The Indiana gazetteer, or, Topographical dictionary : containing a description of the several counties, towns, villages, settlements, roads, lakes, rivers, creeks, and springs, in the state of Indiana, Part 1

Author: Scott, James; Scott, John, 1793-1838. cn; Douglass and Maguire
Publication date: 1833
Publisher: Indianapolis : Douglass and Maguire
Number of Pages: 412


USA > Indiana > The Indiana gazetteer, or, Topographical dictionary : containing a description of the several counties, towns, villages, settlements, roads, lakes, rivers, creeks, and springs, in the state of Indiana > Part 1


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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION


EN


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01707 6990


Gc 977.2 IN2464


THE INDIANA GAZETTEER, OR, TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017


https://archive.org/details/indianagazetteer00scot


THE


INDIANA GAZETTEER,


OR C


TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY;


· CONTAINING


A' DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL COUNTIES, TOWNS VILLAGES, SETTLEMENTS, ROADS, LAKES, RI- VERS, CREEKS, AND SPRINGS,


IN THE


STATE OF INDIANA.


SECOND EDITION,


CAREFULLY REVISED, CORRECTED, AND ENLARGED.


INDIANAPOLIS:


PUBLISHED BY DOUGLASS AND MAGUIRE.


.


... 1833.


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1968108


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DISTRICT OF INDIANA, Sct.


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B EIT REMEMBERED, That on the fifteenth day of June, in the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty six, and the fiftieth year of the Independence of the United States of America, JOHN SCOTT deposited in this office, the title of a book the right whereof he claims as author and proprietor, in the words and figures following, to-wit: "The Indiana Gazetterr, or Topo- graphical Dictionary ; containing a description of the Counties, Towns, Villages, Settlements, Roads, Lakes, Rivers, Creeks, Springs, &c., in the State of Indiana, alphabetically arranged . By John Scott." In conformity to an act of Congress of the United States. entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learn- ing, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books to the au- thors and. proprietors during the time therein mentioned ;" and also an act entitled, "An act supplementary to an act entitled an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors thereof, during the times therein mentioned, and to extend the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints."


[SEAL. ]


H. HURST, Clerk, Indiana District.


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.


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PREFACE.


THE undersigned having purchased the copy right of Mr. JOHN SCOTT's Gazetteer, now present to the public a new edition, much enlarged and improved. The former edition was pub- lished at a time when a great portion of the State was un- settled, and but imperfectly known, and when correct topo- graphical information could not be obtained. Since that time, the great increase of population, the extension of settlements, the establishment of new counties and towns, and the general improvement of the country have been such, that many places then unknown have risen into notice, and some have become objects of interest to the enterprising emigrant. Even in the earlier settled and more densely populated parts of the State, internal changes and improvements have been so rapid and va- rious that the descriptions of towns and settlements, which were, correct seven years ago, are far otherwise at present.


The State is rapidly rising into importance, and advancing in literature, science, and internal improvements, and must, at a period not far distant, occupy an important station among the members of the Union. Frequent and earnest inquiries are made by the citizens of our sister States, as well as by foreigners, respecting the climate, soil, and local advantages of Indiana. To answer such inquiries, and at the same time to enable our own citizens duly to appreciate the natural and acquired advantages which they possess, are the primary ob- jects of this publication.


In the former edition, from the circumstances already notic- ed, many errors and imperfections were found to exist Great care has been taken and much labour has been bestowed by the publishers, in this edition, to correct those errors and sup- ply those defects and imperfections. It has been their earnest endeavour to facilitate the researches of such as are disposed personally to explore the country, to furnish the desired in- formation to such as inquire with a view to migration from other States or from foreign countries, and, in short, as far as possible, to make the present edition a book of general utility. Although the task of procuring the requisite information in such an extent of territory, is tedious and difficult, and the in-


IV


PREFACE.


ternal changes and improvements are, in the mean time, still in progression, yet no hesitation is felt in recommending this work to the public as a correct and useful book of reference respecting the statistics and topography of the State.


