USA > Indiana > Henry County > Hazzard's history of Henry county, Indiana, 1822-1906, Volume II > Part 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84
The American Shovel Company's addition, situated east of Hernly and Brown's ad- dition and the north part of Woodward's second addition, between Columbia Avenue and the Panhandle railway, was platted November 28, 1899, and was acknowledged by George W. Miller, President, and Charles W. Mouch, Secretary, of the American Shovel Company, on the same date, and contains twenty five acres, divided into ninety two lots, no blocks designated.
Charles S. Hernly's first addition, situated south of Powell's subdivision, on the west side of South Twenty Fifth Street, was platted December 30, 1901, and was acknowl- edged by Charles S. Hernly and Elizabeth Herniy on the same date, and contains four and thirty hundredths acres, divided into twenty four lots, no blocks designated.
The first Industrial addition, situated in the southeast part of town, on the south side of A and Grand avenues and immediately east of the New Castle and Rushville division of the Lake Erie and Western railway, was platted January 14, 1902, and was acknowledged by Lycurgus L. Burr, President, and Charles S. Hernly, Secretary, of The New Castle Industrial Company, on the same date, and contains four hundred and twenty six lots, no blocks designated.
954
HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Heller, McIntyre and Dittman's Rosedale addition, situated immediately east of South Park addition, between South Fourteenth Street and the New Castle and Rush- ville division of the Lake Erie and Western railway, was platted January 11, 1902, and was acknowledged by Myer Heller, Robert H. MeIntyre and William Dittman, on the same date and contains fifty five lots, no blocks designated.
Higdon's first addition, situated immediately south of The Speeder Cycle Company's addition, between South Main and South Fourteenth streets, was platted May 12, 1902, and was acknowledged by Emma Higdon and Gilman H. Higdon, on the same date, and contains eight and sixty seven hundredths acres, divided into forty lots, no blocks desig- nated.
Charles S. Hernly's second addition, situated immediately northwest of Hernly's first addition, on the south side of Plum Street and east side of South Twenty Second Street, was platted June 10, 1902, and was acknowledged by Charles S. Hernly, Elizabeth Hernly and Eli Bond, on the same date, and contains forty lots, no blocks designated.
Hartman's first addition, situated immediately north of Elder's second addition, on the west side of North Ninth Street, was platted January 25, 1902, and was acknowl- edged by Daniel Hartman and Rebecca Hartman, on the same date, and contains seven lots, no blocks designated.
Compton's addition, situated south of the East School House grounds aud south of the Panhandle railway, was platted July 22, 1902, and was acknowledged by Sanford W. Compton and Dorcas I. Compton, on the same date, and contains six lots, no blocks designated.
Klein, Heller and Weil's addition, situated in the southwest part of town immedi- ately north of South Mound Cemetery, between South Ninth and South Eleventh streets, was platted August 28, 1902, and was acknowledged by Sallie H. Klein. August 28, 1902, and by Adolph Klein, August 30, 1902, and by Herbert Heller, Herman Weil and Minnie Weil, September 4, 1902, and contains twenty five lots, no blocks designated.
The Simon T. Powell addition, situated immediately south of Rue and Holman's addition and being the Simon T. Powell homestead or out-lot No. 2, Miles Murphey's ad- dition, was platted August 9, 1902, and was acknowledged by Melvina Powell, on the same date, and contains twelve lots, no blocks designated.
Pitman's addition, situated immediately north of Loer's second addition in the northeast part of town, on the north side of East Spring Street, was platted October 21, 1902, and was acknowledged by Edward E. Pitman and Nina L. Pitman, on the same date, and contains forty lots, no blocks designated.
Thomas M. Randle's first addition, situated immediately east of the first Industrial addition, between A. and I avenues, in the southeast part of town, was platted November 19, 1903, and was acknowledged by Thomas M. Randle and Ella A. Randle, on the same date, and contains four hundred and forty lots, no blocks designated.
Newton F. Williams' addition, situated immediately west of the Robert M. Nixon Heirs' addition, on the east side of South Ninth Street, was platted March 12, 1903, and was acknowledged by Newton F. Williams and Blanche Williams, ou the same date, and contains four and seventy hundredths acres, divided into twenty one lots, no blocks designated.
