BROWN TOWNSHIP AND MOORESVILLE
MORGAN COUNTY INDIANA


THE PIONEERS

    There are many interesting historical items connected with Mooresville and vicinity. The settlement there, after it had begun, was so rapid, and the settlers were so intelligent, moral and thrifty, that the northern part of the county was not surpassed by any other portion for enterprise and general advancement and excellence. It is difficult to give with any certainty the name of the first settler in Brown Township, as several came in about the same time. If carefully sifted reports are reliable, there was no permanent settler until 1819, at which time a half dozen or more arrived. The first man was probably either Hiram Matthews, Benjamin Cuthbert, Charles Reynolds, Thomas Lee, Samuel Bar­low or William Ballard, all of whom entered the township for permanent residence in 1819. It is thought that Mr. Ballard was the first, as he opened a tavern on the old "Whetzel Trace " early in 1819. Among others who came during the next three or four years were John H. Bray, Eli Hadley, Harris Bray, Asa Bales, William McPherson, James Hadley, Barclay Barris, Edward Bray, R. G. Burris, John D. Carter, then a boy, Joel Dixon, Thomas Ballard, Richard Day, Nathaniel Carter, Charles Vertrees, Joshua Carter, Levi Plummer, William Rooker, Samuel Jones, William Gregory, I. W. Rooker, Ira Mendenhall, William Reason, Henry McCracken, William Bales, Benjamin White, William McCracken, Benjamin Thornburg, John Wilson, Thomas McNeff, William McNeff, William Matlock, Samuel Barlow, Joseph Moon, Eli Harvey, Samuel Moore and many others. The poll-tax payers in 1842 were Cary Beason, Edward Brady, William Brady, Caleb Beason, Harris Bray, John B. Burt, John Blanton, R. G. Burris, Smith Boyd, W. M. Black, Barclay Burris, Martin Beason, John Caveness, Alexander Conduitt, John Carter, J. H. Combs, Joshua Cox, J. L. Cox, John D. Carter, Perry Carpenter, Gabriel Coble, Daniel Cox, Nathaniel Carter, William Day, Aiken Daiken, Daniel Day, Thomas Dunegan, Nathan Dixon, Riley Dixon, John Day, Samuel Edmundson, Samuel Evans, John E. Fultz, Isaac Ferrand (a cooper), William Fogleman, William Fields, Dr. A. V. Gray, Daniel Greeson, M. T. Hadley, Eli Harvey, Simon Hadley, Will­iam Hadley, Dr. John Hiner, Job Hadley, David Harvey, Robert Har­vey, W. B. Harrold, Reuben Harris, Noah Housand, Joseph Hiatt, William Hardridge, John Hardrick, Jabez Hunt, Soloman Hunt, William Hinson, Thomas Herrold, T. E. Johnson, Hezekiah Jessup, John Johnson, P. P. Johnson (a tailor), James Johnson, George Kimbro, J. R. Kerr (a weaver), J. S. Kelley, Obed King, James Lindley, Aaron Lloyd, William Leathers, Joel Landrum, Alfred Moore, Samuel Moore, G. D. May, Hiram Matthews, John Matthews, John B. Moon, William McCracken, Henry McCracken, Riley McCrary, William McPherson, Thomas McNeff, Ricks Newby, Robert Newby, M. L. Orell, James Paddock, John J. Pfoff, John Pope, Dixon Pennington, R. E. Preston (a schoolteacher), Michael Rusee, Jesse S. Rooker, Isaac Reed, Thomas Rariden, James Richardson, Allen Robertson, T. H. Rooker, J. W. Richards, Jacob Shanafelt, Pleasant Sumner, Henry Shanafelt, J. E. Starr, S. V. Scott, B. D. Scott, John W. Thompson, Benjamin Thornburg, William Towell, I. W. Rooker, George Rosier, Reuben Rariden and Eli Vestal. This list is given to preserve the names of as many old settlers as possible.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND INCIDENTS

