USA > Indiana > The Indiana gazetteer, or, Topographical dictionary : containing a description of the several counties, towns, villages, settlements, roads, lakes, rivers, creeks, and springs, in the state of Indiana > Part 10
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MICHIGAN ROAD, a road provided for in the treaty of 1826; in which it was stipulated that a section of land for every mile in length that the road should be found to measure, should be applied to the opening and constructing of a road one hundred feet wide from lake Michigan to some convenient point on the Ohio river. This road has been laid out by commis- sioners appointed for that purpose, and is now being opened, and in a state of forwardness. It commences at the mouth of Trail creek on Lake Michigan, and runs near due east, about thirty two miles to South Bend in St. Joseph county, thence in a direction a lit- tle west of south about sixty-five miles to the north- west corner of the Miami Reserve, thence parallel with the western line of said reserve and west of said line about thirty-three miles to the south-west corner of the reserve, thence south-eastwardly to Indianapo- lis, and thence, by the way of Shelbyville and Greens- burgh, to Madison on the Ohio river.
MICHIGANTOWN, a new but thriving little village on the Michigan Road in Clinton county, about 40 miles north north-west from Indianapolis, containing about 50 inhabitants.
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MIDDLE CREEK, a small mill stream in Floyd coun- ty. It rises in the knobs and runs in a southerly di- rection to the Ohio river below New-Albany.
MIDDLE, a northern township in Hendricks county.
MIDDLE FORK, a branch of Sugar creek in Montgo- mery county.
MIDDLE Fork, a branch of Wildcat in Clinton county.
MIDDLE FORK, a branch of White Lick in Hen- dricks county.
MIDDLETOWN, a village in Henry county. It is si- tuated on the west side of Fall creek, near the north- west corner of the county.
MIDDLETOWN, a village in Owen county. It is sit- uated about thirteen miles north-east from Spencer, and contains about fifty inhabitants, a store, a black- smith shop, and cabinet shop.
MIDDLETOWN, a village in Tippecanoe county, con- taining about one hundred inhabitants. It is about eight miles south-west of Lafayette.
MIDDLETOWN, a village in Washington county, a- bout eleven miles north-west from Salem.
MILL BRANCHI, a small mill stream in Tippecanoe county. It rises from large springs about two miles east from Lafayette, and running in a narrow valley two or three miles, empties into the Wabash river, a- bout a mile below Lafayette. On this stream there are a grist mill and saw mill; also a wool carding ma- chine, and a cotton spinning machinc.
MILL CREEK, a branch of Flatrock in Decatur county. It is a small stream; but it affords some of the best seats in the country for mills or other machi- ncry.
MILL CREEK, a branch of Eel river. It rises in Hendricks county and runs a south-westerly course into Putnam. It affords several good mill seats, none of which are yet occupied.
MILL CREEK, a small creek in Owen county which runs in a southern direction, and falls into White ri- ver above Spencer.
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MILL CREEK, a branch of Sugar creek in Parke county. It has its source in the northern part of the county, and runs southwardly into Sugar creek about two miles west from Lusk's mills. 'There are two mills on this crcek.
MILL CREEK, a small mill stream in Posey county. It runs a south course and empties into the Ohio river immediately below Mount Vernon. On this creck there has been a mill in operation for several years.
MILLPORT, a small village on the north bank of Mus. catatack, in Jackson county, ten miles south of Brownstown. At this place there is a valuable mill, and about eighteen or twenty inhabitants.
MILLPORT, a village in Shelby county about nine miles north of Shelbyville.
MILdroWN, a village in Crawford county. It is si- tuated on Blue river, in Whisky Run township, about fourteen miles north cast from Fredonia. It contains about fifty inhabitants, a merchant flour mill, a grist and saw mill, three stores, a carding machine, and craftsmen of various kinds.
MILLTOWN, a village in Shelby county, seven miles
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MILROY, a small village in Rush county.
MILTON, a village in Ripley county. It is situated on the Michigan Road about eight miles west of Ver- sailles. It contains about forty inhabitants, two mer- cantile stores, and several mechanics.
MILTON, a village in Wayne county. It is situated on the west fork of Whitewater, about nine miles west south-west from Centreville, and contains about five hundred inhabitants, five stores, and craftsmen of va- rious kinds.
