Pierce, Chaplain, and Van Buren Armour, ----. Present officers: R. M. Sturms, Post Commander; E. B. Johnson, Vice-Commander: L. R. Whipple, Adjutant; William J. Ladd, Officer of the Day; William Morris, Officer of the Guard; Homer Lunger, Chaplain; Thomas Patrick, Quartermaster; David Cummins, Surgeon.
The Sons of Veterans once organized here and held a few meetings.
Eugene Council, No. 4, Sovereigns of Industry, was organized in August, 1874, but surrendered its charter a few months afterward. It had some thirty-five members. John Grondyke was President. Joseph McClellan, Vice-President, and Jesse Wallace, Secretary. The work of the society was mainly of an intellectual and social nature.
Eugene Lodge, No. 351, I. O. G. T., was organized January 24, 1873, and ran until about 1884, since which time meetings have been suspended. At one time it had as many as seventy members. W. H. Hood was the last elected chief, and H. H. Hosford, lodge deputy. The Good Templars had organized once or twice previously, and "ran down."
The "red-ribbon" movement was introduced here by Tyler Mason, and the "blue-ribbon" organization by George McDonald. Samuel Chambers, known as "Silvertop," a famous temperance organizer, reorganized the blue-ribbon society, and James Dunn, an old-time rouser, reorganized it again. In February, 1886, a total abstinence society, composed mainly of reformed drunkards, was organized, with Captain W. S. Jewell as President; L. R. Whipple, Vice-President; J. E. Whipple, Secretary; Ben Lang, Treasurer, and David Higgins, Sergeant-at-Arms. From some cause, but no reason, the society was dubbed the"Reformed Roosters."
The "woman's crusade" never struck Eugene, but a Woman's Christian Temperance Union was established here, of which Mrs. Whitlock was president. The organization was effected by Mrs. Dr. Spotswood and Mrs. Johnson, of Perrysville, but it was suffered to go down.
There is no living temperance organization now in Eugene.
The Eugene Presbyterian Church was first organized in 1826, when the first meetings were held at the house of William Thompson, a log cabin a little west of the depot, on the Big Vermillion. The name at first was the "River and County Vermillion Church," and comprised, April 29, 1826, Asa Palmer, William Thompson, William Wilson, Ann Wilson, William Armour, Ruhama Armour, Eliza Rodman, Hannah Laughlin, Margaret Caldwell, Mary West, Mary Thompson, Lucy Thompson (who afterward became the wife of Samuel Grondyke, Sr.), and Susan Wilson.
The first minister was Rev. James Hummer, and other ministers who have since served have been Revs. Baldridge, Kingsberry, Cozad, Conklin, C. K. Thompson, Venable, Crosby, Henry M. Bacon and W. Y. Allen, of Rockville. During Rev. Bacon's time, 1856-'59, the church grew to the number of forty communicants, but from that time to 1866 they were without a regular supply. In 1867 Rev. Allen began preaching for them once a month, and the church has sustained services until the present date. The present pastor is Rev. T. D. Fyffe, of Roseville, who preaches here every four weeks. The ruling elders have been Asa Palmer, William T. Kelly, David Wills, James Steele, Robert Kelly, A. J. Richardson, R. H. Ellis and Anthony Fable. Mr.
Fable is the only incumbent of that office at present.
The present membership is about fifty. Sunday-school is maintained all the year, with George L. Watson as superintendent.
The second place of meeting was brick dwelling, and the third is the present neat frame church, 36 x 60 feet, erected in 1859, in partnership with the Methodists, at a cost of $3,000 and economically built. It is located centrally in the village of Eugene.
The Mount Olivet Cumberland Presbyterian Church is three and a half miles southwest of Eugene.
Of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Eugene we cannot give so complete a history, on account of its more changeful nature, the old records not being kept and the old members dead or moved away. Of course the Methodists were early organized at this point, as they generally are on the frontier. The members number about fifty: twenty-seven joined last winter. At this writing (June, 1887), there are no class-leaders: the steward is E. McClellan. The society worships in the church which it built in union with the Presbyterians, just described.
At Cayuga the Methodists are about to build a church, although they are not yet organized at that point.
The time of arrival or birth in this county of the pioneers is indicated by the years at the head of the respective paragraphs.
1822. -- G. S. Hansicker, born in Virginia in 1792, died about ten or twelve years ago. His son, H. C., was born in this county in 1832. George Hicks, a soldier of the "Revolutionary war" (one says), was a pioneer here; but possibly this is a mistake for George W. Hicks, born in Massachusetts in 1795, and died in 1878. His wife, nee Mary Curtis was born in 1803 and died in 1868. Jacob Hain, born in Pennsylvania in 1799, is dead; his wife is still living.
