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CHAPTER III.
EVENTS PRIOR TO THE FORMATION OF GREENE COUNTY-THE CREATION ORGANIZATION-THE
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURT-REPORT OF THE COUNTY SEAT COMMISSIONERS-FIRST
OFFICERS-IMPORTANT ACTS OF THE BOARD-CREATION OF TOWNSHIPS-MISCELLANEOUS
ITEMS-THE FIRST COUNTY SEAT-THE RELOCATION AT BLOOMFIELD-STATISTICS
TREASURER'S REPORT-INTERESTING EVENTS-LOGAN, WHITE RIVER AND GUILFORD
COUNTIES
DURING the Territorial period of Indiana, the population was so sparse that
the few counties which had been organized comprised large tracts of wild
country. Knox County was one of the earliest created, and not only included
its present limits —but all of Indiana west of the West Fork of White River,
and southwest of the Indian boundary line, separating Harrison's Purchase of
1809 from the New Purchase of 1818. Thus, all of Greene County west of the
West Fork of White River was part and parcel of Knox County, and so remained
until 1816, when it was constituted a part of the new county of Sullivan. In
1821, it became the western portion of Greene County. All of Greene County
east of the West Fork of White River was made a part of Orange County in
December, 1815, and a part of Daviess County in 1817, and remained with the
latter until the formation of Greene in 1821. The following is the full text
of the act creating Greene County.
AN ACT FOR THE FORMATION OF A NEW COUNTY OUT OF THE COUNTIES OF SULLIVAN AND
DAVIESS:
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That from and
after the first Monday of February next, all that part of the counties of
Sullivan and Daviess contained in the following bounds, shall form and
constitute a separate county, viz.: Beginning at the northeast corner of
Township 8 north, of Range 3 west, of the Second Principal Meridian; thence
south to the southeast corner of Township 6 north, Range 3 west; thence west
to the southwest corner of Township 6 north, Range 7 west; thence north to
the northwest corner of Township 8 north, Range 7 west; thence east to and
east with the south boundary of Owen County to the place of beginning.
SEC. 2. The said new county shall be known and designated by the name of the
county of Greene, and shall enjoy all the rights, privileges and
jurisdictions which to separate and independent counties do or may properly
apnefain or belong.
SEC. 3. Amos Rogers, of Daviess County; Abraham Markle, Jr., of Vigo County;
Abraham Case, of Knox County; William White, of Sullivan County, and Charles
Polk, of Knox County, are hereby appointed Commissioners, agreeably to the
act entitled " An act for fixing the seat of justice in all new counties
hereafter to be laid off." Approved January 2, 1818, and the act entitled
"An act supplemental to the act entitled `An act fixing the seat of justice
in all new counties hereafter to be laid off,' " approved January 29, 1818.
The Commissioners above named shall convene at the house of Thomas Bradford,
in the said county of Greene, 'on the first Monday of March next, and shall
immediately proceed to discharge the duties assigned them by law. It is
hereby made the duty of the Sheriff of Knox County to notify the said
Commissioners either in person or by written notification of their
appointments, on or before the first day of February next, and the said
Sheriff of Knox County shall receive from the said county of Greene so much
as the County Commissioners shall deem just and reasonable, who are hereby
authorized to allow the same out of any moneys in the County Treasury, in
the same manner other claims are paid.
SEC. 4. The Circuit Court and all other courts of the county. of Greene
shall meet and be holden at the house of Thomas Bradford in the said county
of Greene, until suitable accommodations can be had at the seat of justice
hereafter to be selected according to law; and so soon as the courts of said
county are satisfied that suitable accommodations can be had at the county
seat they shall adjourn their courts thereto, after which time all the
courts for the county of Greene shall be holden at the county seat of Greene
to be established as directed by law: Provided, however, that the Circuit
Court shall have power, and are hereby authorized to remove the courts of
said county from the house of Thomas Bradford to any other place previous to
the public buildings being completed, should the Circuit Court see proper so
to do.
SEC. 5. The agent who shall be appointed to superintend the sales of lots of
the county seat of the county of Greene shall reserve ten per cent-um out of
the proceeds thereof, and also ten per centum out of the donations made to
the county, and pay the same over to such person or persons as may be
appointed by law to receive the same for the use of a library for said
county of Greene, which he shall pay over at such time or times and places
as may be directed by law.
