USA > Indiana > Harrison County > Indiana's Birthplace: A History of Harrison County Indiana > Part 5
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NEW SALISBURY.
New Salisbury was platted by John Kepley, August 28, 1839. It was named for Salisbury, North Carolina, which was Kepley's home before coming to Indiana.
MORVIN.
Morvin was platted by Harvey Heth, September 7, 1816. Morvin, as a town, was a failure and the last house in the town was demolished by a cannon ball from one of Morg~ i's guns July 8, 1863.
FRENCHTOWN.
Frenchtown was settled in 1840 when a colony of about fifty families from France settled there. The place was first called St. Bernard, which was the name of the church there, but when a postoffice was estab- lished there the name was changed to Frenchtown.
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NEW AMSTERDAM.
New Amsterdam was platted September 19, 1815, by Jacob Funk and Samuel McAdams. Daniel Funk and Henry Funk, who were soldiers in the Revolu- tionary War are buried one mile below the town on the bank of Indian Creek.
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BRIDGEPORT.
Bridgeport was laid out in September, 1849, by Thomas Joyes and David M. Farnsley, but its growth has been slow. The postoffice has always borne the name of Locust Point.
NORTH HAMPTON.
North Hampton was platted by James Riley, May 25, 1815. It is said that the place was noted during its existence of fifteen years for its drinking, gambling, horse racing and fighting. It is now almost unknown ..
BUENA VISTA.
Buena Vista, in Taylor township was laid out by William Wallace in 1850. It was here that a meteor fell about four o'clock in the afternoon of March 28, 1859. The falling of the meteor was attended with great rattling and hissing noises which were heard for miles. The meteor was secured by Dr. E. S. Crosier and it is. now in the British Museum in London.
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BRADFORD.
The Town of Bradford was platted by Ulrich H. How, July 20, 1838. The old Indian trail across: the northern part of Harrison County passed near the town.
NEW MIDDLETOWN.
New Middletown was laid out by Henry Sechrist,. October 16, 1860. The town is surrounded by some of the best farming land in the county and the people. are prosperous and well educated.
BYRNVILLE
Byrnville was settled by Temple C. Byrn in 1809,, and platted by him in October, 1838.
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Wynnsboro was laid out by John R. Wynn, April 25, 1820.
Hurstown was settled by John Hurst in 1800.
/ Moberly is a prosperous settlement in Spencer Township. The date of its settlement was about 1850.
Valley City was platted in November, 1859, by James H. Trotter and Jacob C. Lopp.
Fandale was platted by John McPheeters, October 15, 1867.
Crandall was platted by Cornelius F. Crandall, June 1I, 1872.
Central City (Mott) was platted by George A. Crosby, May 12, 1883.
V DePauw was platted by Felician Henriott, April 8, 1884.
Gresham is that part of Corydon Junction lying north of the railroad. It was named for Walter Q. Gresham and was platted November 14, 1883.
O'Bannon is that part of Corydon Junction lying south of the railroad. It was platted September 3, 1889, by Joseph Deweese.
Jackson City (Ramsey) was platted by H. C. Ramsey, March 14, 1883.
Central was platted by William Smith, May 31, 1890.
NEWSPAPERS
The first newspaper published in Harrison County was the Indiana Gazette which was launched in November, 1818.
The Corydon Democrat, the present Democratic weekly, was established in 1856 by Simeon K. Wolfe. Other editors have been A. W. Brewster, Askren & Stockslager, George K. Gwartney, Thomas & Ellis, and Lew M. O' Bannon, its present owner.
The Corydon Republican, the present Republican weekly, was established in 1868, by Henry Jordan and W. T. Jones. It later passed into the hands of
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Self & Adams and then to George W. Self, its present owner.
