Henry County, Indiana
Genealogy and History
History of Henry County, Indiana : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens : also a condensed history of Indiana, embodying accounts of pre-historic races, aborigines, Winnebago and Black Hawk wars, and a brief review of its civil and political history. Chicago: Inter-State Pub. Co., 1884, 944 pgs.
Dudley Township was the first township formed in Henry County. It was erected by the commissioners June 11, 1822. Wayne and Henry townships were formed the same day, but Dudley precedes them upon the records. As then laid out Dudley included all of its present territory, and all that is now Franklin Township, excepting one tier of sections on the west. The first election was ordered "at the house of Mr. Paul, on the 6th of July next [1822], for the purpose of electing one justice of the peace." It was also further ordered that William McKimmy be appointed Inspector for said township. William McKimmy and Garnet Hayden were the first Overseers of the Poor, and Richard Pearson and Robert Thompson, Fence Viewers. Elections were afterward held at the house of Benjamin Stratton for twenty-four years, then at Daniel Reynolds's. The township has now two voting places, new Lisbon and Straughn.
The following persons made entries of lands in Dudley Township during the year 1821: Aug. 8, David Butler; Aug 11, Josiah Morris; Aug. 16, Stephen Hall, Jesse Shortridge, Dally Beard; Aug. 17, Elisha Shortridge; Aug. 18, John Wilson, Jesse Frazier; Aug. 21, Jonathan Bundy; Aug. 24, William Modlin, Hampton Green; Aug. 28, William Seward; Aug. 30, Joseph Charles; Aug. 31, Linus French; Sept. 1, John Gilleland; Sept. 8, Susannah Leaky, Joseph R. Leaky; Oct. 65, Joseph Cox; Oct. 6, John Green; Oct. 17, William Riadon; Oct.20, W. McKinney; Oct. 21, Josiah Gilbert, Oct. 23, Exum Elliott; Nov. 26, David Thompson; Nov. 27, Aaron Morris; Dec. 1, John Pool; Dec 3, John Smith; Dec 12, Daniel Paul.
John Huff and a man named Carter are supposed to have been the first settlers of Dudley Township. They were here as early as 1820. Huff lived near the junction of the New Castle and Dublin and the Hopewell and Flatrock turnpike roads, and Carter about three-fourths of a mile west of the site of Hopewell meeting-house.
Charles Smith lived on the State road in 1822, and William White, a noted horse jockey, north of that road. Merriman Straughn was an early settler near the town now called after his name. Richard Ratliff, father of Cornelius Ratliff, who for many years was a very prominent citizen, and Nathan Ratliff were among the earliest settlers. The latter was RichardŐs son. He was a noted hunter and trapper. After residing a number of years in the township he removed and settled on the Blue River. He was found dead in the woods, having gone out to look after traps which he had along the stream. Jonathan Ratliff, his brother, was also an early settler. Daniel Paul, Josiah Morris, William McKimmy, William Owen, William Maudlin, Elisha Shortridge, Richard Thompson, Richard Hawley, Jesse Bundy, Jonathan Bundy, Thomas Lennard, Joseph R. Leaky and Thomas Gilbert were among the earliest settlers. It is estimated that the population of the township was less than 150 in 1822. William Charles was an early settler near the State road, and there the first meeting of Hopewell church was held. Thomas Bell was an early settler where Marcellus Symons now lives; Jesse Bundy, in the northern part of the township; Robert and William Hester; John Paxson, a blacksmith; Henry Palin; Peter Winslow (colored) and his sons - Joseph, Nathan and Daniel, the latter a preacher; Samuel Stewart and John Bradway, in the western part, were all early settlers.
Benjamin Stratton, from Ohio, came to Richmond, Ind., in 1819, and thence, in 1825, to the farm, on part of which his son Joseph, an aged and respected citizen, now lives. Ephraim, another son, also resided in the township. Caleb Cope, a son-in-law of Benjamin Stratton, was an early settler. He was noted as a "coon hunter," and was also a schoolmaster. It is said that he was not fond of work, but he would chop on a big tree all night if there was a prospect of securing a raccoon by so doing. William Walters and Jackson Smith's father were early settlers on the State road. The Macys and other Friends were early settlers, but not among the first, in the vicinity of Hopewell meeting-house.
