The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-09
SETTLED HERE in 1920
JOHN III. ID. NOwLAND. ONE Of THE
VERY FIRST PIONEERS, DYING.
Only One Cabin I'm Indianapolis when
He Notwithstanding
"reminiscences.


street. Il can last only few days longer, :"
he says. He Is eighty-six years old. Six
weeks ago he was attacked by vicious
dog near his home. The dog did not injure
him. but the excitement was too much for
the old man, and when he reached his home
he looked near death. His decline began
then. He has been out OF bed only few
days since, but his mind has remained
clear. His daughter and his wife are with
him. and he has insistently refused to let a
physician see him. Evidently he sees the
end and knows no human being can hold
him TO earth much longer.
"a doctor would doctor me TO DEATH" he
said. when he was asked If he did not want
a physician to attend him. He will not take
medicine and has eaten no solid food for
many days. His daughter has fed him
matted milk and she has thus kept him
alive. She has noticed that he grows weak
er every day. His friends call in large
numbers every day, and he is always glad
to see them. He is almost deaf. While a
group of visitors were talking in his bed
room last night he suddenly broke in with:
Il came here in 1870 with my family and
our hired hands. There were twelve of US,
and / am the last one. 1 have lived longer
he said: MY brother Matthias was one Of
the founders OF the Journal"
Mr.. Rowland was born at Frankfort, KY.
After he came to this city and became a
man he engaged III several kinds of BUSH
ness. For ten years. however he has done
nothing but write for the newspapers, an
occupation that he had given considerable
time to for fifty years. In book published
H.
dianapolis." he tells many interesting sto-
ries Of the settlers of Marion county. His
father had visited this locality when the
commissioners appointed by the Legisla-
ture were determining on the site for the
capital Of the State, and he decided to move
his family to the new settlement that was
TO become the center of Indiana. When Mr..
Rowland reached home and made this an
nouncement his friends tried to dissuade
him. saying the Indians would not let him
reach White river. But he was firm and
he sold his farm.
THROUGH THE WILDERNESS.
He disposed of every article of wood or
iron furniture that was not indispensable"
says his son, in his book, land he loaded
a large six-horse wagon with heavy. neces-
sary furniture and provisions sufficient for
winter use. The beds and bedding and most
of the clothing were so arranged and packed
as TO be carried on the backs OF horses.
Feather beds were rolled up and tied to-
gether in such a way that one would rest
on each side OF the horse, forming a plat
form on the back of the animal on which
two children could ride. My mother and
grandmother were provided with single
horses and side saddles, and when the whole
caravan was in motion Ii would remind one
OF cavalcade Of Bedouins. In this way
We left our home. about the middle OF
october, 1870. 10 seek our fortune among
strangers, In a. wilderness whose population
was almost entirely savage"
The travellers ferried across the Ohio river
at the mouth of the Kentucky river. and
the journey northward was again taken up.
About nine miles north of where Column
bus was built later the party was joined by
Henry and William Bradley and Bob Sacre.
This acquisition in numbers and strength.
says Mr.. Rowland, with three additional
trusty rifles, was most encouraging and
gave confidence to the whole party, espe-
eiaiiy two young men. James Graves and
Nathaniel Jones, who had begun TO show
signs of fear after we crossed the Ohio
river, so much so my father was afraid
they would take the back track" The cara
van stopped from time to time at the settle
ments and bought provisions, and the men
OF the party shot deer along the way. The
end OF the journey came Nov. and the
Rowland family stopped at the house of
Isaac Wilson, which was on the northwest
corner Of the Statehouse square.
80 The The , Nowlands concluded to occupy a
avenue. between Illinois street and Capitol
avenue, until they could build house OF
their own. This was the only cabin In what
now constitutes the city proper. This cabin
was owned by Quaker named Townsend.
but he was away on a trip He had neither
cut places for doors, windows nor chin
ney. Says the historian: My father did not
take the liberty of cutting out the doors
and the chimney lest he would not get them
In the places the owner wished, so he pried
the third log from the bottom, which would.
by climbing. be sufficient for ingress and
middle Of the roof for the escape Of smoke,
the fire being built in the middle of the
room on the ground. there being no floor. My
mother lined the inside walls by hanging
up rag carpet, which rendered TX quite COM
Portable for the short time we occupied 1t.
The entire male population was prompt to
cabin of our own and this, with seven men
already at my fathers command, enabled
him in a few days to have a comfortable
cabin, which he built on the west bank OF
of the ravine, where the canal now runs.
about midway between Washington and
Maryland streets.
feet square. The chimney, which was in
the east side. would take in back log
eight feet in length and fore stick ten
ree.; There me were two doors. one on the
These doors were made in this way to
facilitate the making of fires. The back
sticks were about eighteen inches IN dame
ter. One end was placed on a sled. called
lizard" 10 which horse was hitched
and driven through the house until the log
was opposite the fireplace and then rolled
TO Its place In the fire; and so with the
fore stick: and the smaller fuel carried in
and placed on top. The two large sticks
would last about twenty-four hours. AL
though this was one OF the coolest winters
ever experienced in this country, and the
ground was covered with snow from the
time we arrived until March i, we lived as
comfortable and contented as Friday and
Robinson Crusoe. There was none to him
der or make US afraid with the exception
OK our dusky neighbors. and they were
pretty quiet during the winter.
THE day before Christmas OF that year
one OF our household killed turkey in front
OF our door. and where Washington street
crosses the canal, that weighed twenty
three pounds before IL was dressed II was
so fat that the fall from the top of the tree
burst II open About 4 O'Clock Christmas
morning we were awakened by a salute
from eight or ten rifles and cry Of Get
up, Kaintuck; we want some of that old
peach brandy and honey which my father
understood very well TO be some excellent
which they drank freely while building our
cabin. When he opened the door the entire
male portion Of the Harding and McCor-
mick population stepped into the cabin and
gave three cheers fer old Kaintuck. the
newcomer After paying the brandy the
highest compliment In their power BY
drinking freely of it, they went TO and sa-
luted the inmates of the different cabins in
the same way. There was no petty jeal-
ousy In the people at that day. All seemed
on an equality: indeed. they seemed to
think their only safety from their dusky
neighbors was in unity and harmony-all