HARRISON TOWNSHIP.
Harrison is one of the very best townships in the county and is peopled by able and thrifty farmers, who are purchasing many of the small lots of land heretofore occupied as farms and attaching them to their first possessions. This shows fewer farms than in 1860. In other townships there are greater portions of the land unoccupied. and as it settles. population increases.
The township was erected May, 1818, from territory taken from the west end of Twin Township, and contained all of that township west of a line commencing at the southeast corner of Section 31, Town 10 north, Range 2 east, and running thence north to the township line. It was reduced to its present size in 1820. Numerous streams have their source within its boundary. the principal of which' are East Branch of Greenville Creek, branches of Mud Creek flowing northward and eastward. and the East Fork of Whitewater, which rises in the northeastern part and flows southeasterly through its lands. The Middle Fork of Whitewater flows across the northwest corner, while many springs gushing out from the hillsides contribute their waters. which • by their natural channels supply abundance of water and an excellent natural drainage. Save in the northwest. the valleys of these streams and much of their basins were swampy and well-nigh impassable. In some places, there were tall rank grasses and swamp weeds ; in others, timber and thickets of vinous brush—briery and woven as a network of nature's weaving, while on higher ground bordering these were walnut, hackberry, sugar maple and oaks ; in the southeastern part, beech predominated. The native scenery. presents an appearance of a western forest repelling the settler from interference with its domain. Such were the general features of this region before the pioneer had chosen his home. or any surveyor had ventured to trace the boundaries of town or range. All was wood and swamp. Nature reigned in unbroken solitude save the song of birds. the graceful flight of deer, the nightly howl of wolves and the occasional unearthly screech of the American panther. Abundance of game. the rolling lands. the springs and streams were marked by explorers.
Ishmael. Bunch. one of the earliest settlers of Wayne Co., Ind., if generally accepted tradition may be accepted, built a log cabin and lived some time previous to the Indian outbreak on land now included in Harrison Township, but he was rather a roaming frontiersman than a pioneer settler, and depended more upon his rifle than upon his plow for subsistence.
Before the war of 1812. the Brawleys, Purviances and McClures, had made entries in the southern part along the present beautiful East Fork Valley, but the hostile attitude of the Indians compelled them to seek more secure quarters for their families. Some went to the fort at Greenville and some to the older settlements south. Again the lands were left to solitude and the rude attempts at settlement. but served to make the wilderness more wild and strange. Soon after
466 - HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
the treaty at Greenville. the families above mentioned returned and repaired the work begun. and entered anew upon the clearing-up of limits the future farms. They were shortly after joined by William and Lim Wade, who located farther north and near to Fort Black. and by Zadoc and John Smith, whose entry included the old flat while James Emerson. Joseph Gist. the Tillsons and the Harlands. selected lands lying along the Middle Branch of Whitewater. The ring of the woodman's ax. and the triumphant shout of the pioneers as the last log was placed by the "corner men'. upon each new cabin, proclaimed the progress of civilization here.
