USA > Indiana > Henry County > Hazzard's history of Henry county, Indiana, 1822-1906, Volume II > Part 38
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Mullen's Station was the first railroad station for New Castle, the old Cincinnati, Logansport and Chicago railway having been completed to this point early in 1854, perhaps late in 1853, and until the road was finally com- pleted to New Castle in the Summer of 1854. all the business for the new railroad, which later came to New Castle, was transacted at Mullen's Station. To this point stock was driven to be shipped to Cincinnati, goods were wag- oned from there to be distributed to other points throughout the country and people went there to take the train to Cincinnati and other points. The post- office was established in 1855, David Millikan being the first postmaster, and the name of the village being changed to Ashland.
Before removal to its present site this postoffice was for many years a country neighborhood affair located at the respective houses of the successive postmasters, near the present location of the station of Messick on the Big Four railway and was then as now called Messick.
Ashland has never been incorporated, therefore its population, as shown by the census of 1900, is included in that of Liberty Township. (See Chapter XXXVIII). The name probably came from Ashland, Ohio, from the fact that, at the time the name was changed, some of the most enterprising citizens of the village had once lived in the town and county of that name in the "Buckeye" State.
A list of the postmasters at Ashland, Messick included, from February 26, 1847, to September 14, 1855, when the office was moved to its present loca- tion, will be found on page 34 of this History.
Ashland and Millville are the only postoffices in Liberty Township. Aside from Chicago which was discontinued March 24. 1855, and Devon, which was discontinued February 13. 1868, they are the only postoffices that have ever been in the township.
BLOUNTSVILLE.
Blountsville. situated in Stony Creek Township, twelve miles due north- east from the court house in New Castle, being in the W. 1/2 of the N. E. 14 of Sec. 35, Tp. 19 N .. R. II E., was laid out and platted by Thomas R. Stanford, Surveyor, in July, 1832, and acknowledged by Andrew D. Blount, proprietor, September 5. 1833. The main street running east and west was then desig- nated as "The Logansport and Richmond Road," the road running south on
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
the west line of the town as "The Centreville Road." The original plat con- tains twenty six lots, no blocks designated.
The first addition, situated immediately south of the original plat, was platted June 14, 1853, and was acknowledged hy Beale Manifold, proprietor, January 26, 1854, and con- tains twelve lots, no blocks designated.
The Northeastern, the second addition, situated immediately east of the original plat and Manifold's addition, was platted and acknowledged by Jonathan Ross, Jesse Cary. William Liser, Daniel Bainter, J. W. Stanley, John Houk and Leander Priest, pro- prietors, August 19, 1859. It contains twenty six lots and four out-lots, no blocks des- ignated.
Blountsville takes its name from Andrew D. Blount, the original propri- etor of the townsite. On the county records showing the filing of the plat, the name is spelled "Blunt." but as far back as the memory of the oldest inhab- itant reaches the name has been uniformly used as "Blount." This place from its inception has always been the commercial metropolis of our northeast- ern township, and on account of its close proximity to Delaware County on the north and Randolph County on the east, its trade has been much increased from those counties.
This place was without railroad facilities until 1902, when the Chicago, Cincinnati and Louisville railway was built, which in a few years must add to the importance of the village.
Blountsville not being incorporated must be content to be known as a vil- lage only, and its population, according to the census of 1900, is included in that of Stony Creek Township. (See Chapter XXXVIII.)
A list of the postmasters at Blountsville from the establishment of the postoffice, January 22, 1835, inclusive, to the present time, will be found on pages 34-5 of this History. Also the name of the only rural route carrier.
Blountsville is the only postoffice now in the township. The only other postoffice ever in the township was Rogersville, which was discontinued June 15, 190I.
CADIZ.
The town of Cadiz is situated in Harrison Township, six miles west and one and one fourth miles north of west from the court house in New Castle, being in the S. E. 14 of Sec. 3, Tp. 17 N., R. II E., and was laid out and platted by David Pickering, proprietor, September II, 1836, and acknowl- edged March 22, 1837.
The early emigration to that part of Henry County afterwards formed into Harrison Township was largely from Harrison County, Ohio, and the town of Cadiz derives its name from the county seat of that county. In this emigration the Cooper family and their kinsmen, including the Pickerings. were the most numerous, therefore, when it came to establishing a town, what could be more natural than to adopt the name of the chief town of the county from which they emigrated?
