USA > Indiana > Henry County > Hazzard's history of Henry county, Indiana, 1822-1906, Volume II > Part 43
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Rogersville is another one of the early villages of the county located before the days of railroads and whose decay began with the whistling of the locomotive
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
engine. At an early day it had merchants, doctors, and mechanics representing the different trades. Doctor William M. Kerr was for many years its leading citizen, physician and merchant, although he never quite lived in the village, his resi- dence and place of business being one mile south. Lycurgus L. Burr, of New Castle, as a young man, was a clerk in Dr. Kerr's store, afterward marrying his daughter, Martha J. The Luellen family was also prominent, five of its mem- bers having served as postmaster.
A postoffice was established November 19, 1849, and on page 44 of this His- tory will be found a list of all the postmasters. The office was finally discontinued in June, 1901, through the establishment of the rural route system.
As a place of business Rogersville, through changed conditions and the rava- ges of time, has been marked off the map. The village never reached the dignity of a corporation. Such population as it has is included in that of Stony Creek Township. (See Chapter XXXVIII). The discontinuance of Rogersville as a postoffice, as above noted, left Blountsville the only remaining postoffice in Stony Creek Township.
SHARINGTON.
Sharington is another "paper" village of Henry County and is situated in Fall Creek Township, somewhere on the road leading from Sulphur Springs west to Mechanicsburg, probably one half to three fourths of a mile east of College Corner, about nine and one half miles northwest from the court house in New Castle, and three and one half miles south of Middletown, and was laid out and platted by Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Showalter and James Personett, Febru- ary 23, 1835, and acknowledged March 2, 1835, and contains eighteen lots, no blocks designated.
It is a curious omission on the records of the county that while the official plat shows all the facts requisite for the subdivision of land into lots, yet there is no description of the land from which the lots were made; hence the location of Sharington is fixed by tradition only.
It never had a postoffice and so far as the author of this History has been able to ascertain never had.any buildings or population, nor is there any record of the sale of lots in the alleged village. Tradition fails to give any information as to the derivation of the name.
SHIRLEY.
That part of the most recently incorporated town located in Henry County is situated in Greensboro Township, ten and three fourths miles west and two and three fourths miles south from the court house in New Castle and on the line be- tween Henry and Hancock counties at the crossing of the Peoria and Eastern and Louisville and Benton Harbor divisions of the Big Four railway, and on the pro- jected Indianapolis, New Castle and Toledo (electric line), and seven miles north and three miles east from Knightstown. It was laid out and platted by John H. Landis, Surveyor and Civil Engineer, and acknowledged by William D. Thomas and Casinda A. Thomas, November 27, 1800. and contains fourteen lots, no blocks designated.
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
William D. Thomas' first addition, situated immediately north of the original plat. on the east side of Main Street, was platted March 23. 1897, and was acknowledged by William D. Thomas and Casinda A. Thomas, on the same date, and contains four and fifteen hundredths acres, divided into eighteen lots, no blocks designated.
Woodlawn addition, situated immediately east of the original plat and Thomas' first addition, was platted April 16, 1901, and was acknowledged by William H. Wood and Harriet O. Wood. proprietors, on the same date, and contains thirty two and seventy three hundredths acres, divided into nine blocks, consisting of one hundred and twenty two lots and five out-lots.
SHIRLEY (IN HANCOCK COUNTY).
Main Street of the town of Shirley is the dividing line between Henry and Hancock counties. That part of the town situated in Hancock County is in the S. E. 1 of the S. E. | and in the N. E. } of the S. E. { of Sec. 26, Tp. 17 N., R. 8 E. It was laid out and platted in October, 1890, by John H. Landis, Surveyor and Civil Engineer, and acknowledged by John W. White and Sylvester Hamil- ton, proprietors, December 1, 1890, and contains thirty eight lots.
White's addition, situated immediately south and west of the original plat, on the west side of Main treet, was platted May 14, 1894, and was acknowledged by John W. White, proprietor, on the same date, and contains eleven and one fourth acres, divided into forty, four lots.
George W. Sowerwine, Trustee's addition, situated west of Main Street and west of both the original plat and White's addition, was platted and acknowledged by George W. Sowerwine, Trustee for John W. White, May 21, 1896, and contains seven hundred and ninety eight lots.
