Pike County,

A special thanks to Paul Curry for sharing this wonderful information
Reference: Pike County History and Families 1816-1987 pages 42-45

MONROE TOWNSHIP
A Chronicle of Spurgeon
By Terry R. Beadles

The author of this chronicle is compelled to comment on the origin of his material, and to give credit where credit is due. My story is based on the accounts of Peter Monroe Ferguson of 1928. He must be considered an authority on the matter since he lived in Spurgeon from his birth in 1852 until his death in 1931. Anyone concerned for the preservation of such a history should be grateful for his endeavor. Because of his foresight and inclination, the by-gone years of Spurgeon shall long be remembered. If credit is due to anyone for this story, then it must be to Mr. Peter Monroe Ferguson.
Near the southern tip of Pike County, in Monroe Township, is the intersection of the Princeton-Fredonia and the Boonville-Petersburg roads, built by an act of the Indiana Legislature.
Mr. Ferguson contends that the Princeton-Fredonia road was the probable route taken by Abraham Lincoln on his journey to Illinois, this being one of the very few roads affording him passage over the various creeks and rivers by bridge. And because he had made similar trips to the flourmill at Princeton from his home in Spencer County, thus making his course more familiar and expedient.
Later a road was built from Lynnville, located on the Boonville-Petersburg road, to Huntingburg in Dubois County, Indiana. It was at the intersection of this road and the Princeton-Fredonia road that the town of Pleasantville would begin.

Among the first settlers of this community were Eiza Richards, John Ferguson and his son, Peter, and Wiley Fowler. Richards settled near the intersection, Ferguson some distance to the west and his son, Peter, just north of the junction where the Jordon addition is now, and Fowler south of the crossroads, where the Old Addition of the Spurgeon Cemetery is now located.
In 1859, J. W. Richardson, living then on the Eiza Richards' farm, decided the time was right for the platting of a town, thus the beginning of Pleasantville. To prevent his neighbors from the east from making additions to the town, he reserved a strip of land on the eastern edge of his property that he did not add to the original platt. In doing so, he has created much confusion for some of the residents, concerning property lines.
After he had finished, the town started growing rapidly. Dr. Thomas Ferguson built his log home here and Wiley Fowler and Abijah Humphrey started the first storeroom, situated right at the junction. Abner Campbell, John Davis, and David Gentry also built homes here, the latter two, starting the first blacksmith shop. In 1865 the first tobacco barn was built by a Mr. Ash, causing the town to boom.

Tobacco was the primary income of the farmers in the area, and with ' the building of the barn, the producers were given an outlet for their crops. Up until this time they had hauled it to Boonville or Evansville, by horse and wagon, receiving ten to twenty cents per pound for their trouble. Another storeroom and tobacco business was then built by J. J. Fleener and his partner, Dan Zimmerman of Lynnville. Fleener bought Zimmerman's half of the business and shortly after went bankrupt from extending too much credit. Before his business failed, he bought the property of J, W. Richardson and added two more additions to the town. Issac Fowler also started a tobacco warehouse but went farther by building a tobacco stemming shop. This latter shop gave many women and children of the area employment. With the coming of the railroad, to Boonville, came more employment for the members of the community. The railroad shipped the tobacco in large wooden casks called hogheads, and laborers were needed for the construction of these items.

