Campbell Township began when petition with land descriptions was presented to the county officials at their January session in 1825. The petition requested a new township for the convenience of the petitioners. The signers of this petition were Hugh. William Jr..,William  Sr., Robert and George Gordon. Ichabod Rice. John Callahan. James Martin. Robert and John Dobbins. Francis Jeffries. John Grinslead. William. Nathaniel. Joshua. Jr. Joshua. Sr.. James. John. Daniel. and Waller Davis, Allen and John Campbell, John Butler. Daniel Davis. Bery. Clement. James. Lankston, and  Phillip Johnson, Jacob Brougher, Nathan Fairchild, and Thomas Griffith.

In 1852 changes came about rapidly Campbell Township with the building of the railroad and the employment opportunities the considerations brought about Civil engineers surveyed a route on the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad that was later called the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad ( now CSX ). Ryan & Falloon were the contractors of the east side of Butlerville and a man by the name of Oustin on the west. The three men boarded with Hiram Cope during the construction. Ryan & Falloon's employees boarded with their supervisor. Fillon McCaulou. One of the engineers. Harvey B. Weeks, purchased a farm southeast of Butlerville. now owned by River Ridge Farm Inc. He was a valued citizen of Campbell Township. A bridge named for him, the Weeks' Ford, is near that property.

The railroad came to the township in 1853, passing through what are now Butlerville and Nebraska. It ran diagonally across landlines. splitting rails. The right of way was freely given by landowners, as all were eager to have the railroad built. Few landowners required compensation or gave a strip narrower than the usual 80 feet.

The first  passenger train came through on July 4. 1854, from Cincinnati, Ohio to Seymour, Indiana. It connected with the Indianapolis and Jefferson Railroad to Jeffersonville, Indiana where it transferred passengers and freight by ferry to Louisville, Kentucky.

The track of the railroad was not ballast until 1867 or later Ballasting began when W D. Griswold was president of the line. Early locomotives were fueled with wood and coal later the engines were diesel. Compared to today's size, early locomotives and cars were small. Today cabooses are a thing of the past

The railroad tracks ran unfenced through fields and pastures Cattle, sheep and hogs ran at large During the wet season cattle found the smooth earth between the rails a dry place to lie down. Many were killed this way.

In the 1950s, Brush Creek Reservoir was built in Campbell Township to provide much needed water for the state facility and the city of North Vernon. The reservoir covers approximately 760 acres and is east of Muscatatuck Stale Developmental Center. Just north of the Muscatatuck State Development Center is the Brush Creek Fish and Wildlife Area, containing 641 acres.

A tragic plane crash spread debris over Campbell Township for miles when a supersonic B-58 Hustler Bomber, flying 36.000 feet over Jennings County at twice the speed of sound (1.300 miles per hour), exploded in mid-air just east of Butlerville September. 14. Three crewmen fell to their deaths. The $10,000 plane was on a routine mission from Farmington, Missouri, to Cleveland, Ohio. The Army brought in a Geiger counter to check for radiation but, since it was a routine flight, there were no armaments, atomic or other wise, on the craft. Today there are two subdivisions in Campbell Township. They are Glenwood Park and Indiana Gardens Resort. Each subdivision consists of approximately  eighty acres


The Muscutatuck State Developmental Center first started out as the Indiana Farm Colony for the Feeble Minded, as an adjunct to the Fort Wayne. Indiana facility In the first 18 months, inmates and employees constructed two colony houses for 120 males, remodeled three farm houses for kitchens, dining rooms and employees' quarters, erected 1.600 rods of woven-wire fence, tilled 675 acres of land, covered 350 acres with pulverized limestone, and planted 400 fruit trees. The land was owned by thirteen families, some of whom were Mrs. Carlin Lack, Tice, Hutton, Brougher, Rine, Riggs,  and the Pool heirs. The site consisted of 1,813.71 acres and was priced at $125,820.24. An Act approved by the General Assembly on March 13. 1919, provided for the establishment and control of such a facility The amount appropriated to purchase the property was $250,000 This price included the erection of buildings, necessary livestock, tools, and other equipment. The first superintendent was Captain Ernest E. Chenoweth. an attorney in Winchester, who
had been a captain in World War I. He assumed his duties in February. 1920 and resided in the John Hulton residence later known as Crestview. He served through 1924.
Originally the institution was self-sufficient with its own dairy, garden, canning factory, stone quarry and acres of land on which to grow grain and hay However, this is not the case today.
In 1937, the name was changed the Muscatatuck Colony. By 1941 the population of the Colony was 1,297 An educational program was initiated and Musctatuck Colony became the Muscatatuck State School. In 1949 children under six years of age began to be admitted. A new nursery called Springdale was built in 1952,1967 to 1968 was a  year of great change, the name changed again, this time to the Muscatatuck State Hospital and Training Center.

