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 13
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A large embankment of small rock, taken up when the well was opened, still remains around the opening, through which the water finds an invisible passage in-
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to the adjacent creek; from which circumstance, the quantity of water discharged from the fountain cannot be ascertained; but from an unsuccessful attempt to exhaust the quantity in the well by drawing it out, it is presumed the supply must be considerable. Wa- ter has been taken from this fountain and manufactur- ed into salt, on a small scale, by individuals in the neigh- bourhood; and it has been pronounced, by those who have tried it, to be equal if not superior in strength to the water at the salt works on Kenhawa. The pre- sent owner of the property has not thought proper to undertake the manufacture of salt at this place; but it is probable that some person will, at some time not very distant, turn the property to advantage, and let the country enjoy the benefit of Nature's bounty. The staple articles of this county are corn, oats, flour, beef, pork, potatoes, and poultry. Lexington is the seat of justice.
ScorT, a township in Montgomery county.
SCOTT, a township in Vanderburgh county.
SHAWNEY, a good mill stream in Fountain county. It passes westwardly through the north part of the county in a rich prairie to the Wabash river. On the bank of this creek once stood the Shawney town, which is now in a dilapidated state. On this creek are six saw mills, five grist mills, two of which are cal- culated `for merchant work; also a fulling mill and carding machine. It is a beautiful stream, and runs nearly its whole length in a prairie.
SHAWNEY, a township in Fountain county.
SHAWSWICK, a township in the centre of Lawrence county.
SHEFFIELD, a township in Tippecanoe county.
SHELBY, an interior county, organized in 1821, and bound on the north by Hancock, on the west by Ma- rion and Johnson, on the south by Bartholomew and Decatur, and on the east by Decatur and Rush. It extends from north to south twenty-four miles, and from east to west about eighteen miles, and includes an area of about 430 square miles, or 275,200 acres.
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Its population, in 1830, was 6,294 souls. The county consists, generally, of level forest land. The timber is walnut, hackberry, white and blue ash, sugartree, beech, buckeye, poplar, and oak. The soil is a rich dark loam with a mixture of sand ; and produces wheat, rye, corn, oats, and all kinds of vegetables commonly cultivated in this climate, in great abundance. The principal water courses are Big and Little Blue, Bran- dywine, and Sugar creek; all good mill streams. Se- veral valuable mills have been erected on these streams, and are now in operation. There are fourteen orga- nized churches in Shelby county, of which six are Baptists, six Methodists, one Roman Catholic, and one Presbyterian. Schools are also established in ev- ery township, and education is receiving the attention which its importance demands. This county has the advantage of several state roads. A state road from Rushville to Indianapolis passes through the north part of the county, a road from Rushville to Edinburgh, a road from Indianapolis to Greensburgh, and a road from Franklin in Johnson county to Andersonville in Franklin county, all pass centrally through the coun- ty. The chief articles of trade are horses, mules, cat- tle, corn, oats, pork, beef, live hogs, and poultry; all which are transported in great abundance to the east and south, where they are disposed of either for cash or foreign merchandize. Shelbyville is the seat of justice.
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SHELBY, a township in Shelby county.
SHELBY, a north-eastern township in Jefferson county.
SHELBY, a south-western township in Ripley coun- ty.
SHELBY, a township in Tippecanoe county.
SHELBYVILLE, a flourishing post town, and the seat of justice of Shelby county. It is situated on the south bank of Blue River, and is surrounded by a very ex- tensivé body of land equal to any in the western coun- try, in fertility of soil and the advantages of water courses, affording facilities both for navigation and
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machinery. Blue River is navigable for flat boats at all times of high water, and mills are on this and other streams convenient to town, affording a plentiful sup- ply of flour, meal, and lumber. The public build- ings are a large and commodious brick court house, a brick school house, and a frame meeting house belong- ing to the Methodist church. The town also contains two schools, one for males and one for females, with competent teachers; in both which several of the high- er branches are taught. There are in this town six physicians, three lawyers, two teachers, a preacher of the Gospel, and a large number of mechanics of al- most all trades, with an aggregate population of about six hundred persons. Shelbyville is twenty-six miles south-east from Indianapolis. N. lat. 39 deg. 30 min. W. lon. 8 deg. 32 min.
SHOLTZ, a township in Martin county.
SILVER CREEK, a mill stream in Clark county. It has its source in the north-west about the line divid- ing between Clark and Scott, whence it runs south to the eastern line of Floyd, and thence dividing the counties of Clark and Floyd to the Ohio river, where it empties itself just below Clarksville.