    White Lick Creek was the attraction in early years. The land bordering it was nicely rolling, and was largely alluvial, and almost inexhaust­ible in fertility. Log cabins arose in every direction along its banks, and in a very short period waving seas of wheat and other grain could be seen. Richard Day built a small corn cracker on the creek as early as 1822. A small dam was built across the stream, and a short race conveyed water to the old " flutter wheel," which propelled a small pair of buhrs made of sand stone. The flour that was made at this mill invariably contained sand from the old stones. The settlers were accordingly full of sand in more respects than one. Their teeth were always sharp and their appe­tites good, both being whetted, no doubt, on the sand. It was a cheap grindstone. People were not as fastidious then as regards what they ate as they are now. Now we have this patent fandangled process that turns out flour so fine that you  cannot see it with a microscope. Mr. Moon erected his saw mill on the East Fork in 1823. It was a rude affair, but furnished considerable native lumber for a few years. Mr. Moore says that when he reached the township in 1823, wolves, bears and numerous herds of deer were almost every-day sights where Mooresville now stands. John H. Bray started the first fulling mill in the central part of Indiana. It was located a short distance west of Mooresville, and commenced operation a year or two before 1830. It was a rude affair, but it served the purposes of the neighborhood. He did not even card. The settlers were obliged to do that themselves by hand. They bought their cards of Samuel Moore, who purchased them in the East with his goods. Mr. Moore also brought in huge bales of cotton, which were pur­chased and transformed into cloth by hundreds of wives for miles around. A calico dress at 37J cents per yard (only four yards), was then regarded as the most stylish costume in the woods.' Mrs. Thornburg brought with her a silk wedding dress, but folks would have called her "stuck up " if she had dared to wear it. She used it to make winding sheets for the children that died in the neighborhood. Soon after the Thornburgs reached the township their horses were stolen, and while the men were gone for a week or more in pursuit, Mrs. Thornburg was left alone with three or four small children. She worked nearly all the time they were gone, burning brush and logs, and getting ready for the coming crop. She was the daughter of Rev. Peter Monical, a Methodist minister of more than ordinary ability and piety. The Thornburgs have since been among the most enterprising and respected citizens of the county. John H. Bray was a large man, and wielded great influence wherever he moved. During the winter of 1821-22, he is said to have killed twenty-eight deer without going hunting. That shows how numerous those animals were. Their hides were worth about $1, and often their flesh was worth little more than nothing. Coons were numerous and their hides were worth about a drink of whisky. It is told on the venerable Samuel Moore, that, on one occasion, a coon skin was traded him for a drink of whisky. He threw the skin up in the loft and resumed his place behind the counter. Some thirsty fellow took it down unnoticed by Mr. Moore, and traded it to him a second time for a drink. The crowd assembled caught the idea, and the cheat was repeated again and again until Mr. Moore imagined he had a loft full of fine skins. It is quite likely that the fellow who told this story had been reading the life of David Crockett, and had borrowed the tale to tell at Mr. Moore's expense. Mr. Moore bought and traded for coon skins, however, but he recollects nothing about finding his loft full of emptiness. The tale is a myth. How foolishly credulous some persons are, and how many will base fact on fiction!

CONTINUED   REMINISCENCES

The old Moon Saw Mill continued to operate for several years. Harris Bray owned a saw mill about a mile and a half east of town, and also conducted a small distillery there for a number of years. When Hiram Matthews came to the township in 1820, a heavy fall of snow had just fallen. He crossed the tracks of seventeen different bears, all turned south except one. Benjamin Thornburg came in 1822. He had no corn, and could "get none in the settlement, and went up northeast of Indianapolis to Strawtown, where he obtained a supply which was floated down White River to the Bluffs, and* then hauled out by wagon. He helped his neighbors roll logs thirty days of the first season, and in return had his rolled. It was a sight, no doubt, to see thirty or forty men in a big field where logs and brush lay in every direction. The men would be divided into companies with Captains, and each party would try to outdo the others. Four strong, skillful men with handspikes would pick up and carry an enormous log. It would take about a score of men nowa­days with half a dozen derricks to lift such a log! You are not required, reader, to believe that statement unless you so desire. The women would usually gather to do the cooking, and the times in and around the cabins were about as lively, and far more attractive than out in the field, for our mothers were young then, and strong, and had the bright faces, round forms and light jokes and laughter which we so well remember in our boyhood days. We cannot be too kind to the old grandfathers and grandmothers whose feet never tired waiting upon us when we were helpless.