The main street running east and west was designated as "The Craw- fordsville and New Castle State Road." The original plat contains four and one half blocks, consisting of sixteen lots.
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
The first addition, situated immediately west of the original plat, was platted March 29, 1849, and was acknowledged by Imla W. Cooper, proprietor, April 7, 1849, and coutains four blocks consisting of twelve lots and one out-lot.
The second addition, situated immediately east and north of the original plat, was platted November 7, 1849, and was on the same date acknowledged by David Pickering, proprietor, and contains four blocks, consisting of fifteen lots.
A third addition, situated immediately south of the original plat, was platted Feb- ruary 23, 1855, and was acknowledged by Jonas Pickering, proprietor, August 10, 1860, and contains but two lots, no blocks designated.
The owner of this addition of two lots only was not ambitious to have his small addition to Cadiz speedily a matter of official record, for it took him five years and six months to get the matter properly recorded.
David Pickering, the original proprietor, was the most ambitious of all of the promoters of Cadiz, for the county records show that on March, 23, 1854, he made another addition situated immediately north of his first addi- tion to the original plat, the same containing four blocks, consisting of eight lots, but like his neighbor and kinsman, Jonas Pickering, he was in no hurry to reach the county recorder's office, for it was not until October 3, 1861, seven years and six months later, that it was recorded.
The population of the town of Cadiz, as shown by the census of 1900, was 253. Although surrounded by a fertile country and numbering from time to time as it has, some of Henry County's most enterprising and enlightened citizens, it has never been able to secure railroad facilities. In fact, Harrison Township is the only one of the thirteen in the county not so far traversed by either steam or electric railway. Surely the repeated efforts of the enterpris- ing citizens of the township in this direction will in time bear fruit.
A postoffice was established December 18. 1837. A list of the postmas- ters from that time to the present will be found on page 35 of this History.
Cadiz is the only postoffice that has ever existed in Harrison Township. There never was a postoffice at the old town of Woodville, the principal street of which was the boundary line between Harrison and Greensboro townships.
CHICAGO.
This proposed town was never laid out and platted. It is situated seven and one half miles east and one mile south from the court house in New Castle, on the New Castle and Hagerstown pike, in Liberty Township. The first transfer, as shown by the records, was for religious purposes and consisted of one acre, transferred by John McSherley and Phebe, his wife, to Christopher Main, George Koons and Jesse K. Platts as Trustees for Liberty Church, No- vember 5, 1827.
The village is located about two miles southeast of the present site of Millville and a mile south of the railroad, the building of which seems to have ruined its prospects. At one time it was an ambitious village, numbering a score or more of houses, one or two stores and two hotels. It is now known as the "Old Chicago Neighborhood." The people who located Chicago were very ambitious and had visions of a great future, therefore, they named this place after the then young giant just coming into prominence at the foot of Lake Michigan.
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
A postoffice was established May 11, 1852 and discontinued March 24, 1855, which is about the time the postoffice at Millville was established. Three of its prominent citizens served as postmasters. Their names will be found on page 36 of this History.
Chicago is one of the four postoffices that have existed in Liberty Town- ship, the other three being Devon (discontinued), Ashland and Millville.
CIRCLEVILLE.
This village is on the line between Stony Creek and Blue River town- ships, nine miles due northeast from the court house in New Castle, and one and one half miles due north from the present town of Mooreland. The rec- ords do not show that it was ever laid out and platted into town lots.
This place has long since passed from the zenith of its glory and now exists as a village only in the memory of the oldest citizen. Its former site is now commonly known as "Five Forks," for the reason that the turnpikes from here lead to five different points of the compass. Circleville never reached the dignity of a postoffice. Five Forks is adjoined by some of the most fertile and highly improved farms of the county.
The author of this History has been unable to find any old settler who can give a reason why this place was named Circleville.
DUNREITH.
