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1354570
J 7
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00827 1873
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL SOUVENIR
FOR THE COUNTIES OF
CLARK, CRAWFORD, HARRISON, FLOYD, JEFFERSON, JENNINGS,
SCOTT AND WASHINGTON.
INDIANA.
ILLUSTRATED.
COMPILED AND PUBLISHED BY
JOHN M. GRESHAM & COMPANY,
CHICAGO, CHICAGO PRINTING COMPANY, I SS9.
PREFACE.
1334570
NTIL quite recently, but little attention has been given to the preservation of biography except in so far as it pertained to the preferred classes - persons who had been prom- inent in governmental affairs, or distinguished in their profession or calling, or in some way made conspicuous before the public, requiring that more than usual should be known of the individual. Within the past decade, however, there has been a growing demand for the preservation of not only biography but for family genealogy, not altogether for its immediate worth, but for its future value and a laudable pride in its perpetuation for coming generations. The expediency of placing in book form biographical history and genealogy of the representative public is beyond question, and not many years shall have elapsed before the person who has not taken some steps to preserve his family record will be considered as not worth the effort.
That the representative public are entitled to the privileges afforded by a work of this kind needs no assertion at our hands, for one of our greatest Americans has said that the history of any country resolves itself into the biographies of its stout, earnest, progressive and representa- tive citizens. This medium then serves more than a single purpose: while it preserves biography and family genealogy it records history that would not be preserved in any other way. This will, perhaps, be illustrated most strikingly by references in these sketches to the period of the war of the rebellion.
Of the necessity of preserving family records in permanent form, one needs the experience of a collector of material for work of this character. for in a majority of cases nearly all trace of ancestry is lost back of the grandfather and grandmother - even in families where prominence aud intelligence would seem to guarantee better things.
In many other instances the material composing the sketches .in this volume has been gathered from those immediately interested, and then submitted through the mails in type written form for correction and revision.
The historical portion of the volume is all that was promised, and contains many of the most important events in the history of this, the earliest settled and most important section, in a historical sense, in the State.
The mechanical part of the book speaks for itself, the material and workmanship being all that was promised and of standard excellence.
THE PUBLISHERS.
INDEX TO SKETCHES.
PART I.
JENNINGS COUNTY.
PAGE.
PAGE.
New, J. D. .
227
Overmyer, John .. .
230
Conkling, Piersou.
229
Schultheiss, James 231
Dixon, Lincoln.
229
Smith, Green L
232
Kidd, John D
230
SCOTT COUNTY.
Everitt, Wm. B.
238
Mathes, Z. C .. 243
Everitt, Thomas H.
239
Montgomery, R. W. 244
Gladden, B. K
239
Munden, A. T 245
Green, Dr. W. E
240
Peeler, A. M.
245
Harrod, C. B.
211
Rice, Wm.
246
Hazzard, H. S.
241
Warmuth, Dr. G. H ... 246
Jones, Levi R
242
Watsou, Dr. J. M.
247
Manker, C. A.
242
WASHINGTON COUNTY.
Washington County
251
Collins, John A. B .. 277
County Officers
259
Rudder, William
278
Elliott, Asa.
269
Paynter, Dr. C. L.
279
Lawler, John C.
269
Zaring, John A. 279
Mcintosh, Andrew J 270
Douglass, Judge B. P.
280
Menaugh, Eli W.
271
Alvis, David.
282
Voyles, Samuel B
272
Jeunings, D. A
283
Polloch, Henry.
273
Prow, F. L ..
284
Burges, John S.
274
Read, John F. 285
Devore, Henry H.
275
Brown, Allen W
286
Fetzer, Joseph.
275
Sparks, Gen. Levi. 287
Miller, James.
276
May, Prof. James G.
288
Alspaugh, David M.
277
PART II.
CLARK COUNTY.
Anderson, Chas. C.
1
Dailey, Reuben 8
Burke, James
2
Dougherty, Daniel
9
Burtt, Henry A.