BEAR  STORIES

One day in September, about the year 1829, Nathaniel Carter went to Richmond, Ind., to attend the Quaker annual meeting. While he was gone, along during the evening Ira Mendenhall came over to his house to get help to haul in a large bear that he had just killed. He said that he had gone out to get his cows, and had discovered the bear, whereupon he fired and wounded it. He chased it and wounded it with a second shot. This so disabled the bear that he was enabled to get close enough to fin­ish it, which he did • with a shot through the head. It was a very large animal, and was hauled to the house with a horse. J. D. Carter, then a large boy, walked behind to see that the bear kept on its belly so that its hair would not be injured. The hide was taken off and put to soak. Mr. Rooker was asked to come over to judge whether the meat would do to eat. He pronounced it good, and the neighbors were accordingly re­galed with choice bear steak. They also pronounced it good. One day J. D. Carter was digging ginseng root near the woods. Upon looking up suddenly, he was astonished to see a large bear on a limb not many rods distant. He was considerably scared, and ran to the house to get his father. Mr. Carter, Sr., hurried out with his gun, and brought Mr. Bruin down at the first fire.The animal weighed about 300 pounds.

A  SNAKE  STORY

    In April, 1823, the rattlesnakes were very numerous where Richard Bay lived, near the toll gate east of Mooresville. There was a den of them in the big spring there. The Day boys and Carter boys secured several tall sycamore gums and placed them by the springs, and then by watching with long poles succeeded in throwing thirty-six of the venomous reptiles into the gums, whence they could not get out. On Sunday, sev­eral neighbors gathered to see the snakes. Blood was taken from the arm of some man present, and held in a cap, while the snakes were maddened with a stick, and permitted to strike several times into a small piece of cloth, and then the cloth thus poisoned was dipped in the blood. Ac­cording to J. D. Carter, who witnessed the experiments, the blood " boiled and boiled." After the blood had been thoroughly poisoned, the cele­brated rattlesnake root was crushed up and placed in the cup, whereupon the boiling instantly ceased.    This is a snake story.

SAMUEL   MOORE

    This well-known man who is yet living in Mooresville, at the age of eighty-four years, with recollection not a whit impaired by the ravages of time, came to Brown Township in 1823. He had been a resident of Salem, Ind., for a short time previously, and had there formed apartner-ship with Mr. Newby, of the firm of Booth & Newby, of Paola, by which the latter was to furnish $1,500 for three years, and Mr. Moore was to furnish $500 and his services for three years, to conduct a general mer­cantile business, at some good point in the New Purchase that was then rapidly settling up. Mr. Moore came with his $2,000 worth of goods, and placed the same in a blacksmith shop, which had previously been built and operated by a smith, named Charles Vertrees on the old Indian Trace, but which was then vacant. That amount of goods then was in bulk, only about one-third as large as at present. Calicoes, 371/2 cents per yard, and other things in proportion, greatly reduced the bulk from what it would be at present. The goods completely filled the little log building that stood at the foot of the hill, about a quarter of a mile south of Mooresville, and hence was not in Mooresville at all. Here Mr. Moore lived for three years, boarding with some of the families near by, and enjoying a lucrative trade for that time and place with the white settlers, and often with Indians who had furs to dispose of for trinkets and ammu­nition. At the end of three years, the partnership between Mr. Newby and Mr. Moore was at an end, and as the latter had cleared enough to furnish him with a satisfactory capital, without the aid of a partner, he concluded to settle with Mr. Newby, and continue the business on his own responsibility. The net profits for the three years were $3,000. After the business had been settled, Mr. Moore returned with a fresh stock, and opened the first store in Mooresville proper, which was then a total wilder­ness of heavy trees, in a frame building, which was erected by Joshua and Nathaniel Carter, carpenters, and Samuel Harryman, mason.

