HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 3

HUNTING INCIDENTS

During the winter season hunting was the chief occupation of the earlier settlers, and many pleasing and curious stories are told of adventures with bears, wolves and wounded deer. It is related that one day William Harned, while peacefully pursuing his way through the woods a short distance below Valeene, saw the track of a bear where it had climbed a tree. He at once called two or three neighbors together and repaired to the tree in question. By repeated yelling and pounding on the tree, Mr. Bruin was finally induced to show his head from the hole above where he had disappeared into the tree. No sooner was he to be seen than a rifle ball came whizzing into his frame, which so enraged him that he at once came out and rapidly descended to the ground, where he fought vigorously with the dogs for a short time. He at last succeeded in capturing one of the dogs, which he proceeded to hug with a strong embrace. One of the men, Abraham Casey, owner of the dog, grabbed an ax and entered into the conflict, much against the solicitations of his companions. With his aid the bear was soon vanquished and the dog was saved to render his master a longer service.

Many of these stories might be related, but they would only prove tedious to the reader. Prominent among the older hunters was John Davis, better known as "Tater." He was a curious character and many episodes in his life still survive him. He was also minister for some time of the Christian Church at Valeene. John Tarr was also another hunter and trapper of fame in this community.

VIGILANCE COMMITTEES, MILK SICKNESS, ETC.

Within the present boundary of Southeast Township but few crimes of notoriety have ever been committed. The usual amount of petty and evil deeds incident to every locality have been enacted. Several cases of horse stealing are recorded, among which is one stolen from Samuel Harned in 1868. The thieves were traced as far as Dubois County, where all clue was lost, and the horse was never found.

About this time a number of the citizens formed a Vigilance Committee for the purpose of protecting their property and of ridding society of these lesser criminals. The members were sworn to maintain secrecy, but after a time the organization was abandoned without having accomplished much. Among the members were J. N. Murphy, Joseph Faulkner, P. Maxedon, Joseph Bird, S. R. Stalcup and several others. The health of this part of the county has always been as good as any. Several years ago milk sickness prevailed to a considerable extent, but of late has not been of so frequent occurrence, although a case is now and then encountered. This disease has long been a puzzle to the medical fraternity, and a word or two here may be of interest to the citizens of the county. The exact cause of milk sickness has never been ascertained, but from microscopic and other investigation the theory is pretty well established that its source is an organic poison of some kind. By some it is thought to be inorganic. But whatever the cause, one thing is pretty sure, that it is something eaten by the animal or person afflicted, something taken into the stomach. The cause of the disease in persons may be usually traced to the flesh, butter or milk of infected animals. However, cases have been known to exist, when the patient had eaten nothing of the kind. Before the Tri-State Medical Society at Evansville, Ind., in 1879, Dr. J. Gardner advanced the theory that the cause was animalculae and were found in the blood in quantities varying according to the violence of the disease. These same animalculae were found in the water that had been used by the persons afflicted, some of whom had used neither milk nor butter. But whence came these animalculae? Some maintain that it is a poison deposited on decomposing wood, and thence gets into the streams and springs, thus impregnating the water. Others hold that it is some specific poisonous matter that never rises above a few inches from the ground, and that being deposited on the herbage, is eaten by the cattle while the dew is yet on. Large rewards have been offered for the discovery of the true and definite cause of this dreaded disease, but as yet all attempts have failed. In the year 1875 a great epidemic in diphtheria prevailed in this part of the county, and some eighteen or twenty persons died in consequence of it. It was mostly confined to children, although a number of adults were afflicted with it. There were about one hundred and fifty that were attacked in all.

SETTLEMENT OF STAMPERS CREEK TOWNSHIP

The middle of the eastern tier of townships in Orange County is Stampers Creek, so named from a small stream that has its origin near the east side of the township. This creek in its turn derives its name from a man named Stamper, concerning whom there is but little now known and that little largely traditionary. By some it is maintained that he was never a resident of Orange County, but lived in Washington County, whence he came to the neighborhood of this creek for the purpose of cutting some of the fine timber that grew along its banks. Another and more probable account is that he formerly lived on the farm now owned by Riley McCoy, and near one of the large springs that constitute the source of the creek. This township contains some of the best farming land in the county, and many of the farmers are among the wealthiest that the county affords. Probably the first settler in the present bounds of the township was Peter Mahan, who is said to have come in the year 1809. His descendants are still among the influential citizens of the township. Immediately after him came the Doughertys, Brooks, Doaks, Snyders, Dillards, Kirbys, Moores. Burks, Duncans, Wibles, Cornwells, McCoys, Wolfes, Vandeveers, Vancleaves, Holmeses, Lynds, Galloways and Murphys, names yet familiar in the eastern part of the county. Nearly all the early settlers were from Kentucky and North Carolina, who left their native States to rid themselves of slavery and to found a home and fortune where that evil had no footing. Immigration flowed freely until about the year 1835, when it almost entirely ceased and has been at a stand-still ever since.

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