Kuntz and Higi's addition, situated north and west of the original plat, was platted October 30, 1893, and was acknowledged by Charles P. Kuntz, of the Shirley Lumber Company, represented by Kuntz and Higi, on the same date, and contains seven lots.
The town takes its name from Joseph A. Shirley, who at the time was division superintendent of the Ohio, Indiana and Western railway, since taken under con- trol by the Big Four railway and now constituting the Peoria and Eastern division of that line. Mr. Shirley is now a resident of Indianapolis where he is engaged in the real estate business.
In this History, Shirley, which is incorporated as one town in the two counties, is treated of as if it were all in Henry County and as such it is the fourth town in the county in point of importance, being preceded only by New Castle, Knights- town and Middletown.
A postoffice was established June 10. 1891. On page 45 of this History will be found a list of the postmasters to date with the names of the two rural route carriers.
The Big Four railway was built through in 1882, but there was no movement made to establish a town there until after the north and south line of the Big Four railway was in course of construction, which was completed about the time the postoffice was established.
Shirley has two banks. The history of each will be found in the chapter in this History entitled "Banks and Banking." Several newspapers have been started. Only one is now in existence-The Shirley News. In the chapter in this History entitled "Newspapers, Past and Present" will be found proper reference to the press of Shirley.
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Much natural gas has been developed at Shirley and from that cause and on account of the transportation facilities of the place, coupled with the enterprise of its citizens, it is a manufacturing center of considerable importance.
The postoffice is on the west side of Main Street and therefore in Hancock County, in which county it has probably been since its origin. Shirley, Kennard and Greensboro are the three postoffices in Greensboro Township, and all that have ever been established, Woodville never having had a postoffice.
The population of Shirley, according to the census of 1900, was only 381. The population has more than tripled since that time.
SPICELAND.
The thriving town of Spiceland is situated in Spiceland Township, seven and one half miles west of south from the court house in New Castle, on the New Castle and Rushville branch of the Lake Erie and Western railroad and the Dunreith and New Castle division of the Indianapolis and Eastern railroad (electric line), and includes nearly all of Sec. 17, Tp. 16 N., R. Io E., and was laid out and platted by Stephen G. Mendenhall, Surveyor, January 22, 1850. and was acknowledged by Peter C. Cloud, Joseph M. Allen, Charles Gordon, Eli Gause, Aaron L. Pleas and Levi Hodson, proprietors, February 12, 1850, and contained forty lots, no blocks designated.
William R. Macy's addition, situated immediately north of the original plat, on the east side of Pearl Street, was platted and acknowledged by William R. Macy Septem- ber 21, 1850, and contains six lots, no blocks designated.
Pleas' addition, situated immediately north of the original plat, was platted May 24, 1856, and was acknowledged by Charles Gause, administrator of the estate of Aaron L. Pleas, deceased. on the same date, and contains six lots, no blocks designated.
Thomas Cook (and others) Company's addition, situated immediately east of the original plat, on the south side of Main Street, was platted August 20, 1869, and was acknowledged by Josiah P. Bogue, attorney in fact for Thomas Cook (and others), on the same date, and contains four blocks, consisting of twenty eights lots and fourteen out-lots.
Nathan Newby's addition, situated immediately east of William R. Macy's addition, was platted and acknowledged by Nathan Newby, September 20, 1875, and contains twenty two lots, no blocks designated.
Louisa Macy's addition, situated south of the original plat and in the extreme southwest part of the town, on the east side of Academy Avenue, was platted and ac- knowledged by Louisa Macy, with the consent of her hushand, Samuel H. Macy, August 27, 1877, and contains fourteen lots. no blocks designated.
The Southside addition, situated immediately south of Thomas Cook (and others) Company's addition, between South Pearl Street and the Lake Erie and Western railway. was platted September 12, 1890, and was acknowledged by Frank A. Coffin, President, and Oliver H. Nixon, Secretary, of the Spiceland Laud Company, September 25, 1890, and contains sixteen blocks, consisting of one hundred and seventy one lots.
Winchester's addition, situated immediately north of the Southside addition. on the east side of Second Street, was platted October 24, 1890, and was acknowledged by Daniel W. Winchester, proprietor, October 28, 1890, and contains two blocks, consisting of forty three lots.