SILVER CREEK, a township in Clark county.
SILVER CREEK, a small mill stream emptying into the East Fork of Whitewater in Union county, afford- ing some valuable mill seats.
SIMON'S CREEK, a mill stream which rises in Hen- ry county, and taking a southerly direction, falls into the West Fork of Whitewater in Wayne.
SINKING. CREEK, a stream which rises in the south- ern section of Washington county, and soon disap- pears by sinking into the earth.
SIX MILE CREEK, a mill stream in Clay county. Its source is in Owen; whence it runs in a north-west- erly direction and empties into Eel river in township Il, range six west, in Clay county.
SIX MILE CREEK, a beautiful mill stream in Allen county. It empties into the Maumee on the south side, six miles below Fort Wayne, from which circum-
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stance it takes its name. On this creek are a grist mill and a saw mill now in operation.
SKELTON, a north-eastern township in Warrick 1 county.
SLINKARD'S CREEK, a mill stream, the source of which is in the north-west of Martin county, whence it takes a north-westerly direction and empties into the West Fork of White River, on the east side, near the southern boundary of Greene.
SMITHI, a north-western township in Greene coun- ty.
SMITHI, a northern township in Posey county.
SMITHFIELD, a post village in Delaware county. It is situated on the north side of White River, about seven miles east from Muncietown, and has a store, a saw and grist. mill, and a post office.
SMOTHER'S CREEK, a small stream in Daviess county. It rises in the eastern part of the county, and running westwardly, falls into the West Fork of White River on the east side.
SOLON, a small post village lately laid out by Solon Robinson, in Jennings county. ' It is situated on Rock creek, on the state road leading from Vernon to Co- lumbus, thirteen miles north-west from Vernon.
SOMERSET, a small village in Franklin county, fif- teen miles north-west from Brookville. It contains about fifty inhabitants, a tavern, a physician, a cabi- net shop, and a saddler shop. This village stands on a beautiful site, and the surrounding country is de- lightful, the land fertile, and abounding with excellent springs.
SOUTH BEND, a flourishing post town, and the seat of justice of St. Joseph county. It takes its name from its position. The St. Joseph's river passes from Mi- chigan territory in a south-westerly direction, and en- ters Indiana about the middle of the north boundary of Elkhart county, and about eight miles south of the boundary line it turns a westerly course into St. Jo- seph county, and thence north-westwardly into Mi- chigan territory again, where it falls into the eastern
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shore of lake Michigan. , About nine miles from the north boundary of the state is the most southerly point approached by this river. At this bend, on the south bank of the river, in St. Joseph county, and about ten miles north-east of the centre of the county, the town of South Bend is located. It is a pleasant situation of a beautiful black oak barren, which extends south- ward to the Kankakee marsh. The town site is about forty feet above high water.' South Bend was esta- blished ag the seat of justice in 1831, and has now about twenty brick and frame houses, and about two hundred inhabitants, three taverns, three mercantile stores, two physicians, two lawyers, a printing office, from which is issued a weekly newspaper, and a num- ber of mechanics of various occupations. The public buildings are a jail, and a large and convenient brick court house. The clay in the vicinity of this town is manufactured into bricks of a good quality ; the bricks possess the properties of strength and durability; but a peculiarity in the colour of the bricks when thorough- ly burnt, distinguishes them from those of other parts of the state. They are of a light yellow, or rather of . a cream colour. This peculiarity in the colour is said to be owing to the nature of the clay, and cannot be altered by any change in the process of manufacturing them. The lands, for a considerable distance around the town, and particularly along the river, are of the richest quality, and abundantly supplied with springs of excellent water. The town of South Bend is situ- ated about thirty-two miles east from Michigan city, and about one hundred and forty miles north from In- dianapolis. N. lat. 41 deg. 34 min. W. lon. 9 deg. 0 min.
SOUTH-EAST FORK, a branch of the, Wabash river, It rises in the state of Ohio, where its upper branches interlock with those of the St. Mary's and Stillwater; whence it takes a north westerly direction, and pass- ing through an unorganized tract of country, it enters Huntington county on the east side, and unites with Little river about twenty five miles south-west from
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Fort Wayne. This is the longest, and may be consi- dered the main branch of the Wabash. It runs through a rich tract of country, generally well timber- ed and well watered.
SOUTH-EAST, a township in the south-east corner of Orange county.
