CLEAR
CREEK TOWNSHIP
HISTORY
Clear Creek Township, so named from
Clear Creek, its principal water course, lies in the northern part of
Huntington County and embraces a superficial area of thirty- six square
miles, bounded as follows: Whitley County on the north, Jackson
Township on the east, Huntington Township on the south, and Warren
Township on the west. Clear Creek flows through the township in a
southwesterly direction, entering at Section 2, and leaving from
Section 32. It is a stream of considerable importance and, besides
furnishing ample drainage for a large area of country, was early
utilized as a motive power for mills, several of which have been
erected along its banks from time to time. West Fork flows through
Sections 4 and 9 in the northern part of the township, while Little
Creek in the southwest corner waters and drains a scope of country in
Sections 30 and 31. The surface of the country is agreeably
diversified, gently rolling in places, but in no locality too broken
for cultivation. Indeed, the only parts that can be called broken are
certain sections adjacent to Clear Creek, the rest of the township
being sufficiently undulating to render artificial drainage
unnecessary. As an agricultural district Clear Creek occupies no second
place among the townships of Huntington County, the soil being of great
depth and fertility and admirably adapted to all the fruits and cereals
common to Northern Indiana. The evidences of thrift and prosperity are
apparent upon every hand, and there are perhaps, among its residents,
as many well-to-do farmers and stock raisers as can be found in any
similar area in the northern part of the State. Like other parts of the
county, it was originally covered with a heavy forest growth, the
greater part of which has long since fallen before the settler's ax,
while immense quantities of fine timber have in later years been
sufficient for the demands of trade
The settlement of Clear Creek, dates from the year 1834, at which time
one Michael Doyle, a native of Ireland, and a contractor on the Wabash
& Erie Canal, located a home on the southeast quarter of Section
33, where he lived until the spring of 1835. He moved to Carroll
County, the latter year and subsequently sold his land to different
parties. In the latter part of 1837, James and Alexander McCambridge,
moved to the country and settled on the northwest quarter of Section
34, where they made considerable improvements.
The next settler deserving a special mention was John R. Emley, who in
1834, in company with his brother Fletcher Emley, came to Huntington
County, on a prospecting tour for the purpose of purchasing land and
securing a home. Being pleased with the appearance of the country he
purchased ten tracts of land in Clear Creek Township, Section 29, after
which he returned to Ohio, for his family. On New Year's day 1835, he
started with his family for the new home in the wilds of Huntington
County, and after a journey beset with many difficulties succeeded in
reaching the town of Huntington on the 8th day of the same month. He
left his family in Huntington and went to his land in Clear Creek,
where with the assistance of his sons, Anthony and Wesley, he erected a
log cabin, the work occupying about three weeks, the father and sons
living in a hastily improvised tent in the meantime. In February, the
family were removed to the new home and work was at once commenced on
clearing a field, a task accomplished in due time. Provisions being
scarce among the settlements, Mr. Emley soon found it necessary to lay
in a supply, and in order to obtain the same the sons were obliged to
make a journey to Greeneville, Ohio, a distance of eighty miles. After
securing the provisions which were procured with great difficulty and
expense, the young men started on the return trip, but the roads being
well nigh impassable the wagons were abandoned about fifty miles from
home and the supplies packed the rest of the distance on horse back.
Previous to the time several trips had been made to Goshen Ind., for
the necessaries of life, a task attended with many difficulties. In due
time however, a respectable area of land was prepared for cultivation,
and after the first year our pioneer family found their hardship
gradually disappearing. Mr. Emley was a native of New Jersey, and a man
of many admirable qualities. He took an active interest in the
development of Clear Creek Township, was instrumental in securing its
organization, and at the first election was chosen a member of the
board of trustees. He subsequently served as County Commissioner, and
was in every respect one of the representative citizens of Huntington
County. His sons, Anthony, Wesley and Sexton Emley, came with him to
the new country, and can appropriately be mentioned as early settlers.
His other sons, Joel C. and Samuel came later, the former moving to the
township in 1839, and, the latter in the spring of 1853.
