Early History of Washington Township
The first wedding which was celebrated in Washington township was that of
William Hardin and Miss Betsy Munn, in the spring of 1842. It was about the same
time Joseph Gillespie was married, near the north line of the county, but who
the bride was is not remembered. This marriage was performed by the Rev.
Jonathan Smith. 'Squire Lowe performed the interesting ceremony that united
William Hardin and Miss Betsy Munn, at the residence of the bride's father, Mr.
James Munn.
The first child born in Washington township was undoubtedly Miss. Rachel Foster
in 1840. She was the daughter of D. Nelson Foster and Naoni, his wife. Miss
Rachel Foster that was, is now Mrs. James Williams and is still a resident of
the county of her nativity. The next birth occurred November 26, 1841, and was a
daughter born to Jonathan and Catharine Smith; she was baptized with the name of
Sarah J. Smith. The first death was that of Leonard Munn, son of James Munn. He
was about five years old, and was burned to death, his clothes catching fire
while playing in front of the fire-place. He lived but a short time and suffered
terrible agony. He was buried on the farm of his parents. His grave is now
obliterated and the field is now in corn. The next death was the infant son of
Wilson and Juda Poe. It was buried in Union Grove Cemetery. The first physician
was Dr. Joel Dowell, who came in 1842 or 1843 and is still a resident of the
township. He came from Iowa. About the same year Dr. John Oatnan, a regular
practicing physician, settled in the township, but afterward moved to Harrison
county.
The first school was taught in a log school-house built on the banks of Hickory
Creek in the year 1840. It had the usual supply of puncheon seats and desks made
up against the log wall. The fire place covered about half of one end, and was
made of sticks and mud from the bank of Hickory Creek. The school-house was
erected by the joint labor of the neighbors interested in having a school in the
neighborhood. The first teacher was John D. Enlow (or Inlow), and his school was
a flourishing one for those-times, having about twenty scholars for which he
received $1.50 per pupil for a term of three months. The school-house had the
same fate as a good' many of the county bridges, and in the latter part of the
winter of 1841-42' a heavy rain set in and Hickory Creek raising in its wrath,
reached forth and clasping this building, dedicated to teaching the young idea
how to shoot, to its bosom started on a voyage to the gulf. The Hickory Creek
school-house was but a vanishing dream, and the spot that knew it once, knew it
no more forever. Financially, the loss was not severely felt, but otherwise it
was. Since that time three other school-houses have been erected and some like
the first are known no more. They have now six school districts and
school-houses in the township.
Mrs. John Williams not only had the first deerskin carpet, but wove the first
cloth, in 1837. Mr. Williams used the first bull-tongue plow in the township and
only had one horse to hitch to it. The other horse had not been purchased at
that time.
The first preacher seems to have been Rev. Absalom Hardin, who preached
occasionally at the cabins of the settlers as early as 1839. Regular preaching
was held near where the Union Grove Church now stands, in the fall of 1840. The
Disciples Church was the first church organized in the township, of which Elder
Martin Scott was the pastor. The history of these churches is more particularly
given in the following pages.
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