LEECH TOWNSHIP---BOUNDARIES AND TOPOGRAPHY---WATER-COURSES--GENERAL PRODUCTIONS---ORIGIN OF NAME AND FIRST SETTLEMENTS---SOME INDIAN STORIES---INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS---TOWNS---CHURCH HISTORY AND SCHOOL STATISTICS, ETC.
HISTORICALLY, Leech Township occupies a foremost rank among those of Wayne County. Its pioneer settlements were made very early, and to undertake to give an exhaustive and detailed account of the interesting and varied scenes and occurrences incident to the time thereto, would be a most difficult task, as well as one demanding more space than can be allotted to it at this time. Moreover, a sufficiently comprehensive idea of them can be obtained from the few descriptive stories that we shall here record, and in the portion of this work devoted to the history of the county at large will be found also interesting accounts of the lives and doings of the pioneers, and of their ways, habits and times.
The study of man is a most proper one for the present and future generations, and it is one that is calculated to give rich returns to any thoughtful and inquiring mind that will undertake it. And in the lives of what class of mankind can we find, in a comprehensive examination thereof, more material for thoughtful and profitable contemplation than in those of our forefathers and the whole souled patriarchs of days long gone by; those who sacrificed their own comforts and interests, and ofttimes their own lives, for the benefit of those to follow them. The generally impoverished circumstances of these men, the hardships, privations and positive dangers immediately surrounding them, the formidable obstacles of every description with which they were almost daily called upon to contend, all are conditions of life under which not many of the present day could live and make progress. But yet, under all of these unfavorable and distressing circumcstances, the old settler made substantial progressive strides toward a better state of things, and happy must he have been when in his old age he would take a retrospective view, and cause, as it were, a grand panorama of the vivid scenes and thrilling incidents of time past to pass in life-like review before his mind's eye, and by comparison to be enabled to witness the slow but steady advancement from a state of poverty and insecurity to that of higher civilization and consequant prosperity. So we say that the study of the lives and times of our pioneers affords abundant gratification and profit, and to so studiously examine into his varied characteristics, his habits, his thoughts and his motives that the future might secure thereby a comprehensive idea of the character of the man, and of the times in which he lived and died, this might well be the ambitious work of one's life, and how invaluable would such a work be.
Leech Township, to the history of which this chapter is devoted, revels in historical happenings of great interest and importance. It lies in the southeast corner of Wayne County, having the following boundaries, to wit: North, by Massillon Township; east, by Edwards County; south, by White County; and west by Barnhill Township. Its limits comprise Congressional Townships Town 2 south, Range 9 east, and the north half of Town 3 south, Range 9 east. The surface of this township is diversified between woodland and prairie. The somewhat prevailing opinion that Leech contains nothing but poor and unprofitable lands finds no confirmation in an impartial examination thereof. The general surface is somewhat broken, and large tracts of low though not entirely worthless lands lie along the Little Wabash River, but by the proper use of tiling, which we are glad to notice some of the farmers of Leech have already introduced, large bodies of these lands will be redeemed, and will be seen not many years hence covered with luxuriant growths of the yellow grain. The soil of the "flats," as these low tracts of land are generally called, is inclined to be more loamy and possesses more organic matter than the soil of the prairies, which has a yellowish-ash-gray color, and for this reason the "flats," if successfully drained, will afford abundant returns for the labor of the intelligent farmer. The Little Wabash, which is the principal stream of the township, enters the latter in Section 5, Town 2 south, Range 9 east, and after flowing a very crooked course in a general southeast direction, leaves it from Section 1, Town 3 south, Range 9 east. It is subject to overflows of a considerable extent, and at times serious damage has been done to crops, etc., on land lying adjacent to its banks. Owen's, King and Pond Creeks are the principle smaller streams of the township, and these, with many other nameless ones, afford generally a sufficient natural drainage to most parts of it. Timber in great abundance lies along the streams, and is composed chiefly of the several varieties of oak, hickory and ash, though other varieties are found in some quantities in different parts of the township. A small prairie, known as Brush Prairie, is situated on the east side of the Little Wabash, while on the west side a considerable portion of land lies in Bear or Shipley's Prairie, which latter extends also into Barnhill Township.
