been stated, practically all of the land in the townshi]) had been entered prior to the ori^ani/ation of the county, although as late as 181 5, it seems that there were not more than three or four houses on the present site of Ctmnersville. A large number of the men who entered land during" the War of 1812^ - that is, Ijetween the years of 1812 and 1815 - did not settle on their holdings until after the close of the war. While there is no record of any trouble with the Indians during this period, yet there is no doubt that it was because of the Indians that the tirst settlers did not locate with their families until after the treaty of peace with England. In the history of other townships of the coitnty references have been made to block houses which were built to provide protection against the Indians, and, as far as is now known, the block house which stood on the present site of Connersville was built for the purpose of housing all of the settlers of the vicinity in case of an Indian uprising.

John Conner probably settled on the site of Connersville in 1808 and for at least three years was the only white man li\ iiig in the township. He had an Indian wife, talked her language and existed solely b\- bartering with his Indian friends. In 181 r .Mexander Saxon came with his famil\- from Georgia and settled on the southeast (|uarter'of section 25, now within the limits of Conners\ille. and established a ferry across the river near his cabin. The onl}- other settler to \enlure into the township in 1811 for permanent settlement appears to have been John Perin, a native of Massachusetts, who entered a part of section 26 in that year and at once located upon it. This section adjoins the city of Conners\'ille on the southwest.

The War of 181 2 naturally hindered the settlement of the township, Init a few sturdy settlers )>raved the Indians and located in the townshij) in the year the war o])ened. ibises I.ockhart and Thomas K'eed. both of Kentucky, were among the lirst to arrive in the township in the s])ring of 181 2. Joseph Minor. John and Thomas Reed, Parkin Sims and Tobias Smith appeared to have made up the group of settlers who ctnie into the township (luring 1812. It is not known whether all of these men liroug-lit their (15)

The }'ear 1813 saw a few more settlers locating in the township. Thomas .Sargent, a native of North Carolina, later a resident of Virginia, still later ( 1807) a resident of Kentucky, came to Connersville township in 1813 and settled along the river south of the county seat. After Rush county was organized he entered land in that county and soon afterward left Fayette county for his new home. There were undoubtedly other settlers in tlie township in 1813, but it is impossilile to determine who they were.

The year 1814 saw the close of the War of 1812, Init there was still sufficient apprehension of the Indians to keep the settlers who had entered land in the township from settling on it. Among those who located here in that year were Thomas Hinkson, a native of Ireland, who had come to America in 1791 and located in .\dams county, Ohio. In February, 1814. he came to Connersville township and settled in section 34 on land which he had entered two years previously. Hinkson became the first surveyor of the comity and served in this capacity for several years. He did much of the early surveying, not only in Fayette county but also in adjoining counties. He laid out the tirst addition to Connersville. He died in 1850. John Philpott, a native of Kentucky, arrived in the township in the fall of 18 14. About the same time William Sj^arks, James Adair and Samuel Harlan, all of South Carolina, settled in the township. Still others to reach the township in the fall of 1814 were Nathan Aldridge, James Tweedy, Cornelius Williams, William Kdwards. J. F. Marshall and Benjamin Booe.

It was not until the spring of 1815 that it was known that the War of 18 1 2 -had closed, General Jackson fighting the battle of New Orleans on January 7, 1815, and this occurring about three weeks after the treaty had been signed. From this year emigration to Fayette county was very rapid and by the time the county was organized in 1819 there were settlers scattered all over Connersville township. In fact, they came in so fast that it is impossible to trace them year b\- year. Among those who located here in 1815 may l)e mentioned the following: Nathaniel Hamilton, two of whose sons were in the War of 1812, the family then living in Franklin county ; .Stanhope and Robert Royster, the former of whom served as associate judge and county commissioner : Benjamin Sailor, who had lived in Franklin county for a number of years ; Paul Davis and James Alexaufler. 1x)th of South Carolina : Zachariah Glover and two others., Hazielrigg and Lacy by name.

the families who located in the township prior to 1820. The population of the county in 1820 was three thousand nine hundred and fifty and it is undoubtedl)- true that C^oimersville townshi]) had a heavier population than anv other township in the comity. \n enumeration of some of the leading families of the township who settled here before 1820 is given in the succeeding paragraphs.

