USA > Indiana > Clay County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 1
USA > Indiana > Owen County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 1
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M, L
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
J
L
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 02299 7503
1
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/countiesofclayow00blan
.
COUNTIES
OF
CLAY AND OWEN. 9
INDIANA.
HISTORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
ILLUSTRATED.
CHARLES BLANCHARD, EDITOR.
CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1884.
. F. A. BATTEY.
F. W. TEEPLE.
JOHN MORRIS, SUCCESSOR TO
ulver age Moyne 22 ( PRINTERS 118 & 120 MONROE S! ( CHICAGO
$32.50
Mediana
1212426
PREFACE.
THIS volume goes forth to our patrons the result of months of arduous, unremitting and conscientious labor. None so well know as those who have been associated with us the almost insurmountable difficulties to be met with in the preparation of a work of this character. Since the in- auguration of the enterprise, a large force has been employed in gathering material. During this time, most of the citizens of the two counties have been called upon to contribute from their recollections, carefully preserved letters, scraps of manuscript, printed fragments, memoranda, etc. Public records and semi-official documents have been searched, the newspaper files of the counties have been overhauled, and former citizens, now living out of the counties, have been corresponded with, for the verification of the in- formation by a conference with many. In gathering from these numerous sources, both for the historical and biographical departments, the conflict- ing statements, the discrepancies and the fallible and incomplete nature of public documents, were almost appalling to our historians and biographers, who were expected to weave therefrom with some degree of accuracy, in panoramic review, a record of events. Members of the same families disagree as to the spelling of the family name, contradict each other's statements as to dates of birth, of settlement in the counties, nativity and other matters of fact. In this entangled condition, we have given preference to the preponderance of authority, and while we acknowledge the existence of errors and our inability to furnish a perfect history, we claim to have come up to the standard of our promises, and given as accurate a work as the nature of the surroundings would permit. Whatever may be the verdict of those who 'do not and will not comprehend the difficulties to be met with, we feel assured that all just and thoughtful people will appre- ciate our efforts, and recognize the importance of the undertaking and the great public benefit that has been accomplished in preserving the valuable historical matter of the counties and biographies of many of their citizens, that perhaps would otherwise have passed into oblivion. To those who have given us their support and encouragement, we acknowledge our gratitude, and can assure them that as years go by the book will grow in value as a repository not only of pleasing reading matter, but of treasured information of the past that will become an enduring monument.
APRIL, 1884.
THE PUBLISHERS.
CONTENTS.
HISTORY OF .CLAY COUNTY.
PAGE.
PAGE.
ORGANIZATION, DESCRIPTION, ETC. 11
Boundary of County
11
City Library .. 153
Church Societies.
81
Coal, Brazil Block 143
Civil Townships
83
Educational. 151
County Seat ...
55
Iron Manufacture. 145
County Seat, Re-location of ..
56 12
Municipal Expenditures. 148
Education
76
Extent of County
11
Officers, Town, 1866 to 1873 161
Fairs, Agricultural ..
73
Origin of the City 138
154
Indian Occupation ...
26
Press, The. 154
146
Organization of County.
Settlers, First 142
Population ..
84
Taxable Property 148 142
Town Incorporation.
164
Bowling Green
174
Societies, Agricultural.
Soil.
12
Land Entries, Early
166
Location
164 166
Bounties and Oter Relief. 128
Butterunts, The. 133
Causes of the Great Rebellion 85
Cavalry, Second.
107
Cavalry, Sixth .. 95
Company A, Forty-third Regiment .. 114 Companies I and K, Eighty-fifth Regiment ... 116
Company B, Ninety-seventh Regiment. 118 Company D, One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment .... 123
Company E, One Hundred and Twenty- fourth Regiment .. 124
Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment 127
Company B, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Regiment 126
Company D, One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Regiment
127
Drafts .. 128
98
First Company from Clay. 88
136
Public Sentiment
131
Settlers, Other.
185
182 Surface Features.
88 111 Taxes, Values, etc. 197 205
POSEY TOWNSHIP.
Churches. 217, 224
Cloverland ... 221
General Features. 205
Mills, etc. 213
Mining Interests. 206
226
Pioneer Life ..
Schools 215 206
Settlement, Early
Societies 223
Staunton 222 Villages 218 Williamstown. 218
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP. 227 Benwood Village. 251
Calcutta Village. 251
168 166
Surface
MILITARY RECORD ... 85
Artillery, First Heavy 111
Merchants, Early.
