Union Township was one of the four divisions of White County at its organization in 1834, and included all of the present territory west of the Tippccanoe River and north of the line dividing Townships 25 and 26 north, together with the attached territory of what now constitutes the counties of Newton and Jasper and the western portion of Pulaski. The political steps by which it was reduced to its present body include the creation of Monon Township in 1836, of Liberty in 1837, and Honey Creek in 1856.
Thus Union Township was reduced to about thirty-seven and a half square miles. It is bounded on the north, chiefly by Liberty, with its northwestern section lying against Monon Township; on the east by Liberty and Jackson townships and the Tippecanoe River, which partly separates it from Carroll County; on the south by Big Creek Township and Carroll County, and on the west by Big Creek and Honey Creek townships.
The township has more high hills and low valleys than any other political division in the county, although the valleys are limited to a small area and the hills to the timber land lying along the river. South of Monticello the lands become a portion of the Grand Prairie. The northern portion of the township, west of the Tippecanoe, is a succession of sand ridges, and flat timber land, with such stretches of prairie intervening as the valley of Honey Creek. That part of the township lying east of the river was much more heavily timbered than the sections west of it, as it was protected from the prairie fires which swept over the country from that direction. Only a thin fringe of timber marked the western banks of the Tippecanoe, with here and there a tree in the open plain, hut no thickets of hazel, plum, sassafras, oak, hickory, cedar, sumach, mulberry, elder or honey locust ever survived the annual fires, from which the eastern banks were exempt, until those tracts were settled and protected.
The soil of Union Township in the timbered portions east of the river is a heavy loam with a subsoil of clay, sand and gravel, and well adapted to grain, grass, roots, fruit and vegetables. In the higher timbered part it is a light loam, with a deep subsoil of sand and gravel intermixed with clay. The northwestern portions of the township may be described as clay ridges traversing a rather low prairie. So-called "ridge farms," lying quite high and dry, with their easily cultivated soil, have come into considerable favor, as they are nicely adapted to live stock and fruit raising. The main branches of the Tippecanoe River in Union Township are Pike Creek, flowing in from the east, and Honey Creek, its western tributary. By nature, this portion of the county is well drained, and no township is better provided with ditches.
The chief products of the township are wheat, corn, oats and rye, in the grains; sweet and Irish potatoes, cabbages, parsnips, carrots, beets and tomatoes, in vegetables; melons and berries of all kinds.
Quite a number of settlers, most of them with their families, located in what is now Union Township before the county was organized, the most prominent of these being John Rothrock and his son, Robert; Peter Price, John Roberts, Reuben Stout, James Shafer, Jeremiah Bisher, Hans Erasmus Hiorth, Peter B. Smith, Melchi Gray, Matthew Hopper, Zebulon Sheetz; Samuel Gray, James Spencer, William Orr, John Orr, Mahion Fraser, Sr., Abraham Lowther, John Wilson, Richard Worthington, Henry Baum and George R. Bartley.
The first entry of land from the United States Government in what is now Union Township was made by John Rothrock, who, on November 30, 1830, purchased a large tract in section 3, township 26 north, range 3 west, and some time afterward erected a log house thereon. He was soon followed by Peter Price, his brother-in-law, who bought 160 acres in sections 32 and 33, on June 13, 1831; on that day also George R. Bartley purchased land in the same section.
While there is no dispute over the claim that Mr. Rothrock entered the first land in what is now Union Township, Mr. Price is generally credited with being the first permanent settler. In all likelihood, he has that honor because he brought with him his wife and child, thus founding the first family and homestead in the new country. Born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, February 11, 1799, he lived for several years before coming West in Lancaster and Mifflin counties, that state. While a resident of the latter he met and married Asenath Rothrock, a native of Mifflin County and about three years his junior. They were married in 1821 and in the spring of 1831 started for the valley of the Tippecanoe with their infant son, Joseph, John Rothrock and his sons, William and Robert.
The Prices and Rothrocks traveled by wagon and reached a locality a short distance west of the Tippecanoe River and just beyond the present limits of Monticello in the early part of June, 1831. He entered his "eighty" on the 18th of the month, as stated, and there he lived a useful life until it was ended in the peace of well-spent years, July 19, 1877.