James Brownlee. a native of Ohio, first settled in Franklin county, whence he was sent as one of the delegates to frame the state Constitution. He moved on to this coiuJt} and town^ip about 18 16. and ..soon aftcFward was chosen as one of the associate judges. In 1813 Douglass Burton, a native of South Carolina, moved his family to Kentucky and from thence to land north of Conners\ ille. where the father died the following summer; the widow with her family thus moved onto what is now the farm of the county infirmary. John Swift, along with his parents, natives of New Jersey, first made a tempc^rary settlement in Ohio and in 1818 settled i>ermanently in ConnersviHe township. .Although coming from Virginia, the same - can be-'said-of William- Jones,- who came -here with -his parents frrtm Kentucky in 1 816.

Jonathan John came from Kentucky in 1816 and settled near the village of ConnersviHe. He was one of the first business men of the village and was an intimate friend of John Conner. He died in 1838. The Ru.ssell, Martin and McCrory families settled in the township about i8ig. Jeremiah Worghaman, a \"irginian, was one of the very early settlers along the river, entering land about iSii. John Baily removed from Kentucky to the village of ConnersviHe in 1819 and shortly afterward located on a farm five miles north. Those who settled in the township in 181 7 were, William Edwards, from IVIaryland, Rawlston Shields, from Pennsylvania, and probably -W. H. H. Tate. Another early settler was Thomas White, a native of Tennessee.

What is thought to be the first frame house in the township, outside of the village of Conners\ ille, was erected on the farm of Larkin Sims alxint 1818 and was built by John Perin.

Early Schools

As early as 181 5 there were a sufficient number of families along Williams creek and in the Hinkson neighborhood to justify a school, of which Thomas Hinkson. Sr.. was the teacher. Hinkson had received a liberal education in the Catholic schools of his native state .and taught in the settlement for a niunber of vears. A small school was taught close to this settle- ment in 1819 by a young lady whose name was Ingham. John Justice, Hannah Hathaway and Alilhe Perin were also early teachers in the same school. Located in the southeastern part of the township was another school built at an early date and taught by Jonathan Shields.

Early Indu.Strie.S.

Doubtless the first industry of any kind in the township was a gristmill owned by John Reed and built in 18 14. The first building was built of logs in their natural state, but during the following year a frame buildingwas constructed. The exact location cannot be ascertained, but it was on Williams . creek alx)Ut three or four miles below Connersville. John A. White was one of the early carpenters and assisted in the construction of the saw-mill which was added. Prior to 1819 and as early as 1820 John Vance and John Hughes operated grist-mills on the same stream.

It is quite a noticeable fact that all of the early industries were located along Williams creek. In 1818 James Brownlee built a carding and fullingmill and also a saw-mill in connection. About 1825 the same man erected a building for a grist-mill, but the mill was never put into operation. A man.bv the name of Buckley later purchased the property and removed the carding machine into the building built for the grist-mill. Saw-mills were also operated by Avery Gates and Miller & Clink. Subsequently William Miller became the owner of the latter and added a still-house and an oil-mill. In the northwestern part of the township and on the same stream an early saw-mill was built bv John Kellum. He also operated a grist-mill in the same neighborhood.

Thomas Moffett was the owner of two grist-mills, one in Harrison township, built by John Philpott, and the other in Connersville township, erected in 1847. There was also a saw- and grist-mill located on Village creek, built and operated, in 1829 by Qiristian Furry. ]\Ioses Wolverton is supposed to have been the first owner.

Stills were so numerous that it is impossible to mention all of the owners, but among the many were Thomas Burris, Glover Perin, John Perin, John Reed, William Miller, Tobias Smith, Larkin Sims, William Thompson and James Vance.

December [5, 1832, a ijostoffice was established at rhilix)tts Mills. William Philpott Ijcing the postmaster from 1832 to 1837. On April 3, 1837, the office was changed to Longwood. The following persons served as postmasters: Ross Smiley, 1837-1861; Thomas Mofifett, 1861- September 28, 1868 (discontinued); Philip N. Marks, March 25, 1872 (re-established), to 1873; Samuel M. Atherton, 1873-1876; Matthew P. Hawkins, 1876-1879; William C. Moftett. 1870.

East Conner.Svili.E.