2
Douglas, L.
9
Carr, Geo. W
5
Dow, H. D 10
Cook, David S
6
Ferguson, Judge Chas. P
11
.
Coots, Edwin M
6
Fouts, Dr. W. D. 12
Crim, Jesse.
7 Fry, Jacob S. 13
INDEX.
PAGE.
PAGE.
Gilbert, Dr. F. R. M
14
Peyton, Dr. D. C.
34
Graham, John A.
14
Pfau, George. 35
Hawes, J. J
15
Ruehl, Charles. 36
Holzbog, George. 15
Ruddell, Dr. I. N.
37
Howard, Jonas G.
16
Schuler, Alfred O 37
Ingram, Col. John N
17
Shelby, Wm. B ..
38
Jacobs, Wm. S.
18
Smitha, A. W. 38
Jenkins, John A
20
Specht, Philip
39
Lancaster, John N
20
Stealey, Eugene V.
39
Lauder, Robt. B.
21
Swartz, Allen A.
40
Lee, Wm
21
Taggart, Dr. S. C
40
Lugenbeel, Prof. W. E.
24
Taggart, James E 42
McCann, M. V. 24
28
Watkins, Dr. E. M 43
Murphy, Dennis.
30
White, John Sr. 43
Oglesby, Samuel D 33
33
Zulauf, Jno. C
45
CRAWFORD COUNTY.
Baylor, Dr. Geo. W
47
Jenkins, David. 55
Benz, John.
47
Jenner, Wm. E 56
Bird, Dr. Wm. C
48
Laswell, James U 56
Bobbett, James 48
Lyon, Daniel. 57
Bulbington, Chas. A. A. 49
Martin, Hamilton 57
58
Craig, Robt. M.
50
Patton, Stephen C. 58
Crecilius, Clark H
50
Peckinpaugh, Maj. N. R 58
Dunn, Wm.
51
Peckinpaugh, Jno. I ..
59
Everdon, William
51
Peckinpangh, Abraham N. 60
Funkhouser, Jacob
52
Richardson, Elijah E. 60
61
Funkhouser, Wm. H
Robertson, George W
61
Funkhouser, Albert W
52
Selser, Dr. Henry H.
62
Gibbs, Dr. John H.
53
Sloan, George W 62
Green, Henry C
53
Stewart, Dr. Lewis B .. 63
Hawn, Dr. E. R
54
Stewart, Arthur E 63
Holcroft, Capt. E. P. E 54
Temple, James L. 6-4
Holland, Dr. Wm
55
Weathers, John H
64
FLOYD COUNTY.
Ailer, Fred.
65
Clark, Maj. Thomas 74
Alexander, Dr. A. J.
65
Cline, Benj. F. 77
Anthony, Jacob
66
Conner, Fred D. 77
Applegate, James P
66
Crumbo, Edward. 78
Atkins, Wm. R.
66
Curl, Peter N 78
Baker, Isaac M.
67
Danz, Charles A.
79
Baker, Jno. F
67
Davis, John Steele.
79
Becht, Valentine
68
Day, John S.
80
Belviy, Frank.
68
Dinkle, John. 81
Blauchard, D. D ..
69
Duncan, Norton B 81
Borden, Prof. W. W
69
Fisher, George W. 82
Bragdon, Capt. Joshua
71
Fite, Capt. Andrew 82
Brothers, James F 72
Frisbie, Sherman 83
Brown, James 72
Fuller, Capt. R. F
83
Brown, Prof. James 73
Gebhart, J. F. 84
Burney, Dr. W. A
73
Godfrey, Geo. H 85
Funkhouser, James L
52
Riddle, Col. Geo. W
52
Querbacher, Peter M
Cole, Dr. Wm. A
49
Timmonds, John W 42
McCampbell, James H
Zimmerman, Otto F 44
Peaceley, Christopher
ยท
Gwin, Josiah
86
Newhouse, George A.
