HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 3

ANECDOTES OF THE CHASE

Tradition furnishes an account of several interesting hunting incidents in the township in early years. The Farlows killed many deer and several bears. It was no trouble to kill deer prior to 1820. A settler on almost any early morning in summer just at daybreak could shoot one from his door or window. On one occasion, Mr. Farlow killed six of these animals in one day. He was one day in the woods in pursuit of a deer, when he suddenly came quite close to a bear in a large tree. He shot the animal, which fell to the ground dead. It is said that Zachariah Lindley, in doing his duty one day as Sheriff, was belated north of Paoli and caught out in a severe snow storm just as darkness set in, and while hurrying on toward town and home, was pursued for some distance by a panther which kept moving around him to get his scent, uttering the most alarming cries, half human, half animal, and putting him in considerable fear for his safety. The animal did not offer to attack him, but when it had obtained his scent, went bounding off through the forest uttering its doleful cries. It is stated that Thomas Hopper about the year 1815 killed two bears on the town site of Paoli. They were mother and cub, and were in the boughs of a big tree. He first shot the old one while in the act of descending, and then the cub. In 1819, David Hudelson, father of William H. Hudelson, went out one evening with his little dog to kill a wild turkey. The dog left his side and was soon heard barking violently off some distance in the woods. Mr. Hudelson hurried on to see what was the matter, and found that the dog had treed a large bear. He approached near enough, took careful aim, and brought bruin to the ground dead at one shot. The animal, which weighed about 400 pounds, was hauled to the settler’s cabin on a "Yankee sled." It was dressed that evening, and the next morning William H. then a small lad, was put on the old horse and sent to many of the neighbors with a piece of the bear steak. Mr. Hudelson killed many deer. He killed as high as four in one day in northwestern Paoli Township, and hauled them to his cabin on his "Yankee sled." Many others enjoyed the sport of hunting and trapping the large animals of that early day.

SETTLEMENT OF ORLEANS TOWNSHIP

The present township of Orleans was organized with the county, and a large part of it was formerly embraced in what was then known as Lost River Township. It is situated in the best part of Orange County for agricultural pursuits, and the land was early and eagerly taken up by the first settlers. Lost River sinks in the southeastern part. and the dry bed or channel extends on across a considerable of the southern part of the township. Up to and including the year 1812, there were nearly 1,300 acres of land entered in this township, and all of it within six sections immediately along the Lost River channel. The following is a list of the entries that comprise that amount of land, and they are the only ones made in this township up to that time. In Township 2 north, and Range 1 east William Brooks. April 13, 1812, 158.40 acres in Section 3; Daniel Findley, May 16, 1812, 153.20 acres in Section 3; Benjamin Freeman, April 11. 1812. 160 acres in Section 4; James Maxwell, October 10, 1809, 160 acres in Section 5; Benjamin Freeman, April 19, 1812, 160 acres in Section 7; Robert Field, April 21, 1812, 176 acres in Section 7; Benjamin Freeman, April 18, 1812, 160 acres in Section 8. In Township 3 north, and Range 1 east David Findley, November 14, 1811, 160 acres in Section 34. Other entries of land in this township before the year 1820 were as follows: In 1813, Simon Denny, Joseph Maxwell Jr., Roger McKnight, John Boggs and Samuel Gunthoy. In 1814, Peter Mahan, David Findley, Elizabeth Lee and Samuel Lewis. In 1815, Isaac Kimbly, Lindsley Ware, James Lewis, John and Jacob Elrod, Roger McKnight, Joseph Maxwell, Jr., William Lindley, Sr.. James Sprow, John Besey and George Blair. In 1816, John Crow, Benjamin Freeman, Christian Hostetler, William Kerr, John Sears, William Holman, Henry Sanders, John McVey, William Kirtman, Thomas Tate, Samuel Wood, Henry Speed and John Maxwell. In 1817, Henry McGee, John Mayall, Elisha Walling, Joseph Sullivan, Thomas Edwards, Garret Voris and Samuel Lewis. In 1818, William Salee, Fendes Sutherland, Thaddeus Fisher, Abraham Hentman, Hiram and Absalom Gross, James Roberts and Francis Bland. In 1819, R. McLean, Jonathan Wright, J. G. Carr, William G. Berry and Phillip Sutherland.

