CHAPTER XVII

HONEY CREEK TOWNSHIP

DRAINING AND ROAD BUILDING— HONEY CREEK-- JOSHUA RINKER AND WIFE— THE BUNNELL FAMILIES-- SMITH, HIORTH'S OLD PARTNER— SETTLERS AND LAND BUYERS OF 1835— ENTERED LANDS IN 1839-53— TWO-THIRDS OWNED BY NON-RESIDENTS— FOUNDING OF REYNOLDS— GUERNSEY— TOWNSHIP CREATED-- SCHOOLHOUSE AND TOWN HALL-- PIONEER CITIZEN VOTERS-- PUBLIC-SPIRITED TOWNSHIP.

As a civil body, Honey Creek Township dates from 1855. Its territory was a part of the original Union Township, created in 1834 as one of the four divisions of the vast White County of that day. Monon Township was lopped off from the parent body in 1836 and Princeton in 1844; then, in 1855, another thirty-six square miles was taken from the western portion of Union to form Honey Greek Township, which also, about 1905, was presented with five square miles from Big Creek Township to the south. Although it would be difficult to find forty-one square miles of better land in the county than lie within the limits of Honey Creek Township, their fertility and productiveness have been fairly earned, as no section has given more freely of its time and means to reclaim them from their primal disadvantages.

DRAINING AND ROAD BUILDING

Even for a number of years after the civil organization of the township, its soil was largely water-soaked and most of the land was considered unmarketable, but about 1880 the settlers took up the matter of ditching in an earnest and practical way. By 1882 they bad some twenty miles of good public ditches, besides many constructed at private expense, and with the rapid reclaiming of the lands the farmers also did their full share in constructing good gravel and stone roads; so that with the increased yield of their lands they provided the means of getting the produce to market in the most advantageous way. At the present time, there is very little land in Honey Creek Township which is not under a fair state of cultivation and which is not easily accessible to either a substantial macadam road or a line of railroad.

In the construction of its system of macadam or gravel roads, Honey Creek Township has incurred a bonded indebtedness of $38,886, divided as follows: Weaver Road, $8,400; Ballard, $2,400; J. H. Moore, $1,866; Wheeler, $4,060; Ward, $4,050; Miller, $4,950; byroads, $12,000; Lane, $1,160.

HONEY CREEK

Ditching and road building have been made especially necessary in Honey Creek Township because of the sluggish and widespread waters of the stream which gives it its name. Honey Creek rises in the adjoining townships of West Point and flows in a northeasterly direction through the township and empties into the Tippecanoe River three miles north of Monticello, in Union Township. Speaking of this stream, one of the oldest residents of the county says: "It might with greater propriety be termed a lake, for it had no well-defined channel from its entrance into the township to its passage out, but was one vast sheet of water without perceptible outlet, varying in width from a few hundred feet to a mile or more, until within two miles of its outlet it became a rapid stream, with well-defined channel, flowing through heavily wooded, rugged bluff lands, from thence to the river. It was only after the expenditure of much money and a vast amount of labor that a channel of any kind was made through the township, and by deepening and widening it from year to year the water has been removed to such an extent as to render the larger part of the land susceptible to cultivation. There is not another township in the whole county where so much has been done to improve natural conditions, nor is there one which has equaled Honey Creek in its advance in material wealth and prosperity."

Previous to the building of the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Railroad through the township in 1853-54, and the platting of Reynolds in the latter year, few settlers had ventured into what generally was put down as a water-logged part of the county. Conditions were better in the southern half of the township than in the northern, and the consequence was that, with very few exceptions, the pioneers who located before the railroad came along settled in sections 22, 26, 27, 28, 34 and 35. By reference to any fair map it will be seen that these sections cover the present site of Reynolds and certain portions of the township within two miles of it.

