Page Three
From the "Memoirs of James K Wells, Son of William M. & Hilly Ann Wells" Submitted by Jana Trace
After years of hard labor had been performed and sixty acres of that great forest of timber cleared away and the farm divided up into five and ten acre fields under an eight rail fence, and new buildings errected and later on the old ones torn down, the joys were no greater than when living in the old log cabin.
From the year 1850 to 1860, were years of great activity, and social interrouser Among the people of Jefferson Township were principally from North Carolina and Ohio. Were the first settlers from North Carolina, the Ohioans coming in later. The first white man that weh ave any account of that first made his appearance in Jefferson Township, as it is now bounded, was Adam Fiscus a native of North Carolina. In the year 1818, he made a tour of inspection through Owen and Green Counties, for the purpose of selecting a site for settlement, being somewhat pleased with locality along Eel River, in the South West corner of the township. After marking his claim, he returned to his home in his native state. In the spring of 1820, in company with several of his neighbors, reached the place which Fiscus had visited in the year 1818. These pioneers first, prepared shelters in a rude temporary way, by building log cabins around which small patches around were cleared and planted. The names of these early pioneers, is as follows: Adam Fiscus, Henry Arney, Sr., Henry Arney, Jr., Hironymous Spease, William Boils and John Stokely. William Winters and his son Obediah came a little later. In the year 1821 Frederich and George Hauser came and settled in the township. Andrew Arney and Peter Spease came in 1822, and located in the Eel River neighborhood. Also, Jonas Fulk, Jesse Vaughn. Henry Arney died in the year 1822. His son's names were Henry, John and Lawrence. The above named pioneers with their families were the first settlers of Jefferson Township. Ensley Hale came about this time.About the year 1825, Frederick Fiscus, a brother-in-law of Adam Fiscus who came later settled in the North East part of the township and was the first blacksmith in the township. His brothers Peter and Henry, came some time later, and settled not far from Middletown. About the year 1826, or prior, Joseph Cooper and his brother Daniel settled in the Western part of the township. And about the same time came Jacob Mowry and settled near Lick Creek and Eel River. Prior to the year 1830, the following settlers were added to those enumerated and became citizens of the township, to wit: John Hilsabeck, Sr., and his sons, Elias, William and John John. Also others: Jonathan Adams, John Fulk, Daniel Mosier, G.M. Thatcher and William Price.
Most of these were owners of land and lived in the South Eastern part of the township, near Pleasant Bethel Church House, which was built by the Protestant Methodists about the year 1846. Subsequent to the settlers were Isaac Heaton, know as Judge Heaton, Samuel Kelly, Jesse G. Adams, Luke Filbert, David Furguson, Jesse Roark, Henry LittleJohn and his son, Messer, Abigail, Hubbell, Isaac Hubbel and his son Aaron, John Ridge, Isaac LittleJohn, Thomas Winters, Abraham Slough, Sr., Thomas Dyar, Robert Dyar, and Thomas Dyar, Jr. The Dyars came from Virginia, about the year 1827, and settled in the South East part of Jefferson Township, and the W.F. Williams family and Trent family. These were the early pioneers of Jefferson Township in Owen County, Indiana. It is no longer a query as to the motive which set journeying so many frm the far off State of North Carolina and Virginia, and others from Kentucky. Most of the immigrants had not reached the meridian in life. They were young, hopeful, courageous, poor in finances, but rich in possibilities. A rich soil and temperate climate were not peculiar to Indiana. Not a few have left their record that they sought homes here because the country was free from negro slavery and class distinctions. They came here an honest, hard working class of people but nobly did they do their duty in laying the foundation for the civilization of today. The Assessors blanks prepared in an early day in the history of the State is evidence of the condition of the early Indiana homes, the tax receipts in those far off days shows that personal tax for household goods, stock and farming implements all of which amount to but a few dollars. The taxes on 160 acres of land were only $1.20 and these receipts were given to Jefferson and others. Wages were very low in comparison of today. A good willing harvest hand was paid half a dollar per day, and that half dollar would by a pound of coffee. The woman would prepare the household food, spin, weave, and make the garments for the family. The wages of a big stout boy was a “bit” a day during crop time. The girls were not idle. They filled quills, reeled and helped their mothers at the old spinning wheel and loom. In case of sickness would heave home for a few days to care for the sick. It was considered a sacred duty to take care of the afflicted. During the sojourn of these early settlers at least for a few years, obtained all their marketing from New Albany, more than one hundred miles away. To make a trip there required several days, and sometimes when the streams were full they were delayed for several days. Two or three persons would do the hauling for the neighborhood. The produce hauled for the neighborhood consisted of venison, hams, beeswax, feathers, and later on wheat and pork. In return for these articles the trader would receive sugar, coffee and other groceries and the most of the wearing apparel, however, was manufactured at home, and consisted of jeans, liney and linen, some of the settlers made and wore clothing made of deer skins and manufactured their owns shoes from deer and hog skins tanned in a large trough. The First Settlers from Coshocton County, Ohio, were William Dean, Sr., Jarius Gardner, William G. Dean, Samuel Goodwin, Fenton Dean, Seth Crain, Simon Moses, Andrew Collenbaugh and his sons, George, Christopher, Andrew and Adam, Elijah and George Moses, sons of Simon Moses. William M. Wells, James West, Moses Hankins, John Hankins, David Bush, Jacob Stantz, John Stantz, Andrew Tipton, Henry Miller, Samuel Miller, Yoster Miller, Jacob Y Miller, John M. Miller, John Moyer, Valentine Wagner, Gregory Wagner, Jacob Need, Michael Sheer, John Sheer, John Terry, Robert Curry, David and John Curry, and their father Ruben Barton, George Muller, Samuel Muller, John Nihart, David Scidle, Perry Cherry Holmes, Gabriel Cherry Holmes, George Grimm, Henry Grimm, Moses Hochstettler, Peter Hochstettler, John Hiligas, Jacob White, Josiah White, Sylvester Havland and his sons William and Steven S. Havland. The majority which came from Coshocton County, Ohio, and the most of them men of families. They were young, intelligent, industrious and enterprising. Just the men to make a new country become prosperous. Prior to the immigration of these Ohio people, William K. Johnson, and Joseph Burns of Coshocton County, Ohio visited Owen County and adjourning counties in Indiana, on purpose of entering land. After viewing the country they decided to invest their money in land in Jefferson Township in Owen County, Indiana. They purchased several quarter sections of land in the township then returned to Ohio, much pleased with their investment. They were men of capital and enterprise. Yet in sympathy wiht the poor and industrious people were liberal to the unfortunate, and realizing as they did, an opportunity for the renters of land, to get homes for themselves by going to Owen County, Indiana, where they could buy land from one dollar and a quarter to two dollars per acre and the forest abounded with game, deer, turkey and squirrel, and the streams were full of the finest fish. With very little trouble the early settlers could provide a supply for the Ohio new neighbor. This was about the year 1840. Uncle Billy Dean soon after visited the county of Sweet Owen as it began to be known, by that name, he, like Adam Fiscus, was so well pleased with the locality of Sweet Owen especially Jefferson Township, that he determined to make it his future home.