Sampson Nation, father of William Nation, of New Lisbon, came from Kentucky and settled in the northeast part of the township in 1822. Other early settlers in the same neighborhood were Thomas Lennard and Joseph R. Leaky (already mentioned), Jacob Swafford and John Van Buskirk. The widow of Van Buskirk is still living. Benjamin Dennis settled in the eastern part of the township prior to 1822.
Richard Hawley, a native of Pennsylvania, settled in this township in 1822. he died in 1839, aged forty-four. He was a good type of the pioneer settler, noted for his activity and feats of strength at log rollings. His sons Eli and Charles are old residents of the township. The Hawley family moved here from Richmond, where Mr. Hawley had been for about a year previous. He hired a man to move his effects with an ox-team, and after paying him had but 75 cents left. They lived three days as best they could until a cabin could be completed. Then there came up a rain, and as no door had yet been cut through the logs, crawled under and got inside. To make an opening for egress and entrance they piled firewood against the green logs, and kindling a fire burned a hole through. Soon after, Hawley cut his foot and was confined to the house for several weeks, during which time he was unable to provide for his family, except by a novel method of hunting. He had an old flint-lock musket the lock of which was out of order. Wild turkeys were so plenty that they often came near the house, and Mr. Hawley, watching through the cracks, would notify his wife when they approached. She would then apply a fire coal to the gun to touch it off, while he aimed it. In this way he managed to secure several supplies of game. Such was one of the many expedients to which the pioneers were obliged to resort.
The township not having any large streams, had no mills early. The settlers were obliged to go either to Vandalia, east of Dublin, or to some other part of Wayne County to procure flour or meal. Some even went to Connersville. The first mill of any kind in the township was a saw-mill built by Abijah Hammer, near New Lisbon. To this he afterward added a corn-cracker, with which a small amount of grinding could be done.
The low lands of this township were slowly taken up. As late as 1840 many tracts remained unimproved. The township is now very wealthy and prosperous. In 1880 its population was 1,544.
This old village is situated in the northeastern part of Dudley Township, on the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad. It was located in 1833 by James Donaldson and William Crane, and called Jamestown, after the former. A postoffice with the name New Lisbon was established about 1838. The town was incorporated in 1880, and the census of that year showed a population of 187. It has grown some since, and now has about 260 inhabitants.
The first building erected in the place was a store, by Rufus Crane, who was the first merchant. Other early settlers were Aaron Yore, a cooper, and John and Isaac Ware, blacksmiths.
There was a steam saw-mill at "Jimtown," about 1837, one of the first introduced into the county. It was a veritable "wonder to the natives," and people came from miles around to see it work. Another, cotemporaneous with it, was located near Hopewell meeting-house, for a time. It was owned by Daniel Reynolds and A. L. Please. It used about five cords of wood per day as fuel. These saw-mills were doubtless the first establishments run by steam in Henry County.
The first physician in the place was Dr. Benjamin Harrison, who died here after about two years' practice. Many others have practiced in the town a short time each. Dr. Wm. H. Castor, a good and successful physician, resided here for fourteen years or more. The present practitioners are Dr. S. Pickering and Dr. C. N. Gibbs.
The present business interests of the town include the large drain tile factory of Johnson & Sullivan; the saw-mill of Sloniker & Miller; two blacksmiths and one wagon-maker; the general store of Mrs. O. Wiseman, and the drug, variety store and postoffice of E. W. Walradth.
The town of Straughn, on the main line of the C., ST. L. & P. Railroad and the old National road, is a young but thrifty village. It was laid out in 1868, by John L. Starr, on land formerly owned by Merriman Straughn, an early settler. An addition to the town plat was made soon after by John Hazelrigg.
The first house in the town was erected in 1868 by Benjamin Hayden. The first merchant was John L. Starr. The postoffice was established in 1868. The Postmasters, to date, have been: David Wilson, Joel Palin, Elwood Vickery, T. B. Hammer, Eli Smith and James L. Willis. In 1880 the population was 143.
The town was incorporated in 1882. It now has about 250 inhabitants. Among the business interests are the drain tile factories of Johnson & Sullivan and Dennis & Charles, the saw-mill and planning-mill of Edwin Reynolds, the dry-goods store of E. M. Brittanham, and the groceries of J. L. Willis and E. R. Colburn. The town has a school, two churches and one physician - Dr. Weekly. Reynold's mill was moved hither from Prairie Township and erected in 1873. The town is improving quite rapidly.
