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Courtesy of Robert W Scott

Some readers may recognize parts of this history. Sections were incorporated in the History of Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland County, whose latter portion has been reissued for the Switzerland County section only. However, not all of this material was included in that book. And the author's name was not given.

Vevay Reveille, March 4, 1876

Pleasant Township
By W.H. Voris.

Pleasant Township, from the best information I can obtain, was first settled about 1815, by a colony from Kentucky. They were of Holland descent. Prominent among them were the Bantas, Vanosdols, Vannuys and, Shucks. They brought with them the peculiarities characteristic of their countrymen—sobriety, industry rind frugality. This combination is of no disadvantage to country. Emigrants were constantly being added to their colony from Kentucky. A little later came Samuel Henry and some others who were of lrish birth. They and their descendants also made good citizens. The Southwestern part of the Township was settled about three years later by colony from Scotland. Among them the Culbertsons, Scotts, Greys and Mortons. They belonged to the more intelligent class, and as Scotchmen usually are, they were enterprising and Industrious.

In 1818 emigrants began to settle in the central part. They came from York State, and Pennsylvania—“Squire” Johnson, Mitchells, Sissons, and Simeon Slawson. The latter was a leader among the Methodists, a man of some means, and his wife a good cook; two or three good looking girls and plenty of chickens made it a paradise for the itinerants. The result was two of them married into this family. Revs, Tarkington and Winchester, both old men and well known through the State. They are now living or near Greensburg. If I have omitted any prominent names among the early settlers it is from lack of information.

The population continued to increase until perhaps 1850 or before, when they began to grow restless and since that time there has been a constant flow of emigration out, and very few coming In. In the winter of 1825 there was a low grade Typhus fever then called “winter fever, which caused several deaths. Dr. Fallis, father of George Fallis, Mt. Sterling, was the attendant physician. In 1833 the cholera was very bad: Dr. Hotchkiss was called see a patient and while attending the Case took it. They converted a sled into an ambulance and took him home and before 24 hours had elapsed he and his wife were both dead. With these two exceptions, this conceded to have been a healthy climate.

HABITS, CUSTOMS, & c.
It is real amusing to hear the old men tell how they lived in those days all on an equality, that wiry edge of aristocracy which repels at a glance was unknown. They had go to a “horse mill” opposite Carrollton, on the river, to get their corn- converted into meal, or else use ‘a grater. The land produced fine wheat but made unhealthy flour, it was then called “sick wheat.” One old man told me some of his relatives from Kentucky came to see them and the bill of fare that night for supper consisted of corn bread, bacon and store tea. Like all new countries they were prolific; eleven children was considered a fair average, and the orthodox number of dogs five. They produced all they consumed. It didn’t take the average reporter long to describe a ladies dress in the primitive days. They homespun; the dress-skirt consisted of two widths and gored at the bottom. And if they could afford dark calico sun-bonnet was considered very stylish. Wasn’t it jolly for folks, though? The girls received their beaux in the same room with the family; this was hard on the parties interested, but just splendid for the little folks. By the time they were old enough to go “into society, and that didn’t mean very old then, they knew all the crooks and twists. One old man told me he had seen them pop up their little tow heads long after he thought they were asleep see what was going on.

PRODUCE MARKETS ac.
In our earlier history there was scarcely no money in circulation. If the Farmers produced more of the staples than was needed for home consumption they took the most of it to the Madison market. This was kept up for several years. The price of produce was very low $2 00 per 100 lbs. net was considered a fair price for pork, and 5 cts per dozen for eggs. A man could buy all the oats he wanted for 10 cts per bushel.

In the eastern part of the county some of the farmers would haul their produce to Rising Sun; this was before there was much of a market at Vevay. For several years they had to go to the latter place to get their mails, vote &c., and in time they went there to do their trading. When it became a hay market there were several press barns erected and hay was all the rage for a while, but they have abandoned that to a great extent and are turning their attention more to stock.

CHURCHES.

The first church building erected in the “Dutch Settlement’ it place known now as Pleasant, IN 1833. It was a hewed log house 1 1/2 stories high, with a “gallery.” It had neither fire place nor stove, at first. Major Voris was one of the most prominent of this organization. He would come in mid winter, bringing a kettle of coals with him, and this was all the fire they had. About the same time the Baptists erected a church at what is known now as Brushy Fork. I am unable to ascertain who were the founders of this church. The building was similar to the one described above. On one occasion when service was held there young man took a position in the gallery near the railing, which was simply a pole fastened between the enterprise logs at either end. He was enjoying a sound sleep, when he lost his balance and down he came between two good sisters. Being a bashful boy he was who awake when he came to, and so were the congregation The next church built was In the “Scotch Settlement.” They like the Dutch, were nearly all Presbyterians, but of a different branch. This was some two or three years later. In the mean time in the eastern part of the Township, the Methodists were holding meetings at “Center School House.” Methodism always flourishes in a new country, and it did here.

