Delaware Township

Delaware Township

lloliiwiir.' Township. Tliis was tlic pla.-c dcsi'.-nale.l l.y an net of tlie (icncral Assiinl.ly of [n.liaim, approved January 8, MiT.i, for lioldin}; tlic Circuit nnd all <p|licr eourts of llainiltnn County, until a court, liou.so more Buitaliln could l,c pn.cured. The first session of the board was held on Monday, May 12, 1,^2:1, and one of the first acts of this body was the subdivision of the county into two townships - Delaware and White Ilivcr. The boundary lines of Delaware Townsliip were fixed as fiillows: " Ordered by the board, that all that part of the county lyin;; south of a lino drawn from the most easlwardly boundary of said county, runnin- with the line dividin- Secti.ms 1 . and -IW, Township Ifl, north, until it strikes the most westwardly boundary, shall be laid' oir, established nnd known by the name of Delaware Township." Af this Bcssi.m, it was ordered that Ocorf;c Kirkendall and James Willison be appointed Overseers of the Poor for one year. In the following August, the board appointed Kdward M. Dryer and (ieor.-e Wise to serve as Constables m this township. The first township ..Hirers uer.> in I'Vbioary, 1^21, in pursuance of an order ..f the b.iard I., tb.- elleel that an eleet...,i be h.l.l at

Kron, the territory ori.-inally assi^-ne.i t.. Delaware, the (..wn.b.ps of ball Cre.k nnd Clay were or-anized in is:!:'., leaving the boun.lary lines of Dciaware in their present shape.

AIIRIVAI. OF TIIK KillsT SETTI.KIIS. The first family of white persons who made perman.nl .sett Hamilton Cunty was the family known as the old William O

(arm, in the year 1818. He moved here on pack li..rs,.s from Connei^ville, Ind., accunpanicd by his wife and thr,... children. His wife died a short lime sub.se.|Uent to their arrival, and was burie.l by the In.lians, in a burying-.-round Whn^ing to lb e..fiin was made of puncheons, fashioned by the Indians. She white person buried in the county.

Mr. Shirts pre-empted the land on which he located, feline secure in l..s p.,Rsession ; but, sh..rtly after the date of his scttli'inent, John Conner, of Connersville, Ind., went to lirookvillc nnd entered 1 ,:iOO ner.s, ineludin- the land whiib Mr. Shirts ha,l selected for his home. The latter then moved to what is n..w N..blcsville Township."

Conner came U) the townsliip at » very carlydate, and formed matriilh a 8.|uaw of the Delaware tribe. lie opened a store about of Nobb'svillc - his stock eonsistin:.? of the articles most in d by liis dusky neiKhbors, It w.s stated that when the Indians came trade, they were paid in part for their furs in whisky. They were eh article as it was s.dd to them ; a -allon of anil its cpiivalcnt in fur imme.lialely taken ; :ie furs were nil taken up. Mr. Conner was 1 of marked peculiarities, lie was a success lulfiZei^i^ ^^n nsasiieeessfnl trader, nnd nlwnys had ati abundance of prod] uce in his bnrns. For years aOerwnrd, his farm was the K-ypt of new settlers, who cnmo to him to buy corn while they were waitin;; fiir their own rcecnily cleared fields U, produce a crop. TImse who caino without money were the d the corn, to be returned with.mt interest from their for the corn were told to go

The Delaware Villa-c was located on the west side of White River, and on the south bank of Dry Run. There were three ].rairics in the vicinity, where they cultivated corn. They were well advanced in civiliiation, nnd coiislrueted their dwelliiif;s of lii(;8, af>cr the manner of their white successors. Their villa-e wa< burned durin- the war of 1812, and the charred remains of n favorite resort, and they indul-ed in frcpiciit drunken revels at this point, nfier consigning their weapons to the keeping of the s.pinws. After their removnl, immigration was encouraged by placing the hind in market. William Hush setllcil in 1819, nnd cleared a farm, upon which he resided for a number of years, but finally removed to nnothcr locality.

In the latter part of 1821, or early in 1822, Jonb Brooks came to the township with his family, and in November, 1822, entered the north half of Iho northwest riuarler of Section H, Township 17 north, Kangc 4 cast. George, I'eter and Michael Wise settled on the southwest (|unrter of the same section, in September, 1822. Silas MoffitI came in November, 1823, nnd resided for fifty years on the farm which lie then entered. Charles Lacy, William Wilkinson, licnjamin Mcndonhall, John S. Hcaton, A(|uilla Cross ami John Deer, all entered land in the township in 1822, nnd all resided on Iho land which they entered. A settlement having then been fairly begun, there were .tbers who followe.l Boon ; nnd by the year 183G, there was not a Bcction of land in the township upon which no one had come to reside and make improvc-

Thomas liarron came in July, 1823, and was f,.llowed in 1.824 by Col. Daniel Henlon and Thomas Morris. Abraham Williams came in October, 182.'i, and entered the land upon which he now lives. Section 10. He is, perhaps, the oldest living inenibcr of the pioneer community of this township. He was n soldier in Capt. Throckmorton's company, Kentucky Militia, during the war of 1812, and is now 81) years of age.

