Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 122

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472

USA > Indiana > Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana > Part 122

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).

l'ho northern porl is n good fruit growing region, ami n large yichl lins annually ropail The offorts of the farmer in this vulluro. Owing to the in- odequale means of Transportulion, this lins, it o measure, found but little market, and wont is not useil for home consumption lins been allowed In waste. This will soon be obrinted by Ibo completion of o railway fruits Eransville to Bollefontaino, Ohio. In the southern part, corn, whent and liny are produced in large quantities, and are shippel lo markets ou the Ohio River. In the central portion, and to some extent orer the entire county, tobacco is maisel in immense quanlities. Somo years the sichl uns renglied cigbt million pounds. Lorge warehouses are established in ull the joins, where it is storeil, slemmel and paoked for munrket, much of it going to Liverpool, Buginod, and lo Gormun loirus Formers realize from eight to fifteen cents per ponad. It brings the shipper about tureuly, and tor juanufactitrer, who pays a duty of seventy- five ceuts per pound, realizes from $1.20 to $1.10), while the itealer gets from $1. 16 lo $2.

The county is rich in mineral wealth. Conl of n superior quality is nbundant, and at a moderate ilepth from the murface. Enterprising men who con run monnifuctories will find here cheap fuel, plenty of good timber, nod wuter power in abundauco for all purposes. Tho conuly needs such to open hor mines, hitild railronds, and convert lirr forests into articles af linabundry, oud lo snoli tho nttenlion of hier citizvus is called.

FAMILY SETTLEMENTH.

The first settlers located in Anderson Township ( numed fromn Bailey Anderson), who located in 1805 or 1807: Suon noer, the families uf Bris. coe, Shelton and Vonoda camo, and that of Joseph Artohi, tho first Justice of the Peace for that township. Hudson Hurgrure, Josoph De Forest, .Inhn Couts und Ratliff Boon settled in what afterward hierine Boon Township, named after Boon. fhominy Chopboll, Ishint West, Josupib McDonald noil Philip Miller settled in the limits of what hvemno Campboll Tounship (named for Mr. Campbell). Mr. Miller huilt n corn or flouring-mill, on il small geslo, where the rilinge uf Millersburg now' is, about the year 1844. The first settlers in Greor Township (unmed for Michard Greer, who lis el in it runny years) were harken Birchfield, n Baptist minister, bis son Henry Hopkins, and a large connection by the onme of Taylor. In Ilort Township (unined in honor of John Hart ), Tubby Boyil and Lano W. Posty wero the first settlers Lane Township (in honor of Gen. Joseph Lane) was settled by tho families of Cant. Junies Ashley,- Powers and Stephen Hauby

John Sprinkle, Jolin V. Darby, Felly Hay, Gaines Roberts and n family by the name of Gny settled Ohio Township Orven Toiroship (unmed In honor of Robert Dalo Owen) wils not organized till 1848-9. The first act- tlors were the I'hilipses nttil Goulrys, oxlensivo connections unil dewerml- unis of whom still reside there. Pigeon Township, which takes ita name from l'tgoon Creek, running through it, was settien by the families of Kel- lou and Taylor. George Taylor settled on land Holy occupied by tho vil- Inge of Taylorsville.

Mr. Daniel Bates entno to the town of Durlitigton in 1815. After pros- pecting airbile, ho paidl $160 for his elnim, alul returned to Rhode Island for It« family. Ilo brought Viem and all his houselind rffeets in a Ino-horse wagon to l'iltsburgh, whero be built u Bol.bont, nud, embarking his horses, ungon, furniture aml family, soon renched hits destination.

lle constructed o log colin, moved in, unil, like oflors, soon lind quite a Ihrin under cultivation.

No fruit but wild horries could be bad, und the prople hod to go ton Mr. Vnnodo'a, somao ilistanco neruss the river, iulo Kentucky, to get their corn ground by a hotul mill, nul sometimes oren to Panther Creek, Ky., fur the anno purpose.

lu 1810, a horso mill was erreted on this aidly, in the territory that nou cutprises Spenerr County It affordel grent relief to the inhabitants, und was the cause of much rejoicing nuong them.