A short time after they built a church that point. In a few years they became so numerous that they divided four classes going” out in opposite directions. These churches undoubtedly had their influence in making the township what it is morally.— The United Brethren have two organizations here, and we have now in all nine church buildings. Some of them have been recently rebuilt and are modern in style, and nicely furnished and finished inside; others age dilapidated. All have had their ups and downs. Some of them have been seriously affected by removal. A majority of them have a few active working members, but from the present outlook I am compelled to say, they are like the Church of the Laodiceans, lukewarm.

From the best information I have I think it was but a short time after the country was, settled until they began to build schoolhouses. Most of my readers are familiar with these buildings by tradition. The veritable cabin with one end for a chimney, a log left out at the other for a window. A log split open and holes bored in the seat, a slab fixed up under the window for a writing desk and the furniture complete.— The qualifications necessary for a teacher was to be conversant with the “rule of three, reading, writing, to know how to make a pen out of a goose quill with precision. In school government such a thing’ as moral suasion was unknown—beech limbs were too plenty,
The teacher’s wages was from $20 to $35 per quarter (60 days). If they “boarded round” they did not receive so much. They taught all day, giving only a short intermission at noon. There was an old man by the name of Curry who taught here or several years. He was a widower and a married man by turns. Once when in the former state, he started to school one morning very early for the purpose of writing a love letter. When the pupils came he left it on the desk and proceeded to open with prayer as was his custom; he kneeled down with his “whip in his right hand and his right eye open.” One of the boys slipped up to the desk and commenced reading. But he had not read much when the old man broke off in the middle of a sentence collared the young man and let him have it over handed. When through he resumed his devotions with equanimity. There was no marked improvement in our schools until 1845 with the exception, they paid a little better wages and had a few very good teachers for the times. But text books and buildings were sadly neglected. About 1850 some of the young men started off to college, and although “college breds” were not looked upon with much favor, yet it had its influence, and new ideas were developed in regard to education. From this date until the present time the improvement has been steady.

THE PRESENT
The township is now divided into fifteen school districts. The buildings are
fine nearly if not quite all comfortable and well furnished. We have this winter 113 days of school. Our present Trustee and and a majority of our citizens are awake to the importance of education. There is not as much uniformity among the text looks as there might’ he, but this trouble is hard to remedy. We have as good a corps of teachers as any Township in the county if not the best, nearly all carrying first class certificates. Teachers are plenty here, many are teaching in other Townships and in adjoining counties.

BENNINGTON
was founded in 1847 by Dan Louden, “and city lots were staked for sale above old Indian graves.” It sprung up like magic, and hasn’t grown very much since. It is the capitol of the Township, and being in a central part makes it quite a lively place. I once attended church there when a good old Methodist sister stumbled over something like following, “O, Lord, we know that this place is of no little renown for wickedness.” Such was its reputation. But time and things change. The citizens now are, the most of them, social and clever. They boast and perhaps justly, of having the best Literary Society in South Eastern Indiana.

MOOREFIELD
was laid out as a lawn in 1834. Its growth has been slow. They support a flourishing Methodist church, and (luring the summer months a good school, which is more than can be said of most towns. have a good road to Vevay, and have a reputation for getting up good-entertainments. Are rather intellectual, and display considerable musical talent and, a number of fine buggies. There are other little villages deserving of notice, but time and space forbids.

THE PRESENT CONDENSED.
The citizens of this Township are generally moral. At any rate the disturbing element is not so concentrated as to make any part of it an undesirable place to live. There are no drinking saloons. We are a reading people. There are three regular post offices, and one branch office, and a large amount or reading matter comes in weekly.— The Township is Republican In politics, and has been ever since that party was organized. There has been considerable improvement in stock. Most of the farmers have good buildings on their farms. The worst feature of the case is we have bad roads.

THE FUTURE PROSPECTS
I have already stated that the population is decreasing if anything. The chief reasons for this, I think, are because we have no railroad communication with the outside world, antd are far from market. The people here are not verdant, they have been there and know what in going on— Like other Americans we are in haste to be rich, but this is no place to accumulate wealth, and wouldn’t be if we had a Railroad, although it would be of great advantage to us. A young man with
but little to start on can find better places than this, but if he owns property here and will be industrious and use a reasonable amount of economy he can live comfortable; and free from the temptations that center in our cities, and along our great public thoroughfares; anti if he will be contented with enough, and cultivate the mind and develop that in the place of fast horses he will live and die happier.