103
Gwin, James M
86
Newland, Dr. Elijah 10-4
Hammersmith, Louis 86
Norton, Francis 105
Hunger, Elder Martin V
87
Owens, Ollie. 106
Harrison, James G
87
Packard, Gen. Jasper
106
Hedden, David 88
Peake, James S 107
Hegewald, Charles 89
Penn, George F 107
Heimberger, Christopher.
89
Pierce, Levi L 108
Helfrich, George, Sr
90
Peters, Capt. Jonathan.
108
Henry, Edward G. 90
Peters, Francis W
109
Hessing, Jacob 91
Reising, Paul
109
Howk, Judge Geo. V
91
Richards, John J
109
Hipple, Louis C.
92
Russell, John
110
Humphreys, Capt. Thomas
93
Sackett, Charles.
110
Jenks, Reuben King
93
Schindler, Charles W
111
Jewett, Charles L 94
Scott, Levi H.
111
Johnson, Franklin C
94
Shields, Capt. James G
112
Kepley, Philip M
95
Stalcup, S. S
112
Kistner, Fred C.
96
Starr, Jacob B
113
Kraft, Frank A
96
Stoy, Peter R.
113
Kraft, George
96
Strobel, George J
114
Legg, Henry
96
Summers, Shelby
114
Lightner, Wm. G
97
Thomas, John H.
115
Loesch, Jacob
97
Vernia, Louis
115
Lyons, John J. 98
Walker, Ferd G
116
McDonald, Morris, Sr 98
Watkeys, Henry
116
Mckay, Wm. H.
100
Weathers, John R. .
117
McKenna, Charles 100
Weir, Merrill A. 117
McNeff, Samuel C. 101
Weir, Samuel M. 118
Mathews, Capt. Chas. W.
101
Wilson, James E. 119
Marsh, John S
101
Wolf, George W 119
Morris, Robert W 102
Wolf, Charles. 120
Murphy, William.
102
Wunderlich, Frederick
121
HARRISON COUNTY.
Allison, Allen .
123
Cromwell, J. F 134
Anshutz, John
123
Cromwell, Oliver 135
Arnold, John
123
Crosier, Robert 135
Baelz, John M.
124
Current, James 136
Barger, John E
124
Curts, Jacob A'
136
Bartley, Capt. Reuben
125
Daniel, Dr. Wm
137
Bence, Socrates J
126
Davis, R. F. Jr
137
Bennett, Dr. Jas. H
127
Davis, S. B.
138
Benson, Wm. M
127
Dobbins, Thad.
138
Blunk, Levi:
128
Doll, Jacob.
139
Boone, George.
128
Douglas, E. B
139
Boone, Capt. N. B
129
Dyer, Wm.
140
Borden, Philip.
129
Elbert, Noah
140
Brandenburg, Amos 130
130
Farnsley, Capt. J. P
142
Brinley, Geo, W
131
Ferree, Isaac. 145
Clarke, Dr. J. C. 132
Fife, Andrew
146
Colvin, Luke H. 132
Fleshman, A ..
146
Combs, Thos. W.
133
Fonts, Dr. H. C.
147
Cooper, John N.
133
Frakes, Harvey 147
Critchlow, J. E.
134
Fravel, J. A.
147
INDEX.
iii
PAGE.
PAGE.
Ellis, W. J
141
Brandenburg, Joseph
iv
INDEX.
PAGE
PAGK.
Frank, J. L.
148
Noble, Gov. James 177
Friedley, Col. G. W
148
Patterson, Hugh A. 177
Funk, M. W
133
Posey, Gov. Th.
178
Funk, Dr. Z. T
Reeder, Dr. Wm. H.
179
Funk, J. R.
Reader, Dr. Wm.
179
Funkhonser, W. E.
154
Rediek, John.
180
Grable, E. A 154
154
Robinson, George W.
180
Gresham, Col. B. Q. A
Rogers, Wm. S.
181
Gwartney, Geo. K
156
Sample, John
181
Hays, Henry
Sands, Isaac
182
Hiekman, Dennis.