Iti Ilerilerson, Ky., o Huuriug-mill was oreeted nbout the latter port nf tho anine yenr.

By this timo the furturers lnul begun to nuitse wheat, oud winny of thom would club together miel go thore, in canoes, to gel thoir whent ground. At one time seventy- five bushels u ere curried in this manner.

Aftor This, brenil fromn wheaten dour ius more plentiful, but proriously it was seldois a morsel of wheat brend could ho had.

Ou une occasion, about s year and n hnlf previous, n troding craft cour ilown tho rirer, which had npou it, amung othor nrtioles of troffo, sme thirty ur forty harrels of Hour. The owner offered it fur sulu, hut money ins searre, utul, though he offered it very reasonably, it did not go off' very rapiilly. Ilv wouldl truite it fur aleiost anything, wie curte or corn meol. De finally dis- corered the setllers und plenty of chickens, nul offered to trade a barrel of Hour to nay one who would bring him three ilozet chickens. By this means lie svou ilisposed of all his tour.

The people living in the settlement on the prright county seat sont down six dozen fowls, and procurel two barrels of the " staff of life," which WAY iliviled among them, some of whom considered it so preclous Ibnt they did Hot eunsito the Inst of their juution for nearly two years oforunrd. As near ns can be ugrortaineil, the first church ururted in the county xlooil ol the present forka of tho rond uenr Buonville, niul ultbin n short distauco

It contains two atores,

u'as Inid out by Maximilian Sebnenler, April 10, 1848, It lins one largo woolen.factory, & fonring-till, n saw-mill, three atores, miul tho Iorgest Catholic Church in the county. Populutiou, 200.

321

COUNTY HISTORIES .- CONTINUED.

of where the fuir grounds noir nre. This house ivis never cumpleicil. Its Hoor ins nlivays of earth ; its walls ivere norer chinked or inuhed ; nin), enmfertuble onongh in sumner, its use imas supplanted in winter by tho set. llers opening their houses for public wwrabip.

No receril uf tho ministers who visited the county in rarly duys way kept, but the Baptists aro known to havo licen the first to proclaim the " good news" to tho inhahitanta of Warrick County.

The Rev. - Hnlibs, from Kentucky, of this ilenomination, was the first one to Inbor uny length of time. IIr preached in the first-andI only-church in Darlington.

The next rogulurly ordained prenchor iras the Her. - Venich, father of the present Gon. Veateli, of Kruneville.

Alent tho yenr 1825, a Mr. Vonnighlood built a Methoihist Church neir the alte of Darlington, which ocenronce dnles the uilrent uf that hody into the ronnt).

II RGANI ZATION.

The Territorial Legisloinre of Indlions, in the session of February I to Varch 12, 181:2, passed thirty-tivo Imes; among them, une removing the seal of government F'ruin Vincennes to Corydon, in Harriaun County, and one organizing the counties of Gibson nud Wurrick (umined nftor Capl. Incoh Warrick, killed at the bultle of Tippeeunoo).

The limits of Warrick County wurr . "ull that territory which lies south of u line comnacheing nt u point on the Wnhash Rirer, nt the sunthreat corner nf Gibson County, and running enst to the western line of Harrison County ; thener muth tu the Ohio Rirer."

It inelndeil the counties of Vamferberg, Posey, Spencor, l'erry and a por- tion of Crawfordl.

Einne illu was made The county seat.

In 1814, the somo Legislature ervated Posey County, on the west, Rnil Ferry, in the enst.

The sent of justice was taken to Burlington, a point one mile from the Obin Birer, and four miles nhore Nervhurgh.

In 1818, The Stato LegisIniure pissed nn act, creating Vunderhurg and Spencer Counties, from territory belonging to Worrick, and the county 1719 reduced tu its present limits.

The county senl was then removed from Darlington lo Boonville, where it still remains.

The first court of any kind was hohl ut tho honse uf Uniloy Antlersun, nenr Ilo mouth of Cypress Creek, on the 18th of October, 1813, nnd entitled, " The Court of Common Pleas for Wurrick County."