MOORESVILLE

    The first house upon the present site of the town was built by Asa Bales in the fall of 1824. About the same time, Charles Wilcox, Samuel Moore, William B. Harrold and Dr. Curtis G- Hussey built houses. The latter is now a millionaire of Pittsburgh, Penn. Mr. Moore's house was a frame structure, the lumber coming from Mr. Moon's saw mill. It stood where Mr. Woodward's store now stands. William Gr. Lear, Thomas Harrold, Jacob Combs, Isaac Edwards, Eli Tansey, William Cline and others, were other early residents of the little town which grew rapidly. Mr. Moore of course had the first store. In 1826, Alexander Worth & Co. opened the second store, with a stock worth about $4,000. Worth had been interested in the Salem firm of Booth & Newby, the senior member of the firm being the father of Senator Booth, of California. He had formerly been a clock peddler in the Carplinas. He afterward moved his business from Salem to Terra Haute, where he did a mammoth business and became rich. He is said to be living there yet. Mr. Worth was really the agent of this firm, whose goods he was intrusted with. " W. G. Lear opened the third store in 1826, and Silas Stapp, the fourth, in the fall of 1827. Pemberton Dickens opened a liquor shop in 1828. He afterward went to Danville, where he engaged in the grocery business. He could not write, and was in the habit of using signs in keeping his book accounts. One day one of his patrons went to him to make the semi-annual settlement, and found among other articles that he was charged with a whole cheese. He denied having purchased such an article of diet, but there on the day book which Mr. Dickens proudly exhibited, was the big O, the sign representing the cheese. The patron still denied it, and after reflecting a moment, stated that he had bought a grindstone. " Oh yes," exclaimed Mr. Dickens, " that's so, I forgot to make the hole." Whereupon he completed the entry in his daybook thus .
    In 1830, Worth & Kelley went into partnership in the mercantile business. Armstead Jackson was the tavern keeper in 1832. A Mr. Worthington went into partnership with Mr. Moore in about 1834 or 1835. He was related to the latter by marriage. John J. Cox opened a tavern and grocery about the same time. It may be said here that Samuel Moore sold goods at Mooresville for forty-four consecutive years. He was the leading business man of his day in the northern part of the county. J. S. Kelley was probably next in business activity. Both kept excellent stores during the thirties and forties, often having as high as $15,000 worth of goods, which were purchased in Eastern markets twice a year. William Tarborough kept a tailor shop in town about 1840. Along in the forties, Mr. Worth failed in the pork business and was suc­ceeded by Hadley & Worthington. Among the residents and industries about 1836-37 were the following: Samuel Moore, J. S. Kelley, Alex­ander Worth, merchants; Israel Hunt, Gabriel Coble, W. M. Black, J. M. Leathers, John Cox, Jeremiah Blankenship, Joseph Hiatt, A. Jack­son, W. C. Cline, Solomon Hunt, Joshua Cox, J. H. Combs (wagon-maker), W. H. P. Woodward (a young man just arrived), Fred Lester (shoe-maker), B. Wood, Joseph Wood, George D. May, B. B. Ball, Isaac Williams, Thomas Murphy (wagon-maker), Samuel Watts, James Richard­son, Charles Wilcox, George Cray ton, Solomon Dunegan and his three sons, Lemuel, Thomas and Frank, all blacksmiths and the father a Bap­tist preacher. Cox, Blankenship and Jackson were the liquor sellers and tavern keepers. Mr. Bray's saw-mill and distillery, east of town, were running. Richardson and Wilcox made hats from lamb's wool; Watts was a tailor. Mr. Woodward commenced the business with him in 1835 and continued the business many years, until his health began to fail him, when he abandoned the business, as he says, just about the time sewing machines came into use. A Frenchman named Segart was a tailor also. Isaac Williams conducted a saddlery and harness shop. J. S. Kelley erected a pottery a short distance west, and Ball was his potter. They manufactured many excellent crocks, jars, jugs, etc., some of which may yet be seen in neighborhood. Several thousand of these useful household articles were made annually and found a ready sale for many miles around.
Alexander Worth's carding mill was another important enter­prise. At first nothing but carding was done, but later, in obedience to-the demand, spinning and weaving machinery was purchased and a Mr. Bastian, a practical weaver, was employed. Flannels, jeans and sat­inets were woven. At this time (late in the thirties) the village had a population of over 300, and business of all descriptions was very active.

MERCANTILE  TRADE,   PORK-PACKING,  ETC.

