Section 23, where Sam McDaniel, his brother-in-law, Doc Billings and the notorious Barnabas Lowell held forth. Their cabins were under the shelter of timber lying north and west. This locality seemed to offer shelter not only to the emigrant seeking a home, as in the case of Mr. Ray, previously mentioned, but also to be a resort of those with less worthy pursuits. McDaniel was addicted to the use of intoxicants. The younger man, Billings, had similar tastes. McDaniel is said to have fallen in with Billings in Jasper County, and their social tastes harmonizing, Billings came home with McDaniel and married his sister. When Lowell joined them, and made his temporary home in one of the cabins, the place became the unsavory attraction already mentioned.
Farther south, and in Nevada Township, at the point of timber near the southeast corner of Section 26, lived Daniel and John Neal. This locality was known as " Hogskin Point," and the first election, for county organization, was held at Neal's cabins. This place was afterward owned by Barnet Broughard. It is rather a singular circumstance that among the settlers in and about the Big Grove, the pioneers in Richland and New Albany Townships are definitely known, while there seems to be no settled opinion as to who was the lone first settler in Nevada Township. Lucas, the Cox brothers, the Wilkinsons, father and son, and a son-in-law named Pierce, Heald and the Neals, must divide that honor among them. All of these, and McDaniel and Miller, were as early as the spring of 1852.
At the same time, or a year earlier, George N. Kirkman, James Sellers, John Broughard, I. S. French, Nelson Harmon, Austin Prouty, and W. K. and J. R. Wood were living in Indian Creek Township. There is little doubt that of all these the unfortunate Kirkman was the pioneer. Adolphus Prouty was the first justice of the peace. He lived at Prouty's Grove, northeast of Maxwell. Isaac S. French and Nelson Harmon kept bachelor's hall near what was long known as the W. B. Hand place. It is said that the exact site of George Dye's cabin is now included in the street of Maxwell, and immediately in front of the business house of Baldwin & Maxwell. James Sellers was in Section 34, Indian Creek Township, where he remained until he removed to California.
It is practicable at this point to procure but a few exact dates of the arrival of settlers in the western part of the county. Stephen P. O'Brien, who was one of the early county officials, arrived on the 27th of October, 1852. He made a " squatter's claim " within a few days on the south half of Section 35, of Franklin Township. During the winter he built a cabin, into which he removed his family on the 1st of February, 1853. The land was not open to entry until April, 1853. On his arrival O'Brien found that others were in advance of him. Samuel Heistand and family were on Section 33, his sons being Harvey, William and Abraham. The eldest daughter, Sarah, was the wife of O'Brien, and Anna married William Taylor. Shadrack Worrall, with his sons James and William, lived at the grove that bears the family name. The Widow Briley (Hannah) with her sons, James, Elisha, Ira and Albert, lived north of Ontario. Dr. Alexander Favre, an old and excellent physician, a Frenchman, with his son Eugene, was on Section 32. John Hussong and his son, John Jackson, lived near Mrs. Briley. George B. Zenor, with his sons, John and James, also John J. Zenor, afterward sheriff, and known as "Major," lived in the same neighborhood. James Gildea and sons, John, Thomas and George, lived just north of Ontario, on what