The Juilges irere Aneasy MeChlister, James Mars and Uniley Anderson N Claypool, Clerk ; S. R. Mars, Sheriff.

1 grand jury mus impaneled, consisting uf thirteen " good and Irue mich.''

The first case was that of .lunes Cruw vs. Preston Gaforth, fur damages. \ jury of twelve men tried the case, und found for the plaintiff a ver lich of $82.80.

The first term of the l'ounty Court was held, at the onme place, ou luno 14th, 1814 . Ronjamin Purke, Juilgr; John Julinson, Attorney for The United Sintes ; W. Claypool, Clerk, and Sumuel R. Mars, Sheritf.

Sixiern grand jurors were imponeled, whose first inlietment was ngujest one Juhn Muy, for passing counterfeit money-bank hills

The secomil nis against one JosInin Elkins, "for selling whisky, or strong trater," without license. While deliberaling on this lutter indiclient, Thomas Iliggins, one of the grond jurors, gul shamefully ifruuk. Complaint Was made by the reininder of The jury heforo his Honor, shu immediately fineil hit ( Iliggins), for his frenk. $5.

The first Bonnl of Commissioners was composed of Thumas l'umpbell, Durid Lure and Jucob Keol.

Their fira uffeiul uet was in allowance of $1I tu N Hnrt. Clerk. for "lutionery, who at that time aoted as Recorder.

Tho firal instrument recorded is n litle bond for forly neres of land, in The Vincennes Imil ilistriet. This Tract is about six miles from Erunsville The bund was innilo by Jucob Larulers to David Knight, un the 23d day of Muy, 1811, aml irny lo be fulfilled April Ist, 1816. The consideration nas $300

Next the pint of the town of Darlington was recorded, July 1th, 1816 A log court house isa built here, and conrts brbl therem till the remoral of The county aunt to Boobrille

The proprietors of Darlingion innite onergetie effuris to secure the per- unrul location of the county seul, but other influences prerailed against them. After ity remoral the village (composed of the log court house onil a dozen or so divellingy} ceased to be, mul the land irns conrerled into an excellent furm, which is now owned by Iliram Homm.

A portion of Darlington was ongeil by tho county, linving heen Ionateil bir tho original purchasers, in consideration of the location of tho county seat tlicrem.

The first County Igeut irBs William Bristoe, who soll to John Sprinkle the lital lot in this town, for $30, amil recorileil the sole Inly 16, 1814.

On November IGth, 1813, Gor Harrison granted a license to Isaac Wine- miller, to establish anil maintain u ferry neross the Ohio River, "helow Green Birer and Ilemilerson Town ( Konturky ), and nt the Dearound," or Diamonil, " Islanil," new in Poyoy Connty This instrument is dated al Vincennes, Int recorleil in Wurriek County.

In the samo book recording the plut uf Durlington is the pint of Binns- ville, as laid out by James M. Jones, Robert M. Evnbs and Ingh MeGrary. proprietors, This town (now rity) remained in Warrick County, na county scat, lill [814

Also in the sumu bonk appears tho unnie of Rullit Roun, ufterivard Licolenant Governor of the State, un purchaser of lot Nu. I' in lho tou'n of Darlington, for which he paid $42

One of the first Justices uns a vory lurge, Beshy mon, by nume uf Shine. Of his methint of mlministering justice (mil his is a sample of the rest, and shows the publio opinion then of courts mul court formality), tho following ingilont iviel illustente : A mon hy tho nume uf Rice, Inring lust n cow in The spring of the year, nas unnlile to find her till the summer following, then he iliscovoreil her on the form of a man by the name of Dond, who refused lo give tho enir np, sirearing ho lind hought her early in the spring. Rice, on consulting an attorney, went before 'Squire Slune not procured a nril of replerin, mit instituteil snit for the right of property. He prored heyoud caril that tho row was his, mul gained his cuse. The 'Squire, very gulistirnl utul trunoions of his honor, nffor the Irinl, while itering the ense un his dnrkel, bnpponed to hem Boil remark that thore hud bren unthing spid ahont the cult (barn a few days before the snil neenrendl), uml an ore be wonld nut give it up. "Squir Shuue rose np very deliberately from his uriting, luid nsile his pon, unlked np to Bond, scizeil him by the thrunl shuunk his fist in his free, dlechnring. " Give up that cuff, or I will choke- oul of you." Ramt, vory mnoh frightened, incohorently replied, "I will, Squire! I will !" and the controroray emdeil.