The longitudes of places are given from the meridian of Washington city, which is 77 degrees west from London; so that by only adding 77 degrees to the given longitude, we have the distance west from London. 'The population of the seve- ral counties is given agrecably to the census of 1830, except as to such counties as have been subsequently established; with respect to such new counties, the population is given ac- cording to the best information which could be procured.


In the compilation and preparation of this work for the press, the publishers are much indebted to the labours of the HIon. JAMES SCOTT, one of the late Judges of the Supreme Court of Indiana, who has devoted to it much time and attention, and whose character and general intelligence cannot fail to increase the confidence of the public in the correctness and utility of the work. DOUGLASS & MAGUIRE.


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4


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1


GENERAL DESCRIPTION


OF THE


STATE OF INDIANA:


NAME. The name of Indiana is found in some an- 'cient records, as designating a region of country west of the Alleghany mountains, to an indefinite extent, and is still retained as the name of a county and town in the state of Pennsylvania, about 45 miles east of Pittsburgh. The name probably had its origin in al- lusion to the aborigines of the country, who were and still are called by the general appellation of Indians.


When the north-western territory was divided into two separate governments in the year 1800, the west- ern division was called the Indiana territory, which name, on the formation of a state government, was re- tained as the name of the state-


BOUNDARIES. The state of Indiana is bounded on the north by the Michigan lake and territory; on the east by the state of Ohio; on the south by the Ohio river; and on the west by the state of Illinois.


SITUATION AND EXTENT. It is situated between 38 and 42 degrees of north latitude; and between 7 de. grees 47 minutes, and 10 degrecs 42 minutes, west longitude from Washington city. It is 150 miles in extent, from cast to west; and about 240 from south to north ; containing an area of about 37,000 square miles, equal to 23,680,000 acres. .


DIVISIONS. The state is divided into sixty-nine counties, which together with the dates of their for- mation, the estimated number of square miles in each, their population in 1830, and the seat of justice in each, ure exhibited in the following


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GENERAL DESCRIPTION


TABLE.


COUNTIES


DATE SQ. MILES POPULATION SEATS OF JUSTICE


Allen


1823


720


1,000


Fort Wayne


Bartholomew


1821


588


5,480


Columbus


Boon


1830


400


622


Lebanon


Carroll


1828


450


1,614


Delphi


Cass


1829


460


1,154


Logansport


Clark


1802


400


10,719


Charlestown


Clay


1825


360


1,616


Bowlinggreen


Clinton


1830


450


1,423


Frankfort


Crawford


1818


350


3,184


Fredonia


Daviess


1816


460


4,512


Washington


Dearborn


1802


448


14,573


Lawrenceburgh


Decatur


1821


400


5,854


Greensburgh Muncietown


Delaware


1827


440


. 2,372


Dubois


1817


420


1,774


Jasper


Elkhart


1830


576


935


Goshen


Fayette


1818


200


9,112


Connersville


Floyd


1819


200


. 6,363


New-Albany


Fountain


1825


400


7,644


Covington


Franklin


1810


400


·10,199


Brookville


Gibson


1813


450


5,417


Princeton


Grant


1831


415


Marion


Greene


1821


540


4,253


Bloomfield


Hamilton


1823


400


1,705


Noblesville


Hancock


1828


340


1,569


Greenfield


Harrison


1808


470


10,288


Corydon


Hendricks


1823


420


3,967


Danville


Henry


1821


440


6,498


Newcastle


Huntington


1832


400


Jackson


1815


500


4,894


Brownstown


Jefferson


1809


400


11,465


Madison


Jennings


1816


400


3,950


Vernon


Johnson


1822


300


4,130


Franklin


Knox


1802


540


6,557


Vincennes


Lagrange


1832


380


La Porte


1832


420


La Porte


Lawrence


1818


460


9,237


Bedford


Madison


1823


420


2,442


Marion


1821


440


7,181


Indianapolis


Martin


1818


340


2,010


Mountpleasant


Miami


1832


330


Monroe


1818


560


6,578


Montgomery


1322


500


7,376


t


Andersontoww


Bloomington Crawfordsville


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OF THE STATE OF INDIANA.'