SOUTH FORK, the most southerly branch of Wild- cat creek. It rises in the Miami reserve, and runs through Clinton county, and thence into Carroll, and uniting with the other branches, passes into Tippeca- noe, and falls into the Wabash above Lafayette.
SOUTH FORK, the most southerly large branch of Muscatatack. It is usually known by the naine of Graham; which see.
SOUTH-WEST, a township in the south-west corner of Orange county.
SPARTA, a township in Dearborn county.
SPENCER, a southern county bordering on the Ohio river. It was organized in 1818, and is bounded on the north by Dubois county, on the west by Warrick, on the south by the Ohio river, and on the east by Perry. Its greatest extent is from north-east to south- west, about thirty-four miles. Its greatest extent from north to south is twenty-four miles, and from east to west eighteen miles. It contains about 400 square miles, or 256,000 acres. In 1830, it had 3,187 inha- bitants. Spencer is entirely a forest country, and ge- perally level. The timber most common in the coun- · ty consists of gum, beech, poplar, hickory, walnut, ash, and various kinds of oak. The undergrowth is spice, dogwood, and hazel. The soil is principally clay, covered, in some places, by a light loam, and near the Ohio river a small proportion of sand. An- derson river bounds the county on the cast, and Lit- tle Pigeon on the west. Sandy is the only stream of note, in the interior of the county. Stone coal of a good quality is found in many places in this region. The. staple products of the county are oats, corn, grass, flour, hemp, tobacco, beef, pork, and poultry. Rock- port is the seat of justice.
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SPENCER, a post town and seat of justice of Owen county. It is situated on the north-west bank of the West Fork of White River, and is surrounded by a body of excellent land, and is in a prosperous and pro- gressive state of improvement. The town contains a court house and jail, a Methodist meeting house, a Baptist meeting house, four stores, two physicians, an oil mill, a carding machine, a rope walk, a copper and tin manufactory, and many other mechanical esta- blishments of various kinds; with an aggregate popu- lation of about three hundred inhabitants. It is about
fifty miles south-west from Indianapolis. N. lat. 39 deg. 17 min. W. lon. 9 deg. 33 min.
. SPICEWOOD VALLEY, a south-western township in Lawrence county.
SPRINGFIELD, an eastern township in Franklin coun- ty. 1
SPRINGFIELD, a small village in Posey county, eight miles north of Mount Vernon, containing about thirty inhabitants.
SPRINGFIELD, a small village in Vermillion county, about six miles north from Newport.
SPRINKLESBURGH, a small village on the bank of the Ohio riyer, in Warrick county. It is also called Newburgh, and Mount Prospect ; which sec.
STAFFORD, a south-western township in Greene county.
STEELE'S PRAIRIE, a large and beautiful prairie, lying along the West Fork of White River, in the western part of Daviess county.
ST. JOSEPHI, a northern county, bordering on the Michigan territory .. It was organized in 1830; and is bounded on the north by the Michigan territory, on the west by La Porte and the unorganized territory south of La Porte, on the south by the unorganized lands, and on the east by the unorganized lands and by Elkhart . county. Its extent is about thirty miles from north to south, and twenty-seven miles from east to west, including an area of about 740 square miles, or 473,600 acres. Its population in 1830, was two
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hundred and eighty seven inhabitants; in June 1832, it was estimated at fifteen hundred, and so great has been the emigration that it is at this time estimated at upwards of two thousand. The face of the country in some parts is level, and in some parts gently undu- lating. A large portion of the south-eastern section of the county is forest land, covered with sugartree, beech, elm, poplar, walnut, cherry, ash, and oak. The north-western section is chiefly prairie and barrens, including the large and fertile prairies of Portage and Terre-Coupe. The east side of the county, along the river, and north to the territorial line, is also oak bar- rens. The soil, through all the variety of forest, bar- rens, and prairie, is loamy with a greater or less mix- ture of sand. A few feet under the surface, the earth is generally composed of sand and gravel; but in some places a bed of clay is found. The gravel is generally mixed with limestone and marl, and the water is strong- ly impregnated with those qualities. The loamy soil throughout the county, is generally dark coloured, deep, and very fertile. The black oak and hickory lands, having a greater, proportion of sand, have a lighter colour when first turned up by the plough, but change their appearance, and assume a more dark loamy aspect, and are very little if any inferior in fer- tility to the prairies. Besides the soil already describ- ed, there are marshes of considerable extent. The Kankakee marsh is the most extensive; it is on an av- crage, about a mile and a half in width, and extends from within a mile and a half of South Bend in a south-
westerly direction about twenty-miles.