The Elliott Farm addition, situated immediately south of the Jehu T. Elliott Heirs' addition in the southwest part of town, on the west side of South Ninth Street, was platted September 8, 1903, and was acknowledged by The Central Trust and Savings Company, by Robert H. MeIntyre, Secretary, Attorney in Fact for the Jehu T. Elliott heirs, on the same date, and contains twenty and ninety four hundredths acres, divided into two divisions, consisting of one hundred and four lots.
William H. Elliott's Homestead addition, situated immediately east of the Jehu T. Elliott Heirs' addition and the Elliott Farm addition, on the south side of West Race Street, between South Ninth and South Eleventh streets, was platted Ocober 21, 1903, and was acknowledged by William H. Elliott and Emma E. Elliott, on the same date, and contains twenty eight lots and three out-lots, no blocks designated.
ALBERT
KRELL
CHARLES
CHARL
ES
W. MOUCH
& LEVI A. JENNINGS
S HARRY
E.
JENNINGS
& WALTER
P.
JENNINGS
No SIM
NGS
N
JENN
P
LEADING MANUFACTURERS.
INGS
w
ENN
955
HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
John C. Goodwin's subdivision of part of lot 3 and all of lot 2, in block 2, Elizabeth Murphey's addition, was platted November 3, 1903, and was acknowledged by John C. Goodwin, on the same date, and contains but two lots.
Lycurgus L. Burr's addition, situated in Burr's old addition, on the south side of Lincoln Avenue, hetween South Main and South Eleventh streets, was platted March 22, 1904, and was acknowledged by Lycurgus L. Burr and Martha Burr, on the same date, and contains fourteen lots, no blocks designated.
Eliza J. Elliott's first addition, situated immediately east of Elder's first addition, on the east side of North Ninth and north side of West Vine streets, was platted June 6, 1904, and was acknowledged by Eliza J. Elliott, on the same date, and contains six lots, no hlocks designated.
Mote and Lohr's first addition, situated southwest of Powell's second addition, on the south side of East Plum Street, was platted and acknowledged by Ida L. Mote and Cora A. Lohr, January 12, 1905, and contains ninety five hundredths acres, divided into five lots, no blocks designated.
When the Legislative Commission, already spoken of in Chapter XXXVII of this History, was in quest of a town site, about one hundred acres of land were proffered by public-spirited and interested parties, for the use of the county, on the sole condition that the present site should be chosen. Of this, Absalom Har- vey gave twenty eight acres; John Brumfield, twenty eight acres, less two lots ; A. Lewis, fourteen acres, Allen Shepherd, ten acres, and Rue and Holman, of Wayne County, subsequent proprietors of the first addition to the town of New Castle, twenty four acres, less five lots reserved.
This nice little patch in the wilderness was placed at the disposal of the County Agent, Ezekiel Leavell, and at once, surveyed, and. b" direction of the commissioners, thrown upon the market in July, 1822. This first sale could not have been a great success, as all the money handled by the treasurer for that year amounted to only $154 all told. In August, 1823, another sale was ordered, and the commissioners showed their appreciation of printer's ink by ordering the agent to advertise in the "Richmond Weekly Intelligencer and the Indiana States- man, a newspaper printed at Connersville." This was followed in a few months by another sale, and still much of New Castle remained a wilderness. and, in May, 1824, the clearing off of the public square was "sold to the lowest bidder." William McKimmey and John Dorrah did the surveying, and received twenty five dollars each for this service.
Charles Jamison was soon after made the first tavern keeper, and, of course, "gave bond to the satisfaction of the Board." In 1823 Isaac Brdsaul, being able to satisfy the Board of County Commissioners that he was the proper party, was licensed to "keep store." His first store room was a twelve by sixteen cabin. with earthen floor and a clapboard counter, resting on stakes driven into the earth. In this region sawmills were as yet unknown and a frame house next to an impossi- bility. A log cabin was deemed good enough for the proudest. But the town grew apace and by 1833 had about three hundred inhabitants, of whom about one tenth died of the cholera in 1832-3.
The first preaching in the village seems to have been by Father Havens, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was had in a log house opposite the present residence of Dr. William F. Boor, on North Main Street.
The first railroad, the Chicago and Great Eastern, now a part of the great Pennsylvania system, was completed to New Castle in 1854, and in the language of the song of that time ----
956
HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
"In eighteen hundred and fifty four "The cars ran into the depot door."
