OKAW TOWNSHIP
Pg. 297

     PICKAWAY TOWNSHIP is bounded on the north by Penn township, on the east by Moultrie county, and Todd's Point township, on the south by Ridge, on the west by Flat Branch township.

     Early Settlers -
     Elias Armstrong has the honor of being the first settler and builder of the first log-cabin.  He located here in the year 1828, on section 7.  Soon after he came he married a young lady residing in Madison county, Illinois.  He resided here for a few years, and sold out his improvements to his brother John, and removed to Flat Branch, and settled where he lived until his death.
     John Lee moved in the year 1829, from Robinson creek to this vicinity, and settled on the north-west corner of section 7, where he built a cabin.  He lived there a few years, then sold his improvements to Elias Armstrong, and migrated to the state of Missouri.
     Samuel Whitehead moved here from Madison county, Ill., in 1835, and located on section 18.  He lived there a few years, and then emigrated to Kansas.
     John Whitehead settled on section 17, near the little grove where J. M. Davis now resides.  All the early settlements began in the north-west corner of the township.
     Washington Armstrong improved the place now occupied by Daniel Yantis, called Buck Grove.  Old Settlers say it was no uncommon sight to see a herd of one hundred deer at a time, in or around the grove.
     Daniel Yantis, a native of Maryland, came to Shelby county, in 1853.  After remaining here a short time, he moved to Ohio, but returned and settled on section 29, in the year 1855, raising a family of nine children, all married and living in this county.
     Collins McKee came from Ohio, and settled on sec. 35, in the year 1846, and lived there until his death.
     The place is now owned by W. H. Jackson, a native of Ohio, who emigrated to this county in the year 1845.  Mr. Jackson enlisted as a soldier in the Mexican war, and served as a private in Co. B., Third Regiment, commanded by Colonel Ferris Foreman.  The war over he received an honorable discharge, and returned to the state of his adoption, and began, as it were, life anew, opening one among the finest stock farms in the county, containing about seven or eight hundred acres of land, where he now resides.
     Among the early settlers we find Harrison Hopkins, D. F. Durkee, John Durkee, John Luffers, John Foster, J. Atkinson and John Casey, who settled his place in 1834, and A. James, who was the Nimrod of the settlement, being remembered for killing the black bear, in 1838, that was driven by George Royse some four miles or more.  Mr. Royse was riding through the prairie form Decatur, and came upon bruin near what is now called the Davis grove.  He drove the bear to the grove on the farm now owned by Nathan Corley.  It was in the month of August, and as the bear was inclined to "go West," he became pretty well worried and warmed up, and when he came to the branch his bearship refused to go any further eastward, and laid down.  Royse then rode down to the cabin of James, who took his rifle and hounds, and went to the grove; he soon came upon the bear, and in a shorter time than it takes to write this narrative his bearship was "treed," and James with the pioneer's trusty rifle brought him to the ground.
     In 1836 Mr. James had a very severe tussle with a panther at or near the same grove, and succeeded in killing him.  Upon measurment, he was found to be nine feet long, from the end of his nose to the tip of his teail.
     Edward Reddington, from Indiana, settled on the south-west quarter of section 34, in 1847, living here but a short time, then removing to Texas.
     Nathaniel Corley was born in Ridge township in the year 1827; enlisted as a soldier in the Mexican war of 1846, in Company "B," Third Regiment; was promoted to the rank of third sergeant; after serving with credit to himself, was honorably discharged.  Returning home, he laid his land warrant on section 34, and at once began improving the farm and erecting the necessary buildings; and what was then a wild timber and prairie plot is now a beautiful farm, surrounded with many of the comforts of life.
     The first school-house was built on section 7, in the edge of the timber.  It was a log structure of no mean dimensions for those days.
     St. Mary's Church, on the north-east corner of section 25, was built by the Methodist denomination.
     Grove Church, on section 20, was erected by the United Brethren in the year 1858, and was the first church erected in the township.  It proving too small to accommodate the congregation, it was removed, and the present beautiful edifice was built on its site in 1875. 
     The Baptist denomination are now building a church on the north-west corner of section 34, on N. Corley's place.
     This township contains an area of thirty square miles, or 19,200 acres of fertile and productive land, capable of producing in large quantities all crops grown in this part of the state.
     Drainage. - The southern part is drained by Robinson creek and its affluents, and the north-western portion by the tributaries of Flat Branch, all of which give a good supply of water for stock purposes.  There are no pools, swamps or stagnant water to generate miasma, hence this is a healthy portion of the county.
     Game. - The early settlers of this township were surrounded with an abundance of game such as bears, deer, wild turkey, prairie chickens, quails, rabbits, wolves, raccoons, opossums, &c.  Also numerous flocks of migratory birds came in the spring and fall, among which were geese, brants, ducks, cranes, &c.
     The first land entry of government lands was made on the third day of August, 1833.  John Armstrong entered the W. ½ of the S. W. ¼, section 6, town 13, range 3 east, containing 160 acres.  On Nov. 23d, 1833, David Watkins entered the S. W. ¼ of the N. W. ¼, section 6, 39 97-100 acres.  On the 25th day of July, 1834, Ebzemond Basye entered the S. W. ¼ of section 35, 160 acres.  Robert Porter laid his land warrent on section 26, in 1848.  Also Nathan Corley on section 34, in 1849.
     Supervisors - The following gentlemen have represented Pickaway in the board of supervisors; J. Casey, chairman, elected in 1860, re-elected in 1861;  G. M. Thompson, elected in 1862; John Casey, chairman, elected in 1863; G. M. Thompson, elected in 1864; John Casey, elected in 1865; William Baird, elected in 1866, re-elected in 1867, and chairman in 1868 and 1869; W. L. Ward, elected in 1870; N. Corley, elected in 1871, re-elected in 1872; J. Casey, chairman, elected in 1873, re-elected in 1874; N. Corley, elected in 1875, re-elected in 1876-77; C. H. Hilliard, elected in 1878, re-elected in 1879; J. C. Noon, elected in 1880, and is the present incumbent.

YANTISVILLE,

     A post-office on section twenty-nine, was established November 15, 1880, with Henry Yantis as post-master.  Longenbaugh and Yantis have a general store here.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.