Washington Township

Washington Township

On May 14, 1822, the county commissioners established Washington township with the following limits : Beginning at the county line on the line dividing townships 10 and 11; thence west with said line to the southwest corner of section 35, range 10, township 11; thence north with the line dividing sections 34 and 35 to the southwest corner of section 26; thence west with the section line to the southwest corner of section 28, range 10, township 11; thence north with said section line to the southwest corner of section 16, range 10, township 11; thence west with the section line to the southwest corner of section 14, range 9, township 11 ; thence south with the line dividing sections 22 and 23 to the southwest corner, of section 23, range 9, township 11; thence west to the southwest comer of section 21, range 9, township 1 1 ; thence south with the line dividing sections 28 and 29 to the township line dividing townships 10 and 11 ; thence west with the said line to the county line; thence south with the county line to the southwest corner of said county; thence with the county line to the place of beginning.

Washington township as originally laid ont embraced the entire southern half of the county and contained more square miles of territory than Adams and Fugit combined. It comprised the territory from which the townships of Washington, Sand Creek, Marion, Jackson, Clay and a part of Salt Creek were later formed.

On May 2, 1825, the board of justices re-defined the limits of Washington township as follow : Beginning at the county line on the township line dividing townships 10 and 11, range 11; thence west on the township line to the southwest corner of section 35 ; thence north one mile ; thence west two miles ; thence north one mile ; thence due west seven miles to the northwest corner of section 29, range 9, township 11; thence south six miles to the southwest corner of section 20, range 9, township 10; thence due east to the county line; thence with the count}- line to the place of beginning (volume I, page 136).

But this was not to be the final boundary of this township, for, in 1836, Salt Creek township was organized and Washington underwent another change of boundary. The limits of the township as permanently defined are as follow: "Beginning at the northwest corner of section 29, township 11, range 8; thence south six miles on the section line dividing sections 29 and 30, township II, range 8, to the northwest corner of section 29, township 10, range 9; thence east nine miles to the Salt Creek township line; thence north on the section line dividing sections 22 and 2^, township 10, range 10, to the northeast corner of section 34, township 9, range 10; thence west two miles; thence north two miles; thence south one mile; thence west to the place of beginning."

Washington was one of the three original townships laid out by the board of county commissioners of Decatur county, when it held its first meeting at the home of Thomas Hendricks, May 14, 1822. The two other townships were Fugit and Adams. The board fixed the first day of June as the date for holding a township election for selection of two justices of the peace and fixed the place for holding it at the residence of Thomas Hendricks. Richard J. Hall was appointed inspector.

This township is located in almost the exact center of the county and contains fifty-four square miles of territory. According to the census report of 1910, the entire population of the township, exclusive of the city of Greensburg, was one thousand four hundred and eight. The entire township is underlaid with a bed of limestone, which has proved of utmost value in the construction of highways.

to the county seat and shipping facihties, land in Washington township has always commanded a high price in the real estate market. Most of the farms have good buildings and are well impro\'ed. As a result, farms frequently sell at one hundred and fifty dollars an acre and even higher figures.

First Settlers

The first settlers of the township were Thomas Hendricks, Elijah Davis and Benjamin Drake. Thomas Ireland, Samuel Logan and Samuel Houston came about the same time. Houston was a surveyor and is supposed to have been the first justice of the peace in Washington township. He died a few years after the organization of the county.

Hendricks himself was a surveyor and had surveyed the greater portion of Decatur county for the federal government in 1820, when engineers had been sent out to run lines through the "New Purchase." His assistants were Houston, the two Stewarts, Logan and Sam Gageby. He was by all odds the leading spirit in the new community, as he came of stock richly endowed by nature for leadership. He was a brother of William Hendricks, second governor of Lidiana, and an uncle of Thomas A. Hendricks, later vice-president of the United States. He built the first house, conducted the first tavern therein, and later opened the first hotel in the county on the site of the present DeArmond Hotel. He entered the first land in Washington township in October, 1820.

About the same time, Re\'. James Lathrop, a Vermonter, who had reached Dearborn county, entered land in Washington township and then went back to Dearborn county to bring on his family to the new settlement. While making preparations for his removal, he fell ill and died. The responsibilities of the head of the family of ten children then fell upon his son, Ezra, father of Rev. James B. Lathrop.

Ezra Lathrop, with a younger brother and a hired man, then came to Washington county and made preparations for caring for the remainder of the family, when it should arrive. In the spring of 182 1 the widow and family came to Decatur county and settled on land that had been entered by her husband and improved, through erection of a log cabin, by her sons.