Of Ezekiel Leavell, the county agent for the sale of the lots, Judge Martin L. Bundy, being requested to give his recollections, says: "I knew Ezekiel Leavell very well ; he lived to be an old man. He owned a farm on the Nettle Creek road, near Jacob Thorp, the old bell maker, and near Jesse Forkner on the north and south road through Liberty Township, about two miles south of the present vil- lage of Millville. I knew him as county agent who sold the lots and afterward as sheriff of the county. He was a Kentuckian, a warm supporter of Henry Clay, and in my opinion he was most influential in having the town and county named after New Castle, Henry County, Kentucky. I have often said the town should have been named after one of the first settlers, either Woodward, Jamison or Hobson. When I carried the mail from Centreville to Noblesville, I delivered a newspaper to old man Leavell and Judge Thorp; that was in 1835, and I think Leavell lived ten years after that."
The population of New Castle, according to the census of 1900, was 3,406, since which time it has largely increased.
There are three banks in the town. In the chapter in this History on "Banks and Banking" will be found a full account of these together with mention of others now in existence. In the chapter in this History entitled "Newspapers, Past and Present" will be found a full account of the three newspapers now pub- lished in New Castle, together with the obituaries of several now defunct.
On page 42 of this History will be found a list of the postmasters from April 12, 1823, to the present time, together with the names of the ten rural route carriers connected with the postoffice. New Castle is the only postoffice that has ever existed in Henry Township.
NEW LISBON.
New Lisbon, the oldest village in Dudley Township, is situated seven and three quarters miles southeast from the court house in New Castle and is in the S. W. ¿ of the S. W. { of Sec. I and the E. } of the S. E. { of Sec. 2 and the N. W. ¿ of the N. W. 1 of Sec. 12. Tp. 16, N., R. II E., on the Lake Erie and Western railroad and the New Castle and Dublin pike. The original plat was made by Thomas R. Stanford, Surveyor, July 29, 1833, and acknowledged by James Tom- linson and William Crane, proprietors, August 5. 1833 and contains six blocks, consisting of forty lots.
An additional plat is situated immediately south of the original plat and was laid out, platted and acknowledged by John Shortridge, July 2, 1835, and contains two blocks, consisting of five lots.
The first Northern addition, situated immediately north of the original plat, on the east side of Broad Street, was platted and acknowledged by Thomas Shearin and Aaron York, proprietors, November 22, 1836, and contains two blocks, consisting of eigh- teen lots.
A plat of New Lisbon, laid out and platted by Daniel K. Cook, surveyor, and ac- knowledged February 2, 1880, includes all of the foregoing additions and thirty three out-lots.
957
HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Cornelius C. and Louisa R. Weaver's addition, situated immediately east of the Northern addition, on the east side of the Lake Erie and Western railroad and south of the pike, was platted and acknowledged by Cornelius C. Weaver and Louisa R. Weaver, August 31, 1886, and contains six blocks, consisting of twenty three lots.
Keller's addition, situated immediately east of Weaver's addition, on the south side of the Millville pike, was platted October 10, 1903, and was acknowledged hy John W. Keller and Lydia Keller, October 15, 1903, and contains four blocks, consisting of thirteen lots.
This village was originally called Jamestown after the Christian name of one of its original proprietors. Indeed, the designation of the village on the records of Henry County was probably not changed until the consolidated plat was made by Daniel K. Cook, Surveyor, February 2, 1880. On account of its original name the village has from the beginning been commonly known as "Jimtown."
When, soon after the village was located, it was proposed to have a postoffice established, it was found that there was already a postoffice named Jamestown in Indiana, which necessitated the substitution of another name for the office and accordingly New Lisbon was chosen, this name probably coming from New Lis- bon, the county seat of Columbiana County, Ohio.
A postoffice was established December 28, 1836, and on pages 42 and 43 of this History will be found a list of all the postmasters to date, together with the name of the one rural route carrier. One of its early postmasters who served from January 12, 1838, to March 23, 1846, was William Grose, who in the Civil War was Colonel of the 36th Indiana Infantry, and Brigadier General and Brevet Major General United States Volunteers. The place divides with Straughn the honor of being one of the only two postoffices ever established in Dudley Township.
As New Lisbon has never been incorporated such population as it has is in- cluded only in that of Dudley Township. (See Chapter XXXVIII).
Caleb B. Smith's Short Line railroad from Cincinnati was projected in the early fifties and most of the work was done on the road in Henry County before the panic of 1857. The ties were placed on the roadbed and the bridges built as far north as New Lisbon. They all rotted away. Fourteen years later the road was again taken up and constructed north to Fort Wayne, and is now known as the Lake Erie and Western.