Fowler's tobacco barn was of great height, and when it burned, it caused the destruction of many surrounding buildings. Also destroyed were the home and blacksmith shop of Jack Ross, a barn owned by the Booker's, killing two of their horses, and another d by Jack Fleener.
In 1866, Aaron Harlin, a chair maker. Brunner came to the area started the first grist mill woodcarding shop. They too were by fire shortly afterward. d Frank Heuring opened another blacksmith shop, with Frank Ringer, and Charlie Cartmill as their woodwrights, in 1868.
Saloons were no stranger to the comer. Mr. Ferguson states, "No fewer than fifteen men tried this business in a period of some twenty years, bringing poverty, vice and sorrow with them."
The various businesses of this town are too many to mention in detail, so a list of establishments and proprietors will have to be sufficient. This list is probably not complete and is in no means in order of first to last. It will, however, give the reader an idea of the business interest of this part of the county.
Various store owners of the past one hundred and fifty years were Abijah Humphrey, Wiley Fowler, J. J. Fleener, Dan Zimmerman, J. N. Lorton, James A. Shephard, The Grange Store, Issac Fowler, J. W. Scales, Bill and Netter Teavault, Hardin Shively, Allen Oxby,  Bilderback and Langford, Jonas Roy, Elijah Roy, Noah Roy, Alec Roy, Jacob Ackert, James McKinney, Francis McKinney, Rufus Julian and William D. Julian, Lawrence Julian, Charles Oxby, Earl Davis, John Jordon, Frank Tyring, Bert McMurtry, Roscoe McKinney, Floyd McKinney, Mr. Miller, Millard Ringham, Albert Tatum, Charles McKinney, Paul McCormick, Russell Mason, and Chester and Elnora Arnold being the last to carry a full line of meat and produce. This list contains all of the grocery, hardware, furniture and appliance stores that could be remembered.

Blacksmith and livery stables were owned by John Davis, David Gentry, John M. Julian, Nick Gieselman, Norman Curry, Jack Ross, Nick Truckey, George and Frank Heuring, Joe Bone, Frank Gieselman, and John R. Butler.
Feed mill owners included Abe Webb, Rufus Julian, Frank Gieselman, Norman Curry, Booker Brothers, and Tyring Brothers.
Pool halls and resturants were operated at different times by Irba Mansfield, Richard Roy, Ottis Roy, Pearl Roy, Ora and Bonnie Roy, Gaines McKinney, Mr. Kitchen Mr. Carter, Gola Barrett, Sylvia McKinney, John Maxey, William Schector, Charlie Thompson, Lee and Deb Boardman, Denby Parker, Earl Schuhart and Lark Cato. Some of these were pool rooms; some were just restaurants, and some were both in the same building.
The various garages and gas stations were owned or operated by Oscar Dyer, Arthur Mason, Albert Jordon, Merle Able, Otto Hunley, Earl Hart, Albert Tatum, John Hall, Elmer Hall, Poode Fritz, Paddle Stillwell, Glen Dougan, Ottis Roy, Jim Julian, and Harold Jones.
Other businesses included two funeral parlors ran by Sam Julian, and Elijah Roy; a meat shop operated by John R. Butler; the "Blue Goose" restaurant, a creamery, and a poultry house owned by Joe Bone; and different drug stores owned by Richard Roy, Art Carter, Gola Barrett, William Cooper, The Davidsons, and Harley Gray. The different barbers were Chester Holder, Lowell France, Edgar Curry, Charlie Perry, John Smith, Henry Hunt, Ike Riddle, Bill Allen and Gabe Channel being the last. Eileen Toole, Audra Grubb, Virginia Bailey, Edith Gieselman, Ruth Roy, Rutha Lea Parker, Violet Coberly, Jan Pirkle, and Juanita Roy all were beauticians in the town.
Doctors of the community were Dr. Thomas Ferguson, Dr. Hamilton Hooker, B. T. and Alfred Jones, Dr. Cook, Dr. Osborne, Dr. Coleman, Dr. West, Dr. Harrington, Dr. Tilford, Dr. Baker, Dr. G. G. Griffith, and Dr. Joseph Camp, who was the last.

The first school was a log building built on the northwest corner of the town, built by Peter Ferguson and his neighbors. The second was located on the Wiley Fowler farm in what is now the old addition of the cemetery, followed by the third one just west of it on the right side of the road on the last hilltop in Spurgeon. Number four was built just across the road from number three, and then the largest and last one built again on the north end of town. Schools one and two were both one room log buildings. School number three was a two-story frame building and number four was a four room frame structure. The last school was a brick structure built in 1924 and was used until it consolidated with the other county schools in 1966. Many of the vacant stores and lodge halls were used for schooling as the population grew until larger schools could be erected. One such building was the one owned by Francis McKinney with a pot-belly stove on the upper floor. One week before Thanksgiving in 1915 a fire started at this location. Due to it being an unusually dry fall and little water in the wells, about one-fourth of the entire town was destroyed before it was extinguished. The town was rebuilt, but not on the same sites.