ROADS AND RAILROADS
Closely following the building of the Louisville, Evansville and St. Louis Railroad through the northern part of Harrison County, the Louisville, New Albany and Corydon Railroad was built from Corydon to Corydon Junction. The first train was run over that road November 27, 1883, (Thanksgiving Day). This train consisted of a small engine and one coach and . made the trip from Corydon Junction to Corydon, a distance of eight miles, in one hour and five minutes. It is said that at the end of the run one of the officers of the company remarked that a change in the road- bed would have to be made at one point and gave as a reason that the track was straight at that point for more than a quarter of a mile when a curve could have been made.
The first turnpike in Harrison County was the New Albany and Vincennes Turnpike which runs through the north-eastern part of the county. This road follows the old "Indian Trail" and was con- structed in 1841.
On July 8, 1851, the New Albany, Lanesville and Corydon Plank Road Company was organized. This road was completed about 1853.
HARRISON COUNTY OFFICERS
JUDGES.
The first Judges of the Common Pleas Court were Patrick Shields, John George Pfrimmer and Moses Boone, May 10, 1809. At the June term of the court Peter McIntosh succeeded John George Pfrimmer.
The first Judges of the Circuit Court were Jesse L. Holman, president, and Daniel C. Lane and Patrick
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Shields, associates; November, 1814, to April, 1817; These gentlemen were succeeded by David Raymond, president, and Patrick Shields and Peter McIntosh, associates, November, 1817, to April, 1818; Davis Floyd, president, and Peter McIntosh and Fielding M. Brad- ford, associates, April, 1818, to September, 1820; David Floyd, president, and James Kirkpatrick and Peter McIntosh, associates, September, 1820, to March, 1823; Davis Floyd, president, and James Kirkpatrick and Abijah Bayless, associates, March, 1823, to June, 1823; John F. Ross, president, and James Kirkpatrick and Abijah Bayless, associates, June, 1823, to May, 1824; John F. Ross, president, and John Harrison and Moses Boone, associates, May, 1824, to April, 1831; John F. Ross, president, and Craven Lynn and Moses Boone, associates, April, 1831, to October, . 1834; John H. Thompson, president, and Fielding Cromwell and Craven Lynn, associates, October, 1834, to October, 1836; John H. Thompson, president, and Fielding Cromwell and John Hogan, associates, October, 1836, to April, 1845; William P. Otto, president, and Fielding Cromwell and John Hogan, associates, April, 1845, to April, 1852; William P. Otto, sole judge, 1852; George A. Bicknell, 1853; T. C. Slaughter, 1872 to 1879; George W. Denbo, 1879 to 1880; Samuel Ramsey, 1880 to 1886; William T. Zenor, 1886 to 1897; Robert S. Kirkham, 1897, C. W. Cook, 1898 to October, 1909; William Ridley, October 1909 for a term of six years.
JUDGES OF PROBATE COURT.
W. A. Porter, November, 1829, to February, 1834; Lyman Leslie, February, 1834, to November, 1834; George Bently, November, 1834, to November, 1842; Charles D. Murray, November, 1842, to May, 1843; Lemuel S. Leonard, May, 1843, to August, 1847; T. C. Slaughter, August, 1847, to August, 1848; Craven Lynn, succeeded Judge Slaughter.
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JUDGES OF COMMON PLEAS COURT.
William Morrow, January, 1853, to November, 1856; Fred W. Mathis, November, 1856, to February, 1861; Amos Lovering, February, 1861, to April, 1864; B. P. Douglas, April, 1864, to August, 1864; W. W. Gilliland, August, 1864; B. P. Douglass, August, 1864, to De- cember, 1864; Patrick H. Jewett, December, 1864, to December, 1872. Charles P. Ferguson succeeded Judge Jewett.
CLERKS.
