I thought some of you on the list would enjoy this history of Hutsonville. Jim > ---------- > From: Barbara Dix[SMTP:[email protected]] > Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2000 10:44 PM > To: [email protected] > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Fw: Article #38 > >                  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  HUTSONVILLE  TOWNSHIP  AND  VILLAGE >                                                        ----------------------- > ---- >                               Essay Read at a Teacher's Meeting  Feb.  15, > 1896 >                                              ----By JOHN B. PEARCE ------ >  After spending some time in trying to select a subject for an essay and > wishing to have something out of the ordinary line  of such productions, I at > last decided to write a brief sketch on the early history of Hutsonville > Township and Village, hoping that it will interest at least some of the > listeners.  Whether it deserves the name "essay" or not will be left to your > consideration. >   It is an undisputed fact that this Township as well as other parts of > America was inhabited by the Mound Builders long before the Indians made our > country their home, but we shall go back and take a view of Hutsonville > Township as it appeared over a century  ago.  We see a wild region covered > with the mighty forests through which the savages roamed in undisturbed > possession.  Wild beasts of almost every description are seen in abundance, >  what a contrast when compared the the present appearance.  But in a short > time the white settlers pushed westward and the savages were driven back > toward the great unknown west.  At the time of the early settlement of this > region there were still many Indians here but they were generally  friendly > toward the whites, except for a short period during the war of 1812.  The > first white settlers were the Hutson family. The father was Isaac Hutson, a > native of Ohio, who came here in the latter part of the winter of 1812 and > settled about one mile below what is now Hutsonville.   > The war of 1812  was not yet over and the Indians were yet hostile but Hutson > was a brave man and did not fear them .  A man by the name of Dixon settled > near by Hutson's cabin  One day in April ,Hutson went to the mill which was at > Palestine and did not get started home 'til night.  When about half way to his > cabin he noticed an unusual light in the direction of it.  Fearing something > was wrong he urged his horse forward at full speed and upon  nearing his cabin > his worst fears were realized.  A prowling band of Indians had murdered his > entire family, consisting of a wife  and six children. the youngest of which > was about sixteen. To complete the work of ruin they had set fire to his > cabin.  Almost frantic with grief and despair, he rode around the ruins, > wildly calling the names of his family. A few rods from the burning building > lay the body of Dixon  mutilated almost beyond recognition. His breast had > been cut open and his heart torn out and placed upon a pole, which was planted > in the ground nearby. Hutson left the scene vowing vengeance. He joined the > army at Fort Harrison and was afterward killed in a fight with the savages. > This is saddast story in the history of Crawford county. The name of Hutson is > preserved in the town of Hutsonville and of Hutson creek which flows nearby > where he erected his lonley cabin. >  The next settler John Eaton, who settled in the southwest part of the > township in the year 1813. Follow- > ing him came the Barlows, Hills and a number of Newlins. John Newlin, the > father of his tribe, came here > in 1818. Another important early settler was Nathan Musgrave who came in 1826. > Later on came the Lowes, Chalkey Draper, and the Guyer family. This is a very > brief sketch of the principal families among the early settlers.There were > many of them and they, like other pioneers lived a hard life. Panthers, wild > cats, and wolves were numerous at that time, and were considerably feared. The > wolves, while not very troublesome to persons were a sourse of constant > annoyance to farmers because of their danger to what little stock there was. > Bears were somtimes found but were not numerous. There many deer, indeed they > were so numerous that fifty or seventy-five could be counted in a single herd, > and it was years before a deer with the hide on would bring fifty cents. The > earliest settlers were, as would be expected farmers. > The first crop of corn was often planted in gashes made in the ted by an ax. > The first plow used was what is known as the "Cary" plow. It had a mold board > which was part iron and part wood. They were succeeded by the "Diamond" plows > which were more improved. >   The oldest church organization in the township is the Quaker church.  It is > so old that the date  of its organization can not be learned but it was at > least sixty years ago. .Hutsonville Baptist Church was organized Feb. 21, 1856 > with a member ship of 8, three men and five women.  