The town of Dunreith is situated in Spiceland Township, nine miles south and three and one half miles west from the court house in New Castle, and five miles east from Knightstown, at the crossing of the Pittsburg, Cincin- nati, Chicago and St. Louis railway and the New Castle and Rushville division of the Lake Erie and Western railway, and at the junction of the New Castle branch with the main line of the Indianapolis and Eastern railway (electric line), and in the W. } of the N. E. { of Sec. 32, and the W. } of the S. E. } of Sec. 29, Tp. 16 N., R. 10 E. It was laid out and platted by James M. Clem- ents, Surveyor, for John W. Griffin, Caleb Johnson and Thomas Evans, proprietors, July 22, 1865, and was acknowledged by them July 25. 1865. The main street running east and west was designated as "The National Road." The original plat contains three blocks consisting of twenty three lots. The town was first known as Coffin's Station.
On the completion of the old Indiana Central railroad to this point a depot was established here and the place named after the proprietor of the land, Emery Dunreith Coffin. Soon there began to spring up a little village around the station. In 1865, when the town was first platted as above shown, those interested, particu- larly John W. Griffin, decided on a change of name, but out of respect to Mr. Coffin's memory and to preserve his name in connection with the town, it was called Dunreith.
The first addition, situated northwest of the original plat and on the north side of the National Road, was platted August 31, 1866, and was on the same date acknowledged by Thomas Evans, proprietor, and contains six blocks, consisting of thirty six lots.
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
The second addition, situated immediately north of the original plat, between the National Road and the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis railway, being the narrow strip of land between the principal street and the railroad and upon which all of the business houses of the town are now situated, was platted and acknowledged by Timothy Wilson, Caleb Johnson and Thomas Evans, December 12, 1866. It contains six lots, no blocks designated.
The Eastern addition, situated immediately north of the Wilson, Johnson and Evans' addition, and east of Evans' addition on the north side of the National Road, was platted November 16, 1867, and was acknowledged by Christopher Wilson, propri- etor. December 16, 1867; and by Caleb Johnson on the part of C. Johnson and Company, June 5, 1868. It contains three blocks, consisting of fourteen lots.
An addition, situated immediately north of Evans' addition and east of the turn- pike running north to Spiceland, was platted August 29, 1868, and was acknowledged by Caleb Johnson, proprietor, September 14. 1868, and contains two blocks, consisting of eleven lots.
Caleb Johnson, who was one of the chief promoters of the town, was for many years its leading merchant. After leaving the county treasurer's office in August, 1863, he removed to Coffin's Station and established a store. He resided there until 1879 when, having in the meantime entered the ministry of the Friends' Church, he moved to Lynnville, Iowa. Afterwards he was a resident of Wichita, Kansas, and Denver, Colorado. He died at the latter place in 1899 and his remains are buried there.
The next addition, situated immediately west of the original plat and south of the old railway, was platted August S. 1871, and was acknowledged by John W. Griffin, pro- prietor, August 17, 1871, and contains eight lots, no blocks designated.
The next ambitious proprietor was James M. Crawford, who had platted May 5, 1883, an addition situated immediately north of Caleb Johnson's addition, on the east side of the pike running north to Spiceland. It was acknowledged by him May 19, 1883. and contains one block of six lots.
Joseph Griffin, father of Jobn W., made an addition, situated immediately west of Evans' addition and west of the pike running north to Spiceland. It was platted July 9, 1883, and was acknowledged by Joseph Griffin, proprietor, December 11. 1883, and con- tains two blocks, consisting of seven lots.
Robert M. Kenney's north side addition, situated on the extreme north side of the town of Dunreith, between the New Castle and Rushville railway and the road running north to Spiceland, was platted October 20, 1892, and was acknowledged by Kenney July 13, 1893. It contains ten and two thirds acres divided into four blocks, consisting of fifty two lots and two out-lots.
A postoffice was established July 2, 1861, then called Coffin's Station. On pages 36-7 of this History will be found a list of the postmasters for the town as first named and as now named. Also the name of the only rural route carrier.
The only postoffices that have ever existed in Spiceland Township are Dunreith, Ogden and Spiceland, and all are still in existence.
The census of 1900 places the population of the town at 205.
ELIZABETH CITY.
This old village, now much decayed, is situated twelve and one fourth miles southwest from the court house in New Castle, and six miles northwest from Knightstown, and is in Wayne Township, being in the N. W. corner of
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
the S. E. 1/4 of Sec. 1, Tp. 16 N., R. 8 E. Elizabeth City was laid out and platted by Robert Overman, proprietor, and acknowledged September 17, 1838, and contains six blocks, consisting of thirty six lots. No addition has ever been filed to the town. It was at an early day, a place of some promise. After the Civil War, Elnathan and Thomas B. Wilkinson, brothers, now of Knightstown, maintained here for several years a general mercantile estab- lishment and did a highly prosperous and satisfactory business. However, no postoffice was established until 1878. It was called "Maple Valley," for the reason that there was a prior postoffice in the State named Elizabeth City.