Mexican War, the Township in the. 172 Pioneers and their Experiences .... 164 178
167
Schoolhonses and School Teachers
168
Surface Features ..
164
HARRISON TOWNSHIP.
181
Births, Early
192
Boundaries ..
182 194 198
Clay City. Coal.
182
Cooprider Family, The ..
183 191 191
Industries, Early
182
Location ..
Marriages, Early 192 203
204
Schools ...
192
Settlement
183
Settlers, Character and Customs of Early 187
Regiment, Tenth ....
Regiment, Twenty-first.
92
Regiment, Forty-first .. 107
Regiment, Forty-third. 114
Regiment, Seventy-first. 95 Regiment, Eighty-fifth. 116
Regiment, Ninety-seventh .. 118
Regiment, One Hundred and Fifteenth .. 123
Regiment, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth, 124
Regiment, One Hundred and Thirty-third .. 127
Regiment, One Hundred and Forty-ninth ... 126 Regiment, One Hundred and Fifty-sixth ... 127
Regiments, Other 128 War Meetings. 132
BRAZIL CITY AND TOWNSHIP 138
Bonded Debt ... 147
Brazil Township. 163 Churches, The .. 154
City Incorporations .. 145
Mercantile and Professional. 148
Drainage.
Officers, City, 1873 to 1883 162
Geology
18
Location of County
Prosperity of the City
Railroad Facilities. 154
Political.
12 11 66
Press, The ....
61 34 26 73 12
Public Improvements.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
Settlements, Early
Churches
Industries, Early ..
Press, The ...
Remarkable Game of Leap Frog ..
Church History
Deaths, Early
Middlebury .
New Brunswick
Execution of a Deserter.
Regiment, Thirty-first
Newberg Village .. 212
Mexican War, The ..
Postmasters
vi
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Carbon Village
246
Cardonia Village ..
248
Churches 236
Industries, Early 321
Early Experiences 233
Origin of Name ..
316
Productions, Early
321
Railroad, Indianapolis & St. Louis ..
325
Schools ..
324
Knightsville.
244
Lodges. 243, 247
Mechanicsburg. 251
Mining Interests. 252
Boundaries.
Characteristics
326
Pontiac Village.
251
Industries.
331
Schools.
235
Miscellaneous Matters. 332
Past and Present .. 325
Settlement. 327
331
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Bowling Green. 395
Brazil City and Township. 333
Cass Township .. 514
Clay City 415
Dick Johnson Township. 522
415
Jackson Township.
502
Statistics
264 254
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
272
Clear Creek Lodge, I. O. O. F.
284
Cory, Town of.
283
Events, Early 276
General Description
272
Homicide .. 284
Pioneer Life.
276
Railroad 282
Religious. 278
Schools.
278 273
Carrithers, James T. Between pages 278 and 281
Carter, Allen W .. . Between pages 188 and 191
Carter, Joseph D. .Between pages 218 and 221
298 Carter, W. W.
Between pages
28 and 31
Churches,
296 Coffey, Silas D.
Between pages
38 and 41
Early Events.
293
Between pages
58 and 61
General Improvements.
291
Cornwell, B. F .. Between pages 348 and 351
Location 285
Ehrlich, Christian .Between pages 198 and 201
Ferguson, James Between pages 298 and 301
Foulke, Silas .. .Between pages 168 and 171
Frump, John .. Between pages 128 and 131
Schools.
294
Hale, Levi A Between pages 138 and 141
Harris, William M .Between pages 158 and .161
Hill, David A. Between pages 338 and 341
Kennedy, M. H Between pages 308 and 311
Lybyer, Salem 11.
Between pages 98 and 101
Area
302 308
Nicoson, William S. .Between pages 238 and 241
Robertson, Thomas M ...... Between pages 48 and 51
Early History
Robinson, F. J. S. Between pages 208 and 211
Seybold, Dempsey ... Between pages 228 and 231
Smith, John T. Between pages 118 and 121
Smith, Robert .. Between pages 248 and 251
Thompson, Clinton M ..... Between pages 108 and 111 Travis, William .Between pages 18 and 21
Origin of Name
Wheeler, A. B .. Between pages 88 and 91
Religious. 312 Wheeler, H. Between pages
78 and 81
Roads. 311
White, John W Between pages 148 and 151
School Notes 312
Wilkinson, C. J. Between pages 268 and 271
302 Wilkinson, Urias. .Between pages 258 and 261 Streams
HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY.