The fire mnil rante through tho canuty wos established in 1812 or 1813, hy John Willimus, aml oxtomled from Now Hurmony to Lamsrillo, lionticky, tiy way of the mto uf the town of Buonvilla, The mail une rarrien on horse- bock, und required two irreks' Imnr to make the round trip. Often high "Aler. nr vevero storma, would provont the carrior from making his trips

more than once a month. Herse aud rider were often compelled to swim errche ond ponils they could not go nrounil, and the mail bags, with their euntenly, were so completely soaked that it required grent caro, nud no little trouble, to dry nuit prevervo them. After Erunsville became noted as thy' probuble future sent of justiro of Warrick County, the route ins changed from New Harmony to Evansville, thence tu Boonvillo and Louisville, Soon after, n route way estuhlished from Emineville leading up the river through Darlington, Terminating al Corydon. Mr Samuel Pier wos the first Post- master at Durlington. The mail is now rarried daily in the river packets, Hopping nt all towns on The river, anil frein Rockport, Spencer County, a ilnily mail is conveyel by lond.

Tho'railroad from Rynusville, completed to Bnonville, inteniling to rio on to Bellefontaine, Ohio, curries a ilnily munil, nud Boonville is mado the distributing point for ull tho tomus in the county nwny from the river, and for many in the nuljoining counties of Pike and Dubois.

The main business of the railroad from Fronsville is the shipneut af cnul, tobipeco and fruit, the tro former its main irathie. Sererol mines are operaled near Boonville, and on the rond toward Brangrille are Ino good aliuns, one operated hy steam. Ilny, in bales, is also carried. The creeks are nearly all bridged where orossed by ronda, but n Inck of grarel canses many n "hard pull" on the mudily spring ronds.

BODY

the county seul, is near the center of the county, andI way innde the sent of gor ernment in 18IR. Chester Elliolt, County Surveyor, recorded the plal of The town on the lath uf May, and on the 4th, 5th nud 6th of June following, John Hargrave, County Agent, made the first sale uf lots at auction. At this snle there were fifty six lots sold, mnging in price from $25 to $141 The aggregale amount irus $3,007.75. The hidling was quite animuteil, nnd goeil feeling seemed to nhounil.

.A log cabin was ercetrd nearly on the site of the present court house, Amil was used for holding courts, but, soon proring inadequate, the following order was issneil by the Commissioners:

" Ordered, That there be a court house built in the town of Buonirille, lo br of brick and yol lo exceed thirty-five feet square, and thol Ratliff Boon, CInrk A Hule, Darid L. Smith, James MeCulla, Thomas Camphell, Darid Luce and Jacob Keel, nr a majority of them, do draft a hill for snil houdr, and thot the County Agrni let to the lowest bidder ibe building of the same, ugrecably lo lhe bill mude ont by the Commissioners berein nuned, ns soon h# ho reecires said bill."

This order, howorrr, was bot carried out, und, instead of n brick house, u fesune one was crerted on the ground designed for the one ofilered. Far the Conmilulion of this house, nihteli two feet wide und tivo feet deep irus dugto receire tho timbers, enchi to be one foot square, nicely hewed. Enungh of these were placed in the ditch to fill it, and on them a wall uf hewn stune, eighteen inches high, iran placed, nod then ubuve this the frame proper. This building iros uerer completed, being roofed und weather-brarded, but not Inthel and plostered, and was only used in the summer seasons It stood till 1836, when a brick house, forty feel square und two alories high, ins creeteil. The upper story couldined the ofhees of tho Clerk and Treasurer. In 1844, This hoilding was removed, anil the present edifice erected. It is huilt of brick, with stone foundation, und is now inadequate to the county hitsiness. A new one is heing proposed.

