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 6
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also several other incorporated schools, six Methodist, and four Baptist meeting houses. The staple products of the county are flour, wheat, corn horses, mules, pork, beef, and poultry. Connersville is the seat of justice.
FAYETTE, a township in Vigo county.
FISH CREEK, a small mill stream in Owen county, which runs in a south-eastern direction, and empties into White River below the town of Spencer.
FLINN, an eastern township in Lawrence county .
FLORIDA, a township in Parke county.
FLOYD, a southern county, bounded on the north by Washington county, on the west by Harrison, on the south by the Ohio river, and on the east by Clark, Its greatest extent is about sixteen miles from north to south, and about the same distance from cast to west. It contains an arca of 200 square miles, or 128,000 acres. It was organized in 1819, and, in 1830, con- tained a population of 6,363 souls. There are no con- siderable streams within the limits of the county: the Ohio river washes its southern border, and Silver creek divides it from Clark on the east. Some head branches of Big Indian and Little Indian rise in Floyd and pass westwardly into Harrison; and some very in- considerable streams run from the knobs into the Ohio river. The face of the country is various; a range of hills called knobs, runs through the county from north to south, and terminates within half a mile of the Ohio river. East of those knobs the country is either level or gently undulating. The knobs are composed of slate, clay, soft sand stone, and iron ore ; above the clay and ore is a stratum of free stone, very valuable for the purposes of building. Above the sand or frec- stone, on the highest pinnacles of the knobs, there is a stratum of lime stone, which increases westwardly un- til it becomes upwards of a hundred feet in depth. Be- low the stratum which forms the base of the knobs, is a bituminous slate, in which some slight traces of stone coal have been discovered. On Falling run, and near to New-Albany is a spring, commonly known by the
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name of the Bubbling or Boiling spring, from its con- stant emission of inflammable gass, which is said to con- sist of carburetted and sulphuretted hydrogen. The timber in this county varies according to the varieties of soil and surface; the low grounds near the river, and along the banks of Silver creek, are covered with the same kinds of timber usually found on river lands; on the knobs, the white, red, black, Spanish, and ches- nut oaks are abundant, and pine in some parts; the rolling or hilly lands on the west, afford chesnut, pop- lar, beech, and sugartree. The oak of this county is spoken of as being peculiarly excellent for the con- struction of ships and steam boats. The undergrowth is also various according to soil; spice, paupaw, sassa- fras, and grape vines, are in different parts of the coun- ty; and on the ridges in many places, the bilberry and whortleberry are very abundant. This county, al- though of limited extent, is perhaps not excelled by any in the state, in the variety and extent of the busi- ness carried on in it. It contains three ship yards, two boat yards, a roap walk, two iron foundries, a brass foundry, a steam engine manufactory and fin- ishing shop, and several other valuable establishments, both beneficial to the country and profitable to the owners. There are, on an average, about five hun- dred mechanics constantly employed, and the greater portion of them are engaged in the various depart- ments connected with the construction of ships and steam boats. The average income, from the river bu- siness, is estimated at $75,000 per annum, and it is also calculated that, in the last five years past, the steam boats built in this county amount to five cach year, besides about twenty annually repaired. The staple articles are the same as in the other counties in this part of the state. New Albany is the seat of justice.
FORKS VILLAGE, an Indian village on the Wabash, still occupied by a few Indians but gradually depo- pulating, said to contain at this time about 50 Indians.
FORT WAYNE, a post town, and the seat of justice
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of Allen county. It is a beautiful situation on the south bank of the St. Mary's river which meets the St. Joseph at the north-east corner of the town, where the two in conjunction form the Maumee. On the high bank of Maumee, at the east end of the town, arc the decayed remains of the fort erected here during the late war. The works are advantageously situa- ted; being on high ground, and at the head of the ri- ver, they command a raking fire on the stream below. This was at one time a tenable position; but with all its strength it has fallen a victim to the ruthless hand of time. Fort Wayne must, in the course of time, be- come a place of much business. The line of the Wa- bash and Erie canal passes through it, which will, when completed, add much to its commercial impor- tance. It is supposed to contain, at this time, about five hundred inhabitants. lt has seven mercantile stores, three taverns, two doctors, two lawyers, and a great variety of mechanies. It has also a public school, and meeting house, a brick court house and jail; and a printing office is also about to be establish- ed shortly, for the publication of a weekly newspaper. It is one hundred and twelve miles north-east from In- dianapolis. N. lat. 40 deg. 59 min. W. lon. 7 deg. 54 min.