MISSISSINEWA, a large and beautiful river, which rises in the state of Ohio, and passes westwardly through the northern part of Randolph county, and thence it winds in a north-westerly direction through the counties of Delaware, Grant, and Wabash; and unites with the Wabash river near the centre of Mia- mi county. From about the middle of Randolph coun-
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ty to its junction with the Wabash it is navigable, af all times of high water, for boats of ten tons burden, lts upper branches afford good mill seats, and there are now four mills on its waters in Randolph county The land generally through which it passes is of the richest quality, and abundantly supplied with streams of the purest water.
MITCHELL, a township in Martin county.
MONROE, an interior county, bounded on the north by Morgan, on the west by Owen and Greene, on the south by Lawrence, and on the east by Jackson anc Bartholomew. It was organized in 1818. It extend; about twenty-four miles from north to south, and twen ty-five miles from cast to west; including an area o about 560 square miles, or 358,400 acres; and in 1830 it contained a population of 6,578 souls. A large proportion of the lands in the county are hilly or plea santly rolling, and as to quality of soil may be termed second rate. - The principal forest trees are poplar, beech, sugartree, buckeye, walnut, ash, elm, and oak. The county abounds with limestone rock, and alsc with springs of the purest water; and is generally ad. mitted to be one of the most healthy counties in the state. The principal water courses are Salt creek. Clear creek, Indian creek, Rackoon, Richland, and Beanblossom. Salt creek is the only navigable stream in the county; and this, if improved, would be navi- gable at all times when boats can descend the west fork of White River. Many boats pass out of the mouth of Beanblossom, but it is only when the west fork of White River is so high as to swell the creek above its natural depth. Salt is manufactured on Salt creek to a considerable extent, and it is said to be superior in quality to. the Kenhawa salt, owing to its contain- ing less of the muriatic acid. Salt works have been erected at three different places on this creek, known by the names of Jackson's Lick, Howe's Lick, and Owen's Lick, and the quantity of salt, manufactured at these licks altogether, is computed at 8,000 bush- els annually. Indiana College is located in this coun-
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ty, on the college land adjacent to Bloomington; be- sides which there are four common schools in the town, two of which are conducted by male and two by female teachers; there is also an academy for young ladies, conducted by both male and female teachers. There are several other common schools in different parts of the county; and also two Sunday schools, well attended, which have the appearance of being useful and permanent. The county contains ten or twelve houses of worship which are attended by different denominations of professing christians. The staple articles of produce are corn, oats, flour, beef, pork, potatoes, and various kinds of live stock. Bloom- ington is the seat of justice.
MONROE, a north-western township in Clark coun- ty.
MONROE, a township in Morgan county.
. MONROE, a township in Pike county.
MONROE, a township in Putnam county.
MONROE, a village in Tippecanoe county. It is si- tuated about twelve miles south-east from Lafayette, and contains about forty inhabitants.
MONROE, a township in Washington county.
MONTEZUMA, a post town in Parke county. It is beautifully situated on the east bank of the Wabash river, with an excellent landing for steam boats, and is the point at which nearly all the merchandize for the county is landed. It has a population of about three hundred souls, three mercantile stores, and a number of mechanics. This place will, at no very distant period, be one of the most important points on the Wabash river. It is about eight miles west from Rockville.
MONTGOMERY, a large and flourishing county in the western part of the state. It was organized in 1822; and is bounded on the north by Tippecanoe county, on the west by Fountain and Parke, on the south by Put- nam, and on the cast by Hendricks and Boon. Its ex- tent from north to south is about twenty-four miles, and from east to west about twenty-one miles; con-
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taining an area of five hundred square miles, equal to 320,000 acres; and it had, in 1830, a population of 7,376 inhabitants. The southern part of the county is gently rolling, and covered with timber, consisting chiefly of walnut, sugartree, beech, buckeye, elm, and oak; with a rich loamy soil; and is watered by Big Rackoon and its tributaries. The middle part is also chiefly a forest land, bearing the same kinds of tim- ber as are found in the southern part; and is watered by Sugar creek and its tributaries. In the northern part a great portion of the land is prairie interspers- ed with groves of timber, consisting chiefly of oak, hickory, elm, and ash. The soil in these prairie lands is a rich black loam mixed with sand. Excellent quarries of rock are found in the middle region, and the northern part abounds with solitary blocks of gra- nite, which in some places are so numerous as to prove a serious interruption to the labors of the cultivator. Some of the upper branches of Shawney and Coal creeks have their sources in the north-western section of the county; but its principal streams are Sugar creek in the centre, and Big Rackoon in the south- east; both large and valuable mill streams. There are in this county seven Methodist, six Baptist, and two Presbyterian churches. There are also four Sun- day schools, and several common schools, the number of which is not exactly ascertained. "Crawfordsville is the seat of justice.