East Connersville, a village of about seven hundred people, is located a half mile east of Connersville, on the east side of the West- fork of -White Water, and on the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western railroad. The town is really a part of Connersville, but has its sejKirate town government. The village was laid out and platted by Basil McCann in October, 1857. Not many years passed until the little town was provided with a brick school building and several thriving industries. The industries of the present time include the following: C. C. Miller, general store; Charles H. Rigor, grocer; John W. Jones, grocer; J. S. Petro, grocer; Dora Ball, grocer; Walter Newell, confectionery; East Side Fuel Company ( E. E. and A. V. Henry) ; National Burial Vault Company, Joseph Woodward. The latest industry in the town is the Moorish tile factory, which began operations in the spring of 1917. Its plant is located along the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western tracks at the east side of the town. This plant manufactures all kinds of plain and decorative tiling for floors and a wide variety for other interior furnishings.

East Conners\-ille is connected with Conners\'ille by a cement highway, which is continued south through the town to the cor]X)ration limits.

Within the last few years several handsome residences have been built in the town. .\n excellent school is maintained, including instruction in all of the common branches. The religioijs life is cared ff>r by an active church organization.

I'airview. the last township organized in the count), was created l)y the county conmiissioners on December 4, 1851, out of jiarts of Harrison and Orange townships. Its boundaries as first defined lia\e not been clianged and are as follows: "Beginning- at the southeast corner of section 25, township 14, range 11. running thence west three miles to the Fa3'ette and Rush county lines: thence north six miles on said line to the southwest corner of Posey township ; thence east three miles to the range line ; thence south six miles to the place of beginning."

This is the only township in the county which lies wholh' within the new purchase of 1818, and consec|uently none of its territory was entered until after 1820. However within three years practically the entire town- .sliip had been disposed of to enterprising settlers. The complete list of land entries follows:

Section 2 - Sold in 1820, 1821 and 1824 to John Stephens, Samuel Shortridge, James B. Revnokls, Jonathan Wallace, .\nanias Gifford and Harrison Baker.

Section 10 - Sold in 1822. 1824, 1825 and 1828 to Jeremiah Jeffery, John Wallace, John Hair, Ira .\lward, William Jeffery and Zachariah Parish.

Section 12 - Sold in 1820, 182T, 1830, 1832 and 1833 to James Smith, John Darter, Minor Meeker, Daniel Campbell, David Scott. Philip Bilby and Samuel Davis.

Section 13 - Sold in 1820, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1829 and 1830 to William Smiley, John Ellis, John Bogar, John Philpott, John Smith. Andrew JNfoffitt and Joshua Wallace.

Section 15 - Sold in 1820. 1821, 1823 and 1830 to James Smiley, Thomas McConnell, William Parker, Jacob \si)augh, John Clifford, J. Justice and A. Sloan.

The period of immigration into l<"airvie\v township began about 1820 and, roughly speaking, extended o\ er a period of nearly ten years. FIowc\-er, it ma\- be saifl that there were a few settlers prior to the date mentioned and among tiiem was C'b.arles Williams, a young man from New ^'ork. lie settled in section 12 and to him is given the credit of being the first .settler in the township. He was a caqDenter by trade and during the pioneer days was identified with the erection of many of the earl_\^ houses in this section of the country.

.\mong the settlers who became permanent residents ui the township in 1810 were ^^'illiam Xels<in. William and Alexander Russell, who located in the northern ])art of the township, and John Ryburn. Two vears later another tide of immigrants came in, among whom were Andrew Nelson, Robert Mctrory, Sr., John Rees, Sr., and his son John, Rol>ert Hastings. Matthew Hastings, Richard Nash and Ananias Gifford. Not far from the same time came .Sanuiel Knot, .Xbraham Kinder, from \'irginia, and Samuel and George Heizer, from .\'ew Jersey. All located southeast of the village of Fairview.

In 1825 Josiah I'i]>er and family and Fllis D. McConnell settled in the vicinity of Falmouth and in the northern part of the township respectivclv. Hugh and William Dickew emigrating from Kentucky, located in the northern tier of sections in 1X25.