The next pioneer that claims our attention was Thomas Delvin, who moved
from Perry County, Ohio, in March 18:35, and settled the farm now owned
by Casper Grass, in Section 32. In April following, Henry Miller made
some improvements on the east half of the east half of the same
section, the land being still in possession of his family. The settlers
above named appear to have been the only residents within the present
limits of the township prior to 1830. The latter year was marked by the
arrival of a number of substantial pioneers, among whom were: John and
Joseph Buchanan, Felix Binkley, Samuel Smith and James Belton. The
first named located where William Lininger lives in the eastern part of
the township, and was at one time Sheriff of Huntington County. Joseph
Buchanan settled the farm owned at this time by John Miller, which he
subsequently sold to Mr. Mishler and moved to Huntington Township. Mr.
Binkley settled where he still lives on the northwest quarter of
Section 20, and was the first justice of the peace elected in Clear
Creek.
Samuel Smith improved forty acres of land in Section 28 and James
Belton made a few improvements in the same part of the township, both
of them disposing of their interests and moving to other parts many
years ago.
Van Tyner settled near the central part of the township in 1838, and
the same year witnessed the arrival of John Moon in Section 17. Davis
Dougherty on southeast quarter of same section; Christopher Daily,
Section 27, and Isaac Kitt in Section 7. John Byers, in the summer of
1839, made some improvements on the northwest quarter of Section 20,
taking a lease on the land of Fletcher Emley. He subsequently sold the
lease to David Shoemaker and moved to Warren Township. James McKinney
was an early settler in Section 28, and about the year 1839. Oliver
Dwight and Thomas Dial moved to the township, the former locating in
Section 32, and the latter in Section 31.
Additional to the pioneers enumerated, the following men came in an
early day and settled in different parts of the township, to-wit: John
Croll, James Best, Reuben H. Gill, Thomas Epps, Robert Morrow, Robert
Nipple, John Irich, John Oliver, Abraham Irich, Mr. Webster, Samuel
Groves, Levi Reynolds, Samuel Kruegar James Brown, Cornelius Henline,
David Fiery, Peter Goble, Philip Zahn, Mr. Lininger, Abraham Mishler,
Jacob Mishler, Daniel Helsen, William Gray, Darius Boylen, Daniel
Boylen and others.
Township Organization.— Clear
Creek was set apart as a separate jurisdiction on the 14th day of
February, 1838, and as originally organized included the present
townships of Jackson and Warren. " Its territory was first reduced
September, 1841, by the organization of Jackson, and again by the
setting apart of Warren, in 1843." The first election after the
organization was held at the house of John R. Emley, on the first
Monday of April, 1838, there being at the time but eight qualified
voters, viz:
Thomas Delvin, John R. Emley, Felix
Binkley, James Belton, Henry Miller, Christopher Dailey, Andrew Ream
and Anthony Emley, all voting the Democratic ticket but one, Felix
Binkley, who cast his ballot as a Whig. James Belton and Christopher
Dailey were chosen judges of the election, while John R. Emley acted as
inspector. When the ballots were canvassed, the following gentlemen
were found to have been elected: John R. Emley, James Belton and
Christopher Dailey, Trustees; Felix Binkley, Justice of the Peace;
Andrew Ream. Constable, and Henry Miller, Supervisor. The first clerk
of the township was Thomas Delvin.
Mills.— The first mill in the
township was a corn cracker, constructed by John R. Emley, on his
place, in Section 29, as early as the year 1837. The building was a
rude shed, and the machinery, which was of the most primitive pattern,
received its motive power from the waters of a small branch of Clear
Creek. The mill was erected principally for' Mr. Emley's own use, but
the early settlers patronized it quite extensively for several years,
there being no other mill in the northern part of the county. Samuel
Emley, about the year 1843, built a saw mill on Clear Creek, Section
28, which was operated with good success for a number of years. It
ceased operations some time in the sixties, the last owners being
George Smith and Sexton Emley. A water mill on the west branch of Clear
Creek, Section 9, was erected late in the forties by David Flory, who
manufactured much of the lumber used by the early settlers in that
locality. It fell into disuse a number of years ago, but few vestiges
remaining to mark the spot it occupied. Uriah Bonbrake built a saw mill
on the east branch of Clear Creek, a number of years ago, which was
operated quite successfully for some time. The first steam saw mill in
the township was built by Mr. Griffith, in Section 23. It is still in
operation, being run at this time by Mr. Shock.
