Stories of Related Family’s

Early Territorial History of Perry County, Indiana

 

The first Circuit Court of Perry County was called to meet at the home of James McDaniel Jr., April 3, 1814; but was adjourned until July 3, 1814 because a majority of the judges were absent.

In that year, 1814, the first Territorial Justices of the Peace were selected (for Perry County). They were: Jesse Barber, Israel Lamb, George Tobin, John Stevenson, Wm. Runnels Jeffers and George Burkhart. Wm. Runnels Jeffers would be the J.P. for Lamar Township, which covered the west side of Perry County, from the Ohio River to Dubios County, and all area west of the Anderson River. This is a complete list of the Justices for 1814. George Huffman was entered in 1817, Robert McKim on Nov. 27,1819, and John McKim (Savanna McKim’s grandfather) in 1825.

The following is a partial list of the taxpayers for June and July, 1815.  Michael Huffman, George Huffman, Runnels Jeffers, James McDaniel, Spehan McDaniel, Henry Rhodes, Moses Sandage, and Abraham Fulton, Robert Fulton’s father. Perry County was much larger then than it is today, due to the creation of  Spencer County (1818).

Abraham Fulton paid the highest tax, $11.25; he owned 1,000 acres of first class land. The second highest was James McDaniel, $10.8825; he kept a tavern at Troy, owning 4 horses and one Negro slave. There were only two Negro slaves in Perry County at this time, both being there before the Indiana Terr. was named. Slavery was not allowed in Territories.

On July 3, 1815, the first circuit court convened at the James McDaniel residence, (a tavern, the place designated by law), with Isaac Blackford, President Judge, and Thomas Morton and James McDaniel, Associate Judges, in attendance. Sheriff Samuel Connor called the first grand jury as follows: Peter Barber, Daniel Groves, Andrew Collins, Jonathan Esrey, Alexander Murphy, Jacob Davis, Elias Hadden, Jesse Morgan, Israel Lamb, Jesse Green, Abraham Hiley, William Taylor, Joseph Wright, Thomas Polk, Jacob Weatherholt, Edward Eskins, William Stark, John Sheilds, James Kellams, Benjamin Lamar  and Elijah Lamar, and Barnett Dewitt, a total of 22.

In 1816, the year that Indiana was admitted as a state, John Ewing, living near Grandview, ( at that time Grandview was in Perry County and in Lamar Township) by Alexander Dunn, his attorney, brought suit against William Lamar Jr., ( defended by Elias)

Roberts), for $100 dollars in damages for shooting and killing a valuable hunting dog of the English Mastiff breed.

The defendant plead justification, alleging that the dog was dangerous and had killed sheep, hogs, and tore cattle in the woods. The dog had done this often within the knowledge of the plaintiff. Before the trial, the case was compromised in a manner suitable to both parties. ( the defendant paid the Plaintiff a partial settlement.)

On the 4th day of Aug. 1817, an election for congressman and for members of the legislature was held at the home of Samuel Lamar, in Hurricane Township. Thomas Posey for congressman received 37 votes to William Hendrickson 1. For Legislature, Samuel Lamar received 39 votes. James D. Hammond was the inspector at this election.  Thomas Morton and Uriah Lamar were the Judges and Samuel D. Hammond and John Shrode, Clerks.  Among the voters were the names of  John, Benjamin, Samuel, James Sr., James Jr., and Uriah Lamar, Ezekiel Beard, Asa Geers and Jonathan Beard.

In 1818, the General Assembly of Indiana, located in Corydon, voted to divide Warrick and Perry Counties and create a new one. Naming it for Spier Spencer, who had died in the battle of Tippecanoe. On Jan 10, 1818, a legislative enactment creating Spencer County was approved. Lamar Township, in which Wm. Runnels Jeffers was the Justice of the Peace, was now transferred to Spencer County.  David Edwards was Commissioned a Sheriff for the new Spencer County by the State Govenor, and on Jan 3, 1818, was directed to hold an election in the county. On the 13th of Jan.; the following were elected: John Morgan, Clerk and Recorder; Azel W. Dorsey, Coroner; Samuel Snyder and Uriah Lamar, Associate Judges; and Samuel D. Hammond, Thompson M. Jones and Thomas Cater, Commissioners.