The construction of the Big Four railway through the county west from New Castle and the establishment of the towns of Kennard in Henry County and Shirley in Henry and Hancock counties, and of Wilkinson in Hancock County, all on the line of the railroad and within a few miles of Elizabeth City, was the death knell of the last named place as a business point. The establish- ment of the rural free delivery system from Shirley and Wilkinson was another blow to Elizabeth City, for then the postoffice was finally discontinued. On pages 39 and 40 of this History will be found a list of the respective post- masters of "Maple Valley."
Elizabeth City (Maple Valley) is one of the four postoffices that have ex- isted in Wayne Township, the other three being Grant City, (Snyder dis- continued), Knightstown and Raysville.
Robert Overman, the proprietor, was from Pasquotank County, North Carolina, of which Elizabeth City is the county town, hence this name.
FAIRFIELD.
This defunct place was situated somewhere on the National Road. The county records do not show where it was located or by whom it was laid out and platted. Henry Lewelling appears to have been the surveyor, who laid out and platted the village about the year 1828. The main street running east and west is designated as "The National Road," and contains four blocks consisting of thirty two lots. Lewis Tacket was the proprietor. Its location was probably east of Lewisville in the neighborhood of the present town of Straughn. It never reached the dignity of a postoffice.
GRANT CITY.
Grant City, so named after our great military chieftain, General Ulysses S. Grant, is situated in Wayne Township, ten and one half miles southwest from the court house in New Castle and five miles north and one mile west from Knightstown. It is located on the E. 1/2 of the N. E. 1/4 and the E. 1/2 of the S. E. 1/4 of Sec. 5 and the W. 1/2 of the S. W. 1/4 of Sec. 4, Tp. 16 N., R. 9 E., and was laid out, platted and acknowledged by Jacob Green, who was a soldier in the Civil War, and by Margaret Green, his wife, October 31, 1868. It con- tains five blocks, consisting of thirty six lots.
59
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Jacob Green's northern addition, situated immediately north of the original plat, was platted by the same parties March 24, 1869, and was acknowledged July 14, 1869. It contains four blocks, consisting of twenty eight lots.
When Jacob Green returned from the Civil War he was ambitious to found a town, and, being a great admirer of his old commander, named it as above stated. From the fact that there was a prior postoffice in the State of the same name, no postoffice was established until January 26, 1888, when one was established called "Snyder." In the meantime the Big Four railway had been built through the county west from New Castle and the town of Ken- nard located two and one half miles north and one half mile east of Grant City. Later the rural free delivery system abolished the postoffice. The stores which had been established found their way to the railroad or were discontinued. Thus the glory of Grant City as a business center disappeared. "Jake" Green, the founder of the village, was for many years a well-known character in Henry County. Some years ago he moved to Iowa where he died and is buried.
A list of the postmasters at "Snyder" will be found on page 45 of this History. Grant City (Snyder discontinued) is one of the four postoffices that have existed in Wayne Township, the other three being Elizabeth City (Maple Valley), Knightstown and Raysville.
GREENSBORO.
This old historic town is situated in Greensboro Township, six and one fourth miles southwest from the court house in New Castle, and is in the E. } of the S. E. { of Sec. 35 and in the W. { of the S. W. 1 of Sec. 36, Tp. 17 N., R. 9 E., and was laid out, platted and acknowledged by Jehu Wickersham. February 27. 1830, and contains six blocks, consisting of forty eight lots.
The first or Eastern addition, situated immediately east of and adjoining the orig- inal plat, was platted and acknowledged by Seth Hinshaw, Jonas Pickering, Enoch Wick- ersham, Abraham Moore, Jehu Wickersham and Mary Wickersham, proprietors, March 26, 1836, and contains six blocks, consisting of twenty eight lots.
The second or Northern addition, situated immediately north of the original plat and east of High Street, was platted and acknowledged by Thomas Reagan, April 13, 1855, and contains one block, consisting of twelve lots.