The first brick house was erected by William Conn.T, in 1S2:!, I he brick used in ils construction beiri!; manufactured from clay on bis farm. The

Occasionally, he t-round corn for bis nei.^bbors ; but this was ,h,ne as a special accommodation, and the cxlensifin of llie favor dcpcmled alto-etlicr upon the luimor

The first road was surv.-yd fn.ni Winchester, Ind., to intersect ,i road rutiniii- frim Conner's firm In liidiini.ip.ilis, and was known as llio Winchester ,V Ii.di,map..lis .Sti.le roa.l. 'l-lic lirst e.iunty roa.l was cut out alon- Cool Cre,-k. with Noblcsville as ils terminus. [n loeatinfc a road of Ibis character, it was .usi.miary to cut three nolehcs in the trees alotif; the route, to di.slin- ;;Mi-b it from a " nci^hliorbood " road, the latter bavin;,' only one notch in the trees aloii- iUs cour.sc. Thus, when a traveler saw a road of the former den- Ira but, as the township bceanic settled, portions of the road ind included in some one's patent, and were fenced in. rel was forced to take the line prescribed for it by Ibo en leii the traveler inly u;;ly marshes, and it was a numle road was improved to such an extent as to make it f the year.

Its capacity was limited, of the settlement in which it was located. It avelin- so far as the Wbilin-cr Mill, hillierln the is seltlenienl. Several years lali-r, he added a saw ry, and be^'an to utilize the timber about him. 'cs becatne popular about that lime, and be eone. lie sold the mill to Ainasa Bond in l,S:i!l. Mr o r. trr Wise fi S.nis, who opcr.ited it until it out- ,s ab.in.loned. The frame of the old mill is slill

a saw-mill in 1H:1:I- III, on the bank of Cool rcsidenee of lion. W. W. Hooker. lie afterward ic fiir wheat and one for corn. The flour ran from liicb it was carried up stairs lo the bolter, which

The first scliool in the township was lau;;h( cabin on the farm of Abraham Williams. It « rona;;o of Mr. Williams and Joseph Eller, who.se Two years later, the residenta erected a Bihoolhoii ns teacher. This waa a township achool, and good school. The next scboolbouse waa built in 1837, ami was known as the " Farley Sehoolbou.se." Jolio.son Farley was the teacher. In the following; year (18.'J.H), a school was taught by Joseph Gore, in a lop cabin on the farm of George Wise. These were all subscription schools, and the educational system of llie township was conducted on this plan for a number of years following. The present system of public schools was inaugurated shortly after the jiassage of the law [iroviding for their cslabliabment, and, one by one, each di.slriet in the township w.is supplied with ils school and teacher. At Ihe present lime there arc ten districta in which school is taught, the terms ranging from six to nine mouths a year.

lieligious services were conducted, in 1829, at the hou.sc of Mrs. Porolh; ilcady, by Hev. Hay, of the M. K. Church Kevs. William Way and JobI and .lacob Jliller were also among the ministers who conducted services. in lie township prior to the organization of the church. The Friends held meet

OrgiMihnlhn i,f Ihr Frirmh' MrrHng. - iMe in the year 1833, about twenty Friends met at the hou.sc of Jacob Cook, in the norlheasleru part of Clay Township, and proceeded to organize a monthly meeling. Immediately after organization, they purchased of David Wilkinson three acres of ground, on the east side of the road, and north of ('armel, upon which they erected a log house of worship. They occupied this building until the year 184.'), when Ibcy replaced it by Ihe neat rrauie bouse in which they now worship.

This society was originally attached lo the Fairfield ^lonthly Meeling, and the White Mek Quarterly iMecling ; but, in l.S3t, it was established as an independent monthly meeting. It is now in a flourishing condition, with a

White was Ihe I'astor in cbai them the necessity of ereetin; year, a modest frame huildiii " White Chapel," in honor o hers, who united and perfi.rt: crate expense. From that li the " Farley Sehoolhou.so " until 18.52. Uev. go of the circuit at that time, and urged upon a house of wor.ship. Hcfore the close of that ; was cnmpleti'd on Section "»3, and christened ' the I'astor. I!y the co-operation of the incniled the labor, the ehureli was erected at a luodne to the present the church has been uniformly the pastoral ( r Hev. H. I!. I'owell. rganized in 1818, with about n dozen ly Hev. N. Gillam, and the meetings were cabin opposite the store of Klijah King. This building was ilacksinilh shop, but had then fallen into disuse, except when ally occupied for the services of the Methodist KpLseopal Sunday h was organized before Ihe church. For a period of two of the class alternated between ibis building and a building art of the town. In 18.-)0, Ihey erected the present house of rmel.at an expense of $8110. U was dedicated by Hev. Haiumel, charge at that time. The present nicmbersbip is fortv, and the i-r the pastoral care of Hev. William I'arr. The Sunday schocd larly niainlained since ISI7, during Ihe summer. At the last an average atleiidance nf fiOy scholars.

