JOHN VANNEST, the first settler of Vermillion County, located on section 9 of this township, in 1816. See a previous chapter for particulars. The second settler in the county, John Beard, also located in this township, building the first house in the town of Clinton, and in 1819 or 1820 the first mill in the county, afterward known as Patton's Mill, three and a half miles southwest of Clinton. He was also the first justice of the peace in the county.
William Hamilton came in March, 1818. His son John is the oldest living resident of the county, and very frail. William, another son, died about 1878.
Nelson Reeder, deceased, was but two years old when his parents came from Ohio and settled here in 1818.
Judge Porter, from New York State, settled here in 1819. His son Charles, born in 1816, was a good citizen, but ended his life by suicide.
John J. Martin, who died about three years ago, was in his second year when his parents immigrated to this township in 1819.
The same year, Daniel McCulloch, who was born in the State of new York in 1797, settled in Clinton Township, upon a farm five miles southwest of Clinton, where he died a number of years ago. W. B., his son, who was born in 1830, is still a resident here.
John Wright, Sr. now an undertaker at Clinton, was born in New York State in 1818, and in 1820 his parents brought him, in emigration, to this county. George Wright came in 1832, and died many years ago. His wife Mary, who was born November 13, 1805, in New York, came to Indiana in 1817, settling near Terre Haute, and in 1832 came
to this county where she died December 18, 1882. Her only surviving child, William Wright, has been county commissioner.
Major Chunn, an officer in the regular army, came here from Terre Haute some time previous to 1820, and was an efficient soldier in driving away the Indians; was also a participant in the battle of Tippecanoe. He was a justice of the peace here for many years. His son Thomas is still a resident of this township.
John Clover, from Ohio, located in Clinton Township in 1821, with his son Joseph A., who is yet living six miles west of Clinton.
Joshua Dean, who was born in Virginia in 1801, settled here in 1822, and died about ten years ago.
A family named Andrews located in this township the same year, in which were several sons.
Henry and Eli Shew, natives of North Carolina, were boys when they became residents of Clinton Township. The former was born in 1815 and came in 1825, and the latter born in 1819, was brought here in 1823.
Captain William Swan was born in Pennsylvania in 1802, settled in Clinton Township in 1823, was a member of the first jury in the county, followed the river, making over sixty trips to New Orleans on both rafts and flats, was a Universalist in his religious belief, and a Freemason, and died January 29, 1887, at Clinton.
Washington Potter, still living, was about eight years old when, in 1823, he was brought to this township. He is a native of Ohio, and a carpenter by trade.
Silas Davis, a cooper and farmer, now living in Kanasas, was born in Ohio in 1818, brought here in 1823, and liveed here many years.
The parents of William and Israel Wood came in 1824. The latter are still residents here.
John W. Hedges came also in 1824. His son, Dr. I. B. Hedges, was born October 30, 1819, died February 24, 1883, and was buried in Clinton Cemetery. He was a respectable, well known physician, of many years' standing in his native county.
In 1824 came also Mr. Crabb, father of Walter G., who was born in Fayette County, Ohio. The former moved into Parke County.
James H. Allen, of Clinton, born in Ohio in 1822, has been a resident here since 1827.
John Payton, an early merchant of Clinton, was born in Ohio in 1818, and settled here in 1828.
This year also came James Clark, Sr., from Ohio, where he was born in 1798, became a farmer a mile and a half west of Clinton, and is now deceased.
Samuel Davidson, also deceased, was born in Ohio in 1817, and settled in this township in 1830. Martin M. Davidson, born in Ohio in 1829, was brought here in 1832, lived here many years, and is now a resident of Terre Haute.
George W. Edwards, of Clinton, was born in this State in 1827, and became a resident here in 1830.
Andrew Reed, born in North Carolina in 1820, settled here in 1830.
Thomas Kibby, who was born in this State in 1810, came to Clinton Township in the fall of 1830, and is still a resident here.
Benjamin R. Whitcomb, born in Vermont in 1798, and his cousin and business partner, John Whitcomb, came in 1828, settling in the village of Clinton, where they were among the first merchants, pork packers, etc. John died August 29, 1830, aged forty-one years. Benjamin R. died April 23, 1861, and his wife, Anna S. died May 21, 1869.
at the age of fifty-five and a half years. John R. Whitcomb, another merchant, born in Ohio in 1804, first settled in Edgar County, Illinois, in 1832, and in the village of Clinton in 1834. He died in March 1873, leaving a widow (third wife), who is living a half mile west of town. His first wife, Eunice, died May 15, 1832, aged only twenty-three years.
Scott Malone, who married Miss Sarah, one of the twin daughters of John Vannest, came from Ohio, and resided here until his death a few years ago.
Simeon Taylor, born in Indiana in 1818, settled in this county in 1831, and died a few years ago. His brother, John F., born in Ohio, in 1816, came in 1833, and is yet living.
In 1832 there settled in Clinton Township, Thomas G. Wilson, born in Virginia in 1804; William JA. Noblitt, born in Tennessee in 1825, and still living here; Benjamin Harrison, born in LVirginia in 1805, was justice of the peace many hears, and is still living; his wife died this year (1887); their son Robert, born in the "old Dominion" in 1831, is still a resident of this township.