So rapid was settlement that by 1817. Zadoc Smith was encouraged to attempt the speculative movement of laying out a town at Fort Black. This old fort was established during the fall of 1813 by Lieut. Black. of a company commanded by Capt. Nesbitt, who at the same time built a fort in Preble Count,,-. David Baldwin. now of Kansas. aided to build the fort. and was for some time one of its garrison. Mr. Smith platted a tract of land near the fort, which was for many years and till its incorporation called by the name of Fort Black. On Christmas Day. 1817, a public sale of town lots was held, but the sequel proved that he had anticipated the needs of the times. Henry Hutton and Frederick Fulke were the only purchasers who built upon lots then sold; nevertheless, there were besides the families of these two men. Dennis Hart. Judson Jaqua and the Lawrences. in the neighborhood which became known as Yankee Town : Solomon and Jonathan Thomas. southwest of Madison ; John and Aaron Rush, on Section 11 (?) and 14: Thomas Micham, on Section 16 ; John Downing, on Section 10 ; Frances Spencer, on Section 3 ; Samuel Roberts. at Fort Nesbitt, and his brother George, on Section 29. and John and Jacob Miller. Daniel Owens, David, James I'. and Daniel Edwards and John Watson were in the central part and north of Fort Nesbitt. There was also John Tibbs, who gave his time to hunting. and David Gibbs and Newland. millwrights, and Robert Campbell, in the southwest portion. The openings had grown numerous, clearings were no longer far between, and now the township was consti- tuted and the people entered upon a government for themselves. Among additional settlers were Ernestus Putnam, Solomon Broderick, James Wooden (who were the first Justices of the Peace in the township). M. Buckingham. Nazareth Bunch, John Carrier, William Jones. Daniel Forkner. Jonathan Thomas, the Motes brothers, John Foster, E. Lovall and Thomas Gray. The lands of 1830 had all been entered, and some localities presented an appearance of a continued occupation. It must be borne in mind that these settlers came not as emigrants go to Kansas and other Western countries, upon the railroad. Neither had they cash in hand. nor an abundant outfit. The greater number were sons and daughters of the pioneer families of Kentucky, older portions of Ohio and the enterprising of Eastern and Southern States. Putnam and Foulke came from Washington. D. C. Here having married, they sought permanent homes, and being poor. their outfit was indeed meager. In some cases, a horse, a cow, a few swine, and some rude tools for felling trees and cultiva Ling the ground. Those who came from Kentucky, especially, had a horse and a few cooking utensils. They journeyed, some on foot, while others more fortunate had teams. Generally two or three families came together, and had• a wagon and team in common Such was the ease with McClure and his sons, the Wade brothers, the Smiths, Tillson and sons and the Harlands. In their course. they traveled over the new roads of the older settlements, as most not from the older portions of Ohio came in by way of Cincinnati. up the Miami from Dayton and the Stillwater, or up the Whitewater via Richmond to or near the present Miami County line. They then struck through the woods. sometimes being compelled to cut their own way until they reached the spot which husband or friend had previously selected. The family sometimes entered a cabin provided months before by these pioneers, while other times the immigrant sought temporary shelter in the cabin of a neighbor. while yet others made rude shelter until a cabin could be built.
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It is surprising to us. and creditable to the discernment of these pioneers, that in the rough of nature they should have seen the wealth of their lands and so wisely selected them. To cut away the trees and brush, and to erect a cabin, was to these woodmen their easiest labor. as all within reasonable distance were ever ready to leave their own work to aid a neighboring old or new settler, whether friend or stranger : but how to provide for their families until the ground could be made to yield its increase was a subject uppermost in mind. and injury by weather or animals was dreaded. for they had no money to purchase supplies if their own resources failed them. Frequently, the family was left while the father or husband went upon long and wearisome journeys to the older settlements upon the Miami or the Whitewater Valleys. and. at times, to Kentucky, where supplies could be obtained from friends or acquaintances. Unavoidable and unexpected delays in --- their return. which sometimes occurred, would occasion alarm, and, not infrequently. the privations of hunger were endured. Had not the first settlers possessed natural ingenuity. developed by a frontier life. their progress, situated as they were, so distant from any mercantile or manufacturing center, would have been rendered almost impossible. The - openings" with growing crops, the rattle of the bells upon the cows in the deadening or in the woods, the voices of children and the neighborly visits of settlers. presented scenes pleasant and prophetic.
When a crop had been raised, it was almost worth the meal or flour to get it ground. Daniel Riegel relates that. as late as the winter of 1842-43, he went to Covington from Butler Township with a grist. found several others ahead of him and the mill frozen up ; left his grain and returned home till the weather softened, then went back and helped to loosen the wheel, at the first revolution of which. the weight of ice that went over broke the wheel ; after which, he was compelled to take his grist to a mill on the Whitewater. below Paris, traveling, in all, going and coming, over ninety miles to get his flour. Some went down on the Whitewater, some to Stillwater. while others journeyed to Adams' mill, on Greenville Creek. These trips were prominent undertakings. They were made. mainly, on horseback, and, when the water was low. settlers traveled thirty or forty miles to mill, and some of the first settlers even went to Dayton in order to get wheat flour. A produce market was unknown : provisions were raised and pork was fattened to eat. Clothing was not bought. but made. Ernestus Putnam. who had kept a little store at his house at Fort Black and was Supervisor. built. mainly at his own expense, a log road and bridge across the East Fork swamp. Aaron Rush was the chief contractor. and the money thus obtained probably saved his being compelled to relinquish his The Miami Canal was completed to Dayton in 1829. thus placing Darke County many miles nearer the commercial world. and causing the settlers to look forward more hopefully.