There being no roads at the time of the advent of the early settlers, they were obliged to cut out the undergrowth in order to reach their respective homes. The pioneers underwent hardships and endured inconveniences that seem almost unbelievable in the present day. An instance is told of how the Pipers resided for some time the side of a large poplar tree that had fallen, or until their cabin was built and ready for occupancy. They were compelled to carry water for family use about three-fourths of a mile and the onh' vessel was a five-gallon-Jteg'. They were so far distant from their neighbors that weeks and even months passed without seeing anvone outside of their own family.

There were very few industries during the early i>eriod. Frank Jeffre\- operated a tan-yard on the Jeffrey land. There have been very few mills and industries in this section. The pioneers and subsequent residents of the township have depended upon the mills of neighboring subdivisions for such conveniences, in about 1838 John Mofititt operated a saw-mill on Williams creek and on the Nelson land. Joshua Wallace also operated a saw-mill near the one owned by John Moffitt.

The First School House

The first school house in the township was erected in 1825 and stood a half mile east of jNIoftitt's crossing, and was then in the third district of Orange township. A vivid description given by an old pioneer follows : "It was of round logs, afterward hewed down; clap-l)oard roof; no chimney, but a stone fireplace in the center of the ])uncheon floor; a flue, built of sticks and mortar, rested on six posts; the fire lieing in the center of the house, all parts of the room were heated equalh-. The crevices of the house were closed with mortar except those fn^nting the writing-desks, where they were enlarged to furnish light, which was -a<4mitAed^.tbrougii grea.sed paper which was pasted to frames fitted to those apertures." Jonas Price taught the first school in this house in the fall of 1826.

The first school house in what is now Fairview township was Jmilt in about 1827 on the Jefifre}- land and the first school was taught b\- Thomas

The village of I*"air\ iew is a settlement in l-'airview township on the Rush county line. ilie hamlet was laid out on land owned by \V. W. Thrasher, but the date is not known. The first house built in the village was a log structure, erected b\- William Towers about 1828. The first merchant to o|)en a store was John McClure ;ind lie was succeeded by Birdsail &- Company, in 1835. William Mofifitt became tiie successor to this firm. A man named X'anvalkenlnirt;- was probalilx' tlie first l)Iacksmith. He was followed by Brown ISrothers ami tiiey 1)\- William Irwin. l'"airview was made a postoftice, l-eliruarv 17. 1835. with Woodson W. 'I'hraslier as [xistmaster. The office was discontinued, .August 3. 1836. A postoffice was again estal)lished here, b'ebruary 7, 1840, under the name of Groves. John McClure was the postmaster and served until 1845. i fe was followed by Arthur Miller, who served only about a \ear. \\'i!liam Clifford was the next postmaster and served until May 14, 1847. At this time the name of the postoffice was changed to Melrose, with John Abernathv as postmaster. He held the office until Jmie 12. 1840, when the name of the office was again given the name of Croves and \\'illi;uii Clift'ord. Jr.. became the postmaster. Following is a com])lete list of jiostmasters with their dates of service: William Clifford. Jr.. t84()-i8:;2: Jacob B. Power, .\ugust 7, 1852. to November 12, 18^2: William B. Clifford, 1832-1853: William A. Bu.sh. 1853-1858: Smith b>y. i838-i85(): T.eander C. McConnell, 1859-1860: Thomas Moffett, i86o-r8f)i: Chri.stian Wiles, 1861-1865; John McClure. 1865-1871 ; Joseph W. droves, 1871-1878; T.afayette Groves, 1878-1880; b'hn McClure, 1880-1881 : Caroline Caldwell. 1881.

The \illage of b'almoutb is located in the northwestern part of Fairview to-wnship,, on tlie- Rush county line and is a station on the Httsburgh, Chicago, Cincinnati and .^t. Louis railroatl. The town-site was surveyed by Thomas Hink.son, July 24. 1832. on the land belonging to James and Flijah Patterson and Patrick McCann. Vdditions were made in 1838 by Kdward L. McGee. Stephen Isles and Jeremiah Jeffery.

I'avette county side. Among the first merchants were P. Shawhan, WilHani Stewart and John Birdsall. .\n early caljinet-maker was John Carr, who had a tnrning-lathe and manufactured all kinds of furniture.