Robert H. and Adaline (West) Nichols, came in 1835. He died here in 1872, aged fifty-five years, and she in 1874, aged sixty-five.Huram B. Cole, John Ferral and John Marks were early merchants of Clinton. The latter went South. Ferral died February 25, 1832, at the age of thirty-six years.
In 1836 came William Payton and Philo Harkness, who are still living here. Payton was born in Kentucky in 1814, and Harkness in New York in 1816.
In 1837 came Reuben Propst, and the next year Isaac Propst, natives of Virginia, but finally moved away.
Aquilla Nebeker, born in Delaware in 1815, located in Clinton Township in 1837. He was a man of liberal views, a good citien and a kind neighbor. He died February 10, 1880, after a long period of illness. His widow died in January 1881, an exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Jesse Spangler, born in Pennsylvania in 1807, settled here in 1837, and died about 1881.
D. F. Fawcett came from Virginia in 1833, settling near Goshen, Vigo County, and then, in 1837, in this county, near the southwest corner. He died in 1845, in Jasper County, Illinois. Mrs. Fawcett died in 1837, in this township.
Many others we could mention who came in pioneer times, resided here many years, becoming prominent citizens, and died in honored old age, or are still living.
The opening of the iron mines and building of the "Indiana Furnace" in section 27, township 14, range 10, Clinton Township, commenced in 1837. In 1839 the furnace was in full blast. Stephen R. Uncles was the chief owner and superientendent. Associated with him were Hugh Stuart and Chester Clark, the firm name being, Uncles & Co. Years later, the lands and works passed into the hands of Stuart & Sprague, and still later to E. M Bruce & Co., the Co. being David Sinton.
In 1859, George B. Sparks, now a resident of Clinton, bought a controlling interest, and under the firm name of G. B. Sparks & Co., the business was continued until 1864. Captain John Lindsey, who still resides near the site of the old Furnace, was many years its superintendent. He relates that of the hundreds of men employed then, all but one, a pattern-maker, voted regularly the Democratic ticket, and jokingly says no others
could get employment. The company's office and large general supply store, and a score or two of cabins of more of less pretensions, made quite a village. Castings of nearly all kinds, largely stoves, were turned out. Pig iron in large quantities were also produced.
The works were among the early enterprises of the Wabash Valley, and distributed a large amount of money among the early settlers as well as furnishing employment to all comers -- of the right political faith (according to Captain Lindsey)! The 1,700 acres of land connected with the plant is now owned by George B. Sparks, and devoted to agricultural purposes, and all that remains to indicate the site of the old "Indiana Furnace" is here and there debris of rotting and rusting machinery, and one or two log cabins.
The "Norton Creek Coal Mines" are located on the line between Clinton and Helt townships, on section 5 of Clinton Township, and section 32 of Helt Township. Their development commenced in December, 1884. F. A. Bowen was the proprietor, and Charles P. Walker, of Clinton, the superintendent and manager. In the spring of 1885, under the general laws of Wisconsin, the "Norton Creek Coal Mining Company," was organized, with a paid up capital of $40,000, with its general office at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. H. M. Benjamin, of that city is the president of the company, and Charles P. Walker, of Clinton, superintendent and treasurer, and general agent for Indiana. Connected with the property are 255 acres of land. The mines are about two and one-half miles west of the "Eastern Illinois Railroad," and connected by a spur track. The company also own the old "Briar Hill" mines, on section 9, Clinton Township, but they are not now operated.
On the southeast portion of section 5 is located the company's large mercantile establishmet and local office, which, with twenty-seven tenement houses, constitutes quite a *village, called "Geneva," named in honor of a daughter of Superintendent Walker. The sales of coal in 1886 reached $160,000, and and [sic] the mercantile establishment $42,000. Near the mines are several tenement houses, and at the Briar Hill mines eleven houses. All are occupied by employes [sic] of the company. The business is increasing owing to the excellent quality of coal produced. Commencing with the winter of 1887-'88 an average working force of 300 men are employed.
In Clinton Township there are three or four saw-mills, besides two in town, and one grist-mill.
One of the chief business interests of Clinton Township is the immense stock farm of Claude Mathews at Hazel Bluff, on Brouillet's Creek, some three miles from Clinton.
It is said that in early day crime became so prevalent in the southern part of Vermillion County that a vigilance committee was organized, who executed a lynching or two and thus effectually checked the evil.
Some years ago the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad Company talked some of running a track through this portion of the county, but no subscriptions were taken. When the Cleveland & St. Louis railroad was projected viaClinton, a little effort was made for it, but nothing accomplished. Now the Anderson, Lebanon & Paris Railroad is proposed, by way of Clinton, and A. V. Brown is the leading citizen of the place working for it, in conjunction with Rockville. Sections of this line, in other counties, are already built and used.
In this township, outside of Clinton, Henry C. Eaton, of Brouillet's Creek, has been the principal practicing physician. Rev. S. S.