COUNTIES'


DATE SQ. MILES POPULATION SEATS OF JUSTICE


Morgan


1821


530


5,579


Martinsville


Orange


1815


378


7,909


Paoli


Owen


1818


380


4,060


Spencer


Parke


1821


450


7,534


Rockville


Perry


1814


400


3,378


Rome


Fike


1816


430


2,464


Porey


1814


500


6,883


Putnam


1821


. 490


8,195


Randolph


1818


440


3,912


Ripley


1818


400


3,957


Versailles


Rush


1821


400


9,918


Rushville


Scott


1817


200


3,097


Lexington


Shelby


1821


430


6,294


Shelbyville


Spencer


1818


400


3,187


Rockport


St. Joseph


1830


740


287


South Bend


Sullivan


1816


430


4,696


Merom


Switzerland


1814


300


7,111


Vevay


Tippecanoe


1826


500


7,167


Lafayette


Union


1821


224


7,957


Liberty


Vanderburgh


1818


225


2,610


Vermillion


1823


280


5,706


Vigo


1818


400


5,737


Terre-Haute


Wabash


1832


380


Warren


1828


350


2,854


Williamsport


Warrick


1813


412


2,973


Boonville


Washington -


1813


550


13,072


Salem'


Wayne.


1810


.420


23,344


Centreville


The total population was 341,582, in 1830.


The counties in which the population is not given were not organized until after the census was taken; and in some of recent formation, the seats of justice are not yet established.


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For the purpose of electing representatives to Con- gress, the state is divided into seven districts, each of which elects one representative. The counties of Po- sey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Perry, Craw- ford, Harrison, Orange, Gibson, Pike, and Dubois, form the first district .- The counties of Knox, Daviess, Martin, Lawrence, Owen, Greene, Sullivan, Vigo, Clay, and Putnam, form the second district .-- The counties of Washington, Floyd, Clark, Scott, Jackson, Jennings, and Jefferson, form the third district .- The


7.


Petersburgh


Mount Vernon.


Greencastle


Winchester


Evansville


New Port


W


GENERAL DESCRIPTION.


counties of Decatur, Franklin, Ripley, Switzerland, Dearborn, and Rush, form the fourth district .- The counties of Union, Fayette, Wayne, Randolph, Hen- ry, Delaware, Allen, Grant, Huntington, and La- grange, form the fifth district .- The counties of Bar- tholomew, Johnson, Shelby, Hancock, Hamilton, Ma- rion, Morgan, Boon, Hendricks, Monroe, Madison, Cass, Miami, and Wabash, form the sixth district .-- And the counties of Vermillion, Parke, Montgomery, Fountain, Warreu, Tippecanoe, Clinton, Carroll, St. Joseph, Elkhart, and La Porte, form the seventh dis- trict.


For judicial purposes, the state is divided into eight circuits, in each of which there is a circuit judge, who, together with two associates in each county, holds the circuit courts.


The first circuit is composed of the counties.of Ver- million, Parke, Montgomery, Fountain, Warren, Tip- pecanoe, and Clinton., The second circuit is compo- sed .of the counties of Scott, Jackson, Lawrence, Or- ange, Washington, Harrison, Floyd, and Clark. The third circuit is composed of the counties of Ripley, Jennings, Jefferson, Switzerland, Dearborn, Franklin, and Decatur. . The fourth circuit is composed of the counties of Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Perry, Crawford, Dubois, and Pike. The fifth circuit is composed of the counties of Marion, Morgan, Hendricks, Boon, Hamilton, Madison, Han- cock, Shelby, Bartholomew, and Johnson. The sixth circuit is composed of the counties of Randolph, Dela- ware, Grant, Henry, Wayne, Union, Fayette, and Rush. The seventh circuit is composed of the coun- ties of Knox, Daviess, Martin, Greene, Monroe, Ow- en, Vigo, Putnam, Sullivan, and Clay. And the eighth circuit is composed of the counties of Carroll, Cass, Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Allen, Lagrange, Elk- hart, St. Joseph, and La Porte.