the Universalist Church > was organized April 5, 1820.  When it was decided to erect buildings, both > churches were built out of town.  Now we come to the more important part of > the history. Viz, the history of the village, Hutsonville, which was laid out > as a village in April 1832 by Robert Harrison .  The most of the business > houses were built down near the river bank as this was the old state road from > Vincennes to Chicago.  A tavern was built on this street by Andrew Harris. >  Thie site is now marked by a sink in the ground.( The old tavern cellar) a > few bushes growing out of it.  The first residence was built in the fall of > 1832 by Wm. Cox .  It fell down from old age about 15 years ago.  The second > residence  was built by W.R. Hurst the same year.  It is still standing and is > known as the " Gascon Adams House".  The merchantile business took an early > start here.  Wm. Cox and W. R. Hurst were the first merchants. They opened up > a store in August , 1832.  it would require, a volume to give the history of > all the early merchants as they all sold on credit.  the cheap cash store, not > having been invented, and after the firm had been run a few years they would > be forced to close out and gather up their scattered capital.  The most money > made in the town was by Preston Bros.  who did an extensive business.  Other > early merchants were Caswell Jones, Henry A. Steel, A.P. Harness, John A. > Merrick and Nathan Musgrave.   Many men have embarked in business in > Hutsonville, some have enjoyed prosperity and success, while others failed; > but, when we consider it, this, we find, is a universal law, as good in life > as in the busy channels of business.  Some fail to make their life a success, > while others succeed.  Pork packing has been an extensive and profitable > business in our town.  Cox and Hurst began the business in 1835.  Other firms > who were in the business  are Carson and Co.  , H.A. Steel and John A. > Merrick.  The Prestons also did the largest business in pork packing.  They > built a house down on the river bank which has been torn down.  The house > where they boarded their hands still stands.  It will be  news to many to > learn that Hutsonville once possessed a Distillery.  It was built by Merrick > and Volk down this side of where the Brick and Tile Co's factory now stands. > They broke up in the business and after breaking up everyone one up that took > hold of it, this Distillery itself broke up which is acknowledged to be the > best break of all.   > Religion took an early start as business.  The first sermon  ever preached in > Hutsonville was on Sunday before Christmas 1832 by Rev. James McCord, a > Methodist preacher.  An M.E. Church was organized in the year 1840.  They > built the present brick church about 1853.  The Christian Church was organized > soon afterward but an edifice was not erected until the year 1860.  This > building has been torn down and the present one erected about six or seven > years ago.   >   The first school in Hutsonville was taught by a man named Broom in a --- > house built for school purposes. It was erected on the lot where Ambrose > Woolverton now lives.  The date of its erection can not be learned as it was > so long ago.  The next school built was in 1855.  It was a two story frame > house and is apart of the present one.  The addition was built in the fall of > 1883. > The earliest lodge organized was No.136 A.T. and A. N.  It is also the first > lodge of its kind organized in the county, being organized Oct.5,1853 by Grand > Master and Grand Sic. >   As newspapers are important factors in the civilization of a country, they > too, must be given  some attention.  The first newspaper  in the county was > started in Hutsonville in 1852 by George W. Cutler.  Its name was the "Wabash > Sentinal".  Mr. Cutler sold out to E. Callahan, then a young school teacher of > our village.  He changed its name to "The Journal" and after a little over a > year sold out to a Marchall man.  The "Crawford Banner" was the next > newspaper.  It was started in July 1857,  by W. H. Rubottom.  It suspended > publication in about a year.  The "Hutsonville News' was started 1914 (?) by > W.M.P. Springer who came here from Palestine. He only published his paper > about six months. >   Although the two great elements, fire and water have been a source  of > constant loss to Hutsonville.  It has made good progress and we can not help > notice the striking contrast between Hutsonville in the year 1832 when it > contained only a few buildings and Hutsonville in the year 1896.  We now see a > pleasant town with abut 28 business houses, two factories and a total > population of about 800 or 900 .  Almost all of the old settlers have gone to > their last account.  Those that are left are going down the hill of time very > fast, their mission ended and their race almost run. > >    > > > > > > > > ' > > > > > > > > > >