At their coming to White County, Mr. and Mrs. Price had been bereft of two little ones, bringing the third to their western home. Six children were added to their flock on the banks of the Tippecanoe, three of their sons living to serve in the Union army from White County.
Mrs. Price was a woman of rare worth, and after the death of her husband continued to reside at the old homestead with her son, Capt. Benjamin F. Price, until her death January 18, 1892, in her ninetieth year. As age crept steadily on, her visits to Monticello became rare, but to her many friends who called upon her she was ever a cheerful, companionable lady of the pioneer generation. One of her favorite tales was the "heap big scare" of June, 1832.
In this, the year of the Black Hawk war, there were probably twenty families in what is now White County. Throughout the spring of 1832 tales of massacres and murders so worked upon the fears of the scattered settlers that some of them packed their goods into wagons and fled to the south side of the Wahash, driving their live stock before them. Every prairie fire was a possible sign of Indian devastation, but not a few families bravely clung to their barricaded houses and guarded farms. To assure both the brave and the timid that no hostile Indians had penetrated to that distant point, a company of about twenty men was formed at Delphi under Capt. Andrew Wood, and, well armed and provisioned, marched out on the Grand Prairie and thence up the Tippecanoe as far as the house of Melchi Gray near the mouth of the Monon. No Indians were found, except some timid Pottawattamies who were as frightened over the prospect of a raid by Black Hawk's warriors as were the most fearful of the whites who had deserted their homes.
Mrs. Peter Price, who had then been about a year in her new home, relates that her family had remained unconscious of any danger until early one June morning, when George A. Spencer rode rapidly up to their cabin door on his horse and shouted "Halloo, Peter, get up! The d—d Injins are coming and are killing everybody." In about a minute everybody's clothes were on and the messenger surrounded and bombarded with rapid-fire questions. It was decided to leave immediately, and hurried preparations were made to take the most valuable articles and leave the remainder to the torch of the savages. Mrs. Price and her children were taken to the house of a friend below Delphi, while Mr. Price returned to near the mouth of Spring Creek, Prairie Township, where some twelve or fifteen families had collected and made rather formidable preparations to receive the enemy. Every man and boy was on guard and every gun was loaded and in place. It is also stated that a sort of blockhouse was erected. Some thought the danger was to come from the Pottawattamies, while others feared the Sacs and Foxes from the Mississippi River region. As a matter of fact, it may be repeated the Pottawattamies were as much frightened as any of the whites, and all went to the Indian agent for advice and protection. They thought the whites were going to attack them for some reason not apparent. It was a period of "creeps and horrors" all 'round.
In July, 1831, Samuel Gray entered land in section 7, and David Miller in section 6, during August, and in November of that year Mahlon Frazer, Sr., bought a tract south of Mr. Rothrock's in section 3.
Hans E. Hiorth became a land owner in section 21 during July, 1832, in section 20 during August, and in section 8, in September; during October of that year James Spencer entered land in sections 17 and 18, Benjamin N. Spencer in section 17, Elisha Rawls in section 6, and Thomas King in section 5.
The year 1833 brought purchasers of land as follows: Henry Baum, section 5, and James Johnson, section 31, in March; Thomas Wilson, section 17, and Samuel Gray, section 18, in April; Jacob Dewey, section 4, in May; Benjamin Price, section 3, in June; Melchi Gray, in October, and Richard Worthington, in November, both in section 7.
In 1834, at dates previous to the organization of the county, John Wilson entered land in section 17, on the 2lst of April; Joseph James, in section 13, June 4th; John Tedford, in section 36, on the 10th of that month; George R. Bartley, in section 33, on the 13th, and James Staughton, in section 6, July 5th, two weeks before the meeting of the first board of commissioners. Afterward, but in the year of the county's birth, the following appeared in the list of land-holders: Robert Rothrock, section 33, September 6th; Samuel Rifenberrick, section 33, November 22d; Zebulon Sheetz, same section, November 1st, as well as in section 27, on the same date.
