The township of Green was formed in August, 1821, from Perry and other
townships. It contains an area of about 30 square miles. The
principal stream in the township is Green's Fork, which passes through
it diagonally from the north-east corner in a south-westerly direction.
It derives its name from a famed Indian, John Green, well known to many
old settlers still living, and whose name occurs in several places in
our history.
John Lewis, from North Carolina, in the year 1810, settled with his
family half a mile south of the site of the present town of
Williamsburg, on the farm on which his son Joseph now resides. He was
accompanied by his eldest son Richard, then past the age of majority.
These were the first settlers in the township.
The following are believed to have settled in 1811: Henry Way, 1 1/2
miles north-east of town, where Charles B. Ballenger resides. Seth
Way, on the present farm of Jesse Cates. Joseph Prator, Thomas Cranor,
and Wm. Johnson, near the town. Joshua Cranor, where his son Milo now
lives, about a mile south-east from town; and Reuben Joy, 2 miles
north-east from town; land now owned by Jesse Reynolds.
In 1814, John Green, from N. C., settled 2 miles north of town on the
farm now owned by Josephus D. Ladd, and was accompanied by Joseph Ladd
and his son William. J. Ladd settled on the farm lately owned by
Samuel Johnson, now by Martin Ballenger. In 1816, also from N. C.,
came Abel Lomax, who settled on land now owned by James Frazer's heirs;
Elijah Wright, where Alexander Wright lives; Jeremiah Stegall, on land
now owned by Alexander Stegall; Wm Cook, with his sons, Cornelius and
James, about 4 miles north-west from town; land now owned by his heirs
and descendants.
In 1814, Benj. Hutchins, from N. C., settled where now Wm. McLucas
lives, 1 1/2 miles north from town; and Thomas, on land now owned by
Job Coggeshall, a mile north from town. Benj. Hutchins afterward
removed to the farm where he now resides, near tthe United Brethren
meeting-house. John Hutchins settled a mile north-west from town,
where James M. Cranor resides. Henry Study, a native of Maryland, in
1818, a mile west of town, where his son John resides. Mr. Study is
said to have had the first iron mold-board plow in Wayne county.
The following named persons were generally the first settlers on the
lands they owned, but the years in which most of them settled have not
been ascertained.
In the south-east part of the township, Joseph Comer, where now Joseph
Comer, his son, resides; Joseph Palmer, where Daniel Palmer resides;
Henry Gower, and James Irwin; first settler on their lands not
ascertained; Thomas Teagle, where now a son resides. Joseph Evans,
from N. J., entered several quarter sections, now and lately owned in
part by Mark Evans, Joseph Lewis, Abner Clawson, and John Bean. John
Catey, from N. J., also several quarter sections, portions of which,
east of the turnpike, he still owns. Joseph Personett, from Md.,
settled on land now owned by Benj. F. Beverlin. Wm. Beverlin, from Va
., settled as early probably, as 1812, on land now owned by his son
Thomas, and John Catey, where the latter now resides. Jesse Bacon,
from N. J., where Samuel Catey resides, 1 1/3 miles south-east from
town. Thomas Bond, south line of township, land now owned by his heirs.
In the south part of the township, Anthony Chamness, from N. C.,
settled where his son Joshua resides. Drury Davis lives on land
formerly owned by Stacy B. Catey. Jesse Young, on land now owned by
Isaac Henshaw, who lives in town. Samuel Ball, where now Benj. Thorn
resides. Enos Yeal, from N. J., where he still lives. Allen M.
Harris, first proprietors not ascertained. Charles Spencer, on land
formerly owned by Orr Scoville. Richard Lewis, where Nathan I. Bond
lives. Benj. Satterthwaite, on land now owned by Jonathan Mullin.
In the west part of the township, John Cain settled where he now
resides. Henry Oler, where his son Henry resides. Luke Dillon settled
on land where Thomas Cranor lives. Joshua Ballenger had other parts of
the section, now owned by Jacob Ballenger. Amos W. Ladd, afterward
Thomas Oler, who also owns land one mile north, settled where he now
resides. Henry, Joseph, David, and Isaac Study, sons of Henry, Sen.,
where they first settled. Elliott, on land now owned by S. Elliott.
Nathan Riley, from Ohio, where Thomas Judd resides. Lorenzo King,
lately L. Culbertson.
