Out of Our Past: Early days of Centreville, the oldest surviving town in Wayne County
Centreville was laid out on Oct. 20, 1814 and was officially recorded on Jan. 2, 1815, making it the oldest surviving town in Wayne County.
Out of Our Past: Early days of Centreville, the oldest surviving town in Wayne County Centreville was laid out on Oct. 20, 1814 and was officially recorded on Jan. 2, 1815, making it the oldest surviving town in Wayne County. Check out this story on pal-item.com: https://www.pal-item.com/story/news/local/2020/01/05/out-our-past-early-days-centreville-oldest-wayne-county-town/2749827001/
Steve Martin Published 11:00 a.m. ET Jan. 5, 2020
1856 Centreville map courtesy of the Wayne County surveyor's office. Prominent historical figures and structures superimposed. Top right: George W. Julian, Oliver P. Morton, Rebecca Julian, Dr. David Sackett and wife Martha, Lew Wallace, Ambrose E. Burnside. (Photo: Photo provided)
Important events have occurred the first week of January.
Here is an instance.
On Jan. 2, 1815, a survey of a little hamlet is recorded.
The town had been laid out on Oct. 20, 1814 and was officially recorded on Jan. 2, 1815. That makes this town, Centreville, the oldest surviving town in Wayne County. (Salisbury, platted in 1811, no longer exists.)
Two men from Cincinnati, Israel Elliott and Ethan A. Stone, donated ground so level and muddy, there was fear it would degenerate into a mud hole.
At the first sale of 'mud hole' lots, Revolutionary War veteran Christopher Roddy dubbed the site Centreville because it was so centrally located. At the time there were a dozen people within what would become town limits.
(The Aug. 23, 1964, Palladium in a story about Centerville history states on page 3, "Through some trick of fate, the original spelling of the name of this Wayne County town has been changed through the years without it being officially recorded. Centerville was originally spelled Centreville, according to a copy of the 1815 territorial laws and, as far as is known, no official act reversed the 're' in the center to 're.'")
The first innkeeper was Rachel Neal. The first blacksmith was Isaac Forkner. The first hatter was Jacob N. Booker. The first merchant was Samuel P. Booker. The first physician was David F. Sackett. The first lawyer was Bethuel Morris. The first church in town was the Methodist Episcopal Church, formed in 1822.
The men were clad in deerskin trousers, moccasins and blue hint-shirts, with a belt to which a knife was fastened and from which hung a tobacco pouch of polecat skin. The women wore gowns of homespun cotton with calico or gingham bonnets.
Rebecca Julian wrote of their lives:
"I have thought proper to mention these matters in order that people may now know what the first settlers had to undergo… The country around us (1810) was an entire wilderness, with here and there a small cabin, containing a small family. We were nearly all new beginners at that time, and although we had to work almost day and night, we were not discouraged... Our husbands cleared the land, and assisted each other in rolling the logs. We often went with them on these occasions, to assist in the way of cooking for the hands. We had first-rate times, just as hard laboring men and women can appreciate. We were not what would be called stylish cooks… The substantials we prepared in plain, honest, old-fashioned style. This is one reason why we were so blessed with health… It was not in style to be weakly. We could take our spinning wheels and walk two miles to a spinning frolic, to do our day's work, and after a first-rate supper, join in some innocent amusement for the evening. We did not take any particular pains to keep our hands dirt-free; we never thought of having hands just to look at… We did not complain half as much as people do now (1840s). Our diet was plain, our clothing we manufactured ourselves; we lived independent and all were on an equality. I look back on these by-gone days with great affection. How the scene has changed. Children of these same pioneers know nothing of hardship; they are spoiled by indulgence, and are generally planning ways and means to live without work."
By 1826 Centreville had two stores, three taverns, one grocery, one wagon-maker, one wheelwright, two plasterers, one tinsmith, one saddler, two blacksmiths, two cabinet makers, two shoemakers, one millwright, five carpenters, two bricklayers, one tailor, two tanners, three physicians, three lawyers, one school, a post office and a Western Times printing press office. The population was about 200.
Residents eventually attained more solid footing than anyone else around when the town got the first paved streets in Indiana, "being paved by the government as a mark of distinction to the promising Wayne County capitol in the thirties (1830s)."
A series of five beautiful archways, now scattered about Centerville, were built between 1832 and 1836, which are the inspiration for the town's annual Archway Days Festival celebrating local heritage.
The first Charter of a Masonic Lodge had its first meeting in Centreville. Hiram Lodge number 42 — organized in 1845 and chartered in 1846 — had a membership of 10. Sadly, preparations for the first official meeting were stopped by the shocked discovery there was no Bible to swear officers in. Resident Abner Jones raced across the street to fetch his family Bible and saved the day. The much-touted Lodge was a distinctly proud one, having been organized "with the feeling being so strong there for it" to be located at the county seat. Unfortunately Centerville "forfeited the charter in 1868 because it admitted to its membership a man with a wooden leg," which was against rules. The charter was removed in 1869. Centerville Masons were resilient; they merely re-charted in 1870, changing the rule.
►MORE OUT OF OUR PAST: Richmond holiday news of 1892 included good works
Centreville encountered growing pains typical of a small town. Residents very often unconventionally solved their problems.
As a vital artery on the Old National Road during the nation's 19th century westward expansion, Centerville provided creature comforts along the way, especially when the eastside Whitehall Tavern opened in 1840 as an exchange station for tired horses and as a place for weary travelers to rest and dine.
The three-story structure accommodated wayfarers "in style."
On June 30, 1858, the women of Centerville accommodated the way station (now the Mansion House) "in style" by smashing the interior to pieces due the rampant liquor and gambling.
On that boiling day a bevvy of "hot" Centerville women stormed what would become the Mansion House to accomplish what the men of the town could not: they set out to eradicate the "dark beverage from H-ll" (whiskey) being sold, to halt gambling and to staunch "the filthy tobacco habit." The women are alleged to have worn long coats and shawls despite the sweltering heat. Under their garments they clutched hatchets and axes, as they marched in formation from the Methodist church while the church bell rang. They stepped uniformly with brazen intent in a pre-arranged pact to salvage local men from the demonic subservience of liquor, cigars and card playing.
Locals reacted in hushed whispers; doors closed like in western movies when gunfighters ambled down the street to fight.
Women loudly aggrieved, "Dissolute ways!" "Sickening!" "Barbaric!" "Do not besmirch God!"
Jake Vonderwright, the owner, saw them and bolted the door, then "vamoosed" out the back way.
Locked doors were no barrier to Centerville female 'firebrands.' They knocked at first civilly, knuckling their fingers; then pounded uncivilly with fists. Next they took out their implements of destruction and chopped and hacked, "tattooing marks in the door." They busted through and destroyed everything that had to do with demonic card vices and "drunkard-ness brought on by Satanic inclination."
At a time when women lacked equitable legal, educational and voting access; at a time when local male rationale failed to "halt the curse" of whiskey and cards, the females of Centerville marched with axes and clubs "to end the sin of the liquor temple" and to smash, smash, SMASH! The raid testified to the resolute resolve of Center Township womanhood as an intimidation "unto even men of chilled steel!"
Local newspapers proudly lauded them.
More on Centreville next week.
Contact columnist Steve Martin at stephenmonroemartin@gmail.com.
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