MONTGOMERY, a township in Gibson county.
MONTGOMERY, a southern township in Jennings county.
MONTGOMERY, a northern township in Owen county.
MOORESVILLE, a pleasant thriving post town in Mor- gan county. It is situated within a mile and a half of the north line of the county, fourteen and a half miles north from Martinsville, in a high healthy tract of country, surrounded by rich forest land in a prosper- ous state of cultivation. It contains about two hun- dred inhabitants, three stores, two taverns, one physi-
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cian, and upwards of twenty mechanics of various pro- fessions.
MORGAN, an interior county, lying on both sides of the west fork of White River, bounded on the north by Marion and Hendricks counties, on the west by Put- nam and Owen, on the south by Monroe, and on the east by Johnson, It was organized in 1821, and ex- tends from north to south about nineteen miles, and from east to west twenty-four miles, containing an a- rea of 530 square miles, or 339,200 acres. In 1830, it contained a population of 5,579 souls. The face of the country is generally rolling, and in some parts hil- ly and broken. The timber consists of beech, sugar- tree, poplar, ash, buckeye, walnut, hickory, and oak; with an undergrowth of paupaw, spicc, dogwood, and sassafras. The soil on the high lands is clayey and calcareous; on the low grounds, and particularly those bordering on White River, it consists of the richest loam with a mixture of sand, and when cultivated, produces the most luxuriant crops of corn, potatoes,
grass, and small grain. The high and rolling lands are also very fertile, and well adapted to the culture of wheat, rye, oats, grass, and esculent roots. The only navigable stream in this county is the west fork of White river, which passes in a south-westerly di- rection, nearly through the centre of the county. The principal mill streams are White Lick, Sycamore, Highland creek, and Lamb's creek, on the west side of White River; and Crooked creek, Stott's creek, Clear creek, and Indian creek, on the cast side. There are several quarries of sand stone of an excellent qua- lity in this county. Limestone is found in some parts, but not very abundant. Iron ore has also been dis- covered in some places ; but its quality and extent have not yet been ascertained, The staple articles of this county are such as are produced in other counties in this part of the state. Live hogs, beef cattle, mules, and horses are sent from these regions to the cast and south; but the most usual articles of exportation are corn, oats, flour, beef, pork, potatoes, and poultry,
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which are annually transported in large quantities, in flat boats, to Orleans or such other ports as afford the most profitable market. There are in this county sc- veral houses of public worship, chiefly log buildings. One brick building, the largest in the county, is in Monroe township, and belongs to the society of Friends; it is seventy-feet long, and thirty-five feet wide, and is sufficient to accommodate six hundred persons. Martinsville is the seat of justice.
MORGAN, a township in the northern part of Harri. son county.
MORGAN'S CREEK, a branch of the west fork ol Whitewater, in Wayne county. It has its source in Randolph, and runs south-eastwardly to its junction with Green's fork in Wayne.
MORGANTOWN, a village in Morgan county. It is situated near the south-east corner of the county, ten miles south-east of Martinsville.
Moscow, a village in Rush county. It is situated on the west bank of Flatrock, on the road leading from Shelbyville to Brookville. It is a pleasant vil lage, containing three stores and a number of mechanics,
MOUND, a southern township in Warren county.
. MOUNT CARMEL, a beautiful eminence on the easy bank of the west fork of White River. It stands it the vicinity of Portroyal, near to the north-east cornel of Morgan county. A chain or broken ridge of knobj commences at Portroyal and extends northward along the river about two or three hundred poles and the falls off to the level of the surrounding country. This ridge has been, from the first settlement of the coun try, known by the name of the Bluffs. Mount Car mel is the highest peak of the chain; its height is esti mated at two hundred feet above the level of the sun rounding plain, and two hundred and twenty above the bed of the river which flows along its western base From this romantic spot, a most delightful view of the : surrounding country is presented to the eye. The tim
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ber on the eastern slope of the hill interposes a partial
obstruction to the view in that direction; but on the
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west, where the declivity is more precipitous, the pros- pect is delightful, and extends as far as the strongest vision can reach. This promontory is about sixteen miles south from Indianapolis, and about fourteen miles north-castwardly from Martinsville, the seat of justice of Morgan county.
