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 12
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PRAIRIE CREEK, a small mill stream in Daviess coun. ty. It rises in the eastern part of the county and runs
in a westerly direction into the West Fork of White River.
PRAIRIE CREEK, a mill stream in Vigo county. It rises in the south-east corner of the county, and run- ning in a south-westerly direction, falls into the Wa- bash about fifteen miles below Terre-Haute.
PRINCETON, a pleasant and flourishing post town and seat of justice of Gibson county. it is situated about four miles south of Patoka, which is navigable three months in the year, and is surrounded by an ex- tensive body of excellent land in a high state of culti- vation. The public buildings are a jail, a large and commodious court house, a seminary sixty fect long, thirty feet wide, and two stories high, all of brick; and two respectable meeting houses. It has two ta- verns, five mercantile stores, two clergymen, three law- yers, three physicians, and a respectable number of craftsmen; with a population of about seven hundred souls. It is about a hundred and twenty-five miles south-west from Indianapolis. N. lat. 38 deg. 22 min. W. lon. 10 deg. 22 min.
PROVIDENCE, a small post town in Clark county. It is situated on the Muddy fork of Silver creek, about sixteen miles west north-west from Charlestown. It Las about seventy-five inhabitants, a tavern, two stores, and several mechanics.
PUTNAM, an interior county in the western section of the state, bounded on the north by Montgomery coun- ty, on the west by Parke and Clay, on the south by Clay and Owen, and on the east by Morgan and Hendricks counties. It was organized in 1821, and extends from north to south about twenty-eight miles, and from east to west eighteen miles, comprehending an area of about
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490 square miles, or 313,600 acres. Its population; in 1830, was eight thousand one hundred and ninety. . five inhabitants; and from that to the present time the population has been rapidly increasing. The face of the country is gently rolling and all forest land. The prevailing timber is beech, poplar, ash, sugartree, walnut, hickory, and oak; with an undergrowth of paupaw, spice, hazel, and hawthorn. The soil is in some parts clayey and calcareous; but more generally a rich loam. The principal water courses in the coun- ty are · Rackoon creek and Eel river, both which arc mill streams of the first rank. No part of the state is better supplied with good mills, and many excellent sites are still unoccupied. Springs of pure water also are abundant, and limestone rock of an excellent quality is found in many places. The staple products of the county are corn, oats, flour, beef, pork, pota- toes, and live stock. Greencastle is the seat of jus- tice.
PUTNAMVILLE, a very flourishing village in Putnam county. It is situated on the National Road about four or five miles south of Greencastle. It has in its immediate vicinity a grist and saw mill propelled by water power, and able to do business at all seasons of the year. The town contains three dry goods stores, a tavern, a drug store, a physician, a tanner, two black- smiths, two cabinet makers, two stone masons, three brick layers, a potter, two carpenters, a boot and shoe maker, a tailor, and a chair maker. A plentiful sup- ply of water is brought into town, by hydrants, from a never-failing spring in the vicinity. Limestone suita- ble for building, and abundance of good coal are also convenient. The present buildings are chiefly brick, and constructed in genteel style. Putnamville was laid off in 1831, and now contains about two hundred inhabitants.
QUERCUS GROVE, a post office in Switzerland coun- ty, about twelve miles north-east from Vevay.
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RACKOON, a good mill stream in Boon county. (See Big Rackoon.) .
RACKOON, a small mill stream which has its source in Monroe county, and taking a north-westerly direc- tion, it runs into White River in Owen county.
RACKOON, a township in Parke county.
RACKOON VILLAGE, a small Indian village situated on Little river, at the mouth of the river A'Boite, in the north-east corner of Huntington county.
RANDOLPH, an eastern county, bounded on the north by unorganized territory, on the west by Delaware and Henry counties, on the south by Wayne, and on the east by the state of Ohio. It was organized in 1818; and extends about twenty-one miles from north to south, and about the same distance from east to west, comprehending an arca of about 440 square miles, or 281,600 acres. It has a rich loamy soil and in some parts marshy. The only rock found in the county is a small quantity of limestone and some soli- tary blocks of granite sparsely scattered over the land. The face of the country generally is level or gently undulating. The timber consists chiefly of beech, sugartree, cherry, sycamore, elm, walnut, hickory, ash, poplar, and oak; with an undergrowth of haw- thorn, spice, and prickly ash, The principal water- courses are the West Fork of White River, and the Mississinewa river, and their tributarics. The Missis- sinewa is navigable for light boats from about the mid- dle of the county, and several of the smaller streams furnish good mill seats, on which a number of valua- ble mills have been erected and are now in successful operation. Some ancient monuments are found in this county; one of which, near Winchester, is some- what remarkable, and merits the attention of the curi- ous. The staple products are corn, oats, flour, beef, pork, potatoes and live stock. The population in 1830, was 3,912 souls. . Winchester is the seat of justice.
