Van Buren township was settled earlier and more
rapidly perhaps than any other township in Monroe county,
with the exception of Bloomington. The soil of the
locality is rich and productive, hence the influx of
settlers began at a very early period, most of the pioneers
being from the Southland, and bringing with them all the
chivalry and courtesy of their ancestors.
The surface of Van Buren township is not so hilly and
rough as various other townships; the land approaches a fair
level, and is well watered and drained. Numerous small
streams and clear springs are scattered over the country,
enriching the alluvial qualities of the surface soil.
Valuable timber at one time covered the land, but has been
mercilessly destroyed by the inroads of commercialism.
The trees included black and white walnut, maple, oak, elm,
chestnut, poplar, beech, sycamore, ash, cherry, gum,
dogwood, sassafras, spicewood, etc.
An important geological feature of the county is
Puett's cave, in the northwestern portion. The cave is
of unknown depth in places, and is characterized by many
winding passageways, stalactites, stalagmites, fossils, and
other rock formations as curious as well as beautiful.
SETTLEMENT.
The name of the
first resident of the township is not on the reliable
record. It was doubtless one of the men whose names
are enrolled as land buyers in 1816, namely: Arthur
Patterson, on section 1; David Matlock, Jacob Cutler,
Daniel Sears, James Parks, James Matlock,
section 2; John Cutler, section 4; Archibald Wood
bought three hundred and twenty acres on section 10; John
Allen and George Matlock, section 11, the latter
also on section 12; Jonathan Rains, John Carr and
John W. Lee, section 13; John Allen, James Borland
and John Carr, section 14; Archibald Wood,
Michael Wood, David Matlock, section 15; John Collins
and Joseph Berry, section 21; William Wilson
and William Newcomb, section 22; John Harvey,
Jonathan Nichols and Arthur Patterson, section
24; Solomon Green and Archibald Wood, section
25; Levin Lawrence, section 26; Adam Darling,
section 27; Joseph Berry, Adam Bowen and John
Briscoe, section 28; Jesse Tarkington, Arthur
Patterson and John Sadler, section 31; Arthur
Patterson and Joseph Berry, section 32; the
latter also on section 33; John Storm section 34;
Thomas McCrang, section 35; John Johnson, Joseph
Jackson and Joseph Richardson, section 36.
In the year 1817 the following entries were made:
David Matlock, section 2; Francis Charlice,
section 11; James Matlock, section 12; Eli Lee,
section 14; William Newcomb, section 15; Pierre
Chacurn, section 22; Solomon Phillips, section
23; Joseph Gerrard and James Parsons, section
26; Adam Kern and Isaac Rogers, section 27;
John Berry, section 33; Joseph Berry, section 34.
In 1823 Austin S. Reeves made entry on section 9, and
Littleton West on section 21; Vincent Lindsey
settled on section 1 in 1824, and in the same year Eli
Farmer bought on section 2; John Mahala on
section 10 in the same year; John M. Berry, section
29; Lemuel Lyons, section 1 in 1825; George Moss,
section in 1829; Thomas Snoddy, section 6 in 1826;
John Watson, section 8 in 1828; Robert Dice,
section 9; Henry Sanders, section 10 in 1827;
William Deskins section 10 in 1828; George Milam,
section 12 in 1827; Isaac Rogers, section 21 in 1825;
Joseph Berry, section 21 in 1825; Gaspard Koons,
section 26 in 1825; William Morris, section 29 in
1829; John H. Bunger and Orion Crocker,
section 33 in 1829. Several men brought their families
here in 1816. There are many who believe that there
were white families living in this township as early as
1815, although there is no definite proof of this.
There are others who came to this locality early,
accompanied by their families, and a few of them were
James Gentry, Absalom Baker, Robert B. Givens, Andrew Gray,
George Grubb, Samuel Grabeal, Solomon Green, Seth Goodwin,
William Gray, Andrew Gray, Lewis Harman, Jasper Koons, Felix
Landers, Matthew Legg, Benjamin Neeld, William Neeld,
the Prices, Hiram Pauley, Solomon Phillips, Rebecca
Rawlins, the Renshaws, Benjamin Rice, Robert Rice,
William Rice, John Sadler, Henry Sanders, L. G.Shryer, James
G. Sparks, Noble Stockwell, James Shipman, John Shipman,
Thomas Snoddy. John Tarkington, W. C. Tarkington,
Sylvanus Tarkington, Samuel Turner, Reuben Ward, Luke Ward,
Booker Wit and others.