In,, class was organized at IS early as 18.52 or 18.53, and held regu her of years; but, in the course of lime, some of the leadin- met away, and Ihe class was finally left without a minister. In'"l8i;7 was re-organized, and since that lime meetings have been held i,', Church at New l.rilton. The class now has between thirty-five and f, ten HIS, ,s un.ler the pastoral care of Itcv. II. U. I'owell. Sj.lney Ci

Station. There were inal organization, and the meetings were held in In that year, the society purchased the ground- I ibs incGlings arc now held. This building was nd Ihe upper story purchased by ibe Masonic '- U. D. I'owell remained in charge of the class

Unllcl Jhnlimi. - This denomination orpanizod a class at New IJritton in ISrtti, under the miMisiratinn of Hev. Henry Moolb, and held meetings at the 6ehoolhou.se for eight years. In 1.S74, they erected a fiame house of worship, ca>t of the village, in which they met until 1S77. In ihe spring of that

. Jelfri.*. One year later, J. R Davis sold which lime the business hns been ennducled employ four men at the mill and three leainperntion by I!. ]{. HiatI It was subse(juenlly l passed through the hands of va purchased by J. R Davis and his interest to W. JellVies, sine, by the Jefi'ries l!r ithers. They

Oirmcl .)ril. - r\m building w.as erected by Simeon Hawkins in 18.')l, for a wagon and carriage shop, and was operated as such by him for about five years. He then sold lo William Ilcdgecock, who sold liio cslabli.shment to D. M. Connell about a year later. lu the spring of ISriil, it was purchased by D. W. I'alty, who conducted the busine-s until 18112, when he enlisted in the Union army and closed out hia wug.m business in Carmel, but retained pos.se.«sion of the property until I8G7. It w.is then purcha.sed by H. M. Gray, anil used by him as a rcsidcnco. In Ihc spring of ISOH, the building was purcha.sed by I/. G. Carey and Isaac Uoberls, and in the summer of that year was converted into n grist mill. It w.is furnished wilh two run of buhrs nnd new machinery throughout. It was oper.Ucd by Carey & HoberLs for one year, ut Iho end of which time Jlr, Uobcrts sold his interest to Knoeh Dixon. About two years later. Ij, G, Carey purchased the interest of Knoeh Dixon, and operated the mill niono for several years. He sold it to Frank Cooper, by whom it was operated two or three years. Mr. Carey died in the mcnnlime, and Ihe mill was sold lo satisfy a mortgage which was given by the purchaser, iMr. Cooper. Mrs. I,, (J, Carey became the owner of onc-hnlf of the mill ; the other half was conveyed lo Setli Green, who transferred his ccrlineato to T, l<;. Carey. Mrs. L. G. Carey then .sold the other half lo W. I'. Dixon and T. K. Carey, It has since been opernled by Carey & Di.von. While it was in the po,=sc.ssion of L. 0. Carey, the mill rec. iviil an adililional run of buhrs and a new bolling-eloth, making it a first-cla<s custom-mill.

lieforo Ihc lodge was organized, the Masons individually subscribed to the erection of nlodge-rooni over iho church, which was erected in 1872 or 1873 and Iho first nnd all eubscqucnt meetings of the lodge were held in this room.

citizens of itethleln'm, praying that iheir town be authorized lo hold an ch'clion for incorporation, nnd ihc f.nmiT name of Ihe town bo substituted by of the p.ist office. An el.'..tion for Ibis pur-

Tme First Frame Ii.1Iise

The firat store was opened ville, Ind. Tliey cl.ised out tlieir buaineas within two or tlireo years, and removed to anoliicr locality. Ilalncs k Harvey wcic the next meiebanls, and oponi'd their nloro in 1S43, in the lop; buildin;,' fijrruerly occupied by the Shclhyville 6rm. Klijah Kin^ came to the villa^'c in l.SICi, and opened a htorc in the building' recently vacated by Haines iV Harvey. He was assneialed with Wyley & Little, oflndiaiiapniis, and afterward with Drumm ,V Anderson. In I8t:i, this firm rcniovcil ibo old lo^ building, replacin;; it with the suh- Btantiai frame bouse, in wliiob the present mercantile csUiblisliment of his son, F. H. KinK, is conduelcd. After the withdraw.al of Messrs. Drnmm & Anderson from the firm, Mr. King associated Carey & Jcssup with him. He subsequently purchased the interest of these gentlemen, and formed a eoparlncrship with his son, J. IC. King. In 18112, he purchased the interest of his son, and conducted the business nlono until 187;'}. In that year he ndniitted his son, I'". H. King, to a partnership, and in July, 187!t, withdrew from active business, by placing the store entirely in the hands of his son, by whom it is now conducted.

Among other early mcrebanlsof the village were i;ian, and Alfivd Urnwn, who come in 18.")ll and opened their store in a hniiding ea.l ,.f the store of Mr. King. They aubsi'ipienlly removed to the corner now occupied by L. J. .'^mall's drug store. Tlieir stock was linally purcha.scd by Mendcnhall &

One of the first bhicksmilhs in Carmel was Joseph Hileher shop in the east part of the town, about (ho year I8">0. .1 Itichard Oeorgo opened shops nhinit the same lime In IS.'iT, came to Carmel and purchased tbo shop of .loseph Hilchcr, wh at the trade for a nunibcr of years. Ho snbse.pienlly renlo^ Main atreol, where ho is slill engaged at tbo trade.