Religious. — The first
religious meeting in the township was held at the residence of John R.
Emley in 1839 by a traveling minister of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, Rev. Mr. Reed. The next preacher to visit the settlements was
Rev. Mr. Holdstock who with Rev. Reed preached at regular intervals at
Mr. Emley's until the fall of 1839, when a log house for school and
church purposes was erected in Section 16. A class was organized about
the same time and among the early members of the same were Mrs. Aveline
E. Emley, Robert Nipple and wife, James McKinney and wife, and Mrs.
James Belton. It was organized under the name of Clear Creek Church, by
which it has since been known. The old building was replaced in 1864 by
a frame temple of worship which is still used by the congregation. The
society has always enjoyed a reasonable degree of prosperity and is
reputed in good condition at this time. Following the Methodist
itinerants came pioneer ministers of the United Brethren Church, two of
whom, Revs. Terrell and Surran conducted public worship in an early day
at the residence of Thomas Belton. A society was afterward organized
and a house of worship erected in the same locality. A brick building
was subsequently erected in Section 21, where worship is still held at
regular intervals, the organization being in prosperous condition. In
Section 3, northern part of the township, is another society of the
United Brethren Church, which meet tor worship in a building erected on
the land of Peter Goble.
Elder George Abbott of the Christian
Church, was an early preacher in the township, and some time in the
fifties a society of that denomination was organized and a frame house
of worship erected in Section 15. The society has been a potent factor
for good in the community, and numbers among its members many of the
best citizens of the township. In the Eastern part of the township
there settled in an early day quite a number of the German Baptist
Brethren, who were visited from time to time by Elders Leedy and
Calbert. A church was soon organized and some time in the sixties a
commodious brick house of worship, the largest in the township, was
built on the southwest quarter of Section 24. The church is strong in
numbers and bids fair to continue the leading religious organization in
the northern part of Huntington County. Another society of the same
denomination meet for worship in a large brick temple erected in the
year 1874, in sections 19 and 20, about one mile from the Warren
Township line. In Section 25, is an organization of the Albright
Church, which like the other societies mentioned is alive to spiritual
welfare of the community. The influence for good exercised by these
various religious organizations cannot be expressed in words, and it is
to be hoped that they may continue the grand work of inducing men to
abandon the ways of sin for the better way leading to righteousness and
holiness.
Miscellaneous.— The first
birth in the township was that of Elizabeth Miller, daughter of Henry
Miller, which occurred May, 1836. Wesley Emley, son of John R. Emley,
departed this life November, 1841, the first death in the township. He
was buried in the Clear Creek Cemetery, where were also laid to rest in
an early day the bodies of George Dailey and children of John Moon and
Robert Nipple. The first marriage in the township was solemnized
November, 1841. Samuel Ream and Louisa, daughter of Thomas Dial, being
the contracting parties. The first hewed log house was erected by John
Crull, in the spring of 1840, and among the first frame houses, were
those built by John and Samuel Emley. David Shoemaker, in 1842, burned
the first brick, and the first brick buildings were erected some time
later by David Bechdol and Abraham Mishler. The first regularly
established highway through Clear Creek, was the Goshen Road, laid out
and improved early in the thirties. The second road was the one
traversing the township in a northwesterly direction, and the Whitley
County line, surveyed by William Shearer, as early as the year of 1838;
The Liberty Mills plank road, from Huntington to Liberty Mills, was
constructed through the township in 1850 and 1851.
Among the early mechanics of the township were John Householder,
blacksmith, John Moon, carpenter and millwright, and Robert Nipple,
cabinet maker.
Among the casualties was the accidental death a number of years ago, of
a man (name forgotten) who was crushed beneath a falling tree, on the
farm of Mr. Emley
Source: History of Huntington
County, Indiana: From the Earliest Time to the Present, with
Biographical Sketches, Published by Walsworth Publishing Co., 1887
