Dunlpasville

History of Dunlapsville, Indiana

C. M. Barlow

For the story of the conquest of the White Water Valley from a wilderness into the area as we know it today takes us over 200 years. When the pioneer settlers from Laurens County, South Carolina scouted the Whitewater Valley for their land the area was nothing but woodland and Indian and animal paths. The Carolina Colony as they were known purchased their land from the United States government at the Cincinnati Land Office in 1804.

The main reason for choosing this area was the pristine waters of the White Water River. The pioneer built their homes on both sides of the river stretching from just above Brookville to just below Brownsville. At that time Brookville had one building and Brownsville was not yet platted.

However, with the settlement came needs. The land owner could cut down trees but lumber was need to be sawed for their homes. As the land was cleared and some grain could be harvested then there was the need for the grain to be ground into meal. On 13 May 1806 William Nickels and his wife Elizabeth, also from South Carolina, bought land near the White Water and erected a crude mill that could both saw and grind. It was much in demand. On 3 November 1814 the Nickels sold this mill and land to John Dunlap.

Mr. Dunlap was born in Pennsylvania in about 1767 and in the early 1800’s brought his family to the Indiana territory. After purchasing the land from Nickels, Mr. Dunlap could see the need for a village near the White Water River. Using the local surveyor, James Leviston, a plat for the town of Dunlapsville was recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Franklin County, Indiana on the 8th day of September 1817 which consisted of 65 lots. On the plat appears the name of John Dunlap, Title Proprietor. At this period of time, Union County had not yet been formed.

Dunlapsville had a Main Street running north to south and also another Main Street running east to west. At the intersection of these two streets a Common or Public Square was added to the attractiveness of the town. It was here the Town Hall sat for many years.

The sale of lots began in January of 1818. The population of the valley was increasing. The Scot - Irish settlers were staunch Presbyterians and it seems regular services were held as early as 1813. The minutes of the White Water Presbytery states the Church was organized in1823. The first

known date of first burial in the adjacent burial ground bears the date of 12 June 1819. The tombstone marks the grave of Thomas Reed Bryson. Lots 8, 9 and 10 comprise the burying ground and the site of the first church. It was a log structure and was located east of the present building. These lots were first sold by John Dunlap to one William Nickels, Sr. The date of sale of Lot 9 and 10 was August 1818 for the sum of $50 and the deeds for lot 8 and 10 bear the date of 20 August 1818 for $18 and $16. Because of the additional funds for Lot 9 it is thought there was some sort of a building located there. On 23 September 1826 the three lots were sold by Mr. Nickels and wife Elizabeth to Robert Swann, John Templeton and Alexander McCann, Trustees of the Salem Presbyterian Congregation of Dunlapsville, and their successors in office for the consideration of $100 and the deed states it was for lots where the meeting house and grave yard were located.

About a mile west of Dunlapsville the Dunlap Fort was built before 1811. The fort was never used as a defense against the Indian but was ready in case there was need for the safety of the pioneers. It was a log structure of two stories with portholes in both stories. Around this fort was a high palisade made of long poles set deep in the ground. The old fort stood on a hill over-looking the valley through which a creek runs smoothly eastward. It was enclosed on all sides by a dense forest and thickets.

The pioneers were concerning about establishing a Church but they were also concerned their children have an education. This fort was used to conduct the first school in Liberty township. The teachers were Thomas Smiley and Tot Green and the time frame was around 1819. (Notes taken from Lou Stanley’s article.)

The second school was a cabin built of round logs with a dirt floor, a fireplace, oiled-paper windows and it was located on the W. E. Crawford Farm near where the Presbyterian Parsonage stood. Today that area can be reached by using Hubbell Road. The third school house west of the river was on the James Bryson farm. It was probably erected in the 1830’s, a hewn-log building. The students who were to write or “cipher” sat on backless benches at broad sloping unpainted desks which faced the wall. The little people were scattered around the room on low benches. (From Notes by C.W.Osborn.)

