ELM RIVER TOWNSHIP---BOUNDARIES AND SETTLEMENT---PIONEER INCIDENTS---POPULATION---SURFACE AND WATER-COURSES---ENTERPRISE---EDUCATION AND SCHOOL STATISTICS---CHURCHES AND PREACHERS, ETC., ETC., ETC.
ELM RIVER TOWNSHIP is bounded as follows: On the north by Zif Township, on the east by Mount Erie Township, on the south by Jasper and on the west by Bedford Township. Its position, as laid down by the Congressional survey, is Township 1 north, Range 8 east, of the Third Principle Meridian. The name given it at the time the county adopted the plan of township organization, was that of Newton, but the name was subsequently changed to the present one, after Elm River, its principal stream, and the latter owes its cognomen, it is said, to the large quantities of elm timber that formerly grew along its banks.
This township was not settled up as early as some others in the county, inasmuch as it comprised within its borders a large proportion of timber land, and consequently was not so easily accessible, nor so favorable to speedy cultivation and improvement; and furthermore, the early settlers, coming as they mostly did from Kentucky and Tennessee, struck the southern and the eastern portions of the county first, and so the first settlement made in Elm River was several years subsequent to the earliest in some other townships. Samuel McCracken is credited with having been the first one to settle within its present limits. He came it is believed in the year 1823, from near Hopkinsville, Ky., and he lived and died upon the place he first located. He first penetrated the township upon a mere venture, and was greatly surprised at hearing, when near the spot he afterward concluded to make his home, what sounded to him like human voices, and he soon discovered them to be such. A band of Government surveyors were on the ground, busily engaged in their "mysterious" work, and the meeting of all hands was very hearty and enthusiastic. Mr. McCracken erected the first horse mill in the township, and it was operated for several years, supplying the all-important meal to the residents of the surrounding country. Jesse Fly and his five sons--John, James, Jackson, Perry, and Columbus, and his three daughters--Eliza, Sarah and Martha--came about the same time as McCracken, as did also Thomas Mayes, the latter the grandfather of T. J. Mayes, who was born in the township December 27, 1828, and is yet a resident of it. Jesse Fly also put up a horse mill in an early day, and ran it for several years. It was situated on Section 24. John McCracken, a brother to Samuel, followed the latter into the township but a few years later, and his eldest child, now Mary J. Cross, was the first child born in it. She is still living and yet resides near the place of her birth. William McCormick, William Fitch, Daniel Kelley and Aaron Flat followed the McCrackens and Flysbut a few years subsequently, and the township settled up gradually up to 1850, during which year the population was materially increased by the arrival of many German families, and the German element is now numerically in the ascendency in the township; in fact there are more in Elm River than in the balance of the county. In 1853, several families came from Ohio and Indiana, and the arrivals from this date on became more rapid, giving the township a present population of 1,100.
The surface of Elm River Township is diversified between woodland and prairie, and the soil which is of the dark grayish order is sufficiently rich to give abundant returns for the labor of the farmer. Good water is found at an average depth of twenty or twenty-five feet, although some wells in the township are sunk as deep as sixty feet. The principal water-courses are Elm River and Deer Creek. The former winds its course across the township, nearly diagonally from northwest to southeast, and with its numerous small tributaries, affords ample drainage to a large scope of country. It is, however, subject to overflows to a considerable extent at nearly all times of the year, and some damage has been thereby done to the crops, etc., on land lying adjacent to its banks. Deer Creek enters the township in Section 31, from the west, and flows in a southwesterly direction, leaving the township near the corner of Sections 34 and 35, and loses its name at its junction with Elm River in Jasper Township.
Enterprise.---This little town is situated in the north part of Section 18, and stands upon land formerly owned by Jacob Bartlett, who was an early settler in the township. Bartlett sold the farm to Benjamin Cobourn, who a few years later disposed of the same to Jacob H. Biddle, who had the town platted, named it Enterprise, and put up the first store in it. A post office was created at this point in 1852, and Henry Farnsworth was appointed the first Postmaster. He was succeeded by the following in the order named: R. B. White, David Faurat, J. B. Tidball, J. W. Ingram, T. J. Mayes, Jeremiah Murphy, William Zindle, and L. D. Barth, the present incumbent. John Rinard, F. A. Kutz, B. Cooper, T. J. Mayes and J. W. Ingram have all merchandized in Enterprise successfully, as the town commands the trade of a large scope of country. The business references at the present time are a general store, L. D. Barth, proprietor; a blacksmith and wagon shop, by Louis Frehse, and G. W. Rucker, physician and surgeon.