FOUNTAIN, a western county, bounded on the north by Warren, on the west by Warren and Vermillion, on the south by Parke, and on the east by Montgom -. ery and Tippecanoe. Its greatest extent from north to south is about thirty miles, and from east to west about sixteen miles. It contains about 400 square- miles, or 256,000 acres. It was organized in 1825 and contained, in 1830, a population of 7,644 persons. The face of the country is gently undulating, and beautifully variegated with heavy forests and rich prairies; and watered by numerous streams affording facilities for mills and machinery of all descriptions. The soil is generally a black loam with a mixture of sand, and exceedingly productive. The forest trees are walnut, ash, sugartree, beech, poplar, buck-
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eye, and all the varieties of oak and hickory; with an undergrowth of spice, paupaw, and hawthorn. Its principal water courses are the Wabash river, on its western and northern border, and Coal creek and Shawney creek with their tributaries, in the interior. It contains two Presbyterian, three Methodist, and two Unitarian churches; five Sunday schools, and about twenty common schools. Covington is the seat of justice.
FOURTEEN MILE CREEK, a large and valuable mill stream, the sources of which are in Jefferson and Scott counties, whence it runs in a southerly direction, and empties into the Ohio river in Clark county, fourteen miles above the falls, from which circumstance it de- rives its name. On this creek are several valuable mills; particularly that known by the name of Industry mills, erected by Mr. John Work, near Charlestown.
FRANKFORT, a post town and seat of justice of Clin- ton county. It is situated on the South Fork of Wild- cat, and near to the margin of a beautiful prairie. The situation is pleasant and surrounded by a large body of fertile land; but the town, since its establish- ment, has not had time to make much progress in po- pulation or improvements. It was laid off in 1830, and has at this time about one hundred and fifty inha- bitants. It is about forty-five miles north north-west from Indianapolis. N. lat. 40 deg. 17 min. W. lon. 9 deg. 10 min.
FRANKLIN, an eastern county, bounded on the north by Union and Fayette counties, on the west by Rush and Decatur, on the south by Ripley and Dearborn, and on the east by the state of Ohio. It is about fif- teen miles in extent, from north to south, and twenty- seven miles from east to west, containing an area of 405 square miles, or 259,200 acres, and had, in 1830, a population of 10,199 inhabitants. The eastern part of the county is generally level, the western part somewhat rolling. The principal kinds of timber are walnut, sugartree, poplar, beech, ash, and oak, the un- dergrowth spice and paupaw. The soil in the east-
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ern and northern parts of the county is a black loam; in the south-west it is thin and clayey. The rock is generally limestone. The principal water courses are the East and West Branches of Whitewater, which enter the county on the north, and converging in their course, unite their waters near to Brookville, and pass on south-eastwardly into Dearborn county.
In Franklin county are numerous monuments of an- cient population, consisting of tumuli or mounds of earth, and of structures of stone imbedded in the earth and arched over with some apparent skill; so that de- posits, whether of bones, or utensils, are found, after the lapse of centuries, in a remarkable state of preserva- tion. These remains of ancient works are found on the low grounds in the immediate vicinity of White- water; they are also occasionally to be met with on the summits of the highest hills on its borders. Some of these tumuli have been excavated and have been found to contain human bones and various articles of ornament or use. Upon the summit of a very high hill, between two and three miles below the conflu- ence of the two branches of Whitewater, there was an arched structure of stone, which has been explored, and is now in a dilapidated state, in which were hu- man bones of unusual size; a comparison of which with others in the neighbourhood, and with those of the early settlers in that quarter, demonstrated that these bones had belonged to a race of men quite above the stature of either the present occupants of the soil, or any nation of Indians within our knowledge. There has been recently found, in the vicinity of Brookville, on a low bottom on the margin of the river, a stone weighing a little more than half a pound, on which is neatly sculptured a death's head, together with the head of a bird, supposed to be intended as a suitable accompaniment to the representation of mortality. This stone was turned up to view by the plough, and was secured by a young man who was cultivating a field near the river. It is of a blackish colour and un-
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usually heavy. Franklin county was organized in 1810. Brookville is the seat of justice.
FRANKLIN, a township in the northern part of Floyd county.