Probably the first school-house in Dudley Township was that which stood on the corner of Thomas LennardŐs land. It was a log structure, of the old-time pattern. Here a school was taught as early as 1827. Thomas Lennard and Robert M. Cooper were among the earliest teachers. Later a school was started at Hopewell meeting-house.
In the western part of the township Caleb Cope taught the first school about 1830, in John Bradway's cabin. Later, a log school-house was erected in the same neighborhood.
Soon after Hopewell meeting was organized a school was established under the auspices of the meeting, which continued to flourish until recently, ranking among the best country schools of the county. William Johnson was a teacher at Hopewell about 1835. He was succeeded by John M. Macy, Robert Hall, Solomon Hastings and others. Cyrus Hodgin taught in the new two-story school-house for two or three years. About 1877 Hopewell school-house became the property of the district and one of the township schools is now kept in it. In the Hopewell school the higher branches were taught, and the institution had an excellent reputation.
Hopewell Meeting - The oldest Friends' meeting in Henry County is the Hopewell meeting. The first Friends' meeting was held at the house of William Charles, near the State road. About 1823 a meeting-house of hewed logs was erected on the land of Richard Ratliff, about three-quarters of a mile southeast of the present church. Among the leading early members were Joel Gilbert, Sr., Thomas Gilbert, Josiah Gilbert, Benjamin Stratton, Robert Parker, John Hall, Thomas Bell, William Maudlin, Aaron Boggs, Benjamin Dennis, Richard Hawley, Geo. Stanley, Elisha Hammer, Christopher Hiatt, John Symons, Jonathan Ratliff, Jesse Bundy, and their wives, and Elizabeth Ratliff. James Macy, Sr., is one of the oldest living members. The second meeting-house, a frame building, was built about 1838, where the present house stands. The new meeting-house, also a frame, was built in 1878, at a cost of about $1,600. The first minister of Hopewell meeting was Rachel Bundy; later, Mordecai m. Gilbert became a minister. The present ministers are Mordecai M. Gilbert and Thomas Henley. The trustees are Morris Reynolds and Harvey Gilbert. Hopewell meeting has nearly 300 members.
Baptists. - The Baptists of this township organized and built a log church about the same time Hopewell meeting was formed. The church was used for several years as a school-house. The organization went down years ago. The house stood about one and on-half miles northeast of where Daniel Paul settled.
Salem U. B. Church. - This congregation was organized about 1842, and immediately a log church was erected on land now owned by Thomas W. Smith, about one and on-half miles southeast of where the present church stands. Caleb Witt was the first minister and organized the society. Early members were: Chas. W. McGath, Wayne Smith and wife, Micajah Maudlin and wife, Charles Paxson, Paul Coffin, Eli Maudlin, John Stiggleman, Thomas B. Scott and their wives. Among the early ministers were Caleb and Joseph Witt, John Vardeman and Thomas Evans. The present house of worship was erected in 1860 at a cost of about $1,000. The society now has about eighty members, and the Sabbath-school about forty. The present Trustees are: C. P. Hawley, Joseph Riggle and C. W. McGath; Class-leader, Eli Hawley.
At Beech Grove, a church was erected some years ago by the Free Methodists. The United Brethren afterward met there. Their organization has now gone down and the building is only used for occasional preaching.
New Lisbon Churches. - The first church in New Lisbon was organized by the Methodists who erected a house of worship about 1835. Three or four years later the Christians built a church. Neither of these organizations is now in existence. The United Brethren society built a church in 1864 at a cost of about $2,200. The congregation was organized a short time before by P. S. Cook, the first pastor. Alexander Floyd was the minister who was instrumental in building the church. The church started with about twenty members and has now about sixty. The present pastor is W. A. Ohler. Trustees: John Raffensbarger, Enos Shaffer and Jasper Matney. The Evangelical Association organized a church in New Lisbon and erected a house of worship in 1864. The congregation has never been large.
Straughn M. E. Church. - In December, 1881, a Methodist Episcopal class, consisting of nine members, was formed at Straughn by Rev. R. S. Boston, who began preaching at this place May 1, 1881. N. S. McMeans was the first Class-leader. The house of worship, a neat frame building, was erected in 1882, and dedicated June 24, 1883. Its cost was $1,569. The present membership is seventeen. The Trustees are: N. S. McMeans, W. O. Bogue, Leonard Scott, Eli Smith and Samuel Watson; Class-leader, N. S. McMeans; Pastor, Rev. E. R. Small.