Fountain County Centennial
Richard Henry Lee Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, 1926. No
page numbers.
Early History of Fulton Township
By Joe Starkey
Fulton township is situated in the southwestern corner of fountain
County. At one time this territory was included in that of Millcreek
township. Its present extent is only five-sixths of a congressional township.
It is bounded by Wabash township on the north, Millcreek township on the
east, Parke County on the south, and on the west by the Wabash river.
The geographical location of this township is entirely in township
eighteen, but in both ranges eight and nine, west.
The old Wabash and Erie Canal passes through the western part of this
township and forming, with the Wabash river, a small island known as Silver
Island. Indians once occupied this island and it was said that they had once
hidden a large sum of silver on this spot. However, after long research,
none was ever found. From this circumstance it has been called Silver Island.
It is related that a chief offered a measure of silver if a white man
would consent to his son becoming the husband of his Indiana maiden, and that
after securing the silver and having the marriage that the white boy would
pay no further attention tot he poor Indian girl.
In 1829 this country was the scene of salt and oil excitement. The found
minerals clearly indicated the existence of salt here. That year Norbour
Thomas entered a tract of land near where Silverwood is now situated, and
began boring for salt, which he found in paying quantities. Not fully
satisfied with this production , he bored again in the same well and found a
vein of saline water which afforded him fifty bushels per day. Later a
company of which Mr. Thomas became a member, was organized to prospect for
oil. Boring was continued in this same well and the result was the famous
artesian well, which is widely known for the medicinal qualities of the water
and the large bathing pool.
The first settlers of this township were James Graham and William Forbes
in 1822, on section 17, about one-half mile west of Cates. However, these
men did not become permanent settlers. Other early comers were Lewis Phebus,
Isaac Hibbs, and Robert Nugent, later a prominent churchman of this section
entered land in section 25.
In 1828 Robert Guy from Pennsylvania settled here. He also bought a body
of land in Parke County.
In 1830 Dr. Hall with his family settled here, where he practiced
medicine for twenty years.
IN the same year came Elias Dodson with his ox team, bringing his wife
and eight children, but very little furniture. They at first took shelter
under a shed connected to a gristmill. This mill was indeed a genuine
"corn-cracker" and people came to this mill from a distance of twenty miles
or more. They cleared a small space in the forest and planted some corn, but
the deer were so numerous they had to provide protection for their crops.
The first school houses of this township were built of round logs, cracks
"chinked" and very rudely finished. School was in session from sunrise till
sunset with no intermission except the noon hour. One of the first school
houses erected was on section 28. One of the first teachers of this school
was Mrs. Ashly. No small portion of her time was spent in making goose quill
writing pens for the children.
The Methodist church was the Burnsides Chapel, organized in 1876. Before
this time people had been holding services in the homes. Very early the
Missionary Baptists organized the Millcreek Baptist church and built for
themselves a home in Lodi. Since that time the Christian and United Brethren
churches have been organized.