MOUNT DITNEY, a peculiar hill in the northern sec- tion of Morgan county. It stands on the south side of a branch of White Lick, about eight miles north from Martinsville. It is considerably elevated above the surrounding country, except to the south-west. The prospect from this eminence to the south-cast, the east, and north, is extensive and beautiful.
MOUNT M'CORMACK, a curious and singular hill in Marion county, on the Michigan Road, about four miles north-west from Indianapolis. It stands on the level lands between Fall creek and White River. The general elevation of the surrounding country may be estimated at from eighty to a hundred feet above the beds of the streams on each side; and the elevation of the hill is estimated at from a hundred and twenty to a hundred and fifty feet above the surrounding lands. It is irregularly circular, and the average diameter of its base is about fifty poles, covering an area of about ten or twelve acres. From the summit it falls off in some places precipitously ; in other places it extends with a more gentle declivity, in spurs, to a greater distance from its centre, before it conforms to the ge- meral level of the adjacent lands. From its summit is a view of the surrounding country, both amusing and delightful to the admirer of Nature's works. This hill has been called Dorsey's Knob after the name of a former occupant. It is now named after the present owner, who resides on the premises.
MOUNT PLEASANT, a township lying westward in Delaware county.
MOUNT PLEASANT, a post town and seat of justice of Martin county. It is situated on the west bank of the east fork of White River, on the state road lead- ing from New-Albany to Vincennes. The site is elc-
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vated about a hundred and fifty feet above the bed of the river. There are several springs of excellent wa- ter in and near the town, and it is surrounded by an extensive body of good farming land, a part of which is of the richest quality. It contains about thirty dwelling houses, and one hundred and fifty inhabi- tents. " The public buildings are a jail and a spacious brick court house. It has four mercantile stores, one tavern, a post office, two preachers of the gospel, two physicians, one common school with a good teacher, a number of craftsmen of various trades, and a mill pro- pelled by horse power. It is about eighty-seven miles south-west from Indianapolis. N. lat. 38 deg. 35 min. W. lon. 9 deg. 40 min.
MOUNT PROSPECT, a village in . Warrick county. It is situated on the bank of the Ohio river, two miles below the mouth of Cypress creek. It is the princi- pal landing for boats for the county, and it is believed that it must, at some day, be a place of importance. It contains one store and two or three mechanics. It is about twelve miles south-west from Boonville.
MOUNT STERLING, a northern township in Craw- ford county.
MOUNT STERLING, a flourishing village in Switzer -. land county, three and a half miles horth from Vevay. It has some trade and abounds with fine water.
MOUNT TABOR, a village on Beanblossom in Mon- roe county. It is situated in the north-west corner of the county, about thirteen miles north-west from Bloomington, in the vicinity of a high hill, from which it takes its name. At this place there is a valuable mill erected, and from this point, at times of high wa- ter, flat boats pass down Beanblossom to White Riv- er, laden with the produce of the country. Mount Ta- bor is the place of deposit for the produce of the north- ern part of the county, and the mill establishment is des- tined to be of great importance in a few years.
MOUNT VERNON, a post town, and seat of justice of Poscy county. It is situated on a high bank, on a north bend of the Ohio river. The situation is suffi-
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ciently elevated to be secure from inundation, and af- fords a beautiful view of the river for an extent of six- teen miles. It is a flourishing town, very advantage- ously situated for trade, and surrounded by an exten- sive body of rich land, in a high state of cultivation. It contains nine mercantile stores, three taverns, four physicians, four lawyers, and a variety of mechanical establishments, with an aggregate population of about six hundred souls, and rapidly increasing. It is about
one hundred and sixty miles south-west from Indian- apolis. N. lat. 37 deg. 52 min. W. Ion. 10 deg. 38 min.
MUNCIETOWN, a post town, and the seat of justice of Delaware county. It is situated on the south bank of White River, on an elevation of about thirty feet above the bed of the river. It is laid out in an oblong square. The four principal streets are sixty feet wide, the others are forty-five, and all crossing cach other at right angles. It contains about three hundred in- habitants, three mercantile stores, a saw mill, with a fall of eleven feet, and a sufficiency of water for al- most all kinds of machinery. It has also two physi- cians, and a number of mechanics of various trades. The state road from the Ohio state line to Indianapo- lis passes through this place; also a state road from Richmond to Logansport, and a county road from Newcastle in Henry county, to Fort Wayne. It is about fifty miles north-east from Indianapolis. N. lat. 40 deg. 7 min. W. lon. 8 deg. 9 min.
