HENDRICKS COUNTY
INDIANA
EEL RIVER TOWNSHIP
TOPOGRAPHY
Eel River township is in the extreme northwest
corner of Hendricks county. It is bounded on the north by Boone county,
on the east by Union and Center townships, on the south by Marion
township, on the west by Putnam and Montgomery counties. The natural
drainage of the most of this township is excellent; the east and west
sides are rather flat and not adequately drained by the streams,
although the farmers have at this time provided artificial means which
remedy this deficiency. In the southwest corner of this township are
found many high elevations, some of the hills below the juncture of
Rock Branch and Eel River rising one hundred feet above the bed of the.
stream and now covered with a luxuriant second growth of timber. Five
good sized streams enter the township near the southwest corner,
merging into Eel river. The picturesqueness of these stream valleys,
the rich, wooded banks rising from them and the well arranged farm
lands lying behind, supplies beauty of landscape unequaled in the
county. It is the garden sport of Hendricks. The land in this locality
is uniformly good and is well adapted to any kind of cultivation. The
Ben-Hur division of the Terre Haute, Indianapolis & Eastern line
crosses the northeast corner of this township.
EARLY
SETTLEMENT
In the spring of 1824 the first white settlers came
to Eel River township. They were Noah Bateman and Reuben Claypool and
they located a mile south of North Salem. They were followed in the
fall of that year by John Claypool and John S. Woodward. Among the
others who located in this township, previous to 1830, were James
Trotter, Henry Bales, J. and Martha Page, John P. Benson, Robert Covey,
Enoch Davis and his sons, William, Frank and Jesse, William Dewitt, Dr.
Collins, Andrew Clifton, James Campbell, Mr. Crum and the
Penningtons. John Benson built the first mill in the county on
Rock Branch in the year 1826. This structure lasted but a few years
when Mr. Crum built a mill on Eel River, not far from the site of the
former mill. About the year 1830 a distillery was started near Crum's
mill. This was the first in the county. The date of the
organization was somewhere near the year 1828, four years after the
organization of the county.
THE
BOULDER CLUB
The citizens of Eel River, at an early date, passed
what was known as a "stay law," in defense of their property, which was
often taken and sold by the constable. Whenever the constable
advertised any property for sale the club would meet on the night
before and carry a number of boulders which they piled on the ground as
a notice to the constable not to offer the property for sale.
FIRST
ELECTION
The first general election held in Eel River
township was on August 7, 1826. The men who voted at this election were
Abel Pennington, Lewis Benson, Jacob Shoemaker, William Turner, Jacob
Crum, A. Jones, James Fowler, Jesse Turner, John Warker, Hampton
Pennington, Daniel Turner, John Woodward, John Turner, David Evans,
Edward Turner, William Hinton, David Claypool, W. Jones, Christian
Hartman, John Fowler, Noah Bateman, Y. L. Huggs, John Claypool, Alva
Benson, Little Huggs and William Fowler.
THE
TOWNSHIP TODAY
To describe Eel River township of today the same
words used in the account of the other civil divisions might be used.
The township has no large settlements, but has developed in
agricultural lines during the past score of years until now it occupies
a marked position in the county. The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton
railroad traverses the township, east and west, near the center and the
Peoria division of the Big Four and the Ben-Hur interurban line cross
near the north part of the township, providing direct intercourse with
the chief markets of the state. The schools have grown and become
modern in every respect, following the new thought of consolidation.
The people of the township have directed a large part of their efforts
to the betterment of the roads. The old dirt road,
with its sloughs and dangerous
holes, has been replaced by excellent gravel and macadam highways. The
farms are cultivated according to the latest practices employed over
the country and along with care for proper cultivation has become a
pride in the appearance of the field, the equipment and the residence.
Many a farm home viewed by the traveler in Eel River township is
impressive and suitable for
the largest cities.
NORTH
SALEM
North Salem is the only village in Eel River
township. It was laid out in 1835 by John and David Claypool and John
S. Woodward. The town has always been a prosperous one, even from the
beginning, a new life having been given by the building of the
railroad, now the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton railroad. The
United States census report for 1910 gives the population of North
Salem as five hundred and sixty nine, which number had grown
proportionately larger in the past five years.
The place was incorporated as a town in May, 1899,
and town officers elected. The offices in 1914 are filled as follows:
Trustees, J. H. Page, Harry Seaton and Harry Dean; clerk, Smith Davis;
marshal, Virgil Robbins. About ten years ago the town installed an
acetylene plant, for residence and street lighting. This public utility
was recently improved and enlarged and is now worth four thousand
dollars.
The North Salem Bank was organized in 1891 by Pritchard & Son, of
Illinois, and in 1893 the business was purchased by the present owners
and has since been controlled by home people. C. W. Davis is president
of the bank. G. B. Davis, cashier, and J. B. Fleece, assistant cashier.
The average deposits amount to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
North Salem Lodge No. 142, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered on
May 25, 1853, and was the first secret order in the town. This lodge is
in good condition now and has a membership of ninety.
North Salem Lodge No. 158, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was
chartered on April 15, 1865, with the following first members: William
Adair, John S. Woodward, James White, John M. Hensley, James Shakles
and H. W. Hackley. This lodge today has a membership of one hundred and
fifty eight.
North Salem Lodge No. 291, Knights of Pythias, has at present sixty
five members. This lodge was organized about ten years ago.
Joe Fleece Post No. 383, Grand Army of the Republic, at North Salem,
was mustered, in September, 1884, with ten charter members This post is
not active at the present time.