The first land entry was made in the township by George Worthington. who entered the southeast quarter of section
34, township 16 range 6, on January 18, 1822. This land lies in the extreme southeast corner of the township immediately
north of the town of Philadelphia. Among others who entered land in the township and whose names are still familiar
among the family names of the county are Barzillia G. Jay, William Philipott, Callimore Plummer, Warner N. Copeland,
William Wright, James Parker, James H. Write, Isaiah Smith, Edward Haines, John Bastes. Jonathan Dunbar. Samuel
Steele, Thomas Steele, James Wilson, Moses Dunn, John Jessup. Landon Eastes, Thomas Kennedy, John Parker, Owen
Griffith. John Dance, Morris Pierson, Isaac Willett, Edward Thomas William B. Plummer. George Leonard, James Dunn,
Ebenezer Smith. Henry Beechman, William A. Dunn, David W. Snider, Hervey Bates, Hervey Smith, James Cotton, Robert
Hanna, Hans Steele, William Alexander. William Mints, Thomas Smith, John Wallace, Shadrach H. Arnett, George W.
Willett. Nicholas Hittle, Hiram Crump, Jacob Jones. Ephraim Thomas, George Plummer, John Collins, Joseph Wright,
William Collins. William Snyder, Archibald Smith, William Harvey, Arthur Carr, Samuel Shirley, Samuel Dunn, Philip
A. Mints, James P. Eastes, Thomas Alexander. William Arnett. Powell M. Scott, Joseph Parker, Adam P. Byers, Washington
Scott, Michael Bash. Mahala Eastes, Ovid Pierson.
The streams of Buck Creek township, as stated above, were too small to furnish adequate waterpower. For this reason
very few mills were established except steam-power mills. A waterpower grist- and hominy-mill, however, was established
on Buck creek on the northeast quarter of section 19, township 17. range 6, by Wesley Eastes, in 1854. The water
power was found insufficient and the mill was operated but a short time. Other industries of the earlier days were:
A blacksmith shop, established during the forties, and probably earlier by Ebenezer Scotten, on the east line of
the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 21, township 16, range 6, and operated for a number of
years. A blacksmith and wagon shop, conducted for a number of years, beginning in the early forties, by John and
Robert Wallace, along the north line of the east half of the northwest quarter of section 20, township 16,. range
6. A saw- and gristmill, erected about 1860 on the southeast quarter of section 17, township 16, range 6. by one
Corbin. This mill was bought later by McClain & Buroaker. A saw-mill, established about 1863 by one Whitlock,
and operated for three or four years in the vicinity of Mt. Comfort. A saw-mill, established by Maudlen & Hopkins
about 1874, on the northeast corner of section 19, township 16, range 6. A tile factory established by Ebenezer
Steele along the middle of the south line of section 8, township 16, range 6. A saw-mill, established by Ebenezer
Steele about 1882, at the south-east corner of the northeast quarter of section 18, township 16, range 6. A saw-mill,
erected by Adam F. Wilson, in the latter seventies, in section 10, township 16, range 6, near the present west
line of Mohawk. A grain elevator erected by William H. Dunn at Mt. Comfort, about 1890, and later owned by his
son, George Dunn. A grain elevator erected by Barnard & Newman and now owned by Thomas H New and the Grist
heirs. A tile yard, established on the west side of the road at Mt. Comfort in 1884, by Fred Wicker, and operated
until 1891.
From its earliest history there has been a good social spirit among the people of Buck Creek township. This spirit
has expressed itself in picnics and other social gatherings at which the citizens of the township have come together.
Probably the earliest record of a "grand picnic" in the county is one that tells the story of such a
gathering held near Mt. Comfort in 1845. The picnic was held at the north end of the west half of the northeast
quarter of section 19, township 16, range 6, or just northwest of the present residence of John C. Eastes. The
story of this picnic as it comes down to us from the pen of Dr. J. W. Hervey is full of interest:
"A meeting was called at an old log school house that stood on the banks of Buck creek, in Buck Creek township.
The call brought together nearly all the people within five miles around. The idea of having a Fourth of July celebration
touched their hearts. Many of the old men who took part in the late Indian war were then alive and the recollection
of the struggles of our fathers for independence was fresher then by a half century than now [July 5, 1894]. There
was but one opinion on the occasion , and that was that the Fourth should he celebrated in the best way we could
do it. We had nothing that modern usage now demands to make the occasion interesting. No flags, no drums, no band
of music. Committees were appointed to see what could be clone and nothing- else was talked about at the homes,
in the woods, or at public gatherings. When the time came for the committees to report, the arrangements had been
made. Old Mother Eastes had some fine linen sheets, which she had woven years ago, and which had never been used.
She had bleached them white as snow. She said there was no use fretting about a flag-to take one of her new sheets,
or as many as were needed. Some other lady had red and blue flannel and some of the gentlemen agreed to see that
the flag, with its proud eagle, its stars and stripes, should be put together and fastened upon a flag staff.