FRANKLIN, an eastern township in Harrison county:
FRANKLIN, a south-western township in Hendricks county.
FRANKLIN, a township in Henry county.
FRANKLIN, a centre township in Johnson county; including the seat of justice.
FRANKLIN, a post town, and the seat of justice of Johnson county, situated on the state road leading from Columbus to Indianapolis, and near the centre of the county. It stands on a high bluff on the east bank of Young's creek, surrounded by a body of as rich land as any in the state, and contains a population of about two hundred and fifty souls, four mercantile stores, two taverns, two lawyers, two physicians, and a number of mechanics of various kinds. It is twenty miles south of Indianapolis. N. lat. 39 deg. 27 min. W. Ion. 8 deg. 50 min.
FRANKLIN, a township in the south-east corner of Marion county.
FRANKLIN, a township in Montgomery county.
FRANKLIN, a township in the south-east of Owen county.
FRANKLIN, a north-eastern township in Ripley county.
FRANKLIN, a township in Washington county.
FREDERICKSBURGHI, a village on the west bank of Blue River, in Washington county, about twelve miles south-west from Salem, containing about fifty inhabi- tants.
FREDONIA, a post town, and the seat of justice of Crawford county. It is situated on a high bluff on the Ohio river, at the Great Horse Shoe Bend, and af- fords a romantic and delightful prospect about two miles down and two and a half up the river. Oppo- site the town is a large eddy which makes a safe har- bour for boats of the largest size, at any stage of the
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water. The town contains one hundred and ten in- habitants, three mercantile stores, a tavern, a teacher, and two physicians, also a carding and spinning ma- chine in full operation, a steam grist and saw mill; and a ship yard. There is a state road from this town, by the way of Paoli, Bedford, and Bloomington, to In- dianapolis. There is a scientific school also in this place, and about twenty mechanics of various descrip- tions. It is about one hundred and ten miles south of Indianapolis. N. lat. 38 deg. 10 min. W. lon. 9 deg. 7 min:
FRENCH LICK, a spring of mineral water in Orange county, about nine miles west from Paoli. The lands including the French lick were reserved from sale by the Government, and are now the property of the state of Indiana. It is said that salt was manufactur- ed at this place in former years, by the French and Indians, but it is not now thought to be valuable as a salt spring. The water contains a large portion of some other substance than salt; but has not been suf- ficiently analyzed to determine precisely its ingredi- ents. It is of a bluish colour, and emits a very strong offensive odour, and is exceedingly loathsome. The lands in the vicinity of this lick are very broken and hilly, but are valuable on account of the quarries of sand rock which they contain, which is of an excellent. grit for grindstones and whetstones. There have been from fifty to a hundred hands employed at one time in these quarries, and the amount of manufactured rock sent off, in one year, is estimated at fifteen thousand dollars.
Fuarr, an eastern township in Decatur county.
GALENA, a stream which rises in La Porte county and runs northwestwardly into Lake Michigan.
GARRISON'S CREEK, a considerable mill stream, which rises in Fayette county, and runs in a southeast- erly direction into the West Fork of Whitewater on the west side, in the county of Franklin.
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GENEVA, a north-western township in Jennings county.
GENTRYVILLE, a small village in Spencer county, seventeen miles north of Rockport. It contains about fifty inhabitants, two mercantile stores, and a number of mechanics.
GEORGETOWN, a village lately laid off on the Mi- chigan road in Boon county, nine miles east of Le- banon.
GERMAN, a township in Bartholomew county.
GIBSON, a south-western county bordering on the Wabash river, bounded on the north by Knox county, on the west by the Wabash river, on the south by Po- sey and Vanderburgh, and on the east by Warrick and Pike. It is, in its greatest extent, about twenty- five miles from north to south, and about twenty-nine miles from cast to west. It contains about four hun- dred and fifty square miles, or 288,000 acres.
The face of the country is gently rolling and cover- ed with walnut, beech, poplar, ash, cherry, buckeye and oak, with an undergrowth of paupaw, spice, and hawthorn. Its population, in 1830, was 5,417 per- sons. It was organized in 1813. The soil is gone- rally loam and sand, and very productive. The prin- cipal water courses are White River, on its northern border; the Wabash, on the west; and Patoka, passing through the interior from east to west. Princeton is the seat of justice. The products of the county are corn, wheat, rye, oats, beef, pork, flour, and poultry.
