A History of Pleasant’s Grove, Greene County,     

 Stafford Township, Indiana, CR 300S 1065W

 

The land was inhabitated by several Indian tribes forming the Confederacy of the Miamis until the 1805 treaties at Grouseland near Vinncenes (Goosepond?). After several more treaties, the Indians were to move west of the Mississippi by 1845. Many did not want to leave and most were forcibly marched to Kansas and then Oklahoma. More than half died the first year and many went back to Indiana.   Many stayed hidden and avoided whites for many years. A knoll just south of Pleasant Grove has yeilded many artifacts to include stone money, arrow and spear heads and stone axe.

 

Deed records show that the United States of America gave the land to Daniel Waters December 5, 1836. On November 13, 1844, Daniel Waters sold the land for $200 to Pleasant Hardwick. Pleasant and his wife Lucinda divided the property north and south and sold them to William Kinworthy (1845/$25) and John Wilks (1847/$50). William and his wife Perlina sold at the same time (1847) their half to John Wilks for $50. Five months later on January 28, 1848, John and his wife Elizabeth sold the land to Wilborn Owen for $75. It appears that the Owens settled here until Wilborn died (perhaps in the war) as Mary Owen and 13 children\spouses sold the land for $300 on October 10, 1865 to Elias Haywood. Elias was a Corporal in the 1^st Regiment, Company C, Indiana Volunteers, Heavy Artillery.

 

The land around Island City and north to Linton had already been bought and cleared. All of the West Island was wilderness surrounded by water and swampland. The high ground was covered with virgin oak, hickory, walnut, poplar and maple trees with an abundance of underbrush, briers and grapevines.  There were plenty of wild game including turkey, deer, fox, rabbit and quail.  Wolves were sometimes heard at night, but were seldom seen in the daytime.  Livestock and chickens had to be protected, as they were easier prey than wild game. There were many bee trees as well as wild berries, grapes and plums in season.  As there was not hunting season, all this was free for the gathering and so in a sense they lived off the fat of the land.  It is reported that Indians could be seen crossing the island between Beehunter marsh and the Goosepond.

The family stems from Judge John Haywood, Haywood Co.Ashville N.C. The family came to IN. from Surey Co. N. C. then Hawkins Co. Tenn. to Rush Co. IN. and then to Greene Co. IN. Elias and Harriett had seven children of their own and raised two of her sister's children, Jerry and Alley Moldin and three homeless (Indian?) girls. Joel Combs was brother-in-law to Elias, he married Myra Fawcett. Elias and his 4 brothers all were in the war, Joel and Calvin were wounded in the same battle, Joel, age 24 was blown to bits Aug. 5, 1862 in the Battle of Baton Rouge, La. Calvin, age 21 lived 5 days after being wounded. Elias saw them both fall in battle but could not get to them to help in any way. Elias & Joel Combs enlisted for a second time in 1864 and served to 1866. this was perhaps where they got money to purchase land in western Greene Co. IN.

 

One log cabin was on the island; old, but still useable.  It was located on the half section of land purchased by Elias Haywood and Joel E. Combs who was married (10 Aug 1859) to Minerva Faucett sister of Elias’ wife Harriett. It consisted of one room, one door and one wooden window opening outward like a barn door. Joel said to Elias, ”we will divide this half section like you want to. This cabin will save you a lot of work and you can move right in.”  It was as good as the one Harriett had been born in, so they were happy to have it. It had a dirt floor and looked like it had been well used. No one ever knew who built it or found any record of white people living in it. Later they found out it was on an old Indian trail and sometimes the Indians would walk by slowly and look as if to say, “when did you move into our cabin?” Perhaps they had used it or were just curious.  Harriett made whitewash of lime, salt and water and whitewashed it to make it look better and be more sanitary.  They also put pegs in the wall to climb up to a loft for sleeping and later, when they were able, put in a wooden floor.  They lived in this cabin until their fourth child was born, or as grandson Hobart recalls, ”at least until Uncle Rass was born.” (1873)

 

The half section purchased by Elias and Joel ran west from the lane by Pleasant Grove Church to the next corner west, then north to the Stockton Township Line Road (old Lyons Road) then east to the lane at John West Jr.’s place, then south down the lane to the church house. Elias took the south half and Joel took the north half.

 

Occasionally Joel would got back to Bloomfield (where he met Minerva) for supplies.  It would take him two or three days to make the trip.  He would bring back lots of fruit in season or young fruit trees to plant in cleared land.  There was only one road running south from Linton through Island City to the present Lyons-Linton road on township line. 

 

Elias and Harriet donated land for the church on September 30, 1889 for as long as the land is used for religious purposes. Elias was going blind and could no longer make the journey to the closest church. In 1903 the land passed to son Charles Haywood who in 1923 donated more land to the church for the cemetery.  Charles then in 1934 sold the west 20 acres to Bonnie (daughter) and Daniel Cline for $1000. Then in 1934 a Release and Quit Claim deed, Res Haywood (1873-1935) gave up his claim to the east half (18 or so acres) to his brother Charles Haywood (1875-1949) and his wife Vina (1877-1942). Charles then  in 1944 gave the east half to Daniel and Bonnie Cline. In 1972 they sold the 208’x416’ southwest parcel where their home was and  where she was born and moved to Lyons. The land then passed to son James and Ruth Cline. In 1994, they sold the church the rest of the strip of land on the east side for a total of about 6.5 acres. Their son John Cline was added to the property in 1999.