''A few friends in Indianapolis were so much interested in our effort that they furnished us with fife, drum, an
old French horn, clarinet, and perhaps other instruments. My brother, Worthington B. Hervey-, was to read the Declaration
of Independence and I was promoted to the high station of being the 'orator of the day.' A grand barbecue was agreed
to and Captain Hodges,
John Collier, A. J .Sims, Landon Eastes and James Dunn were to get it up. A pit was dug in the ground, three or
four feet deep. Into this was thrown wood, which was done the day before it was needed. When the wood was
burned into coals the pit was hot and fit for use. I , do not remember the number of oxen, calves, sheep and swine
that were cooked, but there was enough for all and to spare.
The people came from every section - every village and every town within reach was represented. Greenfield sent
a large delegation, but I do not remember all of the names.
Colonel Tague, General Milroy, John Foster,
Joe Chapman, Andrew Hart, John Templin and John Hager. I do not remember whether D. S. Gooding was there or not,
or how many I have not named. Reverend Robinson, an old-time Kentucky Methodist minister, was chaplain. I heard
many say at the time and since that they never enjoyed a Fourth of July celebration as they did that one. There
was never a more peaceable and well behaved crowd than that was. I have the manuscript of the oration yet. It is
a curiosity, the way I estimate it. The spread eagle predominates. It was made to soar onward and upward till all
the world was borne to liberty. I would attempt a short description of that wonderful document, but my fancy has
grown too tame for such flights as would be required to catch a glimpse of the altitude of that egregious fantasy.
''Many amusing- incidents occurred. The most remarkable of them was the run-away of an ox team. Two families had
spliced to provide a way to conveying their enormous crop of youngsters to see the Fourth of July. Neither of them
had a wagon. One had a horse and the other had a Sled and a yoke of oxen. This was the outfit in which the adventure
was made. The little ones and their mothers were piled in it. The men walked and drove the oxen. They went along
very well until they came to Buck creek bridge, which was a long- and shaky structure of poles, rails, slabs and
plank. When they had reached the middle of the bridge several young bloods with their girls came up behind the
oxen. They had never seen anything like such a turnout before, and they determined that they never would again.
s They a lunge and into the swampy stream they plunged. The sled turned over and spilt the youngsters and their
mothers into the mud. The children screamed and their mothers cried murder. The men bounded into the mud, which
was almost waist deep, and went to fishing out their respective families. The young-riders hastened on to the grounds
with the news that a whole family was killed or wounded and to send the doctor post haste. I was furnished a fast
horse and in a few minutes was before a scene that would make one laugh irresistibly Five little fellows. as muddy
as mud could make them from top to bottom (their eyes and mouths were all that the mud did not hide), were sitting
in a row on the bridge. The two mothers were scraping themselves with splinters to get their faces and hands relieved;
the two men were in the mud, and as muddy as they could get, fishing out the unreclaimed children. They got washed
off, or partly off, in time to pay their compliments to the barbeque. I have seen many strange groups of human
beings, but I never saw- any equal that one. Some of these children grew tip to fill responsible places in society.
When I looked upon the display yesterday the contrast between the celebrations brought my mind to the wonderful
changes that half a century has wrought in politics, in morals, in religion, in trade, and in customs and usages,
as well as in conditions that result from progress, wealth and refinement.
''The old flag- made from Mother Eastes' linen sheet expressed as much as the silk flags they floated from so many
homes in this city yesterday.
The incident of the ox team referred to in Doctor Hervey's statement occurred just east of where the present high
school stands. The Buck creek bottom from the west grade of the creek to the Southeast corner of section 18 was
very low and soggy and marshy. A corduroy road had been built across part of the bottom and a trestle bridge spanned
tile rest of it.
On Saturday, August 10, 1861, another great citizens' meeting was held just across the road from and a little west
of the place of the former picnic. It was probably held in a grove at the south end of the east half of the southwest
quarter of section 18, township i6, range 6, and was denominated a "grand union picnic and basket dinner."
An immense crowd gathered and speeches were made by Reuben A. Riley. David S. Gooding and Dr. J. W. Hervey.
'The ladies of the township served a dinner "in quantity and quality to satisfy the most fastidious taste.
A general program was given. The singing of Mrs. Dr. Collins, of Cumberland, was considered a musical treat, especially
her rendition of "Dixie.''
On July 4, 1876, another great celebration was held in which the people of the township participated, at the grove
of James Collins. at the north end of the southeast quarter of section 14, township 16, range 5. Dinner was again
served to all present by the ladies of the township. A general program followed. Henry Wright read the Declaration
of Independence, and James L. Mason, Charles G. Offtutt and William Fries made addresses.
Buck Creek township, like the other townships of the county, began her educational work in log school houses. The
first house in district No. 1 was erected at the northeast corner of section 9, township 16. range 6; the house
in district No. 4, at the northeast corner of section 14, township 16, range 5; the house in district No. 5, where
the present township high school stands, just west of Buck creek in the southeast quarter of section 18, township
16, range 6.
Source:
History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman,
B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Pages 513-525.