GIBSON, a township in Washington county.
GILL, a township bordering on the Wabash river in Sullivan county.
GOSHEN, a village lately established in Bartholo- mew county. It is not yet much improved but has the prospect of becoming a place of some importance. It is situated in a rich, fertile tract of country, about twelve miles east of Columbus.
GOSHEN, a post town, and the seat of justice of Elk- hart county. It is situated on the east bank of Elk- hart river, near the centre of the county. Having
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been but recently established, it has not yet acquired any considerable population. It is about one hundred and thirty miles north of Indianapolis. N. lat. 41 deg, 34 min. W. Jon. 8 deg. 41 min.
GOSPORT, a village in Owen county, on White Ri- ver, eight miles above Spencer. The situation is healthy, and from its natural advantages, it bids fair to . be a place of importance. It contains about sixty or seventy inhabitants, two stores, and several mechani- cal establishments.
GRAHAM, a branch of Muscatatack, sometimes call- ed Graham's Fork. It has its source in Ripley coun: ty, and takes a south-westerly course through Jen- nings, and after crossing a north western corner of Jef- ferson and receiving Big creek from the south, it forms the division between Jennings and Scott, and between Washington and Scott, till it unites with the North Fork and forms the Muscatatack.
GRANT, an interior county, bounded on the north by Huntington and Wabash counties, on the west by part of the Miami reserve, on the south by Madison and Delaware, and on the east by unorganized terri- tory. It extends about twenty-one miles from north to south, and about the same distance from east to west. It contains four hundred and fifteen square miles, equal to 265,600 acres. It was organized in 1831, after the last census; and has a very sparse po- pulation, the number unknown. The face of the coun- try is generally level, and the greater part covered with heavy timber. The soil on the high land is chiefly loam and clay, and somewhat sandy on the ri- vers. The principal forest trees are beech, poplar, walnut, hackberry, buckeye, sugartree, and bur oak, with an undergrowth of spice and paupaw. The rock generally limestone. The only water courses in this county, of much note, are the Mississinewa and its tri- butaries. Marion is the seat of justice.
GRANT'S CREEK, a small stream which rises in Switzerland and runs southwardly into the Ohio river.
GRASS, a northern township in Spencer county.
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GRASSY FORK, a mill stream in Jackson county. It rises in the interior and runs southwardly into the Muscatatack.
GREENCASTLE, a pleasant flourishing post town, the seat of justice of Putnam county. It is situated on a high table land near to the centre of the county. It contains about five hundred inhabitants, seven mercan- tile stores, two taverns, two physicians, four lawyers, a county seminary in a flourishing condition, a carding machine, and a mill propelled by horse power. The public buildings are a jail, a brick court house, a brick seminary, and two meeting houses. The town also contains a number of mechanics, prosperously pursu- ing their several professions, and giving life and vigor to the whole village. It is situated about forty-five miles, a little south of west from Indianapolis. N. lat. 39 deg. 36 min. W. łon. 9 deg. 39 min.
GREENE, a western county, bounded on the north by Owen and Clay counties, on the west by Sullivan, on the south by Knox, Daviess and Martin, and on the east by Lawrence and Monroe. It is eighteen miles in extent from north to south, and thirty miles from east to west; containing an area of 540 square miles, or 345,600 acres. It was organized in 1821, and con- tained in 1830, a population of 4,253 souls. The West Fork of White River passes nearly through the centre of the county. On the river, the soil is a rich loam, and exceedingly productive; the bluffs are more sandy. The chief timber is poplar, beech, sugartree, walnut, buckeye, and oak; with an undergrowth of paupaw, spice, and hazel; the land on the east side of the river is hilly, on the west level. There is some limestone rock on the east side of the river; the rock on the west side is generally sandstone, some iron ore, and several beds of stone coal. The principal water courses in the county are White River, Eel river, and Richland creek. The staple articles of the county are horses, mules, beef cattle, pork, flour and potatoes. Bloomfield is the seat of justice. White River is nav- igable through the whole extent of the county. 8
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GREENE, a south-western township in Madison county.
GREENE, a township in Morgan county,
GREENE, a township in Parke county.
GREENE, a northern township in Wayne county.