In the winter of 185 l-Bf), Simoon H; wagon and carriage shop in the cast part of tbo town, where they eonducUd tbo business about one year. At the end of thattimo, Mr. Hawkins retired, and Mr. Patty continued the business another year. The eslahlisbment was by I). W. Tnlty and W. C. Kane. Mr. Knno subsequently

The war of the Revolulion en Sappel, and sctlled in Kast Tennc father of the subject of our sketch, age, William I), en.igratcd frmil V about Ibc age of twculy-two, he w just across the Stale line into Indian that they slill procured their water

Miss I'bebe Idings, and then moved rrilory, their residence yet being so close n tbo Huckeye side of the line. Iiatcr, as the " Hig Walnut Level," in Wayne !l, removed to the banks of Fall Creek, ying the eonndencc of bis fellow-eitizcnfl, Mr. William D. Hooker, in selected one of the Assoiiate Judges of Hamilton County, and again, a nuunber of the Indiana Legislature.

am W., the son, like other young men of early days in tbia county, was cipiircd to labor earnestly during most of tbo year to help clear away the forest nnter covered the extent of his school advantages; and, alas 1 wo know too well low inade'(ualo thoso advantages. Cnder opjiorlunitics, then, «» nnfavorablo, Ulo could wo expect tbo youth to educate, except in the siinplo rudiments of 'iUglish and except in tbo light of a determined spirit to brighten up and evclop through the influencca of observation and tbo grand surroundings of

Advancing to young manhood, ho thought to cngago in mercantile pureuitfli and scoured a Bituation at WcHtfiold,in WnBliington Township ; but, not meet*

Mr. Itonker Imn never adhered to any specioi religious theory, is not r nienilierorany religious denoniinafion, and yet is a decided believer in an overruling I'rovidence. In poliiics, he wa.s born and reared a Whig. Remaining wiih that party till it-i demise, he then joined the Itepublican parly, voting twice for the immortal Lincoln. In IHfiS, declining longer to vote the Republican ticket, be has since acted independently. Thus acting in 1878, ho was nomin.ited and elected to the State IjcgiMlaturc .jointly by the counties of

They were natives of New Jersey, but emigrated early to the Stale of I'ennsylvania, and from there to Ohio, about the year 1798. At the age of thirteen, John, with his father's family, moved lo Ilutlcr County, of his native State; here continuing lo live until his final removal to this county, in 1845. lie scitleil, at that time, on land purchased from the Quvcrnuient, still retainone time, upward of .".III) acres, all in Delaware Township. Some 220 .acres |

,Jolin,.laugbterofl';ilis and .Margaret John. She, too, was born in 180.3, anda i native of Hamilton County, Ohio ; her paren's having been natives of the Kcy-

Mr. n. has one brother and two sisters living in this State, while Mr.s. D. bad two brothers and one sister, emigrated from Oiiio to this Stat«, the latter to .Marion County, all of whom aro now deceased.

The fruits of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Demoret have been six children, four girls and two boys, their names being as follows ; Mary, I.ydia Jane, Margaret, VMr.n. John Michael and Jacob Edwin.

Three of theM are yet living - Lydia Jane, Margaret and Jacob H. - the latter now living upon the old homestead, having retired from a lucrative legal

Mary was the foimer wife of John K. Fausset, of Madison County, and died many years since, leaving a ilaiiglitcr, who is n iw the wife of John C. Kimbcrlin, of this (Delaware) township.

Mr. Demoret received his education in the common of his time. In politics, is a Hepubliean. ISoth he and wife arc members of the .^letbodist Kpiseopal Church, ba\ing united with that church (|uitc a third of a century ago, and have proven themselves earnest, efficient and faithful. Venerable pair I Kro the completion of Ibis historical volume they will have passed fifiy-sii years of happy wedilcd life. Imlu.strions in habits, frugal in management,

William Kinzkr

John Kinzer, father of William, was a native of Highland Co.. Obi,.. He came to this county in 1828, settling in Dclanarc Townshi| of bard work as a farm band, aided by close economy, ho w a homestead. About the close of the year 18:ti), he was united in marriai'e to Miss Ruth Wilkinson. They at once .settled upon the homestead Mr. Kinzer had entered, and began a life of inilustry and happiness, spending the remainder of their lives in this home, and amassing consiilerablo wealth. There were born to them .seven children, viz., William, Mary, David, Jacob, l,ovi, Sarah Ann and Ira John - all of whom are still living within a fi'W miles of the olil home, and all are in easy circumstances. All are married except Ira John. One remarkable feature of this family is their temperance record. No one of the name is, or ever has been, addicted to the use of tobaccn in any form, and they are strangers to even the taste of spirituous or malt ii<|Uors. Such a temperance record is rare in Indiana, and mi<du be emulated by many who are more pretentious than aro Iho Kinzcrs William attcn.led the winter sessions of the district schools of his day, and improved his opportunities, yet be is rather a man of experience than of hook learning, being a keen observer, industrious and practical, therefore successful.

On December 111, 1850, Jlr. Kinzor's father died. William took bis place in the conduct and management of the farm, and continued as hi'ad of the family till the death of his mother, which occurred March 12, IHliO. The family continued lo live together until the marriage of William to Miss

Kdwin Irving - who is still living. Mrs. Kinzer died Dec. 14, ISOiJ. After her death, Mr. Kinzer continued to reside on his farm with his tenants till his second marriage, June 2, 187.3, at which time ho was joined in wedlock to Miss Nancy Jane Moon. Four children have come to bless this union viz.-. Albert, John, Henry and Mary Jane, all of whom aro livini'.