The settlers earlier named were of the better class of pioneers. Nearly every one remained upon and improved his lands. Few of them now survive. Mr. Samuel Roberts and George Roberts. who still reside where they first settled in 1817. are of the niunber. From Mrs. Roberts. now in her eighty-fourth year. is obtained the full. accurate statement of early settlers. Solomon Thomas and Henry Hutton [Henry Hutton died since this narrative was written—the last of April. 1880]. who are now upward of ninety years of age. are residents of New Paris. There is a Mrs. Keener. residing in German Township. who was the wife of a son of Frances Harter and Solomon Harter, who was a lad when his father settled on that tier of sections which at first belonged to Harrison, and in 1820 was assigned to Butler. Such is the short roll-call of surviving pioneers.
Moral principles and intelligence have ever been known as essential factors to the stability and growth of our country. and these were characteristics of the pioneers of Harrison.
Such was John Purviance, a descendant of David Purviance. who was prominent in the organization of the first Christian Church in Kentucky. At his home, meetings and schools were occasionally held, as. also. at the house of Samuel
468 - HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
McClure, who was both preacher and teacher, conscientious and philanthropic—a good man. John Forster, Isaac Mains and William Polly were all early preachers of the Christian denomination. The efforts of such families as the Tilisms, Harlands and Pollys and of Solomon Broderick, produced a wholesome moral and religious sentiment in the southern and western part of the township. At Fort Black, lived Ernestus Putnam, a strict Presbyterian, and there were John Rush. John Downing, Judson Jaqua, Hart. and others, who were men of good character and public spirited. Jacob Miller was of marked intelligence, but his moral influence was not of the best. The first house built for public worship was a log meeting-house, near where Friendship Church now stands. There are now eight churches in the township, viz.: one Presbyterian, one Methodist and one Universalist, at New Madison ; one Christian at Hollansburg, and one each of Christian, Presbyterian, New Light and United Brethren elsewhere in the township. It was also used as a schoolhouse, wherein John Purviance taught the first school. supported by subscription. The first schoolhouse, intended as such. was built at Yankeetown, in 1819, and Moses Woods was the first teacher there.• The second was built upon Section 16, and William Hill was the first to teach in it. The township now has six district schools, besides the school at Hollandsburg, which includes two districts, and the school at Madison. of which mention is later made.