PRINCIPAL TOWNS. The chief towns in Indiana . are Lafayette, Terre-Haute, Vincennes, New-Albany, Madison, Lawrenceburgh, Richmond,, and Indianapo-


T


OF THE STATE OF INDIANA.


lis. . Many other towns have been established, and are rapidly increasing in wealth and importance.


POPULATION. In 1820, Indiana contained 149,000. inhabitants, 1230 of whom were free people of colour .. By a census taken under state authority, in 1825, the whole number of qualified voters was 37,000. Allow- ing the voters to be one-fifth part of the whole popula- tion, the number of inhabitants, in 1825, was 185,000. It will be seen by the census given above, that the po- pulation, in 1830, amounted to 341,582, shewing an increase in the last ten years, prior to taking the cen- sus, of 192,582 souls; of which increase, 156,000 was gained in the latter half of that period. If the increase since, 1830 has been at the same rate, the population in 1833 must be something over 133,000; and should the population continue to grow in the same increased ra- tio till 1840, it will be found to exceed a million. The salubrity of the climate, the unrivalled fertility of the soil, and the advantages of inland navigation, may be considered as operating causes of the rapid increase of population; but it is believed that no circumstance has operated, or is operating more powerfully, to produce such a result, than the entire exclusion of slavery from the state." : This circumstance has Induced many wor- thy and enterprising emigrants to take a residence in Indiana, who, but for this reason, would have chosen a different location. .


FINANCIAL STATISTICS. In: the year 1816, when the state government commenced, the sources of reve- nue were very limited ; but a small portion of the lands in the state had been brought into market, and of that which had been offered for sale, the greater part still remained in the hands of the national government, or had been so recently entered as not to be subject to tax- ation. The compact with the general government, that the lands of the United States should not be taxed until . the expiration of five years from the date of the entry, deprived the state of any revenue from land recently entered, and threw the burden of revenue principally on a few of the older counties where early purchases


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WENNDRAL DESCRIPTION,


had been made, or where the titles were derived from the state of Virginia, as in the reserved lands at and. near Vincennes in Knox county, and in the Illinois grant in the county of Clark. The assessments as returned from the several counties during the first five years of the state, after deducting commissions and delinquen- cies, gives a nett amount for the treasury, gradually increasing from six, to fourteen thousand dollars annu- ally; but such was the negligence of collectors, during those years, that not one half the amount was paid in- to the treasury; while the annual expenses of the go- vernment, during the same period, amounted to some- thing upwards of twenty thousand .. . In this state of the finances it became necessary to resort to a loan for supporting the current expenses of the government. In the mean time, however, the sources of revenuc were increasing; additional districts of land were brought into market; additional purchases were made, entries were daily coming to maturity for taxation, and measures were adopted by the legislature more effectu- ally to secure, on the part of collectors of the revenue, a more prompt and. faithful compliance with their du- ty., From these favourable circumstances the treasu- ry has at length been relieved from embarrassment, and the financial concerns of the state are now in a. prosperous condition.


We are not able, from any documents within our reach, to ascertain the precise quantity of land which . has become taxable, each year, from the commence- ment of the government to the present time ; but it ap .. pears from the report of the committee of ways and means for 1822, that the increase in that year was 456,159 acres; in the year 1823, the increase is stated to be 332,131 acres. Taking these years as a speci- men, the increase may be safely calculated at four hun- dred thousand acres. annually. But when it is recol- lected that the very, embarrassed state of the country in a pecuniary point of view, in the years 1817 and ; 1818, (the dates of those entries which came to matu- rity in 1822, and 1823;) operated in a great degree to ,


UF THE STAXP VỊ ANVIANA.


diminish the business in the land offices, the annual in- crease of taxable land will be admitted to be far be -. yond the average of those years.