Mr. Kinzer has lived over forty-eight years at bis present home, following the vocation of farming, and bis handsome home, well-managed farm and happy family, arc monuments to his industry, oennomy and good judgment.

l)y the last. named y.'ar, Betll.'meuts had been m.aile on ev.'ry section idland in the township, excepting the sixl.'.nlb seclion, whieh was sit ai.nrt as school property.

phmeers was lo hunt lire "ame then so abumlant, aird in this all eu-a^.'ll lo ii greater or less cxient ; but amon;; th.-iri all there was perhaps uonc'"wl,o were BO llroroufjbly enthusiastic over a proposed hunt as Knoeh : and certainly none who bore away more substantial evidences nf skillful ruarkmouship. lie still livej lo lell tiro lalo of his cxploiU) as a hunter and Irapper, and takes -rcot dclipht in doing so. Ho narrates one incident in whi. h \w f.mnd hiluscir at close quitflera with a deer. Ho s.vs : "I shot an.l wounded -" old buck, and then advanced upon him with the intention of culling his rang upon my woun.led prey, he rose up with mo, and g..t his iilaliout which I wore. Wo had a desperuto It in opposite directions. I rcjj:ained nij feet with one liaiiJ, while with the other I clutched iroke at his throat, but broke my knife about irected several blows at the saiue point afterbroken. When I made this discovery I be;;an snwin;: at lii."* throat with the broken blade, nnd Bnally succeeded in scvcrin;^ the jugular vein. The (i^ilit was bipoh over, and I lind a bif; 6ve-pron;^ed pair of antlers and u splendid lot of vnison ns trophies of the eonr|ue.st." Mr. McKay tell.s of a novel and deadly bear-trap wllich be once set. lie says : " I n hollow lo^' which he would have to pa.ss, and I determined to use this ln^' for a trap, and capture him without f;ettin<; into his embrace. I put a piece of venison into the lo;;, aiol set my gun in such a way that it would he discharged as Hoon as be touched the meat. I then went away to await the result of my scheme, and about 6 o'clock in the evcnin;; I heard the explosion which I had expected. I repaired to the spot the next mornin;; and founci that it was OB [ expected, a ' dead .shot.' I took him home and had a fine lot of bear's meat." His fondness for tiic chase has followed him tbroutrh life, nnd, when the advanein;; civilization drove the wild animals from their former haunts, he followed the trail, and has made several expeditions to thi' fastnesses of the West and South, hrin-in- back the customary testimonials to his skill. Altbou'^h a great hunter, he never allowed his fondne.ss for sport to interfere with his work. He cleared and improved the farm on which he now lives.

The hrsi road w.is surveyed along Kail Creek, from Indianapolis to I'endletnn. before this township hecaine 8cttle<l. Uobcrt Knusct say.s it was a wclldcfincd road when his father came, in 1829, nnd had evidently Ijecn traveled for several years This road followed the course of the creek, nnd fell into disuse within a few years, from the fact that a more direct route was Iai<l out between the two points. The new road wa.s .surveyed through the extreme southeast part of the township. The course of the old ro.id has been materially changed in recent years.

The Orsi store was op.'ned by James Davis, in lS:i.-.. It was situated on the farm of Thom.is Arn.'lt. There was but little cash in circulation, and the merchant exchanged his gootls for farm profiuee, which be c<uivcrted into more goofis with which to replenish his stock. .Samuel Arnett opened a store in the east part of the (owusliip about the year 18;!7-'IS, and, a abort time sub.se- - juently, Wesley Helms openi.'d n store near the village of Olio.

The lirat bhieksmith shop was established by Samuel Harri,«on, in 1834. He carried on the trade in connection with farming, and manufactured hoes, ami sharpened plows.

The first frame house w.-ls erected by Thomas Arncit in IH.'I.S. In the preceding year, he erected a frame barn. Ili.s house was a superior structure in comparison with the homes of his neighbors, but soon they began to follow his example, and similar buildings were erected in various jiortions of the town.ship.

Mr. Arnett also introduced an improved breed of Viwine when he settled in the township. The swine most common in those day.s were known as "longuo/.cd j-ra/.crs" fir "elm peelers." Those introduced by I\Ir. Arnett were

The first mill was built on Kail Creek, by David Jones, in 1831. It was a frame building, and was supplied with the best mill nL.ichincry in use at that ilay. It was op rated for a number of years, nnd, nfler pa.ssing through tho hands of various owners, fio^vlly went to tice.ay nnd was abandoned. It was located about fifty yards from the site of the mill owned nt present by I. li. I.utes. .Several years later, Mr. Jones erected a mill farther up the ercek, superior, in some respects, to the Jones mill. In later years, Sberwin Jones built un additiim, larger than the original mill. The property pivssed through operatid by I. U, Lutes, by whom it was rented In 1879. It is a first-class custom-mill ; has a LeITel turbine wheel, and two runs of bulirs. It is known a8the"rieasant VaHey Mill."

The first distillery was erected by Hartman & Rice, about 1840. It was sold by them to Thomas Jenkins, who operated it successfully for several years. His son fell into the still and was so badly scalded that he died. Tho father sold tho distillery a short time subsei|uently.

The first threshing machine wa.s owned and opcratid by Henjamiii Murrer, in 1841. It was one of that clns.s known as "chall-pilcrs," and merely through a fauning-niachine. It was infcritir to the fine machinery of tii-day, but at the same lime a great improvenicnt on the method previously in vogue, of threshing by hand.

Crops, in those days, were raised ns n means of sustaining life, and not as alt article of .sale. There were no markets for several years after tho settlement of the township began. For tho first year or two the piotiecr raised bis subsistence from a small piece of ch'ared ground, gi'ucrally about ten or twelve acres, while he was engaged in clearing the remainder of his farm. OUim he family ; hut tho bottom lands of Fall Creek were very rich, and yielded large crops ; and thus the earlier settlers of this township frcfiucnlly bad corn those who eaine with a scanty sup|ily of miuiey, to borrow corn from their older neighbors, returning bushel for bushel from their first crop. Few raised but a light crop, the return of the even number of bushids was not expected, and the debt was permitted to stand until tho next scas.m. Mutual

The first election was held at a cabin on the farm of Francis Wbclebel, in 1833 or 1K34. Francis Kincaid was chosen Justice of the rence. Tho voters - about twenty-five in immber - remained to learn tho result of tho election, and employed the day in leaping and other athletic sports.