From a list of the votes in August, 1819, the following names in addition to those just given, will be found: Joseph Wilson, Samuel Scarlett, Jonathan Osborn, Benjamin Blackwell, James Shields, Joseph Hall, Stephen Glover, Richard Blackwell, Robert McLail, James Clayton, Burton Sutherland, Harvy Finley, John McKinney, John Lewis Sr., Joseph Pound, Ezekiel S. Riley, Joseph Gulper, John Gray, Christopher McKnight, Stephen Elrod, Jabez Evans, William Reed, Jesse Finley, Jacob Coquenard, Robert McKinney, William Dalton, Jacob Condor, John Mayer Sr., James Pacer, John Mullens, Willoughby Blake, Tyndall Sutherland, John B. Mayer, Jeremiah Wilson, John and Frederick Baker, Thomas G. Carr, Wesley Skoggs, Moses Mayer, Thomas Tate, Thomas Alexander, William Sutherland. Gabriel Busick, Joshua Carter, James Horsey, Thomas Wood, William Irwin, Uriah Glover, Basil Tegarden, Clement Horsey. Benjamin Field, Moses Riggs, Spencer Lee, Jacob Voris, Benjamin Pinkley, George Schoolcraft, William Lee, Daniel Hardman, John Gross, Isaac Voris, Samuel Lock, Meridith Edwards, James Monroe, Robert Skoggs, Isaac Sexton, John Bryant, John Chatton, Israel Frost, Shadrack Roberts, Alexander McKinney, Levi Johnson, John Gray, Robert Lewis, Robert L. Black, Zachariah Sparlin, Arthur Neal, Daniel Oaks, Isaac Martin, Jacob Krentsinger, Clement Lee, Moses Fell, Asbury Vandeveer, Joseph Hostetler. Thomas Wadsworth, Samuel Finley, Bradley Dalton, Cornelius Roberts, Benjamin Elrod, William Case, Moses Mathers, Jacob Shields, John Neal, Jacob Pifer, Edward Nugent, Edward Millis. John Smith, Nathan Bond, Jacob Osborn, Joseph Crawford, Cornelius Rayburn, William Freeman, Arthur Neal, Jr., Joseph Albin, Peter Piles, John Lewis, Anthony Miller, Christian and Jacob Leatherman, John Bond and Frederick Mayer. The total number of votes cast at this election was 134: Jonathan Jennings receiving 31 for Governor and Christopher Harrison, 101. John B. Mayer was Inspector; Uriah Glover and William Irwin were Judges. This would show a total of about 170 votes, which, on the usual basis of calculation would represent nearly 900 inhabitants at that time. But it must be remembered, that at the date of this election Lost River Township did not exactly coincide with the present bounds of Orleans Township, although perhaps near enough not to destroy the value of these calculations. Here follows the return of an election in this township, held August 5, 1816.

We, the Judges of the election, do hereby make a true statement of the votes that each candidate got in their respective offices that they offered for, as witness our hands and seals; Thomas Posey, Governor, 91 votes; Jonathan Jennings, Governor, 41 votes; Christopher Harrison, Lieutenant-Governor, 60 votes; Davis Floyd, Lieutenant-Governor, 13 votes; John Vawter, Lieutenant-Governor, 46 votes; William Hendricks, Congress, 110 votes; Allen D. Thom, Congress, 19 votes; George R. C. Sullivan, Congress, 1 vote; Roderick Rawlins, Senate, 86 votes; Marston G. Clark, Senate, 17 votes; John Depauw, Senate, 27 votes; Jonathan Lindley, Representative, 28 votes; Samuel Lewis, Representative, 60 votes; John Pinnick, Representative, 44 votes; Zachariah Lindley, Sheriff, 34 votes; Jesse Roherts, Sheriff, 94 votes; John G. Clendennin, Coroner, 11 votes; Joseph Crawford. Coroner, 102 votes.

ROBERT FIELD.
EDWARD MILLIS.
ROGER McKNIGHT
ROBERT ELROD.
JOHN ELROD.
W. G. BERRY.

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