THE HISTORY OF ORCHARDVILLE

By Vera Henson

Transcribed by Laurie Selpien

Orchardville originally called Aid, began its existence about 1870; although the territory had been populated since 1850. There was two grist mills powered by huge water wheels across the Marion County line along Skillet Fork and plenty of settlers in that area long before this portion was cleared for farming. The first post office, which also sold candy, wax and small objects was kept by Billy Lee in a log house where Kenneth Burgess’ house now stands. Across the road on the south corner of our farm was a large church called Frame Church because its walls were of lumber rather than logs. Our oldest citizens remember being taken to services there when the preaching was done by an Indian named Tallamasse Mikko dressed in buckskins and moccasins. This church was abandoned finally and the lumber was used to build Doe Richardson’s house. Dr. Marlow had moved in with the first wave of settlers and was practicing here and in the Marion County settlement. “Store boughten” necessities came from Xenia, Iuka or from Slap-out if that easy going store keeper was not “Jest slap-out” when his would be customers arrived.

FIRST STORE

Our first store was a log building west of the Keenville road on the lot across from the Melton Store of today. It was owned by Frank Dunlap. At his death the remaining stock was hauled to John Dunlap and Doc Boyles moved into the log building and became our official doctor. Dill Boze opened a store to replaced the Dunlap store that no longer existed. The Harris Store, across the road south of the Dunlap store was being built before Dunlap’s death. About the same time a log church was built south of the store on the corner of Jacob Feathers farm and named Jacob’s Chapel in his honor. Mr. Feather was first buried in the cemetery behind the church. Needmore Church west of Orchardville probably received its name in the same way since that was a common name in the neighborhood but there is no record to verify that theory.

BRUSH CREEK

Originally this entire tract extending to the Clay County line was one township called brush Creek in which each community was located with strictly for its own favorite sons politically speaking. Around 1890 my Uncle Ross ran for town clerk and as insurance that he could swing the vote circulated a petition that we be divided into separate townships to be named Garden Hill and Orchardville, Aid post office which was to become the law making center of Orchard was renamed Orchardville. One of the schools resulted from the division of White Cloud district was located here and given the same name while the eastern half organized under the name of Fairview. These pleasant sounding names lead to general dissatisfaction with the names Ferris for the school on the west of this district. Newly christened Orchardville began a flurry of business activity. The corn field on the east of the road was cleared away and a solid block of business buildings was constructed extending down to the present blacksmith shop. The town now contained a two room school, a church, a town hall, and several new dwelling houses in addition to the two stores and doctors office originally here. In the block of buildings was a barber shop by Dave Lee, a barber shop and shoe shop by Dow Dunlap, an undertaker parlor by John Britton, a restaurant and post office by Rice Warren, a store and real estate agency by Joe Burkett and John Warren.

Doc Boyles was also the dentist when need arose. At the time there was no nonsense about pain-killers and anesthetics. The patient gripped the rungs of the split bottom chair with both hands and an onlooker took a half nelson strangle hold on his head and Doc and his forceps sailed in. After the operation the patient got a handful of salt to stop the bleeding and that was that.

Continuing the list of business ventures, there was a blacksmith shop by the Camerons and on the block behind the main business section a weithing ? (Weighing) platform by John Byars. This row of building on the east of the road was destroyed by fire the night Doc Boyles wife “Lay a corpse” at her home across the road and was never entirely rebuilt.

BRICK KILN AT ZENITH

Not all business places were in Orchardville itself. There was a brick kiln at Zenith, grist mills in every locality, a broom factory in Wooley vicinity, a nursery by Lee Burkett of Orchardville that supplied such shade trees as Balm of Gilead, cedar and the Catalpa trees that outline every farm in the neighborhood today. There was a sorghum mill by Uncle Sam Vansickle who had been a POW at Andersonville Prison through the Civil War. Although only a boy at the time his hair turned quite white during the months of starvation when he would have freely traded his hopes of freedom for a chance at his mother’s garbage pail at home. There was William Still of Wooley neighborhood who was born in England and apprenticed to a master book-binder. He made from the little magazines of the times beautiful, expertly bound volumes that would be a credit to any professional today. Green Fields, a teacher of the period conducted writing school at night and a class in vocal music at night at the church. J. C. (Doc) Drake another teacher was the Justice of the Peace and preformed civil marriages and presided at local trials. As the years went by other doctors came into the town, Dr. Kelsaw, Dr. Hilliard Warren and Dr. Button Smith whose names were given as a token of respect to many youngsters of the community.

Additional Information from Laurie Selpien

Jacob Feather died Aug 6, 1883 age 82 years 10 months (according to headstone)

Obituary Wayne Co., Press Oct 25, 1883

Rev. Jacob O. Feathers died Aug 6, 1883 after an illness of some months…interred at the old cemetery, near the old church yard of Jacob’s Chapel, so called and known because it was his old farm on which it was located. He was born Sept 12, 1800, licensed to preach in 1830, he married in Orange County, Indiana to Martha Matilda Copelin Dec 5, 1829 she was the daughter of Thomas and Nancy MONTGOMERY Copelin. Martha also buried in Jacob’s Chapel died Apr 11, 1904 she was 91 years 2 months and 1 day.

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