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RANDOLPH, a township in Dearborn county. RANDOLPH, a township in Tippecanoe county,
RATTLESNAKE, a mill stream in Owen county. It rises in the northern section of the county, and runs southward into White River four miles below Spen- cer.
RAY, a western township in Franklin county.
RAYSVILLE, a village in Henry county. It is situat- ed on the National Road, on the east side of Blue Ri- - ver, and has three grist mills, a saw mill, and a carding machine, all within less than a mile of the town. Wa- ter is brought from an excellent spring a short distance from the town, in an aqueduct, and forms a fine foun- tain which supplies the whole town with water. It contains three stores, a tavern, and upwards of two hundred inhabitants.
REDDING, a northern township in Jackson county.
REDWOOD, a small stream in Warren county. Its, source is in the Grand Prairie, whence it runs south- eastwardly through a very rich body of land, and emp- ties into the Wabash river two miles below the mouth of Rock creek. On this creek there are two saw .. mills and a gristmill. «
REEVE, a southern township in Daviess county.
REPUBLICAN, a western township in Jefferson county.
RESERVE, a township in Parke county.
RICHLAND, a township in Fountain county.
RICHLAND, a township in Greene county.
RICHLAND CREEK, a mill stream which rises in Mon- roe county, whence it runs south-westwardly into Greene, and empties into the West Fork of White River below Bloomfield.
RICHLAND, a western township in Monroe county.
RICHLAND, a township in Rush county.
RICHLAND, a branch of the East Fork of Whitewa- ter on the west side, in Union county.
RICHMOND, a pleasant and flourishing post town in Wayne county. It is situated on the east bank of the East Fork of Whitewater, six miles east from Cen- treville, in the midst of a country very rapidly advanc-
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ing to wealth and independence. We have been fa- voured with the following result of the census of this town, taken in May last. It contains 852 white males, 748 white females, 86 coloured males, and 54 colour- ed females; making an aggregate population of seven- teen hundred and forty souls, composing two hundred and thirty-six families, exclusive of non-resident la- bourers. There are six physicians, two lawyers, six schools, three meeting houses, thirteen stores, five ta- verns, six groceries, an iron foundry, a brewery, a printing office, and a variety of mechanics, among which are five cabinet makers, five tailors, eight shoe and boot makers, three saddlers, four carriage mak- crs, four wagon makers, three plough makers, nine blacksmiths, two chair makers, two tanners and cur- riers, two tinners, twenty-five carpenters, a machine maker, and a gunsmith. In the immediate vicinity of the town, there is a paper mill, owned by Messrs. Leeds, Jones, & Co .; there are also five grist mills, six saw mills, an oil mill, three woollen factories, and a cotton factory. In the spring of 1832, the popula- tion of this town was 1252, shewing an increase in one year of 488 inhabitants. The rapid growth and pros- perity of Richmond, may be attributed to a combina- tion of three causes; a fruitful soil, a salubrious atmos. phere, and an industrious and moral population.
RILEY, a township in Allen county.
RILEY, a township in Vigo county.
RIPLEY, an interior county, bounded on the north by Franklin and Decatur counties, on the west by Jennings, on the south by Jefferson and Switzerland, and on the cast by Dearborn. It was organized in 1818, and extends from north to south about twenty- seven miles, and from east to west about eighteen miles, including an area of about 400 square miles, or 256,000 acres. The population of this county, in 1830, was 3,957 souls. It is generally level forest land; and the timber consists chiefly of poplar, beech, sugartree, and oak; with an undergrowth of spice, paupaw, and thorn. The soil is clayey and in some 14
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parts sandy. The county abounds with limestone rock; but no ore or coal has been discovered. There is a cave on the east side of Laughery, into which is a small descending entrance, leading to a spacious room, in which is a fine stream of water. The principal water courses are Laughery, and Graham, both which afford considerable facilities for mills and other ma- chinery. Corn, oats, flour, beef, pork, whisky, and po- tatoes are the chief staple articles of the county. These are exported in great abundance to the southern mar- ket, where they are either sold for cash, or exchanged . for such articles of foreign growth as fancy or neces- sity requires in this country. Ripley county is mak- ing a regular progress in population and improvement. Versailles is the seat of justice.