George F. Pope, 1809 to April, 1811; R. M. Heth, 18II to 1818; Henry W. Heth, 1818 to 1852; Hugh Neely, 1852 to 1856; George W. Denbo, 1856 to 1860; E. M. Jones, 1860 to August, 1864; S. W. Douglass, August to November, 1864; William Hancock, November, 1864, to 1868; B. P. Douglass, 1868 to 1872; John Ridley, 1872 to 1880; D. F. Lemmon, 1884. to 1888; Alva Smith, 1888 to 1892; Amos Lemmon, 1892 to 1896; Otto Cunningham, 1896 to 1900; Charles A. Bline, 1900 to 1904; James A. McRae, 1904 to 1908. Charles H. Kintner succeeded Mr. McRae for a term of four years.
TREASURERS ..
Gillis McBean, 1818; Thomas Posey, 1818 to 1824; Armstrong Brandon, 1824 to 1828; John W. Payne- and Robert Vance, 1828 to 1849; John Tabler, 1849 to 1853; George W. Denbo, 1853 to 1855; John De- weese, 1855 to 1857; James W. Starr, 1857 to 1859; Willison Hisey, 1859 to 1863; E. H. Richards, 1864 to 1869; Edward Harbeson, 1867 to 1871; Lewis W. Bowl- ling, 1871 to 1875; William Benson, 1875 to 1879; Lewis W. Bowling, 1879 to 1883; John C. Graves, 1883 to 1887; Z. T. Funk, 1887 to 1889; Patrick Griffin, 1889 to 1893; William Meyer, 1893 to 1895; John W. Marshall, 1895 to 1897; Levi Sappenfield, 1897 to 1902; Edward O'Connor, 1902 10 1906; John M. Baelz, 1906 to
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1908; William D. Barnes, 1908 to 1912; Daniel Pitman was elected in 1910 to succeed Mr. Barnes.
CORONERS.
William Heth, 1834 to 1838; William Booker,. 1838 to 1842; William Applegate, 1842 to 1844; Samuel Littell, 1844 to 1846; David Groves, 1846 to 1848; Harvey Steepleton, 1848 to 1850; Job Robinson, 1850 to 1853; James H. Richards, 1853 to 1854; William R. Hunter, 1854 to 1856; Upton Boone, 1856 to 1860; Z. B. Cooper, 1860 to 1862; George O'Conner, 1862 to- 1870; James Wilson, 1870 to 1880; George Kintner, 1880 to 1884; Andrew J. Glaze, 1884 to 1894; William Windell, 1894 to 1896; Peter S. Wright, 1896 to 1900; William S. Nye, 1900 to 1904; Peter S. Wright, 1904 to 1906; James M. Blake, 1906 to 1908; Henry Wise, 1908 to 1910; William S. Nye succeeded Mr. Wise in 1911.
SURVEYORS.
Adam Crosier, 1854 to 1856; James Armstrong, 1856 to 1868; John Brewster, 1868 to 1882; Sam Roberts, 1882 to 1883; Lafe Crosier, 1883 to 1884; Amos Zenor, 1884 to 1887; William B. Douglass, 1887; Lew M. O'Bannon, 1887 to 1890; A. J. Armstrong, 1890 to 1892; J. V. Denton, 1892 to 1894; William Churchill, 1894 to 1896; Joseph E. Bunch, 1896 to 1898; Thomas J. Wright, 1898 to 1899; Dan Sharp, 1899 to 1903; Hugh Rhodes, 1902 to 1907; Arvel Snyder, 1907 to 1908; John L. Kaylor, 1908 to 1910; Mr. Kaylor was re-elected in 1910.
RECORDERS.
H. W. Heth, 1841 to 1855; L. S. Leonard, 1855 to 1859; N. B. Boone, 1859 to 1862; Conrad Hottell, September 30 to October 8, 1862; Marion Hise, 1862 to 1866; M. M. Hon, 1866 to 1870; William Zollman, 1870 to 1874; William B. Hunter, 1878 to 1882;
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Edward Hunter, 1882 to 1884; Henry Wright, 1884 to 1886; John M. Baelz, 1886 to 1890; L. M. O'Bannon, 1890 to 1894; E. S. Tuell, 1894 to 1898; Henry W. Denbo, 1898 to 1902; Frank M. Wilson, 1903 to 1907, Julius Rothrock, 1907 to 1911; Charles H. Ginkins succeeded Mr. Rothrock in 1911, having been elected for a term of four years.