Meanwhile back at Dunlapsville the log meeting house burned and all records of the

church were lost. It is thought the present Church was built in 1838. However, the sale of the lot 7 on which it stands did not take place until February of 1839. That lot belonged to John Dunlap and it seems that in good faith he let the trustees built the church before buying the lot for the sum of $30. By this time John Dunlap and family had moved the Clermont County, Ohio where he was serving as a Justice of the Peace. In the 1850 census the Dunlap’s were living in Goshen, Clermont County. John was 63 and a surveyor. He did not appear in the 1860 census.

The original manse which had stood about a mile and half west of Dunlapsville had fallen into ruins. On 4 March 1850 the trustees purchased Lot 4 from Jasper V and Lydia Lane for the sum of $250. This property remained a home for the presiding ministers until 6 September 1890 when the trustees sold the property to Hiram Snape.

(The following is taken from Jennie Hill’s booklet.)

“In 1853 Whitewater Presbytery located the Whitewater Presbyterian Academy at Dunlapsville and Rev. L. D. Potter was elected principal of the new institution. Those were stirring times for the village and its Church. Until the Academy could be erected, the church must be used for the school. Temporary partitions were put up and three teachers were installed. New people moved into the village and neighborhood, farm house and town homes took in boarders and everything caught the infection of a new spirit of progress.

Rev. R. B. Abbott became the second principal of the Academy, in the new building and in

1856-57 served as pastor as well. Rev. Gilchrist resigned on account of failing health. I think that these years had been the great years of the church, both in temporal and spiritual things.

I have a vivid remembrance of the building and the people. I remember the high-backed, unpainted pews, with the middle wall of partition, the bare floors, the side doors, the corner pews, the platform--two steps high, with its white railing, the pulpit high up on the wall--its stairs and cushioned book-rest, the long bench in front where the officiating ministers sat on communion occasions.

And the people--so many every seat filled! It was not considered respectable to stay away from church, unless you were an adherent of some other denomination; in that case you were excusable for denominational lines were closely drawn then.

In 1890 we were grouped with Liberty church. The future of this organization is under God, in the hands of those who are alive and remain. We hope for good results to follow the work of our new leaders, but to make these possible there must be zeal and devotion in the membership. These must exist if we would keep our place among the living church of Whitewater Presbytery.” (End of Jennie Hill’s story.)

Jennie had a list of the membership and there were over 500 names on the books. However, the hopes and dreams the Presbyterians had for their Academy failed after about ten years because of lack of interest and finances. The school passed into many hands being used as a private school and residence. In 1874, upon a petition of the taxpayers of District #4 the trustee of Liberty township, Thomas Nickels, purchased the building and grounds for the sum of $1,350. A public school was opened in the Academy building on 19 October 1874 with W. D. Ellis as teacher. It was now known as the Dunlapsville School. It was customary at that time for teachers to be elected by the school patrons instead of the township trustee. The first graduation exercise was held on 25 June 1881 in the Presbyterian Church at Dunlapsville. This was the first graduation in Union County and according to ex Superintendent Crist, it was the first in the state. There were five members of that graduating class. Dunlapsville was an eight-year school not an eight grade school.

A new school was built and the Corner Stone of the building was laid 12 October 1923.It followed the Norman design of the Academy building. It was a one and one-half story brick with four class rooms. One teacher taught two grades in one room. There was a music room, a gym , kitchen and cafeteria in the basement. On the main four were the four classrooms with a big hall a library and a teachers lounge.

I attended this school from 1935 to 1943. My teachers were Miss Edna B. Husted, later to be Mrs. Wilbur Crist; Frances Banks from Blooming Grove; Mrs. Thurman (Bertha) Geise from Connersville and Mr. Thomas Bowers was my 7th and 8th grade teacher and also Principal and basketball coach. Miss Monzell Tracy was the music teacher. The two people who cooked and served lunches were Mrs. Ruby Hughes and Mrs. Rosie Davis. To transport me to school I had a wonderful bus driver who let me put a comfort on the cold leather seat for warmth. His name was Joe Thibault and he also ran the local grocery store in town. He had mostly gravel roads and some were near the river. In 1937 during the flood we got stuck in high water and men had to come and take us to the Whitis home until another bus could come and take us on to school. Today most of the river road is closed to the public. Also closed is the Dunlapsville School. In the 1960’s the Union County Schools were reorganized and it was decided to bus children to the new Liberty elementary building. The Dunlapsville School closed with the spring term of 1966 thus closing a span of generations that the site had been dedicated to education the young people of this community.