Before the days of railroads, New Lisbon, being on the main traveled road to Cincinnati and the half way point between New Castle and Cambridge City, was a general stopping place for drovers driving hogs and cattle to Cincinnati and for teamsters hauling supplies from Cincinnati, and later from Cambridge City, after the Whitewater Valley canal was completed to that point. It is the center of as fine a farming region as there is in Henry County or for that matter in Eastern Indiana.
OGDEN.
The village of Ogden is situated in Spiceland Township, seven miles south- west from the court house in New Castle and three miles due east from Knights- town, on the Panhandle railway and the Indianapolis and Eastern railway (electric line). The main street running east and west was designated as "The National Pike." It was laid out and platted by Hiram Crum and acknowledged December 18, 1829, and contains four blocks, consisting of thirty two lots.
958
HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Lasure and Davis' addition, situated immediately west and south of the original plat, was platted and acknowledged by Harvey Lasure and Thomas Davis July 8, 1837, and contains eight blocks, consisting of fifty four lots.
The addition of Elihu Griffin and others, situated immediately north of the orig- inal plat and south of the Panhandle railway, was platted March 9, 1853, and acknowl- edged by Elihu Griffin and Adam Griffin, on the same date, and contains twenty two lots, no blocks designated.
Griffin, Johnson, Hiatt and Company's addition, situated immediately south and east of the original plat, on the south side of the National Road, was platted and ac- knowledged by Elihu Griffin, for Griffin, Johnson, Hiatt and Company, May 28, 1855, and contains nine blocks, consisting of fifty three lots.
The original plat and all additions are in the N. E. } of Sec. 36, Tp. 16 N., R. 9 E.
Ogden was first named Middletown on account of being the half way point on the old National Road between Richmond and Indianapolis, and was for some time known by the name originally given it. Soon after the place was established it developed that the town of Middletown, in Fall Creek Township, had been laid out and platted October 9. 1829, two months before, therefore it was necessary to select a new name for this village, and it was named Ogden, in honor of a United States Engineer engaged in the construction of the old National Road. It is the oldest village and the first voting precinct in Spiceland Township.
As a village or town Ogden is the second place in Henry County, on the line of the old National Road, to be platted, being preceded only by Knightstown.
In early days Ogden enjoyed a large trade. The development of Knights- town on the west and the establishment of Dunreith on the east and Spiceland on the northeast has taken away all of its trade, as well as its railroad depot. How- ever, since the construction of the electric line through there the village has taken on new life.
A postoffice was established July 15, 1840. On pages 43 and 44 of this Hi -- tory will be found a list of the postmasters.
Ogden not being incorporated, the population of the town is included in that of Spiceland Township. (See Chapter XXXVIII.) The only postoffices that ever existed in Spiceland Township are Dunreith, Ogden and Spiceland, and all are still in existence.
PETERSBURG.
The old village of Petersburg is situated in Liberty Township, eight miles east and one mile north of east from the court house in New Castle and one half mile south of the Daniel Bowman farm, and is in the N. E. 1 of the N. E. } of Sec. 12, Tp. 17 N., R. II E., and the N. W. } of the N. W. } of Sec, 8, Tp. 17 N .. R. 12 E., and was founded in about the year 18.45.
The village was never laid off and platted into lots but all the real estate de- scriptions are by metes and bounds of the section, township and range above men- tioned. It is one of the old places in the county projected before the days of rail- roads and canals. The first thing to blight its future ambition was the exten- sion of the old Whitewater Valley canal from Cambridge City to Hagerstown, which latter place is about two and one half miles southeast of Petersburg. This artificial waterway carried most of the trade from Petersburg to Hagerstown.
959
HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Later, the construction of the Panhandle railway from Richmond through Hagers- town and on through Henry County, and the establishment of Millville in the same township two and a half miles southwest, marked the final decay of Peters- burg.
In an early day there were some stores in the village, but for more than a half century its few straggling houses have simply stood as memories of the past. The place is within one half mile of the Wayne County line and surrounded by some of the most highly improved farm lands in Henry and Wayne counties. No postoffice was ever established there. In an early day mail was carried there from Hagerstown and distributed as a matter of accommodation to the people.
The name comes from Petersburg, Dinwiddie County, Virginia, the place where the Confederate army, under General Robert E. Lee, made its last stand behind entrenchments, preceding the surrender at Appomattox.
