Baber's Early History of Greene County Indiana Chapter XXI - Lewis Township, Clay County

Early History of Lewis Township, Clay County

The first white men that settled in this locality were ELIJAH MAYFIELD, Mr. CROSE, JAMES DELAY, JAMES BRILEY, ELIJAH RAWLEY, JOHN and PETER COOPRIDER, WILLIAM STEWART, WILLIAM SHEPHERD and JOHN SAVERREE.

Afterwards came others, and among them ROBERT BABER, HENDERSON CURRY, JAMES SNYDER, WILLIAM and HENRY CRIST, SAMUEL and PETER STOUT, JOHN B. POE, GEORGE HOOKER, LEONARD KIMBLE, LEVI REED, NATHAN SILLS, SAMUEL STARRATT Starratt, Rev. SAMUEL BRISLEY, BYRAM COMBS, JOHN WILKS, JAMES CRITCHFIELD, JAMES MALOY, JOE PEALEMAN, DERIAS DARLING, J. J. LANNING, SAMUEL CHAMBERS and sons, JAMES BUCKELLEW, DAVE PUCKETT, EDWARD BRADEN, RICHARD NORTH, JOSEPH WHILES, JOSEPH SANDERS, JOHN PICKARD, DANIEL GOBLE and others.

ELIJAH MAYFIELD built the first log cabin in Lewis Township, on the little [end of pg. 62] sandy knoll just southeast of the Woodrow Bluff Cemetery. One of Mr. MAYFIELD's children died there, about fifty-six years ago, and was the first person buried in that graveyard.

Mr. ELIJAH RAWLEY built the first water mill on Eel River, at the old hill just below the mouth of Splunge Creek. We have an old Indian tradition which is very reliable. In an early day there was a silver mine and bushels of money buried just below the mouth of Splunge Creek, on the old Rawley mill tract of land, on the west side of Eel River, near the old graveyard there.

It is also claimed that the old sandy knoll, one mile northeast of Howesville, was at one time a battle ground, and that the knoll was filled up with dead human bodies - perhaps a thousand years ago - when the Big Lake was the bed of Eel River there.

The first land entry was made by old JOHN COOPRIDER, for the eighty acres of land cornering at the gum tree, and lying on the west side of the old Terre Haute road, just opposite the place where BRUCE CHAMBERS now lives. By a great mistake in the numbers of the land, Mr. Cooprider entered the eighty acres of land just west of the Township House, where SILAS STOUT'S family now live. By another mistake , the eighty acres of land just northwest of the Friendly Grove Church, was next entered by old Uncle PETER COOPRIDER, instead of the place near Hooker's Point.

JAMES BRILEY has lived in this township a great many years longer than any other person, and can tell more of the early settlers than anybody else. Mr. Briley built his first little log cabin on the west bank of the Eel River, just east of where Mr. EDMOND PHEGLEY now lives.

Dr. ABSALOM BRILEY was the first white child born in this township, and old Uncle JAMES BRILEY has lived to see all of his family buried, except hid oldest child, Dr. Briley.

ROBERT BABER built a little log house on the old State road, fifteen miles from Smith's ferry and twenty-three miles from Terre Haute, and lived there fifty years.

Old Uncle JOSEPH LISTON, of Vigo County, was a noted old pioneer hunter, and the only man that could kill more deer in a month, or in a year than ROBERT BABER.

Uncle JACK BABER lived in Lewis Township about forty-five years, and had more fun than fifty boys will ever have again. Uncle Jack was post-master sixteen years. Supervisor ten years, and Township Trustee six years.

GEORGE HOOKER established the first dry goods store, at the old Hooker Farm, where Mrs. HARRIETT DALGARA now lives.

The first school house in this township was built at the crossroads, at the northeast corner of the old Hooker Farm.

The first weddings were at the house of old BYRAM COMBS, by Rev. SAMUEL BRILEY. They were: Mr. EMERY RODGERS and Little SALLIE COMBS; Mr. EDWARD COMBS and BARBARY FRY. Both of these weddings were solemnized at the same time and place.

The first run-away match was BILL BIRTCH of Greene County and Miss ELIZA CURRY, of Clay County. [part of 63]