    Mr. Moore established branch stores at the Bluffs and at Martins-ville, the business at the latter place being conducted by Mr. Worthing-ton. He had over $30,000 invested in general merchandise at the three-places during the forties. His book accounts were enormous, and his trade equally as extensive. He cleared thousands of dollars. He erected a big grist mill early in the thirties on White Lick Creek near the town, and there was not a larger, better or more active grist mill at the time in the central part of the State. That alone added more than any other one thing to the rapid development of Mooresville. Large quantities of flour, corn- meal, wheat and corn were shipped by boat from the mill down the creek to the river and thence down to Southern markets. He also-engaged extensively in the pork-packing business, employing many hands-in the packing season during the colder months to do the slaughtering. He owned a big pork house at the Bluff. He sent off as high as five boat loads of pork and produce in one year. John Scott, Reuben Hen­derson, Perry Carpenter, Jacob Peyton and others were his pilots. He sent a total of nearly thirty boat loads down the river while he was in the business. He bought nearly 100 horses in 1833, and drove them to-Virginia to market. They were taken to the large sugar plantations on the island of Cuba. Large numbers of the hogs bought were not slaughtered at all here, but were driven into Ohio and sold at the big^ markets there. He took off as high as 3,000 hogs at one time in this-manner, separating them for convenience in handling into droves of 600 or 800, and driving the droves a few miles apart. Many men were needed to take care of them and feed them on the way. The hogs then were not as they are now. They were older, poorer, and, hence, were much better travelers. J. S. Kelley also did considerable business in pork packing and  shipping. Mr. Moore conducted a saw mill in con­nection with his big grist mill.

LATER  BUSINESS  ENTERPRISES

    Among the business men during the forties were John W. Thompson,. Conduitt & Brother, Samuel Moore, J. S. Kelley, Sheets & Brothers, S. Hunt, Alfred Moore & Co., Riley Dixon, Hawk & Yarborough, J. W. Parker, Holman and D. J. Johnson were the leading merchants. Bur­roughs & Manker, cabinet-makers; S. S. & J. Ellis, saddles and harness ; Isaac Williams, same; Black, Wilkins & Co., tanning and currying. Mr. Worth's woolen factory was burned not far from 1840, but was then: commenced in his old pork-packing building which was fitted up for the purpose. Here it was that spinning and weaving were done. John Carter conducted a linseed oil mill in the northern part of town on a small scale. The machinery was operated by cattle on an inclined plane.

 INCORPORATION  OF   MOORESVILLE

    The growth of the village during the twenties was so rapid that in 1831 the population was over 200, and every business industry was full of promise. In March, 1831, the question of incorporating the town was submitted to the citizens, and carried by a majority of twenty-four votes, the total vote being thirty-two. At the same time, a large addition of 140 lots was laid out and offered for sale, with many buyers. The town was accordingly incorporated, and the following men were the first Trustees: Samuel Moore, Asa Bales, W. C. Cline, J. S. Kelley and James Bradshaw. After about two years, the municipal government died out, but was again revived in 1838, since which time, if reports are cor­rect, it has been maintained. A jail was built in the thirties, to accom­modate the disorderly. The town ordinances were published in the Chronicle, edited at Mooresville in 1846 and until about 1851 by T. J. Worth. This paper was an important factor at Mooresville, but was not supported to satisfy the owner, who removed it to the county seat. The surrounding country, however, could not afford to do much better, as it was taken in all families.

LATER  INDUSTRIAL  PURSUITS

    Sheets & Brothers engaged in the mercantile business soon after 1850. W. H. P. Woodward began in 1857, his partner being Mr. FoglemanLater came Thornburg & Son, Robert R. Scott, A. B. Gregory, Calvin Moore, who owned the first drug store ; Woodward & Hinson, grocers; Joseph Pool, drugs ; G. W. Ross, same; Frank Hadley, same ; Harvey, same; Clinton Hadley, the present druggist; Rusie & Richardson, stoves, about twenty years ago; Michael Rusie, hardware, in the fifties, and many others.    The population of the town in 1850 was about 500.