JOSHUA RINKER AND WIFE

The first settlers of Honey Creek Township were Joshua Rinker and wife—the former of German blood and the latter (Louisa Reece) of Scotch ancestry—both Virginians, who in 1834 located in what was then the newly organized County of White and Union Township. Mr. Rinker threw up a little log cabin somewhere in section 34 and there the sturdy couple established themselves as the first residents in what is now Honey Creek Township. Long afterward it was stated by William H. Rinker who was the third of their eight children and was born in that locality in May, 1836, that for the first two years of his residence there, Joshua Rinker farmed on shares, and that in 1836 he entered 130 acres of land in Big Creek and Honey Creek townships. At first he erected the rude log cabin noted, but afterward built the first brick house of the township. His wife died in April, 1864, and he followed her in December, 1869. The son, William H. Rinker, married into the old Bunnel [sic] family, and lived for years on his farm not far from the old homestead in section 34.

THE BUNNELL FAMILIES

Nathaniel Bunnell, the founder of the family, various members of wbich have become so well known in Honey Creek Township, was reared and married in Kentucky. When a young man he was engaged in the Ohio River trade and was one of a crew who brought the first load of merchandise from Marysville, Kentucky, to Chillicothe, Ohio. Soon afterward he moved into Ohio, and, after making several changes of location and serving in the War of 1812 within the following thirty years, settled with a large family in what is now Honey Creek Township. The Tract Book shows that he entered his first tract of land in section 34 on the 9th of December, 1833, and he probably did not settle upon it until the following spring or summer, following closely upon the arrival of the Rinkers. The families naturally became neighbors, and, quite as naturally, the young people commenced to intermarry.

In April, 1834, both Nathaniel and Thomas Bunnell entered lands in section 27, and various members of the family, representing several generations, have resided at Reynolds and in neighboring territory. Nathaniel Bunnell died on his farm in section 34 in the year 1850.

SMITH, HIORTH'S OLD PARTNER

It is said that Peter B. Smith, the partner of Hans E. Hiorth in the sawmill established in the Norwegian settlement two miles north of Monticello, settled in section 1, northeast corner of what is now Honey Creek Township, as early as 1834. If he did so there is no record of any purchase of lands by him at that time; he may have been simply scouting for timber lands. His first entry in that section was not made until 1846.

SETTLERS AND LAND BUYERS OF 1835

In 1835 the settlers included the Coles—Joseph, James and Moses-- and about the same time Jesse Grooms and the Johnsons--Frank, Moses and Addison. Within the following two years also came Stephen Miller to section 26, V. McColloch to section 27 and John Wilson to section 22.

Early settlers also report that a bachelor by the name of Day came into the township in the same year and began settlement in section 35.

In 1835 the only people to enter lands, according to the records, were also Bunnels [sic]—John Wesley Bunnell, in section 26, and Eliza Ann Bunnell, in section 33, both on December 16th.

In 1836 the Tract Book gives the following: Daniel M. Tilton, in section 1 (the only recorded land owner of the early times to invest in the northern sections of the township), December 12th; Levi Reynolds, May 25th; Benjamin H. Dixon, February 4th, and Harrison Skinner, June 2d—all in section 28; and Thomas Brownfield, in section 34, May 3d.

ENTERED LANDS IN 1839-53

The Tract Book, which is the only reliable authority by which to determine the entries of lands in the township, records the following as having bought real estate of the Government after 1836, until the township was organized in 1855: Joshua Rinker (as stated) in section 34, August 1, 1839; William M. Kenton, in section 25, November 20, 1843, and in section 24, Octsber 9, 1848; in 1844— Richard Imes, in section 1, April 20th; William Turner, in section 13, November 9th; Ellis H. Johnson, in section 29, February 16th; John R. Jefferson, in section 31, May 2d, and Richard J. Tilton, in section 36, November 9th; James P. Moore, Sr., and James P. Moore, Jr., in section 6, November 25, 1845; in 1846—Peter B. Smith, in section 1, October 17th; Joseph Coble, in section 11, September 6th; William Turner, in section 17, September 28th; Adin and Israel Nordyke (residents of Princeton Township), in section 19, October 5th; David H. Morse, in section 21, July 14th; Thomas Spencer, in section 24, September 26th, and in section 25, October 14th; Nathaniel White, in section 26, September 29th; Isaac Beasy, January 19th; Okey S. Johnson, May 13th, and John B. Lowe, May 21st, all in section 29; and James Shaw, in section 34, February 25th; in 1847—Liberty M. Burns, in section 15, February 7th; David Marshall, in section 22, October 19th; Lewis C. Marshall, in section 23, October 19th; James Witherow, in section 25, June 22d, and James Barnes. in same section, July 6th; David H. Morse, in section 26, August 9th; Aaron Chamberlain, in section 30, April 15th; Isaac Beasey [sic], in same section, May 18th; in 1848—William M. Kenton, in section 24, October 9th; David Marshall, in section 26, same date; Nathaniel Bunnell, in section 34, December 9th, and Jordan Cain, in section 36, March 13th; in 1850—Abraham Smith (a resident of Princeton Township), in section 19, April 12th; John Lawrie (a citizen of West Point Township), in section 29, December 16th, and John Day, in section 34, September 24th; Loreno Morse, James Shaw, James Brooks, John B. Cowan and K. T. and N. Bunnell, section 35, October 8, 1851; John Bunton, in section 31, March 5, 1852, and Levin Tucker, in section 29, October 24, 1853.