SEC. 6. The Board of County Commissioners of the said county of Greene shall
within twelve months after the permanent seat of justice shall have been
selected, to proceed to erect the necessary public buildings thereon.
SEC. 7. The same powers, privileges and authorities that are granted to the
qualified voters of the county of Dubois and others named in the act
entitled " An act incorporating a .county library in the counties therein
named," approved January 28, 1818, to organize, conduct and support a county
library, are hereby granted to the qualified voters of the county of Greene;
and the same powers and authorities therein granted to and the same duties
therein required of the several officers and the person or persons elected
by the qualified voters of Dubois County and other counties in the said act
named for carrying into effect the provisions of the act entitled "An act
incorporating a county library in the county of Dubois and other counties
therein named," according to the true intent and meaning thereof, are hereby
extended to and required of the officers and other persons elected by the
qualified voters of the county of Greene.
SEC. 8. The act entitled "An act fixing the permanent northern boundary line
of Daviess County " is hereby repealed. This act to take effect and be in
force from and after its publication in the Western Sun. approved January 5,
1821.
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
After the passage of this act by the General Assembly and prior to its
approval by the Governor, as will be seen from the dates, the following
recommendation was presented to the Governor and acted upon by him as shown
in the succeeding order:
HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES, 3rd January, 1821.
To HIS EXCELLENCY, JONATHAN JENNINGS,
Governor and Commander in Chief of the State of Indiana :
The undersigned Representatives of the district including the county of
Greene recommend to your Excellency, Thomas Bradford, of Greene County, as a
fitten character for the office of Sheriff of said county until the next
annual election; and Eli Dixon as Coroner; and for the office of County
Surveyor, John Stokely; and for the office of Trustee of the county
seminary, Cornelius Westfall JOHN M. MCDONALD, GEORGE R. C. SULLIVAN, ROBERT
STURGESS. JONATHAN JENNINGS, Governor January 3, 1821..
McDonald, Sullivan and Sturgess were then representing Sullivan County in
the State Legislature, and the western part of Greene was, at that period,
as will be seen from the opening of this chapter, a part of Sullivan County.
The commissions for Thomas Bradford, Sheriff; Eli Dixon, Coroner; John
Stokely, Surveyor; Cornelius Westfall, Seminary Trustee, were issued January
5, 1821, the same day the act creating the county was approved by the
Governor. Whether the first three County Commissioners, the first Justic3s
of the Peace, the first Associate Judges and the first Clerk and Recorder
were commissioned by the Governor upon recommendation or were elected by the
citizens of the county and then commissioned, cannot certainly be stated by
the writer, though the latter course seems to have been pursued. If so, the
election must have been held in the county some time in January or early in
February, for Greene County as a separate existence was to date from the
first Monday in February, and would require officers to set the civil and
judicial wheels in motion. Or was that necessary? Several of the commissions
were dated in March and others in April. The election was held at the house
of Thomas Bradford, and the officers elect were sworn in on the 6th of March
by Phineas B. Rogers, a Justice of the Peace of Daviess County. All were
required to swear that they, either directly or indirectly, had not given,
carried or accepted a challenge to fight a duel, which act by the law of
1816 disqualified from office. Norman W. Pearce and John L. Buskirk were
elected Associate Judges, and commissioned April 27, 1821; and at the same.
time Thomas Warnick was commissioned Clerk, and George Shroyer, Recorder.
The latter officer seems not to have qualified, as the duties of that office
were performed by Mr. Warnick, who was qualified as Clerk for seven years
June 6, 1821, and very likely as Recorder also. Thomas Bradford acted as
Clerk prior to the qualification of Mr. Warnick.
REPORT OF THE COUNTY SEAT COMMISSIONERS.
On the 10th of March, 1821, the County Commissioners met at the house of
Thomas Bradford, and the first thing done was to receive the report of the
COmmissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate the county seat, the
report being as follows:
STATE OF INDIANA, ) GREENE COUNTY, SS.