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AUDITORS.
T. C. Slaughter, 1842 to 1847; S. J. Wright, 1847 to 1851; B. P. Douglass, 1851 to 1859; S. W. Douglass, 1859 to 1863; William Miller, 1863 to 1867; B. P. Douglass, 1866 to 1867; S. J. Wright, 1867 to 1871; W. W. Brewster, 1871 to 1875; C. M. Miller, 1875 to 1879; A. W. Brewster, 1879 to 1887; James Wood- ward, 1887 to 1889; Leslie Trotter, November, 1889, to November, 1890; C. W. Cole, November, 1890, to 1894; T. S. Getzendanner, 1894 to 1898; James A. Watson, 1898 to January, 1903; George Hess, 1903 to April, 1904; Frank E. Watson, April, 1904, to 1909; William Taylor succeeded Mr. Watson for a term of four years.
SHERIFFS.
Spier Spencer, 1809 to 1812; John Hurst, 1812 to 1817; from 1817 to 1834 the dates of the term of sher- iffs cannot be definitely fixed, but the following gen- tlemen filled that office during that period: John Tip- ton, Joseph Paddocks, Jesse Shields, Frederick Lesle, William Gresham and Dennis Pennington; Jesse Shields, 1834 to 1836; Dennis Pennington, 1836 to 1838; William Madden, 1838 to 1842; James Giles, 1842 to 1846; William Gwinn, 1846 to 1850; William McMahan, 1850 to 1854; James Giles, 1854 to 1856; Jacob Stockslager, 1856 to 1860; John F. Cunning- ham, 1860 to 1864; Henry Zenor, 1864 to 1868; Peter Endris, 1868 to 1872; Silas Crayden, 1872 to 1876; Lewis Brown, 1876 to 1880; Joseph L. Marsh, 1880 to
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1884; S. J. Bence, 1884 to 1888; Claiborne Shuck, 1888. to 1892; Nathan McElfresh, 1892 to 1894; William Blake, 1894 to 1896, J. M. Baelz, 1897 to 1900; Philip- Lottich, 1900 to 1905; William Ludlow, 1905 to 1907; Alver G. Ward, 1907 to 1911; Peter S. Wright, 1911,. for a term of two years.
NOTED CITIZENS
During her existence, Harrison County has been. the home of many noted men and women, among whom are the following: William Henry Harrison, ninth President of the United States; Colonel Thomas Posey, Territorial Governor from 1813 to 1816; Gen- eral John Tipton, Captain Spier Spencer, Colonel Lewis Jordan, General Walter Q. Gresham, who was United States Judge for the District of Indiana from 1869 to 1882, Postmaster General from 1882 to 1884,. Secretary of the Treasury in 1884, and was appointed Secretary of State by President Cleveland in 1893; Colonel Thomas Posey, Jonathan Jennings, first Gov- ernor of Indiana; Allen D. Thom, Adjutant General of Indiana; Daniel C. Lane, first State Treasurer; Davis Floyd, Dennis Pennington, General Sparks, Land Commissioner during Cleveland's first adminis- tration; Robert J. Tracewell, Congressman and Con- troller of the United States Treasury; Nathaniel Al- bertson, Congressman; W. T. Jones, Congressman from Wyoming; S. M. Stockslager, Congressman and Land Commissioner under President Cleveland; Josiah Lincoln, uncle of Abraham Lincoln; Simeon K. Wolfe, Congressman; William T. Zenor, Congressman; T. C. Slaughter, Assessor of Internal Revenue and Indian Agent; Harbin H. Moore, Reuben W. Nelson, William A. Porter, Colonel G. W. Friedley, James H. Jordan, Judge of the Supreme Court of Indiana; General James C. Veach, George W. Self, Reporter of the Supreme Court of Indiana; Mary E. Nealy, who wrote
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as "Mary Neal," Brainard Williamson, poet and writer; Miss Abbie Slemons, whose poems attracted considerable attention during the Civil War; William Ridley, Grand Master of Indiana Masons, and many others.
