Greene County IN Archives History - Books .....Chapter XXII Wright Township 1884
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Book Title: History Of Greene And Sullivan Counties, Indiana

CHAPTER XXII.

WRIGHT TOWNSHIP—FORMATION AND ORGANIZATION—SETTLEMENT BY PERMANENT
RESIDENTS—WILD ANIMALS—SAD DEATH OF RICHARD WRIGHT —KILLING OF A PANTHER—SCRAPS
OF INFORMATION—JASONVILLE— POLITICAL HISTORY—SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES—MISCELLANEOUS
NOTES.

WHEN the county of Greene was organized, in 1821, the territory was divided into
four townships, one of them being Highland, which comprised the present
townships of Highland, Jefferson, Smith and Wright. In May, 1828, all west of
the river was constituted Smith Township, and soon afterward Eel River and
Jefferson Townships were created out of Smith. In January, 1838, Wright Township
was created, and then extended two miles farther east than at present, but some
time later was reduced to its present limits. Thus it was successively a part of
Highland and Smith. The names of the early township officers will be found in
the chapters on the townships of Smith and Highland. At the time of the creation
of Wright, in 1838, elections were ordered held at the house of Samuel Wilks.
Richard Wright, after whom the township was named, was appointed Inspector of
Elections.

THE PIONEERS.

   It is conceded that the first settlement in this township was made by John
Lewis and his son-in-law, Isaac Taylor, about the year 1818. Old Mr. Lewis built
a log cabin within about a mile of Jasonville and south of the residence of
James Gibson. For some time the cabin had no door nor window other than blankets
hung up to keep out the cold. The same year, or probably early in 1819, Robert
Birch came in and erected a rude round log cabin near the James White property.
David Ingram arrived soon afterward, and located at the Barnes Spring. Within
the next few years, there came in for settlement the families of Benjamin Fry,
James Heims, James Frazier, Samuel Wilks, Rev. Richard Wright, Peter Wright,
William Wright, Alexander Poe, Mr. Cantrell, Joab Wichter, Isom Farris, James
Maloy, Edward Coombs and others. By the year 1825, there were about twenty
families scattered over the township.

   But few portions of the county possess a better soil or are better adapted
for the abode of man than Wright Township. Several portions are hilly and have
too much clay in the soil, while other portions are gently undulating and afford
the best slopes for drainage, and here the soil cannot be exhausted if the
proper rotation of crops is followed. There are other portions which lie low and
level, and these are mostly too wet for profitable cultivation, but these tracts
are being drained, and when this is fully accomplished the richness of the soil
will astonish the natives.

WILD ANIMALS.

   This township was one of the most famous in the county in early years for its
wild game. There was no species of wild animal common to this latitude that
could not be found there at the proper season, and this continued to be true
even to a later date, when other neighboring localities were almost destitute of
game. As it was, the township was often visited by hunters from abroad, who
remained a week or more, killing large numbers of deer and a limited number of
bears, foxes, wolves, panthers, etc. Rev. Alexander Poe, a very worthy man, was
a noted deer hunter. He lived in the township early, and was a member of the
Christian Church. It is said he could kill more deer and catch more fish than
any other resident of the township. During the winter of 1834, himself and boys
went over to the lake east of Lone Tree and caught through the ice many wagon
loads of big fish. He killed as high as six deer in one day, and during one of
the early winters killed more than eighty of these animals. This sport furnished
pastime for his labors in his Master's cause. He was famed as a bee hunter, and
always had a supply of wild honey in his house. One tree he found contained more
than three barrels of honey, some of which was so old that it had become
candied. One day, himself and an old darkey named Canaan Goen went out hunting,
and while walking along through the woods saw a very large mother bear and three
cubs, about one-fourth grown, playing among the bushes. The negro got the first
shot at the old bear, but his hand shook so that he did but little damage, as
far as appearances were concerned at least, for the bear ran rapidly off in the
woods, leaving her young ones to their fate. The latter, all three ran up a
scrubby oak near by, and while Mr. Poe stood at the foot, the negro climbed the
tree to shake or drive them down. He succeeded in shaking all three down, one of
which was killed by the fall. The other two were taken home by Mr. Poe, and
became great pets and a nuisance generally. After they were a little larger,
they were annoying to the women on washing day and at all other times. If a tub
of water was left standing, they would souse themselves in it without ceremony
or permission. A stand of bees could not be kept on the farm. They would knock
it over, and, regardless of the attacks of the bees, would gorge themselves with
the sweet substance. The red-oak thicket near Shepards was named Red Ruff by
Thomas Puckett, a noted bear hunter, who once followed one of these animals to
Terre Haute almost. This place—Red Ruff—for many years was a famous rendezvous
for bears, wolves, deer, panthers and wild turkeys. They could be found there if
anywhere in the township. The old White Oak Lick was a famous resort for deer in
early years. Scaffolds were erected there, from which the animals were shot. The
following account of an early death is by Baber:

DEATH OF RICHARD WRIGHT.

