LAMARD TOWNSHIP---DESCRIPTION---TOPOGRAPHY, ETC.---EARLY SETTLEMENTS---PIONEER---IMPROVEMENTS AND INDUSTRIES---CAUDLE'S DISTILLERY AND THE EARLY USE Of WHISKY---CHURCHES AND CHURCH BUILDINGS---SCHOOLS---DR. JONES, THE FIRST TEACHER---HOW HE WENT SNIPE HUNTING---JEFFERSONVILLE LAID OUT AS A VILLAGE---ITS GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND INCORPORATION---BUSINESS STATISTICS, ETC.
"Like the one
With the lost vessel's name ashore,
Tells who they were that live no more."
---Moore.
FEW studies are more interesting and profitable to mankind than that of the past experiences, deeds, thoughts and trials of the human race. The civilized man and the untutored savage alike desire to know the deeds and lives of their ancestors, and strive to perpetuate their story. National patriotism and literary pride have prompted many in all times to write and preserve the annals of particular people, but narrow prejudices and selfish interests too often have availed to suppress the truth or distort the fact. It is the aim of the writer to collect and prepare in a readable form some of the facts of the early settlements and subsequent growth of Lamard Township, which furnishes the subject-matter for this chapter. The families whose ancestors were early on the ground, and whose members have made it what it is, are worthy of remembrance, and their difficulties, sorrows, customs, labors and patriotism should not be allowed to fall into oblivion.
Lamard Township was organized as such in 1859. From 1819 up to its organization, it was classed in the precinct system. It is located near the center of the county, and is bounded on the north by Bedford, on the east by Jasper, on the south by Big Mound, and on the west by Arrington Townships. It comprises thirty-six sections, and is known as Congressional Township 1 south, Range 7 east.
A large portion of the township is a beautiful prairie,
"Where travelers entering behold around
A large and spacious plain on every side,
Strewed with beauty, whose fair grassy mounds,
Mantled with green, and beautified
With ornaments of Flora's pride."
The soil of this prairie is of great fertility, and well adapted to the growth of almost all crops cultivated in this region, and particularly to grasses. Hundreds of acres of "red top" is grown, and the seed procured from it brings from 50 to 75 cents per bushel, thus furnishing a large portion of the revenue of the people. The woodland is somewhat of a rolling nature, but is also productive, and yields crops of corn, wheat, rye, oats and vegetables. Almost all the fruits common to this latitude are cultivated here in abundance.
At the time of the early settlements in the territory now included in Lamard Township, many wild animals were then abundant. Now all is changed, as the ax and plow, gun and dog, railway and telegraph have metamorphosed the face of nature, and the wild animals have been either exterminated, or have hid themselves away in the wilderness. The only stream of any importance is Martin Creek, which has its source in Section 9, from where it makes a horseshoe bend through Sections 25 and 32, passing out of the township, and through Section 12, of Jasper Township, and thence empties into Deer Creek.
Tradition seems to be the only authority for naming the township in honor of a supposed settler, by the name of Lamard. Of him or his actual settlement we know but little, and that is not such as to warrant our naming his nativity or telling what became of him. There is little doubt, however, that such a man did live in the township, and if not the first, he was among the first white men within its present limits.
John Moore was among the very first settlers of the township, and came from Meigs County, Ohio. At one period he possessed about 1,600 acres of land near the present site of Jeffersonville, where he had originally settled. He died here, and his widow survives in Jackson County, this State. Moore's children were James, Luther, Mary A. and Malantha. Moore was a man of rigid belief, yet perhaps, in some respects, a little prejudiced, and, coming from Ohio, he entertained political sentiments at variance with the majority of his neighbors. He was what was then termed an Abolitionist, and at the time was not so popular as he might have been. He employed several negroes to labor on his farm, and was finally arrested, being charged with having induced some of the colored race to locate in Southern Illinois. He was acquitted on the ruling of a certain Judge "that the United States Goverment had brought them to Cairo."
The Buckeye State gave birth to many who were early settlers in Lamard Township. John Moreland, Townsend Richards, Jesse Milner, H. Henthorn and Jesse Ward were all Ohioans. Moreland came in 1838, and hailed from Columbiana County, and settled on Section 6 (now Jasper Township), where he purchased about 200 acres, and engaged in rural pursuits until about the close of the late war, when he moved to Jeffersonville, where he has since resided, and is characterized as an exemplary man, and as having been a zealous and active worker in the Christian Church. Mr. Richards was also from Columbiana County, and came here in 1838, settling one mile west of where is now Jeffersonville, and, like Moreland, was an energetic churchman. He died of paralysis, leaving a number of sons, among whom were William, Isaac, Sylvester, John, David and James; daughters, Rhoda and Sarah. Jesse Ward came in 1841, and was from Washington County. He settled on Section 17, where he lived until 1875, when he became a permanent resident of Jeffersonville. Milner settled on Section 1, and reared fourteen children, of whom Mary, Elizabeth, Jehu, David, Jesse and Harmon are living. Henthorn is still living in the township. Elisha Emmons settled near where the old fair grounds were located, and his sons were Jesse, Walter, Eli, and his only daughter married John Black, of Fairfield. Mr. Emmons was a hunter of some notoriety, and a usual remark of his was that the day before Monday was his lucky and most successful one to hunt. He was, however, an upright man and a good citizen.
