Vernon Township

Vernon Township

John Frakes, of South Carolina, was one of the early settlers of the county and the first to locate in Vernon township. He came out the Indian trail to the crossing of Blue river, where Fredericksburg now stands and then took a northwesterly course through the prairie, or "barrens,". stopping on Lost river in the spring of 1807. He managed to get in a small patch of corn and pumpkins. There was then no mill in the whole country and the first winter they pounded up their corn and parched it to piece out the scanty supply of meal they had brought out from the Ohio Falls. He brought all his family and household goods out in a cart and on a packhorse. He was practically alone in a howling wilderness for three years, when Jacob and David Colglazier moved in and settled in the southeast part of the township in 18 10, a short distance below where the Baptist church now stands. The Colglaziers were great hunters and were always ready to give chase to any Indian marauders who came into the settlement.

Chris Purkhiser settled in the northeast part of the township in 181 1. Nathaniel Robbins settled in section 21 in 1812. His delight was to hunt water fowl, such as geese and ducks, which came in great numbers early in the fall and literally filled the small lakes and marshes. A few elk were killed in this township by the earliest settlers.

John Collier settled north of the Livonia road leading to Salem in 1814. Jesse Elgin settled at Claysville in 1814. Jacob March, Rowland Brown and Mark Mandlin settled near the head of Lost river in 1815. Other early settlers were James McGrue, Samuel Linn, Elisha Pollard, the Hoars, Starks and Arnolds. The earliest .squatters were Audra and Mounts. For a number of years everybody went to Beck's for their meal and flour. There were seven swamps or small lakes in the township, and a section of country called the "Flat Woods," where all kinds of game was found in abundance. The lakes swarmed with geese and ducks in late fall and winter.

The first church erected in this township was by the regular Baptists, in thf \ear 1825. It was located two and one-half miles north of Livonia and was a brick Imilding fifteen by twenty feet, with pulpit on one side. The bricks were not burned properly and owing to their soft condition they

Among the first organizations of Methodists in this township was the Lost River church. They worshipped in what was known as the Washington school house, a log structure, located one and one-half miles east of Claysville. The earliest records of this church date back to December 7, 1838. It was in the Salem circuit, Rev. Calvin Ruter, was presiding elder; Rev. George K. Hester, circuit preacher; and Joseph Bates, class leader. The members of this class numbered seventy-five. Joseph Bates was a prominent citizen as well as an ardent church member. He was lx)rn in the state of Maryland, migrating to this county in 1820, with his wife and four children. He settled one mile east of Claysville and died here in 1845. Henry M. Hacket also emigrated from Maryland with Bates and located near Clays\ille, where he died in 1841. He was a man of considerable taknt, representing this coimty in both houses of the Legislature. He was a strong advocate of internal improvements and voted for the internal improvement law, \\'hich afterward became a very unpopular measure and was accordingly repealed. He also held the office of associate judge, in which capacity he acquitted himself with credit.

The township was pretty well settled up by the year 181 7. In some parts of the township there were barren lands, covered with grass and clumps of scrubby black oak here and there not higher than a man's shoulder. A man on horseback could look over these and get a good idea of the lay of the land, the same as one would view a prairie. Salt was brought from Louisville in bags on horseback, there being very few wagons in the county. Most all the early settlers, or those coming in prior to 181 7, journeyed through on horseback. Instead of wagons, sleds were used for hauling in wood, gathering corn and in fact for all hauling purposes on the farm.

There were women pioneers as well as men. In 1817 there came to this township a widow by the name of Rachel Elliott, with two small boys and a little girl, named re-^icctively, .\lfred. I.udwell and S;illy. By industry and thrift and what money she brought with her they increased their possessions until bv tlie time the children ;ittained their majorit\- thej- all owned good farms.

The amusements of these early settlers were shooting matches, hor^e racing, and drinking whisky. .Ml did not indulge in these pa'-tinies. but the gre;it niaioritv did and they were not disgraced by so doing. It was impossible to get help at a log-rolling, barn or house raising or gathering of any kind, if the liquor was not forthcoming. Joseph. Bates was among the first to try to effect a change in the order of things, being imbued with temperance principles and on a certain occasion refused to furnish whisky to his harvest hands. They struck, as a matter of right, and it was some days before Bates finally concluded that his only way of saving his wheat was to yield to the demands of his neighbors, and then the harvest work went along merrily. At that date the wheat was all cut with a sickle and it was made a sort of frolic to go about from one farm to another and reap the wheat. An extra good hand would cut about an acre a day with reap hook. In this work the women often found time to lend a helping hand and bound up the sheaves.