TWO-THIRDS OWNED BY NON-RESIDENTS

At the organization of the township in 1855, it is estimated that fully two-thirds of its area was in the hands of non-residents. The swamp and military warrant lands taken up were as follows:

To the foregoing grand total 12,460 acres of swamp and military lands taken up, with few exceptions by land speculators residing outside the county, are to be added various tracts of canal lands in sections 27, 29 and 34, which were held out of the Government lands subject to free entry at $1.25 per acre. Two hundred acres of these lands in section 27 were purchased by Joseph Cole, Marshall H. Johnson and Micajah F. Johnson; John Lawrie, of West Point Township, bought forty acres in section 29, and Joseph Day and Benjamin Reynolds entered 200 acres in section 34. Other scattering tracts bought up by speculators, non-resident in Honey Creek Township, would bring the total of "foreign" holdings up to the 14,640 acres, as estimated.

FOUNDING OF REYNOLDS

This condition undoubtedly interfered with the early settlement of the country, which failed to show much progress until the building of the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Railroad. While the line was in process of construction through the township the Town of Reynolds was laid out by Benjamin Reynolds, George S. Rose, Christian Cassell, William M. Kenton and Joseph H. Thompson. The original plat was recorded August 22, 1853, and shows 155 lots in the northeast quarter of 33. The village was named after Benjamin Reynolds, its acknowledged founder, who erected the first building on its site, the hotel which held its own in the central part of the county for many years thereafter. Thomas Bunnell and William M. Kenton made the first addition to Reynolds in 1855. The town had many energetic and able men who pushed it along, notwithstanding its early setback during the inflated and uncertain times of 1857-58. The Pittsburgh, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Pennsylvania) was completed through the township in 1859 and gave another boom to Reynolds, which, during the following decade, especially, was acknowledged to be a rival to Monticello "away off on the eastern borders of the county." Being the junction of the two lines, although it had prosperous and substantial business houses, it was known for many miles around as "a tough railroad town," with all that expression implies. But, although all of its ambitions were not realized, it being incorporated in 1875, it has long been an orderly place, and has progressed steadily as one of the best interior centers in the county. Reynolds is the banking and the trade center of quite a district, especially to the north, and its dealings in grain and live stock are considerable.

GUERNSEY

The only other center in the township, which is, however, of comparative unimportance, is Guernsey, a station on the Monon route in section 12, northeastern part of the township. The place has never been platted; is only a small hamlet and derives its name from the postoffice established there.

TOWNSHIP CREATED

Very soon after the Town of Reynolds was platted, Benjamin Reynolds, Leander H. Jewett, Abram Van Voorst and others signed a petition and presented it to the court of county commissioners, praying that congressional township 27 north, range 4 west, should be constituted Honey Creek Township. At its June term, 1855, that body so ordered.