In the north-west part of the township, John Beard, from Md., on
township line, on land previously owned by John Shelly. Jesse Baldwin,
from N. C., on land now owned by his son Eli Baldwin and Isaac Y. King.
Section 23, owned by Ephraim and T. J. Cates, George W. Scantland, and
Peter Hardwick, first proprietors not known. Washington Cranor settled
where he still lives. John St. Myers, where his sons reside. Wm.
Ladd, on land now or lately owned by Frank Beverlin, Joseph Personett,
and Thomas Judd.
Ephraim Cates resides 1 1/2 miles west from Williamsburg, and owns
several farms in the township.
In the east part of the township, George Johnson, son of William,
settled on land now owned by Thomas Edwards. Levi Jessup, 2 m. south-
east of town, on land now owned in part by Elisha and Samuel Pitts, and
Johnathan Haisley. Joshua Murphy, from N. C., where Harvey Harris now
lives. Jacob cook, an early settler from Ohio, a native of n. C., on
land now owned by Ezekiel Johnson and George Brittain.
In the north-east part, Daniel Charles, about 1816, settled where he
still lives; land now owned by Henry Charles and Hannah Blair. Wm.
Trotter and hugh L. Macy settled where they still live. Isaiah Case,
on lands now owned by S. Mitchell Boyd and Wyatt Green. Paul Way, from
N. C., where now Joseph Way lives. Jeremiah Thorp, from Tenn., where
he now lives. Eleazer Smith, from N. C., where now his son, Wm. D.
Smith resides. Valentine Pegg, from N. C., where he still resides.
John Pegg, from N. C., on land now owned by his son John. William
Clemens, where he now resides, not an early settler.
Hartman Eigenbrot, a native of Germany, came from Penn. to Richmond in
1835, and three years thereafter to where he now lives, 2 miles south-
east from Williamsburg. William Sharp, from Ireland, in 1854, settled
in Richmond, and engaged in the starch manufacture; sold out in 1862,
and in 1870, removed from Ohio, to where he now lives, 2 miles south
from town. Johnathan Mullen, from Ohio in 1827, settled in 1854, where
he now resides, 1 1/2 miles south from town. Henry Catey, a native of
Germany, from New Jersey in 1821, settled 1 1/2 miles south-east from
town, where he resided until his death in 1850, aged about 80 years.
John, his son, now lives 1 1/2 miles south of town.
Charles Spencer, a native of Conn., from Penn., in 1819, settled where
he now resides, 1 1/2 miles south of town. He is said to have made, in
1820, the first pegged shoes ever made in Wayne county, and , in 1821,
the first iron mold-board plow.
The first Blacksmiths in the township were Wm. Underhill, below town,
and Joseph Way, 1 1/2 miles north-east from the town. Also, Hanan
Roberts and Moses Davidson were early blacksmiths. The present
blacksmiths are Elias and John Roberts, and two sons of Wm. Richter.
The first Wagon-maker was Wm. Richter, who still continues the
businesss. He was a son-in-law of Richard Lewis, son of John Lewis.
Reynolds carries on the carriage-making business.
Wm. Johnson built the first Grist-mill about the year 1818, where the
present mill in Williamsburg stands. A year or two later, Stacy B.
Catey built a saw-mill 1 1/2 miles below town, where also a grist-mill
was built. About the same time Reuben Joy built a saw-mill 1 1/2 miles
above town; and a few years after Hugh Johnson built a grist-mill; both
are now owned by Jesse Reynolds.
The first Merchant in Williamsburg was (name lost), who commenced trade
about the year 1831; prior to which time the inhabitants were supplied
at Richmond. Of those who have since traded for longer or shorter
periods, were John Pennington, Joshua and Thomas Cranor, Stephen and
Samuel Johnson, Stephen Coffin, eight or ten years in the firms of B. &
S. Cofflin and Andrew Purviance & Co., Pleasant Unthank and Griffin
Davis, afterward Davis alone. Present Merchants---Griffin Davis,
Pierce Brothers, (James and Asher,) and william Campbell.
Dr. Curtis Otwell was the first resident Physician, the inhabitants
having been previously served chiefly by Drs. Warner and Kerl, of
Richmond, Waldo, of Jacksonburg, and Way, of Newport. After Otwell,
George Blair, Linus P. Taylor, and John T. Chenoweth. The last two are
the present practicing physicians.
