Some Wayne County, Indiana, History

The following information was provided courtesy of Patrick Pearsey, from the "History of Wayne County Indiana," 1872. The James Walker mentioned in this could be the son of Charles and Elenor who moved to Pennsylvania from Ireland; that would be the most logical choice for any of the "James Walkers" who would have had a large family and apparently died in about 1832:

History of Wayne County Indiana from its first settlement to the present time (1872) with numerous biographical and family sketches.

Bibliographic Information: Young, Andrew W. History of Wayne County Indiana: Cincinnati. Robert Clarke and Company, 1872

Page 279

The earliest Blacksmith in Hagerstown, perhaps the first in the township, was David Stoneacre; the next, Peter Cable and John Eiler, and soon after, Charles Retz. There are now First & Jewett. David Weaver was probably the first wagon-maker; now, D. & M. W. Philabom advertise carriages and buggies. Joseph Arment is said to have been the first cabinet-maker. James Walker also was an early one.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. This township lies in the south-east part of Wayne county, and is one of the six townships into which the county was divided in 1817 by the county commissioners after the adoption of the state constitution of 1816. Its length, east and west, is 7 miles; its breadth 6 miles, containing an area of about 42 square miles. The earliest settlements in the township are believed to have been in the north part. Thomas Symonds settled December 6, 1811, about a mile north of where Milton now stands, having cut his way through the woods for 12 miles. There was no other settler near. His widow, still living, says, that, for six weeks after their arrival, she did not see the face of a white woman. Mr. Symonds was from N. C., and had stopped a few months at Cox's settlement, where Richmond now is. His family consisted of himself and his wife. They were much annoyed by Indian beggars, and by wild animals that approached their cabin by night and by day. In the spring of 1812, from fear of the Indians, they, like other settlers, left their home, and sought safety in the settlements in the vicinity of the present city of Richmond, where they remained until after the pacification of the Indians in 1814. They were obliged to go some 15 miles to mill, until Mr. Symonds himself built a mill, which was completed late in the autumn of 1814, or early in 1815. His wife once made one of these trips to mill, it being deemed safer than to remain at home alone. He died September 30, 1865. His wife is still living at Spiceland, Henry county. In the north-east part of the township were some who settled there about the same time as Symonds in the northwest part. After the treaties of peace with the Indians, rapid progress was made in the settlement of the township. In the fall of 1814, Benj. Beeson, from North Carolina, settled 3½ miles south of the present town of Milton, on land which had been entered in 1812, where he resided until his death in 1852, and where his son Benj. F. Beeson resides.

Page 315

James Walker, from Tenn., settled in the adjoining county of Fayette in 1812, and in 1814 came to this township, where he died about 40 years ago. The farm is now owned by Bezaleel Beeson. He had a large family, of whom only James and Prudy remain in the township. In 1814, John Wallace, from Ohio, settled 2 miles south of Milton, where he died; land now owned by his sons, Oliver, James, and John. Wm. Harris, Samuel Walker, and Jacob Y(???), were early blacksmiths in Milton. Enoch Maudlin, George Wirick, Wm. B. Unthank, and Richard J. Hubbard, early carpenters. Joel and Mordecai Hiatt and Charles H. Moore were early saddlers and harness makers. Early tailors--John Conrad, Harvey P. Irvin, Wm. Williams. Henry J. and David G. Kern, from...

[Samuel Walker, the blacksmith listed in the previous paragraph, was Francis Samuel Walker, who apparently followed a time honored Walker tradition of using his middle name.]

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Some Records from the Kosciusko County, Indiana, Original Tract Book

Index:

The Walkers - Paperwork