We, the undersigned Commissioners, met at the house of Thomas Bradford, and
after being duly sworn according to law, proceeded to examine the situations
presented to our views, and have selected a place for the seat of justice of
said county of Greene in Sections 9 and 10, Township 7 north, Range 5 west,
on a bluff which puts into White River in the east side, and we have
received sixty acres of land for the use of said county from Thomas
Bradford, and forty acres out of Section 10, Township 7 north, Range 5 west,
adjoining Thomas Bradford on the east side; twenty acres donated from
Frederick Shepard, and twenty acres as a donation from Zebulon Hogue. Given
under our hands and seals this 10th day of March, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and twenty one.
Amos ROGERS,
ABRAHAM CASE,
CHARLES POLK,
WILLIAM WHITE State Commissioners.
ACTS OF THE COUNTY BOARD.
Nothing farther seems to have been done until the re-assembling of the board
at the house of Thomas Bradford on the 6th of April. Thomas Bradford was
appointed Clerk pro tempore, and John Owen, Treasurer. The county was duly
declared organized and was divided into the following five townships:
Highland—Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 3, Township 8 north,
Range 4 west; thence south with the line dividing Sections 2 and 3 to the
southeast corner of Section 34, Township 8 north, Range 4 west; thence west
with the line dividing Townships 7 and 8 to the southwest corner of Section
31, Township 8 north, Range 7 west; thence north with the said range line to
."the northwest corner of Section 6, Township 8 north, Range 7 west; thence
east with the line dividing Townships 8 and 9 to the place of beginning.
This township included the present townships of Highland, Jefferson, Smith
and Wright. Richland—Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 3,
Township 7 north, Range 4 west; thence south with the line dividing Sections
2 and 3 to the southeast corner of Section 34 of said township; thence west
with the line dividing Townships 6 and 7 to the southwest corner of Section
31, Township 7 north, Range 7 west; thence north with said range line
dividing 7 and 8 to the northwest corner of Section 6 in said township;
thence east with the line dividing Townships 7 and 8 to the place of
beginning. This township included the present townships of Richland,
Fairplay, Grant and Stockton. Burlingame—Beginning at the northeast corner
of Township 8 north, Range 3 west; thence south with the east line of Greene
County to the southeast corner thereof; thence west with the south line of
said county to the southwest corner of Section 35, Township 6 north, Range 4
west; thence north with the line. dividing Sections 34 and 35 to the
northwest corner of Section 2, Township 8 north, Range 4 west; thence east
to the place of beginning. This township comprised the present townships of
Beech Creek, Center and Jackson. Plummer—Beginning at the northeast corner
of Section 3, Township 6 north, Range 4 west; thence south with the line
dividing Sections 2 and 3 to the southeast corner of Section 34 in said
township; thence west with the township line dividing 5 and 6 to the White
River; thence up said river with the meanders thereof to the township line
dividing 6 and 7; thence east with said line to the place of beginning. This
township comprised the present townships of Taylor and Cass.
Stafford—Beginning at the northwest corner of Section 6, Township 6 north,
Range 7 west; thence east with the line dividing Townships 6 and 7 to White
River; thence down said river with the meanders thereof to the line dividing
Townships 5 and 6; thence west with said township line to the southwest
corner of Section 31, Township 6 north, Range 7 west; thence north with said
line to the place of beginning. This township comprised the present
townships of Washington and Stafford. Burlingame Town ship was named in
honor of Abel Burlingame; Stafford in honor of Jesse Stafford: Plummer in
honor of Thomas Plummer; Richland after Rich-laud Creek, and Highland for
the elevated country along White River and Eel River in the northern part of
the country.
On the 2d day of the April session, the necessary officers were duly
appointed for the five townships created the day before. Zebulon Ilpgue was
appointed Superintendent of the Section 16, Township 7 north, Range 5 west.
This was the first action toward the sale of school lands. At the May
session, various other Superintendents of sixteenth sections and numerous
township officers were appointed, an account of which will be found
elsewhere. James Galletly, a Scotchman of superior intelligence and
learning, and an eminent surveyor, who became well known in many of the
western counties of Indiana by reason of his being called upon to survey
numerous county seats and other public lands, was appointed by the board to
survey and lay off into streets and lots the land donated for county seat
purposes; and at the same time the board determined that the county seat
should be called Burlington. Detailed directions were given as to the
laying-off of the new town. In August, George Shroyer, who had been
appointed County Lister, made returns, and was paid $32 for his services.
