Green Township in History
By Mrs. Anna Matchett Curless
As early as year 1843 James Burton and Joseph Taylor occupied land in what is now Green Township. However, as they made no attempt at improvement of any kind they have not been given a very permanent place in the list of early settlers. The year 1845 brought four energetic men who came for the purpose of changing the dense forest of green into cultivated farms. Their names and places of settlement are as follows: Alexander McCraken, on what is now "The Prairie Grove Stock Farm," owned by John A. Peterson; Samuel Orsburn, on the Moses Harper far; James Moon, on the Rush Farm, and George Ohaver, who was a great hunter, on the Covalt Farm. In 1846 Isaac Revis settled on the land now owned by Mrs. John Gossom and Samuel Kelley moved in sight of what is now the village of Normal.
The years 1847-48 added quite a number to the population. Prominent among these were William Perry, who located on the Samuel Leer farm; Maryland Knox, on the Messmore farm; William and John Hammer, on the Andrew Miller farm; Jeremiah Hammer, on that lately owned by the children of Wiley Hood; Joseph and Frederick Lane, on the Hawk farm, now owned by the McGraw Brothers; Daniel Bayless settled on the Widow Thrasher farm; James Hamilton, on that owned by Widow Seward; Levi Hiatt, on the old Hiatt homestead; Benjamin Orsburn and William Curtley on the farm belonging to John Orsburn; Peter Knote on the William Knote farm, and Rhoda Keever and sons on the farm still owned by their heirs.
The settlers of 1849-50 were Virgil Hale, Henry Foster, Elijah Ogle, Moses Jordan, Elihu Moon, William Turner, Jacob Tharp and Levi Tolle.
In 1851-52 came the following persons who have since proved themselves enterprising citizens: John Downing, Andrew Miller, Daniel Matchett, Jarret Rybolt, Joshua Stillwell, John Foster, William Thrasher, Peter Gilam, James Kelley, Samuel Bar, David Kilgore, William McLain and John Hiser.
Prominent among those who came soon after and shared in the hardships of pioneer life were: Christian Cop, Eleazer John, Johnson Eakins, Jonathan Kilgore, Wiley Hood, Jacob Johns, Michael Echelbarger, Ira Main, John Wright, William Miller, Cyrus Henry, Harrison Cremer, Isaac Rybolt, John Wilson, John Ware, Hugh Hamilton, John Legg and Aaron Brooks.
Green Township was organized in 1847 and was named in memory of the gallant General Greene. It is four miles wide and seven miles long. The first election was held in the cabin of Samuel Kelley, the same year, 1848. Soon after the place of holding elections was changed to the house of Isaac Rivis, thence to Minor's shop, which stood where we now find the home of Charles Leer; from there it was changed to Knotty Corner, and from there to Point Isabel, where it is now held. Among the first trustees were Samuel Kelley, Cyrus Cremer and Virgil Hale, the latter holding this office for ten years. Moses Jordan and James Hamilton wre justices of the peace; David Hannah, treasurer and Marland Knox, clerk. From 1865 to 1877 the office of trustee was filled by the following persons: Eleazer John, James Kelley, Johnson Eakins (four terms), N.J. Leisure (four terms), Darius Nesbitt (two terms) and Jarret Covalt. For the later day officials of this coveted place we have the names of Luther Hale, J.V. John, Andrew Gemmil, Charles V. Leer, and William Seeley, the present incumbent.
The first school house was built on John Smith's farm in 1850. David Steward had charge of the first school held here, in the winter of 1850-51. In 1856 a log school house was built on the Cyrus Swan farm, and the year following one on the Knox farm. Some of the early teachers were Virgil Hale, Marland Knox, Asa Long, Harrison Cremer and William Reed. At that time instructors were very scarce and ranks ere filled by importing any one who carried the mystical sheepskin and looked stern and capable of wielding the birch rod, for, then, "larnin and Lickin" went hand in hand.
Coming down to more recent years, we have as teachers William Miller, G.W. Kilgore, H.M. McCaskey, Frank Collins, and many others we have not space to metnion.
There are in the township at present six school houses. A few years ago they numbered eight, but because of the small attendance tow have been abandoned. Plans are being formulated for the complete consolidation of the schools, and the near future will, no doubt, see marked improvement along this line.
Three of the school houses stand on one road just two miles apart. These are characterized by peculiar names which circumstances have given them. First, to the north we have "Striped" or District No. 2. There is nothing in the surroundings today that suggests the name, but many years ago there stood on the spot an old frame school house with perpendicular stipse of lumber nailed over the crevices of the sides. There were painted red: the house being white, made it have a "striped" appearance.
Two miles south we have "Knotty Corner" or District No. 3. Some believe today that the worked "knotty" is but a misused form of the word "naughty" and that the name was given it because of the mischief loving pupils of the school. But the truth about the matter is that it takes it name from an old "knotty" oak tree that stood directly in the center of where the four roads meet today, but what long ago was a forest with a little cabin school house in its midst. The same pedagogue that boiled the maple syrup as he instructed the boys and girls, grew tired of seeing the gnarled form of this old tree and one bright, spring day he set fire to it, and the neighbors, fearing it might cause damage, cam forth with axes and felled it to the ground.
