OLD SETTLERS - writeups - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

OLD SETTLERS MEETING LAST SATURDAY -- Incidents of Forty Years Ago -- How the Farms were Cleared and the County Improved -- Five Minute Speeches by Many of the Oldest Citizens in the County Early last Saturday morning citizens from all parts of the county began to pour into this city to attend the old settlers meeting. By 10 o'clock the streets and sidewalks were thronged with people and everything wore a lively appearance. The stores, offices and business houses were thronged with people of all ages and of both sexes during the entire day, and trade of every description was lively. The meeting was held in the Elston grove and was called to order at 1 o'clock p.m. by James Heaton, Sr. Old settlers were invited to come forward and occupy seats on the stand. The seating capacity, however was not sufficient to accommodate the crowd and not a few old people were compelled to stand up The exercises were opened by prayer by Elder Vancleave.

Speeches were now in order and the time for each speaker was limited to five minutes. M.M. Vancleave was the first one to respond. He came here from Kentucky in 1825, being then 15 years old. Then there were more Indians than white people, and the country was a wilderness - there being but three houses in Crawfordsville. He dug ginseng and exchanged it for coffee and tea. At that time there were panthers and snakes and wolves and wild animals of every description running at large. He helped to clear three large farms, beat corn into meal for bread and lived chiefly on corn bread, hominy and wild game. Roads were made in those days by blazing the trees along the line of the route. H also told of his associate in the early days of the settlement and how they traveled from one house to another.

HARVEY HARRISON came here in 1830 and settled on what was known as Cornstalk. He recognized Mrs. Brookshire in the audience who was a young girl at that time. He came to Crawfordsville to get a bill changed and gave a boy fifty cents to show him the way. There were three stores here then, one kept by Major Elston, one by Jonathan Powers and one by Mr. Crawford. The first article he purchased here was an almanac, for which he paid 6 1/2 cents in hard money. At the first election after he came here there were 400 votes polled in the county. John Beard was elected to the legislature form the district composed of the counties of Montgomery, Putnam and Tippecanoe. Mr. Harrison purchased a farm, cleared it, and has since become wealthy.

ISAAC MONTGOMERY is 63 years old, came to this county in 1837 from Jefferson county, Ky., which occupied 20 days time. When he arrived here the country was a wilderness; had seen as many as 100 Indians in Crawfordsville one time. The first Indians he saw were camped on Big Raccoon; lived with his parents in a log house and told how his father had killed a bear with an ax; had worked at ten cents a day; commenced carrying the mail from LaFayette to Crawfordsville the day Gen. Jackson was elected president; received 25 cents per dayfor his services from Col. Vance. There were then four houses between Crawfordsville and LaFayette.

JEHIEL R. CRANE had a written statement of his experience in the early settlement of the county read to the audience. The following is a brief synopsis of it: He was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1804, and emigrated to this county with his parents, in 1827 and settled in Walnut township. The roads, if they could be called roads, were very bad. A part of the time they were compelled to cut their way through the dense forest. They had plenty of meat, as there were plenty of deer and turkey in the woods at that time. They cleared a field the first Winter and Spring and raised a crop of corn the next summer. There were but three houses between them and Crawfordsville. The first house east of this was on Raccoon creek, on the old trace. There was a log mill at Crawfordsville, owned by Burrel Daniel, one at Yountsville, owned by Mr. Crooks, and one at Darlington, owned by Benjamin Cox. The Indianapolis State road was laid out in 1828. The first settlers were an honest, industrious people. We needed no locks or detectives then; everyone attended to his own business. There were many Indians in the forest and they would come down from Thorntown in the Fall to hunt. His oldest sister taught the first school in the township in 1828 Jeremiah West was the first justice of the peace elected in the township. Was married to Miss Lydia Wilson in 1830. Mr. Crane still owns a part of the farm which his father first settled on. Mr. Crane can look back with astonishment at the progress of half a century.