In the matter of education, the early pioneers were disposed to give this supreme subject the attention it deserved. They clearly perceived the inadequateness of the school facilities of their day, and they at once set about to improve them for the benefit of the following generation. The first schoolhouse built in Elm River was an ordinary log hut with puncheon floors and slab seats, and it was taught by Russell Curry. The following items, regarding the status of the schools of this township, are taken from the report of the County Superintendent, and are for the year ending June 30, 1883:
Number of school buildings, frame, five; brick, one, and log, one. Number of pupils enrolled, 299. Number of teachers employed, 10. Average pay of same, males, $30; females $22. Estimated value of school property, $3,000.
The church history of Elm River is short and easily told. There were no churches for several years after the earliest settlements, and religious meetings were in those days held in private cabins and the early schoolhouses. The circuits of the pioneer men who labored hard and earnestly for the cause of Christ were very extensive and embraced a large scope of territory, and their visits at a place were seldom more frequent than once or twice a year. Revs. Bennett and Spilman, both of the old Presbyterian school, were the first to dispense the precious Gospel truth to the scattered inhabitants of this township. A man by the name of Griffy was an early Baptist preacher, and afterward taught school here, but left the country, it is reported, under circumstances reflecting little credit upon his morals. There are now three church buildings in Elm River, one a Baptist Church made of brick and called the Brick Church, situated on Section 24, and was erected in 1873 by the people of all denominations, but it has been principally used by the Baptist people. About the same time, the German Albright Evangelical Church was erected in the town of Enterprise, but was superseded in 1883 by a larger and more substantial structure, and the old building is used as a storehouse in connection with the business house of L. D. Barth. This church is composed of the German residents, and a large and prosperous Sunday school is maintained, of which L. D. Barth is Superintendent. The Brown Church, named so after the color of its paint, is a frame structure, located on Section 23, and is used by all denominations.
The following is a list of the officers of Elm River since 1860:
Supervisors.---Henry Holtzhouser, 1860-61; John Rapp, 1862; Henry Holtzhouser, 1863-64; J. W. Atteberry, 1865-66; Henry Holtzhouser, 1867. From this time to 1873, the county was governed by what was called "The Five Horse Court." A. A. Campbell, 1874-75; John Mann, 1878; A. A. Campbell, 1877; John Mann, 1878-79; A. A. Campbell, 1880-81; Milton Holmes, 1882. and L. D. Barth, 1883.
Town Clerks.---T. J. Mayes, 1860-61-62; M. J. Morris, 1863-64; R. B. Wright, 1865; Richard McClure, 1866-67; A. Berninger, 1868; Richard McClure, 1869; J. W. Ingram, 1870; Peter Lewis, 1871; M. J. Morris, 1872-73-74-75; T. J. Mayes, 1876; J. T. Hendershott, 1877; J. T. Mayes, 1878; M. J. Morris, 1879; T. J. Mayes, 1880; O. S. Brown, 1881-82; L. E. Frazier, 1883.
Assessors.---Calvin Keeton, 1860; Joseph Fitch, 1861; R. B. Wright, 1862; Calvin Keeton, 1863; S. W. Trotter, 1864-65; Calvin Keeton, 1866; J. R. Shelton, 1867; Calvin Keeton, 1868; Milton Holmes, 1869; Calvin Keeton, 1870; J. S. Morris, 1871; George Marvel, 1872; S. W. Trotter, 1873; Calvin Keeton, 1874-75; John A. Russell, 1876; M. J. Morris, 1877; B. J. Smith, 1878; N. C. Phelps, 1879; M. J. Morris, 1880-81-82; and T. H. B King, 1883.
Collectors.---P. Rogers, 1860; David Holmes, 1861; M. J. Morris, 1862; R. B. Wright, 1863; A. B. Rogers, 1864-65; T. J. Mayes, 1866; David Holmes, 1867; A. B. Rogers, 1868; P. Rogers, 1869; S. W. Trotter; 1870-71; R. F. Atteberry, 1872-73; L. E. Frazier, 1874-75; Calvin Keeton, 1876; Milton Holmes, 1877-78; J. A. Rogers, 1879-80; William McCracken, 1881; L. D. Barth, 1882; and Jasper Trotter, 1883.
Commissioners of Highways---Anderson, Cox and McCracken, 1860; Trotter, Walker and Marvel, 1861; Laird, Rogers and Shelton, 1862; Laird, Rogers and Sharp, 1863; Laird, Walker and Johnson, 1864; Trotter, Walker and Fitch, 1865; Laird, Johnson and Jones, 1866; Walker, Stein and Best, 1867; Atteberry, Holtzhauser and Shelton, 1868; Atteberry, Laird and Walker, 1869; Johnson, Campbell and Marvel, 1870; A. A. Campbell was elected in 1871; J. Marvel in 1872; J. Vanfossen in 1873; A. A. Campbell, 1874; Joshua Graham, 1875; L. E. Frazier, 1876; Charles Mott, 1877; John McCracken, 1878; A. Holman, 1879; W. W. Laird, 1880; T. H. B. King, 1881; James Padget, 1882; and David Billington, 1883.
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