Edward Puckett came from Tennessee about 1837, and located on Section 6. He was a good man, and was ordained Elder of what was known as the Buckeye District Christian Church.
Dr. T.P. Green settled here in 1838. His original settlement was outside of the township, and he was one of the first physicians in the country. About 1840, Isaac Brock and Jonathan Hayes settled on land adjoining, about one mile north of Jeffersonville. The former died here at the good old age of eighty years, and the latter spent the most of his time hunting, but as the settlements grew, the bustle and hostility of the new comers drove the wild animals away, and he followed them whither they went, where he finally ended his allotted time in the full enjoyment of his favorite pursuit. Isaac Whittaker, and Aaron, William and Phineas, his sons, were among the first settlers in the vicinity of the old Buckeye Church. In the same neighborhood, John Blackford, David Metz and Cornelius Ades, settled a little later. James Ades, the father of Cornelius, is living, and is probably the oldest man in the county. Cornelius Ades was a minister of the Christian Church. Joshua Caudle and son, Thomas, came from Tennessee. The former was peculiar and eccentric, but was a zealous member of the Christian Church. During the latter years of his life, he would hobble to church, and upon reaching the entrance to the sacred tabernacle, he would yell at the top of his voice, "Brethren and sisters, how do you all do?" And it made no difference if services had commenced, as was usually the case upon his arrival, his greeting was as above stated. For a long time previous to his decease, he expressed the most ardent desires to meet the grim monster, and seemed to entertain no fears whatever of crossing the cold dark river.
Isaac Jerretts and a Mr. Sumter were settlers at a subsequent date. The latter located on the farm now owned by Jesse Ward, and after spending the most of his time hunting here, he went with the wild game to other homes in the West.
The early settlers of Lamard Township in common with the pioneers of other portions of the county, were subjected to the dangers and privations of the times. One of the great drawbacks was the procuring of bread. The hand-mill and mortar were the first modes of getting meal. Next was the horse mill. Joshua Caudle had the first one of the latter makeshifts. It was located on his farm, and he not only ground corn but wheat also. He put up a distillery, and for some time manufactured whisky, an article said to have been used extensively as an antidote for snake-bites, but now as a beverage, until the snakes bite inside of some men's boots.
The fair grounds of the County Agricultural Association were for some time located in Lamard Township, near Jeffersonville. The selection was made of this place by a vote taken of the people, with Fairfield and Jeffersonville heading the respective tickets. Recently a change was made of the grounds.
Early in the history of the township, a number of Ohio people settled in and adjacent to Section 1. In a short time they organized a Christian church in their midst, which they named "Buckeye Church." Among the first ministers was Moses Goodwin, and in the preceding pages some of the leading members have been mentioned. They built a hewed-log house in which they held meetings for many years. They have subsequently built a house about three quarters of a mile north of the old one, where services are now conducted and a good Sunday school maintained. A graveyard was laid off near the old church, and within its gloomy precincts slumber many of the early members of the church and pioneers of the township. It is thought that one of the first schools taught in Lamard Township was in this old church, but the first teacher's name is not remembered. The township now has a number of substantial and comfortable schoolhouses, and excellent schools are kept up during the usual term.
Village of Jeffersonville. --- The original plat of Jeffersonville was surveyed in 1853, by William Whittaker, from the land of Jasper Branch. In 1855, William Gash surveyed what was called the Thorn Addition, from the property of Elisha, Dickerman and Stoddard Thorn, sons of Leonard Thorn, who came from Ohio to this place in 1852. The town was named by Jasper Branch. It is said that he desired to perpetuate himself by naming the town, and the nearest he could come to it was to call it Jeffersonville, which with his own name of Jasper, commenced with the same letter of the alphabet.
