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A HOOSIER LISTENING POST.BY KATE MILNER RABB*A feature of county historical socl-ety programs la the story of some pioneer family 6f the $bunty, and this Ja most \aluable because from it^ihe earlj daa of the couhty can be visualized, and the struggles and sacrifices of the pioneers realized far better than ffotn account of pioneer life in general. Simple as he atory usually Is, it has almost invariably a, touch of romance, and a charm, that makes it Interesting to the audience. On the recent visit of the Society of Indiana Pioneers to Veraalfles. the meeting wae held at the homo of Joseph Has flitter, situated on the hill top kfiown as Mt. Jenner, and sometimes as the Cornet home, from the first settler on this hill. Another family which lived here at an early time va5 the Stark family* and the story of the founder of this family, Elijah Stark, was at the meeting .by his granddaughter, Mrs. Radspe inner. It ia a typical pioneer story which I am sure my readers will find interesting as an Illustration of the type of men who first settled our state.Elijah Stark, my* grandfather/' writes Mrs. Badspeinner, ''was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, In 1811. and wa3„ educated in a college at Lexington. In J832, grandfather and William Bally rode on horseback from Lexington, Ky., to Jeffersonville, Ind , where the general land * office was located, obtained a land grant each, then rode to Ripley county, Where grandfather entered 160 acres of land three and *a half miles east oJ Versailles, afterwards known as the Dickey farm, where Clark Henderson now lives. On this land he built a log house and brought his mother there. He and Mr, Bally made several trips down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans *n fiatboats He made the laat trip in about *1835, with Henry Miller of Ohio county. ‘Uncle’ Henry Miller came back and lived many years on the banka of Laughery creek, 011 the pike between Aurora and Rising Sun, and about all the inhabitants of those towns arc relatives of his.^--Grandfather and Uncle- Henry landed at Natchez* ,MlsB./and grandfather stayed there and learned the Carpenter's trade1- He fell In love with his landlord's adopted daughter, married her in May. 1837, and livedVolumes of New Laws.there until their first child Was bdm and^dled; Then they camo by boat to Madia on, Ind., where grandfather bought two horses and saddles and they rode on ✓ horseback to Ripley county. sold the farm he had entered and bought the Blair farm at •the head - of Palling Timber creek. There were two Jog houses and a mill on this farm, and farther down the creek there was a echoolhouse, where grandfather taught school in winter and eidging school on Sunday. He played the violin for all the social gatherings in the neighborhood.The town of Vcn^iUes-was being built at this time, end grandfattfer moved to town to work/ at Me trade. Ho helped t© build the Courthouse, hotel# and many private residences. Two sons werfe bom on the farm and two in Versailles. The family moved back to the farm after a time nd In 1840 grandfather was elected treasurer of the county. He then oold tho farm to Joseph Underwood and moved to Versailles where he lived six years. In those days the treasurer went to each township and remained until he collected the taxes. I have heard my grandmother - tell' hgw grandfather brought the money homo Jn. his saddlebags and would poup itNout on the tabte while lie% counted it and flhe was afraid some one would see-hltA and try to steal It.yin 1852, grandfather bought twenty acres of land in the bend of the creek, from the French helm. On this farm was a, log house in which they lived, ajid also a barn. Then he bought more land from other French heirs, and built the house at the foot of the hill which iSjttow the residence* of Mr.* Steegmiller. There was a mill bn this farm, but the creek washed It away before £wa« ever used/w The continuation of this story will appear tomorrow.ings, or w tr^tik. * The flrsi comes ta when thej not be av plow Intoman beingtrain and feet, arms take care can tell y lingers wll the ones t-I wish t this engin It may ht she, had 1 trying to lt;It might c engine anc and Injure The eng! he can dt The first _ stopping ti hie—and t power bra In so doin of the trai: freight tra gathering 1 by the aud the conduc ride In tb€ age thouai lading in • some of th le and fou should a p the other ■ direction by that tr could not ' possibly re injured, a! atop to avthrew sjaiLittle Benny’s NotebookBY LEE PAPE.Pop was smoking to himself and-ma was Imbroldering imbroiderx *hd she sed Wat do you think, WIHjhinb I went in to see p. fortune teller wile I was down town today.Yee gods, dont ask me wat I think, pop sed* Wat did she charge you? he sed,O not so mutch, ma sed. He certeny •jnarvelliss the way they seem to know things, WiHyum, it* almost uncanny, she sed* and pop eed, Barrium was rite, one the lite of day evejy 00drove upoi to show w happen ag: lng STOP-' I wish tc the engirt man they this man tl lie through and night, and cut 01 broken hot ColumbuiTo
Newspaper Details
Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Thu, Jul 03, 1924
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Indiana S.
IN, USA 07 Sep 2023
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