The first jail was built by John Upham, ail was located in the south- nest corner of the present public square. He nus que of the first rrsilents of the town. and furnished the matorinls and performed the work for n stip- WIaleil price. The xerond une was built of brick, and was located nhere the present une is. Becoming ililapidated, it irns torb away and the persenl ono rrectel. It is also to be torn rivay, no'lu good one is being bnilt.

The Congregationuliats erected the first church. It was a frmuo strur. ture, and stood immediately north of the present Cumberland Presbyterian Church. It is now occupiedl ns a ihrelling. Since then the MethodisIs, Lutherans and l'reshyterians have built good buildings, and have good con. gregations.

l'rint lo the year INils, school was helif whererer a building could be hnl and scholars gulhered. In that year, n fint Three-story brick building irns Imilt, and Prof. Foust organized the present systemu of public schools, which is still maintained under tbo superintendenoy of Prof. Waller Welsh, irho reporis an attendance fur the year ending June, 1871, of 885 pujuls. There are six teachers employed, and the schools are in oporation eigln months in the yer.

Frum The location of the county sent until 1830, the growth of the tou n mas sluis, nuil in that year the census was taken for the first time, when the whole antber of inhabitants iras ST, and the population of the county 1.964 Among The first seltlers nere the families of Adam Young, Nathaniel Hart, John Upham, Juines Met'ulla Samnel Steel, - Grabom and Dr .Vra Fusco. The latter uns un exerllent physician, and died thero in 1824. Sinco 1830, the town lins continued to improve with & sound, henlthr growth. Siore tho opening of mniliny communication with Evansrille, its hnamess bns improred very much. lis trade is represented by three large In barco stein- meries, neur sixty mercantile houses, one bank, and three large shops for the manufacture of ingons, plou's and blacksmith ivork.

There are tu o enterprising and ably con Ineted papers published at Boon- ville, the Boonville Weekly Enquirer, by William Smint, and the Boonville WFrekly Stomforit, by M. Il. Crawford and C. F Werlz

OTHER TOWNS AND VILLIGER.

Nmartinrg, in the southern part of the endinly, on the Ohin Rirer, is tho nest mual important tony. lis conimuorzinl situation is probably better than that af Boonville, and when the railroad from the north is rompleled it will lcrumo the principal shipping point in Warrick County. A portion of it was Inil oil in 1817, by John Sprinkle, and called Sprinklehurg. Ils limits were Then ns follon 4; Bouniled north by l'igcon street, south by the Ohio Rirer, eust by Monroe street, nuil west by the present huits. For several years this village was called Monul Prospect, though it was recurtel ninter tho unmr Sprinkleburg. In 1818, Incoh Keel pill $2 fer u license In establish a ferry across the river front a point near the fout of Monroe street. . \ fen yents subsequently, Abber Luce purchased i truet of land cisl if wlint is ply Stato street, und running north to an eust and irest section hno, which ineInleil all bhnt portion knoirn us Gray's Enlargement, bnil a town luid unt, undI called it Newlinrg. This left a small. irregular piece of land, contain. ing neur three neres, between the two towns, which unce belongeil In # Mr. Short In 1837, the legislature, by a special acl, consolidated the two Imnus, included tho Three urres, and enlled the nen toun so formed Nen. birg Since this enlargement, several mlditions bare been maile, and the rillugr Ilint, in 1830, contained thirty-seven snuls, in 1868 bnd grown to a popnialiun of nenrly 2,000, and boasled of thirty-six stores, in the rnrions brimohes of trade; ono hrowery, ono largo tobacco stemmery, uno hrick yord, nno printing whhre, Pour Inrge flogring-mills, Iwu wur mills, ano tannery, eighteen manufactories, including furniture, plons, ungous, shinglee, booty and shoes, aubilles and harness, und lin abl iron nared. There were three MImalers, with fire churches, fire physicians and Iwo lan yer- Four district selund houses, of brick. hul been bmlt, in winch school wray muninlined six months of the year, n Inrge three-story houve, in which the high school muy hivlil . un nendemy (Anspendedi, and'n touwio school, which uns umin- tainei ien months ; nlyn, the township graded sobnul. At present, the luin euntnius nearly 2 400 inlinbitante. les schools ure muininined ten months in the year, empluy sovun tenchors, nod orr the fined in the rounly

RIPLEY COUNTY,

Ripley Connty ia in the southeastern part of Indiana, and includes nn area of 450 square miles. It is hounded on the north hy Franklin and Decalur Conuties ; on the east by Dearborn und Ohio; on the south by Jefferson and Switzerland, and on the west by Jonnings.

