CARROLL COUNTY INDIANA
HISTORY
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CARROLL COUNTY
—HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.
Henry Robinson and his son, Abner Robinson, were the first settlers of
Carroll county. Others followed close in their footsteps. The Robinsons
built their cabins in the winter of 1824-5, and, in the fall of 1825-6,
the settlement had reached quite a neighborhood. There is a long train
of interesting pioneer reminiscences connected with the early
experiences of the Robinsons, and those who settled in the county about
the same time. These would afford a narrative full of romance and
interest, and full of evidences of the great energy and perseverance of
those early settlers. But we have no space for this narrative. Carroll
county was organized by an act of the general assembly, in 1828. The
commissioners appointed for the purpose selected the site of the
present city of Delphi for the county seat. It was first given the name
of Carrollton, but was soon after changed to Delphi. The sale of lots
took place on the eleventh day of August, 1828, but land was not very
valuable then, and the lots went off at a low price. So little
enthusiasm was manifested at the sale, that it was decided to dispose
of only part of the town lots, and await a more profitable season for
the sale of the others. Not long after the sale a Presbyterian church
was organized at Delphi, and the residence of Henry Robinson was used
as a place of worship. In the fall of 1828, a large number of new
settlers arrived, and the little town began to show evidences of growth
and prosperity.The fall and winter of 1828-9, were unusually dry. " The merchants shipped their goods from Cincinnati for the Wabash on steamboats, which could proceed no further than the rapids below Vincennes, at Mount Carmel." From that point they were conveyed to Delphi on wagons, " very much to the injury of the merchants, and the disappointment of the people." Early in the year 1830, Mr. Henry Robinson's mill was put in operation. During that year the summer was exceedingly dry and sickly. The county improved rapidly, but, unfortunately for Delphi, as it first came into notice that season, the unusual amount of sickness gave it a bad name, from which it did not recover for many years. This idea, however, has long since been lost in the general and well-founded reputation of the present Delphi for healthfulness. At the first meeting of the Old Settlers' Society of Carroll county, held in 1855, the following list of the names of the early settlers of the county was obtained. It gives their names, their native States, age at that time, and the date of their settlement in the county:
These are by no means all the early settlers, or even a complete list of those who settled previous to 1829 But it embraces nearly all who located in the county in 1828, and previous to that date The first circuit court of Carroll county was held at the house of Daniel Baum, on the eighth of May, 1828, Judge B F Morris, presiding This was a pioneer court scene, but Carroll county has beautifully outgrown those early days Delphi has, today, an elegant court house, and the Carroll Circuit Court is one of its boasted evidences of a high intelligence The surface of Carroll county is undulating along the Wabash, Tippecanoe and Wild Cat, which are the principal streams; in other places it is level About one-fifth of the county was originally dry prairie, the balance forest, consisting mostly of oak, walnut, poplar, beech and sugar tree The soil is mostly a rich loam, well adapted to corn, wheat, etc, and these, with cattle, hogs, etc, are the principal surplus articles produced for exportation The rural districts of the county present one general scene of prosperity 'The farmers are nearly all wealthy They have good residences, thrifty farms, excellent schools, commodious and substantial churches Education is encouraged, and the youths promise much for the future welfare of a prosperity already flourishing The towns and villages of the county are all enjoying superior graded schools Delphi has a population of over two thousand, and is the largest town in the county Its school facilities are excelled nowhere in the State |
