MONTGOMERY
COUNTY
MADISON
TOWNSHIP.
This is a north-central
township, bounded on the north by Tippecanoe county, on the east by
Sugar Creek, south by Union, and west by Coal Creek townships. The
surface is level, the greater part of which is prairie interspersed
here and there with groves and clumps of trees, that have grown up
since the first settlers located here, since the annual burnings
ceased. Originally the township contained much swamp land; this has
been partially drained. The largest swamp was the one known as Lye
Creek prairie, situated in the south-central part of the township,
embracing several thousand acres which, during the winter and spring,
presented the appearance of a lake; besides this, Nine-mile prairie in
the north part of the township contained numerous smaller swamps and
ponds, which made successful cultivation impossible without systematic
drainage, which has been partially accomplished. On the east and
northwest, each, is a small area of greater elevation than the
remainder of the township, with less sloughs, and here it was that the
first settlers located in 1829. Among those who settled in Madison at
that date are William Smith, one of the first settlers of the county,
located on Sec. 29, and erected the first house in the township; Robert
Williams and George Jones located on Sec. 8; Leonard Robertson on Sec.
17; William and David Vance each entered 160 acres on Sec. 18 (the
latter was treasurer of the county for several years), and John Potts
located on Sec. 17. C. W. White, formerly of Cold Creek, located where
he now lives, at Linden, in 1830. The Indians came back each autumn, to
hunt, till 1832.
The first justice elected was John McDowel; first constable, John
Martin ; both elected in 1830. The first school in the township was
taught by John Percy in a private house in the McDowel settlement,
about 1829. The first house erected for school purposes was located on
the present site of Linden, in 1838. It was a log building with . big
fire-place. The furniture consisted of a few seats made of slabs, and
rails set upon pins; they had no backs; the windows were of greased
paper. This building, rude as it was, served the purpose oft church
till 1854. W. L. Petro erected the first blacksmith shop in the
township, in 1839, a short distance southwest of Linden. He now plies
his craft in the village of Linden. The early settlers of this township
underwent many severe hardships and great privations. Before roads were
laid out and worked the country was next to impassable,—in the winter
because of the ice, in the summer on account of the miry sloughs. There
were no mills near, and it frequently occurred that families were for
weeks without meal or flour, only as they prepared it by means of a
mortar. Till 1834 it was a difficult thing to prevent the game from
consuming all the grain raised in the country before it was fit to
harvest. Often they were obliged to go to the Wea for corn, and then
pay 75 cents per bushel for an inferior quality. So frequently did this
occur, that the section about the Wea received from them the
appellation, "Egypt," which it has since retained. They for several
years necessarily depended largely upon the deer, wild turkey and wild
hogs for their supply of meat; the latter, when there was a heavy mast,
would get tolerably fat. In 1834 the settlers experienced a long, hard
winter, accompanied by a deep snow; from this time the game began to
disappear; in 1840 it was thought to be scarce.
Clothing could be had at La Fayette and Terre Haute, but 'they had no
money with which to buy, and if they had had plenty of wheat and corn
to spare they would have been but little better off, because there was
no market nearer than New Orleans beyond home consumption, and
merchants' wares were beyond reason; salt $5 per barrel,
calico from 30 to 40 cents per yard. Then it was that the hum of the
wheel, the noise of the loom and flax-break, made the family music of
the evening, instead of the mellow, molten notes of the organ, in
Madison township. Then there were no carding mills to prepare the wool
for the wheel; that work was done by means of hand-cards. All the
progress made above a bare living till about 1840 was scarcely discern-
able, other than that more of the land was being brought into
cultivation.
From 1840 to 1852 little can be said of Madison township, more than
that it became more thickly settled, more land was brought into
cultivation, and that road-making had progressed to some extent. In
1852 the Michigan City & New Albany railroad was built through the
west side of the township one mile from the line. It occupies the line
of the old Crawfordsville road, the first laid out in the township.
This gave a new turn to affairs. Immediately upon the completion of the
railroad, in 1852, Linden was laid out by Hiram Hughs, Joel Lee, and
Nathan Harwood. The first named of these erected the first warehouse
and opened the first store in the village. Dr. Henry Keeney built the
first dwelling-house, his brother "William the first blacksmith shop.
Hiram Hughs was first postmaster. Since the laying out of this village
it has been the trading point for Madison and east Coal Creek
townships. For the shipment of grain it is second to no place in the
county except Crawfordsville. Its progress has been steady. In 1858
Galbreath erected here the first wagon shop, it being the only one in
the township at that time. The first wagon made at this shop was bought
by the widow Halstead. The other business houses of Linden are two
grocery stores, one store of general merchandise, one drug store, a
grist-mill, and a warehouse. It has a population 6f 300.
Linden has two secret societies, the I.O.O.F. and the Masons, and two
churches, the New Light Christian and the Methodist Episcopal orders.
The Independent Order of Odd-Fellows, Lodge No. 393, was organized in
Linden in 1872 with J. W. Smock, J. W Patrick, Dr. Henry Keeney, J. M.
