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Pioneers of Marion County Knoxville Township Dallas Township Histories - Page 337 Chapter XXXII. Dallas Township - Its Geography and Early History - An Incident Connected with the First Election - Names of Early Settlers - Nicholas Helms - The First Mill - First Marriage and Birth - Thomas Kirton - An Adventure Through the Snow - Destruction of Wild Game - The Bauer Brothers - Peter Yrentz - Hiram Teakel - Henry Harstman - Church Organizations - First School - Newbern - Dallas Town - A Hunting Adventure - Conclusion. Dallas is the south-west corner township of the county, and is technically described as town. 74, range 21. It is bounded on the north by Franklin, on the east by Washington, on the south by Lucas county, and on the west by Warren county. White Breast runs through the north-west quarter, and a nameless branch of English takes its rise in the interior, and runs through the south-east quarter of the township. Timber is more abundant than in Franklin, but covers much less than half the surface. Coal abounds along these streams, and numerous veins have been opened, averaging about three feet in thickness. One owned by John F. Willis, near Dallas Town, is worked. But the richest coal fields are to be found in the west and south-west. From the 6th of January, '47, till the 2d of October, '48, this township constituted a part of Washington, after which it was ordered that it and town. 75, range 21, (Franklin,) be called Dallas; and so remained till some time during the year '52, (at precisely what date we have been unable to ascertain,) it became a distinct township. The first election after this, Dallas Township Histories - Page 338 was held at the house of Thomas Kirton, April 5th, '52, at which the following officers were chosen: Joseph Bauer and William J. McClain, justices; Hiram Teakel and John Clark, constables; Peter Yrentz, Alloys Bauer and Thomas Kirton, trustees. An election was held in November, '48, at which time nine votes were cast, by settlers in what is now Dallas and Franklin; but, as in so many cases, the record was poorly kept, carelessly handled and finally lost. A day or two after this election, Joseph Bauer being on his way to Fairfield, was requested by Nathan Nichols, the clerk, to carry the poll-book to Knoxville. Not having been an officer of the election, Mr. Bauer objected on the ground of the illegality of such a performance, but was finally persuaded to take and deliver it to George Gillaspy, the sheriff of the county. But by missing the right way to Knoxville, Mr. B. was so much delayed that he did reach there till some time in the afternoon; and then, being in much haste to be on his journey again, he found George directly, and handed him the documents. "Are you one
of the board?" asked that dignitary. This scene took place in Babbitt's store. Gillaspy walked around the counter and appeared to be engaged in something else, whilst Bauer stood thoughfully discussing the matter with himself, but unable to decide what he should do with the precious document. To return with it to the proper authority was scarcely to be thought of, as other business urged him to be on the way to Fairfield, and he would not risk the responsibility of carrying it with him. At length his own perplexity and the provoking silence of the great George, roused his Dallas Township Histories - Page 339 wrath, and decided him instantly. He drew the poll-book from his bosom, dashed it upon the counter and drew the attention of George to it in this emphatic manner: "Here, take your poll-book and do what you d-n please with it," then abrubtly left the presence. It was not till after his return from Fairfield that Mr. Bauers learned that it had been found necessary to send for Nichols that evening to come to Knoxville, present the poll-book and take the oath required by law in such cases. The following are the names of persons who settled in this township at the earliest dates: Nicholas Helms, with his four sons, and Wm. Willis, in '46; Thomas Kirton, Henry Wagoner, Joseph Bauer, Peter Yrentz, and Hiram Teakel, in '58; Alloys Bauer in '49; Henry Ghoring, Henry Harstman, and Jacob Smith, in '50, and a Jacob Fight in '52. Of these, Thomas Kirton, Wm. Willis, Henry Ghoring, Henry Harstman, Joseph and Alloys Bauer and Hiram Teakel live in the township. Nicholas Helms is dead, and his four sons are supposed to live in Missouri. Henry Wagoner, Jacob Smith and Jacob Fight are also dead. Dallas Township Histories - Page 341 We may as well add in this connection, that such was the severity of that winter that much of the wild game perished in this portion of the county. In one instance a number of deers, being unable to travel, huddled together and remained in one place in the timber on White Breast, where they trampled circuit a few rods in circumference, keeping the snow down by their feet and the heat of their bodies, whilst it arose like a wall around them. Here they remained till their prison walls vanished under the warmth of spring, and those that were alive escaped. A great many turkeys were also found dead in the spring. Dallas Township Histories - Page 342. Jacob Smith planted the first orchard in the township, but none of the trees are now living, having perished from exposure and neglect. Dallas Township Histories - Page 343 The western portion of Dallas is mostly settled by Germans, a part of whom are Lutherans in doctrinal faith, and others Catholic. Rev. J. F. Shearer, an American Lutheran minister first organized a society of those holding to that faith, in 1854. About sixteen families were united, making a membership of 45. But, as Mr. Shearer could only speak English, his place was soon taken by Rev. Wilhelm Hounderdosse, from Germany. The Catholic church was organized in 1854, by the union of nine persons of that faith, by whom a hewed log church was soon erected, 16 by 18 feet, with bellfry. This organization was not effected by the aid of a priest, and it was not till after the erection of a house of worship, that Father John Krekel held services in that community. A frame building is now in process of erection for a parsonage. Wm. Demoss and ---Johnson first formed societies of United Brethren and Methodists, in 1851-2. Asa Davis taught the first school in a round log cabin built for the purpose, in 1852. Henry R. Klingman