The first church of the area was held in the home of John F. Ferguson’s widow around 1850. It was of the Methodist denomination and held services in various homes in the community. The first real church building was with the second school mentioned earlier. Church and school was held here until the Methodist started on their frame building in 1860, however, it was not completed until after the Civil War in 1866. Another denomination was also in this area very early. In 1864 the Primitive Baptists were established from the arm of the Lynnville Walnut Grove Church. They held services at various homes and store buildings until they bought ground to build a church in 1879. The General Baptist split from this denomination and built their place of worship in 1984. A fourth church or tabernacle called the Trinity Gospel Tabernacle was built around 1938 by Amon Luttrell and Elmer Roy, but lasted only about ten years. The other-three churches still exist to this day.
Pleasantville was chosen for the building site for a Post Office in 1866, and it was located at the southwest corner of the previously mentioned intersection. At this time it was ruled that the town would have to change its name due to there already being a Pleasantville in Indiana. It was only fitting that the man that originally founded the town be given the honor of renaming it. Jefferson Richardson, being a Baptist Minister, and an ardent admirer of the London Evangelist Minister, Reverend Spurgeon, named it Spurgeon on his behalf.

In the fall of 1921, the First National Bank was erected with Albert and John Jordon as it's president and teller; and two years later, Albert Jordon added the Jordon Addition to the town.
One year later the town made their move to incorporate and hold elections for the first town board. Those elected were John W. Butler, Charles Oxby, Dr. G. G. Griffith, John Jordon. John W. Lance was the first Marshall. In 1928 when Mr. Ferguson wrote his history, the town could boast of electric lights furnished by the Consumers Power Company, constructed sidewalks, gravel roads, a pupil enrollment of some two hundred and fifty, and a population of three hundred and fifty residents. Since then many improvements have been made to the town. Starting in 1932 the town bought their first fire truck and have continued to keep an efficient fire fighting force with adequate equipment ever since. This volunteer fire department has been a blessing to many Monroe Township residents over the past fifty-five years. As recent as 1983 a new fire station was built where the brick school stood and another truck added-in 1987.

In 1957 Mrs. Louella Burdette deeded five lots in the Jordon Addition to the town of Spurgeon to be used for a city park, and it was named the Jordon Memorial Park. Mr. Rubert Perry was the caretaker at the park for many years and the inhabitants of the town owe him a great debt of gratitude for a job well done. He, with many other residents, worked hard and long to keep the park in fine condition. People from all over Pike and surrounding counties use it as a family gathering place to such extent that one might have to call ahead for reservations. Improvements a like city water system, paved streets, and an ambulance station should also be added to the list.
In 1921 the Enos Coal Mine erected a tipple about three miles north of the town, and over the decades has supplied many families of the community with financial security. Since the decline of the tobacco business in the late 1800's, the Enos Mine, now known as Old Ben #1, has been the largest employer of the Spurgeon citizens. The mine has grown continually and with it grew it's appetite for more land needed to sustain, such an operation. Most of the available farmland that once encircled the town has now been stripped.

Like many other small towns scattered across the Nation, Spurgeon has suffered for the sake of progress. No longer is it the center of activity it once was, due largely to the fact that it is located away from the main, frequently used thoroughfares that connect the larger towns. Suppliers of produce, hardware, and other staples from Evansville quit delivering on this route long ago, deciding it was no longer feasible. I can still remember when Mr. and Mrs. Chester Arnold invested in a pickup truck for hauling produce from Evansville to their store in Spurgeon to cut the cost of delivery.
Other reasons for the decline in population was due to families moving to the larger cities where employment was easier found and opportunities more abundant, and because of it's school being closed. The high school had consolidated with Stendal and Winslow in 1966, and then lost the entire grade school in 1970. The loss of this institution will someday be considered the largest deferment to the population of the town.
Progress is necessary to the growth of a Nation, but still it has its price, which the small community has paid dearly for.
As for Spurgeon, it will always be there with people to greet you with a smile and the hand of friendship. They will strive, as they have done for the past one hundred and fifty years, to make the town what it's original name implied, a pleasant ville.