   Old Uncle Richard Wright was a Justice of the Peace and a good citizen in his
neighborhood, and passed from this world to the next by a very strange
accidental gunshot through his head, while he was well and hearty, and was at
work in his blacksmith shop. Harden Walker, his step-son, had been out hunting,
and had shot a squirrel, and in reloading his gun the gun got choked, and the
boy came to the shop to get his old step-father to fix the gun, or to get the
bullet down. After trying many ways to move the bullet down, the old man took
the gun barrel out of the stock, unbreeched her, poured water in the gun barrel,
and laid the barrel across the fire, and while it was heating, so as to make the
water fry, old Uncle Richard put down his ear to the gun, where he had taken out
the breech pin, the gun went off, the bullet entering the old man's ear, and
killing him instantly, in the presence of several persons. We will give our
opinion of that sad accident: When the boy shot at the squirrel. the gun
flashed, or did not fire, and left the bullet in the gun barrel, up a foot or
two from the breech, and when the boy poured down the powder, it lodged on the
first bullet, and then he put down the other bullet on top of the powder, thus
leaving two bullets in the gun, and a charge of powder between the bullets.

KILLING OF A PANTHER.

Iii 1822, George Jamison went one night to the deer lick near David Larr's, to
watch for deer which were in the habit of going there at daybreak to drink of
the brackish water. He concealed himself in a dense growth of tall weeds and
grass, held his gun in readiness and  quietly waited for the approach of
daylight and deer. At last, gray streaks of dawn appeared in the East, and
finally near objects could be distinctly seen. At last the hunter saw the grass
move from side to side about twelve yards from him, and saw from the motion that
some animal, not a deer, was coming directly toward him. He thought it must be a
wolf, or possibly a bear, that had come to the lick for the same purpose that he
had, and he quickly, but noiselessly, cocked his gun to shoot it, should he get
a chance. At last, while looking intently at the spot where the weeds were
waving, he was astonished and frightened to see the ears and head of a panther
appear. The animal did not see him, and although his hand was none of the
steadiest, he raised his rifle to his eye, took quick, careful aim, and pulled
the trigger. A wild scream rang out on the morning air almost simultaneously
with the report of the gun, and the fierce animal sprang high in the air and
fell dead on the ground, within a few feet of the hunter, It was one of the
largest of its kind, and measured eleven feet from tip to tip. Its claws were
three inches in length. Had the hunter missed the beast it would have gone hard
with him.

SCRAPS OF INTEREST.

   In early years, game was so abundant that the professional hunters were
numbered by the hundreds. As a necessary result, numerous gunsmiths were to be
found scattered over the county—one in each neighborhood. Mr. McBride was one of
them, and made considerable money from his services and skill in this
particular. Blacksmiths were in the country then more than now—they had to be,
for there were no towns to speak of. They made many of the axes used by the
early settlers, and made cow bells, butcher knives, hatchets, plows—that is of
the latter they would make the shears, while the mold-board was made usually by
the farmer himself out of some tough piece of wood. At the time of the first
settlement, small grain was reaped with a sickle, the cradle not having yet made
its appearance: corn was hoed—there being no double-shovel plows then—and all
articles of wearing apparel were made, with few exceptions, wholly at home.
Considerable cotton was raised and taken to the little cotton gins established
here and there to have the seed taken out and the fibers torn fine and loose,
ready for carding by the women. It was then spun, woven into cloth and made into
garments—all by the pioneer mothers, and all by hand, under slow processes. It
wa3 usually for winter wear, spun with an equal quantity of woolen threads, and
was then called "linsey-woolsey," and was often beautifully colored with roots,
bark or leaves from the woods. The old settlers saw pleasant days, though times
were hard and comforts "few and far between." A store was started by the
Bledsoes at an early day, where groceries, dry goods and notions could be obtained.

