Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1869 — EARLY REMINISCENCE OF JASPER COUNTY. [ARTICLE]

EARLY REMINISCENCE OF JASPER COUNTY.

DY HORACE E. JAMES.

chapter jv. Wc find it stated in Mr. Hcnkle’s narative, that Mr. William Mallatt earne to this plaee while yet there were no persons living here but MrrYeoman’s ifamtly: HcTnade a claim on the south west side of the river, and broke ten acres of ground where Mr, Alfred Thompson, Mr. Ludd Hopkins, and Dr. Martin now own, but his claim was “floated” by Mr. W. M. Kenton, and ho then settled on Blue Grass, where he died in 1859. Mr. Yeoman made a farm where Bensselaer now stands. His cornfield extended over the ground between the Weston Grove, on the north, and Angelica street, on the south. The eastern and western boundaries, we do not know. The first marriage that took place was in the Kenoyer settlement.— The happy, ventursome pair were Mr. Erastus Smith and Miss-Alary Mallatt. The. marriage license was procured at Williamsport, some fifty miles distant. The ceremony was performed by a Mr. Jones, a Jtislice of the Peace, living pn Mud Pine Creek, about thirty miles away.

The first child born in this territory. was.probably. Margaret Mailatt, who afterwards married John Ilaney, and moved to Missouri. The first death tyas Mrs. Herbert Owens, The first preaching remembered, was by a Methodist pioneer named Walker, at the bouse of a Widow Thomas. An early settlement was made in Barkley township, wbiedt took the name of “Forks settlement,” from its situation between the Iroquois river and its principal tributary, the Pinkamink. In September, 1834, Mr. Thomas Handle and Mr. George Culp, then recently from Virginia, set out to explore the north-western portion of Indiana, in contemplation of finding a location for a future home.— At Gray’s, a famous stopping place on tiie Tippecanoe river, they met Austin W. Morris, Esq., who bad just' oompletcdThe surveys of this whole country. Mr. Morris called tlicir attention to this location.— lie said to thorn. —-“Von will follow the Allen trace, which will take you to William Donahoo’s, (if we arc not mistaken, the place is now owned by Mr. Jones, living in Gillum township, near FrancesvTHt\) ' When you come first into live*open, prairie, look directly west and you will see a grove where the trees seem to hang over, allround.” TTtey followed his directions—came ‘to the (which they named Hahging Grove, a name it still bears, and has given to the township in wluch it is situated.) —came to fhc “Forks” locality—visited “the Falls of the Rockwist," as they were then called, where Bensselaer now stands, two years before Mr. Yeoman settled here—found no settlement west of Donahoo’s, but resolved to make one in the Forks, which they did jn the following May, —lS3s.

in the smninor of 1886, Mr. Royal Hazleton joined them. Soon afterwards oatpe John (I. Parkison and lieury Barkley, with their families. Shortly following, were the Shannahann, th.e Reeds, the Prices, the Casads, the Burgets,' the Guthridges, the Reeses, and others. Mr. Parkison was the son-in-law of that renowned pioneer of the West, General Simon Renton. Hts wife is supposed to have been the first white .child born on.tfre sitb of Cincinnati. The widow Kenton came with her son-in-law to Barkley township, and was a memberof his family until her death, which occurred some twenty ydars since. A sketch of Mrs. Kenton’s life, prepared by Mr*Benjamin Ilinkle, was published by Mrs. E. F. Ellet, of New York, some years since, in a booh: entitled ‘“Pioneer Women of the West.” e' believe, is to be found in our township library. The only survivor of the first five settlers of Barkley townshijp is Mr. Randle, who lives about eigl\t milea north-east of Rensselaer, on the Mcdaryville road. The first death in the settlement, was a little son of Mr. Randle’s. The first marriage was consumated by Air. J. M. l uff and a daughter of Mr. Parkison’s. .The first preaching was heltl at the houAo of Mr. George Cujp. - [to BE CONTINtrBD. J