OPENING CHAPTER ... 551
Commissioners from 1820 to 1826 573
Agricultural Statistics.
608
Coroners, County. 590
Antiquities
551
County Board, Acts of the. 565
Attorneys
607
Crime. 606
Auditors, County
589
Criminal Statistics. 609
Detective Society. 605
Bridges.
600
Early Events 562, 571
Church Statistics 610
Economic Statistics. 610
Educational Statistics 609
Expenditures for 1819. 572
395
PORTRAITS.
Bailey, Charles W. Between pages 178 and 181
Bolin, John .. Between pages 288 and 291
Brighton, Alexander ..... Between pages 68 and 71
Briley, Absalom. Between pages 328 and 331
Settlement, Early
JACKSON TOWNSIIIP
285
Area
285
Mines. 298 282
Origin of Name.
Roads
294
Settlement by the Whites.
286
Statistical 30[ 298
CASS TOWNSHIP.
302
Muir, William. Between pages 318 and 321
Births, Early
Deaths, Early.
311
303 Elections 311 Improvements 307 Marriages, Early 311 Material Prosperity 302
Sugar Ridge Township 476
Van Buren Township. 459
Washington Township.
316
Settlers, Early Village of Perth
325
LEWIS TOWNSHIP
325
Pioneer Settlement. 228
254
Ashboro ..
266
Center Point
264
Coal
254
Creation of Township.
254 261
Early Events.
262
Origin of Name ....
254
Pioneers
255
Religious.
268
Saline City
267
Schools
262
Lewis Township 532
Surface Features
Perry Township. 485
Posey Township.
445
Villages
PAGE.
DICK JOHNSON TOWNSHIP 316
Churches. 323
General Description ..
227
Harmony Village. 242
Industries and Improvements 234
Circuit Court Record, Early .. 587
Clerk, County
590
597
Board of Health
302 Poland Village ... 313
Whittington
Compton, Isaac M.
Asherville
Improvements, Early
Harrison Township
326
SUGAR RIDGE TOWNSHIP
vii
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Expenditures from 1820 to 1826. 573
Organization.
687
Pioneer Life ...
689
Roads
Schools 692
692
Settlement, Early Surface ..
696
Taxes
695
Timber.
696
Water
696
WAYNE TOWNSHIP
698
Churches of Gosport ..
716
Development of Country
706
Early Events ..
708
Educational
709
Gosport
712
Incorporation of Gosport.
715
Miscellaneous Statistics.
611
Mortality Statistics.
598
Lodges
Pioneers, Coming of.
698
Railroads.
716
Patrons of Husbandry
Press, County.
591
Price List for Taverns in 1819 571
Production.
553
Public Buildings
600 590
Recorders, County.
Roads ..
600
Seat of Justice
561
Settlers, Early ..
557 589
Social Statistics
610
State Representatives.
597
State Senators
594 589
Surveyors, County
Taxation ... 610
Taxation Assessment for 1833
576
Tax Levy for 1838. 585
726
Tax Levy for 1839.
Settlement
725
Stockton Village
729
MARION TOWNSHIP
737
Cemeteries
742
Churches
743
Denmark Village
750
Improvements.
742
Lancaster Village.
745 750
Pioneer Settlement.
738
627 Roads
743
School Items.
745
Infantry, Twenty-first. 642
Infantry, Thirty-first 644
Infantry, Fifty-ninth.
646 Infantry, Seventy-first.
648
Infantry, Ninety-seventh ... 652
Infantry, One Hundred and Fifteenth. 656
Infantry, One Hundred and Fifty-ninth 657
Grand Army of the Republic.
662
Indian War of 1811 618
Mexican War.
620
Owen's First Company.
626
Pensions,
662 624
Revolutionary War, The ..
618
Table of Enlistments and Deaths 660
Veteran Soldiers' Association.
662 War of 1812. 619
War with Mexico
620
TOWN OF SPENCER
663
Deaths, Early
770
Improvements, Early. 769
769
Marriages, Early
771
Pioneers, The .. 765
774
Schools ..
773
CLAY TOWNSHIP!
774
Braysville ..
782
Early Events
779
Educational
783
Schools .. 674 Improvements, Early .... 779
Secret Orders 680 Industries, Early 780
665 Survey of the Town.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP Bridges. 692
Churches
694
Ferries. 692 Religious .. 783
Industries. Early 691
Officers 693
PAGE.