Earlier in the territorial history, was a incident known as the Meeks Tragedy. The Meeks family, being a frontier family, had settled in this area and long before statehood. At this time, farming was hard and most foods were hunted or trapped. This was before formal treaties had been made though agreements were made between the settlers and the Indians. The Meeks family had this sort of loose agreement concerning the areas to be hunted.

One morning, around sunrise, the Indians rode to Athe Meeks’ Cabin to discuss a problem with the Meeks hunting on land that was not agreed upon. Athe Meeks thought that there would not be a problem since the tribe of Chief Set-te-down was ordered in 1807 by the United States Indian Agent to report to Vincennes agency at once.

But Chief  Set-te-down was determined on revenge before leaving his old hunting grounds. Making a noise at the front door of Athe Meeks, Sr. drawing him to open the door so they could have a clear shot at him. As he open the door, the Chief shot him dead. In a cabin  about 100 yards from his father’s, a son woke up and ran out just to have another Indian attack him with a tomahawk. At this time, a married son, William Meeks, came out of his cabin to see his brother being  attacked by the Indian. Having a loaded rifle in hand, William Meeks took aim and shot the Indian, knocking him off his horse. While reloading, the other Indians grabbed the wounded Indian and rode off, leaving his gun behind.

The only Officer in the southern Indiana Territory was Sheriff Uriah Lamar. Sheriff Lamar took the gun to the Indian Villiage of Chief Set-te-down, to see who’s gun it was. None of the Indians claimed to know to whom it belonged. William Meeks then identified  the  Indians who were at their cabins and the Indians were taken to the only jail, at James McDaniels Tavern.

The Indians were to be detained until a Judge could be brought from Kentucky to hear the case, one of the Indians being Chief Set-te-down.  Due to the sensitive nature of the treaties with Tecumseh, Territorial Governor Harrison decided that the Indians should be transferred to the reservation which was six miles from Vincennes.

Before the Indians were to be moved, the guards, being friends of William Meeks, decided to kill Set-te-down.  One guard, though, refused.  With time running out, the other guards developed a plan to have the Chief killed.  They were to make sure that they would be low on drinking water so the man who objected to killing Set-te-down would leave to get more water.

When he left to go draw some water, a guard named Smithers  (pronounced Smothers) who had lived in Kentucky and had his mother, father, and brothers and sisters killed by Indians, loaded a gun to shoot Chief Set-te-down. But his gun failed to fire. Then William Meeks took his gun and drew aim at the chief. The chief rose from his cot and said, “white man kill me this night”.  This time the gun fired and Chief Set-te-down life was blotted out. The next morning the remaining Indians were tied together by rope and forced to start on their walk to Vincennes. During the trip, each of the remaining Indians were  killed, all except the wife of Chief Set-te-down. She came to visit the grave of her fallen chief for years afterwards.

Huff Township was organized in 1837 in Spencer County, named after Aquilla Huff. The township was detached from Hammond Township. The first election was held at the home of William S. Lamar ( the father of Elva Lamar) October 14,1837 for Justice of the Peace. George Huffman being Inspector. Aaron Masterson and John Smith, Judges and Harrison Huffman and Josiah Maxfield, Clerks. The following were some of the voters; Robert Lincoln, Stephan McDaniel, Hannah Lincoln, Harrison Jeffers, David Lamar, Harrison Huffman, William S. Lamar, and George Huffman.

The second election of Harrison Township, Spencer County, was held the first Monday in April, 1841, for two constables, and was conducted by George Huffman. Huff and Harrison Townships make up what was known as Lamar Township in Perry County, before Spencer County was formed . It should be regarded that all of these names were well known by the Jeffers family.

The children of Wm. Runnels Jeffers were married to many of these families or were neighbors and friends of all mentioned here.  This outline was created so the reader could gain a familiarity with this region of Indiana and the names of the families that settled in it.

Story provided by: Larry Jeffers

by permission of; Larry Jeffers

Note: Wm. Runnels Jeffers in this story  was  my Great Grandfather;   Riley Lamkin