Shaffer, David
183
Hickman, Philip.
157
Sherman, George K.
183
Hickman, Warford
157
Shigley, James W.
184
Hickman, Levi.
158
Sibert, James I.
184
Hildebrand, C. L.
158
Simler, John.
185
Hisey, Waldo
Simler, James S.
185
Homer, Dr. J. S.
158
Jenkins, James
. 160
Smith, Charles W.
186
Kelley, Geo. R
160
Sonner Capt. Wm. 186
187
Kerker, Barnett
161
Stallings, James W.
187
Kron, J. M
162
Stephens, Wilford
188
LaRne, Ganes
162
Lawson, Samuel
163
Leffler, Isaac E.
163
Tabler, James' R. 190
190
Lemay, J. D
164
Thompson, George W.
191
Lemmon. D. F
164
Tracewell, Wm. Neal
191
Littell, Capt. J. W. H.
165
Trotter, James
192
Lowe, J. J.
166
Viers, John W
192
Long, James
166
Walters, John Sr
192
Loweth, John
167
Watkins, Wilford N
193
McRae, Capt. John
168
Williar, Charles H
193
McRae, Samuel
171
Wolford, John L.
194
McRae, J. A
172
Woodward, James 194
195
Marshall, Capt. J. W
173
Wright, Alonzo,
195
Mason, W. G ..
174
Wright, Mrs. Rosanah H
196
Martin, Sanford
174
Wright, Sammel J 196
Manek, John J.
175
Youtster, David W 196
Melton, Rev. John
175
Zenor, Hon. William T
197
Miles, Wm. J. Jr.
176
Zenor, Hon. Peter M.
201
Morgan, John W.
176
Zimmerman, Elhanan W
202
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
Abbott, Capt. Jos. C ..
203
Bear, Perry E
210
Allfrey, Charles W.
203
Benefiel, Wm. H. H
210
Amsden, William M
. 204
Bolen, George R
2211
Armstrong, Capt. John
. 205
Brashear, Joseph T 212
Austin, Holly 206
Brown, William P
212
Bader, Matthias 207
Buchanan, E. 213
Baker, Samuel.
207
Chambers, Ira 214
Barber, George.
208
Chambers, James.
214
Baxter, William
208
Chapman, Richard
215
Bayless, James W
209
Cochran, James A 216
186
159
Smith, Dr. Alvin E.
Kerns, C. C. H.
161
Sonner, John P.
Lang, James
Stepp, William H.
188
Stockslager, S. M.
189
163
Thomas, Charles W.
Lemmel, D. F.
172
Wright, George R
MeDaniel, Robt
150
Poor, Washington 178
153
155
156
157
V
INDEX.
PAGE.
Cochran, William
216
Patton, Col. Jno. N 251
Commisky, Cyrus. 216
Penn, Dr. Benj. A. 253
Conway, J. Randolph. 217
Phillips, Squire. 254
Cordrey, William. 218
Piles, John J. 255
Conway, J. Rodolphus
218
Pommerehn, John F
255
Coyle, E. S
219
Rawlings, James V
256
Craig, James. 220
Crawford, John
220
Demaree, Wm. W
221
Dow, Thomas ... 221
Earhart, Isaac C. 222
Gordon, John W
223
Robbins, Hiram F 260
Robbins, William 249
Francisco, Hiram Jr.
224
Francisco, Thomas J
224
Gale, Capt. Rufus 225
Robinson, Leander M 262
Robinson, James
262
Gavitt, Marcus A
227
George, Charles H
227
Gillespie, Bruce. 228
Giltner, Green B 229
Gorgas, Joseph R 229
Scott, John W. 270
Schoolcraft, F. M. 271
Schwartz, George .. 272
Seepe, Rev. J. B. H
272
Hammell, John F
232
Hinds, Wm. W
232
Smith, James H. 274
Smitha, Granville T 274
Smart, Christopher. 275
Spann, Leonard D 276
Johnson, William 236
Kampe, Edward. 237
Landon, Francis M
237
Linck, John W
238
Swan, Robert H. 279
Thomas, Jesse B
280
Tilton, Mark
280
Turner, Rev. James W.