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marsh about three fourths of a mile in width, com- mences about three and a half miles above South Bend, and runs parallel with the river, and from one to two miles distant from it, about six or seven miles, termi- nating near the eastern boundary of the county. An- other, of greater dimension than the last mentioned, lies on the north side of the river. These marshes are of a deep vegetable formation, and generally bog- gy; but all capable of being drained; and will unques- 15*
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tionably, when subdued, make the best of meadow and corn land. In a state of nature they are covered with grass and weeds such as are congenial to a bog. gy soil. No quarries of rock have been discovered in this county; but solitary blocks of granite are scat- tered over all parts, of which millstones of a good qua- lity have been manufactured. It is said that iron ore is abundant and that a furnace is about to be erected near south bend. . The principal water courses are the St. Joseph's river, Kankakee, and Bobango. Se- veral small creeks empty into the St. Joseph in this county, which, although small, afford abundant facili- ties for mills and other machinery. No great quanti- ties of produce have yet been raised in this county for foreign market; but in the course of a few years, a great surplus may be calculated upon, over the de- mands for domestic use. The soil is well suited to the production of grass, esculent roots, and all kinds of small grain. South Bend is the scat of justice.
ST. JOSEPH'S RIVER, a beautiful stream, which has its source in Michigan territory, about seventy-five miles north-east from Fort Wayne; whence it takes a south-westerly course, passing through the north-west corner of Ohio, into the state of Indiana, and unites with the St. Mary's river at Fort Wayne, where the junction of the two streams forms the Maumee.
ST. JOSEPH'S RIVER, a beautiful river which rises in Michigan territory, and runs south-westwardly, en- tering Indiana about the middle of the northern line of Elkhart county, and after receiving Elkhart river, and other tributaries, passes westwardly into St. Jo- seph county, and turning to the north-west again en- ters Michigan territory and makes its way into Lake Michigan. At the most southerly bend of this river, stands the town of South Bend, the seat of justice of St. Joseph county. This river is navigable from its mouth, one hundred and fifty miles, at all seasons of the year, unless when obstructed by ice. It is a hun- dred yards wide at South Bend, and contains an unu- sual quantity of water for a river of that width.
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STILESVILLE, a village on the National Road, in the south-west corner of Hendricks county, about 12 miles south-west from Danville. It has a store, a blacksmith, and two house joiners, and about sixty in- habitants.
ST. MARY'S RIVER, a notable stream which rises in the state of Ohio, and runs north-westwardly, entering Indiana, and uniting with St Joseph's river at Fort Wayne, where the Maumee is formed by the junction of the two streams. St. Marys runs through a coun- try of rich level land, and is, about three months in the year, navigable for light boats, a distance of twen- ty miles from its mouth.
ST. OMAR, a village in Decatur county. It is situ- ated on the Michigan Road, ten miles north-west from Greensburgh, in a tract of rich land, in a prosperous state of improvement, and well supplied with mill seats. It contains about one hundred inhabitants.
STONY CREEK, a mill stream in Hamilton county. It runs south-west and empties into White River above Noblesville.
STONY CREEK, a township in Henry county.
STOTT'S CREEK, a mill stream which rises in John- son county, and passing westwardly into Morgan, falls into the West Fork of White River above Martins- ville.
STRAWTOWN, a village in Hamilton county. It is situated on White River about eight miles north-east from Noblesville. It contains two stores, a physician, and several mechanics, with a small population.
STRAWTOWN, a township in Hamilton county.
STUCKER'S FORK, a southern branch of Muscatatack in Scott county. It is the principal water course in the county, and has water sufficient for any kind of machinery a great part of the year, but falls very low in a dry season.
SUGAR CREEK, a large and beautiful stream, which rises in the south side of Clinton and the north of Boon, and passing westwardly, enters Montgomery on the
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north-east, and runs south-westwardly through Mont- gomery, by Crawfordsville, entering Parke on the north-east; and taking a westerly direction through Parke, empties into the Wabash river about four miles above Montezuma. 'This stream has many rapids, which afford excellent mill seats, on several of which are valuable mills. The land on its borders is gene- rally fertile, and well supplied with pure water and valuable timber.
SUGAR CREEK, a western township in Boon county.
SUGAR CREEK, a small creek in the east side of Da- viess county, running in a southerly direction into the East Fork of White River.
SUGAR CREEK, a township in Hancock county.
