The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-12
BEGINNINGS OF INDIANA
TWO CLASSES OF SETTLERS IN THE
LOWER WABASH REGION.
Men OF Differing Opinions, but with
the Common Purpose OF Home
Making-Nature's Riches.

Two converging streams of humanity met
in the lower Wabash valley and began the
herculean task OF subduing the wilderness.
Both came from Kentucky. One OF them
was composed Of Kentuckians who We're
actuated by various motives-some TO get
away from the blighting influence OF sisv-
cry as well as TO provide homes for their
children; some in the hope of lettering their
condition, but without any well-defined
plans for the future, while not few enter
tanned more sordid motives and hoped that
slavery would be introduced into the new
Territory. Notwithstanding the prohibitory
clause OF the ordinance OF I7S7. United TO
all these was a number OF persons who had
originally come TO Kentucky from the GEN.
trail States, especially New Jersey, at the
close of the revolutionary war. and who
now wished to cast in their lot with the peo-
pie OF a free State, and so Joined in the
movement towards Indiana territory. Near
~ all OF these emigrants went down the
Ohio in flatboats, generally starting from
Limestone (now Maysyille, Ky), from
Louisville. The second stream was largely
composed of people originally from North
Carolina and Tennessee, who had first emf
grated to the southern and central portions
OF Kentucky, and who also wished TO better
their condition and get homes for their chill
dren, since nearly all the pioneers were
blessed with more or less girls and boys
generally more-and it was no small task To
get farm for Tom, Dick and Harry,
Nancy, Jane and Carrie, in the older States
The North Carolinians and Tennesseeans,
where it was convenient, used fiatboats;
otherwise they utilized wagons, some OF
durable. but rather cumbersome.
The Indian boundary line at the time OF
this emigration ran considerably south OF
the center of the Territory, that is OF a
line running east and west, except on the
eastern border. where a narrow strip ex-
tended quite distance along the Ohio state
line, and in the west, where similar strip
extended north of Terre Haute. 1t was but
natural, therefore, that the first settlements
should be made in the southern and south
western portions of the Territory and also
sufficiently near the navigable streams TO
render communication with outside markets.
especially that of New Orleans. easy and
rapid. These two streams of humanity
which formed the settlements between the
Wabash and Ohio rivers represented two
streams Of intellectual and political tend
ency differing in some respects The Ken
lucky pioneers, or at least large proper
ton of them, were already embryotic Wings
in their methods Of political thinking. so
that when Harry OF the West came upon
the stage they were his most ardent cham
pions. But their neighbors especially the
North Carolinians, did not generally look at
such questions from the same STAN, Joint as
their Kentucky brethren. The old north
State has always been and seems destined
to forever remain, the most provincial State
in the Union, and so the people who came
to settle upon the Wabash brought along
many OF their old political notions and an
cestral traditions-radical Democratic ideas
and of course when "Old Hickory" began
running for President they began voting for
him and a few envious people even at this
late day contend that some OF them are
still casting their ballots for the hero OK
New Orleans merely through force Of habit.
But this is an unwarranted reflection upon
a class of good citizens who have always
shown themselves honest and Industrious
and have done their full share toward de-
veloping the material resources of the great
est State in the greatest country on the
face Of the globe. But who could blame
them for voting and shouting for General
jackson? Was he not also a North Caro-
linian? True he thought himself a South
Carolinian, for in that famous proclamation
addressed 10 the nullifiers in 1893 he re-
ferred TO them as "fellow-citizens Of my ma
tive Stater' not knowing at that time that
his dear old Waxhaw was in the old north
State and not in the palmetto State.
LAND WAS CHEAP.
When the present century was young land
was plentiful and good, and it only required
a few hundred dollars and q visit TO the
Land Office at Vincennes Established IN
1S04) to acquire quarter section. The best
land was rated at s. per acre and the limit
fixed at 16O acres but General Harrison aft
erwards succeeded in getting the limit re-
duced to forty acres. Men of large means
could get hold of all the land they wished.
but, fortunately, the greater part OF II fell
into the hands Of actual settlers. After get
ting the land, it was no small undertaking
to prepare it for cultivation. While the trees
were of majestic growth. the woods were
comparatively open and there was none or
that dense underground so characteristic or
semi-tropical regions. The small trees con-
sisted mainly of dogwood. paw-paw and
similar varieties. while in various hooks and
corners might be found spice brush and
similar shrubs, all Of which afforded an adj
mirable retreat for the various small AMI
mas with winch the WOouS dDOhHAtu. WING
there was a sufficient quantity OF shrubs
and small trees. many OF them fruit or nut
bearing, the country was not a tangled mass
of rank vegetation. Sir Charles Lyeil notes
this fact on the occasion Of hi visit in 1Sis
He says: II had promised TO pay a visit TO
DR.. David Dale Owen, the state geologist or
Indiana, and hired a carriage which con-
veyed US TO New Harmony, situated on the
Wabash river. sixty miles above its junction
with the Ohio. On our way across the coun-
try we went through a dense forest consist
ing chiefly of oak. beech and poplar. with
out any underground. and in this respect
differing remarkably from the wooded val
leys and hills Of the Alleghenies and the
region eastward of those mountains. as well
as all parts Of New England"
The country lying along the lower Wa
bash is composed of bottom lands. OCCASION
ally extending several miles inland and Dor
dered by a gently undulating region that
was heavily wooded and very fertile. but
with less natural richness than the bottom
lands. The permanent settlers chose the up
lands reserving the bottoms for pasturage.
and as many Of these lowtahds were covered
with rich, juicy canebrakes. they would