The main portion of Monticello was platted on section 33, the first public sale of lots occurring on the 7th of November, 1834. It is a matter of record that Robert Rothrock entered the land at LaPorte, in behalf of John Rothrock, his father, H. E. Hoirth and John Barr (county agent), for the purpose of which they placed $137.77½ in his hands. He signed a $1,000 bond to transfer to them "the south half of the northeast quarter and the north half of the southeast quarter of Section 33, Township 27 north, Range 3 west, containing in all 110 22-100 acres, which lots were purchased for the purpose of a county scat in White county." This he finally did.
The old plat of Monticello was bounded on the north by Marion Street, east by Tippecanoe or Bluff Street, south by Jefferson and west by Illinois. Legally, with the express condition that the county seat should forever remain at Monticello, the site, as conveyed by Robert Rothrock to County Agent Barr, with a quit claim to all titles of Messrs. Barr, Hiorth and John Rothrock in the same, the description of the boundaries of the original site is as follows: Beginning at a point where the west line of Illinois Street in the said Town of Monticello running north as the town plat of the said town is laid out would intersect the north line of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 33, township 27 north, range 3 west, thence east with the north line of said fraction to the Tippecanoe River, thence with the meanderings of the said river to the south line of the northwest fraction of the southeast quarter of section 33, township 27 north, range 3 west, thence with the south line of said last mentioned fraction west to a point where the west line of said Illinois Street aforesaid extended south would intersect said last mentioned line, thence north with the west line of said Illinois Street extended as aforesaid to the place of beginning. That tract was laid out on the 3d of November, 1834, under the supervision of Mr. Barr, assisted by Asa Allen, Melchi Gray and Joshua Lindsey, surveyors.
Little opportunity was given to non-resident land speculators to obtain land in the immediate vicinity of Monticello, as it was all taken by residents soon after the county seat was located. There was one notable exception. Jacob Walker and William M. Jenners, of Lafayette, and Benjamin Reynolds, of Big Creek Township, succeeded in purchasing a considerable tract of George R. Bartley adjoining the original plat of the town, on the south and west, and laid out Monticello's first addition in October, 1836. Barr's addition followed in April, 1837. Notwithstanding that residents, as a rule, controlled the site, they did not become wealthy from their investments, as the value of real estate at the county seat never rose rapidly; it never experienced a boom, as the growth of the county seat was substantial rather than spectacular.
The lumber for the first buildings erected at Monticello, as well as for other structures, like little frame schoolhouses and churches put up in the central and northern portions of the county, came largely from the sawmill which Mr. Hiorth had commenced to operate in 1833. It is said that he was a venturesome Norwegian sailor, who, with a companion, known as Peter B. Smith, had tired of his rovings and, having saved a neat sum of money, invested in about 1,000 acres of land about two miles north of what was to become the county seat; of that coming event, he was naturally in ignorance.
Mr. Hiorth's large tract was located in the vicinity of a pronounced hill, afterward known as Mount Walleston, and about 1833 he constructed a dam across the Tippecanoe River on his land in section 21 and there erected a sawmill, as stated. In that enterprise his old sailor friend, Smith, was a partner. As Hiorth's mill was the pioneer industry of the county and the water power on his land was the means of establishing other mills at that point, which, in turn, proved the foundation for the once flourishing Village of Norway, the writer pauses a moment here to enter into local details.
In April, 1843, after he had operated his sawmill for about ten years, Hiorth leased all the water power of the dam, except sufficient to run his industry, to William Sill, of Monticello. The lease also covered adjacent land not to exceed three acres, and stipulated that Hiorth was to keep the dam in repair. The arrangement was for ten years, at $150 per annum, and whatever improvements Sill made, such as graveling or erecting buildings, were to be taken over by Hiorth at a fair valuation when the lease expired. A few months after the lease was made, Sill was also given power to sublet portions of the water power, provided that he did not allow anyone the privilege of erecting a sawmill; Hiorth considered that industry his monopoly.
In September, 1843, Hiorth leased his sawmill, with the necessary water-power, to Martin Cherrie for a period of nine years; the lease also included land for a log yard and a dwelling. The new proprietor agreed to build a better mill, using so much of the old machinery as was possible. At the same time Sill subleased to Cherrie, for nine years, sufficient water power to operate a carding and fulling mill and a small piece of ground for a dyeing yard, the consideration for all these privileges being $75 per year.