Thomas Bradford was. appointed to procure a seal for the County Board, the
design to be a heart surrounded by an olive branch. The first county road
was projected at this term, and was to extend from Burlington up through
Highland Township to the Owen County line. James Warnick, John H. Owen and
John S. Owen, Sr., were appointed Viewers. Another road was projected from
Burlington to the south boundary of the county, near Wesner's, with William
Scott, James Howell and Cornelius Bogard, Viewers. The petitioners for this
road were Orange Monroe, James. Brown, John Owen, James Warnick, Peter C.
Vanslyke, William Scott, John Van Voorst, Cornelius Vanslyke, Lewis B.
Edwards, William D. Lynch, Thom as Warnick and Ephraim Owen, Sr. Another
road was 'ordered viewed, leading from Ingersoll's Ferry via Fellows'' mill
to intersect the Bloomington road on the west line of Monroe County, near
Dobson's. Thomas Bradford, Able Westfall and Abel Burlingame, Viewers. These
were the first three roads ordered viewed and built after the county was
organized. Thomas Bradford was appointed to procure a set of weights and
measures. Solomon Dixson was given leave to establish a ferry on Section 9,
Township 7 north, Range 5 west, and at this time the following ferry rates
were established for the whole county: Man on foot, 6i cents; man on horse,
122 cents; a loaded two-horse wagon, 75 cents; a loaded road wagon, $1; a
road wagon unloaded, 75 cents; sheep and hogs, each 2 cents; neat cattle,
each 4 40cents; pleasure carriage, $1; ox en and cart, 50 cents; oxen and
wagon, $1; a one-horse wagon, 50 cents.
In November, 1821, th.e board again met at the house of Thomas Bradford.
Reports on the above roads and several others were received. Ephraim Owen,
Town Agent, was authorized to let the job of clearing the public square to
the lowest bidder, with instructions to have all trees twelve inches in
diameter and under cut within six inches of the ground, between twelve and
twenty inches not above twelve inches from the ground, and the remainder not
below two feet from the ground; and also to let the job of digging a public
well to the lowest bidder. At this term, Mr. Owen as Town Agent reported
that $11.60 had been received from the sale of town lots, and claimed $3 of
it to cover his expense in advertising the sale in a newspaper at Vincennes.
The remainder was deposited in the hands of Thomas Bradford. On the 13th of
November, as provided in the act creating the county, the board authorized
the Town Agent to advertise the letting of the contract to build a court
house; and to have as much means on hand as possible, all town lots unsold
were ordered sold for what they would bring. John Decker, Sheriff of Knox
County, was paid $20 for notifying the locating Commissioners of their
appointment as such. The expense of the county for the year 1821 was as
follows, in full: For listing property, $30; for Clerk's and Sheriffs fees,
$83; to Sheriff of Knox County, $20; roads, $15; elections, $9; printing,
$3; making tax duplicate, $10; grand jury expense, $9.75; sending to
Bloomington for laws, $3; Commissioners' fees, $56; total for the year 1821,
$238.75. The receipts were 0.
ADDITIONAL ACTS OF THE COUNTY BOARD.