SCHOOLHOUSE AND TOWN HALL

Not long after the township was created and before any of its officials had been elected the proprietors of the new town of Reynolds made arrangements to build a schoolhouse on its site. It was one of the first buildings to be erected. Nathaniel Bunnell gave $25 for the purpose, Benjamin Reynolds donated the ground and other settlers in the neighborhood contributed enough by subscription to complete the building, which was to serve both as a schoolhouse and a town hall.

PIONEER CITIZEN VOTERS

The first election in Honey Creek Township was held at the Reynolds schoolhouse on the 7th of April, 1856, and the forty-three who cast their ballots at that time were Abram Van Voorst, D. L. Hamilton, Newton Organ, M. M. Sill, O. S. Dale, J. S. Goddard, Ira Keller, James Cole, Aaron Wood, Joseph Cole, Thomas Glassford, Nathaniel Bunnell, Thornton Williams, Samuel Horen, Washington Burns, Robert W. Sill, Frederick Medorse, Jesse Holtom, Marshall Johnson, Addison Johnson, Joshua Rinker, George Williams, Thomas Cain, John Reffcoots, S. A. Miller, Abraham Irvin, Daniel Coble, A. M. Dickinson, Patrick Horn, B. R. Pettit, John Horen, L. H. Jewett, Isaac Barker, Isaac S. Vinson, John Bates, Lewis Kruger, J. W. Bulger, J. N. Bunnell, Nathaniel White, James Torpy, Isaac M. Cantwell, John Callis and Frederick Helm. The result was to elect Samuel Horen as township trustee, for a term of three years; Abram Van Voorst, for a two years term, and A. M. Dickinson, for one year; Leander H. Jewett and M. M. Sill, justices of the peace for two years; R. B. Pettit and Homer Glassford, constables for one year; Nathaniel Bunnell, township treasurer, one year, and Joshua Rinker, Newton Organ and James Coble, road supervisors, one year. At this election thirty-five votes were received for a road tax. Ira Kells and Aaron Wood acted as judges, and 0. S. Dale and M. M. Sill as clerks.

There was even a more complete turn-out at the election on the second Tuesday in October of that year; this was the first state election held in the township and nearly every voter in it reported at the Reynolds schoolhouse. The names follow: James Himes, William White, Aaron Wood, A. M. Dickinson, J. B. Bunnell, Abram Van Voorst, J. H. Thomas, Stephen Miller, L. H. Ambler, Thornton Williams, Marion Hamilton, Samuel Harper, Isaac Ruger, J. S. Reynolds, Samuel Horen, J. W. Brasket, William Harper, R. R. Pettit, Thomas Harper, John Noah, William Headen, Michael Foundry, F. Herper, L. H. Jewett, F. N. Holam, Lewis Shall, F. Kefsis, James S. Miller, George F. Miller, Jacob Heastur, James Dale, M. M. Sill, James Kenton, A. Page, J. S. Goddard, M. Foram, John Candent, E. Lickory, John Boles, Charles Keller, Henry Veslong, M. T. Johnson, John Cole, Anderson Johnson, George Williams, James Cole, Benjamin Clark, Hugh Irvin, Ira Keller, John Lealy, Patrick Henry, D. L. Hamilton, N. W. Bunnell, G. Helar, A. A. Ferryfold, Isaac Kentwell, Joseph Skevtington, John Cox, John Jeffcoots, B. T. Meyers, A. Weise, George Emery, Nathaniel White, C. Perry, Joshua Perry, James Pettit, Jerry Hamilton, Thomas Spencer, Solomon McColloch, James M. Bragg, John Horn, Nathaniel Bunnell, Adam Morgan, Joshua Rinker, Adin Nordyke, Patrick Horn, Patrick Poating, James Turpie, Joseph Dale, P. Hartman, W. P. Stark, Joseph DeLong, Abram Irvin and Newton Organ.

PUBLIC-SPIRITED TOWNSHIP

After the founding of Reynolds, most of the pioneer institutions and movements of the township originated in that town; consequently, many of the details connected with such early matters are reserved for the special sketch of the village. Even in the encouragement of such enterprises as the construction of roads and ditches, which affect the township at large, the people of Reynolds have always been helpful to the extent of their means. In fact, as a whole, it is a township which enjoys a marked public spirit.