In 1844 William Sill began the erection of his merchant grist mill, setting it in motion during the following year. For years it was the finest establishment of the kind for miles around and brought both business and permanent settlers to the locality.
Mr. Cherrie entered into a contract with Arthur Russell, in January, 1845, calling for the erection and equipment of a wool-carding and cloth-dressing mill, 32 by 25 feet, to be completed by October 1st of that year. Russell was then to superintend the mill for the nine years stipulated by the lease, was to employ all help and to receive annually, out of the profits of business, $280. The contract was canceled in December, 1845, but not before the carding mill had been set in operation.
in the meantime Mr. Hiorth had fallen a victim to consumption. Although enterprising, he had not encouraged the coming of new settlers. When he built the dam he had in mind not only the erection of a sawmill, but of a silk factory, and, in view of the latter enterprise, he planted on his land quite a grove of white mulberry trees. That enterprise, like others, came to naught because of his failing health, but when the other proposed mills commenced to assume shape and a number of people settled in the locality he refused to sell his land to encourage immigration, and to the platting of a town he was firmly opposed. His entries of Government land had made him by far the largest resident land owner in the township. His holdings in sections 20 and 21 embraced all of the Norway prairie and the land on both sides of the Tippecanoe River, giving him a monopoly of the water power as well as the best farming land of the prairie. We have seen what land and privileges he condescended to lease, and he permitted the building of one house on his immense tract for the accommodation of the miller and his family; but beyond that and his own residence, no building of homes was permitted. At his death his widow, who was made his sole legatee, inaugurated a more friendly and generous policy.
In March, 1845, soon after her husband's death, the widow, Bergetta Hiorth, employed John Armstrong to lay out ninety~six lots on the northwest fraction of section 21, township 27 north, range 3 west, and named the village Mount Walleston. The plat shows Hiorth, Washington and Franklin streets as running east and west, and Francis, Broadway, Norway and Hill, north and south thoroughfares. Soon after Sill's grist mill and Cherrie's woolen mill were in operation, prospectors were attracted to Mount Walleston, lots in the town plat were sold and the erection of houses and stores became brisk. Mill operatives, blacksmiths, carpenters and merchants soon formed quite a settlement. Lumber was for sale, large quantities of flour were manufactured for county consumption and shipment, and farmers came for miles around to have their wool carded and fulled. A ferry was also started, so that passengers and teams were brought to Mount Walleston from the eastern sections, a postoffice was established and Monticello had a real rival.
The infusion of new and strong blood into the community had caused the progress noted. Perhaps the most important event tending to stimulate the locality was the throwing upon the market of the Hiorth property, which included the cream of the township. In February, 1848, all the lands in White County, formerly owned by Hans E. Hiorth and then held by his widow, were sold to C. W., F. G., and R. C. Kendall of Monticello for $6,100. Two years before, Mrs. Hiorth had married Claus L. Clausen, a Norwegian clergyman, and after thus disposing of the property, which was somewhat encumbered, she left with her husband for Wisconsin and later removed to New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Kendalls located at Mount Walleston and until 1856 conducted a general store and the sawmill and flouring mill. Their coming was the signal for various improvements both of their own properties and the woolen factory, operated by the lessees, G. B. Woltz and Arthur Russell. The Kendalls furnished the latter additional water power to provide for a considerable increase in machinery and a third set of buhrs was added to the two sets which had been in use. Their general store carried a large stock and the town became the center of trade for a radius of country which extended into neighboring counties. Town lots were readily sold and buildings were erected on them by the purchasers. All the trades and some of the professions were represented.
Among the first settlers of the town were James W. Bulger, the miller; Arthur Russell and his partner in the woolen mill, George B. Woltz; Rev. Abram Snyder, father of Capt. Henry Snyder, who owned and operated a large tannery; Abram and Watson Lowther, blacksmiths and gunsmiths; Cyrus Short, father of John Short, the hotel keeper; Dr. Harrison P. Anderson and Dr. J. H. Lower, physicians; William Weeks, carpenter and millwright, and Abram and Peter Reprogle.