Richard Lewis is said to have been the first Justice of the Peace.
Other early justices were Barnabas McManus, Joseph Ladd, John Green,
Joseph Lewis, Samuel Johnson. Ezekiel Johnson and Winston E. Harris
are at present justices.
Abel Lomax served two or more years as representative, and a term of
two years as senator in the legislature; and Joseph Lewis as a
representative, at the session of 1845-6.
The Baptists probably formed the first church in the township, which
was organized Nov. 21, 1818, about 3 miles north of town. Among the
first members and those who joined soon after, were Isaiah Case, Benj.
Jones, Eleazer Smith, and their wives, James Martin, Hannah Case, Polly
McQuary, Jeremiah Swafford, Sarah and Rebecca Potter, David Frazer,
Margaret Shoemaker, Nathaniel Case and John Stigleman and their wives.
Rev. Wm. Oldham, from Salem church, Rev. _________ Martin, from
Elkhorn, and others officiated at the organization. In June, 1819,
Benj. Jones and Nathaniel Case were ordained deacons. In December,
1819, Rev. Isaac Cotton became their minister, and continued his
pastoral labors about twenty years. He was succeeded by Nathaniel Case
about six years, and Andrew Baker some ten or twelve years. Henry
Rupe, Mr. Lyons, and others have supplied the church at different
times. Meetings were first held in a log house. A frame meeting-house
was built about 1830, 3 miles from Williamsburg, and about twelve years
ago a brick one, near the same place.
A Methodist Episcopal Church and society was formed about the year
1820, perhaps earlier. Among its first members were Abel Lomax, Henry
Study, Joshua Ballenger, Nathan Riley, and their wives. their first
was a log meeting-house, where the house of the United Brethren now
stands, about half a mile west from town. A brick house was afterward
built in its place. In 1851, their present house in town was built.
Their preachers have been Joseph Tarkington, Miltideus Miller, John
Kiger, John Burt, Mr. Morrison, Caldwell Robbins, John Metzker, Benj.
Smith, Asahel Kinnan, Ner Phillips, George Newton, Abraham Gorrell,
Lewis Roberts, John F. Pierce.
The Friends formed a society a few years later, and built a log house
about 3 1/2 miles north-east from town. After an existence of about
fifteen years, the society was discontinued, a part of its members
going to Newport, and a part to Cherry Grove.
A Fort and Block-house were built during the war of 1812, on the farm
of John Lewis, by John, Joseph, and Richard Lewis, Joshua and Thomas
Cranor, Seth Way, and others. About three miles north-east from this,
another, on land now owned by Thompson Smith, was built by William
Whitehead and others, and called the "Whitehead block-house."
An Odd Fellows Lodge, the Chinkarorer, No. 120, was instituted Nov. 25,
1852, on application of Wm. Silver, Wm. Brown, James H. Stanley, D.
Dinwiddie, and Abel Evans. Its officers were, Wm. Silver, N. G.; James
H. Stanley, V. G.; James Smith, Rec. Sec.; Sylvester Hollister, Treas.
Present officers ---- Samuel Catey, N. G.; Danley Palmer, V. G.;
Addison C. Reynolds, Rec. Sec.; Barzillai H. Reynolds, Per. Sec.;
Joseph D. Cranor, Treasurer.
The United Brethren organized a church about the year 1845. After a
few months preaching, a class was formed, of which the following have
named persons are believed to have been members: James Jester and
Lucretia, his wife, Benj. Harris and Lydia, his wife, Samuel Johnson
and Catharine, his wife, Herbert C. Pierce and Margaret, his wife,
Susanna Cranor, James and Phebe Stevenson. Their first meetings were
held in private rooms in Williamsburg, afterward in a school-house, 3/4
mile east of town. Their present house, about half a mile north-east
from town, was built about the year 1855. Their first preacher was
Isaac Robinson, who was succeeded by Wm. Ault, Wm. Kendrick, Robert
Morris, and their present minister, Thomas Evans. Persons belonging to
secret societies are not admitted to membership.
The Town of Williamsburg was laid out by William Johnson, proprietor;
John Frazer, surveyor, March 16, 1830; and recorded March 23, 1830.
History of Wayne County, Indiana
Andrew W. young
Pages pg 221-227