In February, 1822, Zebulon Hogue was appointed Superintendent of the timber
standing on the lots of Burlington. John S. Warner was paid $3 for whisky
furnished at the sale, and for " crying" the sale, of clearing the public
square, the digging of a public well, and the sale or letting of the
contract of building the court house. In May, the tax levied was as follows:
On 100 acres of first-class land, $1.50; on 100 acres, of second-class land,
$1; on 100 acres of third-class land, 75 cents; all this for county and
State purposes. Fifty cents was the levy on each poll; 37j cents on each
horse, mule or jack; the season rate for each stallion; 25 cents on each ox;
50 cents on each gold watch; 25 cents on each silver watch; $5 ferry
license; $3 for each bonded servant over twelve years of age, and $1.25 on
each pleasure carriage. This was quite a heavy tax for that day, and the
Collector
had hard work to collect even a limited portion of it. Many were forced into
delinquency, for there was but little money in the country, and no means of
getting more. People were forced into exchanges to effect commercial
transactions. So much butter was exchanged for so many potatoes, or so many
dozen eggs for so much sugar or so many yards of calico. The money savings
of a year were carefully kept to settle with the dreaded Tax Collector. The
location and survey of Burlington, the building of the court house, and the
efforts to supply the town with good water. Daniel Smith cleared the public
square for $47. Thomas Warnick was paid $5.671 for crying a sale of lots and
for whisky furnished. It was customary then, all over the West, at sales of
that character, to furnish free whisky to " sweeten the bid," as it was
termed. The whisky was procured by order of the County Board, and paid for
from the county funds as any other expense. A singular allowance was made by
the board in 1822—singular now, but not then. John Seaman, Sheriff, was paid
$16 for arresting and keeping in custody. fourteen days a fugitive slave
named Thomas Clayburn. Thomas Bradford, James Howell and Zebulon Jenkins
built the court house, which was first occupied by the County Board in May,
1822. The building cost $250. The total expense of the county for the year
1822 was $970.34, while the receipts were only $360.41 from May, 1822, to
May, 1823. The county, from the start, was forced to issue " orders" which
circulated like currency, though they depreciated somewhat in the hands of
the holders, and were thus a source of annoyance and loss.
In 1823, Augustine Passmore, tavern-keeper, and other tavern-keepers
throughout the county, were required to conform to the following charges:
Dinner, 25 cents; breakfast, 20 cents; supper, 20 cents; horse to corn and
hay, 25 cents; whisky, one-half pint, 121 cents; cider, per quart, 121
cents; whisky, per gill, 61 cents; good rum, one-half pint, 371 cents; good
French brandy, one-half pint, 50 cents; boarding by the week, with lodging,
$2; horse keeping by the week, $1.25; same by the day, 371 cents. William
Lemmons, Constable, in February, 1823, was paid $8 for arresting and keeping
in custody for several days a fugitive slave. Augustine Passmore was hired
to finish the court house-- to put a lock on the door, complete the windows,
etc. The want of good water at Burlington was a great annoyance, and
continued to be so as time passed and the costly public well failed to give
satisfactory returns. This proved a serious objection to the continuation of
the county seat at Burlington, and talk was indulged in for a re-location.
Other matters arose also quite serious, until at length the Representatives
in the State Legislature were petitioned to secure the passage of an act to
re-locate the seat of justice. Accordingly, late in 1823, the following act
was passed by the General Assembly:
E- LOCATION OF THE COUNTY SEAT.
AN ACT FOR THE RE-LOCATION OF THE SEAT OF JUSTICE OF GREENE COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana,
That George W. Demies, of Vigo County; John Allen, Sr., of Daviess County;
John Johnson, Sr., of Owen County; Henry Ruble, of Knox County; and Andrew
Berry, of Knox County, be and they are hereby appointed Commissioners to
re-locate the seat of justice of the County of Greene, agreeably to an act
entitled " An act fixing the seat of justice in all new counties hereafter
laid off." The Commissioners above named shall
convene at the town of Burlington, in said county, on the second Monday of
February next, and shall immediately proceed to discharge the duties
assigned them by law. And it is hereby made the duty of the Sheriff of the
said County of Greene to notify the said Commissioners by a written
notification of their appointment, on or before the first Monday of February
next, and he shall receive for said services such compensation as the County
Commissioners of said county shall deem just and reasonable, to be allowed
by them out of any moneys in their county treasury, in the same manner that
other claims are allowed.
SEC. 2. That the Circuit and all other courts of said county of Greene shall
meet and be holden at the town of Burlington as aforesaid, until suitable
accommodations can be; had at .the seat of justice, to be established by
virtue of this act, at which time the courts being satisfied thereof, they
shall adjourn to meet, and shall continue to hold their sessions at the seat
of justice last aforesaid; provided, however, that the said court shall have
authority to remove said court from the said town of Burlington to any other
place in said county, previous to suitable accommodations being prepared at
the county seat, to be established as directed by this act if the said court
shall deem it proper. This act to take effect and be in force from and after
its passage. Approved December 17, 1823.