A brief sketch of New Madison will be read with interest in this connection. We have referred to the Christmas auction of lots and the few sales made. It seems that the attempted sale was made an occasion of a regular pioneer jollification, but its failure was disheartening to Smith, who, in 1819. sold his entire claim to Ernestus Putnam. who had entered the quarter-section just west of Smith. The purchaser bought up all lots sold, vacated the plat, and. in 1831. surveyed New Madison by laying off seventeen lots on each side of what is now Main street. beginning with the lot where the old tannery stands and running south on the east side of the street and back on the west side. Mr. Putnam kept the first store in the place, to which he transferred his stock from Fort Black. A Mr. Hyde was the first blacksmith. At the southeast corner of the new plat, a rectangular- shaped piece of land remained, upon which Putnam placed a log house and donated both lot and house to the people for school purposes. This was the first schoolhouse within the limits of the present corporation. He and John Wade also gave a piece of ground for a cemetery, provided public ground for a militia parade. and. when a church was needed, he gave the ground, and he and others built the present brick church and gave it for the use of the public, with the restriction that it should be used by orthodox denominations only. Before the church was built. Mr. Putnam, who was the prime mover in the undertaking. made several propositions toward securing co-operation. Several gave sums ranging from $50 downward. The Foulkes and Hollingsheads gave $50 ; Mrs. Wilson (now the only survivor) gave $50 ; Mrs. Carson, $50 ; Dr. Kilpatrick, $50, and the Lawrences, the Schribers, the Rittenours, etc., varying smaller amounts. The church was erected in 1847. Mr. Putnam superintended the work : Jason Downing was one of the brickmasons ; William Biddle did a large part of the woodwork. It was not until several years after the church was built that funds were subscribed to purchase a bell, and the bell was not put up until after the German Reformed Church had possession of the building, which occurred in the latter part of 1857. After the church was built, there was for some time no regular preaching by Presbyterian ministers, but frequent services by preachers of that and other orthodox denominations. Rev. Benj. 0. Springer came here about two years after the church was built, and he was succeeded by Peter Crocker, who preached frequently. but did not occupy all the time, until 1855-56. In 1857, Rev. Voght, of the German Reformed Church, awakened a great interest here and organized a church, a' which time Mr. Putnam joined the new organization and the Presbyterian Church was turned over to its use. he himself appointing the following Trustees, viz., Elias Harter, Robert Snodgrass and Echard Worch. Mr. Snodgrass died, and
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Daniel Ream was appointed his successor. For over twenty-one years, the German Reformed Church held and occupied the property under quitclaim limitations, but now have the ownership in fee simple. At present, there are services every two weeks by the German Reformed and United Brethren denominations, alternately. A union Sabbath school is held at 9:30 o'clock A. M. every Sunday. Average attendance, seventy-five. Among the Superintendents have been Wallace Jones. L. Adair. J. M. Adair, John O. Harter, James Armacost, E. Lockett, H. Seig, David Wheeler, Elias Harter. D. Lott is the present Superintendent. The church and Sunday school are provided with an organ.
The new village was slow of growth. While Putnam did work at gun smithing, Mrs. Putnam. who is reputed to have been the real business manager, attended to the business of the little store. As time went on, Putnam started a small pork house. and bought and packed pork, which was regarded by the neighbors as a doubtful enterprise. Rouk. who came in 1818, was a sort of saddler, and developed a small shop. A mill was begun by John G. Putnam in 1850, and finished by Dr. Kilpatrick. It was burned in 1852, and rebuilt by P. V. Moore and Daniel Schults in 1856. The Universalists organized a church on April 3, 1859, with thirty-one members. Henry Gifford being Pastor. During the summer of 1859, subscriptions were received. and a church building was erected and dedicated in January. 1860. Christians. Universalists and Presbyterians have churches in the township. The latter, about 1821. at a meeting in which John Wooden, Thomas Carson and Jacob Miller were Trustees, the name Providence was given to their church. A lodge of F. & A. M., known as Fort Black Lodge, No. 413, was chartered October 21. 1868, with sixteen charter members. The first Master was L. S. B. Otwell. Present membership, fifty-three.
New Madison has a fine town hall, a brick structure, built in 1878, 70x40 feet. three stories, including basement. The middle story is used as a public assembly. lecture. concert. etc., room. also for festivals and dances. The basement, on the latter occasions, serves as culinary department. and a part of it is in general use for storage. etc. The upper story is the Odd Fellows' Hall. George Bacon was Chairman of the Committee on Construction and contractor. The building cost about $7,000. The lot was bought of Mrs. Matthew McWhinney for $60U. and then sold for the same price. enough ground being retained for the erection of the town hall.