282
Wade, Patrick
282
Walch, William.
284
Watlington, William 284
Whitham, Dillard C.
285
Whitham, George
286
Mayfield, George T. 245
Mayfield, Burditt 246
McGee, James A 246
McGee, James
246
Mckay, John F 247
Woods, James C .. 289
Wood, Robert H.
290
Wright, Dr. C. H 292
Vawter, Milton S 297
Morton, Robert 251
Vanosdol, Capt. Argus D 298
Zuck, John A.
299
Muth, Louis. 251
241
Loring, Charles V 243
Mathis, John 243
Mathews, Robert 244
Matthews, William 244
Matthews, William H 244
Mayfield, Francis F 245
Widerin, Rev. G. L. T
286
Williams, Benj. B. 287
Williams, Remembrance J 288
Willoughby, Mrs. Matilda 289
McLeland, William E 248 Miles, Mrs. Martha 250
Moore, John G. .250
Morton, John W 251
Reynolds, Joseph T. 257
Richert, John .258
Ritchie, John R. 259
Francisco, Hiram Sr 223
Roberts, Edward ... .261
Roberts, Dan. A. 261
Royce, John T. 263
Ryker, Jared D .264
Salisbury, John G .269
Sappington, Otis B. 269
Graston, George W 230
Guergen, Rev. Louis
231
Hall, Alonzo J. 231
Sheets, Michael. 273
Jackson, Henry 234
Jines, Henry . 234
Jones, Henry Clay 235
Stevenson, Eld. Robt 277
Stevenson, Robert Jr 278
Sulzer, Marcus B. 278
Lloyd, Zephaniah 240
Lochard, Joseph H
Rector, Earl T
256
Reynolds, Dr. John H 257
Gasaway, Nicholas 226
PAGE.
INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE.
PAGE
De Panw, Wash. C .....
. PART I.
Farnsley, Capt. Joshua P
PART II. 143
The Corydon State Capitol.
128
Funk, Major Wetherford
44
151
Gresham, Hon. Walter Q.
143
McRae, John.
169
Burtt, Henry A
PART II.
3
Zenor, Hon. William T.
= 199
McCann, Michael V.
=
25
Ryker, Jared D
265
Murphy, Dennis
=
31
Wright, Dr. C. H.
293
.
Clark, Maj Thomas
75
vi
CLARK COUNTY.
(BY WILLIAM LEE, EsQ.)
TTTHE history of Clark county covers, to a large extent, the history of the early settlement of the southeast- ern part of the present State of Indiana. Clark county can claim the proud em- inence of occupying the second gene- ration of Indiana counties. . Knox county, created by gubernatorial proc- lamation, before even Indiana terri- tory had been carved out of the great North West Territory, covered nearly the whole of what now constitutes the States of Indiana and Illinois.
Clark county was the first to be cre- ated out of the territory included within the original boundaries of Knox, so that, at the time of its formation no county intervened between the original Clark and Knox counties. Knox county was organized June 20, 1790 and was made to include all of the country between Hamilton and St. Clair counties from the Ohio river to the Lakes.
Emigrants from some of the south- ern States had begun to settle along the Ohio river, and it was found nec- essary to form other divisions for the convenience of the people, and so on the 3rd day of February, 1801, a new
county was formed, like that of its predecessor by gubernatorial proclam- ation, including within its boundaries as follows: Beginning on the Ohio at the mouth of Blue river, now the bound- ary line between Harrison and Craw- ford counties, up the said river to where the trail leading from Vincennes to the Ohio Falls crosses said river; thence by a direct line to the nearest point on White river; thence up said river to the branch thereof which runs towards Fort Recovery, and from the head springs of said branch to Fort Recovery; thence along the boundary line between Indiana Territory and the North West Territory, south to the Ohio river; thence down said river to the place of beginning.