PRESENT  BUSINESS  ENTERPRISES

    Dry goods, J. H. Thompson & Son, Fred Sheets & Bro., W. H. P. Woodward, Parker & Co.; hardware, T. A. Richardson; grocers, John A. Newman, W. H. P. Woodward, Leathers Bros., Peter Farmer; drugs, G-. W. Bass, C. C. Hadley, S. M. Hadley; millinery, Carrie Rusie; restaurants, L. D. Comer; butchers, T. H. Prather, Chris Egler; livery, Hamilton Jackson & Bro., Charles Wellman; harness, B. F. Jones; carriages, Leander Shanafelt, W. H. White; grist mill, Smith & Hiatt; saw mill and planing mill, Mathew Comer; tile factory, A. W. Hadley & Bro.; lumber yard, Eli Sumner; grain buyers, Smith & Hiatt, Mr. Marsley; creamery, Jordan & Co.; photographer, I. P. Calvert; printing offices, W. H. Hunt, Larkin Elliott; hotels, Merrick, Wellman, McCracken; barbers, William Woods, Solomon Russell; furniture, J. H. Rusie ; .boots and shoes, 0. E. Rooker ; brick, Ayres & Dane, P. Fields, Cooper, Mr. Dolan ; contractors, Manker & Cooper, Comer & Marine.

THE  EARLY  AND  SUBSEQUENT  SCHOOLS.

    It is said that Grant Stafford taught school near Judge Hiram Mat­thews' during the winter of 1821-22. If this is a fact, it was no doubt the first in the township. The writer has been unable to get at the facts. It is known that school was taught in that vicinity very early. Barclay Burris taught about a mile east of Mooresville in 1823, or perhaps 1824. Sessions were held almost continuously in these two neighborhoods after these first terms. Log schoolhouses were erected in both neighborhoods about 1826. A school was started by the Friends a mile or two west of town about the same time. This school for many years was the best in the township, not even excepting the one at Mooresville. They were prominent people, and many of them being in good circumstances could afford to have good schools early. Asa Bales, the first resident of Moores­ville, with whom Samuel Moore boarded while engaged early in his store, was no doubt the first teacher in the town. He taught in a small log cabin, and had about ten scholars, including, if reports are correct, sev­eral of his own. After this the growth of the town was so rapid that schools were taught there continuously. Horatio N. Teacle was an early teacher east of town, in the Bray neighborhood. Willis Conduitt, father of A. B. Conduitt, of Indianapolis, taught school in the Carter neighbor­hood during the very cold winter of 1825-26. When the teacher reached the house on Christmas morning, he found that his large scholars had barred the door, and he was refused entrance unless he treated. He accordingly went to town and bought about a gallon of whisky, which he divided out among his pupils, and was then permitted to resume his duties in-doors. Some of the boy s became too full (fool) for utterance, and were sent home in disgrace J. D. Carter was one of the number. He went home swaggering, happy as a lark, loaded to the muzzle with a ceaseless fire of talk, but his father quietly took down the big gad and gave the boy a dressing that he remembers until the present. The remedy was corrective, as that was the first, last and only boozy experience Mr. Car­ter ever had.
    By the year 1828, the schools of Mooresville had become so excellent that the citizens organized or established the Mooresville School Society. The meeting was held at the house of Samuel Moore, and the following officers of the society  were elected: W.  C.  Conduitt, President; Asa Bales,  Secretary; D.  G.  Worth,  W. C. Conduitt, Alexander Worth, Joel Dixon and Asa Bales, Trustees. The President of this educational society was an experienced school teacher himself, and a man of consid­erable learning.  He taught quite early in town. Late in the twenties, a brick schoolhouse was built in the village under the direction of the society.    It was a substantial building containing one room, in which good teachers were employed at comfortable wages. The house cost about $600, and was constantly used for religious purposes and as a debat­ing and lecturing room.  Two teachers in this house were E. H. Waugh and R. E. Preston. Late in the forties, it was succeeded by a frame building containing two rooms, which cost $800. This house was used until the Friends' Schoolhouse was built in 1861 in the western part of town, at a cost of $4,500.    Much of the fund was raised by donation from all the citizens who were to be permitted to send their children there, though the Friends were to have control.    In about 1870, the town became an independent school district, whereupon the schoolhouse was purchased of the Quakers for $5,000, and the latter very justly refunded the amount with interest, which had been donated by the other citizens in 1861. Prof. Stewart was the first teacher in this house, his term being the winter of 1861-62. He continued to teach for three years, when he was superseded by Joseph Poole. After the independent district was formed, the first Principal was Harrison Hubbard.  He was paid $3.89 per diem. His assistants were Isaac Jones, who received $2.75 per day, and Emma Clawson, who received $2 per day. Since then the Princi­pals have been John H. Beason, William C. Hinson, James Hunt, Mary McNabb, William M. Hadley, A. W. Macy, Stephen Hunt, F. J. Byers, O. C. Charlton, C. P.  Eppert, two years; Elam Harvey, three years. The assistants, beginning in 1871, have been Louisa Harvey, Eloise Tay­lor, James Hunt, Mary J. Hunt, Mattie Pray, Mary McNabb, Edna C. Street, Cecilia Hadley, Elam Harvey, Elvira Harnaday, Emma Thomp­son, Susan Wilson, Hattie Cox, Mr. and Mrs. Perigo, J. H. Woods, Anna Hadley, A. W. Macy, Elvira Perce, Rolena Hadley, Jennie Tilford and Frank Manker. As high as five teachers have been employed at one time.  A large addition to the schoolhouse is being constructed the present year, which wilLcost about $4,000.