Next among the early settlers came Henry H. Talbott, a young Virginian, who promptly made love to and married one of the five Hendricks daughters. The two Stewart brothers had previously formed matrimonial alliances with the Hendricks family. Talbott possessed an excellent education and was unusually adept with a pen. He was clerk of the county for a

Talbott was an unusnally talented representative of a type that made its presence felt in each new community in the days of county organization. They were the seekers after office, and early records of Indiana counties show that it was a very common custom for politicians failing to land jobs, in one county when it was organized, to quit the county and try their luck again in the next one organized. Talbott, however, had not }et attained his majority when he came to Washington township. Talbott and Robert Murphy, who came with him, boarded at the Hendricks house. Talbott brought some goods with him and started a store, which may have been the first one in the township, although this distinction is also claimed for a man named Riley. The ne.xt newcomer was David Gageby, who had resided at Vernon. He started a cabinet shop on the northwest corner of the public square. He was later joined by his brother James. David then turned his attention exclusively to carpenter work, leaving the management of the shop to his brother. Other early settlers were Martin and John Jamison, hatters. In 1 82 1, William Lloyd settled on what is now called the Madison road, about two miles south of Greensburg. He brought with him from Jefferson count}', where he had stopped a few months, a number of hogs and cattle. Rattlesnakes killed off a good many of the cattle and a good share of the hogs wandered away into the woods and were lost.

Thomas Perry emigrated from Bath county, Kentucky, to Washington township in 1823 and settled four miles east of Greensburg. Samuel and John McConnell, two other Kentuckians, also came about the same time. Both were powerful and muscular and possessed great physical courage. It is related that, while living "on the dark and bloody ground," John McConnell was once beset by two Indians. He whipped them both and took away from one a very business-like war club, which he preserved as a trophv of the encounter.

Others who found homes for themselves in ^Vashington township before the organization of the county were Rev. John Strange, John House, Samuel Anderson, Jeptha Conner, William Bell, Daniel McCormick, Joseph English, John Messinger and David Messinger. Most of these settled in the southeastern part of the township. Still others who settled in the township alMut this time were : Abraham Garrison, Thomas Chinn, Benjamin Walker, Benjamin Drake, Otha White, Paris Aldrich. George Hopkins, Robert Elder, John Hazelrigg, Matthew, William and James Elder, Thomas Doles, John and Elijah Davis and John Robbins.

held by a squatter named Gartin. William Ross, first sheriff of the county, and William Parks, a member of the first board of county commissioners, were among the earliest to arrive.

Washington township has two villages marked on the map. The first of these is McCoy, which was platted on August ii, 1871, by J. C. Adams, but this failed to materialize and at present nothing remains to give semblance to a town. Quarry Switch was the point where the switch from Harris connected with the Big Four. At this point the Big Four branches, the Columbus, Hope & Greensburg branch going west and the Michigan branch going south.

The officers of Washington township are as follow : Trustee, Charles S. Williams;- assessor, Henry C. Snell; advisory board, Dan S. Perry, Joseph B. Kitchen, Charles I. Ainsworth; board of supervisors, P. L. Doles, Oliver A. McCoy and Nathan A'andivier; justices of the peace, William W. Dixon and Thomas W. Hamilton; constables, William Dorsey and Reuben Smalley.

Washington township has two consolidated grade schools, supplied with two teachers each. There are also three district schools in this township, which cannot be consolidated. The high school students of this township are accommodated by the Green.sburg high school, which is dealt with in its proper place.

Summarizing the different township schools of this county, it can be easily seen that there is a marked advancement toward consolidation and centralization. The citizens of this county, as in other counties, are beginning to realize the greater advantages which can be gained from a consolidated school, which affords more high-salaried teachers and better educational facilities than could be received through many scattered one-room schools.

Westport High School

The first school at Westport was taught in the year 1845 by ^ Mr. Biddinger. This school house was a one-room log building, having seats around the wall, a large stove in the center of the room and recitation benches arrayed in a quaint manner around the stove. These benches and seats were made of rough-hewn logs which were not promoters of comfort. The sessions of the school during the first winters after the building was erected never exceeded three months and the average attendance was estimated at about thirty.

In 1859 this log building was replaced by a two-story brick structure, erected on the site of the old log school house. The upper room was used as a town hall, but soon the school attendance was increased and consequently this was used for class purposes. iNIr. Strickland taught the first school in this new brick building. He also was the first teacher to introduce high-school studies in the curricuhim of the school course. When he retired from the field of teaching this work was dropped and was not taught again until the present school building was erected. Under Mr. Strickland's leadership the attendance of the school was increased, the average then being about sixty-five pupils. Two teachers were regularly employed and, some years, the attendance was increased until it was necessary to add another teacher.

The increased attendance also brought about the necessity for larger and more modern quarters, but this could not be provided at that time, so a frame room was built for a temporary means of relieving the congestion. The publication of a weekly school paper was begun about this time and became quite an interesting factor among the students. After the building of the railroad, the attendance of the school rapidly increased and the school soon boasted of an attendance of one hundred and twenty students. The majority of these were enrolled at the brick building, as the frame room was only used for the primary grades. The average length of the term was from six to seven months, and from three to four teachers were employed. The present building was erected in 1896. It was originally a twostory brick building, containing four rooms and two halls. The average attendance at that time was about two hundred and twenty-five and from four to five teachers were employed. In 1909 the building was enlarged by the addition of two new rooms. The original two upper rooms were converted into one large auditorium and a laboratory, and a recitation room was also added to the basement.