RIPLEY, a township in Rush county.
RISING SUN, a post village in Dearborn county. It is situated on the bank of the Ohio river, thirteen miles south from Lawrenceburgh. It contains about six hundred inhabitants, four stores, a tavern, a grist mill propelled by steam power, a seminary and a church; together with a number of mechanics of va- rious trades. The surrounding land is broken and hilly, but very fertile; and the town has the advantage of a salubrious atmosphere, pure water, and an elevat- ed pleasant situation, added to the advantages of un- interrupted steam boat navigation.
RIVER A'BOIT, a small stream which rises in the unorganized territory west of Allen county, and run- ning southwardly, falls into Little river at the Rac- koon village, in the north-east corner of Huntington county. This stream is about fifty feet wide, and is navigable for light boats, three miles from its mouth, for about six months in the year.
ROARING CREEK, a small mill stream in Parke coun- ty, emptying into Sugar creek on the south side, near Lusk's mill. It has two mills now in operation.
ROBB, a north-western township in Posey county. ROBINSON, an eastern township in Posey county. ROB ROY, a small interior village in Fountain coun-
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ty, with but few inhabitants, but increasing in improve- ment and population.
ROCK CREEK, a mill stream in Bartholomew coun- ty. It rises in the eastern part of the county, and takes a westerly course, to the East Fork of White River in the southern section of the county.
ROCK CREEK, a south-eastern township in Bartho- lomew county.
ROCK CREEK, a township in Carroll county.
ROCK CREEK, a mill stream in Warren county. It risesin the Grand Prairie, and runs eastwardly through a rich fertile country, to the Wabash, five miles below Williamsport. On this stream are three saw mills and two grist mills.
ROCKFORD, a village in Jackson county, about twelve miles north-east from Brownstown. It is situ- ated on a tract of rich, level land, on the south bank of Driftwood, immediately contiguous to the falls, where there is a grist mill and a saw mill in operation, and a sufficiency of water for machinery to any extent. It is a pleasant flourishing village, and has the pros- pect of becoming a town of considerable importance. Several boat yards are in its immediate vicinity, where flat boats are constructed and loaded for the lower country ; and a state road from Bethlehem on the Ohio River, to Indianapolis, crosses Driftwood at this place. The village contains about a hundred inhabitants, two mercantile stores, two taverns, and a variety of crafts- men of different occupations.
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ROCKPORT, a post town, and the seat of justice of Spencer county. It is situated on a high bluff on the Ohio river. At this place are four mercantile stores, a tannery, a ship yard, two taverns, two blacksmiths' shops, three house joiners, three physicians, two shoe and boot makers, a cabinet maker and a tailor; with an aggregate population of about two hundred and fifty persons. It is about a hundred and thirty-five miles south south west from Indianapolis. N. lat. 37 deg. 52 min. W. lon. 9 deg. 45 min.
ROCKVILLE, a post town, and the seat of justice of
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Parke county. It is situated on an elevated ground near the centre of the county, and about eight miles from the Wabash river, and is surrounded by an ex- tensive body of first rate land, abounding with mill streams and springs of the purest water. It contains a population of about six hundred souls, a printing of- fice, seven dry goods stores, and three drug stores, two taverns, four lawyers, three physicians, and a number of mechanics of various kinds. It is about sixty miles west from Indianapolis. N. lat. 39 deg. 42 min. W. lon. 9 deg. 58 min.
. ROME, a post town, and the seat of justice of Perry county. It is situated on the bank of the Ohio river. The town site is pleasant, but the surrounding coun- try is hilly and broken. The public buildings are a large stone jail, two stories high, and a spacious and convenient brick court house. The town contains two mercantile stores, two taverns, a physician, a lawyer, a constant and well regulated school, and two preach- ers of the Gospel; with an aggregate population of about two hundred persons, amongst whom are a num- ber of mechanics of various descriptions. It is about a hundred and twenty-five miles a little west of south from Indianapolis. N. lat. 37 deg. 53 min. W. lon. 9 deg. 18 min.
ROSEVILLE, a small post village in Parke county. It is situated on the south bank of Big Rackoon, about . ten miles south from Rockville. It has a tavern, a store, and a few mechanics; with about twenty inha- bitants.