1823. -- David Goff, born in Connecticut in 1799 remained a resident here until his death, September 7, 1881. His Brother Almond died here about twenty years ago, and his brother Brainard moved to La Porte County, this state, where he died. His son Philander, born in 1834, in this township, is still a resident. Lemon Chenowith, who is still living near Perrysville.
1824. -- John Chenowith, settling on the Wabash, died in 1857. He was the father of Lemon, just referred to, and also of Hiram and older son. Thomas Chenowith was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1850, and Isaac Chenowith was State Senator 1844-'45. Isaac was born in Kentucky, in 1794, arrived here in March, 1825, and died in April, 1856. William Chenowith, born in Ohio in 1823, was brought here in 1832, and is still a resident here. Solomon M. Jones, born in East Tennessee, April 3, 1812, died March 15, 1887, leaving a family of ten
children. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. John N. Jones, Sr., was born September 10, 1809, came here in 18--, was a partner of J. F. Smith in milling and merchandising for many years, and died June 25, 1874. William Skinner, from Ohio, came this year or previously, and died a few years afterward. His son Norman was born in Ohio in 1816, and died about six years ago, and his son Henry was born in this county in 1825, and is still a resident. Thomas Wright, who is said to have brought the first hogs into Vermillion County. One of his oxen dying, he cultivated his first crop of corn with a single ox. Milton Wright, born here in 1832, is living in this township, and Stephen Wright is dead. Both these were sons of Thomas.
1825. -- John Fultz, above Perrysville, died many years ago. His sons were John, Andrew and William V., all deceased. Allen Rodgers, from New Hampshire, died in Iowa or Wisconsin many years ago. J. M. Rodgers, his son, born in New Hampshire in 1815, died in the spring of 1887.
1826. -- James Blair, who had settled before this in Eugene township, under which head see a sketch of him. He died at Perrysville, May 11, 1861, aged seventy-nine years, and Sarah C., his wife, October 16, 1872, at the age of seventy-three years. Robert D. Moffatt, born in New Jersey in 1812, for many years a merchant at Perrysville, at which place he still resides, retired since 1874. David Beauchamp, in range 10, had a large family, and died about 1870-'75. John W. Beauchamp, born in Ohio in 1821; Andrew, his brother, born in 1828, in this county, is living in Illinois. Hiram Shaw, born in Ohio in 1805; E. G. Shaw, born in this county in 1830, an old resident.
1827. -- Benjamin Whittenmyer, born in Pennsylvania in 1799, died in 1879. His son Henry is a resident. Parents of Harvey Hunt, who was born in this State in 1820 and is a citizen here still. William Fleshman, deceased; his son Amos, still living here, was born in Indiana in 1822.
1828. -- Jonas Metzger, a soldier of the war of 1812, from Ohio, died February 9, 1872, aged seventy-eight years. He settled first in Eugene township, and in Highland township in 1833. Constantine Hughs, from Virginia, deceased; his son Ehud, born in that State in 1817, is still living here, as is also Calvin, born in the same State in 1826. Israel, William and John Hughes were pioneers on Coal Branch.
1829. -- William Nicholas, born in Virginia in 1809, still living here. Moses, Daniel and Charles Bowman, from Virginia. Daniel remained here until his death, and Charles died in the West. J. S. Stutler, born in Ohio in 1820, now deceased. Ezekiel Sanders, born in Virginia in 1827, died July 10, 1875. He first settled in Eugene or Vermillion Township, it is said.
1830. -- Richard Shute, father of Daniel, John, Epraim, etc. Elisha N. Reynolds, born in Maryland in 1804, died some years ago. G. H. Reynolds, born in 1835, is a resident here. John Tate, born in Ohio in 1807, still living here. Thomas J. Mitchell, born in Ohio in 1808, living in Perrysville. James A. Prather, born in Kentucky in 1814, died here within the last two years. Joseph Briner, now living in Perrysville.
1831. -- Herbert Ferguson, born in Virginia September 15, 1799, died January 26, 1877; Elizabeth B., his wife, was born January 17, 1813, and died May 27, 1884. William T., born in 1832, is their son. Ephraim Betzer, from Ohio, came previous to 1831. Jacob Betzer, born in Ohio in 1805, died four or five years ago. Aaron Betzer went West.
1832. -- Captain Andrew Dennis a boatman,