JOEL THOMAS is 61 years old and has resided in the county 46 years. He emigrated from Miami county, Ohio with his parents in 1831. The family consisted of his father and mother, eight brothers and two sisters. They settled near Pleasant Hill, shortly after which another heir was born to the family, making a round dozen. They lived in a log house 18 X 20, with a board roof and boards laid overhead for a loft. Their bed-steads were made of poles. The fire place was made of clay and embraced one end of the house. There were 13 persons lived in that house for one year. Before he was 21 years old he walked to Ft. Wayne and back three times. He worked for $15 a month and in 1841 raised a crop; sold corn at 12 1/2 cents per bushel and hogs at $1.25 per cwt.. net, in LaFayette, and received "blue pup" money in payment for it (Greenbacks would have been better.)

THOMAS ELMORE removed to this county with his parents, from the Little Miami Valley 52 years ago; was then nine years old. The country was then a wilderness. His father settled in Ripley township and cleared a farm. He said he had seen as many as 40 deer in one herd; had seen his father shoot deer and turkey from his door; exhorted young men not to forget what the old pioneers had done for them. The first school house built in Ripley township was in 1822. It was a log structure with a board roof and no floor. The window lights were made of greased paper pasted fast to the logs. The first wheat ground in the county was at Billy Crook's mill near Yountsville. He said their family was at one time six weeks without bread of any kind. They had plenty of meat and vegetables. The only articles they could sell for cash were deer pelts and ginseng; had sold corn at 17 cents per bushel and hogs at $1 per cwt. MR. BENEFIEL assisted by others, entertained the audience with a piece of music entitled "Liberty" out of the old "Missouri, harmony."

ELDER J.J. GOBEN came here from Jefferson county, Ky., in 1829, being 21 years old. He settled on Walnut creek and named that locality Walnut township; purchased a piece of land, built a cabin on it and then went back to Kentucky for his wife. While on the way the Indians stole one of his horses, but that did not deter him. He was married in Kentucky, and having but one horse his wife rode, carried goods in a pair of saddle bags and he walked all the way from Jefferson county, Ky., to this county. On some occasions they were compelled to swim their horses across swollen streams. They spent their first night in this county at Billy Wilson's boarding house. When he took his wife to see their new home on Walnut creek, there was snow on the ground and the cabin had no fireplace in it, (a cold reception) but he built a chimney out of mud and logs. Here Mr. Goben described the described the bedstead and furniture, which was the most amusing part of the day's proceedings. The bedstead was made of poles and bark, the chairs consisted of blocks of wood and the table of boards; yet they were happy in a cabin. The first deer killed was at the deer licks. After shooting it down, he tied its legs together with his suspenders, and carried it home on his shoulder. During the first Winter the snow was 22 inches deep. He cleared a farm and was soon able to provide a good house and better furniture.

WILLIAM MONROE At the age of 16 he emigrated with his parents to this county in 1828. His father settled 80 acres of land and the family lived in a tent until they could build a cabin. They raised flax and his father bought cotton at LaFayette and his mother spun and wove it, and in that way they made their clothes and produced everything they consumed. They had no money in those days. There was more real friendship, more fraternization and more enjoyment then now. At the conclusion of Mr. Monroe's speech, Easter Anthem was sung by this choir. A committee appointed for that purpose reported for the next old settlers meeting the following officers; James Heaton Sr. president,; Samuel Austin, secretary; J.H Benefiel, treasurer. At this time a collection was taken up to defray the expense of the meeting.

WILLIAM RAMEY said he could neither sing nor whistle and had no education in music. He came to this county in 1822 and claimed to have resided in the county longer than any one else now living. He has resided here 55 years. He first settled on Big Racoon, where he helped clear a farm. At that time there were so many snakes in the woods that it was made a rule for each farmer to spend an hour every day at noon killing snakes At that time and for many years afterwords corn would only bring 10 cents per bushel and wheat could not be sold in Crawfordsville for 25 cents per bushel, and would only bring 30 cents at LaFayette.

GEORGE T. DORSEY has resided here 42 years He settled in Walnut township in 1835 and went to school in a log house with a puncheon floor. He told his first experiment in the milling business and related how a flock of geese had interfered with the grinding of a grist of corn a the old Kinworthy mill. He said we now had comparatively good times and thought young people did not appreciate the privations of the pioneers.