SECRET   SOCIETIES

The writer endeavored to get access to the records of the Masonic Lodge at Mooresville; but as the members he talked with seemed to care but little whether a sketch of it was written or not, and made no effort to furnish the necessary facts, they cannot appear in these pages. The lodge is an old one, extending back, if reports are reliable, into the forties. Morgan Lodge, No. 211, Odd Fellows, was established in July, 1859, with the following charter members : W, G. Cook, John H. Rusie, B. B. Wright, T. N. Peoples, A. T. Manker, Reuben Harris and Richard P. Johnson. The first officers were W. G. Cook, N. G. ; B. B. Wright, Y. G.; T. N. Peoples, Secretary. In 1881, their fine brick building was destroyed by fire, and with it all their personal effects. The building has been rebuilt. The lodge is in excellent financial condition, with property, including cash, valued at §5,000. In 1866, Mooresville Encampment, No. 74, was established.

THE  BANKING   BUSINESS

The Savings Bank of Mooresville was established in August, 1872, the first officers being A. W. Reagan, President; Allen Hadley, Vice President: Alexander Worth, Secretary and Cashier. In 1873, the estab­lishment became known as the Farmers' Bank, with a cash capital of $30,000, which was afterward increased to- $50,000, but later decreased to $35,000. The following men were stockholders : Dr. A. W. Reagan, Joseph Pool, L. M. Hadley, Eli J. Sumner, Allen Hadley, F. Sheets & Bro., Giles B. Mitchell, J. L. Moffitt, Joel Jessup, Alexander Worth, Jackson Jessup, Holman Johnson, J. F. Hadley, Joseph N. Taylor, Aaron Mills, Ira M. Bray, W. B. Thompson and John Sheets. The Presidents of the bank have been Giles B. Mitchell, Charles Reeve and H. Satterwhite. The Cashiers have been A. Worth, J. A. Taylor, W. F. Hadley.    The following is the present financial condition of the bank :

RESOURCES.                                          LIABILITIES.

Cash.................................... 4,008.47        Capital................................ 35,000.00

Bills Receivable................. 63,558.33        Surplus................................4,525.00

Real Estate........................ 14,278.45        Interest.................................3,337.65

Expense............................. 1,258.31        Deposit..................................55,969.02

Furniture............................. 2,513.81        Certificate.............................. 8,132.79

Tax....................................... 239.86        Unpaid Dividend.............................56.00
                                 
Indianapolis National Bank.... 20,837.23                                                              

Winslow & Co.................. 318.83                 Total................................ §107,020.46