The first wbito child born in the township was Jlalilda, daughter of Hiram Coffee. She removed to the Slate of Wisconsin in later years, where she was still living at a recent date.

It was stated by Davis Whelchcl, ]uior to his demise, that the first cabins were erected, ono on the south hank of Fall Creek, near the niimth of Thorpe's Creek, on the I.sano Helms farm ; the other on what is now known ns the .lobn Z. Patterson farm, where the tjreeuficid and Noblcsville Pike crosses Fall Creek, but he w.as unable to state who were the builders.

The first death : At an early day two brothers, James and C'ollins Thorpe, .settled in the township, and in a short time tho wife of one of the brothers fell ill nnd died. They placed the body in n canoe, and, rowing to the opposite bank of Fall Creek, made a grave in the gruvcl-bank just east of the mouth of Tborjie's Creek. Cutting a slab from some of the '"nber around them, they covered the top of the canoe with it, and in this rude eofiin they c(msigned her remains to the grave. Within n short lime after her death, both brothers took their fiimiliesand removed from the township, probably returning to their fitnuer hoiui;.

The first corpse interred in the Kinnaman Cemetery was that of Mary Moon, a girl then four or five years of age. She died in 183t; or 18.37. This cemetery contains (me acre, and was set npart by John T. Kiimanian ns a place of burial at an early day. It is mw the largest ecnutery in the township. The second inlermen', w.as tbntof the donor, J. T. Kinnnmnn, in 1843. The IJutterfield Cemetery, the linger Cemetery, and the Arnett Cemetery, wore each set apart in early days, by the gentlemen whose names they bear. The first interment in the Helms Cemetery was that of John F. Helms, who died in 1857.

in on the farm of Samuel llalliday, bably about the year 1827 or 1828. Itobert Fauset sljites that this school I in operation when his father first settled in the township, an*! was then ght by Jacob Kimberlin. The first cabin erected especially for B scbooliso was put up in 1829, but was never completed, although it was occupied ras taught by nrly day, and pitpular subscription system. Tho school lands of the township remained unoccupied and unsold until 18.')8. The present system of free fehoola was established in that year, and houses were erected in Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, C, nnd 7, respectively, all frarao buildings, Uctwecn this time and 1872, schoolhousos wore erected in Districts 8, 9 and 10. N'o.

829, but was never completed, altho for school purposes during the summer of that year, and a Smith Qoe. A building was erected on the Arnett farm i a school conducted therein, i crock'd in Di.xlrict No. 7, and conducted :i» a frradcd school for two or llirec terms, after wliieli llic graded systciu was discontinued. There arc now thirteen districts in the township in which school is regularly tau-ht. The total nunihcr ..f school children is 5111. William Alexander is the present Trastee.

or'^anized, with ten or twelve constituent members, and was attached to I IVndleion Circuit. The meetings were held first at the house of Jas. Murr afterward at Isom (larrctl's and Jacob Fausct's, and finally at the schoolhou

In 1841 or 1812, the first chureli in the township was erected, on the fai of I'eler Staals, and was known as the " Slaats Church." It was a log bui ing, and was erected by a class which was formed partially from that orgr ized at the house of Janic3 Murrcr, and partially by aeccj^sions from other I StefToy. The church is in a prosperous condition, with 1 sriurecs. In later years, the class united with the Fortville Church, and the I A..C. Ilioo ia the present Pastor, log building was lorn down.

Meanwhile, the original class continued hou.sc until 18.'),">. In that year, they crcclei as " Kbenozcr Chapel." Ilcv. Nelson Oill McCarty aFsistant at that time. The chu

The following-named gentlemen have acted as Class-leaders at various limes : Uriah Bell, A. J. Lcc, William Ilaylon, James Brandon, George Seymour. Henry Fisher, M. Harrison and M. S, McCarty.

M.mnI Xion Umled Jirrilirrn Church. - U April, 1840, Rev. William Stewart and Rev. Daniel Stover organized a class of this denomination, with nine members, at the Barnes Schoolhousc. About the year 1842, Isaac Helms donated to the society a lot upon which to erect a church, and n log hou.xc of worship was completed before the close of that year. This building was occupied until 1858, in which year they enniplcted their present church. This is a frame building, 2(1x30 feet, and cost 81,000. The present m>inbcrship is eighty. Rev. A. C. Bice is the present Piu<tor.

Brihirhrm United Jlr.lhren Church. - '[\m class was organized about the year IS.'iS, at the houso of Mrs. Crook, with twelve con.stituent members. Their present house of worship was erected in 18ri2,on land donated by Jacob

-Crook's class was organized by Rev. J. M. Oougli- I fourteen constituent members. As yet, they have no church, but hold meetings in the Crook Schoolhousc. The present number of members is eighteen. Rev. J. C. Miller is the present Pastor.