RUSH, an interior county, organized in 1821, and bounded on the north by Henry county, on the west by Hancock and Shelby, on the south by Decatur, and on the east by Franklin and Fayette. Its extent from north to south is about twenty-three miles, and about eighteen from east to west; containing about 400 square miles, or 256,000 acres. In 1830, it had 9,918 inhabitants. The face of the country is moderately rolling, and heavily timbered with walnut, poplar, beech, sugartree, ash, buckeye, and oak; and an un-
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dergrowth of dogwood, spice, paupaw, and hawthorn. The soil is principally loam, bedded on clay, with a light mixture of sand, and produces abundantly all kinds of grain, grass, and roots, usually cultivated in the country. Limestone rock is found in considera- ble quantities along the water courses, and the whole county is susceptible of profitable cultivation. The uniform fertility of the soil, the salubrity of the cli- mate, and the regular and gradual increase of popu- Jation, warrant the conclusion that this county will in a few years rank among the most wealthy and popu- lous counties in the state. Big and Little Blue river, and Big and Little Flatrock, are the principal water- courses, all affording facilities for mills and other ma- chinery. Horses, mules, beef cattle, and live hogs are taken from this county to the east and south; in addition to which, corn, oats, flour, potatoes, beef, and pork, form the chief staples of the county. There are twelve grist mills, twelve saw mills, two carding ma- chines, and four Sunday schools in the county. Rush- ville is the seat of justice.
RUSH CREEK, a small mill stream in Washington county. It has its source in the barrens, a few miles north-west of Salem, and discharges itself into the south fork of Twin creek.
RUSIIVILLE, a flourishing post town, and the seat of justice of Rush county. It is situated on a plea- sant and elevated site on the west bank of Big Flat- rock. It contains about seventy-five dwelling houses, and five hundred inhabitants, and is surrounded by an extensive body of fertile land, in a very prosperous state of improvement. Among the public buildings are a court house, a jail, and three meeting houses, one for Methodists, one for Baptists, and one for Pres- byterians, all of brick. It also contains four mercan- tile stores, two taverns, three physicians, four lawyers, and a great variety of mechanics. This is a town of considerable promisc. It is about forty-two miles a little south of east from Indianapolis. N. lat. 39 deg. 33 min. W. lon. 8 deg. 12 min.
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RUSSELVILLE, a small village in the north-west cor- ner of Putnam county, containing about seventy-five inhabitants. It is situated about seventeen miles north-west from Greencastle.
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SALAMANIA, a considerable river, the sources of which are in the northern parts of Delaware and Ran- dolph counties, and about the Ohio line north of Ran- dolph, interlocking with the head waters of the Mis- sissinewa; whence, after uniting its numerous branch- es, it runs in a north-westerly direction through Hunt- ington county, and entering Wabash county, it unites with the Wabash river at the north-east corner of the Miami Indian Reserve. In its whole course it runs upwards of eighty miles, having received numerous
tributaries; and at the junction it is equal in width to the Wabash. The lands through which this stream passes are of the best quality, having the advantages of a rich soil, a salubrious climate, an abundant sup- ply of pure water, and numerous sites for the profita- ble application of water power. These lands are still, chiefly, the property of the United States, and they are offered for sale at the land office at Fort Wayne.
SALEM, a flourishing post town, and seat of justice of Washington county. It is located on an elevated situation on the head waters of Blue River, and is sur- rounded by a densely populated country, in a very prosperous state. of improvement. It contains about a thousand inhabitants, and is regularly and constant- ly increasing in population. It has twelve mercan- tile stores, two printing offices, two taverns, two justices of the peace, four lawyers, four physicians, two preach- ers of the Gospel, two common schools, a county semi- nary, two houses of worship, one for Methodists and · one for Presbyterians, an oil mill, a grist mill, a cot- ton factory, and a woollen factory, all propelled by steam power, one saw mill, and one grist mill moved by ox-
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en on the principle of the inclined plane, and a similar mill for grinding grain and flax seed; also a fulling mill attached to one of the steam mills; and an esta- blishment for the manufacture of pearl ash; besides a large number of mechanical establishments, and crafts- men of various descriptions. The public buildings are a market house, a jail, a brick seminary, and a large and commodious brick court house. 'Salem is situated about eighty-two miles south from Indianap- olis. N. lat. 38 deg. 35 min. W. lon. 8 deg. 51 min.