In accordance with this act, the re-locating Commissioners convened at
Burlington early in February, 1824, to consider the applications for the new
county seat. Fairplay, a thriving little town on the west bank of the river,
near Burlington, seemed at first the most eligible point that could be
selected. The location was good and the water was good, but the proprietors
of that town and the residents thereof, feeling sure of securing the prize,
tendered but few donations, and they of not much value.. On the contrary,
Peter C. Vanslyke, who owned the land in and around the present Bloomfield,
agreed to donate sixty-two acres in one body, besides, if the writer is
correctly informed, one or more other small tracts in the county. This was
the best offer, and was accepted by the locating Commissioners, much to the
disappointment of Fairplay. On the 27th of February, the County Board
gathered at Bloomfield, the new county seat, and directed the Town Agent to
lay off the donation into lots, according to a plan prepared, and to insert
the following advertisement of the sale of lots in the Indianapolis Gazette
and the Indiana Farmer, of Salem.
BLOOMFIELD.
The new seat of justice of the county of Greene will be sold on the
22d day of April next, on the premises. The terms of sale will be of the
purchase money one- tenth in hand, and the residue in five equal semi-
annual installments, town orders to be taken in payment, except the
one-tenth part thereof. This town is beautifully situated on the east side
of the West Fork of White River, on a rich, dry soil, plentifully watered by
good springs, possessing as many natural advantages as any other new town
perhaps on this river, surrounded with a very flourishing settlement
'contiguous to mills and mill seats. The attention of merchants, mechanics
and manufacturers will be particularly excited by the extent of sur.
rounding country, the convenience of water works, and healthfulness of
situation. From the superior natural advantages possessed by the town, and
its electricity to the center of the county, it is elevated above the fear
of future re-locations.
EPHRAIM OWEN, SR., 7 February 28, 1824. Agent for Bloomfield.
Is not that a brilliant description. The extent of surrounding country to
excite the attention of mechanics, etc. and the electricity of the town to
the center of the county to elevate it above the fear of future relocations!
Mrs. Partington probably took her vocabulary from the writer of this
advertisement, yet in her happiest 'moods and palmiest days has never
surpassed the above description. The locating Commissioners transferred
their claims for duties under the legislative enactment to Peter C. Vanslyke,
as assignee, who was-paid $75, in full for.such claims. The details of the
sales of lots I In November, 1824, the County Treasurer reported the
receipts and expenditures of the county in full from the organization to
that time, as follows:
RECEIPTS UNDER JOHN OWEN, TREASURER.
March 27, 1822, 0. T. Barker, J. P . $0 75
May 7, 1822, Thomas Bradford, Collector 38 50
May 14, 1822, P. Ingersoll, J. 1 00
May 15, 1822, Thomas Bradford, Collector 37 00
May 28, 1822, Abel Burlingame, J. 1 00
August 22, 1822, John Breece, J, P. 25
August 14, 1822, James Warnick, Circuit Court Clerk... , 1 50
November 26, 1822, John Seaman, Collector. 188 124.
April 7, 1823, John Seaman, Collector............ 41 874.
May 10, 1823, Thomas Bradford, Collector. 83 09
May 12, 1823, John Seaman, Collector. 16 50
May 12, 1823, P. Ingersoll, J. P. 2 00
May 12, 1823, Thomas Warnick ....... . . ............... 3 00
May 12, 1828, Thomas Bradford, Collector. 24 51
May 13, 1823, Augustine Passmore, tavern license 10 00
January 5, 1824, John Seaman, Collector.
276 77/
RECEIPTS UNDER H. B. DEAN, TREASURER.
March 23, 1824, John Seaman, Collector $80 50
May 3. 1824, John Gardner, J. P....... „ , 1 00
May 11, 1824, Ephraim Owen, TOWD. Agent • 126 93+
September 18, 1824, Ephraim Owen, Town Agent 127 67+
November 21, 1824, Ephraim Owen, Town Agent... 58 25
Total receipts $1,120.93+
EXPENSES UNDER JOHN OWEN, TREASURER.
May 14, 1822, County Commissioners
May 12, 1823, County Commissioners $38 50
390 85
EXPENSES UNDER II. B. DEAN, TREASURER.