The village is in the center of a rich farming community and a large amount of grain and live stock is shipped each year from this place. It has one bank. A. E. Bilby, cashier, and a number of industries. Among its business enterprises may be enumerated the following: Wilbur E. Chance, general store and postmaster; Jacoli Gross, grain elevator and coal: Ealmouth Mutual Telephone Company; E. H. Hackleman, undertaker; Shelby D. Davidson. wag(in-maker and blacksmith: Charles W. PJeck, general store; Lenna Benson, grocer: .Mfred Collyer, general store: G. H. Cummings, cigars and pool; W. S. Thompson, blacksmith; \\'illiam Higle\- & Son, blacksmith and implements; h'almouth Natural Gas Comjiany; D. C. Allen is the express and telegraph agent.

Harrison Townshii'

Harrison township, one of the five townships organized liy the commissioners in 1819, at iirst included all of its present territory, all of Posey township, the northern two-thirds of l^'airview township and that part of Waterloo township l>etween \Vhite Water and the range line dividing sections T,2, 5, 8 and 17 and sections 33, 4, Q and 16. It was reduced in size at the time Waterloo township was organized, h'ebruary 12, 1821, at which time all that part of Harrison east of ^Vhite \\'ater became a part of Waterloo township. Harrison was next decreased when Posey township was organized, h^ebruary, 1823, the new township of Posey being given its present limits. The third and last change in the boundary of Harrison township was result of the organization of Eairview township, December, 185 1.

Harrison township lies within the twelve-mile purchase with the exception of about five sections along the western side of the township. It was practically all entered at the time the county was organized, all or a part of every section having been sold before i8i().

.\mong the earliest settlers of the township were the Caldwells, who lirst emigrated from North Carolina to Preble county, Ohio, and in 181 1 removed to what is now the present township. There were four brothers, all of whom had families. L^pon the approach of the War , of 1812 they all returned to Ohio, Ixit in 1814 returned to their possessions. Li order to be secure a block house was built on section 34. 'Hie block house was of the usual style, being picketed by an outer fence.

A year after the coming of the Caldwells, came Patrick McCarty and John C, Smith. Smith was a scjldier of the War of 181 2. His son, W'illiam Al., long identified with the hi.story of the county, was born in a bliKkhouse some miles west of Brook\'ilIe in the fall of 1812.

John Tyner and wife, natives of North Carolina, first settled in Franklin county, and in 1913 relocated in what became Fayette county. Tyner became one of the first board of commissioners and died in 1822. William McCarty was one of the early settlers and was one of the chain carriers of the surveying party which in 1817 sur\eyed the lands of the "New Purchase."

Joseph and Alexander Dale, emigrating from Kentucky, settled in the township in 1813. Airs. Eliza Florea, daughter of Joseph Dale, was born in the township in 1815. She used to relate the story of how the Indians used to come to trade with her father and that on one occasion nearly three hundred came from the purpose, bringing with them all kinds of wild meats.

'I'heyear 1815 marked a period of great imniiqration to tliis towiisliip and among the niimlier were Daniel Campbell, John Savage, Jacob Xeison, Henry Welch and James. Robert and William Dickey.

l-"nim i.Sici to iS_'j a number of familie.s coming from the Xew luigland states settled mostly in the "Xew Purchase.'" in the northwestern part of the township, and founded what was known as Yankeetown. .Among these were Eider Minor Thomas, Joshua Wightsman, Elder Minor Meeker, Eleazer Car\'er, bVancis Ellinwood, Collen Smith, Stephen Ellis and likely several others.

The widow of Joseph B. Shipley and the mother of Samuel J., of this township, .settled in the county in 1819, bringing with her several children from the state of Delaware. In the same year Samuel B. Ludlow, of Xew York, walked to the county of b'ayette and entered land at the land ofificc at Brook\ille. Another early settler of about the same time was William Monteith.

Among others who came into the township at \arious times from 1810 to i8j6 were Moses Ellis, who was made the tirst postmaster of the Yankeetown settlement, the name of the office being Plumb Orchard, John Groendyke, James C. Rea, John Thomas, the Trowbridges, David Gordoii, Jesse Ferguson, Capt. Robert Broaddus, Lewis Robertson, Zenas Powell, Da\id Wolf, Jonathan Clifford and Jesse Shaw. Shaw was for a time the miller at the old Goodlander mill.

