More on the RUMBLE family of IndianaELI RUMBLE
Eli Rumble was the Pike County citizen in whose honor Rumbletown was named. He established the first store, and probably the first post office, in the Logan township village named in his honor.
Eli Franklin Rumble was one of nine children born to Charles and Mary "Polly" Blaize Rumble. His brothers and sisters were: William Daniel, Nathan P., Henry H., Charles A., Lewis R., Margaret, Eliza, and Cordelia. When Eli was a young adult, he was married to Susan Loveless, daughter of Luke and Christina Sprinkles Loveless.
Our subject's grandfather, Frederick Rumble, was the immigrant ancestor. He was born in 1763, in Holland, and immigrated to America before age twenty-seven. That name is found in the York County, Pennsylvania 1790 Census records. He probably moved then to North Carolina, since family records indicate the eight sons of Frederick and his wife Margaret were born in North Carolina. From there they moved to Gibson and Pike Counties. Numerous descendants are now respected and contributing citizens of this area, many of whom still reside in Logan township.
If Rumbletown was every{ever} formally platted it was never recorded. It seems to have simply sprung up by families building homes close together. Besides numerous homes, there were at one time two general stores, a post office, a church, and a one-room elementary school. Some of those who operated a general store there were: Charles Deen, Monroe Hardin, Charles Hill, William Scudder, Aubrey Welton, David Willis, Frank Willis, and Mrs. Wilbur "Jack" Brenton. Mrs. Brenton is the present owner of the Rumbletown store, which she has operated since January 1942. There has been a store in this village continuously for over one hundred years.
Early in this century some Amish families bought farm land, moved three miles southwest of Rumbletown, and lived there about thirteen years. They were hard working model citizens. They traveled to church services at their neighbors' homes in horse drawn carriages. Their ways were strange and different, and they must have created considerable interest as they occasionally came in their buggies to the village to trade. The men with their beards, and the women with their plain clothing and nun-like head coverings, added a sense of mystery. It was with a sense of regret when the community saw them all leave there in 1913.
The second Rumbletown school was built about 1910, after the first one burned. Some of the teachers were: Grace Beazley, George Borders, Elivs Hadlock, Orville Hale, Omega Huey, Imogene Inman, Albert Miller, Effie Miller, Herb Miller, Noble Miller, Bernell Smith, Harley West, Ernest Wilson, Lovey Wiseman, and others whose names I don't have.
Eli Rumble was one of the first postmasters at Rumbletown, but the post office was closed in the early 1900's, when rural free delivery was established. Mrs. Louetta Brenton said her mother, Margaret Miller, often spoke of coming to pick up her mail there. Mrs. Brenton said she believed the post office occupied the south section of the present store building, because a door with a mail slot was there when the Brentons bought the store thirty-five years ago.
The church was established there in 1943, and was dedicated as a Free Methodist Church April 16, 1944. The present minister is R.J. Mumaw.
There are now nine families living in the northeastern part of Logan township. Most of the residents have sold part or all of their land to a coal company, and several residents have either built, or are planning to build new homes out of the area. Within a few years this friendly village will probably be a part of history.
Residents now are: Oscar "Benny" and Bernice Miley, Ray and Vonda
Whitehead, Jack and Louetta Brenton, Gene and Betty Brenton, Richard and
Connie Loveless, Dale and Sandy Mitchell, Sherman and Mick Deffendoll, Tom and
Teddy Davis, and Emmett and Grace West.
-From "Our People of Pike County, Indiana", (pgs. 73-75, Ruth McClellan, 1978).
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Note: I was in this area that was known as Rumbletown a few years ago and it is virtually deserted. As Ms. McClellan predicted, "...this friendly village..." has now become "...a part of history".
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