Drafts.............................................. 7.17

Total............................. $107;020.46

RELIGIOUS   DEVELOPMENT

    Since the earliest times, the religious sentiment has been stronger in Brown Township than perhaps any other portion in the county of equal or less extent. The first settlements were no sooner formed than min­isters began to appear, and classes began to arm themselves for the good fight. The organization of all the classes cannot be given, though many of the names of those prominently connected with religious interests have been wrested from swift-approaching oblivion. The Methodist class at Mooresville was really founded by Eliza Moore, wife of Samuel Moore, not far from the year 1828. Indeed, she was about the only member at first, but she was soon joined by Eli Tansey and wife, Jesse S. Hooker and wife, Joseph Hunt and wife, and William C. Cline and wife. The Sunday school for this class was established in 1835, by Rev. John Will­iams. In 1839, the members of this church were the families of the following persons: Samuel J. Black, James Kelley, Samuel Stevenson, Isaac Williams, William Herrold, Daniel Cox, Jacob L. Pfoff, Alexander Worth, Daniel May, William McClelland, William Carlisle, Jonathan Hunt, Jacob Shanafelt, Joseph L. Cox, David Shanafelt, Daniel Day, Joseph Hiatt, William M. Black, J. W. Richards, William C. Cline, Eliza Moore, John Hardrick, Harris Bray, William A. Blair, Gabriel Coble and J. W. Thompson. A very large revival had occurred two years before, by which the class had been multiplied nearly tenfold. The old brick Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1839, under the direction of James Kelley, William McClelland, Daniel Day, W. M. Black and J. W. Richards, Trustees. The fund was raised by subscription, the following men head­ing the list: James S. Kelley, $200; Samuel Moore (who was not a member), §200; Alexander Worth, $125; Joseph Hiatt, $50; Daniel Day, $50; Joseph Moon, $50. The total subscription was $1,713.82; shrinkage, $196.95; expended upon the church, $1,516.87. This church was dedicated in the fall of 1839 by Bishop Simpson. Isaac Crawford and Thomas S. Rucker were the ministers in charge of the class when the house was built. This old house was used until the present fine brick structure was built in 1882, at a cost of about $6,000. The class has ever been strong and prosperous.
    The old Methodist class, about three miles southwest of town, was organized about 182rt. Among the early members were the families of Benjamin Cuthbert, Jeremiah Johnson, Thomas Griphain, Nathan Nich­ols, John Cole, Charles Fowler. Mr. Cuthbert furnished about an acre of land for the nominal sum of $1, to be used for church purposes. This class was a branch of the old one, near the residence of Benjamin Thornburgh. It is likely that the latter class was the first Methodist Episcopal organization in Morgan County. The first sermon was preached at the house of John Martin, by Rev. Reuben Clay pool, in the year 1821. The marriage of Mr. Claypool to Martha Russell is said to have been the first in the county. The ceremony was performed before the county was or­ganized. The class was fully organized in 1821, and meetings were mostly held that year at the cabin of Mr. Martin, and the following year at that of William Rooker. Among the first members were John Martin, class leader, Mary Martin, William Gregory, Thomas Gregory, Daniel Gregory, Levi Plummer, Patsey Plummer, George Crutchfield, Anna Crutchfield, Catha­rine Crutchfield, Nancy Crutchfield, Thomas Gresham, Sarah Gresham, Samuel Jones, Jesse Rooker, Candes Rooker, Mother Monical, William Rooker, Nancy Rooker, Rev. Peter Monical, Hannah Monical, Wesley Monical, Catharine Monical, Benjamin Thornburg, Susan Thornburg, Eli Tansey, Edith Tansey, Hiram Tansey, Able Tansey and many others later. By the year 1825, the class was large and prosperous. In 1826, Rev. John Strange held a famous revival, which largely increased the membership of the church. Several of the early ministers were Peter Monical, Samuel Hamilton, James Armstrong, Allen Wiley and E. R. Ames. This first church was built late in the twenties, and was the first in the county. This class is yet in existence, and has five or six branches. All of the early Methodist Churches in that vicinity sprang from this. It was called the White Lick Methodist Church. The Quakers fully organized their class in 1822, at the house of Asa Bales, where meetings were held for some time. In a few years the class was about as strong as that of the Methodists; indeed, these two classes were the strongest and most important features in the northern part of the county in early years. Under the supervision of the Quakers, the Sulphur Spring School, in the western part of Brown Township, became at that time the largest, most prosperous and most important school in Morgan County. Their church was called the White Lick Society of Friends. The Quaker Church in the eastern part of Monroe Township is a branch of this. Their first building was erected late in the twenties. Among the leading members were the Doans, the Hadleys, the Harveys, the Tanseys, the Baleses, the Bowleses, the Dixons, and many others. Their second church was built in Mooresville during the last war. The Christians have a class at Mooresville at present. The class was organized in the forties, and their church was built soon after 1850. Other classes have flourished in the township.


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