Baber's Early History of Greene County Indiana Chapter XXV Jackson Township Township

Up in the north end of the township, east of old Colonel LEVI FELLOWS, were JACOB LEWIS, RAWLEY HOPPER, JOSEPH and WILLIAM HATFIELD, and others.

The names of the Creeks:

Indian Creek was named for its first settlers up and down that water course. That creek empties into the [end of pg.71] east fork of the White River, in Martin County, near Harrisonville, Indiana. Fuss creek was named by the old pioneer hunters, on account of the frogs, in spring of the year, making so much fuss.

Pond Lick, near the little log-cabin town of Dresden, was the best place in all that part of the township, in early times, to kill deer. When the first white people came to Greene county, old EMANUEL HATFIELD and JOHN BROWN went to the pond to watch for deer, in the nighttime. They had not been there very long when Mr. HATFIELD shot and killed a very fine one. The two men commenced to strike a fire, in order to have a light in the woods, and Mr. BROWN went to a sugar-tree to obtain some kindling-wood. Upon running his hand into the hollow of the tree, he caught hold of a hard stick of wood, about two feet long, and as large as a man's wrist. The stick was that of pine, and was chopped off at both ends with an axe. There was no pine timber nearer than ninety miles, and that was on a knolls, near New Albany.

Armstead Hatfield made the first land entry in Jackson township. He has made a good farm, and lives on the same place yet, just east of Owensburg.

JOHN FERRELL built a log-cabin, and settled at the place where Old Uncle EMANUEL HATFIELD now lives.

Afterwards JOHN FERRELL sold his Congress improvement to Mr. HATFIELD, and the same old log house is yet standing, and is being used for the kitchen at EMANUEL HATFIELD'S, just west of Owensburg. This is the oldest log house in Greene county, having been built and occupied over a half century.

JOHN BEATY was born in Virginia, and came to Greene County at a very early date.

Our first blacksmith shop was established by SILBERN OWENS, on the corner of Mr. EMANUEL HATFIELD'S land, where the town of Owensburg now stands. That village was named for Mr. OWENS.

Our first school was taught by SAMUEL SHORT, in a little log cabin at the place where SAMUEL HITCHCOCK now lives - or on that farm - and among the pupils were JERRY HATFIELD, WILLIAM HATFIELD, THOMAS, MARY and JOHN COPELAND, and about twenty-five others.

Among the first weddings was one on the head waters of Plummer creek, at JOHN STONE'S, by Esquire Hopper - Mr. WESLEY FERGUSON and Miss FRANCIS STONE.

Our old-time distill house was built at the JOHN FERRELL place, where old Emanuel Hatfield now lives. Mr. HATFIELD built the second distill house, and made the best whiskey and brandy in Greene county.

The first little horse-mill was built on the old chestnut place.

EMANUEL HATFIELD, father of ALE HATFIELD, was born in Old Virginia, and afterwards went to Tennessee and remained there about thirty years, then came to county at an early day, and set on the place where WASH. SPEARS now lives. Mr. ALE HATFIELD had two wives and twelve children - seven boys and five girls. Mr. EMANUEL HATFIELD was the third son in this family, and was born December 22nd, 1805, in Campbell county, Tennessee, and came to Greene county, with his parents, at an early day. He married NANCY ANDERSON, of Wayne county, Kentucky. Mr. HATFIELD and wife have had fourteen children, and raised eleven of them to be men and women. Mr. HATFIELD bought the Congress improvement and entered the land where he now lives, and made a good farm of about two hundred acres. He now owns three hundred and thirty-six acres of land. Within the first twelve years he cleared, in the heavy white-oak, poplar and hickory timber, one hundred and ten acres of land for his home farm; and, in the same twelve years he killed nine hundred and seventy-eight deer, with one rifle- [end of pg. 72] gun. In the same length of time, also, with the same gun, at shooting matches, he won over three hundred dollars' worth of beef, besides the other kinds of game, etc.

Mr. HATFIELD has killed more squirrels than two boys could count in a month. He has no education; but he says he knows what is right among honest men - and rascals too.

EDWARD PAGE is a shoemaker by trade, and is seventy-three years old, but looks much younger. He was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and came to Jay county, Indiana, and from there he came to Greene county, many years ago. Mr. PAGE and wife have had ten children - five boys and five girls.

DAVID BAKER is a common farmer, and came to Greene county over thirty years ago, and settled about three miles east of Colonel FELLOWS' old mill.

Mr. ALFRED HOWELL is sixty-two years old, and came to Greene county in time to raise ten children - one boy and nine girls.

MORDICA HATFIELD came to Greene County about the year 1823, and settled in this neighborhood, and married MILLY RICHISON. They raised fourteen children - four boys and ten girls. Three pair of them are twins, six girls, and two pair of those girls were about thirty months apart - all of the fourteen children are now living, but their parents are dead and buried at the old Flynn grave-yard, in Center township.

JERRY HATFIELD is a common farmer, fifty years old. He married Miss NANCY SPEARS, and lives on the county road, half a mile south of Owensburg.

Old Uncle JAMES CORBIN and wife are about seventy-five years old, and lived on a farm near the Kentucky Church, five miles west of Owensburg.

Old Grandmother QUICK is the oldest knitting machine in Greene county. She is a very small woman, eighty years of age, and has knit socks enough to buy a small farm.

AQUILLA HARDESTY is seventy-eight years old, was born near the city of Baltimore, Maryland, and came to Ohio in 1810, and to Greene county about twenty-five years ago, and settled on the Hilburn Farm. Mr. HARDESTY's father died on Plummer creek, at the age of ninety-five years, and was buried at the Mood cemetery, in Richland township.

Our first preachers were Revs. JOHN GOODMAN, JOSEPH O'DELL, JOHN NANCE, THOMAS and WESLEY FERGUSON, JOSEPH WILSON and others.

Our old time physicians were Granny Hudson, Dr. RAFE NORVELL and Dr. WOODWARD.

Our first brick house was built by Dr. DOWDEN, at Owensburg.

All of our olden time elections were held out Screamersville. [part of 73]