The grist-mill owned by Jacob Goodlander, located in section 7 on the west fork of White ^Vater river, was built prior to 182^:5 and is supp(.i.sed to have been- the hrsl in the townshiii. Thomas Campbell was the miller for a number of \-ears. .\bont 1840, James Troxell built a saw and grist-mill ab(_)Ut two miles abo\e the Goodlrmder mill, both of which ha\e long since ceased to operate.

- The first saw-mill in the townshi]) stood in section _^4. on Lick creek. Minor Meeker was later one of the owners and then it passed into tiie hands of Lewis Rorea and continued under the Florea management- until its operation ceased. (Jn the same stream and about a mile below was a saw-mill built in 1830- ownerl and operated by Ca])tain Broaddus.

In the early days the eastern part of the townshi]) was (piite a commercial center, .\long Williams creek alone there were six mills within an area of four miles. One factorv which was rather uncominon was that for

Tlie first one of the six mills referred to was on section 6 and was owned by the' Kings. It w'as a griSt-mill" and ground corn only. Another one of the grist-mills which ground both wheat and corn was built bv Thomas Moft'ett and was in the southwestern part of the township. The other four were saw-mills, the oldest of which was located in section (> and built by Levi Trowbridge about 1830. Moses Ellis thought the communit\- needed another mill and built one on section 31. The mill was in later years replaced by a larger one in whicli was a turning lathe and machinery for the manufacture of shingles. The plant was finally moved to Bentonville b\- Lewis I^llis, a son. A few years subsec|uent to the construction of the Ellis mill another saw-mill was built in the northern part of section 31 by John l'"inney. The fourth one was built by John Campbell in section 7 about 1842. Most (jf these mills have long since ceased to operate.

The copper stills in this township were operated by Joseph. Dale and Tharjie & Gorden, both prior to 1839. A' carding- machine- was 'in exist<- ence o]:)erated by a man named Stockdale, about 1827. Minor Meeker, Jr., was the ])roprietor of a tan-yard on his farni about 1835.

Tile n-ianufacture was carried on in the northwestern part of the township for many },ears by Ellis & Williams and later by John Payne, excounty auditor.

The historian is indebted to E. R. Taylor, of Harrison township, for a \i\'i(l account of the early industries of Harrison township. He enun-ierates no less than twehe mills in the towushi]i, besides a number of blacksmith shops and other industries, all of which bad ceased operation before the Civil War, with the ])ossible excejftion of the P^llis mill.

Ill Mliout I80O tliei-e w:is .1 saw-mill owned autl operated b.v a man of the name of riiinne.v on the farm of Omer Doniker. A half mile south of the Phinuey mill w.-is another built by Moses Ellis. After the death of Ellis his son, Lewis, operated the mill initil .'ibont 1858 or 1850, when it was moved to Bentonville and made over into a steam mill. I'rior to this time it had been operated by water power from Big Williams ereek. While the siiw-mill was still being run by water power, there was a tannery near by, which was owned and operated b.v Minor Meeker, ileeker was also a shoemaker and euiplo.ved the winter months in turning out shoes and boot.s from the leather he tanned during the suunner. Another shoemaker of the township was Louis Robinson.

About half a mile below the Ellis mill ou the same ereek was the grist-mill of King & Wightman. They ground only corn. In connection with their grinding this firm had

On Little Williams creek, on the farm now owiiwl by Henry Jlourer. was a wooli-nmill which manufactured a larse amount of yarn. About a mile west of Ilarrisbiirs; was a nursery owned by Henry Sater. who also ni.-ule wairmis and plows for the farmers of the vicinity.

In the villajre of Harrisbiir:.' lber<> were iw.i hla.Usmilh shops and mie wa-oii shop. The latter was oiK^-ated by Wilson T. Dale, who later moveil it to ( '(inMersville and established it across the street north of the Coiuiersville Lumber Comiianys otlice. There was even a foundry at Harrisburg early in its history.

l/ouis Florea had .1 saw-mill on Lick creek, one mile north of Harrisburj;. (jii the farm now owned by Charles Bell. Near Ihe present residence of F. .S. Broaddus. his grandf.-ither had a .saw-mill. A blacksmith sho)) was run in the north central part of the township by Ira Kendall. He was known as the axe-maker, btit he also made all other kinds of ed.ire tools. He even made s.ins.isc i:rinders.

