Baber's Early History of Greene County Indiana Chapter XXIV Center Township Township

Old Uncle STEPHEN RIDDLE was born in Gifford county, North Carolina, and was married to Miss MARY QUIETT, and they came to Greene county in the year 1818, and settled at the Big Spring, on the old state road, built the house, entered the [end of pg. 69] land, made the farm and set out the old orchard at the place where JAMES COMBS now lives. Mr. RIDDLE and wife had twelve children. The old man died at the age of seventy-one years, and was buried at the old Storm Cemetery. The first murder in Greene County was committed at the house of Uncle STEPHEN RIDDLE.

Mr. ABNER MC HERGUE was born on Lynn Camp creek, Knox county, Kentucky, and came to Greene county about forty-five years ago, and shortly afterwards was married to MARY RIDDLE, and commenced work in this township. Several years ago his first wife died, and left a pleasant family of little orphan children. Mr. MC HERGUE married again, and has also buried his second wife. He is now a widower, having had two wives and nine children. Mr. MC HERGUE is a common, plain Hoosier farmer, about sixty-five years old, with a clear head, and his large heart is just about in the right place.

Among the old pioneer preachers were Revs. THOMAS OLIPHANT, JOSEPH WILSON, SAMUEL DOTY, ELDER GEORGE BURCH, RICHARD WRIGHT and ELI P. FARMER.

Among the first weddings were ABNER MC HERGUE and Miss MARY RIDDLE; WILLIAM DOOLEN and ELIZA BINGHAM; JOHN ULAND and POLLY BAYS; WILLIAM STONE and MATILDA CHANEY.

THOMPSON BRANHAM came from North Carolina, and settled among the pioneers at an early day, in this township, and, with a good resolution and a sharp axe, he has made a good farm and lives on it yet. We will speak a good word for him.

Uncle WM. CARTER was born in Old Virginia, and came to Greene county about fifty-seven years ago, and then built a house, entered the land, made the farm and set out the old orchard and lived out his days at the place where his son, WM. CARTER, now lives. Mr. CARTER died last January, aged ninety-two years.

ABRAHAM YOUNG, Mr. CARTER's son-in-law, was born in Frederick county, Maryland, and came to Indiana in the year 1811, and settled in what is now Floyd county, on the Ohio river, before the forest timber was cleared away, at the place where the city of New Albany now stands. Mr. YOUNG came to Greene county at an early day, and settled at the old Rock Bluff Bingham mill-seat, at the noted old time over-shot wheel water-mill. Mr. YOUNG is seventy-five years old, and has been married fifty years, and he and his wife had no children.

Old FREDERICK BINGHAM built a house, and afterwards he worked for many years, making little mills at the place where Mr. ABRAM YOUNG now lives.

Old Uncle GEORGE BURCH was a very noted Elder and local preacher in the Baptist Church for a half century. Rev. GEORGE BURCH, made the farm and lived on the place where his son, GEORGE BURCH, now lives. The old pioneer preacher was both blind and helpless for many years before his death.

HENRY FULK built the house, made the farm and set out the old orchard where his son, MOSES FULK, now lives, in this old neighborhood.

Old Uncle BULLY BRUMMET built the first house, and established his old-time blacksmith shop, at the place where Cincinnati now stands.

JESSE RAINBOLT settled the place and built the house, made a farm and set out the old apple orchard where his son ELISHA RAINBOLT now lives.

Dr. VENE TARGLETON built a horse-mill where JACOB NELLENGER now lives, and a Mr. Gannon also built a horse-mill near where Mr. LAWSON OLIPHANT'S barn now stands.

Old CHARLIE SHELTON built the first distill house, and made whiskey and good peach brandy, at the place where Andy Nellenger now lives.

WILLIAM STONE settled on the place [end of pg. 70] and made the farm where JOHN HASH now lives.

HARDEN WARREN built a house and made the farm at the place where Mrs. DELILAH MARTINDALE now lives.

Old Granddaddy EDMOND BINGHAM settled on the place and made a small farm where SARAH BINGHAM now lives.

JOE SPELTS settled the place and built a house where HENRY MESSER now lives.

Mr. LAWSON OLIPHANT is one of our old pioneer farmers, and came to Greene county forty-five years ago. He built the first brick house in Center township, and lives at home, entertains his friends, and boards at the same place, on his excellent farm, near the little village of Jonesboro.

JOHN GAINEY established the first dry goods store in Screamersville.

Mr. ENOCH STONE, Esq., was born in Surry county, North Carolina, and came to Greene county fifty years ago, before the first farms were cleared up, and is sixty-three years old. He and his wife gad eight children – six boys and two girls – and they live on the old Louisville road eighteen miles from Worthington.

WILLIAM S. BAYS was born in Surry county, North Carolina, and came to Greene county fifty years ago, and settled in this old neighborhood. Mr. Bays and wife have had eleven children, and old Uncle BILLY BAYS is now considered the champion tobacco smoker in Greene County.

The first wool carding machine at Jonesboro was built by our old pioneer friend LAWSON OLIPHANT.

The first schoolteachers were the old man Mill, JOHN TILLEY, JACOB YOUNG and RAFE MARINDALE.

We will explain many names in this locality, such as these: Screamersville, Dividing Ridge, Sway Back, Ridge Port, Bridge Creek, Panther Cave, Eagle Nest, etc.

The old state road from Woods' ferry to Smith's ferry, was made by EPHRAIM OWEN and Old TOMMY CLARK, about fifty-seven years ago, from Paoli, in Orange county, to the mouth of Eel River. That old road has always remained in the same place, on the Dividing Ridge, between Beech and Bridge creeks, down to Richland creek, a distance of about twelve miles; and that road can never be changed form the old trace. The dividing ridge is a high hill, very narrow and twelve miles in length - just room for a road.

Ridgeport is a hewed-log church house, on that ridge, west of village of Cincinnati.

Bridge Creek was named for the natural ground bridge over it, at the old HANS STALCUP water-mill and carding machine place, where the creek runs under the ground for nearly two miles.

Sway Back is rather a flat, low place, on the top of the dividing ridge, near Ridgeport Church House.

Eagles' Nest and Panther Cave are both in the bluff of rocks near the old Indian look-out, Richland and Beech creeks.

Screamersvillewas the name of the first election precinct at Jonesboro, and was named by the old settlers on all the roads for the great noise made by the people on nights after elections.