RELICS The following is a brief description of some of the old relics exhibited at the stand. A copy of the Examiner, a paper printed in Crawfordsville in 1840 A copy of the Cincinnati Gazette, printed in 1825 A work in Etymology, published in 1803 A family bible belonging to Jos. Ermantrout 100 years old, and a German bible 100 years old. Bible published in 1643 A white sperm candle captured from Gen. Proctor at the battle of the Thames. A bed spread made by had in 1808, of cotton raised in Kentucky. It contained much curious needle work. A pair silver sleeve-buttons and set silver spoons 75 years old, belonging to Mrs. Mary Snyder. A cedar pail by R.A. Hightower, made in Virginia in 1790. Also a flint-lock rifle which his grandfather had carried through the Tippecanoe campaign. Bible belonging to Mrs. O'Neal 100 years old A can picked up on the battle field after Braddock's defeat. Kerchief worked in fancy needle work by a girl 11 years old. The kerchief is made of linen and is 59 years old. Sun dial 100 years old belonging to B. O'Neal Three dollar bills on Vincennes bank, dated 1818, and payable to Wm. H. Harrison. One bill on bank of Chilicothee, Ohio, for 25 cents and one for 12 1/2 cents. - thanks so very much to Kim H for this

Last Thursday, the unusual number of silver haired citizens and long familiar faces appearing upon our streets, gave evidence that the annual meeting of old settlers in this county, set for that day, was firmly established as an institution in the affections of our pioneer families. Owing to the storm of Wednesday, the air was deemed to chilly and the ground too damp for the meeting to be held in Elston's grove, as previously announced, and Mr. Eltzroth having generously tendered the freedom of his hall, the old veterans assembled there at half past one o'clock. Fully four hundred persons were comfortably seated before the exercise were begun, and constant arrivals filled the large room to overflowing. James Heaton, Esq.., the President of the Association, called the meeting to order, and the proceedings were opened by Elder M.M. Vancleave, who, after making a few remarks by way of congratulation, offered a touching thanksgiving, that so many old comrades were spared to meet again on earth while death had been so busy among the people. The president then gave a brief account of his trip from the East to Montgomery county, after which a large number of letters from old settlers were read and various relics of olden times exhibited to the audience. Uncle Harvey Harrison being called for responded briefly, and among other reminiscences gave an account of the old fashion school house with its chimney built upon a post in the center of the room, around which scholars gathered to keep warm, and told of a meeting he attended a the old Cornstalk creek baptist church. Uncle Harvey confessed for himself and Jesse McAllister that they used to roll and burn logs on Sundays in those days - ba-ad boys.

Col Willson followed with an animated description of his journey hither from Clark county, swimming horses and canoeing across the numerous swollen streams lying in the path. His wife brought the first piano in the county and the instrument was the source of great wonder and admiration among the simple backwoodsmen.

Mrs. Fry owned the second piano in Crawfordsville, and on a muster day an uncouth fellow passing by the house, saw the instrument through the open window, and entering, he demanded to know if "marm cud play a chune on that air chist of drawers." Mrs. F. responded in the affirmative and requested to know what tune he would like to hear played. (Mrs. Fry was no pianist) Yankee Doodle was called for, and the obliging lady sat down and thummed away without method or melody and when through, her gaping audition asked if "that there music was Yankee Doodle." "Yes," responded the lady, "that is Yankee Doodle with variations." 'Well then, marm," said he, "I sorter like the plain Doodle best."

William Monroe next spoke of a few facts in his personal history. He was born in Ohio in 1812, settling in this county in 1828. He used to wrestle with young Indians, and might just as well have tried to hold an eel as one of them. He was a devoted sportsman, and played havoc with the abounding bear, deer, wolves and turkeys.

Chris Walkup settled in Walnut township in 1828, this side of Waveland, on the north side of Sugar creek, just fifty years ago. The country was all timber and brush and a strayed horse or cow could be tracked anywhere. Game was plentiful. Talking about these latter days being "hard," he said the time was in this country when common domestic shirting was worth 27 1/2 cents and jeans $1.50 per yard, while wheat sold for 25 cents and corn 10 cents per bushel. After the delivery of these speeches, the hour was getting late, and the meeting adjourned without further formalities. Many of the letters sent in by old settlers were left unread, owing to lack of time, but they will be carefully preserved for some future meeting. - thanks muches to Kim H for these - how awesome

 

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