The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-09-13
From the ConnersvIlle Timse
WILLIAM CONNER


this venerable man At his ancl-nt house on
White River below Nobe>yille. in Hamilton
county. is an event which. | am sure, many
OF your readers will deem worthy OF note
Hence they Will thank You TO re-pubII>h the
communication herewith, found IN the Indiana
Journ2l of the s2d inst.
The deceased was not unknown to many OF
the early inhabi ants OF this town and county
and will be remembered. By most Of the pres
ent inhabi,sn as the brother of John Con
ner. W ho established ira ling post on the
site of This town. and a. An early day-laIi
out the town and gave it his name IN the year
l813-was the first Sheriff OF the county,
and represented it in the Sta-e Legislature.
There few OF the old inhabitants of
the town and county vet remaining ngst
US. who knew John Conner well; and they
cherish his memory with pleasing recollection
| do not know a more Interesting and agree
able service that one of these could do the
present generation residing IN this vicinity
than TO furnish for the press of this town. a
sketch OF John Conner->uch incidents IN his
somew hat romantic life as he can Vet easily
obtain; and a intima ely connected Herewith,
a sketch of the early history OF Conner>vlIle
and the charming res,ion covered by our little
county of Fayete
The writer of this, though citizen of Con
nersvllle now near twenty seven arS. never
knew John Conner He previously left his
old post here-:ook up his residence near THAI
OF William. and had deceased. But | had
the pleasure OF becoming acquainted with
William in the fall of 1882 At that time.
the judicial circuit. OF which this county WAS
a part. covered nearly all OF Eastern Indiana
-ex ending from Franklin county to then
Territory OF Michigan. With several Of the
older members of the bar, | was then in the
habit of making the entire circuit twice year
tray cling for DAYS through the wilderness,
along the old Indian traces - swimming
streams--camping out and quartering upon
the Indians.
In that fall skirted across the most Of
Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan
passed down to the mouth of st. Joseph
some fifty or sixty miles up the lake beach,
by what are now Michigan city and Lsporte
places then not marked by inhabitants
only by the recently driven stakes OF the sur
veyor Afer fioundering through the hank-
akee swamps couple OF days. SOLITARY ana
alone" drew up al the Pottawattomle Irea-
ty. then in session on Tippecanoe river. There
| iound Governor Jennings, Gen T1P:on and
our old townsmar,, Marks Ciume, holding the
treaty with some five thousand Indians
William Conner acting as interpreter.
he treaty DHlUg lIleH ittilii d lS va "
", II Eind ginsaton Of Mf Connar ar 10 zee
panv him AS far as Noblesville, on my return
to this place think | never passed three
days more agreeable than on that jaunt-thro'
the .pa illess woods most OF tie way-with
VIM. Couner--irst to Legsnsport. thea 10
Kirk s"--the evening of the third day reach
ing Noblesville.
Conner was at home in those woods. He
hccded no roads or traces whenever lie could
make nigh cut or better ground. Soon ai.er
leaving Kinks he broke of abruptly thro'
the forest. and we travelled tie most OF the
day without any sign OF an axe or tree. THe
old w9od>man at no time discovered the least
perplexj;y as to our position or true course
spoke OF the hills and streams We would en-
cOun;er, long before we reached then--aAd
frequently observed during the day: 'its
several years since | was along here. bat even
the trees seem familiar 10 me- He spoke OF
being very well-even Intimately acquainted
/ with Tecum>eh-and pointed 10 me spot on
the margin of small stream, between
"Kirk's' and Noblesvile where he sid he
had camped over night with that renowned
chief while he was engaged in his great pro
, iect of combining the Indian tribes, to resist
and drive back the tide Of north western I'M
migration.
Oue other incident in this behalf. and stop
nv talk" Some twenty tive years ago a
stranger of venerable and martial apP@araace'
By the name Of Rankin, from Kentucky, pa
lns through the country. stopped and dined a
Samples Hotel''-now TIE Bates Hou e
in this town, where was then boarding The
name Of our town reminding the stranger OF hi>
! Old friends, the Conners, he inquired after
John and William. evidently with much inter
est. He then observed that he had made thell
acquaintance during the late war with Gfea
Britain and knew them weI!--remarkcd
hat in a prrilious march he made under Gcn
Harrison up towards the Lakes. the Couner'
were selected for the guides OF Tie army
ihat they had deep stream to cross, over
difficult and dangerous ford. where an lndlar
ambuscade apprehended- 1hat tTen
HARRISON came to him before they entered sh'
stream. and observed:-..I think these Con
ners are true, but some stories 70 their preJu
dice have come 10 my ears. and IRON Tie lac
that thev have been among the BRUSH ant
Indians the mos of their days, must comics
70 enough Of suspicion to be on The look ou'
They say they understand this iord and cai
and Will conduct us safely over Il EEey coull
be in league with the enemy, and betray US
here is the place for ii to be done. DO yo'
follow close after them with your hand upot
your holsters. and should they, for a moment
lead Us into water too deep for fording, shoe
them down" They entered the stream
Rankin close after, and the whole army ioi
lowing. Near the middle. the horses OF thF
guides stepped into a deep place. In an in
slant both exclaimed rs RsnAia's cooked pis
,ol was presented; ',Hoidt tie ford Is changes
-ueW be right an q nsonsent" In a momen
they were light again. and got safely ovrr
And that mo,aea.t. said the narrator, saved
the life of the proprietor OF ur town anc
his brother William; whom," said he. Il at
terwards found to be two true and nobl'
Americans as l ever knew"