The first building erected was that now owned by Charles Wolfe. A short time afterward, or perhaps not until 1854, J. S. Rinard put up three small clapboard houses in a row. He kept a general store in one, selling a general line of goods to the inhabitants, and taking in exchange such produce as they had to spare, which consisted mostly of deer, raccoon, fox, and opposum skins. These he sold to the American Fur Company, and hauled them by teams mostly to Vincennes, Ind. Mr. Rinard lived in another of these cabins, and rented the third to Thomas Johnson, who came from Ohio and erected the first saw mill in the village. The next store was kept in the first building erected in the town, by a man by the name of Baily. He subsequently transferred his goods to a building which was erected by Adam Rinard and Nathan Sidwell which was the third store room put up in the place. Soon after laying away his stock in the latter building, Baily failed and returned to Wabash County, from whence he came. A post office was established in the old house first occupied by Baily in 1856 or 1857, and N. Branch was the first Postmaster. D. C. Porter kept the first blacksmith shop, where John Lusk's butcher shop is now. A school, the first in the town, was taught in a frame building put up by N. Phelps, for a dwelling. Dr. Jones was the teacher, and retired at the end of the first term. He was an old genius, and many stories and incidents are told of him. The following will serve as a sample, and although the same story has been told upon scores of individuals in every State in the Union, yet it will illustrate Jones, as it has others. The custom of snipe-hunting is an old one, and was participated here whenever a subject could be obtained. The rule was, when a green fellow happened along who was not familiar with the sport, he was generally inveigled into a snipe hunt. Jones was considered a good subject, and so, when a company one evening proposed the thing, all went into ecstacies over the contemplated fun, and Jones eagerly joined the party. With the necessary equipments (a small bag into which to drive the snipe) the hunters started for their nearest swamp and crabapple thicket. When they arrived in the proper place, one of the densest thickets to be found, then the fun began. Each clamored for the position of holding the bag, until finally Jones came in as peace-maker, arguing that, as he had never experienced such sport, he ought by rights to hold the bag, and the party yielded to his request with seeming reluctance. Placing him in the proper position, each one started in a different direction to drive in the birds, but as soon as they were out of Jones' hearing, they made straight for home, leaving Jones with an empty bag to hold, and "awaiting for the snipes to come in." It is sufficient to say that he returned in the morning at the crowing of the "cock" with an empty bag and a heavy heart, but a wiser head.
The denomination of Christians erected the first church house in the village, which is a frame 36x40 feet, on the northwest corner of the original plat. It cost about $2,500. The present officers of the church are: Elders, Jesse Ward, John Moreland and W. Bestow; Deacons, James Skelton, William Schofield and Timothy Ward; Minister, Elder D. Logan; Sunday School Superintendent, W. Bestow; Assistant Superintendent, John Moreland; Chorister, J. Rochell; Secretary and Treasurer, Mrs. Dr. Barricksman. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1879. A frame building, 36x46 feet, serves them for a place of worship. It cost about $2,300, and is a handsome building. The present officers of the church are: Trustees, Dr. Carson, William Blackburn, W. B. Smith, William Taylor and S. F. McKirahan, and those of the Sunday school are, Superintendent, W. B. Carson; Teachers, W. B. Carson, Mrs. J.Q. Rapp, William Taylor, P. Fearn, S. J. Witters and Rebecca A. McKirahan; Secretary and Treasurer, Millie Taylor. A Masonic Lodge was organized in 1865. The present officers are: T. M. Long, Master; D. J. Brock, Senior Warden; L. J. Forth, Junior Warden ; A. M. Martin, Treasurer; G. E. Branch, Secretary; J. L. Miller, Senior Deacon; F. L. Heath, Junior Deacon; and R. M. McCoy, T. A Post of the G. A. R. has recently been established.
Jeffersonville was incorporated under an act of the Legislature, April 1, 1869, and S. D. Witters, D. N. Ulm and Jasper Branch were elected Trustees. The present officers are C. Morgan, A. M. Martin, William Schofield, L. J. Keath and Thomas McDaniels, Trustees; W. B. Levre, Constable, and A. M. Martin, Street Commissioner.
The following is a showing of the business of the town: Mrs. J. Q. Rapp, general store; J. B. Pendleton, grocery store; J. C. Bestow, grocery store; Forth & Weaver, general store; J. M. Tracy, drug store: G. W. Mason, wagon shop; John Owens and James Miller, blacksmiths; Morgan, Buffington, Davis and Branch, millers; D. N. Ulm, James Skelton and Thomas McDaniels, Lilly Mills; Mrs. Black, millinery; Mr. Sampson, furniture; D. N. Ulm, Postmaster; Mr. Timothy, shoe-maker; A. M. Martin, William Schofield, C. B. Morgan and Levi Mercer, carpenters; F. L. Heath, depot agent, etc.; A. D. Skelton, livery and feed stable; boarding houses, Mr. Wolfe and James Skelton. During its existence as a town, Jeffersonville has had but one regularly licensed saloon, and it was short lived. It was opened by George Gash in 1858, and about the same time, under the earnest efforts of Mr. Sibley, Jasper Branch and others, in an organization known as the "Sons of Temperance," a great good was done, and was, no doubt, the indirect cause of closing up the saloon; since then the town has been strictly temperate and moral in the highest degree.