Tile early settlers seemed to he wide-awake tu the itii))i)rtaiK-e ut ati education and as early as 1S18 a school was being taught by William Mc- Kemmey in a log house that stood on the land owned by John Tyner. Manlove Caldwell and a man by the name of Banks were also early teachers, hut after the time of McKemniey.

The next school house in the townshii) was built between iSiS and 1S22 in the northwest corner of section 6. William W. Thomas was ])n)bably the first teacher. In the summer of 18^3 a summer school w :i> taught here by M}riam Swisher.

As -the townshi]) became more thickly populated the necessity for iiKjre sciiools became evident. The next log school house was l)uilt in the scxithern part of section i J. or the tiortliern part of section 13. The first teacher is not known, but amotig the early ones were W'ilham Xelson, Ltinsfol-d liroaddus and a man l)y the name of Clark. The next house for this neigliborbood was built one mile north.

Several years after the beginning of the Tyner school a building was erected at Harrisburg and among the first teacliers were Xelson I'enwell and William Thomas.

was constructed is not known, but sometime Ijefore 1837, a nian by .tbe name of Isaac Scare was teacbing liere at tbat time. Otber teacbers in tbe same building were Jasper Davis and Harriet Thomas.

Two more scbool buildings were built soon after 1838, one being about one and a balf miles nortb of tbe one at the Second Williams Creek cburcb, and tbe other a mile south of tbe church. Among those teaching in tbe north bou.se were Hiram Dale. C. M. Stone. Harriet Thomas. Ann Ellis and Edw in Trowbridge.

Harrisburg at one time was the cduimercial center of Harrison township. Perhaps the earliest merchants were Nathaniel McClure and Lyqian Thomas, who. in 1828, were granted a license liy the count}- commissioners to keejj a grocery and sell spirituous li(|uors. Tbe firm of Lackey & Mc- Clure secured a license from the commissioners in July, 1827, to vend merchandise, for which they paid twelve dollars and fifty cents. ^ In i8.i8 a general business was conducted under the name of McClure & Dickson, and in 1829 a similar Inisiness was conducted In- Nathaniel McClure and John Murphy.

A jjostoffice was established at this jjoint, March 17. 1828, with Nathaniel McClure as postmaster, b'ollowing is a complete list of die postmasters who ba\e held tbe otbce. along with their dates nf ser\ice :

Tradition declares tbat tbe people of Harrisl)urg cberisberl tbe fond hope of securing tbe county seat in 1819. But they did not take into consideration tbat Connersville was nearer tbe center of tbe county, and, also the inliuence of John Conner.

Hawkins, located in the southwestern part of Harriso'n township, was for a time a postofhce. .getting its name from tbe store of M. P. Hawkins, and. as far as known, tbe onl\- industry ever located here is a blacksmith shop now operated by Albert McConnell.

Ancient I'onipeii was lusl to the world from 79 A. 1), nnlil the middle the eighteenth century, hut. when it was accidentally discovered hy a man di;^i;ing a well, it was hut a short time mitil the full identity of the ;nicient city was full}' established. The traveler who ^t'C^ to Ilal\ today may see practicallv the whole city as it appeared on the ilay it wa- covered h\ the cimlers and lava from Mt. X'esuvius.

.\:u] what has Pompeii to do with the history of Ivavetle inuntx. Indiana, r. S. .\.? l-'ayette county, like ancient Italy, has an ancieni city, hut, unlike I'ompeii, it has not been lost to history because of a solcmic upheav.'il. Xo evidence is left of this villa.^e of ancient Fayette; it has disappeared from the face of the earth. The historians have heard va<iuc and indelinite hints of a once flourisliiui^- village on the banks of Williams creek in the southeastern corner of Harrison township, but when it came to getting definite facts about it thev were completely baffled. Its name was even shrouded in obscurity; it was variously known as Redville, Redtown and Stumptown. according- to the person trying to recall something about it.

lUit fortunately one person was finally found who had exact information on this uri>»H- mystery, hrom !1. L. Ludlow, of Glenvvood, the historians have been able to get what is believed to be an accurate description of this ancient \illage. His account is substantially as follows:

About 1SJ5 William I'hilpfitt located in the southwestern corner of Harrison township, along Williams creek, and built a rude log cabin This >.ame structure is now ( 1017 ) a jiart of I.ydia Hall's residence. Ills father, John Philpott, built another, liou.se on the site now occupied by the residence of Bunvan Martin: later. lohn T'hilpott built three other houses. These houses, together with all the outbuildings, he painted \enetian vcd. Travelers .-md drovers jiassing this way christened the collection of houses Ki-d- \ille. or Redtown. atid the name became universally used throughout this ])art of the state. It was on the road fre(|uently used by men driving hogs to Cincinnati and was always referred to in this manner. Where the name Stumptown originated is not known, but it does not seem to ha\e bad wide usage at any time in the village's brief career.

)ohn LckUow had a blacksmith shop in the midst of the embryonic urban center - and there were other important industrial establishments located here. William Philpott operated a chair factory: John Philpott, jjrobably (16) the most extensive manufacturer, \vas a wagon-maker, shoemaker, cooper and blacksmith. WilHam Philpott disposed of his chair factory to James Molden a short time later. John Philpott built the first grist-mill and subsequently sold it to Thomas Moffett. While all of these industrial changes were going on in the village, Hampton Stewart opened a tailor establishment; William Hawkins launched out as a shoemaker, shortly followed by a competitor, Thomas Schasick. The latter was a full blooded Indian, but his reputation as a maker of good shoes has been handed down through three generations.

The village was booming by the early forties and gave promise of being something more than a mere cross-roads hamlet. In 1842 John Philpott sought to foster the religious feelings of the increasing population by erecting a building for church purposes. Accordingly he built a frame structure and presented it to the members of the Christian church - and this buildingis now used by Bunyan Martin as a corncrib. Thus has this once sacred edifice descended to a secular use. In the meantime there was a demand for a postoffice; in fact, William PhiljMtt succeeded in getting the United States government to appoint him postmaster as early as December 15, 1832, and in his honor the office was duly designated as Philpott's Mills. Five )'ears later the location was changed to a place about a mile west, Ross Smiley becoming the postmaster on April 24, 1837. -^t the same time the name of the office was changed to Longwood - just why that name, is not known. Smiley remained postmaster until July 31. 1861, when Thomas Moffett took charge.

But with the disappearance of the postoffice from the vicinity of Philpott's mills and the abandonment of the mill, the hope of the inhabitants for further growth was doomed to disappointment. Soon the few red-]iainted houses became faded, the few inhabitants scattered, and by the time of the Civil War there was little to indicate where the once hopeful village of Redville raised its sanguinary head. Its story was told; its race was run. .\nd in 1 91 7 only a very few of the oldest inhabitants of the county recall the name of the village that was well known to e\ery ])erson in the forties and fifties.

Among the early settlers in Columbia township were some families from the Eastern states and they brought with them certain ideas regarding education which they wished to adopt in this new country. Hence they were not long in establishing schools. The first school house established in the township was near the old graveyard just below Nulltown and was erected in the summer of 181 5. Gabriel Ginn, a pioneer from Kentucky, was the first schoolmaster and taught in this house for several years. The next school taught in the township was in a cabin one mile south of Alpine, taught by Mark Acre. Robert Helm and a woman whose name was Klum taught in the same community.

The second school house built in the township was situated one mile north of the village of Alpine and was erected about 1821. Daniel Mclntyre and Dr. Philip Mason were two of the early teachers in this school. Another one of the school houses built at an early date was the one on the farm of Hickson Halstead. John Ronald was the first teacher.

There were other log cabins built in the township for school purposes, but their locations and dates cannot be ascertained. Other teachers besides those mentioned who taught in this section of the county were Benjamin Smith, James C. Rea, David Allen, George Winchell and Jefiferson Crisler. It is interesting to note that the pioneers of this township laid great stress upon the fact that their children should be taught spelling. Spelling and reading constituted the fundamental studies, supplemented with a little writing and simple arithmetic.

There are sliJl four rural schools in operation in the township, but no high-school work is given in the township. Those desiring high-school work are transferred to adjoining townships having high schools. The teachers for the year 1 916- 17 are Anna Smith, Marie Utter, W. H. Tate and Mrs. Anna Custer.