MUSCATATACK, a southern branch of the East Fork of White River. It is formed by the junction of Gra- ham and the North Fork, near the north-east corner of Washington county ; whence it passes in a westerly direction, forming the dividing line between Washing- ton and Jackson counties, to its junction with Drift- wood, about the castern border of Lawrence. This stream is navigablé several miles from its mouth, and its upper branches afford numerous excellent mill seats. It waters a great extent of country. The coun- ties of Scott and Jennings, and the western parts of Jefferson and Ripley are all drained by its branches,
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some of which have their sources within a few miles of the Ohio river.
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NAPOLEON, a village in Ripley county, near the De- catur county line, on the state road leading from In- dianapolis to Lawrenceburgh. It is situated about twelve miles north-west from Versailles, and contains about sixty inhabitants, a store, two taverns, a tanne- ry, a baker, a wagon maker, and a blacksmith.
NETTLE CKEEK, a small stream which rises in the eastern border of Henry county, and runs in a south- . erly direction into Wayne, where it falls into the West Fork of Whitewater.
NEVINS, a township in the north-east corner of Vi- go county.
NEW-ALBANY, a large and flourishing post town, and the seat of justice of Floyd county. It is situat- ed on the bank of the Ohio river about two miles be- low the falls. This town was laid off in the summer of 1813, by Joel, Nathaniel, and Abner Scribner. Six streets run parallel with the river, the whole length of the town, in a direction nearly east and west. Wa- ter street is a hundred feet wide; High street, Market street, and Spring street are each eighty feet wide; Elm street is sixty, and Oak street forty feet wide. State street, eighty feet wide, runs from the river north- ward, crossing the aforesaid streets at right angles, with five parallel streets above and below, each sixty feet wide. This town contains about 2,500 inhabi- tants, and has been, for some years past, increasing in population at the rate of about 150 annually. It has a printing office, 16 dry goods stores, nine grocery stores, a ship chandlery store, two drug stores, a hardware store, twenty liquor stores, an ashery, a rope walk, three ship yards, two boat yards, two iron foundrys, a brass foun- dry, a steam engine manufactory and finishing shop, and a merchant mill, on an extensive plan, propelled by steam power, capable of manufacturing a hundred barrels of flour in twenty-four hours. A public school
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is established in this town to which a donation was made by the original proprietors, of $5,000, the annu- al interest of which is applied to the support of the school; in addition to which there are five private schools, designed to be permanent establishments. A charter for a college has recently been procured at. this place, which is designated by the name of Univer- sity College. A Lyceum is established and in opera- tion consisting of about sixty members, with a library of a hundred volumes of valuable books, and the ne- cessary apparatus for illustrating the different scien- ces. There are also in the town three meeting hou- ses which are regularly attended by the Baptists, Me- thodists, and Presbyterians. New-Albany is about a hundred and fifteen miles south of Indianapolis. N. lat. 38 deg. 16. min. W. lon. 8 deg. 33 min.
NEWBERN, a village in Bartholomew county. It is situated on main Clifty, ten miles east of Columbus. It stands on a beautiful eminence, surrounded by an extensive body of fertile land, wealthy inhabitants, and the convenience of state and county roads. The state road leading from Napoleon to Bloomington, and the state road leading from Shelbyville to Madison, cross each other at this place; here also a county road from Azalia intersects a county road from Greens- burgh. This village having been but recently laid out, has not acquired much population ; but it is said to be full of promise.
NEWBERRY, a village in Green county. It is sit- uated on the east bank of White River, ten miles south-west from Bloomfield, and contains a store and some ten or fifteen inhabitants.
NEW-BRUNSWICK, a village in Clay county, fifteen miles south-west of Bowlinggreen, containing about twenty inhabitants.
NEWBURGH, a small village in Warrick county. It is situated on the bank of the Ohio river, about two miles below the mouth of Cypress creek, and about twelve miles south-west from Boonville.
NEWCASTLE, a post town and seat of justice of Hen.
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ry county. It is located on Blue River, near the cen- tre of the county, and contains about two hundred in- habitants, three mercantile stores, three taverns, about thirty dwelling houses, a jail, a court house, and a pub- lic library, supported by the county library fund. Newcastle is about forty-five miles east from Indiana- polis. N. lat. 39 deg. 53 min. W. lon. 8 deg. 8 min.
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