At one time things were not all gloom and doom for Dunlapsville. Jennie Hill and Marie Fields both have written of the time when Dunlapsville was on a road that led from northern Indiana to Cincinnati. Livestock was driven to market on foot. Built before the Civil War stood a tin building in Dunlapsville, (later home to Nan Leech and daughter Malinda) that served as a way -side inn for the ones driving the livestock. The inn also furnished hay for the livestock. Jennie Hill wrote that the Hill home was also a place where straw ticks were put on the floor and a drover could eat and sleep. There were many places along the way that furnished lodging the men and pens for the animals. The road was usually was a mass of mud from one side to the other during the rainy season and dust when it was dry. Carrie Hubbell wrote about when turkeys were taken to market they would roost wherever they could and it would be a sorry mess when they left.

In the 1870 census of Dunlapsville we found John Garrett had a grocery store, Andrew Crawford was a blacksmith along with his sons, Alexander Crawford was a physician, William B Ball was post master. Then there was Thomas M. Bond from New Jersey, a miller, Henry Abernathy a school teacher, Hugh Abernathy from South Carolina was also a miller as was William H. H. Clark from New York.

Also Thomas Bryson was listed as a miller and George C. Booth was a carpenter. James Auld was from New Jersey and he was listed as a wagon maker. Robert E. Hanna was a stone mason as was George A. Hanna

By 1900 Clyde Bess was in Dunlapsville working as a blacksmith, Goldie Burk was a dressmaker, William Hill a school teacher, Ray Nickels a school teacher, Elmer Grove, was a fruit tree agent, Henry Rigor was a Gardner, Mr. Templeton was a teamster and Oscar Garrett was a grocer. Thomas Rigor was a carpenter, Benjamin Osborn a teamster, Orpha Booth a school teacher and John Rigor was a carpenter.

In the 1930 census there was still a store in Dunlapsville but most of the residents werelisted as farmers. The automobile and improved roads had made it possible for the community togo out of the village for their supplies and the small vendor could no longer survive.

In 1935 when I first remember Dunlapsville Mr. Weers had a grocery in the old store on Main Street. Then Joe Thibault came to town and he began his grocery store in a smaller building on the other side of the street. The Talbott’s who had lived in Dunlapsville for many years decided to open Rose Corner Restaurant which sold only chicken dinners and they raised their own poultry. People came from Cincinnati and all around. I cannot remember how long it was in business but I think only a few years. Mrs. Adolph (Mary) Hahn had recently become a widow. Her home was in Cincinnati and her husband had been with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. She chose Dunlapsville as a summer home and while in residence gave piano and violin lessons. I was one of her students. Then in the 1960’s Mr. Judd had a shop where he sold tropical fish. One by one the businesses closed and today the only business open is the Reibsomer Boat Storage and in an open field is a flying field for miniature airplanes. The Quakertown Recreational area is open when State Funds are available and the Quakertown Boat Ramp and Beach operate seasonally.

Before we leave our tales of Dunlapsville we will tell of one last venture of trying to bring the village alive. Treaty-Line Museum was formed in 1967 as a not-for-profit educational museum.The benefactors were Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Kassens. Mrs. Kassens was the former Mona Stanley and her family had been a resident of Liberty township in Union County for many years. While in College Mona met Clyde a native of Chicago. The couple married and lived in Chicago. However, when their son was born they decided Union County would be a better environment for him. They moved back to Union County and Clyde would commute back and forth to his job in Chicago. Upon retirement Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Kassens collected primitives and outstanding examples of early Americana as a personal interest and hobby. The collections and a substantial monetary pledge were made to establish a gift to their home community of Union County. A historical museum was formed to be a lasting and enduring cultural benefit to the people of the community itself and to all others who would visit it.

When the former eight grade Dunlapsville School building was to be sold at public auction in 1967 Mr. and Mrs. Kassens purchased it as a place to house their collection. Its location was at the edge of the area which was being included in the development of the Brookville Lake by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Treaty-Line was run by a Board of Directors. Mrs Floyd (Phyllis) Howard was the Executive Director and it was through her determination and abilities Treaty-Line became a reality. She would work 18 hour days writing grants, interviewing craftsman and everything else it took to make the museum a reality.