Under the present arrangement of the revenue sys .. tem, it may be calculated that the citizens of Indiana pay a revenue of about thirty-five thousand dollars an- nually, for state purposes; to which one half of that sum added for county purposes, makes the sum of $52,- 500 paid annually. under the regulations of the state.


The amount of the national revenue, paid by the ci- tizens,of Indiana, cannot be precisely ascertained ; but a calculation may be made with a near approach to. correctness.


The average amount of the national revenue, omit- . ting fractions, and deducting the amount raised by the sale of the public lands, may be estimated at $22,- 000,000. The whole population of the United States, agreeably to the census of 1830, is 12,793,649. The population of Indiana is 341,582 .- The United States' revenue,, after making the deductions already men- tioned, is raised by duties on foreign merchandise im- ported for domestic consumption .- The people of In- diana consume as large a quantity of foreign articles as. an equal average number of people in any of the states. . The population of Indiana is something over one thir- ty-seventh part of the population of the whole Union .. The conclusion necessarily resulting from these facts is, that Indiana pays something more than an equal. thirty-seventh part of the whole national revenue. If this statement be correct, the citizens of Indiana . pay annually, for the support of the national govern -. ment, about $591,600, besides what they pay in the purchase of lands.


To those who have never taken the subject under consideration, the result of this calculation may ap -. pear almost incredible; but the amount here stated, as great as it is, is believed , to be less than the amount: actually paid.


The actual expenditures of the citizens of Indiana ... may be stated thus: :


GENERAL DESCRIPTION


For the national revenue 594,600


For state purposes 35,000


For county expenses, poor rates, Sc. 17,500


Making in the aggregate the sum of $ 647,100


And notwithstanding this apparently heavy expen- diture, the state is making unexampled progress in wealth and population.


RELIGION. "On the subject of religion, the citizens »of Indiana are very much diversified. Methodists, Presbyterians, and Baptists, are the prevailing denom- inations. There are also Episcopalians, Roman Ca- thelics, and Friends, a respectable number, a few of almost every denomination, and some who do not con- nect themselves with any.


CHARACTER AND MANNERS. The citizens of. Indi- ana exhibit the different traits of character and man- ners of all parts of the Union. The great mass of the population is, composed of emigrants from different parts of America, and from various European coun- tries, who have not resided together a sufficient length of time to form a complete assimilation of manners; but they are gradually approximating to a uniformity ; while, among the citizens generally, there is evidently an increasing taste for the more refined and ornamen- tal accomplishments which enhance the enjoyments of social intercourse.


LITERATURE. By the constitution of Indiana, it is made the duty of the general assembly to provide by law for a general system of education, ascending in a regular gradation from township schools to a state university, wherein tuition shall be gratis and equally open to all. And all moneys paid as an equivalent for exemption from militia duty in time of peace, and all fines assessed for violations of the penal laws, are ap- plied to the support of the county seminaries.


A state University has been established by law at Bloomington in Monroe county, which is now in suc- cessful operation ; and charters have also been recent- ly granted for colleges, at Hanover, in Jefferson coun.


13


OY THE STATE OF INDIANA.


ty, and at New-Albany, in Floyd county, of which a more particular account will be given under their pro- per heads .. County seminaries have also been esta- blished, and several academies incorporated in differ- ent parts of the state, which will also be noticed, each in its proper place. The congressional, townships throughout the state are incorporated by an act of the general assembly, and provision is made for public schools in each, some of which are in operation and others only waiting for such an increase of population as will enable them to rise to usefulness.


MANUFACTURES AND TRADE. The citizens of Indi- ana have not embarked extensively in the manufactur- ing business. ; But.domestic fabricks, both cotton and woollen, are manufactured in families in great abun- dance, in all parts of the state.