In the late 1960s, funds were granted to Muscatatuck State Developmental Center to construct a combination lodge/dining hall as the first permanent building on this campsite. The campsite was named in memory of Beryle Showers Holland who was a founder of Tri Kappa and had a long career of dedicated service to her community and the state of Indiana. The lodge was named "Kindness Cabin." Since then the camp has grown to include dorm buildings, shelter houses, rest rooms, shower houses, a nature center, a number of nature trails, a boat dock. and an amphitheater. There are five rustic cabins in the immediate area of "Kindness Cabin" for overnight camping, Camp Holland is open
throughout the summer months and is utilized nearly every day by the clients.

The early 1970s saw development of individual treatment plans and goals for accreditation. By 1974 Muscatatuck had a module system in place and was preparing for Medicaid certification. The Special Education I-aw of 1975 changed the face of special education at Musctatuck. Children under six sears of age were no longer admitted The next decade witnessed expansion of group home residual programs in the stale and drastically changed the population at Muscatatuck.

The State of Indiana transferred 850 acres from the Department of Mental Health to Purdue University in 1977. This is know n as Southeast Experimental Purdue Agricultural Center. Part of this land adjoins the Muscatatuck State Developmental Center on the south and another portion is located across US Highway 50. Twenty acres of this is being  used by the Jennings County School Corporation and will revert to SEPAC when and if the school closes. Don Biehle is in charge of SEPAC's operations.

By 1984 the population was 836. Offering highly specialized services only to those who could not live in a community setting, the facility was renamed the Muscatatuck State Development Center and the residents became known as clients. Acreage had drastically decreased to 957 Farm land was no longer needed.

Now in the turn of the century. 1999 Muscatatuck retains its name, has less than acres, the population is mm less than 400 and referred to as consumers

The Muscatatuck State Development Center's acreage stands at 744 including Camp Holland, which is a recreational facility on the north shore of Brush Creek Reservoir for the clients


Some of the early settlers of Campbell Township listed as patrons in the 1884 atlas of Jennings County. Indiana were as follows:
• W. P. Shields, a farmer, whose family settled here in 1817
• Lewis F. Brougher. born in Campbell Township, a farmer and county commissioner, whose family settled here in 1820
• E. F. Huiton. a merchant from Clark County. Ohio, settled here in 1838
• William A. Vawter. farmer, whose family settled here in 1842
• T. Cope, a farmer from Fayette County. Pennsylvania, settled here in 1852
• Joseph Hole, farmer and beekeeper from Columbiana County. Ohio, settled here in 1853.
• Christian Clement, a farmer from Switzerland County in 1854
• T. J. Moore, a carnage maker from Belmont County. Ohio, and
• J. V. Milhous, a farmer and nurseryman from Belmont County. Ohio.
• Johnathan Alice entered the Baptist ministry at the age of 23 years. He was one of the early pioneer preachers known as a circuit rider His occupation was wagon maker, but on the weekend he traveled far and near on horseback over bad roads, across country with no roads laid out and trees blazed along the pathway to show the traveler he was on the right road to his destination. At times the creeks were high and dangerous to cross He would often have to have the horse swim across to get to his appointments. The plain people living in log cabins received him cheerfully. He carried his Bible, hymn book, and a suit of clothes in his leather saddlebag.

Butlerville - It is believed that Butlerville got it's name from a young man named John Morris who came to Jennings County in the 1840. Morris lived in Butlerville. Ohio before moving to Jennings County. He was a peddler, earned a pack on his hack and sold items to farmers and others who were interested in his goods.

Morris found Campbell Township without a town or store. A one-story frame residence, with a storeroom attached, was built on the southwest corner of the crossing to the Madison. Vernon, Zenas. and Versailles roads. Lela Perkins presently owns this property It is located at the intersection of 200 North and 500 East The store was the only frame structure in Campbell Township All other structures were log except the Brush Creek Church that was built of stone Morris also opened a post office and called it Butlerville. Mail was brought once a week from Vernon.

Bryant Trickey lived at Butlerville, Ohio, and being acquainted with Morris, followed him to Campbell Township and bought eighty acres of land about one and one-hall miles northeast of Morris' business. Trickey platted the town of Butlerville recording 41 lots on June 8 1853 John Morris moved his general store and post office to this new town.

On February 20. 1820, the United States of America gave a land grant to David Campbell for 160 aces in Section 33. This was an area south of what is now Butlerville, across from the Hopewell Quaker settlement, which came about later. David Campbell and his wife, Anna, sold the property to Fielding Denny on April 7. 1832. On December 11, 1850. Samuel Stott. the executor for the Denny estate, sold the property to John S Burdge for $1,200. Morris & Burdge became acquainted when they were young boys living in Carroll County, Ohio. Burdge came to see the country Morris described to him and bought the farm upon the comer of which Morris' store was located. Johnathan W. Cobbs and Samuel Adamson. brothers-in-law. put in a sawmill at Butlerville The mill was capable of sawing four thousand feet of lumber in a day which provided employment for cutting and hauling logs. Irvine Quier set up a similar mill in the deep ravine east of Phillip Rice's residence. Log houses were no longer built but were succeeded by frame. Land prices increased thus slowing the immigration of settlers from Ohio

In November of 1875, a man from Ohio and two California miners mined for gold on the Kibler farm southeast of Butlerville. They didn't have title to the land and ran out of money. Needing money, they abandoned the project since no gold had been found. The farm was later owned by Matt and Kirk Kibler and, now, by Shelley J.Siebert.