As the development of the lake ensued, it became evident that the historic structures in the lake bed area would be destroyed. This valley of the East Fork of the Whitewater River was the Carolina Settlers came in 1804. They had bought their land from the United States government and the government was now in the process of buying it back. The back breaking work of those pioneers to clear the land was now going to be reclaimed by nature and water.

The first cabin considered for purchase, relocation and reconstruction was the outstanding two story Logan cabin with double porches from south of Fairfield on Indiana 101. After this decision was made, it quickly followed that preservation of other structures would be beneficial to the public to reflect the history of the settlers and earlier way of life. Therefore, three additional cabins were obtained, one from Old Fairfield, and two from the Wolfe Creek area. The small cabin or the Druley Cabin came from Union County near Boston. The Quakertown store building would have been destroyed and so it was moved to the Treaty-Line grounds. The Fred Fisher farmstead which was just west of Treaty-Line had six buildings that were moved. The Kaiser home which was near the river just north of Dunlapsville was the most modern building to be brought to Dunlapsville. This construction process took from 1967 until 1975. Also among the things the Kassen’s purchased was the site and some objects from the Cockefair estate. The Cockefair woolen mill which once stood a Eli Creek in Harmony township produced coverlets and uniforms for the soldiers during the Civil War era.

The basic goal at Treat-Line Museum was to educated and enlighten the public as to the pioneer way of life, in order to preserve and revive heritage handicrafts. This was done through regular classes, set up by the craftsman. In 1976 craftsman live at the site and were available during museum hours.

As visitors walked through the front gate they were greeted with a sign saying, “SLOW DOWN, YOU ARE ENTERING YESTERDAY.” After visiting the many rooms of the museum which had themes for each room, then the visitor would see people cooking in the Logan cabin, different examples of living in other cabins and the last cabin housed the “blab” school house where the school master was in charge of classes. They might be making chalk the day you visited

In the textile house there was a weaver, a spinner and an instructor in lace making demonstrating and teaching. In the red barn the blacksmith had a hot fire going and was making a set of horseshoes or maybe just talking about his trade. In the craftsman shop there could be wood working, the making of clay pots or someone at work with leather.

By this time you have gotten close enough to the general store to smell the pop-corn and a wouldn’t a nice cold Coca-Cola taste good on a hot day! As you walk into the store it takes a bit for your eyes to adjust to the dark interior after being out in the bright sunlight. Sure enough that pop corn machine over there to the right is working just fine and the price is right! Hanging from the ceiling is a big wooden bicycle, call the “bone crusher” and then you begin to see things that you remember your parents had when you were young. There was the candy case that the children saw when they first walked in the door and the bolts of calico that took the eye of the seamstress. One of the last things to open in the store was a real working post office where first day cachets were sold and those sure attracted the stamp collector especially since every stamp was hand canceled. It was a place to remember the good old days before everything you purchase comes wrapped in plastic.

Speaking of remembering, there were many people who remembered then this store had been at Quakertown which was located one mile south of Dunlapsville. The first store there was started by John Milton Stanton about 1865. Prior to that time the Stanton’s used it as a mill. But the building burned and was not replaced until Stanton’s two sons, Wade and Kirkwood had the present building constructed soon after the turn of the century. Its all metal siding made it an unusual structure in its day. The Stanton’s were real characters. Wade took care of the house where the men lived and Kirkwood ran the store. In 1913 the river flooded and water was in the store high enough to cover the counters. But after the waters resided the men washed out the mud and repaired the cases and counters and restocked what they had lost. For years the Methodist congregation met in the upstairs of the store. It was also used for storage and the Stantons had a hand hoist to lift crates and barrels through the store ceiling. Then the car came along and business went to Liberty or elsewhere. The store closed. The Bridenhager family from Liberty bought it and used it as a summer home for a time. Then after building a special road the building traveled to the grounds of Treaty-Line.

Today Dunlapsville is quiet. There are fifteen houses more or less. In 1986 the name of museum changed to Treaty-Line Pioneer Village, Inc. Although economics prevented continuation of programming and staff, the museum is open part-time spring through fall on weekends and by special reservations. As tourists pass by in years to come, will they wonder about the history of this village or will they think only of the lake and boats to the south?

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