The principal articles of trade are horses, mules, cattle, swine, flour, corn, whiskey, and lumber, which are either exchanged at home for foreign goods, or transported for sale to the southern market. There has hitherto been but little trade from this state to the north, but when a communication is opened between the Wabash and lake Erie, a great portion of the trade will. no doubt, be diverted to the north, and the farmer will then have the opportunity of choosing that mar- ket for his produce, which will best suit his interest or his convenience.


FACE OF THE COUNTRY, SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS. The interior and northern parts of the state are general- ly level, and in some places marshy. A considerable portion of the southern section, composing, perhaps, one-fifth part of the whole state, is very hilly and broken; but the hills are different from those of the eastern and southern states; they are generally fertile, and a great part of them may be cultivated advanta- geously. But immediately upon the banks of the Ohio river, and on most of its tributary streams, there are extensive tracts of bottom or meadow land of the most exuberant fertility. North of the hilly region, the whole extent of the state and comprising about


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GENERAL DESCRIPTION


four-fifths of its territory, is a body of land which is ge- nerally level, or gently undulating, and which, in fer- tility of soil, is not excelled by any tract of equal extent in any part of North America. There are extensive prairies on the upper waters of the Wabash and White rivers. The Grand prairie, the largest on this side the Mississippi, commences a short distance north of the Wabash, near the source of Eel river, and extends in a south-western direction, into the state of Illinois. It is supposed to be about 300 miles in length and 100 in


1 breadth. Many other prairies, of more limited extent, are found on the Wabash and on the Kankakee rivers, and their tributaries. Many of these prairies are high and dry, and some are low and marshy. They yield abundance of grass, from three to six or seven feet in height. In the forest lands, the timber is of various kinds; hickory, sugartrec, black walnut, becch, poplar, different species of ash, oak and maple, also honey lo- cust, cherry and buckeye, and various other kinds, whose foliage presents a delightful prospect to the lov- er of rural scenery. Among the cultivated produc- tions of the soil are fruit trees, grain, and esculent plants of various kinds. From fifty to a hundred bush- els of corn have been raised, in one season, on one acre of ground.


CLIMATE. The summers are generally warm and regular, and the winters, for the most part, mild. Al- though, during the first three or four years of settle- ments recently formed, or in the vicinity of marshes or stagnant waters, fevers and agues often prevail, yet as habit conforms the constitution to the climate, and as the country is ameliorated by cultivation, these annoy- ances generally cease, and the climate may in general be considered healthy.


The temperature is said to be several degrees warm- er than that of other places in corresponding latitudes, on the Atlantic coast.


LAKES AND RIVERS. Lake Michigan is the only lake of considerable magnitude in the state of Indiana. It is the largest lake which lies wholly within the U.


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OF THE STATE OF INDIANA.


States, and lies between N. lat. 41 deg. 30 min. and 46 deg. 4 min., and W. lon. 7 deg. 30 min. and 10 deg. 30 min. . Its length is computed at two hundred and eighty miles from north to south, its breadth from seventy to eighty miles, and its circumference between six and seven hundred miles. It is navigable for ships of any burden, and communicates with lake Huron through the straits of Michillimacinac. The strait is six miles wide, and the fort, of its name, stands on an island at the mouth of the strait. The north-west corner of Indiana is in this lake, ten miles north of its southern shore, and about thirty six miles west of the point where the northern boundary of the state enters its eastern shore. There are several smaller lakes, on the upper branches of the Kankakee and Wabash rivers; but they are situated chiefly in an unorganized territory, and their dimensions not known. The prin- cipal rivers are the St. Marys, St. Joseph of Maumee, St. Joseph of lake Michigan, Elkhart, and Kankakee, in the north; and the Ohio, Whitewater, Wabash, and the east and west branches of White river in the south; each of which will be more particularly described un- der its proper head.




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