Mordecai White's addition, situated immediately north of the Thomas Cook (and . others) Company's addition, on the north side of East Main Street and the east side of North Fourth Street, was platted May 15, 1891, and was acknowledged by Mordecai White, on the same date, and contains one hundred and sixty five lots and eight out-lots, no blocks designated.
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Spiceland Township was organized in 1842 and was so named on account of the abundance of "spice brush" that grew in that part of the county. The early settlement and the town take their name from the same cause. There was a settlement where the town stands at a very early day, but it was not until 1847 that Driver Boone began to sell land by metes and bounds for building purposes.
A postoffice was established April 10, 1838, with Thomas Cook as post- master. On page 45 of this History will be found a list of the postmasters to- gether with the name of the rural route carrier.
The first settlement was distinctively a Friend or Quaker affair, which de- nomination has always predominated not only in Spiceland but also in Spiceland Township. This denomination erected a log meeting house and school house as early as 1828. The schools of Spiceland have always been among the foremost in the county.
The town was incorporated in 1869. According to the census of 1870 it had a population of 371. In 1900 the population, as reported by the census was 590. Spiceland, Dunreith and Ogden are the only three postoffices that ever existed in Spiceland Township and all are now in existence. There is one bank, the history of which will be found in the chapter of this History entitled "Banks and Banking." Formerly a newspaper was published there called the Spiceland Reporter. Recently the New Castle Tribune was moved there for publication. A history of these newspapers will be found in the chapter entitled "Newspapers Past and Present." There has never been a saloon in Spiceland, nor in fact in Spiceland Township.
SPRINGPORT.
The enterprising village of Springport is situated in Prairie Township, eight miles north and one mile west of north from the court house in New Castle, on the Lake Erie and Western railroad, and is in the S. 3 of the S. E. { and the S. E. + of the S. W. { of Sec. 33, Tp. 19 N., R. 10 E., and was laid out and platted by James M. Clements, Surveyor, in July, 1868, and acknowledged by Jeremiah Veach, proprietor, April 4, 1870, and contains three blocks, consisting of seven- teen lots.
Vance's addition, situated immediately north of the original plat, was platted January 1, 1870. and was acknowledged by David Vance, proprietor, January 4, 1870, and contains twelve lots, no blocks designated.
James L. Freeman's addition, situated immediately south of the original plat, on the east side of the Lake Erie and Western railroad, was platted by James L. Freeman, September 10, 1884, and was acknowledged October 18, 1884, and contains eight lots and two out-lots, no blocks designated.
Henry Reiman's addition, situated north of David Vance's addition and north of the school house ground, was platted February 9. 1882, and was acknowledged by Henry Reiman and Sarah E. Reiman February 16, 1884, and contains five lots, no blocks desig- nated.
John M. Vance's addition, situated immediately west of David Vance's addition, on the west side of the Lake Erie and Western railroad, was platted May 11, 1885, and was acknowledged by John M. Vance and Mary E. Vance, January 21, 1886, and contains five and seven hundredths acres, divided into two blocks, consisting of eighteen lots.
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
The Springport Land Company's first addition, situated immediately south of Vance's addition, on the south side of Main Street and west of the Lake Erie and West- ern railroad, was platted May 1, 1894, and was acknowledged by Josiah D. Painter, Pres- ident, and James B. Gilmore, Secretary, of The Springport Land Company, on the same date, and contains fifty six lots and four out-lots, no blocks designated.
The village sprang into existence after the completion of the Fort Wayne, Muncie and Cincinnati railway, now a part of the Lake Erie and Western system, in 1869. The place takes its name from the fine springs located near the railway depot.
A postoffice was established June 29, 1869, with Hiram Allen, as postmaster, he being also probably the first merchant. On page 46 of this History will be found a list of the postmasters, together with the name of the rural route carrier.
Springport never having been incorporated its population is included in that of Prairie Township. (See Chapter XXXVIII).
The village has succeeded to the remnant of the large trade that formerly found its way to the old town of Luray, and with Mount Summit, Hillsboro and Luray constitute the only postoffices that have existed in Prairie Township. The two last named have been discontinued.
STRAUGHN.