JASONVILLE.

   This little village was laid out by W. B. Squire and Jason Rogers, in the
year 1858, and was named in honor of the latter—Jasonville. Thirteen lots were
laid out at the cross-roads. Capt. W. B. Squire lived there early, as did Jason
Rogers, the two proprietors. Mr. Rogers opened the first store before the town
was laid out, and Mr. Squire soon engaged in the same occupation. Rogers had had
his store, for a number of years previously, a short distance east of town. Mr.
Squire was the first physician and William Cobill the second. Rogers conducted
his store several years, and Squire continued until before his enlistment in the
army. James Sappington was another early merchant, and Mr. Neal came in a little
later. Warrick & Bonham were prominent merchants. About the time the town was
founded, Wilson Culbertson erected the grist mill that stood some distance west.
After running a few years, it was abandoned or removed. The town has had a
population of nearly 200, and is a good business point.

POLITICAL RECORD.

   Wright Township, except once, has always been Democratic. In 1844, when Polk
& Dallas ran for the Presidency against Clay and Frelinghuysen, the electors of
the former received 83 votes while those of the latter only received 11. The
majority then was amply sufficient for all practical purposes. Again in 1848,
the Cass and Butler electors received 65 votes, and the Taylor and Fillmore
electors 17 votes—the majority still sufficient, though somewhat decreased. In
1852, the Democratic electors received 71, and the Whig electors 40. In 1856,
the vote stood: Democratic, 93; Republican, 21; American, 20. In 1860, the
result was: Douglas and Johnson, 97; Lincoln and Hamlin, 71; Breckenridge and
Lane, 19; Bell and Everett, 0. In 1864, the Democratic vote was 153, and the
Republican 44. In 1868, Democratic, 140; Republican, 126. This was getting more
interesting for the Republicans. A change of 8 votes would have given them the
majority. In 1872, the vote stood: Democratic, or Liberal Republican, 120;
Republican, 133. This was the first victory for the opposition. In 1876, the
majority went back, the vote being Democratic, 172; Republican, 160;
Independents. At the last Presidential election, the result was: Democratic,
166; Republican, 150: Independent, 9.

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

   It is thought that the first school in the township was taught about the year
1823 or 1824, by one of the Wrights, or as some say by Poe. The house was of
round logs, was about 16x18 feet, and had been built by a settler for his
residence, but was abandoned by the removal from the township of the family. It
had a large fire-place, and had a square hole in the opposite end of the
building, which was used as a window. Greased paper was the window-pane. About
twenty scholars attended this school, a few coming from Sullivan County. 2sot
more than one or two terms were taught in this house. About 1826, there were
three schools in the township—one in the southwestern part, one near the center,
and one in the northern part. But in neither of these places had a real
school-house been built, if reports are correct. All were in rude buildings
temporarily used for the purpose. In 1846, there were four or five
school-houses, and in 1856 seven or eight.

   One of the leading religious organizations in early years was founded by Rev.
Richard Wright, after whom the township derives its name. The congregation was
organized either at his cabin or at that of Samuel Wilks, and was of the
Christian denomination. The families of these two men belonged, also that of
Rev. Alexander Poe, these two ministers being the early pastors of the class.
The Shraykes, the Coombs and others also belonged. Another early class was that
of the Baptists in the southwestern part, the church being on the township line.
A sketch of this church will be found in the chapter on Stockton Township. The
Bled-soes and Wrights were always consistent and prominent members. David
Bledsoe gave the land for the church on Section 5, Stockton Township. The
Methodist Episcopal class at Jasonville was organized in the forties. The
leading members just before the war were Lewis Letsinger, John O'Donald, W. B.
Squire, James Gibson, Wesley Edmundson, Mr. Warrick, the Crabtrees and others,
and their families. The church cost about $1,000. Rev. Walters was pastor about
the time the church was built. The Christian Church in the southern part, and
the Baptist Church near it, are old, but not the oldest. The Piggs, Bonhams,
Culbertsons are prominent church members near there. The Methodist class in the
western part is quite strong. As a whole the township is well supplied with
religious privileges.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF GREENE AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES,
STATE OF INDIANA,
FROM THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT; TOGETHER WITH INTERESTING BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES, REMINISCENCES, NOTES, ETC.

ILLUSTRATED.

CHICAGO: GOODSPEED BROS. & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1884.

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