Jeffersonville at one time was a place of considerable importance, and enjoyed a large and profitable trade. It even had aspirations for the county seat, and made a vigorous fight for it, but lost the battle, and since has been content to plod on in the even tenor of its way. The following is a list of township officers since its organization:
Supervisors. --- Sylvester Rider, 1860, 1861, 1862; Adam Rinard, 1863; J. A. Smith, 1864; Jacob C. Brock, 1865; Adam Rinard, 1866, 1867; J. C. Hull, 1868. From 1869 to 1870, the county was ruled by five Supervisors, and J. C. Bestow was Township Treasurer; J. C. Brock, 1871; R. A. Moss, 1872, 1873; N. Sidwell, 1874; G. H. Hilliard, 1875; Robert Taylor, 1876, 1877; G. H. Hilliard, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881; D. N. Ulm, 1882, 1883.
Town Clerks. --- W. S. Barricksman, 1860; Jacob Kurtz, 1861, 1862; W. Hull, 1863; N. P. Branch, 1864, 1865; S. F. McKirahan, 1866; Luther Moore, 1867, 1868; Z. Woodworth, 1869, 1870; R. A. Moss, 1871; G. C. Collins, 1872, 1873; W. Bestow, 1874; W. Taylor, 1875; James Rochell, 1876, 1878; J. M. Tracy, 1877; C. E. Wolfe, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882; G. Ed Branch, 1883.
Assessors. --- Alonzo Newell, 1860; Adam Rinard, 1861 and 1862; Eli Brock, 1863; Joseph Holloway, 1864; Jesse Ward, 1865; James Branch, 1866; Joseph Pendleton, 1867; J. S. Hawk, 1868; J. B. Pendleton, 1869; William Graham, 1870, 1871; Wilson Coughenour, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875; I. T. Brock, 1876, 1877, 1878; Julius Hart, 1879, 1880; E. B. Pilcher, 1881; I. T. Brock, 1882; J. J. Davis, 1883.
Collectors. --- James Branch, 1860; Samuel Branch, 1861; James Branch, 1862, 1863; I. T. Brock, 1864, 1865, 1866; A. L. Rinard, 1867; Eli Brock, 1868; I. T. Brock, 1869; J. B. Pendleton, 1870; I. T. Brock, 1871; N. Sidwell, 1872; I. T. Brock, 1873; R. Smith, 1874; James Scott, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883.
Justices of the Peace. --- George W. Martin, 1860, 1861; J. S. Hawk, 1861; A. B. Painter, 1863; W. Hull, 1864; Jacob C. Hawk, 1865; John Bestow, 1866; M. W. Collins, 1870; J. B. Pendleton, 1871, 1873; J. Holloway, 1877; J. S. Hawk, 1881.
Overseers of the Poor. --- J. A. Smith, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863; Samuel Branch, 1864; F. C. Hoyt, 1865; James Skelton, 1866; James Truscott, 1867; Thomas Scott, 1871; R. Taylor, 1872.
Highway Commissioners. --- T. P. Green and William Ellzey, 1861; J W. D. Ellzey, J. C. Brock and William Taylor, 1862; E. Brown, 1863; A. V. Dudrey 1864; D. N. Ulm, 1865; James Pendletion and John Thompson, 1866; G. C. Collins, 1867; J. C. Brock, 1868, 1869; M. Book, 1870; N. Sidwell, 1871; G. C. Collins, 1872; A. Bean, 1873; C. A. Young, 1874; J. Holloway, 1875, 1876; Ben Dixon, 1877; William Blackburn, 1878; W.P. Beck, 1879; John Lear, 1880; W. H. Blackburn, 1881; J. B. Bean, 1882; J. T. Lear, 1883.
Constables. --- Peter Myers, 1862; Peter Rochell, 1864; William Lapen, 1866; Mack Walker, 1868; Thomas Scott, 1869; R. Smith, 1870; Levi Branch, 1873; W. R. Granden, 1876; James Rochell, 1877; W. R. Granden, 1881; William Schofield, 1882.
School Trustees. --- Jesse Ward, 1873; E. Young, 1874; W. H. Miller, 1875; Joseph Skelton, 1876; W. Coughenour, 1877; W. H. Miller, 1878; W. Coughenour, 1880; W. H. Miller, 1881; Joseph Skelton, 1882; I. T. Brock, 1883.
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