This little town was named in honor of Merriman Straughn, who came to the vicinity in the autumn of 1822 when it was a "howling wilderness." It is situated in Dudley Township, nine and three fourths miles southeast from the court house in New Castle, on the Panhandle railway and Indianapolis and Eastern railway (electric line), and was laid out and platted by John L. Starr, proprietor, in 1868. The main street running east and west is known as "The National Road."
. Gauker's addition, situated on the south side of Main or Washington Street, and on the west side of Pike Street, was platted by William H. Gauker and contains twenty six lots, no blocks designated.
McMeans' addition, situated on the north side of Main or Washington Street and on the east side of Pike Street, was platted by Nathaniel S. McMeans and contains eight lots.
Hazelrigg's addition, situated south of Gauker's addition, on the south side of the Panhandle railroad, was platted October 5, 1875, and was acknowledged by John Hazel- rigg, proprietor, on the same date, and contains nineteen lots, no blocks designated.
A plat of the town of Straughn, which includes all of the above additions together with twenty eight out-lots, was laid out and platted by Daniel K. Cook, Surveyor, and acknowledged July 3, 1882.
Merriman Straughn, for whom the town was named, was a soldier in the war of 1812-15 and his name is so recorded in the chapter in this History de- voted to that war. His son and other descendants are still in Henry County, east of Straughn.
This was the last town or village to be located on the old National Road in Henry County and the most eastern town in the county on that old thoroughfare. A postoffice was established July 15, 1869. On page 46 of this History will be
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
found a list of the postmasters. Straughn and New Lisbon are the only postof- fices that were ever established in Dudley Township and both are still in ex- istence.
Straughn is in the southeastern corner of the county, it being only one mile to the Fayette County line and two and one half miles to the Wayne County line. It is the smallest incorporated town in the county, the population according to the census of 1900 being 186.
SULPHUR SPRINGS.
The incorporated town of Sulphur Springs is situated in Jefferson Township, six and one fourth miles northwest from the court house in New Castle, on the Panhandle railway and the Union Traction line from Anderson to New Castle and is in the S. E. { of the S. E. { of Sec. 13 and the N. E. { of the N. E. { of Sec. 24, Tp. 18 N., R. 9 E., and in the S. W. } of the S. W. } of Sec. 18 and the N. W. 1 of the N. W.1 of Sec. 19. Tp. 18 N., R. 10 E., and was laid out and platted by William S. Yost, proprietor, and acknowledged by him January 7, 1853, and contains four blocks, consisting of forty one lots.
William S. Yost's addition, situated immediately west and north of the original plat, was platted and acknowledged by Elisha Clift, Commissioner appointed by the court in the matter of the estate of William S. Yost, deceased, May 11, 1867, and contains six lots, no blocks designated.
The Northwest addition, situated immediately west of the original plat and William S. Yost's addition, on the north side of West Main Street, was platted by Bushrod W. Scott, guardian of the minor heirs of Samuel L. Yost, deceased, by an order of the Com- mon Pleas Court of Henry County, February 12, 1868, and was acknowledged November 20, 1868, and contains two blocks, consisting of nine lots.
Scott and Yost's first addition, situated immediately east and north of the original plat, between East Main Street and the Panhandle railway, was platted by Bushrod W. Scott, guardian of Samuel L. Yost's heirs and by William E. Yost, and was acknowledged January 27, 1870, and contains seven lots, no blocks designated.
Scott and Yost's second addition, situated immediately west of the Northwest addi- tion, on the north side of West Main Street, was platted by Bushrod W. Scott, guardian of Francis M. and Sarah C. Yost, and by William E. Yost, April 18, 1870, and was ac- knowledged hy Bushrod W. Scott, guardian. May 11, 1870, and hy William E. Yost May 18, 1870, and contains eight blocks, consisting of thirty two lots.
Scott and Yost's third addition, situated immediately north of Scott and Yost's second addition, on the north side of Mill Street, was platted by Bushrod W. Scott, guardian of Francis M. and Sarah C. Yost, and by William E. Yost, April 28. 1870, and was acknowledged by William E. Yost, May 15, 1870, and by Busnrod W. Scott, guardian, May 11, 1870, and contains eight lots, no blocks designated.
Jacob W. Yost (and others) addition, situated immediately west and south of the original plat, on the south side of west Main Street, was platted by Jacob W. Yost, Al- bert N. Yost and Joseph H. Thompson, November 7, 1870, and contains two blocks, con- sisting of eleven lots.
