Settlement of Harrison Township

    Joseph C. Blounty (or Blunt) settled within the bounds of the present Harrison Township as early as 1832, which was the same year that Jacob Reasoner came to Licking Township.

    John Blount came the next year, being the first white man to settle on the Salamonia River in this county. In 1872 he moved to Lincoln County, Kansas where he died about three of four years ago.

    Barnett Dewitt, a great hunter, came also in 1832, and at that time was the only white resident between Montpelier and Muncie. He had a large family, but lived in a  small cabin, on forty acres of land, in the deep woods, earning the full support of himself and family by the pursuits of the chase. Some time in the forties the country here became too well filled with other white people, and away he hied himself tot he vicinity of Des Moines, Iowa.

    William Davidson, another hunter, lived in this township about seven miles northeast of Hartford City. In company with Joseph Creek, of Jackson Township, he would take as many as sixty to seventy-five deer annually. He also moved to Iowa, possibly, like the Indians, for better hunting grounds.

    So with George H. House, a pious Methodist. Hunting was his specialty also, and in an early day he too removed to Iowa, where he has since died.

    Henry Harmon came to the county about 1833 or 1834, occupying the first farm south of Montpelier, and remained there until his death..

    Captain Josiah Twibell came in March, 1836, settling across the river from Montpelier, where he died in 1873, over seventy-five years of age. He was Captain of Company I, Thirty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in the late war. Of his sons, William is now living in Montpelier; Daniel is living on the old homestead in this township; John died in 1870, in Wells County, and David is also deceased.

    Isaac M. Ricketts, who came in 1837, lives southeast of Montpelier. He has been county commissioner, justice of the peace, etc., and is an excellent man.

    William Hillier and Samuel Gettys did not remain long, the former removing to Iowa, and the latter to a point north of Roanoke, in Huntington County.

    William Ellsworth settled in Harrison Township in 1836, and is still a resident.

    John Beall, who used to live four miles south of Montpelier, removed West many years ago, and is now deceased.

    Abel Baldwin was one of the pioneers. He was the founder of Montpelier, and had a mill near the place.

    John J. Cook first settled in Harrison Township, married a daughter of  of Abel Baldwin, was the first surveyor in the county, the second clerk of the court, and finally removed to Missouri, where he died three or four years ago.

    Franklin G. Baldwin, the earliest  assessor, was a resident of Montpelier and a Baptist minister, is not now living.

    John B. Gouldsbery was a millwright by trade, shifted about a great deal and finally went West, where he died.

    Jose K. Hobson, a pioneer of Harrison Township, sold liquor contrary to law, but was led to reform. He removed to Allen County, where he died.

    Thomas Hulet, who came about 1837, went to Iowa and died there.

    John D. Waugh, from Windsor County, Vermont, came in June, 1837, and settled on the Salamonia, where he soon died. Of his two sons, John H. and James W., the latter is still living here, and is a nurseryman, two miles west of Montpelier. He is the only survivor of the three men who in Blackford County, voted the Liberty ticket (Birney for President) in 1844.

    James Havens, who had been a soldier under General Harrison, was a pioneer here who remained a resident until his death. Selay Havens, his son, settled on section 36, where he lived until his death, about the year 1879.

    Lewis McGeath, from Virginia, settled on section 18 in 1837, and remained there until his death in 1872.

    Joshua B. Cass, a shoemaker of Montpelier, moved West.

    Josephus Streeter, from Vermont, resided in this township until about 1860, when he returned to Vermont, and is living there now.

    Samuel Brown, also from Vermont, went to Iowa and died there.

    Thomas Eaton, who had been captain of a sea vessel, left this county after a term of residence.

    Thomas Markins lived four miles southeast of Montpelier, where he died.

    Daniel and Jacob Liestenfeltz were boys when they began their residence in Harrison Township, and both are still living here, in the southeastern portion.

    Robert and Henry Hays came previous to 1840. The former left in 1847, and the latter died at his residence in the northeastern part of the township.

    Thomas Tetterick died here.

    James Bowman moved to Wells County, where he died.

    James Wier left in 1844.

    John Wells located in this township in 1839.

    Elsy Saylor moved to another part of the country in early times.

    Other pioneers of Harrison Township were Michael Tetterick, Andrew Blount, Peter Miller, John Ferren, John C. Spaulding, Joseph Penrod and James Walker.

Source: Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford County, Indiana. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1887.