The town of Claysville was laid off by Julius Turner, October 24, 1828. It was first called "Middletown," but was changed by act of the Legislature, in March, 1839, in order that a postoffice might be established. It never had any additions, but comprises fifty-seven lots on sections 9 and 10. Simeon Porter opened the first store in 1827, succeeded by Lyman Gould in 1830. In 1835 Aaron Walker established a grocery which he afterwards sold to Madison Bowles. William Lemon operated a store here for several years and did an extensive business, up to 1862, when the store burned with all its contents. For many years Royal B. Child was a prominent physician, lawyer and general business man of the settlement. At the present time there is one store in the place, conducted by Arch Padgett.

Muster Day

The town was prominent in early times on account of the yearly meeting of the militia for battalion muster. Muster week brought in people from all parts of the country. They had a race track and plenty of whisky and brandy. This training week took place some time after harvest and was an institution peculiar to the time. The drills lasted three or four days. Flags' and bunting not being as plentiful as they are today, red, white and blue calico took their place. Indeed everything symbolic of love of country which ingenuity could suggest was displayed.

.Ml the family treasures of patriotism were brought forth in token of the military spirit of the occasion. The "sword of Bunker Hill" and all swords whatsoever that had been used in battle were polished. Bullets were molded as gra\cly as if actual warfare impended. Family relics of motheaten uniforms and 'hashes were donned, with a I'alstaffian motlev as a result when the troops formed in Hne. Ancestral drums and fifes made music for the parade, while its officers rode up and down shouting meanirigless commands to enbryo soldiers who were hopelessly ignorant of tactics. The question as to who shou'd be commander-in-chief for the day usually led to much rivalry, and sometimes to bitter feuds that lasted until the next training day. But all were unanimous on one point, that, on their country's call, they could leave the plow to take up the musket and rout any foe.

The only opportunity for religious worship in those early days was through the visits of itinerant preachers and the annual camp-meetings, which sometimes lasted two weeks. People came and camped out in wagons, others improvised pole pens and sheds in which they set up beds, but the cooking was done in pots and skillets over a chunk fire. Naturally the housewife brought along her best pickles, preserves, chicken fries, honey and the like - an abundance for the occasion. In a nice shady spot a platform was built and in many instances logs served for benches. The morning service began at nine o'clock and with a short recess the session lasted until after twelve. Another session started at three in the afternoon and still another at seven, which never ended before eleven. In the groves around the tabernacle were many "lo\ers" lanes," and to the young people it was a kind of mating time.

Schools were maintained in the township as early as 1824. At- the source of Twin creek the Friends erected a meeting house and named it Mt. Pleasant, where lx)th winter and summer terms of school were taught. Teachers were Jacob Mendenhall, Jesse Stanley, John Nixon and Anna Coffin. In 1825 a literary society was established at that point which was maintained for a number of years and did much to elevate the literary standing of the community. In the Ilungate settlement, east of Li\onia. schools were supported at (|uite an early day.

Jonathan Prosser was probably the leading educator of the township in early days. Jesse Martin taught in ditTerent parts of the township for almost a life time, and the veteran minister, William .McCoy, filled the office of Hoosier schoolmaster.

Under the first organization of the free school system Rice M. Rubinson, James Racket and l\(il)ert Campbell were named trustees. The first contract entered into by iheni was with Hugh ]\IcPheeters, which read as f(ill(Vv\s: with Teacher - We the undersigned, trustees of district No. 1, in township No. 2. in Washington county. Indiana, ha\e this day.

November ii, 1848, employed Hugh K. McPheeters to teach a school in the school house in said district, for which we agree to pay said McPheeters the sun: of fifteen dollars per month, binding ourselves to pay as far as the public funds go; and the said McPheeters binding himself to take the several employers for the remainder, each paying in proportion to the time children are sent to school. School to commence on Monday the 20th of November, 1848, and to continue for three months. And also said McPheeters is to warm the house each morning so that school can commence at eight o'clock, and let out school at one hour by sun in the evening. Each employer to furnish one-fourth of a cord of wood for each scholar sent to school."

Smedley is the only railroad station in Vernon township. It was made a postoiTice when the railroad was completed in 1849. Morgan Smedley was first postmaster and merchant of the place and continued in business for a good many years. A general store is now operated at the station by Frank Brewer.