Two miles to the south we have the school of "Nauvoo" or District No. 6. It is told that it derives its name from a Mormon settlement in Illinois, a man of the faith having lived in the community.
The present corps of teachers is: Orpha Mae Morgan, John Downing, James Curless, William Pinkerman, Eugene Goble and L.L. Davis.
Green Township has always had her quota of graduates, the first class appearing in 1882. It was made up of ten young men all of whom except one are still living and occupying positions of trust and honor. Some of their names are household words are are well known over the county. The list is as follows: William A. Seeley, William C. Haggerty, Charles Leer, William Salyers (deceased), Ralph Stogsdall, Alva Nesbitt, Homer G. Hale, William Armstrong, Charles S. Langston and James F. Hood.
June 10, 1893, Green Township had another graduating class of ten young people who appeared in the arena of public usefulness. There were five girls and five boys in the number and like the first all are living except one, Mrs. Anna John-Main. The members were: Charles Knote, Lemuel Shull, Clarence Salyers, Carl McCaskey, Harlan O. Kilgore, Manta Lane, Birdie Peterson-Leisure, Minnie Kilgore, Anna John-Main and Anna Matchett-Curless.
Five of the members have taught school and the others have occupied places of equal not and importance. F.M. Searles was then county superintendent and J.V. John was trustee of the township.
The Green Township Alumni was the first township organization of its kind in the county. It was organized at the home of James F. Hood in Point Isabel on March 28, 1889. A committee of three persons was appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws for the society. The following officers were elected: James F. Hood, president; Frank Nesbitt, treasurer, and Ella B. Carroll, secretary. The first public program was given in the M.E. Church at Point Isabel on August 9, 1890. The purpose of the alumni is to raise the standard of education in the community and to foster the spirit of culture among the young. Any one who has ever been granted a diploma in the township is entitled to membership. This however, is the necessary requisite. The present officers were elected May 24, 1905: Mrs. Ella B. Carroll, president; Carl Livezey, Sena Rybolt and F.M. Brizendine, vice presidents: Mrs. Anna M. Curless, secretary, and Ethel Planck, treasurer. The last meeting was an all day reunion and picnic at the pleasant county home of the president, Mrs. Carroll, on July 4, 1905.
The first religious services held in the township were at the cabin of Samuel Kelley in 1847, Cain Mullen preaching. The members called themselves Christians or Disciples. The first church was built on the Jeremiah Hammer farm in 1853, by the Methodists, Hammer donating the land for the church and graveyard. It is now the little burial plot just west of Point Isabel and the church house has long since been replaced by a plain frame structure which stands in the village. Some of the early Methodist preachers were Martin Morrison, Nathan Shackelford, and Wilton Mahan. The last named was a presiding elder and conducted the first quarterly meeting held in the township.
The Christian Church at Rigdon was built in 1864 and was perhaps the first frame church in the township.
We have today five churches scattered at even distances over the districts and representing four different denominations. The famous burial ground of "Knox Chapel," so called from the founder of the church is known for miles around and it is in every respect a beautiful "city of the dead."
The first marriage celebrated in the township was that of David, son of Samuel Kelley to Charlotte, daughter of David Thomas, in 1848. The first death was that of Alexander McCracken, which occurred in 1847 from the effects of poison.
The villages of the township are few and scattered, the larges being Point Isabel, situated in the south-central part. It is named for a small town in Ohio and is a thriving little hamlet with the necessary vocations of village life well represented. It has always been the center of the township in educational, religious and political life. Out from its quiet haunts there have grown orators, poets, doctors, teachers, mechanics, artists, scientist, authors, musicians, humorists, scholars and thinkers. It has been the scene of tragedy, fire, cyclone, robbery and crime. These facts linked with its romance and traditional lore would furnish ample material for a thrilling little volume that might be read with more than passing interest.
The town of Independence or Rigdon was laid out February 25, 1851. It lies partly in two counties and four townships, quite a good range of territory for so small a place. It is the scene of many pretty homes and enterprising places of business.
In 1852 a post office was established in the north-central part of the township. It was given the name of Slash, later called Normal.
While Green township is one of the smallest of the county, it is one of thrift, industry and undivided progress. It has excellent highways, nearly every mile of public road having been built of gravel and carefully improved. Almost every home has its telephone and the free mail delivery is at every door.
However it has no lines of railway or interurban tracks that intersect its broad fields or divide its wooded knolls. No busy factories rear their giant chimneys to the skies and the loud din of city strife and turmoil is unknown. Yet we do not want for the luxuries of these improvements as they surround us in adjoining districts and within a few minutes drive they are ours for the asking, while our own firesides remain quiet and homelike, a haven of rest when we retire.
Centennial History of Grant County, Indiana 1812-1912
The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914