Zion Mrihiil!»l Ei.hcnimt Church. - \a 18."iS, Rev. Metzkcr organized a elx^s at the Morgan Seho(dhousc, where the class-meetings were held for two years. In 1800, they erected a frame hou.so of worship on Section 33, Rev. John McCarty was the Pastor in charge at that time, and Uriah Bell, ClasEIcnder. In the interval of (wo years which had elapsed since its organization, the cla.sa membership had increased to fully 100 souls, and the sebool- ns of buhrs, with n capacity of eight bushels of wheat and fifteen bushels of corn per hour. The mill is situated on Fall Creek, and the machinery is operated by the power afforded by that stream. It is a custom mill.

house was inadcfpiato to their accommodation. This number was reduced by subsequent removals, deaths, etc., and has never been regained. The present > Thi;

Source changes here: from History of Hamilton County Indiana, by John F. Haines, published 1915; 2,356 words in this source stream.

Topography

Delaware township is the second oldest division in Hamilton county. When the county was formed in 1822 there was no suitable meeting place for the commissioners in the seat of justice (Noblesville) and they were ordered to meet at the home of William Conner in Delaware township. The first session of this body was held May 12, 1823, and one of the first acts of the board was the subdivision of the county into two townships, Delaware and White River. The boundaries of the two townships were set forth by the commissioners as follows : "Ordered by the board, that all that part of the county lying south of a line drawn from the most eastwardly boundary of said county, running with the line dividing sections seventeen and twenty, township nineteen north, until it strikes the most westwardly boundary, shall be; laid off, established and known by the name of Delaware township." At this same session it also was ordered that George Kirkendall and James Will¬ iamson be appointed overseers of the poor. Edward Dryer and George Wise were appointed as constables of the new township. The first election was held at the home of William Bush in February, 1824.

From the territory originally set off as Delaware township were formed the townships of Fall Creek and Clay in 1833, with Delaware as the center of the three and containing thirty-five square miles.

Early Settlement

William Conner was the first white man to locate in the county. He built his trading post early in the century. It is said he and his brother, John Conner, were given their liberty by the Indians who had captured them when young boys, as a reward for their courage displayed in successfully running the gauntlet. This feat, with liberty at the triumphant close of the trial, was performed in 1806 on White River banks just across from the site where William Conner later established his trading post. The subsequent history of

William Conner is given elsewhere in this volume. George Shirts and his wife and three sons were the next white settlers, they having come through on pack horses in 1818. Mr. Shirts was one of the settlers who took up land with the understanding that he could enter it when the land was put up for sale. John Conner, however, entered thirteen hundred acres in that vicinity, including Mr. Shirts' selection of land, in consequence of which Shirts later moved to Noblesville township.

The Delaware Indian village was located on the west side of White River on the south bank of Dry Run. There were three considerable stretches of prairie land in the vicinity and on these the Indians cultivated corn. The Delawares were well advanced in the rudiments of civilization and built their log houses much as the white settlers did later. During the War of 1812 the Delaware village was destroyed by fire. In 1818, when the first white settlers came, the blackened ruins of the once comfortable homes of the Delawares were all that remained of the once prosperous village. It was never rebuilt, though the Indians continued to linger in the neighborhood, living in lodges until the tribe departed west. A large spring in the vicinity of their former village was a favorite haunt of the Indians and around it they held many drunken revels. However, it was not the water from the spring that formed the basis of these revels. Most of their "fire water" was said to come from William Conner. Whether this be true or libel it is known that Conner was very generous with his neighbors, white or red, and was said to sell rather to people without any money than to those having plenty, because he said those having cash could buy elsewhere, while those without could buy only of him.

Sidney Sevift Shirts was the first white male child born in the township. The exact date is not known, but it is probable he was born in 1818 or 1819. Mrs. George Shirts, the mother of this child was the first white person to die in the county. She was buried by the Indians. William Conner erected the first brick house in 1823. The brick used in building this residence was manu¬ factured from the clay on his land. Making the brick in a brick kiln on the premises of the owner of the building to be erected was a common practice for a number of years. After the kiln had served its purpose and sufficient bricks for the house were completed the kiln was torn down, being of no further use to the owner.

same year William Wilkinson, Sr., built the third brick residence in the town¬ ship. The Moffitt house and lands are now owned by the heirs of Silas Moffitt and have never changed hands, except as it was divided among the heirs. All three of the original brick houses are^still standing substantial monuments of the early days.

Early Industries

The settlers on the east side of the river did most of their milling at the Betts mill on Stony Creek. On the west side of the river some of the settlers went to the mill of Jacob Whitinger in Marion county, others going to John Conner's mill. Mr. Conner operated a small corn mill on his farm and it is said that this was used as an auxiliary to a small distillery which he conducted. Occasionally, he ground corn for his neighbors, but this was done only as a special accommodation, the extension of the favor depending wholly upon the humor he happened to be in when his patrons arrived.

William Rooker erected the first grist mill in the township in 1831 or 1832. This mill was situated within a mile of Rooker's residence pn Cool creek. The stream on which it was situated furnished the motive power. The machinery was of rather an ancient variety and its capacity was limited, but this primitive mill served the purpose and filled the needs of the settlement, saving the settlers several miles of travel over difficult roads. Mr. Rooker added a saw' mill when the building o^ frame houses became popular and this he developed into a prosperous industry. In 1839 Amasa Bond bought the mill. Peter Wise and sons were the next and last owners, for by this time the mill had outgrown its usefulness.

The second mill was erected by William Wilkinson in 1839 or 1840 a short distance west of the Rooker mill on the banks of the same stream. . This mill was operated but a few years when it was torn down and replaced by a more modern structure. Several times this mill changed hands, the names of James Mendenhall and W. W. Rooker being noted as among the various owners.

