HENDRICKS COUNTY
INDIANA
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP
TOPOGRAPHY
Lincoln township is located on the eastern boundary
of Hendricks county, bounded on the north by Brown and Middle
townships, on the east by Marion county, on the south by
Washington township and on the west by Middle township. The township
was organized in 1863, by a division of Brown township into two parts.
White Lick, flowing through the western part, breaks the otherwise
almost level ground of the township. The land along this stream valley
is rolling and very fertile. The level portion of the area is of rich,
alluvial quality in most places, but in spots is composed of clay,
which is not highly productive. Plenty of timber once covered the land
in this township, but, as in other parts of Hendricks, this has been
removed from the path of cultivation.
EARLY HISTORY
In the autumn of 1824 James Brown made the first
settlement in the territory destined to become Lincoln township. After
him and previous to the year 1830 came G. W. Tyler, William Harris,
Daniel and Thomas Newman, Daniel Brown, William Merritt, Robison
Turpin, Caleb Shirley, John Given, Larkin Dollahite, James Shirley,
Thomas Nash, Harvey and T. H. Barlow, the latter settling with their
father, Enoch, in 1828, just outside the limits of Brownsburg. In 1830
and immediate years Asa McDaniel and sons, Joel Smith and sons and
Peter Metsker located in the vicinity of Brownsburg.
The first justice
of the peace in Lincoln township was Edward Rails-back. Swain's tavern,
on the road two miles east of Brownsburg, was one of the noted spots of
the early day. This inn was a gathering place for the settlers and a
very popular one.
Politically,
Lincoln township has been very changeable, Republicans and Democrats
having at different times controlled the township vote.
PRESENT STATUS
Although one of the smallest townships in the county, Lincoln is
important. Agriculture is the main industry and in the town of
Brownsburg there is strong evidence of civic and commercial pride. Two
railroads and one interurban line increase the value of the township
land, together with the .good roads, the latter an universal feature of
the entire county. The country bears the mark of improvement and modern
life and is an example of the -qualities which have made Indiana one of
the first states in the Union. Good farms, schools, homes, roads,
telephones, fences, drainage system, are but a few of the factors which
make Lincoln township today a first class one.
BROWNSBURG
The town of Brownsburg is located on section n, in
the northern part of Lincoln township. The town was laid out by William
Harris in 1835 and first named Harrisburg, but upon the establishment
of the postoffice was -changed to the present name. B. M. Logan was the
first merchant in the town.
Brownsburg was
incorporated in the year 1848, in which year the board of commissioners
ordered a chairman, clerk and five trustees elected. The election was
held on June 24, 1848, and resulted in the choice of the following
: Chairman, Henry H. Moore; clerk, T. J. White; trustees, William M.
Dinwiddie, T. J. White, Sam Betts, Gaten Menifee, James Davidson. Ten
votes only were cast at this first election. This corporation did not
last long, however. In 1870 it was revived and has continued ever
since. The present officers are: Trustees, I. N. Mugg, R. A. Fuson and
Elza Henson; clerk, Harry H. Hughes; treasurer, Harry Johnson; marshal,
John T. Ellis.
The present
population of Brownsburg is about nine hundred, the official
census in 1910 having been eight hundred seventy six. The only public
utility at present in the town is that of electricity, which service is
supplied lay the Danville Light, Heat and Power Company. There is a
branch factory of the Ladoga Canning Company, a tile factory, grist
mill and saw mill in the list of industries. Brownsburg is the only
town in Hendricks county at this date which allows licensed sale of
liquor.
Brownsburg, both in the business and
residential part of town, is neat and attractive. It is a substantially
built town. Business conditions are reported as being excellent.
Social life also plays a prominent role in the community.
Brownsburg Lodge
No. 241, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized in 1859 with the
following members: J. T. Davidson, H. W. White, J. P. Welshans, William
Harris, William McDaniel, Joseph Holloway and S. M. Potts.
The lodge has a good membership now and is very prosperous.
Brownsburg Lodge
No. 377, Knights of Pythias, was instituted in 1898. There are now one
hundred and forty members.
Brownsburg Lodge
No. 188, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized in 1857. The
charter of the lodge was surrendered at the time of the opening of the
Civil War, but was renewed in 1866. This lodge has again become
inactive.
There is also a
tribe of the Improved Order of Red Men at Brownsburg.
John A. Hollett Post No. 242, Grand
Army of the Republic, was mustered in in the fall of 1883, with
eleven members and named after a gallant soldier of the Seventy ninth
Indiana Volunteer Infantry. This post is no longer in active condition.
The Hunter Bank was organized in
April, 1907, by M. T. Hunter, C. L. Hunt, Jane Frank, Julia H. Huitt.
The bank succeeded the firm of Cope & Hunt, bankers. M. T. Hunter
was the first president, and C. L. Hunt the first cashier. These
officers are the same now. The first and present capital stock is
$10,000; the deposits total $210,000, and the surplus is $3,000. The
bank was chartered in April, 1907.
The Brownsburg
State Bank was organized in 1908, succeeding the Brownsburg Bank. The
first officers were: W. F. Evans, president; J. L. Marsh, cashier; J.
S. Tharp, vice president; Grandison Eaton, assistant cashier. The
present officers are: W. F. Evans, president; I. N. Mugg, cashier; J.
S. Tharp, vice president, and Ollie Miller, assistant cashier. This
bank was chartered on April 1, 1908.