SHARON WICK'S NOTE: I made a
diagram to show where they may have lived. See below.
6.
1826 Thomas Snoddy
|
5.
1829 George Moss |
4.
John Cutler |
3.
|
2.
1816 David Matlock
1816 Jacob Cutler
1816 Daniel Sears
1816 James Parks
1816 James Matlock
1817 David Matlock
1824 Eli Farmer |
1.
1816 Arthur Patterson
1824 Vincent Lindsey |
12
1816 George Matlock
1817 James Matlock
1827 George Milam |
11.
1816 John Allen
1816 George Matlock
1817 Francis Charlice |
10.
1816 Archibald Wood
320 acres
1824 John Mahala
1827 Henry Sanders
1828 William Deskins |
9.
1823 Austin S. Reeves
1827 Robert Dice |
8.
1828 John Watson |
7.
|
18.
|
17.
|
16. |
15.
1816 Archibald Wood
1816 Michael Wood
1816 David Matlock
1817 William Newcomb |
14.
1816 John Allen
1816 James Borland
1816 John Carr
1817 Eli Lee |
13.
1816 Jonathan Rains
1816 John Carr
1816 John W. Lee |
24.
1816 John Harvey
1816 Jonathan Nichols
1816 Arthur Patterson |
23.
1817 Solomon Phillips
|
22.
1816 William Wilson
1816 William Newcomb
1817 Solomon Phillips
1817 Pierre Chacurn |
21.
1816 John Collins
1816 Joseph Berry
1823 Littleton West
1825 Isaac Rogers
1825 John Berry |
20.
|
19.
|
30.
|
29.
1825 John M. Berry
1829 William Morris |
28.
1816 Joseph Berry
1816 Adam Bowen
1816 John Briscoe
|
27.
1816 Adam Darling
1817 Adam Kern
1817 Isaac Rogers |
26.
1816 Levin Lawrence
1817 Joseph Gerrard
1817 James Parsons
1825 Gaspard Koons |
25.
1816 Solomon Green
1816 Archibald Wood |
36.
1816 John Johnson
1816 Josiah Jackson
1816 Joseph Richardson |
35.
1816 Thomas McCrang |
34.
1816 John Storm
1817 Joseph Berry |
33.
1816 Joseph Berry
1817 John Berry
1829 John H. Bunger
1829 Orion Crocker |
32.
1816 Arthur Patterson
1816 Joseph Berry |
31.
1816 Jesse Tarkington
1816 Arthur Patterson
1816 John Sadler |
STANFORD.
This very small
village was platted and laid out by Jesse Tarkington
in the late thirties. James Crane soon
afterwards opened a general merchandise store there,
probably about 1839. Kemble, Klein &
Company, Zachariah Catron, Sylvester Dory, Nicholas
Dillenger, Victor Dory, Odell & Walker opened up
places of business during the forties and were very
prosperous. In 1850 there were four general
stores, two or three blacksmiths, a saw mill, several
grist mills, and a population of one hundred and fifty.
In 1885 the number of people in the town was estimated
at two hundred, and in 1913, one hundred and twenty.
The business consists of a store, a few shops and a
postoffice.
THE BLUE SPRING COMMUNITY.
The
organization of the Blue Spring Community in Monroe
county in 1826 was the result of a movement which
extended over the whole of the United States. In
this country, during the years from 1820 to 1860, there
was much dissatisfaction in the educational and moral
systems in vogue for the development of a community.
Accordingly people began to co-operate, to form groups
and consolidate their wealth and influence to promote a
better system of teaching. The would live
together, work together and eat together, and were
controlled by a common set of by-laws and a
constitution. Such eminent men as Horace
Greeley, Charles Fourier and the Owens of
Posey county, Indiana, were in sympathy with the scheme
and used their efforts to build up these communities in
every part of the country.
In Monroe county the members of the newly-formed
community assembled at a place later called Harmony.
They built their homes placed their property i common,
built a few stores, and erected an excellent school, all
on a public square Despite the abuse and ridicule
they were subjected to by their neighbors, the first
year was very successful. Their ideals were high
and their intentions were of the best, but the
inevitable was bound to creep in. No matter how a
community may be formed, such familiarity will lead to
trouble, caused probably by one or more individuals.
When the bitter winds of winter commenced to sweep down
on the gathering many returned to their former homes.
The spring of 1827 came, but a continuation of the
community was abandoned. Such is the frailty of
human nature.
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