HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 3
SETTLEMENT OF NORTHEAST TOWNSHIP
Among the early settled portions of Orange County was the part now embraced in Northeast Township. This township is the exact size and shape of Stampers Creek and Orangeville Townships, being four miles east and west, and seven miles north and south. It is traversed midway by the first east range line, and by the second township line north, thus leaving a part of four congressional townships within its boundaries. Lost River runs in a northwesterly course across the central part of it, and is accompanied by a valley of nice and fertile land. It was here that the pioneers located to build their habitations in the wilderness. Prior to the year 1813 the land entries were made in this township as follows: Township 2 north, Range 1 east - Joseph Maxwell, January 16, 1811, 171 acres, Section 2; Joshua Carter, January 29, 1811, 160 acres. Section 1; David Findley, December 19, 1811, 320 acres, Section 2; Frederick Phillips, January 3. 1811, 160 acres, Section 12. Township 2 north, Range 2 east Uriah Glover, February 8, 1812, 177.60 acres, Section 7. All other persons entering land in this township between the years 1812 and 1820 exclusive, were: Jacob Marty, William Reed, David McKinney, in 1814; John Glover, Stephen Glover, in 1815; David Reed, Romas Phillips, Samuel G. Galloway, in 1816; Martin Cutsinger, in 1817; John Gray, Jonah Combs, William Kidd, Joseph Pound; Alexander McKinney, J. Neidiffer, John Lee, in 1818; James Clayton, Cady Lee, Samuel Hutcheson, Hugh McPhuters, John White, J. Ellison, Jacob Miller and John Alanthy, in 1819.
On the 13th day of February, 1819, an election for one Justice of the Peace was held in Northeast Township, at the house of Joseph W. Doak, with the following result: Alexander Wallace, nine votes; Stephen Hampton, three votes; Fleming Duncan, one vote; J. W. Doak was Inspector; William Riley and H. Brooks, Judges; E. T. Riley and James Maxwell, Clerks; Votes were polled by the following persons: J. W. Doak, William Brooks, William Moore, E. T. Riley, James Maxwell, Andrew Mundell, Joseph Raney, William Woodram, H. Alkire, George Raney, Stephen Happen, William Dillard and George Monarch. Total, thirteen. Others of the prominent early settlers were: Daniel Hardman, Edward Sparling, Mathias Sapingfield, Jacob Krutsinger, Thomas Edwards, Cyrus Finley, John Keedy, Isaac Fight, Thaddeus Nugent, Ezekiel Riley, Basil Tegarden, Isaac Edwards, David Reed and Thomas Phillips.ITEMS OF INTEREST
The persons came to this part of the county in many cases from Washington County, and many were found here who have moved several times in their lives, each time making another step toward the setting sun. Here was civilization etching its way to the heart of the American Continent. It took four years for the settlement to make its way across the county from north to south, beginning with the location of John Hollowell, in Southeast Township, in 1807, and ending with Frederick Phillips, in 1811, in Northeast Township. Of course, these are the dates of the land entries in those sections of the county, although there may have been a few squatters in each locality before these dates, but these represent only the transient and unstable elements of frontier life. A man who bought land and built upon it was considered quite an acquisition to a community, and it was this class that brought stability and laid the foundation for permanent and healthy society. About the year 1820, on Lost River, near what is now known as the Island Meeting-house, John Gray built a water-mill with an undershot wheel and one set of buhrs. It was never used for anything but corn and in this did a large busIness in its time. In 1834 a distillery was run here also, which was continued for several years. The mill at this place continued in operation for some time after the year 1850. At that time it was owned by George W. Lewis, who built a saw-mill and ran it in connection with the gristmill for some time, but, upon his death, it was entirely abandoned. Jarvis Smith had a horse-mill in this township in an early day, and no doubt others, which records and recollections alike fail in discovering to later investigation. Near the central part of the township, on the farm now owned by Joseph Tegarden, was an old-fashioned tannery conducted by Mr. Ezekiel Riley, for several years, and after him by his son for a considerable time, but it has long since been entirely abandoned.
MERCHANTS
Probably the first merchant in this township was Elijah Atkisson. This was on the present Edwards farm, a little southwest of the center of the township, which was continued by him for a number of years. In 1844, and for some time prior thereto, James Archer had a store at what is called Nebo, but soon after that time he moved about two miles south from there, where he continued for two or three years longer. Before Archer had left Nebo, Ezekiel Riley had commenced doing business there in a store room that he had built, and he remained there for some time. At the present time there is a store in the extreme south of the township, near the line of Stampers Creek Township. This is owned by Tegarden & Stratton, who are said to be doing a very successful trade in country merchandise, and they have recently succeeded in having a postoffice established under the name of Bromer, with Seth Stratton as postmaster. There is a mail received here twice a week from Campbellsburg, in Washington County. Dr. Charles Boyd is the physician located here, and having a constantly increasing practice. Richard Walters was probably the first physician in the present bounds of Northeast Township, where he lived for some time at Nebo. He afterwards moved to a farm near Lancaster, and here remained the balance of his life, enjoying a lucrative practice and the esteem of all who knew him. Another man that was held in high favor by all who were fortunate enough to know him was Dr. Shelby Potter. He always lived in the south part of the township, and besides having the confidence of his neighbors as a good doctor, was universally voted to be "a mighty good man." Excepting Dr. Charles Boyd, at Bromer, the only physician now in the township is Dr. F. P. Hunt, at Lancaster, who does the larger part of the practice in the northern end of the township.