Waynetown - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Let us turn back the pages of history, back to primeval Wayne township, finding it a densely wooded wilderness inhabited only by wild animals, birds, reptiles and Indians. Back to the adventuresome hunters 2nd trappers who first invaded its solitude back to the first white settler in Montgomery county. William Offield, who built the county's first log- cabin in 1821, and who was followed by our pioneer forefathers, all coming to this new territory to better their living conditions. Let us pause and pay silent tribute! to those courageous settlers, facing they knew not what in the wilderness, building their homes from the materials Nature had provided here for them and wresting their living from the township's soil and the wild meat they found in the forests. Let us revere the pioneer Mother, consider her long hours of toil, yet finding time for the proper upbringing of her children remember her bravery and her faith in the new home.

Let us give a thought to the year 1822 and its records of our township's first settlers, Elias Moore and William Bratton. Then the next year, 1823, which brought six more of whom we have record , William Vermillion, William Tolbert, William Heath and the four Mann brothers (Samuel who platted our town, naming it Middletown because it was about midway between Crawfordsville and Covington and building his log cabin on the land now owned by Mr. and Mrs. David Pence, and Chris Jonas and William Mann.  Then the year 1824, which brought Burzell Bunnell and Phillip Moore. Philip who married Mary Blackford, their son being the first white child to be born in the township. Then the year 1825, five years before our town was platted brought John and William Rusk; Dennis Ball; Jonathan Barnett and John Shanklin.  

Basil Tracy entered his land in 1826 and our Mrs. Martha Biddie., now in her 88th year, is a daughter of this pioneer. The year 1827 brought two more pioneers, Barton Bunnell and John Earl, the township's first shoemaker. The year 1828 saw John Biddie, William Grenard, Edward Quick, Allen Moore, Philip Hauk, Daniel Vaughn, Adam Miller, Mr. DeWitt, James Johnson, Thomp son Utterback, and John Blankenship, and in 1829 came Burr Quick, Valentine Armantrout. Henry Wallas, Nathan Small, and Abraham Switzer.

By the year 1830, the year Middletown was platted, the solitude was invaded. cabins and clearings dotted 5he landscape, domestic animals were relacing the wild, the settlers' axe and saw in the clearings were hoard, was the shot, bringing down game .'or their tables. By 1830 Montgomery county no longer consisted of one township, for on May 17, 1824, the Board of Commissioners had ordered that the county be laid off into' three townships, Wayne, Union and Scott. In the records for that year we find many more names added to those of the first pioneers which include Craten, Valentine, Cross, Washburn, Parker, Herman, Carver, Cooley, Harlow, McAlister, Showen, Butt, and Donahue, and these settlers found a road, now the Dixie, State Road No. 34, which had been surveyed in 1828. Bethel church and the eld cemetery of 1829 and other beginnings of our present era were in evidence.

When platted in 1830 Waynetown was bounded on the north by Coal Creek, on the south by Walnut street, east by Vine street, and on the west by land owned by Samuel Mann. On its 100th birthday it has been increased until it comprises the six Brant additions, the first, second, and third Edwards additions the Phillips, Rider, White, Billings, and the first and second Munns additions. By the year 1846 the name had been changed to Waynetown due to another Middletown being in the state, causing confusion in the mail. Uriah Washburn was the first harness maker Joseph Lincoln had the first bakery. The first undertaker was Joseph Swearingen, and Isaac Hawkins was the first hat dealer. Jason Thomas had the first born in the township. The first store was owned by Henry Crawford in a log cabin on the site now occupied by the State Bank.  Wm. Chambers and Jacob Newman built the first frame store building and the first frame house was built by Jonas Mann.  Among the first merchants were AW Higbee, Alonzo Stanford, Alexander Bingham and Johnathan Henderson.  

David Rusk, who bought land in 1830 entered by John and William Rusk, thus coming into possession of the land north of Coal Creek to the first road north of Waynetown, running east and west, and Levi Fouts who came in 1834, were merchants on lot No. 2, now occupied by the Comer Drug Store. Waynetown is proud today to possess a descendant of Mr. Fouts, Mrs. Susannah Dwiggins, his daughter. Mrs. Dwiggins is now in her 91st year, her birthday falling on July 18th, twelve days before we celebrate our Centennial. Her home is with her son and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dwiggins.

Our first postmaster was Samuel MawHorter, who opened the office in 1829. Previously our pioneers had to go to Crawfordsville for their mail, and on opening the postoffice the mail was brought here by stage. Joseph S. Henry was the second postmaster, the office standing on the lot where Mr. and Mrs. Claude Darnell now reside.

Wm. B. Crooks was our first physician, coming here in 1830. While on a trip to Cincinnati he purchased and brought back with him the first matches the townspeople had ever seen. Bain & Comstock at one time had a large wooden pump works here and Mr. Bain and Dr. Green brought it from Chicago the first oil lamps seen in the town.

The first improved road on record was started at the Albert Thompson place, running west, and was built in 1841, while the plank road, running from Covington through Waynetown to Crawfordsville, was built in the years 1852 and 1853. An improved road was built by Santford Gray beginning' in the fall of 1870, and was a toll road until 1885. The railroad was begun in the 50's and was completed in the 60's, the first engine running over the road in 1869.

Cumberland Presbyterian church, located west of Waynetown, was in use in 1823 or 1824. The Baptist church, called Bethel, has already been mentioned. The Methodist church was organized in 1835 as a part of Coal Creek Mission. Snyder's Chapel was organized in 1836 and Christian Union in 1867. The Wesley Chapel was organized in the late 1820's or early 1830. The Christian Church was organized in 1874 and the present Baptist Church was organized in 1840.

The first school ever taught in the township was in a log cabin and was taught by Chris Turner. The township school system has progressed from log cabin to frame district schools, and lastly to the modern consolidated township school in Waynetown.

Potts cemetery was laid out in the early 30's. Our old cemetery has sheltered some of its dead for more than a century. The old part of the Wesley cemetery was deeded to the trustees of the church by the Rev. James B. Gray. Four acres, comprising the original Masonic cemetery were purchased from George Small in 1872.

The first newspaper printed in Waynetown was in 1875, by Bruce Henry, and was known as the Waynetown "Banner". The next was the "Democrat" published by C. F. McCleary. The "Democrat" was discontinued and in about 1878 or 1879 Riley Runyan again published the "Democrat", but later changed its name back to the "Banner". The "Banner" was followed by the Waynetown "Press", by C. F. Crowder then came the Waynetown "Hornet" by C. M. Berry. In 1893 Waynetown boasted two papers, the "Hornet", and the "Despatch" by John W. Small, the paper having come into the possession of H. I. Starnes and Mr. Small in 1892. Mr. Small continued as editor and publisher of the “Despatch” until ill health ¬caused him to suspend the paper in 1929. He was never permitted to resume its publication for his condition continued to grow worse until he passed away in March 1930 when he would have soon completed his 38th year’s work as the owner and publisher of the Despatch which is now under the management of Joe S. Cooper.

The State Bank was organized in 1892. Our first electric lights were put in operation in the year 1897.

Among the older residents of the township are: Mrs. Mary Faunce, Mrs. Julia Rusk, Mrs. Lottie Groves, Mrs. Susannah Dwiggins, Mrs. Martha Biddie and Uncle Sam Shuler. Mrs. Amelia Wood, Charles and A..E. Higbee are descendants of one of our first merchants.