SUGAR CREEK, a large and beautiful mill stream, the principal source of which is in Henry county; whence it winds in a westerly and south-westerly di- rection, passing through Hancock, and the north-west of Shelby, to the north-east corner of Johnson, then taking a southerly direction it winds along the line di- viding between Johnson and Shelby, and unites with Blue River in the south-east corner of Johnson county ; where the junction of the two streams forms the Drift- wood, or East Fork of White River.
. SUGAR CREEK, a township in Montgomery county.
SUGAR CREEK, a small mill stream in Randolph county. It rises about four miles south-west from Winchester; whence it runs in a northeasterly direc- tion, and empties into White River north of Winches- ter. It has one mill on it.
SUGAR CREEK, a township in Shelby county.
SUGAR CREEK, a mill strcam in Vigo county. It rises in the border of the Grand Prairie, in Illinois, and runs south westwardly to the Wabash river about two miles below Terre Haute.
SUGAR CREEK, a township in Vigo county.
SUGAR LANDS, a remarkably fertile tract of land in Daviess county, containing upwards of twenty thou- sand acres. It lies in the interior of the county, a lit- the distance north and north-west of Washington,
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The soil is a rich loam, and bears an immense quanti- ty of sugartrec.
SULLIVAN, a western county, bordering on the Wa- bash river. It was organized in 1816, and is bounded on the north by Vigo, on the west by the Wabash ri- ver, on the south by Knox, and on the cast by Greene and Clay. It extends from north to south twenty- four miles, and from cast to west about eighteen miles, comprehending an arca of about 430 square miles, or 275,200 acres. In 1830, it contained 4,696 inhabi- tants. The land is generally level forest land, but there are some very rich prairies in the county, which are chiefly near the river, and are exceedingly produc- tive. The general character of the county is that of a rich, fertile soil; but there are some tracts of land interspersed in different parts of the county which are rather barren; some of them are sandy, dry, and ste- ril; others are cold and clayey, and unfit for the pro- duction of any kind of grain. The whole county tak- en together, however, may with propriety be denomi- nated a county of rich, fertile land. Exclusive of the barren parts, which are inconsiderable, the timber consists of beech, ash, elm, walnut, poplar, sugartree, buckeye, and the different varieties of oak. The bar- ren land bears a small growth of black and white oak, and in the' wet lands, a great proportion. of hickory. The soil is loam with a mixture of sand, and very pro- ductive. The principal water courses are the Wabash on the western border, and in the interior, are Tur- man's creek, Turtle creek, and Busserow. Rock is not abundant in this county. Some limestone is found along the water courses, and in some places a dark coloured sandstone. Several beds of coal have been discovered, which is said to be of a good quality. The staple articles of the county are such as are general- ly produced in the west. Horses, mules, and live hogs are frequently transported from this part of the state to the cast and south; and corn, flour, pork, beef, oats, hemp, potatoes, and poultry, are the most common arti- cles for the river trade. Merom is the seat of justice.
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SWANKSVILLE, a small village in Putnam county, about sixteen miles a little west of north from Green- castle.
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SWITZERLAND, a south-eastern county bordering on the Ohio river. It was organized in 1814; and is bounded on the north by Dearborn and Ripley, on the west by Jefferson, and on the south and east by the Ohio river. Its greatest extent from north to south is about eighteen miles, and from east to west about twenty-four miles. It contains about 300 square miles, or 192,000 acres. Its population, in 1830, was 7,111. The face of the country, the soil, and timber, are variant. The bottom lands along the river arc level. The timber consists of beech, walnut, cherry, honey locust, ash, elm, and buckeye. The soil is a dark loam with a heavy mixture of sand. Next to the bottom is a high, hilly land considerably broken, and the hills in some places very precipitous. On these hills the timber is not much different from that which is found in the bottoms; blue ash, and large buckeye abound on the steepest places. In this tract, which extends back from the river about three or four miles, the soil is a dark rich loam with a smaller pro- portion of sand than the bottom lands, and equally fer- tile where cultivation is practicable. In this hilly re- gion, are vast quantities of limestone, and in some pla- ces high cliffs, from which detached masses of rock have fallen on the subjacent plain. Passing from the river a few miles back, the hills extend gradually, form- ing a high table land, covered with becch, gum, pop- lar, ash, hickory, and all varieties of oak. In this high land the soil is clayey and calcareous, and pro- duces plentiful crops of small grain and grass. This county is washed by the Ohio river on the cast and south. Its interior streams are Indian creek, Plum creek, Bryant's creek, Turtle creek, and Grant's creek; all which run into the Ohio river. In this county the
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