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SALISBURY, a small village in Wayne county, about three miles cast from Centreville. It was formerly the seat of justice; and ceased to improve as soon as Centreville was made the place for holding the courts. It now contains about thirty or forty inhabitants.
SALT CREEK, a considerable mill stream, the prin- cipal sources of which are in Bartholomew and Jack- son counties, whence, passing westwardly into Monroe, and uniting with Clear creek, it takes a southern di- rection into Lawrence, and empties into the East Fork of White River, about a mile below the mouth of Lea- therwood. This creek is navigable at all times of high water, from its mouth up to its junction with Clear creek.' . It also furnishes several good millscats. But its notoriety is chicfly owing to the establishments for the manufacture of salt at the different licks along its shores, from which it has derived its name. Con- siderable quantities of salt are manufactured at these works, and it is said that the supply of salt water may be increased to any extent, by making an additional number of wells
SALT CREEK, a considerable mill stream which rises in Rush and Decatur counties, and running eastward- Jy, empties into the West Fork of Whitewater in Franklin county.
SALT CREEK, a western township in Jackson coun- ty
SALT CREEK, an eastern township in Monroe coun- ty.
SALT CREEK, one of the principal head branches
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of the West Fork of White River, in Randolph coun- ty. It rises near the centre of the county, and unit- ing with other branches, passes westwardly into Dela- ware county.
SALUDA, a western township in Jefferson county.
SALUDA, a small mill stream which rises in the south-western part of Jefferson county, and runs cast- wardly into the Ohio river.
SAND CREEK, a large mill stream which rises in Decatur county, and running south-westwardly through the north-west corner of Jennings, empties into Drift- wood about the southern boundary of Bartholomew county.
SAND CREEK, a southern township in Bartholomew county.
SAND CREEK, a southern township in Decatur coun- ty.
SANDERSVILLE, a small post village in Vanderburgh county, ten miles north of Evansville.
SciPio, a post town' in Jennings county, on Sand creek, nine miles north-west from Vernon. This vil- lage has been recently established, and has but a small population; but its prospects are said to be flatter- ing.
SCIPIO, a village in Franklin county, about eleven miles east from Brookville. It contains about two hundred inhabitants, two stores, a tavern, two black- smiths' shops, a wagon maker, a tailor, and two physi- cians.
SCONE CREEK, a small mill stream which rises in Fayette county, and runs south-eastwardly into Frank- lin, and empties into the West Fork of Whitewater on the west side, two miles south of the county line.
SCOTT, a small interior county in-the southern part of the state. It was organized in 1817, and is bound- ed on the north by Jennings and Jackson counties, on the west by Washington, on the south by Clark, and on the east by. Jefferson. It extends from north to south about fifteen miles, and about sixteen miles from east to west, including an area of about 200 square
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miles, or 128,000 acres. Its population in 1830, was, 3,097 souls. The face of the country is generally rolling; there are some flat lands inclining to marsh, and suitable only for grass. The timber consists prin- cipally of beech, sugartree, hickory, gum, and oak, with an undergrowth of oak and hickory grubs, spice, dogwood, redbud, and various other kinds of shrubs. The soil chiefly clayey ; in some parts there is a loamy soil, but not very extensive. Limestone is found on the banks of some of the creeks; on others there are extensive beds of slate; but on the higher ground, and marshy flats, there is no rock of any kind, except in the knobs in the western part of the county, where there are beds of iron ore. It is also said that sul- phur and copperas, and some other minerals have been discovered in the same region, but their quantity or value has not been ascertained. The water courses in this county are Stucker's fork of Muscatatack and its tributaries. Graham's fork winds along its north- ern border, but does not enter the county. Salt has been manufactured in several places in this county; but the water, although very strong, is not sufficiently abundant to justify the expenditure necessarily incur- red in procuring it. A few years since, a company perforated a rock upwards of seven hundred feet, near Lexington, in quest of salt water; but obtained none after passing the distance of a hundred feet. A small vein, at about that distance from the surface, afforded water of the best quality, but not sufficient in quantity to remunerate the expense, and the enterprise was therefore abandoned. This place after remaining se- veral years untouched and unnoticed, and exhibiting no appearance of water near the surface, has of late, from some unknown cause, changed its appearance; the salt water has risen to the surface and forms a liv- ing fountain of strong salt water, discharging itself in- to a creek which runs immediately by it.
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