The school was commissioned in 1909-10 and additional improvements have been made to the building since that time. The school is furnished with modern equipment and devices, is both comfortable and attractive and has an average attendance at present of two hundred and eighty. The school has been under the leadership of Supt. Oscar W. Holmes since its commission to the first grade ranks. Superintendent Holmes is a graduate of Indiana State Normal School and ranks with the foremost educators of the day. Since its commission Westport high school has graduated eighty students from its ranks who are now engaged in various callings.

.\thletics is a great factor in the regular work of the school life. Domestic science and agriculture have also been added to the curriculum of studies. The common school attendance averages two hundred and the high school attendance is placed at eighty. Seven teachers are employed.

St. Paul School

The history of the St. Paul schools, as with all of the early schools of Indiana, hegin with the little log school house. In the year 185 1, when the surrounding country was one vast wooded territory, with scattered settlements, there was established a small school in the little village of St. Paul. This was the beginning of an educational program, the end which has not been reached, but is still pushing ever higher. The interior of this room was characteristic of all the early log school buildings. A large fireplace occupied one end of this building, and at the opposite end was a small platform, on which the early pedagogue held his sway. The desks were made of half logs, with their flat face hewn smooth, and the seats were similarly constructed. Along the wall was a long, smooth, wide board used for writing. The three R's - reading, writing and arithmetic - were the only subjects taught. Such was the beginning of the school system in St. Paul.

About the year 1856 the quarters of the school was changed to a frame building, but this was only a temporary change. The next move was to the second story of what was then known as the Ridlen building, but is now occupied by Mr. Johannes' buggy shop. Some of the teachers who saw active service there were Mr. Madison, George Stotsenburg, David Sutton, Dr. and Mrs. Ballard. Spelling was one of the chief diversions in the schools of this time and many good spellers were developed.

After several years, the school again shifted and this time established in the building which is now the home of Henry Neidigh. The growth of the schools had reached such proportions at this time that two rooms and two teachers were required. Among the names of the teachers who served at this time were James Scull, Mrs. D. J. Ballard, Eunice Paul, Charles Powner, George Stotsenburg and Doctor Ballard. One of these who is especially remembered by the pupils is Charles Powner. Mr. Powner was a near-sighted man, of little training, and the boys found plenty of time and opportunity for fun at his expense. It was during this period of school that the people became divided on religious and ix)litical views and this, in turn, split up the school system. There were then established three different schools, besides the remnant of the public school. They were located as follows : One in the Methodist church, one in the Catholic church, and one in the Floyd building. The latter was a private school established by the Madison and Woodard families, the former being sectarian schools. This factional difference was soon adjusted and in 1870-71 a new school build- ing was erected on the site of the present high school building. This was a large, square, brick building erected by Trustee Benjamin Jenkins. It contained six class rooms and a large assembly room. Each morning the entire school would gather in the large assembly room for the opening exercises, which consisted of singing, etc.

Gradually the courses were enlarged by the addition of a few high school subjects, but the exact date of this is unknown, although the first graduates of this one-year course are given as Flo Hoover and Frank Ray. The first teacher in that high school was Mr. Alcott. This was merely an incentive toward the greater work of making this a standard high school. A short time later a three-year course was added and this was maintained until the old building was destroyed by fire. The teachers who assisted in the old building were Mr. Lewark, principal; Mr. Jewett, number four; Mrs. Jewett, number two, and Mrs. Viola Palmerton, number one.

The building was destroyed by fire in 1901 and work was immediately begun on the erection of a new building, but this was not accomplished in time for school work that winter and, in consequence, school was held in the rooms of the Kanouse and Floyd buildings. In 1902 the building was completed, but the courses of study remained the same. A little later the standard for Indiana high schools was raised by the Legislature and Mr. Crawley was placed in charge of the schools. Too much praise cannot be given to Mr. Crawley for his efl^orts in raising the St. Paul schools to their present standing. The advancement of this high school has been marked and, with the assistance of the patrons, Mr. Crawley has been able to meet all of the demands of the state board of education and keep St. Paul high school in the first rank of commissioned schools of the country. It was commissioned in the fall of 191 1.

Nearly all lines of work are now demanding a high-school education. Competition is driving men in every field of endeavor to make better preparation. As a result, advanced schools for farming, business, theology, medicine and law are demanding that students shall have completed a standard four-year high school course before taking up their college or advanced work. The patrons of this school have fully realized this and, in order that their children might be able to go forth into the world and cope with graduates from other schools on an equal footing, they have seen to it that their high school should add all of the different advanced courses in learning and ofi^er every inducement for the home training.

their four years of commissioned standing. Professor Crowley have served as superintendent for the school for thirteen years and deserves a good portion of the praise due this high school. There are seven teachers and two hundred students at present in grades and high school. The high school alone employs three teachers and has an enrollment of fifty students.