taught next. Newbern was surveyed by F. M. Frush, by request of Ransome Davis, on the south-east quarter, of the south-east quarter of section 31, September, 9th, 1851. One of the chairmen was Joseph S. Howard, now Professor Howard, of McGee College, Missouri. The other is not remembered. It was so named by Mr. Davis, from a town of the same name in Indi- Dallas Township Histories - Page 344 ana. Nine lots were sold at auction, at from four to eight dollars per lot. Mr. Davis built the first house within the town plat, (a hewed log,) that stood in the north side of the village. Jesse Moon sold the first goods, till he disposed of the business to Fletcher Kane. The first post-office was kept by Joseph Howard, father of Joseph S., mentioned above. He received his commission in the spring of 1853, not having been previously consulted. His successor was Fletcher Kane. Present incumbent John Willes. Mails daily. Chicago post-office on the north-east quarter of the north-east quarter of section 17, was established in February, 1872, Julius Teakel, postmaster. No public mail services, but matter supplied from Newburn by private conveyance. There was no town laid out here, but the place contains two stores and several dwellings, and is situated on White Breast creek. Christopher Anderly, first opened a store there, in 1867, and jocularly gave it the name of Chicago. The first hotel was a log house, kept by Rufus Murry. Dr. C. Taylor was the first practising physician, located in the village. He is still a resident practitioner. There are now two stores, two hotels, and rather more than a proportionate number of good buildings. A small part of the village lies in Lucas county, and the entire location is very good, being surrounded by an excellent and well-improved farming district, convenient also to coal and timber. Dallas town is located on the southwest quarter of the the southeast quarter of section two. It was surveyed by F. M. Frush, in September, 1857, at the instigation of Richard Willis, on land purchased by him of a Mrs. Eckles. Mrs. E. was a grass-widow, whose husband was at that time alive and not divorced from her, and upon this ground the opinion the opinion was held by some that the title of the land given by her was not secure. This report materially injured the prospects of the village for a short time; but the fact that Mrs. Eckles Dallas Township Histories - Page 345 had purchased the property with her own money, restored confidence, and a goodly number of lots were at length sold. The embryo city was at first called Ohio town on account of the number of settlers from that State, in the neighborhood. But it was eventually found advisable to change it to Dallas, in conformity to the popular habit of calling it so when Dallas post office was about all there was of the town, and was there before it. Dallas post office was established in 1855, and was first kept by John Parrett, in a little log house still standing, but unoccupied. Present P. M., P. Buckalew. The first house was built by Hiram L. George, who also sold the first goods. The place now contains one store, two blacksmith shops, a commodious M. E. Church building, and a good school house. The one store enjoys the trade of a fine farming country lying south and east of it. Mr. Parker Buckalew, the P. M. and lone merchant of Dallas, relates to us a hunting expedition of his, with which we will close this history. In December, 1853, being then on a visit to the country, he was ambitious of the distinction that might be accorded to any young man for killing a deer before returning to the east. Accordingly, he one day accompanied by Simon Thomas, an experienced hunter, on a hunting expedition. Having separated from his companion, and seated himself on a rise of ground in the timber for the purpose of ambushing the game that was expected to come that way on its accustomed round, he had the good luck to spy two large deers passing about 25 yards distant. Taking aim as well as he could through the timber, he fired, and had the glorious satisfaction of seeing one of them, a large, withered buck, drop. He ran to it with the utmost speed, and found the animal only wounded by a graze of the bullet across the back, and already getting upon its fore feet. Here, in the midst of the excitement, Parker Dallas Township Histories - Page 346 threw his gun away, and bravely laid hold of the creature's horns. With this the latter made a violent surge, threw his assailant headlong down the hill and fell upon him. Still Parker held fast, and a rough and tumble struggle ensued, during which the buck hooked his sharp, hind hoofs in P.'s pants, and, with one violent jerk, sundered the lower half of the youthful Nimrod, leaving only the waist hand of his pants and a few shreds belonging to the legs thereof. The possibility of having his hide served in the same way now presented itself to the excited imagination of the desperate hunter with such force that he instinctively placed a big tree between himself and the flying heels of the buck, still maintaining his hold upon the horns. In this condition the deer's head was drawn around the tree, and Parker had an opportunity to get his knife and cut its throat, thus ending an adventure that, for having the quality of being at once exciting, critical and comical, is surpassed by few of its like on record. The following was
the population of Dallas by the United States census of 1870: Total population
of Marion county by the United States census of 1870: Index of names mentioned in the Dallas Township Histories section Anderly, Christopher - Dallas Township page 344 Babbitt - Dallas
Township page 338 Clark, John - Dallas Township page 338 Davis, Asa - Dallas
Township page 343 Eckles, Mrs. - Dallas Township page 344 Fight, Jacob- Dallas
Township page 339 George, Hiram L.
- Dallas Township page 345 Harstman, Henry
- Dallas Township page 339 Johnson - Dallas Township page 343 Kane, Fletcher -
Dallas Township page 344 McClain, William J. - Dallas Township page 338 Moon , Jesse - Dallas
Township page 344 Nichols, Nathan - Dallas Township page 338, 339 Parrett, John - Dallas Township page 345 Shearer, Rev. J.
F. - Dallas Township page 343 Taylor, Dr. C. -
Dallas Township page 344 Wagoner, Henry -
Dallas Township page 339 Yrentz, Peter -
Dallas Township page 338, 339
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