Expense of Laying out the Town of Lan- caster.
573
Expense of Laying out the Town of Spencer. 574 Fair Associations .. 603 Finances of County (1819 to 1825). 574
Freshets 608
Geology .. 553
Hurricanes and Cyclones. 611
Indian History 552
612
Live Stock 603
Macadam Roads. 604
Manufacturing Statistics
609
Medical Society, County.
597
Mineral Statistics.
610
Officers, Early
Origin of Name.
564 562 605
Religious
710
Schools of Gosport ..
716 711
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP ..
723
Agriculture
725
Births, Early
729
Churches
731
Cemeteries
728 730
Daggett Village.
731
Improvements.
728
Marriages, Early
729
Middletown
729
Miscellaneous Matters
736
New Jeffersonville
729
587 Tax Lists for 1843, 1852 and 1882 588 Telegraphic Feat, A Great.
593
Treasurers, County 590 Vital Statistics. 610
611
MILITARY HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY
617
Artillery, First Heavy.
642 618
Infantry, Fourteenth
Infantry, Nineteenth. 639
Steubenville 749
751
Births, Early. 760
Burying Grounds. 759
Churches. 762
Educational
760
Freedom Village.
761
Improvements, Early 754
Marriages, Early 759
Miscellaneous
763 763 756
Secret Societies.
762
Settlement®
752
MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP.
764 768
Amusements
771
Churches
771
Business Interests 682 669
Court House, The
County Seat, Selection of the. 663
Hotels 672
Incorporation 681
Mails
673
Manufactories and Industries.
683
Origin of Name 665
Religious 676
Residents. Early
669
Officers, Early Township .. 781
687 Piney Town ... 782
Pioneers, Arrival of the. 777
Pleasant Valley Village. 782
Roads .. 780
White Hall Village. 781
711
Taxation Statement
Value of Lands.
Sheriffs, County.
Coal City
Pioneer Life
Topography. 553
Voting Statistics.
Cavalry, Sixth ...
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.
Pottersville
Roads.
Rebellion, The Great.
Births, Early
Industries, Early
Santa Fé Village
Marion Mills
Industries of Gosport 720 715
687
Library, County.
viii
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
MORGAN TOWNSHIP
784
Improvements
814
Middletown
816
Births, Early.
791
Roads 815
Cemeteries 791
Deaths,
791
Settlement, Early
813
Early Condition of the Settlements ..
787
General Description.
784
Improvements, etc
789
Marriages, Early.
790
Mills, etc ...
789
Religious ..
792
Roads
790
Schools
791
Settlement.
785
TAYLOR TOWNSHIP
793
Churches
799
Deaths, Early
796
Educational
796
Improvements, Early
795
Masonic Lodge at Quincy.
798
Mill Grove Village.
797
Pioneer Settlement ..
794
Quincy Village
797
Villages
797
JACKSON TOWNSHIP
800
Marion Township 909
Montgomery Township 926
Morgan Township. 944
Spencer, Town of. 823
Taylor Township .. 950
Washington Township. 871
886
PORTRAITS.
Archer, J. W. Between pages 558 and 561
Beem, David E .. .Between pages 630 and 633
Coffey, Abraham Between pages 594 and 597
Fowler, Inman H. .Between pages 612 and 615
Franklin, William M. .Between pages 576 and 579
Goss, James M .. .Between pages 756 and 759
Lautenschlager, John F .... Between pages 702 and 705
McNaught, Thomas A ...... Between pages 648 and 651 Medaris, Stephen D .. .Between pages 774 and 777 Montgomery, John S ... Between pages 666 and 669
Pierson, Allen ... Between pages 684 and 687
Villages ..
811
Wampler, Hezekiah .Between pages 720 and 723
HARRISON TOWNSHIP 812
815
Williams, John A .. .Between pages 738 and 741
ERRATA. .
On page 56, eighth and ninth lines from the top, instead of "Dempsey Seybold, Sr., of Putnam County," read "Dempsey Seybold, Sr., of Parke County."
Page 562, nineteenth line from top, instead of "deeded for the proposed county seat by John Dunn," read "not deeded," etc.
Page 564, eleventh line from bottom, instead of "Peter Zeal," read "Peter Teal." Page 573, in table, instead of "Chairman," read "chainman."