One of these owners was Jesse John and for a number of years it was known as "John's Mill." The writer remembers, when a small boy going to this mill with his father. It was the custom to go early in the day and re¬ main until the grist was ground, each customer receiving the flour made from his own wheat. At certain seasons of the year farmers took enough grain to have ground into flour and' meal to last for a number of months. The mill yard would be filled with wagons, with horses unhitched and tied so they could eat hay from the wagon-bed. The men sat around talking politics or swapping bits of news, while the boys spent the time in fishing in the creek or paddling up and down the mill race in a canoe. It was a time the small boy looked forward to and it lingers in the mind of the man who experienced it as a pleas¬ ant recollection of boyhood days.

Early Highways

Among the early settlers beside those already mentioned, was William Bush who came to the county in 1819, and lived for several years upon the land which he cleared. Later he moved away from the neighborhood. Joab Brooks was the next comer either in the latter part of 1821 or the first of 1822. Charles Lacy, William Wilkinson, Benjamin Mendenhall, John S. Heaton, Aquilla Cross, and John Deer each entered land in Delaware town¬ ship in 1822, and each resided on the land which he had entered. George Peter and Michael Wise entered land near Joab Brooks in 1823. By this time tl>e settlement was well established, and new settlers were continually throw¬ ing in their lot with those already there. By the year of 1836, there was not a section of land in the township upon which no settler had lived and made improvements.

With the growth of the settlement the settlers began to petition the com¬ missioners for the location of roads. They asked for these roads to connect places of interest to them and over the most suitable lands. This meant the roads would be surveyed to avoid when possible the marshes and ponds which were plentiful before the country was ditched and drained. Travel through this marshy section, even after the corduroy roads were laid over the marshes, was an exceedingly "shaky" business. In driving over this kind of a road as the wagon bumped from one log to the next, the whole ground in the im¬ mediate vicinity quivered or shook with each jar of the vehicle on the logs. Humanity was not the only sufferer from the "shakes" caused by the un¬ drained marshes. The very ground trembled underfoot. The first road was surveyed from Winchester, Indiana, to intersect a road running from Con¬ ner's farm to Indianapolis and was known as the Winchester and Indianapolis state road. The first county road was cut along Cool Creek with Noblesville as its terminus. State and county roads were distinguished by three marks cut in the trees along their course, while the private or neighborhood roads were distinguished by having only one mark cut in the trees. In the early days when the inhabitants were scattered, it was customary to follow the line of least resistance in the matter of roads, that is following the high and dry districts instead of the line surveyed which often led through marshes. So when all these sections became settled often times the road in use was through privately owned land, which as it was gradually fenced in, forced the traveler from the road into the marshes. In the first years of the settlement only the fields under cultivation were enclosed by fences, the stock being turned out to pasture in the woods. In this settlement, as in every other section of Hamilton county at that period, the pioneers found the wolves very trouble¬ some to the stock. They often became very bold and ventured near the houses picking up lambs, pigs, and even attacking young calves. The settlers beside all their other work in the fields and in the homes made a great fight to exterminate the terrible wolf. They hunted the animals and caught them in traps and destroyed them in every way possible. It seems almost impossible when driving over this beautiful county now, that much less than a century ago, where beautiful farms and homes now abound, wolves and other wild ani¬ mals roamed and ravaged the country making it unsafe for stock and even women and children to wander far from home.

The first school in the township was opened in the winter of 1830 in a log cabin on the farm of Abraham Williams. The children of Mr. Williams and the children of his neighbor, Joseph Eller, were the only pupils. In 1832 the residents of the district erected a school house and Mr. Lynch was the first teacher. Both of these schools were maintained by subscription. The Farley school was built in 1837, Johnson Farley being the first teacher. About the same year, Joseph Gore taught a school in a cabin on land belonging to George Wise. All these early schools were conducted on the subscription plan until the present school system was inaugurated. Then, one by one, each district obtained its school house and a teacher. At one time there were ten district schools in the township. At present there are only two district schools and only one one-roomed building. The remainder of the students attend the graded schools at Carmel and Fishers. These schools also include a four-year high school course.

Early Religious Services

As early as 1829 Rev. Ray, a Methodist preacher, conducted religious services in private houses, particularly at the home of Mrs. Dorothy Heady. This was on the east side of the river. On the west side Rev. Hezekiah Smith, a local Methodist preacher, held services as early as 1836. W. D.

Rooker, also a local preacher, followed Rev. Smith and two years after the first meeting a class was organized. Meetings were then held in the Farley school house until 1852. Rev. White was then the pastor and he urged the building of a house of worship so strongly that the congregation erected a modest frame building and christened it, in honor of their pastor, White chapel. The Friends organized early but their organization was with the meeting place at Carmel and is treated of elsewhere.

Beside having a school house on his land in which school was taught and religious services held, Mr. Farley also was the proud owner of a deer park. The enclosure was surrounded by a high rail fence and Mr. Farley maintained it for a long time. If it could have been made a permanent institution, as Mr. Farley evidently intended it should be, what a wonder it would be today! All modern wonders, gas wells, trolleys, automobiles, even airships, to use modem phraseology "wouldn't be in it" with a deer park containing real live deer.

A Frenchman by the name of Bruitt kept a sort of a store or trading post, selling trinkets and such things as met the simple wants of the settlers, but he was not a permanent settler. He seemed to identify himself with the Dela¬ ware Indians and when they went west he departed with them.