August 9, 1824, County Commissioners.................... V(6 :1 7070t August
10, 1824, County
Commissioners
County Collector's commission 21 43
August 9, 1824, County Collector's commission.
80 50
August 9, 1824, County Collector's commission 126 93+
Total expenses...... $944 991
The above is only the cash account. In reality, the county was considerably
in debt, owing to its " orders," which were outstanding. The Collector of
1821, Thomas Bradford, was charged on the duplicate with $288.121. John
Seaman, Collector of 1823, was charged with $387.121. John W. Wines,
Collector.of 1824, was charged with $355.981. ,penes of the town of
Burlington were:
The ex
Builders of court house .$250 00
Clearing the square. 47 00
Clearing of a 12 75
Tables, benches, etc. 35 00
James Galletly, Surveyor. 66 12/
Assistants laying out lots. 40 87+
State Commissioners............• ................... 48 00
Total .. ..................$499 75
When the records were transferred from Burlington to Bloomfield. Benjamin
Turley hauled them over, receiving $2 for the trip. A stray pen was ordered
built on the square. A part of the donation to the county, in consideration
of having the county seat located at Bloomfield, was an agreement to furnish
on the ground, free of charge, the logs for a county jail. In May, 1825,
these logs were called for. It seems from several items in the records that
Hansford Stalcup, Nancy Gillam, and perhaps others, besides P. C. Vanslyke,
made donations to the county at the time the county seat was located at
Bloomfield. John Hill finished the court house by chinking, daubing and
whitewashing, and was paid $10. He also built the stray pen, and Augustine
Passmore was the first pound.keeper. In September, 1824, the County Justices
took the place of the County Commissioners. By this time, the county was in
full running order, though deep in debt.
NOTEWORTHY ACTS OF THE COUNTY BOARD.
The old public spring south of the square in Bloomfield was a costly
institution. It was first walled up in good shape by Richard Mont-'ornery
for $180, and afterward was constantly breaking and requiring additional
outlays of money. The jail was completed in November, 1826. In 1829, the
citizens of Bloomfield petitioned the board to have a public well dug on the
square, and donated $40 toward defraying the expense. In 1832, John A. Pegg
was paid $4.75 for making ten ballot boxes for the townships of the county.
Early in the thirties, the county. began to see better times. Money became
plentier and easier, and outstanding orders were redeemed. In 1832, John
Miller & . Co. were-licensed to exhibit a caravan of animals in the county.
In 1834, it was " Ordered, that the County Agent, W. D. Lester, cause the
underpinning of the court house to be repaired so as to prevent the hogs
from disturbing the court or any other public business that may be
transacted in the court house." Lark B. Jones was elected a student to
attend the State University at Bloomington as the representative of the
county in Septem- ber, 1834. A. heavy bounty was offered for wolf scalps,
and a heavy license was exacted from merchants, ferrymen, saloonmen. Sales,
public and private, of town lots took place at stated periods. In November,
1835, it was decided to build a new court house. Estimates and plans were
made and closely scrutinized, and the cost was finally fixed at. $5,157. All
the resources of the county were counted up to meet theaexpen se. Certain
donated land on the river southwest of Bloomfield was. ordered laid out into
lots and sold at the best price possible. This was done,and the town of
Vanbayou sprang into life—on paper. The court. house was completed within
the next few years, though bond's had to be-issued for about $2,000 at 12
per cent-interest to secure the necessary funds. The bonds were bought by
the branch of the State Bank at Bedford. The house cost over $6,000.
In May, 1837, there were 740 polls in the county; 43,745 acres of land, and
total taxables valued at $425,014. The total levy of county tax was
$2,535.31k, and State tax $1,007.53. During the decade of the thirties,the
following men were appointed Superintendents to expend, of the three per
cent fund on certain bridges and roads in the county, the amounts following
their names: Levi Fellows, $550; Jesse Stafford, $150; Elias Crance, $100;
James Dixon, $200; Caleb Jessup, $100; Jesse Rainbolt, $200; John Inman,
$50; James H. Hicks, $500;, total, $1,950. Roads were projected and built in
all directions during this period, and large sums of the county funds were
expended to pay the multitude of laborers. In 1839, the county polls
numbered 1,021; the poll tax was $510.50; number of acres,50,364.15; value
$280,453; value of town lots $21,382; corporation stock, $1,912; value of
all taxables,$542,- 160; total county tax,$2,739.14; State tax,$2,136.90. In
March, 1840, there was yet owing Mr. Downing, court house contractor, $1,727
at 10 per cent interest.