GREENFIELD, a post town, and the seat of justice of Hancock county. It is situated on the National Road, about half a mile west of Brandywine, and near to the centre of the county. It is surrounded by a body of rich fertile land in a very prosperous and flourishing state of improvement. Its present popu- Jation amounts to about two hundred persons. It con- tains two mercantile stores, two taverns, one lawyer, one physician, and craftsmen of many trades. The town is supplied with water by a very notable spring within its limits, and has the advantage of mills at con- venient distances, on the streams which pass through the county. It is about twenty miles east of Indian- apolis. N. lat. 39 deg. 46 min. W. lon. 8 deg. 35.
GREENSBOROUGHI, a small post village in Franklin county, about seven miles north-west from Brookville. It contains about sixty inhabitants, one mercantile store, two taverns, and several mechanics.
GREENSBURGII, a flourishing post town, the seat of justice of Decatur county. It is situated on the Michi- gan road, nearly in the centre of the county, surround- ed by a flourishing settlement and a very industrious population. The first settlement of the town was com- menced in 1823, and it now contains about eight hun- dred inhabitants, and has three taverns, seven mercan- tile stores, four physicians, four lawyers, and a vari- ety of craftsmen of almost all trades. The dwelling houses are generally of brick, and of considerable size ; the neighborhood is remarkably healthy, and contains no local cause of disease. Greensburgh is forty-six miles south-east of Indianapolis. N. Jat. 39 deg. 18 min. W. lon. 8 deg. 15 min.
GREEN'S FORK, a branch of the West Fork of Whitewater, It has its source in Randolph county
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'about eight miles south-east of Winchester; whence it passes southwardly, and unites with the other tributa- ries of the West Fork, in the southern border of Wayne county.
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GREENVILLE, a village in Floyd county, about twelve miles north-west of New-Albany, on the road leading to Vincennes. It contains about two hun- dred inhabitants, three stores, a tavern, a post-office, a school house, a mill, a carding machine, and several mechanics.
GREENVILLE, a township in the northern part of Floyd county, including the village of the same name.
GREENWOOD, an academy in Johnson county, where the Greek, Latin, and English languages, and the li- beral sciences are taught. At this seminary are now from forty to fifty pupils studying various branches. The institution is at present under the superintend- ence of the Rev. William W. Wood.
GUILFORD, a south-eastern township in. Hendricks county.
GUM CREEK, a small mill stream which rises in the western part of Jackson county and runs eastwardly into the East Fork of White River.
GUTHRIE'S CREEK, a considerable mill stream which rises in Jackson and Bartholomew, enters Lawrence county near the north- east corner, and taking a south- westerly course, empties into the East Fork of White River, near to the centre of the county.
HADDAN, an eastern township in Sullivan county. HALF-MOON SPRING, a very noted spring in Orange county, near to Judge Chambers' farm, on the old French lick road, four miles south-east of Paoli. Its superficies presents the form of a half moon. It rises in a plat of level rich land which extends some dis- tance from the spring on all sides. The depth of the water in the spring is a hundred feet. It abounds with fish, and never freezes, and affords water sufficient
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to drive a mill. It was much used as an advantage- ous camping ground by troops marching to the west, during the late Indian war.
HALL, a township in Dubois county.
HAMILTON, an interior county, bounded on the north by unorganized territory, on the west by Clin- ton and Boon counties, on the south by Marion and Hancock, and on the east by Madison. It extends a- bout twenty miles from east to west, and about the same distance from north to south; containing an area of about four hundred square miles, or 256,000 acres. It was organized in the year 1823. The land is gene- rally forest; but there are some prairies along the ri- ver. The soil is clayey in some parts, but more gene- rally loam mixed with sand. The prevailing timber is beech, sugartree, buckeye, walnut, poplar, and oak; with an undergrowth of spice, dogwood, and paupaw. The rock is limestone; and some soft sand rock is also found in some parts of the county. The principal streams are White river and its several branches, Cice- ro, Coal creek, Stony creek, and Fall creek. The population in 1830 was 1,705 persons. Noblesville is the seat of justice.
HAMILTON, a northern township in Jackson county. HAMILTON, a northern township in Sullivan county.
HAMMER'S MILL, a large and valuable mill in Law- rence county.' It stands about one hundred yards from the source of the stream by which it is propelled. A spring forming the stream issues out of the side of a hill, high enough to admit a large overshot wheel. This mill does a very extensive business in the manu- facture of flour, both for domestic consumption and for foreign market; and the situation is, of itself, a na- tural curiosity, worth the attention of an explorer of the country.
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