The principal productions of Leech are the same generally as other parts of the county, including the usual varieties of grain, and considerable attention is also given to the raising of stock. Some years ago, when the excitement about castor beans was at its height, Leech took her part in it, and many acres of land were entirely devoted to the raising of them; but they proved to be an unprofitable crop, outside of their cultivation, extracting a proportionally large amount of the richness of the land, and the raising of them is consequently now not very extensive.
The first settlement in Leech Township dates back to the year 1814. The territory comprised within its present limits was at that time included in the Wabash Precinct, and the name of Wabash was also one first given to the township, but the name of the latter was subsequently changed to Leech, in honor of Gen. Samuel Leech, the first County Clerk of Wayne County.
The first white man to penetrate within the present boundaries of Leech was Isaac Harris. He came, as before stated, in 1814, from the settlement in Big Prairie, White County, but was a native of Kentucky. He located on the high land, at the edge of the bottoms along the Little Wabash, and he was living here when he became involved in a scrape with an Indian, an account of which we will here record.
Just what the trouble was between Harris and the native inhabitant we could not learn, but it soon magnified itself into an open fight, in which the latter was summarily sent to the happy hunting grounds. Harris, for fear of being seriously dealt with by the Indians of the neighborhood, immediately fled the country in the night time, heading toward the settlement in White County. He had with him at this time his fourteen year old daughter, who afterward becamed Mrs. Goodwin, wife of John Goodwin, a farmer of this township. She died in the summer of 1883, aged eighty-three years. After reaching the settlement, Harris entered the service in the war, known as the war of 1812, and in 1816 returned and again entered Leech, this time with his two brothers, Elijah and Gillum. The three brothers had their families along also, as they intended to make a permanent settlement in the township. This they did, and all lived and died here, leaving many descendants who yet reside in the surrounding country.
Another story we will here record as illustrative of the "kind" feelings which the early settlers and the red men entertained for each other. During the time of the war above spoken of, a son of Capt. Boltinghouse, a resident of the township also, was killed, supposedly by the Indians. Some time subsequently, the Captain, Isaac and Gillum Harris, and a man by the name of King, were out on a hunt, and while perambulating around, accidentally came across the horse belonging to the murdered son of the Captain. The latter at once interrogated the Indian who had charge of the animal with reference to his son's death, whereupon the red fiend stutteringly replied that the son had been killed in war; that it was right to kill in time of war, etc., and went on further to describe with barbarous delight how the son, with uplifted hands, had vainly begged and implored the savage to spare his life, etc. This was too much for Capt. Boltinghouse, who was a sensitive, as well as a very resolute and determined man, and he immediately declared war, and advised the Indian to consider the present the time of such, but the latter had hardly time to think over the matter, for he was dispatched on the spot at once. About the same time, the two Harrises and King bagged an Indian each out of four "braves," who, with three squaws, made up the camp, which had in the meantime been discovered in the immediate vicinity. The fifth savage started up an adjacent hill on a run, but found it inconvenient to carry a dog along with him, who, being desirous of rendering material assistance to his white master, had formed a close acquaintance with the calf of the Indian's leg. The savage managed, however, by sheer strength to shake the enterprising canine off, but not in time to escape several deadly bullets, which were fired by determined hands. Serious attention was afterward devoted to the squaws, and they were also sent to accompany their "brave" companions to their last resting place. The white party turned back triumphantly, taking along with them the horse belonging to the butchered son of Capt. Boltinghouse, and another which the Indians had, and this was known for many years as the "stray filly."
About the same time as Harris' second coming into Leech Township, there arrived old Cadwalder Jones, who was the father of John Jones, familiarly known as "Jacky" Jones, and who is yet living in Arrington Township, this county. The latter was born August 30, 1816, and was the first white child born in Leech Township, and also in Wayne County. Among other of the earliest settlers was Aquilla McCracken, who came with a large family from Georgia. His son-in-law, Pulliam Higginbottom, came also, and Harmon Horn. Charles Rollin and Richard Bircks came from North Carolina, and about the same time came Reuben, Hiram and Levi Shores from Alabama. John Burch came early from Ohio, as did also William Batson, from the same State. A man by the name of Johnson was an early settler here, and Benjamin Phillpot also; the latter came from Virginia. Ephraim, George and William Meritt and their father were among the earliest to locate within the present limits of Leech. They came from South Carolina. George is still living near where he first located. John Moffitt arrived in the country in the year 1818, but he located just across the line in Barnhill Township. Richard Locke and a man by the name of Butler were also early settlers, and they erected at an early date a horse mill on Pond Creek, a branch of the Little Wabash. There is now no trace of the mill visible. The township settled up gradually in after years, and shows a present population of about 1,500.