Page 574, in table, at the end of the line reading, "To Joshua Matheny, for ferrying on the day of sale of lots," place $1.25, and omit the line following: "To George Ham, from Spencer to Southport, $1.25."
Page 580, nineteenth line from top, instead of "twelve-feet wide court house door," read "twelve-feet wide yard at the court house door."
Page 587, second line from bottom, instead of "resolutions of respects," read "resolutions of respect," etc.
Page 605, eighteenth line from bottom, instead of " granges attempting to prevent the objects," read "granges attempting to pervert the objects," etc.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Clay Township. 929
Franklin Township. 917
Jackson Township. 955
Jefferson Township. 905
Jennings Township. 958
Gosport, Town of ... 886
Harrison Township 959
La Fayette Township. 962
Births, Early ...
804
Burying Grounds
804
Churches 805
Elections .. 8)4
Improvements ..
803
Marriages, Early
804
Needmore Village. 805
Schools 804
Settlers, First
801
JENNINGS TOWNSHIP. 806
Births, Early
809
Cataract Village
811
Churches 810
Fallsboro' Village
811
Graveyards ..
809
Improvements. 808
Marriages, Early 809 Roads 810
Schools. 810
Settlement, Early. 808
Wampler, Mrs. Jane ... .Between pages 720 and 723
Cemetery
LA FAYETTE TOWNSHIP.
817
Cemeteries.
820
Church History
820
Mills, Distilleries, etc.
819
Settlers, Early
817
Schools 822
Vandalia Village ...
820
Voting Places
819
PAGE.
Atkinson Village ..
793
Schools. 816
Wayne Township.
HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
BY WILLIAM TRAVIS.
ORGANIZATION, BOUNDARY, EXTENT.
C YLAY COUNTY was organized in 1825, nine years after the admis- sion of the State, and immediately after the removal of the seat of government from Corydon to Indianapolis. In 1818, the counties of Vigo and Owen were organized with range line number six west of the Second Principal Meridian dividing them, including the territory now comprised within the county of Clay. This line lies immediately west of Middlebury, crossing Eel River near the railroad bridge, and passing the woolen factory at Brazil. At that time Daniel Harris, who lived near Spencer, was the member of the General Assembly from Owen County, and is credited with having introduced the proposition to or- ganize the new county. Mr. Harris was a Whig, an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, the distinguished Kentucky statesman, and named the county in honor of him. In the early history, he was known familiarly as Old Clay and the father of Clay County. The following is a copy of the act organizing the county, approved February 12, 1825:
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That from and after the first day of April next, all the tract of country included within the following boundaries, shall form and constitute a new county to be known and designated by the name of the county of Clay, to wit: Beginning at the southwest corner of Township 9 north, Range 7 west, thence east ten miles, thence north twelve miles, thence east six miles, thence north nine miles, thence west four miles, thence north nine miles, thence west ten miles, thence south six miles, thence west two miles, thence south twenty-four miles to the place of begin- ning.
SEC. 2. The said new county of Clay shall, from and after the first day of April next, enjoy all the rights, privileges and jurisdictions which to separate and independent counties do or may properly belong or appertain.
SEC. 3. That John Denny, of Putnam County, John Bigger, of Owen County, Rezin Stulby, of Vigo County, Jacob Bell, of Parke County, and James Smith, of Greene County, are hereby appointed Commissioners agreeably to the act entitled "An act fixing the seat of Justice of all new counties hereafter to be laid off." The said Commissioners shall meet at the house of David Thomas, in the said county of Clay, on the second Monday in May next, and shall immediately proceed to dis- charge the duties assigned them by law. It is hereby made the duty of the Sheriff of Owen County to notify said Commissioners, either in person or by writing, of their appointment, on or before the first Monday in May next, and for such services he
12
HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
shall receive such compensation out of the county treasury of the said county of Clay as the Board of Justices thereof may deem just and reasonable, to be ordered and paid as other county claims are paid.
SEC. 4. The County Board of Justices of the said new county shall, within twelve months after the permanent seat of justice shall have been selected, proceed to erect the necessary public buildings therein.
SEC. 5. That all suits, pleas, plaints, actions, prosecutions or proceedings here- tofore commenced and pending within the limits of the said county of Clay, shall be prosecuted to final issue in the same manner, and the State and County taxes which may be due on the 1st day of April next, within the bounds of the said county of Clay, shall be collected and paid in the same manner and by the same officers, as if this act had not been passed.