It may be a little difficult at this day to trace the boundary lines as then given, but it can be, with tolerable ac- curacy, with a map of the State before one, traced and its lines approximately determined.
The exact place where the road leading from Vincennes to Clarksville, crossed Blue river, may not be now known, but it was not far from the point where the New Albany & Vin-
2
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
cenes Turnpike road now crosses it at or near the old town of Fredericks- burg in Washington county. This grand scope of territory, containing near one-fifth of the present State of Indiana, the whole of the southeast- ern portion of it, was named after that grand and heroic man, Gen. George Rogers Clark, to whom this country is mainly indebted for the possession of the great Northwest Territory.
No other name could have been so fitly applied as that of Clark to a county which included, not only the town of Clarksville, the then home of General Clark, but included the grant of land made to his soldiers by the State of Virginia by act of January 2nd, 1781.
This grant of land, not to exceed one Inmdred and forty-nine thousand acres, to be apportioned to General George Roger- Clark and the officers and soldiers of his regiment who were at the reduction of the "Kaskaskias and St. Vincent," ( Kaskaskia and Vin- eemnes ) in 1778. The grant was to be located on the northwest side of the Ohio River at such place as a ma- jority of the officers entitled to the land bounty should choose.
They selected their lands adjacent to the Ohio Falls, upon which ahnost the whole of Clark county within its present boundary is now situated. A -mall portion of this grant lies in the ad- joining counties of Floyd and Scott.
It is difficult to trace the history of the early settlement in detail of Clark county. Apart from its military oe-
cupaney very little settlement was made prior to the year 1800, when the Indiana Territory was converted into a separate organization from that of the Northwest Territory and given a ter- ritorial government with Gen. W. II. Harrison its Governor. Reference has already been made to the fact that the Legislature of the State of Vir- ginia, in consideration of the impor- tant military services which Gen. George Rogers Clark had rendered that State, had donated to him and his brave soldiers a traet of land which was located on the northwest bank of the Ohio river.
In addition to the land bounty granted to Clark and his soldiers a thousand acres, lying along the Ohio Falls nearly opposite Louisville, was granted for the location of a town to be called Clarksville. The exact time of the settlement of Clarksville is a little uncertain, but from the best data that can be had it must have been about the year 1783. Notwithstand. . ing General Clark made it his home, and Fort Clark was located here, around which many a sensational scene was enacted, its growth was but slow, for it is alluded to in 1797 as a strag- gling village of only some twenty houses.
The settlement of Clarksville ex- tended up the river to the head of the Falls, where the city of Jeffersonville now stands, where Fort Finney was built which was afterwards known as Fort Steuben. It was located on Lower Front street at the intersection
3
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
of Fort street, as designated on the map of the city of Jeffersonville, on the site where stood the "governor's house," many years after, within the recollection of our older citizens of the present generation.
In those days emigration followed and hovered around the forts for mil- itary protection.
Col. John Armstrong, 1797, while commandant at Fort Finney, in order , to more effectually protect the settle- ments in Kentucky, by preventing the Indians from crossing the Ohio river at Grassy Flats and Twenty-One Mile Island bar, where, at low stages of the water, the river can be forded, built a block house at the mouth of Bull Creek, now in Owen Township, in Clark county, which in honor of its founder was named "Armstrong's Sta- tion."
Around it a small settlement of em- igrants was located. But when the station was abandoned, which it was in a short time, the settlement was also abandoned for the time. Col. Arm- strong returned to his old location in 1814 at the station and continued to reside there until he died in 1816. In 1800, at the time the new goverment of the Indiana Territory went into effect, its entire civilized population was 5,641; of this population, 929 resided around the Ohio Falls, upon Clark's grant, but perhaps the larger portion in and around the old town of Clarksville.
While much of the population of the territory was composed of French
emigrants and their descendants, the only settlements made by pure Amer- icans, were those made upon Clark's grant around and adjacent to the Ohio Falls, now included in Clark county.