The aren of the county expressed in acres is 2x8,000 Of this number 281,7112 were reported, in 1876, fur taxable purposes. The average assessed 1blue of land is only $7.96 per uere, and even including improvements is estimated nt only $9.63. This, to a cosuol observer, would indiente an inferior quality of land and low grado of improvements. The fact is, how- erer, niony of the residents suppose they con molerially lessen the taxation by loirering the value. This supposition works nu beneficial effect on local toxes, as tho rate is thereby raised, and although State and National Inxes may be lessened in a slight degree, the county gains nothing in the end by it. This is also true of many other counties. The value of town lots and improvements the same year was $193,540, and the personal property $1,182,004. The entire lax valne of the county nmounted to $4,051,501- harilly hnif the real value The soil of the county is chiefly clay. Alung the streams the allurium deposit and the mixture of the sand render this portion exceedingly rich and productire. Immense crops of grain ure raised on This portion of the connly. Where the clay predlominutes, as is tho case on the inery cleraled portions, gooil crops of huy ure ruised, and large Amounts exported.

The streams are the Laughery Creek, Otter, Cedar und Graham's Creeks, and Ross' Run. These, with their numerous aftinents, traverse all parts of the county, affirding water for slock and form use, and in some places eligi- ble mill sites. With the exception of Loughery Creek, all the streams ure sniall and occasionally run dry, thus preventing the use of water power throughout the year, and cumpelling mills and factories lo use Eteam.

Tho Agricultural Society, formed in the year 1874, and iwhose grounds comprise thirty acres of laud, situateil a short distance from the town of Os- good, lins not yet hud sufficient time to derelop its ralue to agricultural interests.

The timber growing is mainly nak, hickory, beech, sugar, and somo pop- lar anil iralnut. The latter two kinds are becoming comparalively scarce. und correspondingly valuable. The oak is used chiefly in the mannfacture of staves, which are sent lo the Cincinnati market.

The geological formation of the county is the limestone of The Lower Silurian. It lies in beds of lique limestone, ivith intervening spaces of clay, which, by compression, los produced beds-called " mud-stone, " called by geologists argillaceous shales. Tho limestone, as already stated, is of a deep coler, pirsing into gray crystalline, usually rich in fossil remoins. The " mud-stone," when exposeil, uttruris moisture, und soou disintegrates, he- coming son earth.

The products of this county ure generolly sent to the Cincinnati markets, as ready facilities for transportation are offered by the Olo & Mississippi and the Cincinnati Division of the Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Lafayelle Inil- roads, which Irurerse Ibe county in an eastern and western direclion.

FABLE RETTLEM ENTS

The territory of Ripley County belongs to the " Grouseland purchase, + and, with Drarborn, Ohio, Sivitzerland, Jennings and Jeffrisen Counties, wuy in the possession of the whiles soon after the commencement of the present century. The first white person known lo hare been in the county was a man by the nume of Ross. lle irandored up Laughery Creek, and after reaching the mouth of a little bronch, at a point on this stream one mile cast of the present location of Versailles, ho was discovered by the Indians. Tu moke his escape, he ran up Ihnl little creek, which, in meinory of this occur. rener, has nlrays been called " Ross's run. " It is supported by come of the all citizens that this man, Ross, was one of the Archibald Laughers party, thal u ere allacked by the ludions in 1781, at the mouth of Laughery Creck, on the bank of the Ohio River, within the boundury of the present Ohio Counly.

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.

Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Indiana, Part 122

Author: Publication date: 1876 Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co. Number of Pages: 472

Author:
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Baskin, Forster & Co.
Number of Pages: 472