THE CORYDON FAIR
The first "County Fair" was held at Corydon by the Harrison County Agricultural Society September II, 12, 13 and 14, 1860. The officers that year were Edward W. Aydelotte, President; P. D. Bean, Vice President; Eli Wright, Treasurer; and David Jordan, Secretary. This fair was attended by about fifty peo- ple and is described by many old people who attended it as being similar to the old fashioned "Basket Meeting." The Corydon Fair has been successful and has grown in magnitude until today it ranks among the best county fairs in the state and an at- tendance of less than twelve thousand on the "Big days" is a disappointment to every native. The grounds lie just across "Little Indian" Creek from the business portion of Corydon and are beautifully shaded. There we also find a never failing spring of pure, cold water, a natural amphitheater, a modern half mile race track and every convenience that goes to make a mod- ern up-to-date fair grounds.
HARRISON COUNTY TODAY
In Harrison County, today, many changes and improvements are noticeable to the eye which has been absent for twenty years. The land of the county has more than doubled in value; great forests of gigantic oaks, walnut, poplar and other valuable woods of twenty years ago have given away to fertile fields and green pasture lands. The farmers are prosperous and progressive and no county of Indiana possesses more modern farm machinery and implements. She is noted
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for her fine poultry, thoroughbred horses and Jersey cattle. It has been correctly termed the county of peace, happiness and plenty. Many miles of free macadam roads have been built and travel today is a pleasure and convenience when compared with the old days of the hillside path and creek bottom road. Many improvements in methods of farming have been inaugurated and there are now few farms in the county that do not possess handsome residences and comfort- able roomy barns. Few counties can boast of schools that equal those found here, and the teachers of the county bear a state-wide reputation. Mrs. Julia Fried Walker, a teacher and Institute Lecturer of more than state-wide reputation, is a native of Corydon, as are Prof. Orlin Venner, Lucien Morris, Walter Bean and many other noted educators Creameries have been erected in nearly every town in the county and many distilleries exist within her borders. Harrison County now produces more fruit brandy than any other county in the world, the bulk of this product coming from Mauckport and New Amsterdam. In 1894, an electric light plant and water works system were built in Corydon by William H. Keller. Both of these in- dustries are now operated by Mr. Frank R. Wright. In 1903 the Town of Corydon built another water works system. Corydon also has a large canning factory, two ice and cold storage plants, two national banks, one savings and loan association, one trust company, two flouring mills, one grain elevator and many other modern business houses and enterprises of various kinds. One of the largest and best equipped wagon manufacturing plants in the country is located at Corydon. It is owned and operated by a corpora- tion, The Keller Manufacturing Company, of which William H. Keller is president. This plant employs more than one hundred men and has a capacity of more than seven thousand completed wagons annually. Harrison County is now and has always been a hotly
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contested political ground. Many notable men have campaigned within her borders. A spirit of pride in the public welfare impregnates the atmosphere and the boy of Harrison County, from his early childhood, is taught thrift, politics and morality. Harrison County may always remain in the "pocket" of the majestic Ohio; she may always be "out of the way;" she may always remain "slow" and "conservative" but so long as her name remains unchanged, the world will, at least, occasionally, be reminded that she occupies a place upon the map of that great state that was born and reared in her bosom-INDIANA. .
Von sun that sets upon the sea; We follow in his flight, Farewell awhile to him and thee, My native land-Good Night. -Byron-Childe Harold.
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