It has already been stated that the location of the one hundred and forty- nine thousand acres of land granted to Gen. George Rogers Clark and his men covers a large portion of what now constitutes Clark county.
As the location and settlement of this grant of land have much to do with the early settlement of the coun- ty, the manner of its location and set- tlement may not be uninteresting to the reader.
These one hundred and forty-nine thousand acres of land were laid off in five hundred acre tracts, and appor- tioned to the officers and soldiers according to the terms of the grant, which were to be in this manner: to the Major General, 15,000 acres; to Brigadier Generals, 10,000 acres; to Colonels, 6,6663 acres; to Lieut. Cols., 6,000 acres; Majors, 5,6663 acres; to Captains, 4,000; to Lieutenants, 2,6663 acres ; to non-commissioned officers, 400 acres; and to privates, 2,000; and were assigned to the officers and men by lottery.
It is a curious fact, or at least it seems so at the present time, that those whose lot fell them in the rich bottom lands in Utica township quite envied those by good fortune as they then considered it, fell in the knobs of Wood and Monroe townships.
4
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
Now these lands in Utica township are worth over $100 per acre and those lying among the Knobs of Wood and Monroe township are rating at but $3.00 or 84.00 per acre. But a new industry is springing up to which these lands on the Knobs are peculiarly adapted; that of the peach culture which is in a few years destined to work a revolution in the comparative value of these bottom and uphilly lands.
It was intended that this grant should be surveyed and laid off in five hun- dred aere tracts, but such, from some cause, perhaps the greatest one of the canses, was the ignorance and ineffi- ciency of the surveyors selected to make the survey and plat the ground.
But whatever the cause, quite a dif- ference in the number of acres was found in the different numbers of the survey. They were found to vary from three hundred and seventy to seven hundred acres.
This made it necessary, in making the original deeds to the grantees to make them for five hundred acres, more or less.
It will be seen by reference to a map of Clark county that, unlike the regu- lar United States survey of the public lands, the divisions are based upon lines ruming at right angles to the cardinal points of the compass, but the lines of the grant run northwest and southeast, and these lines are out at right angles. Why these square five hundred acre tracts were made in this position is impossible to tell at this
time, unless it resulted from the fact that they aimed to make them in squares running perpendicular to the line of the Ohio river where the survey commenced.
How many of these old soklier grantees settled upon their lands and converted the wild wilderness into cultivated homes it is impossible now to tell, as the original settlers upon these lands have long since passed away, leaving behind them nothing by which to know their names. The probability is, however, as these old Indian fighters under Gen. Clark were men in middle life in 1777-8, that but few of them had held on to their land until Clark county was open for settle- ment and availed themselves of the opportunity, but had sold their lands long before that time.
After the allotment of these lands, Louisville was the seat of justice and the records of the sale and transfer of these lands was kept there.
Afterward, by an act of the Legisla- ture of the State of Virginia the records were transferred to old Clarks- ville, and continued there until Clark county was organized, when these records were transferred to its county seat. These old records and the trans- fers made in the way of inheritance and sale were badly kept and much trouble and litigation grew out of that fact.
The first important question to be determined after the construction of the new county was the location of its county seat.
5
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.
It is impossible at this late date to understand and appreciate all the mo- tives and influences that operated, at that day, in the determination of this important question.
It would seem natural to us that, in consideration of the fact that Clarks- ville was the home of the conqueror of the Northwest, General George Rogers Clark, and at that time the largest and most important town in the county, that the county seat would have been located there.
But such was not the fact. From some canse, geographical considera- tions perhaps, convenience of access by a majority of its straggling popula- tion mostly on or near the Ohio river, determined the site of local govern- ment for the new county.
At any rate it was located at a small village, but then supposed to be a ris- ing and prosperous place called Spring- ville, situated about four miles back from the Ohio river and some mile and a half south-west of Charlestown, which subsequently became the county seat where it remained for over a half century.
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