Miller, and B. T. Tatman, as charter members. First officers installed
were J. W. Smock, N.G.; B. T. Tatman, V.G.; G. "W. Patrick, Sec.; John
M. Miller, Treas. The society now numbers twenty-four members, is in
good condition, owns its hall, 20x40, in the Stoddard block, and meets
regularly on Saturday evening of each week. In the eight years since
this society was organized not a single death has occurred within it.
The present officers are F. M. Mason, N.G.; L. W. Petro, V.G.; T. C.
Shanklin, Sec.; "W. Blue, Treas.
Masonic lodge, through the influence of Dr. J. S. McMurry, more than
anyone else, the Ancient Order of Masons Lodge, No. 41, was established
in Linden, in 1867, with Dr. J. S. McMurry, W. H. Montgomery, D. A.
Kelsey, Dr. E. P. Washburn, J. M. Barkus, A. L. White, D. L. Rash, A.
M. Stoddard, and J. W. Button, as charter members. First officers: J.
S. McMurry, Master; W. H. Montgomery, S.W.; E. A. Kelsey, J.W.; J. M.
Stoddard, Treas.; J. M. Barcus, Sec. Present officers: W. L. Fraley,
Master; W. H. Montgomery, Warden ; James Clark, J.W.; W. G. McBee,
Treas.; E. P. Washburn, Sec.; W. H. Burns, S.D.; Thomas Wilson, J.D.
The first death which occurred in this lodge was that of J. Spink, in
the fall of 1874; W. S. Foster died in 1875, S. Simpson in 1876, J. C.
Garrett in 1879. The lodge owns its hall and is out of debt. It numbers
twenty-five members, active, and is in a flourishing condition.
There are three church societies in this township, two of which are
located in the village of Linden, the third some two miles south of
Linden at the line separating Madison and Coal Creek townships. The
last named is of the New Light order of Christians. It erected its
first and present church house in 1875 at a cost of $1,300. The society
numbers fifty active members, and is in a fair condition. It is known
as the Mount Pleasant church society.
The history of the Methodist Episcopal church, now located in Linden,
dates far back, almost with the first settlement. The people of this
faith first held their meetings at the residences, rude log cabins, of
the members, then for a time occupied the district school-houses. The
first church house they built was erected between 1830 and 1840, near
the old plank road, in Coal Creek township, where the society continued
to meet for worship till 1867, when it was decided to move the church
house to the town of Linden, which was consummated in 1868. The
building is a frame with a seating capacity for 300 persons. Since its
removal to Linden it has been repaired and looks quite well. Its
progress since 1878 has been steadily forward; the society now numbers
seventy-two members. A Sabbath-school has kept in active operation in
this church most of the time since the society was first organized in
Coal Creek township. Many prominent families of both Madison and Coal
Creek townships are members of this church society.
The Christian Church society, located in the village of Linden, is of
the New Light order. This sect made its appearance in this part of the
country with the early pioneers. For several years following the early
settlement, the adherents of this faith were united with those of the
old Mount Pleasant church in Coal Creek township. In 1852 the
membership had so increased in the vicinity of Linden that it was
deemed necessary to divide the Coal Creek society and locate a society
at Linden. This society occupied the school-house in Linden till 1854,
when it built its present church house, 32x40, at a cost of $1,200. At
this date its active membership was eighty-one. The following are some
of its prominent members: James and Sarah Piggot, Orren and Catherine
Stoddard, Mosley and Eva Stoddard, Albert and Emma Kelsey, and James M.
and Jane M. Stoddard. The first ministers who officiated in this
society were Thomas Quillen, William Warbington, Thomas Allen, and A.
L. McKinney. The first elders were Samuel Piggot and Orren Stoddard.
Fifteen years previous to the present date, this society from many
causes decreased in membership, and had it not been for the energy and
generosity of James M. Stoddard the church at this place would only be
known in the history of the past. The last named gentleman at his
death, which occurred in 1875, left a subsidy of $2,000, the proceeds
of which is to be expended for the support of the church. The society
now numbers twenty-one active members, and its former prosperity is
returning. Present minister is Rev. John S. Maxwell. The first death
that occurred in the society at this place was that of Mosley Stoddard
in 1854. The Sunday-school connected with this society has been
prosperous only as the church has been prosperous.
The first schools and school-houses of Madison township were strict
after the pioneer fashion. At the present there are nine commodious
frame school-houses in the township, well supplied with the new and
necessary apparatus to aid both teacher and pupil in their work. The
school building in Linden is divided into two departments.
Madison township in the past few years has taxed herself severely for
the purpose of drainage and the building of roads, the result of which
is that a great part of her territory, hitherto worthless because of
its swamps, is being brought into cultivation. "Within the past three
years they have built two pike roads across the township, one running
east and west and the other north and south. Madison township for many
years has been strongly democratic. Among the curiosities of the
township is the situation of four knolls, or mounds, in such a way as
to form a diamond; these are each about forty feet in height; the
figure is longest from southeast to northwest. Those mounds contain a
superior quality of gravel for road building.
Source History of Montgomery County, together with historic notes on
the Wabash Valley By Hiram Williams Beckwith, P. S. Kennedy, Davidson,
Thomas Fleming