Reagan's addition to the Northern addition, situated immediately north of the original plat and west of High Street, was platted and acknowledged hy Thomas Reagan, October 16, 1866, and contains one block, consisting of six lots.
A plat of the town of Greensboro was surveyed and platted by William R. Harrold, Surveyor, and acknowledged August 6, 1873. This plat includes the original plat and all the additions above mentioned and also out-lots numbering from one to twenty four inclusive; and also out-lots numbers seven to thirteen inclusive, north of Reagan's Northern addition.
Greensboro is situated on the east bank of Duck Creek, about one mile from its junction with Blue River, and nearly seven miles north by east from Knightstown. Being in the midst of a tract of fertile farming lands, it has ever enjoyed a considerable local traffic, though its growth in wealth and im-
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
portance has not been as rapid as that of some other towns in the county, from the fact that it is not reached by a railroad. Then the construction of the Big Four railroad through the county, two and one half miles north of it, and the establishment of the town of Kennard, two and one half miles northwest of it have drawn from it much of the trade that it once enjoyed.
Greensboro has a number of excellent turnpikes radiating from it; but it was as a "station" on the "underground railroad" that it won a national repu- tation. As the home of a number of determined and veteran abolition agita- tors, it had a reputation, fifty years ago, second to no place of its size in the whole country. In those early days a large building, known as "Liberty Hall," was often filled with enthusiastic audiences, who listened to such apostles of freedom as Arnold Buffum, Abby Kelly. Frederick Douglas, George W. Jul- ian and others of note.
The "underground railroad" was the system employed by abolitionists to transport slaves fleeing from bondage to the land of freedom, principally Canada. The plan was to move them in the night time from the home of an abolitionist, or some other place where they were secreted, called a "station," to some point or "station" further on toward their ultimate destination. This was all done in such a secretive and mysterious way that the term "under- ground railroad" was applied. Greensboro was known far and wide as a per- manent "station," and the abolitionists there were numerous and determined, having at their head the veteran Seth Hinshaw.
The early emigration in and around Greensboro was from Guilford County, North Carolina, of which Greensboro is the county town, and from this fact Greensboro Township and town are so named.
A list of the postmasters from William Reagan, April 18, 1831, to the present time, will be found on page 37 of this History. Greensboro Township has had three postoffices, all of which are retained-Greensboro, Kennard and Shirley. However, at the present time the Shirley postoffice is on the west side of Main Street in Hancock County.
The census of 1900 places the population of the town at 284.
HILLSBORO.
This old village on a hill is situated in the southeast corner of Prairie Township, three and one half miles northeast from the court house in New Castle, and is in the south part of the N. E. 14 of Sec. 36, Tp. 18 N., R. 10 E., and was laid out, platted and acknowledged by Jacob Huston, Thomas Huston and Samuel Rinehart, proprietors, July 26, 1831, and contains twelve blocks, consisting of sixty lots.
The first addition, situated immediately east of the original plat, was platted March 2, 1852, and acknowledged by Clement Murphey, proprietor, April 19, 1852, and contains twelve lots, no blocks designated.
The second addition, also by Clement Murphey, situated immediately east of his first addition, was platted and acknowledged by him, April 16, 1853, and contains twelve lots, no blocks designated.
The name of the village undoubtedly comes from the fact that one can hardly reach the place from any direction without climbing a hill. It was
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
once a trading point of some consequence. The author of this History well remembers when as a boy he first saw Hillsboro, going there in company with his mother to visit her brother, Franklin Woodward, then residing there. At that time there were three stores, two blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, and a saw mill, with corresponding population. At the foot of the hill on the road leading to New Castle, on Little Blue River, there was then and for many years afterward, the most pretentious woolen mill in the county, known far and wide as the "Mowrer and McAfee Factory," later owned by Ice, Dunn and Company. Before this, at the foot of the hill on the road now leading to Messick, on a little stream that would not now float a duck so thorough has been the drainage, there was a grist mill and still house combined, known as the "Byrket mill." Then on the Little Blue, near the factory there had been a saw mill owned and operated by a man named Neziah Snyder and connected with it he operated one burr for grinding wheat and corn, principally corn. What little flour he ground was bolted by hand. Now these industries have all disappeared and Hillsboro has not only passed into history but almost into oblivion. It was one of the towns projected before the days of railroads and with their coming it began to decay.
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