The town was platted in anticipation of the early completion of the Panhan- dle railway to that point and takes its name from the springs of the same name within the corporate limits, and before it was officially designated as a town by the filing of a plat, the settlement was called-Sulphur Springs.
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HAZZARD'S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
A store was established a dozen years before the railroad came by Willian S. Yost, who was instrumental in having the postoffice established there February 13, 1844, he being the first postmaster. Elsewhere in this History there is a biographical sketch of his son, Jacob Weaver Yost, and incidentally of the family and to this reference is made.
Sulphur Springs is the only postoffice that has ever existed in Jefferson Township. On pages 46 and 47 of this History will be found a list of the post- masters, together with the name of the rural route carrier. The population of the town, according to the census of 1900, was 262.
UNIONTOWN.
This ancient and abandoned village is situated in Dudley Township, about fourteen and three fourths miles southeast from the court house in New Castle and about four miles southeast of Straughn, in the extreme southeastern corner of the county, somewhere near Little Symons Creek, and on the old State Road, which is the boundary between Henry and Fayette counties, leading from the Ohio state line to Indianapolis, and is in Sec. 36, Tp. 16 N., R. II E. It was laid out and platted by William McKimmey, Surveyor of Henry County, and asknowledged by William Seward, proprietor, May 27, 1823, and contains six blocks, consisting of twenty two lots.
Uniontown only reached the second or third house before the building of the National Road blighted its prospects. The place was no doubt platted on both sides of the old State Road, thus putting it in two counties. The site of the place has long since been vacated. It never reached the dignity of a postoffice and never had any population other than that included in Dudley Township. The name is no doubt derived from the fact that the village was a union of the two counties.
WEST LIBERTY.
West Liberty is, or rather was, situated in Wayne Township, fourteen and three fourths miles southwest from the court house in New Castle, and three fourths of a mile southwest from Knightstown, and was located on the county line between Henry and Rush counties, and is in the southeast corner of the W. 1/2 of the S. W. 14 of Sec. 33. Tp. 16 N., R. 9 E., and was laid out and platted by Samuel Furgason and acknowledged April 18, 1823.
A part of this village was in Rush County. No postoffice was ever estab- lished although at an early day mail was carried there from regularly established offices for general distribution. The first mail route established through the county went through West Liberty from Greensburg and Rushville to New Castle and Muncie.
West Liberty was located near the mouth of Montgomery Creek; it grew quite favorably for a few years and had at one time about twenty houses and two or more groceries and dry goods stores. Doctor Elliott, who subsequently died of cholera in New Castle, was the first physician and Aaron Maxwell the first merchant. Unfortunately for the hopes of West Liberty the National Road was located about a mile north and Knightstown thus established. There is nothing now remaining to mark the site of the old village.
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HAZZARD S HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Next to New Castle, West Liberty is the oldest town or village in the county. It takes its name from the fact that the people who first settled there came from Liberty in Union County, and, therefore this village was called West Liberty.
WHEELAND.
Wheeland was situated somewhere in Henry County but the records do not show what section, township and range. It was laid out and platted by Caleb Williams, Surveyor, about the year 1833, and contains four blocks, consisting of twenty four lots. For whom the land was platted does not appear.
The place never successfully passed the paper stage, and further informa- tion regarding it has not been obtainable.
WHITE RAVEN.
The first settlers of the region in and around New Castle were the Indians. rior to 1823 the site of the present beautiful county town was a wilderness of forest, almost impenetrable by the foot of man. There were no roads through these vast woods and the first white settlers made pathways through them by cut- ting away the underbrush and blazing the trees. Early in the nineteenth century a tribe of Indians, probably the Miamis, established a village on the high point northwest of the present town of New Castle, across Blue River, where the county asylum was afterward located and now stands. There they remained and maintained a typical Indian settlement, for several years, called White Raven, after one of the chiefs of the tribe. Other tribes of Indians had established vil- lages at Anderson and Muncie and exchange of visits was frequent between these various tribes. About the year 1823 the advent of white settlers caused the Miamis to abandon their village and move on and they settled at some point in Wisconsin, then a part of the Northwest Territory.
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