By 1856 it became reasonably apparent that Norway, or Mount Walleston, had seen its best days, and that Monticello had not; consequently, the Kendalls withdrew. R. C. Kendall sold his interests to his two brothers, who, in turn, disposed of the properties to Emanuel Shoup, the father-in-law of Francis G.; R C. and F. G. Kendall moved to Burlington, Iowa, and Charles W. returned to Monticello. He resumed his place at the county seat as one of its leading business men and citizens; became its first republican postmaster and died at Monticello in 1875.
In the meantime Monticello had made more substantial progress. New comers were welcomed and two years after the town was platted its future was so assured that Rowland Hughhes opened a tavern. He was one of those sturdy Pennsylvanians, who did so much for the town, the township and the county, in the early days. He had been married to a Green County (Ohio) girl, Nancy Imes, in 1833, two years later he moved to Lafayette, Indiana, and in December, 1835, entered land in section 27, just northeast of Monticello. In 1836 be opened his tavern at the county seat, established bis dry goods store in 1839 and until his death in May, 1883, was one of the most prominent, popular and respected men in the county. In its early history he served as a member of the Legislature, always taking an outspoken and active interest in public affairs. Mr. Hughes was also strong in his attachment to home and family, and left a wife and four of their seven children.
As early as 1838 Joseph Rothrock had built a "brush dam" across the Tippecanoe River just below Monticello. He erected a small sawmill and two years later Daniel M. Tilton established a tiny carding mill, both affairs being as extensive as the weak water power could keep in motion. A sbort time after its erection the carding mill burned to the ground, despite the exertions of the bucket brigade from Monticello; but the sawmill, though standing close beside it, was saved.
But little progress was made in the industrial life of the county seat until 1848, when the Monticello Hydraulic Company was incorporated to develop the water-power at that place. Both the old and the new hydraulic companies were strong forces in the early development of Monticello and the township, but the details of their operations belong to the chapter devoted especially to the history of the county seat.
On the day of the creation of Union Township (July 19, 1834) the county commissioners appointed the following officers for the new township: Peter Price and Elias Lowther, overseers of the poor; Samuel Gray, Sr., and James Johnson, fence viewers; William Wilson, road supervisor. At the same time an election for a justice of the peace was ordered to be held on the first Monday of the following August, Joshua Lindsey being the choice of the voters. In May, 1835, Melchi Gray became inspector of elections for Union Township. The foregoing are the first political items obtainable, and mention various individuals who have been introduced in foregoing pages.
Among the old-timers who settled previous to the organization of the township, and whose name has already appeared, was Jeremiah Bisher. Even in his younger manhood he appears to have been rather an eccentric character; it will be remembered that he was brought before the Circuit Court, at its first session, charged with malicious mischief in tying the tail of one of his neighbor's fractious horses, thereby causing the animal to injure itself. But be survived that ordeal as well as many trials of a more serious nature incident to a resident of some forty-four years in Union Township. His death occurred on his large and comfortable homestead, four miles southwest of Monticello, in May, 1875, and his remains were buried in the old Kenton grave yard about a mile from his residence.
In some ways that is quite a historical spot, as the grounds doubtless contain the grave of the first white person buried within the limits of White County. The epitaph reads: "John W. E. Rogers, son of Nathaniel and Rachel Rogers. Died May 18, 1833, aged 18 years, 11 mos. and 7 days"
In this same deserted country grave yard were also buried William M. Kenton, son of Simon Kenton. the famous Kentucky frontiersman and four of his children. About thirty years ago his son removed their remains to the cemetery north of Monticello, but left the tombstones standing. William M. Kenton died April 30, 1869, in his sixty-third year.
Those who entered land in Union Township in 1835, most of whom settled thereon at the time or soon after, were as follows: George A. Brock, in sections 14 and 23, January 15th; James Parker, section 32, March 4th, and Richard Armstrong, section 33, March 11th; George W. Sill, in section 27, April 24th; Robert Rothrock, section 4, June 17th; David Scroggs, section 36, July 13th; Peter Martin, section 33, August 24th; Samuel Shannahan, section 31, September 22d; Jonathan Hutt, section 15, November 16th, and in section 23, December 5th; William Price, section 21, November 7th; John Hanawalt, section 21, November 10th, and section 28, same date; James Harrison, section 14, November 16th; Isaac S. Vinson, section 31, November 12th; Amos Wiley, section 8, December 28th; Thomas Crose, section 8, December 16th; James Shafer, section 27, December 22d; Henry Glassford, sections 25, 26 and 36, December 12th and Andrew T. Ream, section 28, December 30th.
