HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      73

county’s capital was led to call it Plunge creek, which took with the
pioneer populace and it so passed into local geography and history.
    Two streams of some importance in the southeast part of the county
are Pond creek and White Oak. The former rises on or near the Henry
Grim place, on the Owen county line, flowing south across the southeast
corner of the county, emptying into Eel river about a mile west of the
point at which the river crosses the county line, formed and fed by several
strong springs, affording water throughout the year. The reason for
naming this Pond creek is not well understood, some saying, because of
numerous ponds along its course; others, because of the prevalence of
the pondfish in its waters in the earlier history of the stream. About a
quarter of a mile from the mouth of this stream and at equal distance from
the river is a small lake, or pond, known as the “Half Moon,” named
from its crescent shape, which is drained every year for its catch of fish,
in which it abounds.
    White Oak rises at several points east of Middlebury, flowing west
of south, emptying into Eel river about half way between Brunswick and
the Owen county line. This stream is crossed by all the east-west roads
in Harrison township south of Middlebury, and by the Evansville &
Indianapolis railroad on the long trestle near the Barrick schoolhouse. It
was so named from the native growth of heavy white oak timber along its
course. One branch of this creek rises on the Paris Gray place, near
Coal City.
    From fancied vestiges and markings along the margins of this stream,
as seen by pseudo-scientists, it is maintained that in some bygone geologic
age a much more pretentious flow of water coursed its way here-along.
    Seven of the smaller streams of the county bear the names of as many
primitive settlers in their respective localities. Tilghman creek, in Cass
township, which empties into Eel river at the Poland bridge, was named
for Tilghman Chance, a pioneer of that part of the county, also a promi-
nent merchant of Bowling Green at an early day. McIntyre creek, which
rises in Jackson township and flows into the river above the Thomas
ferry, perpetuates the family name of the first sheriff of the county, who,
as traditionally told, christened the stream from his having been immersed
in it by a slip and fall in attempting to cross over its swollen waters on a
fallen tree, on a return ,trip on foot, from having performed an official
service several miles out from the county seat. Scammahorn, in Sugar
Ridge township, which flows in a westerly course, emptying into Birch
creek, near the Ashhoro railroad station, hands down to succeeding gen-
erations the memories clustering about the names of the pioneer hunter
and the pioneer fiddler of the central part of the county. This stream is
crossed by a direct line from Ashboro to Center Point. The four creeks
of Lewis township are named Baber, Briley, Holliday and Lanning, in
honor and memory, respectively, of the four pioneers, Robert Baber,
James Briley, James Holliday and John Lanning.
    Hog creek rises a little distance northwest of Center Point, on the
border of Jackson township, crossed just east of the town, at the former
Gilfillan place, by the Bowling Green-Brazil road, flowing in a south-
eastern direction and emptying into Eel river immediately to the east of
the old Sloan place, now occupied by John Moon, near the Poor Farm.
This stream was so named for the reason that in pioneer times the many
hogs ranging at large used to frequent its banks and the adjacent lands,