This township received its name from the stream which flows
southward across it, also from the great industry of
manufacturing salt which is conducted within the borders.
The township was organized in 1825. Throughout the
township there were many salt springs, principally along the
course of Salt Creek, thus giving the waters of the stream a
high saline quality. The deer gave rise to their
discovery by white men, the animals coming to the stream in
great numbers to drink. Many of the beasts were killed
at these "deer-licks," as they were easy prey then. As
salt was a valuable and scarce commodity in those days, the
pioneers resolved upon an idea of evaporating the water and
obtaining the salt for their own consumption. In 1822
and 1823 Henry Wampler, Thomas Literal and others
bored down on section 12 and found an abundance of brine.
They constructed huts at the place and procuring several
iron kettles, began the manufacture of the mineral.
Their product was in great demand, and during their period
of activity it is said they got at least eight hundred
barrels from the ground. The county board was
petitioned in 1823 to construct a road to the works, as the
travel hence was becoming very large. This was
done accordingly. In later years numerous other wells
were sunk within the township, and the industry became very
lucrative to the operators.
With the exception of the lowlands and slopes, the
ground of Benton township is not of tillable value.
The good soil is scattered about in small tracts, but these,
nevertheless, are made to produce to their utmost. On
the hilltops and uncultivated land the native timber is
left. Hard water springs abound, and there are also
many sulphur springs whose waters are of high medicinal
value as a blood purifier. Salt creek, of course, is
the main source of irrigation. The stone in the
township is not quite so easy of access as in other
portions, but by persistent effort very good specimens may
be obtained. Lime is manufactured on a small scale,
also brick and tile.
SETTLEMENT.
Moses Williams, on the 19th of September, 1817,
purchased one hundred and sixty acres of section 7, this
being the first purchase in the township; he later entered
land in section 22, and in 1821 and 1824, on section 12.
Lowe and Lee bought one hundred and twenty
acres on section 10 in 1818, and on August 2, 1820,
Elisha Pollard settled on section 18. Henry
Wampler bought land in section 23 and 27. John
Huff and Elisha Pollard also purchased, the
former in section 27 and the latter in section 6. James
Matlock entered in section 27 in 1822; John W. Lee
on section 11 in 1824; J. O. Howe on section 12 in
1826. Howe also bought eighty acres on section
2 in 1824, and John Barnes on section 10 in 1828.
Alexander Owens purchased ground on section 10 in
1832, and in the same year William Boruff entered on
section 10, and Jacob Stephens on section 2 in the
following year. The men who entered land during 1836
were: Samuel Smith, section 3; Finney
Courtney, section 4; Henderson Myers, section 4;
Acquilla Rogers, Ambrose Miller and William Martin,
section 6; John McKissock, section 7; Andrew
Harshberger, section 8; J. O. Howe, section 11;
Edward Walker and John Huff, section 15;
Jonathan Huntington, section 17; George Johnson,
section 18; Thomas Ferguson, section 19; Archibald
Wilson, section 31; Reuben Clark, section 27;
Samuel McCalla and George Johnson, section 28;
William Taylor and Thomas Ferguson, section 30;
David Killough and Michael Wampler, section 31;
James Wakefield, section 32, and Daniel Butcher,
Archibald Wilson and Aaron M. Wilson, on
section 34. In 1837 there were: W. W. Duncan,
section 4; W. D. Maxwell, section 4; Garret Moore,
section 7; Isaac Bolinghouse, section 9; Edward
Walker, section 15; Alexander Miller, section 15;
John Cherry and John Armstrong, section 15;
Michael Wampler and James Wakefield, section 131.
IN 1838 there were: Charles M. Cunningham, section 6;
Samuel Curry, section 7; Daniel McCaughan, Daniel
Kilpatrick and James Gordon, section 8; John
Barnes, section 10; Hamilton Gray, section 21.
In 1839 there were: Lankston Brummet, section 4;
Alexander Kerr, section 6; Samuel Latimer,
section 8; Jonathan Huntington, section 9; William
Cabot, section 17; George Johnson;
John Campbell, section 31; and John Lucas,
sections 33 and 34.
SHARON WICK'S NOTE: I made a
diagram to show where they may have lived. See below.
6.
___ Elisha Pollard
___ Aquilla Rogers
___ Ambrose Miller
___ William Martin
1838 Charles M. Cunningham
1839 Alexander Kerr |
5. |
4.
1836 Finney Courtney
1836 Henderson Myers
1837 W. W. Duncan
1837 W. D. Maxwell
1839 Lankston Brummet |
3.
1836 Samuel Smith |
2.
1824 - J. O. Howe
80 acres
1833 Jacob Stephens |
1.
|
12
1824 Moses Williams
1826 J. O. Howe |
11.
1824 John W. Lee |
10.
1818 - Lowe & Lee
120 acres
1828 John Barnes
___ J. O. Howe
1832 Alexander Owens
1832 William Boruff
1838 John Barnes |
9.
1837 Isaac Bolinghouse
1839 Jonathan Huntington |
8.
___ Andrew Harshberger
1838 Daniel McCaugham
1838 Daniel Kilpatrick
1838 James Gordon
1839 Samuel Latimer |
7.
1817 Moses Williams
160 acres
___ John McKissock
1837 Garret Moore
1838 Samuel Curry |
18.
1820 Elisha Pollard
___ George Johnson |
17.
___ Jonathan Huntington
1839 William Cabot |
16. |
15.
___ Edward Walker
___ John Huff
1837 Edward Walker
1837 Alexander Miller
1837 John Cherry
1837 John Armstrong |
14.
|
13.
|
24.
|
23.
___ Henry Wampler |
22.
1821 Moses Williams |
21.
1838 Hamilton Gray |
20.
|
19.
___ Thomas Ferguson |
30.
___ William Taylor
___ Thomas Ferguson |
29.
|
28.
___ Samuel McCalla
___ George Johnson
1839 George Johnson |
27.
___ Henry Wampler
___ John Huff
1822 - James Matlock
___ Reuben Clark |
26.
|
25.
|
36.
|
35.
|
34.
___ Daniel Butcher
___ Archibald Wilson
___ Aaron M. Wilson
1839 John Lucas |
33.
1839 John Lucas |
32.
___ James Wakefield |
31.
___ Archibald Wilson
___ David Killough
___ Michael Wampler
1837 Michael Wampler
1837 James Wakefield
1839 David Johnson
1839 John Campbell |
|