SEC. 6. The county Board of Justices shall meet at the house of David Thomas in said county, on the 1st Monday in November next, and then and there proceed to do and transact all such necessary county business as may be required by law.
SEC. 7. The said county of Clay shall be attached to the First Judicial Circuit and shall continue to be attached to the several counties from which it has been taken for the purpose of electing Senators and Representatives to the State Legisla- ture and the other State officers, and in all elections for any of said officers the citi- zens thereof shall vote in the same places and in the same manner they would have done if the erection of said new county had not taken place.
The border lines of the county as defined in this act have never un- dergone any change. The length of the county is thirty miles, the width from ten to sixteen miles, the average width twelve miles, making an area of 360 square miles, or 230,400 acres. The aggregate extent of border line, which describes ten right angles, is ninety-two miles. All the counties bordering on Clay, six in number, antedate it in organiza- tion. On the north lies Parke, organized in 1821; on the east, Putnam and Owen, 1822 and 1818; on the south, Greene, 1821; and on the west, Sullivan and Vigo, 1817 and 1818 respectively.
LOCATION, SURFACE, DRAINAGE, SOIL.
Clay County is a part of the elevated lands of the Wabash Valley, lying in Western Indiana, within less than twenty miles of the Illinois line, and about 100 miles north of the Ohio River. The general surface is neither level nor hilly, but undulated. It is, therefore, not marked by any great topographical diversities and contrasts. With respect to the level of the ocean, the most elevated point within the limits of the coun- ty is estimated at 800 feet, the lowest at 533 feet, and.the approximate average elevation at 667 feet, which is within a few feet of the general average surface level of the State. With respect to the level of Lake Erie, the extremes are estimated at 227 feet above and forty feet below, making an approximate average elevation of 133 feet. The mean surface of the county lies 234 feet above low water mark in the Wabash at Terre Haute. The approximate elevation of the Feeder Dam above the Wa- bash at Terre Haute is 122 feet; hence, the average elevation of the
13
HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
surface of the county above Eel River, at the dam, is 112 feet. The bluff on the east side of the river, on which the court house stands at Bowling Green, is 160 feet above the site on which the Terre Haute court house stands. The site of the new court house at Brazil is 165 feet above the site of the court house at Terre Haute. The highest point is in the northeast part of the county, near the line of the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad, and the lowest in the southeast part, where Eel River crosses the county line. The most elevated point along the line of the Vandalia Railroad is the Wools Hill, near Newburg. In the central part of the county, the Grimes Hill, on Sugar Ridge, rises above all the surrounding contiguous country, and is thought by many to be the maximum elevation in the county. In the southern part, the high- est point is the Sand Hill, on the old Cooprider place at Middlebury, which is ninety feet above the grade of the Terre Haute & South Eastern Railroad, at Clay City ..
The surface of the county is drained by Eel River and its tributaries, and tributaries of the Wabash, hence, there are several water-sheds, or summit divides of drainage, within its borders. There are two Eel Riv- ers in Indiana. The one in the north part of the State was named by the Indians "Shoa maque, " meaning slippery fish, and by the explorers and early settlers, Anguilla, meaning the river of eels. The eels or slippery fish in the stream suggested its name both to the native and the explorer. Our Eel River, about the same length and volume, derived its name from the same circumstance. This stream has three distinct
sources. Walnut Fork, or Eel River proper, rises near Jamestown, Boone County, and flows southwest through Hendricks and Putnam Counties. Mill Creek, often called Eel River, rises near Danville, Hen- dricks County, and flows southwest through Morgan, Putnam and Owen Counties. These are the principal branches. Deer Creek rises on the eastern border of Putnam County, flows southwest and empties into Mill Creek about one mile from the confluence of Walnut and Mill, in Wash- ington Township, Putnam County, two miles north of the Cass Town- ship, Clay County line. Though Walnut is larger than Mill Creek, the latter is the more noted, because of its rapids and falls, known as Catar- act, in Jennings Township, Owen County, a romantic site frequently visited by pleasure parties from all parts of the surrounding country. From the point at which the river crosses into the county, it flows in a direction a little west of south until it strikes the rocky bluff at Bellaire. a distance of ten miles on the straight line, where it is deflected, then flows in a direction a little south of west until it strikes the foot of thé old hill, another course of ten miles, when it is again deflected, and then flows continuously in a southeastern direction a distance of thirteen miles, to the extreme southeast corner of the county. The entire length of the stream from the source of Walnut to the mouth, at Point Cour-
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