PUMPKINTOWN.
Pumpkintown was hardly a village but was a cross roads point in Prairie Township, now known as West Lebanon Church, on the road leading from Mount Summit to Springport, on the east side of the railway, about midway be- tween the two places. In early days and prior to the advent of the railway there was a store located at this point where it remained for a number of years and did a large country trade. It was owned and managed for a long time sy Samp- son Jetmore, who afterwards became a leading merchant of New Castle, being a member of the firm of Mowrer, Jetmore and Company.
At one time there was an attempt made to get rid of the name "Pumpkin- town" by calling it "Winona," but the name which was given it in derision, because of the fact that a great many pumpkins were raised in the neighborhood, stuck, and the change in name was never effected.
There was no postoffice, but the mail was gathered from New Castle and Luray for the neighborhood and distributed from the store. At this time there is nothing left at Pumpkintown save the West Lebanon Church and one house which was formerly used for a toll gate at the cross roads.
RAYSVILLE.
This village so named for one of Indiana's early Governors, is situated in Wayne Township, thirteen and one half miles southwest from the court house in New Castle and one half mile due east from Knightstown, on the Panhandle railroad and the Indianapolis and Eastern railroad (electric line), and in the N. E. { of Sec. 34. Tp. 16 N., R. 9 E .. and was laid out and platted by Thomas R. Stan- ford, Surveyor, April 10, 1832, and acknowledged by John Anderson, proprietor, May 7, 1832, and contains one hundred and seven lots, no blocks designated.
The original plat was replatted by Waitsel M. Cary and acknowledged by him August 9, 1838, and includes thirty four lots in the west part of the above plat made by John Anderson and is probably a subdivision of a part of the original plat.
The village does not extend west to Blue River for the reason that east of Blue River and west of Raysville there is an addition to the town of Knights-
960
HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
town, made by Edward K. Hart and William M. Tate, March 2, 1839, consisting of one hundred and fifty one lots and one ont-lot.
Raysville was for many years a rival of Knightstown, with which place it had an even start in business, and in an early day many of the leading and most enter- prising merchants of Southwestern Henry County had their headquarters at Rays- ville. When the old Indiana Central railroad was constructed east and west through the southern part of Henry County there was for many years a station at Raysville which did as much business as the one at Knightstown.
The decay of Raysville and the successful growth of Knightstown must be attributed partly to the fact that the latter place was on the west side of Blue River and the trade, which came mostly from the west and northwest would not cross the river, and partly to the fact that the mills and warehouses were con- structed near the Knightstown railroad station.
Raysville, according to the census of 1870 had a population of 465; now, that it has lost its corporate existence its population is not given in this History save as included in that of Wayne Township. (See Chapter XXXVIII).
A postoffice was established as early as October 30, 1830, nearly three years before one was established at Knightstown. On page 44 of this History will be found a list of the postmasters to date.
Charles S. Hubbard, for many years a leading and influential citizen, a mer- chant at Knightstown, member of the General Assembly from Henry County, and who now devotes his time and energies to religious and charitable work, has as far back as the author of this History can remember, resided in Raysville.
The "heights" around Raysville furnish quite commanding and picturesque building sites, with advantageous views of the Blue River Valley. Fine springs in the neighboring hills have been tapped and the water conveyed along Main Street for the use of the inhabitants.
James B. Ray, for whom Raysville was named, was the fourth Governor of the State of Indiana, serving as such for nearly seven years. His predecessor, Governor William Hendricks, having been elected a United States Senator, re- signed as Governor, February 12, 1825, when he was succeeded by Ray, then the President of the State Senate. Ray was elected Governor at the August election, 1825, and served two full terms of three years each.
Raysville is one of the four postoffices that have existed in Wayne Township, the other three being Elizabeth City (Maple Valley, discontinued), Grant City (Snyder, discontinued) and Knightstown.
ROGERSVILLE.
Rogersville was named after one of the founders of the village and is situated in Stony Creek Township, seven and one half miles north and three and one half miles east from the court house in New Castle and is in the S. Į of the N. W. } and the N. ¿ of the S. W. { of Sec. 5. Tp. 18 N., R. II E., and was laid out and platted by Joseph G. Rogers and John B. Colburn, proprietors, and acknowledged January 16, 1837, and contains twelve blocks, consisting of forty eight lots. No addition has ever been platted.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.