Few villages of the size and population of New Madison (population 562 according to census of 1880) have so commodious and complete a school building. It is located on the southeast side of Main street. on a lot seven-eighths of an acre in extent. The lot was bought of J. B. Schriber for $200. He purchased it at Sheriff's sale., subject to a dower of $66. The building is 50x50 feet, two stories. four rooms. and was put up by William Lindsay, lowest bidder, for $6,500. The seating. outhouses. fences and other improvements have made the total cost a little above $7.500. The building was put up in 1870. The first Superintendent was Mr. Thomas Eubanks. The following were his successors, viz., Edwin Lockett. Mr. Christler. Mr. Reed and Mr. Christner. Thomas Eubanks is now again in charge of the school. Miss Rebecca Riddle has taught nearly every term since the erection of the new structure, and Miss Ella Rush has also taught several terms. The lot above spoken of adjoined “the old-school lot " mentioned in the foregoing sketch and history of New Madison, and the present school grounds of course includes both. The first (log) schoolhouse, which was also used for religious and other meetings. is still standing, and is now used as a stable. It was erected when the town was laid out. The second schoolhouse (of brick) is located on the same side but at the other end of Main street, near the old brewery. and is also still standing. It was built in 1850.
A new brick grain warehouse has just been completed. near the depot, 40x75 feet. two stories. The shipments of grain and stock from New Madison have averaged. of late years, 40.000 bushels of wheat, 60,000 bushels of corn, and
470 - HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.
3,000 head of live stock and hogs per annum. These are the aggregate figures representing the business hitherto done by Swisher & Templeton. and more recently by Swisher, now the only grain and produce shipper. The new warehouse was put up by Mr. Edward Bunch. and will doubtless he used for the purpose intended the ensuing fall and winter.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, was built in the summer of 1878, and is a frame structure 36x50 feet ; cost about $1,100. It is located nearly opposite the Presbyterian Church, on the south side of Washington street. The lot contains one-fourth of an acre less fifty feet, and was purchased from Obadiah Hill for the sum of $100. Regular preaching by Rey. Allbright and Rev. Kerm. Average Sabbath-school attendance, forty.
The Universalist Church, more particularly referred to elsewhere, is about 40x50 feet, located on the north side of Washington street, at the southeast end thereof. The lot upon which it is situated was purchased of John B. Schriber for $75, in June, 1859, and contains 85/100 acres. There has been no regular preaching for over two years past, but the Universalist Sabbath School is in regular session.
There are two steam saw-mills and a stream grist-mill in New Madison. all doing a good business ; one of the former has attached to it a flouring department, also a planing, flouring and bracket-manufacturing branch, and nearly every branch of mercantile and professional pursuit is represented. The village enjoys all the advantages of a railroad town, and is surrounded by a country that can hardly be surpassed and is very seldom equaled as to beauty and productiveness.
Among the older institutions and landmarks of New Madison. the New Madison Brewery, John Lantry. proprietor. must not he omitted. This ancient, yet not very old, establishment is located at the corner of Main and Franklin streets, and was commenced in 1858. Successive additions have been made until it is now 144 feet in length by 18 feet in width, about 50 feet of the front being considerably wider. It has never changed owners, but part of the time has been run by other (hired) parties than the proprietor. Since 1875. the brewery has been idle. Mr. Lantry is disabled so that he seldom leaves the premises, but is known by those who visit and converse with him to be a quaint but good-hearted specimen of the rale ould stock," half-hermit, it is true, and afflicted. but more genial and less cynical than a casual observer might suppose.
The tannery is another representative of ye olden time. It was built by Robert Snodgrass and Thomas and Henderson Fleming, in an early day. The original building was 60x20 feet, hut, in 1844, an addition was made of 15x20 feet. The business passed from the above firm into the hands of Joseph Snodgrass (son of Robert), who ran it until his death three years ago when his widow rented it to Mr. Lewis Stolder, who continued to run it up to March, 1880. since which time it has been idle
HOLLANDSBURG
is located near the center of Section 5, in the northwestern part of the township, about half a mile east of the Middle Fork of the Whitewater River, and distant from New Madison five and eight-tenths miles. It was laid out in 1817. Present population about three hundred. The different businesses, religious and educational interests, etc., are well represented. The adjoining country is fertile, and while the progress of the village has not been rapid, its growth in many substantial respects has been far greater than mere external evidences would indicate. The new Methodist Episcopal Church is a conveniently located and commodious structure, as well as the Christian Church, elsewhere mentioned in these pages. There are many pleasant residences, and some that may be said to be of the best class of dwellings in the county. Intelligence and thrift characterize the people generally