OTHER IMPORTANT PROCEEDINGS.
In 1843, the citizens o. f Point Commerce and vicinity, at the head of whom
were the Allisons, petitioned the County Board to construct a bridge across
Eel River at that town, the estimated cost being $736.55. This the board
agreed to do, provided the citizens would subscribe and donate all except
$200 of the estimated cost. The bridge,with some important alterations of
the original plan, was built. In 1845, a majority of the citizens of
Richland Township, remonstrated with the board against the granting of
grocery (liquor) licenses within the township limits, and an order to that
effect was entered upon record, though no attention seems to have been paid
to the order, as licenses continued to be issued. It was then found, as it
has since been often found, that King Alcohol had an unfailing hold on the
appetites of men. Among the students from Greene County, sent to the State
University about this time, were: Aden G. Cavins, Alexander M. Cole, Samuel
B. Sexson, John B. Sexson. The county tax of the company of men who left the
county under Capt. Rousseau in 1846, was remitted, the amount being 4568.98.
The lower rooms in the court house, except the one occupied b) the combined
Clerk, Recorder and Auditor were leased, to lawyers, doctors, etc:, from
time to time, and the northwest room was used for the , coup ty library.
Early in the decade of fifties, the old jail was sold for $10.75, and a new
one was to be built. John D. Alexander, Henry Sargent, Napoleon J.
Bainbolt,T. P. East and Jacob Wesner were students during,the fifties to the
State University. The jail was built by Andrew Downing in 1859-60, and cost
over $9,000. In 1857,the county bought, at auction for $51, the iron safe of
the Northwestern Bank for the County Treasurer's office.
LOGAN, WHITE RIVER AND GUILFORD COUNTIES.
In 1860, the project to create a new county out of the counties of Knox ,
Greene and Daviess was put on foot. The new county was to be called "
Logan." The petition presented to the county board, praying that three
Commissioners might be appointed to confer with Commissioners of the other
counties to be cut down, was signed by 191 citizens living in the tract of
country proposed to be comprised in the new county of Logan. After carefully
considering the question, the County Board refused to comply with the prayer
of the petitioners, whereupon the final settlement was appealed to the
Circuit Court. The question hung in the courts for a year or two and was
finally abandoned on account of the excitement of the war. Before the
question was finally disposed of, the limits of the new county as well as
the name were changed. A portion of Sullivan County as well as of Knox,
Daviess and Greene, was to be included, and the name was to be White River
County. About the same time, another project comprised the creation of a new
county to be called Guilford, out of the northeastern portion of Greene
County and portions of Monroe and Lawrence Counties; 550 names were signed
to the petition asking for the appointment of the necessary Commissioners as
provided in the statute. This petition was dismissed by the County Board,
owing to the pendency in the courts at the time of the. applications for the
appointment of Commissioners to establish the new counties of Logan and
White River. The interest in the questions growing out of the war settled
these questions. Had it not been for the war, it is possible that the limits
and extent of Greene County might be different from what they are now.
This information is the research of many people across the United States and may contain errors. It is presented as the best information to date. Like all of those whose work I have incorporated herein, my research is a work in progress and subject to change without notice. A special thanks to Marlene Ricci of CA, Dwayne Meyer of CA, Jacqueline Bean of TX, Debbie Dick of IN, Milus Miller of IL, Carol Hendricks Miller of IN, Clarence Miller of IN, and Harold Glen Miller of IN. There are numerous others too; many of which are unknown, but their findings and stories are still much appreciated. Much of this would not have been possible with out their information. Also this website includes historical facts gathered from Washington County History, Indiana History, Rowan County and Salisbury North Carolina Historical sources and other US Historical sources.
James A. Miller- Great -Great -Great -Great Grandson of Adam Miller and Hannah Sheets.
©2007 The Millers of Washington County
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Last Updated 12/14/10 03:37:43 AM -0800