Gen. Samuel Leech put up in an early day a water mill, with a saw mill in connection. For many years this mill, which was known as Leech's Mills, did the grist and saw work for the country for miles around. Trips, which would consume several days, were often made to this mill, from points twenty and thirty miles away in all directions. No trace of this mill remains at the present day. Just below its site, on the Little Wabash, John Pulleyblank and A. E. Scott erected a water mill about 1867. Something to eat was of course the first thing to claim the attention of the pioneer, and soon after their advent into a new country some kind of an arrangement by means of which their corn could be converted into meal was put into operation. The primitive stump mill, or the mortar and pestle, was succeeded by the horse mill, and that by the water mill, which in turn has made way for the subsequent improvements in milling machinery.
Noticeable among the many substantial improvements made in Leech Township is that of the building of the iron bridge across the Little Wabash, on Section 21, Township 2 south, Range 9 east. Provious to the erection of this structure, great difficulty was ofttimes experienced in crossing the river, the course of which divides the township into two divisions, and the settlements on either side were quite distinct from each other. The bridge was built by contract for the county in 1865, at a total expense of about $4,000 and 12,000 acres of swamp land.
The little village of Scottsville, which consists of but a few houses and business places, is pleasantly located in the south part of Section 23, Township 2 south, Range 9 east. Robert Monroe laid it out partially, but no actual survey and plat has ever been recorded. Wabash Post Office has been at this point for several years, but it was finally moved to Scott, or Scott Station, a little town of tender age, situated on the "Air Line" Railroad, and on the south part of the south half of the southeast quarter of Section 11, Township 2 south, Range 9 east, on land belonging to J. R. Parks and Frances W. Fawkes. The land was surveyed and platted by James W. Hilliard, Deputy County Surveyor, October 9, 1882, and was recorded by him three days later. Scott has a good location, and with proper care promises to grow in size and properity.
The religious history of Leech Township is much the same as elsewhere in the county. The early pioneers, amid all their trials and hardships, and the severity of their surrounding conditions, stood in great need of the consoling influence of Gospel truths, and the meetings at some little log cabin home of a neighbor were comparatively largely attended by people living miles away in every direction, who were anxious to hear the blessed words of the preacher, whose large circuit seldom permitted him to visit a vicinity more often than once or twice a year. In another portion of this work will be found sketches of the lives and doings of the early disciples of Christ, and we will not here repeat. William Keith was one of the earliest preachers of this section, though his meetings were held mostly in Edwards County. For many years religious meetings were held in the neighboring houses and the early school buildings, and it was some time before any building, to be used exclusively for church purposes, was erected. The missionary Baptists built a substantial structure on Section 17, Town 3 south, Range 9 east, and this for years has been the principal church in the township. It is still strong in numbers, and is healthy and prosperous in condition. The Methodists built a church building on Section 24, a little northeast of Scottsville, and this is used we believe for the benefit of general gatherings.
Educational matters have received in Leech the attention they unquestionably deserve. A comparison of the little log cabin structures of the early times with the more substantial, commodious and pleasant school building of the present day, bespeaks great credit to the citizens of Leech, and of the material manner in which they regard the school question. About 1823, a school was taught in Edwards County, by a man by the name of McCowen, and this was attended some by the children of some of the early settlers in Leech Township. John Jones taught the first school in the township. The little log house was situated on Section 36, Town 2 south, Range 9 east, and Jones was the teacher for the first six months of school. He was succeeded by James Harrison, who was followed by Reuben Ewing, both of whom taught in the same house. In after years, school buildings were erected to keep pace with the increasing population, and the following statistics compiled from the County Superintendent's report will show the present status of the schools of this township. They are for the year July 1, 1882, to June 30, 1883: Number of school buildings, 10; number of pupils enrolled, 322; teachers employed, 11. Average pay of same--males, $35; females, $25. Estimated value of school property, $4,150.
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