One of the busiest years in the matter of land entries in Union Township was 1836, as witness the following: Henry Ensminger entered land in section 36, on January 20th; in section 36, February 15th; section 23, March 18th; sections 24 and 25, same date; sections 26 and 27, February 5th. Daniel Cain entered land in section 19, on January 18th, and in February, Peter Martin filed claims in sections 21 and 35; Ira Bacon, in section 8; and Jacob Pitzer, in section 17. In March, 1836, the following entered: Harvey Rayhill, in section 17; Eli Cowger, section 22; Daniel Baum, section 15; Joseph Skidmore, sections 14 and 23; Matthew Hopper, section 28, and John Ross, section 32. Richard Worthington entered lands in section 32, in April, and in section 29, during May. In May Isaac Reynolds filed his claim in section 18; William Ingram, in section 20; and John L. Piper, in sections 17 and 20. The month of June, 1836, brought the following as land claimants: Thomas Downing, in section 32; Harrison Skinner, in sections 20 and 28; Isaac S. Piper, in section 17; and Reuben Hull, in section 28. In July came Jacob Meyer to section 29, and in August, George Paugh, to section 24. The November claimants were Peter B. Smith (Hiorth's partner), in section 18, and Daniel M. Tilton, section 81. Mr. Tilton also filed a claim in section 29 during December, and in the same month the following entered land: Zacheus Rothrock, in section 14; Andrew T. Ream, in section 28, and John Press, in section 29.
The hard times of 1837-38 frightened purchasers of land and during that year only four made claims in Union Township, viz.: Elijah Adams in section 7; Isaiah Broderick, in section 13; Peter Wicklow, in section 14, and William Ingram, in section 17. The only one to enter land in 1838 was Thomas Hollaway, in section 14; the year 1839 is also saved from being "blanked" by a solitary claimant, Richard Tilton, who entered land in section 19.
After 1840, there were few tracts in the township subject to entry and purchase from the Government at the regular price of $1.25 per acre. Of course, section 16, being school land, was not available for entry, while section 30 and a portion of section 29 were canal lands and also excluded from private ownership at Government prices.
In the '40s, the years 1847 and 1848 showed the greatest improvement in land purchases. In 1841 Samuel E. Burns entered a claim in section 18, and in 1844, Peter B. Smith filed on a tract in section 4. The following entries were made in the late '40s: In 1845, Samuel E. Burns and William A. Logan, section 18; in 1846, Henry James and Mary E. McKee, section 13; in 1847, Levi Reynolds, Matthew Reynolds and George Iames, section 6; Loren Cutler, section 13; Abram Snyder, section 14, and Randolph Brearley, section 18; in 1848, Thomas O'Brien, section 18, Daniel Cain, section 19, and William Fincer, Sardis Cutler and Robert Rothrock, section 24. Three entries are recorded for 1850—Ashley Pierce, Mary L. Pierce and Lewis Pierce, all in section 19. In April, 1854, Henry Kahler and Lanty T. Armstrong entered land in the island lying in the Tippecanoe River, section 34, east of Monticello, which closed the record for lands purchased of the Government in Union Township.
We have gone somewhat extensively into the subject of land entries, as they formed the basis of so much permanent prosperity throughout the township, especially among the old families who have been engaged in farming operations for several generations, In fact, with the exception of Monticello, the activities of that portion of the county arc almost entirely rural, as Norway, which once aspired to something metropolitan, is now but a pretty hamlet, with a fertile outlying country.
Union Township has given much of its time and substance to the improvement of highways within its borders, and has already incurred a bonded indebtedness of $47,697 in the construction of gravel roads. The expenditure has been divided among the different roads as follows: Ballard road, $2,400; Spencer, $5,200; Dobbins, $400; Kepp, $4,250; Shook, $3,000; Mills, $6,067; Christy, $3,430; Miller, $4,950; Roberts, $12,000; Seroggs, $6,000. This is in addition to the Brechfiel pike leading to Buffalo and several miles of stone and gravel roads not shown in the above statement.