A sawmill was built across the ravine from Butlerville by Jonathan W. Cobbs and Samuel Adamson, brothers-in-law. This mill was capable of sawing four thousand feet in a day. It provided employment to the rivals who cut and hauled logs Irvine Quier set up a similar mill in the deep ravine east of Phillip Rice's residence

Frame homes started to take the place of log cabins as land prices increased and immigration from Ohio slowed down.

After Bryant Trickey platted Butlerville. John Morris moved his post office and general store to the new town, he moved into a box frame store that he had built. He soon sold this to Edward Hambleton. built a second building east of the store and he opened a hotel. George Baxter put up a two story building on the south side of the railroad where he also opened a hotel. Soon afterward. Andrew Dugan Brougher, brother of Lewis E. opened a store across the street from Hambleton Hare and Swarthout later sold implements here and then Wm. Swift and A. S. Connor later had this store. Ephriam Mutton also operated a store in the vicinity.

John Peacock was the shoemaker followed by Joshua Bowers and then Israel Owen. Lewis and Abner Wagner had a blacksmith shop. A man by the name of Roberts was a wagon maker. So were Johnathan Alice . John C Lee and John W. Forsyth

The Hambleton store passed to Thomas and George Bewley William P. Stratton built a business building, which he occupied as a store at one time with his brother, Jacob, and at another time  with his brother-in-law. Gideon Moncrief, son of Rev. Caleb Moncrief. Emmor Ware had a store in the Bewley building and Warrington's had a hotel. Over the years
several business buildings were destroyed by fire and had to be rebuilt By this time there were two mail deliveries each day and Butlerville was quite a busy place. In 1858. Johnathan W Cobbs added an addition to the town, lots 1-18, and on September 30, 1839. added lots 19-24. Thomas and George Bewley added lots 1-10 March 12. 1861, and on May 20, 1872. Johnathan W. Cobbs added three lots of one acre each. The McClure addition was added August 5, 1912. This was 37 lots owned by Jesse W and Bethie McClure.

William Hulton and Thomas Bewley, Sr.. had a flour mill which was destroyed by fire. Then they built a chair factory manufacturing chairs with cane seats. It was soon destroyed by fire. George Thomas had a sawmill for years. The telegraph office was established in August 1899. Oliver Thomas was the first operator. In that same year the depot was built on the south side of the railroad near Main Street. There was a stockyard with a loading ramp where animals were held to be loaded on the train for Cincinnati Stockyard. John E. Murphy started a livery stable in 1897 purchasing his stock from W. H. Hutton. Janetta Laherty's grandfather, who raised horses. Mr. Murphy also sold wagons and buggies. In 1891. Lester J. Neill, from Bigger Township opened a small general store. In 1894 and 1898 he acted as an agent for the B&O Railroad. In 1896 he leased hie ground floor of the Odd Fellows building and became one of the most successful merchants in this part of the country. He ran a huckster wagon three days a week out through the countryside, taking out groceries, dry goods, etc.. and bringing back fresh country produce. This was a  great convenience for the country people.

The McIlroy Hotel was located on the East Side of Main Street South of the railroad tracks. In latter years, it was used for various businesses. Jim Miles had a feed store: Scott Denton had a small restaurant. Elec "Eck" Edwards had a paint and wallpaper store; Ed Shull had a butcher shop. Then in later years. Russell B. Eakins bought the building and made it into apartments.

Cornett Brown was a mechanic and an electrician working out of his own garage by his house. Later as business increased,  he built a building out north of US Highway 50 for his business. Ed Schonfeld had a station south of US Highway 50 west of the Baptist Church that he sold to Albert Olson. There were living quarters on the back and side of this building for the  family. Then, when they moved to the house across the highway. Cuma and Geneva Boyd occupied it and Geneva had a beauty shop. Later, the Boyds bought a place east of Main Street on the south side of Pike Street for their home and beauty shop. Still later they bought a short ways south of the highway in the country. Albert Olson sold the station to Hilary Hornback. His sister, Virginia Schofer, had a little restaurant in the addition for a while. Many people bragged about her homemade pies. Wall Denton was a veterinarian in 1898 and considered one of the best in southern Indiana. Alta Stoddard, a teacher, had a millinery store. Bethie McClure and Lenora Hunt worked in the store. In 1892. E. C. Davis, attorney, real estate, and insurance agent published a daily Butlerville paper. The Butlerville News Company beginning in 1900 published the Butlerville News. It was published every Saturday and the cost was $1.00 per year.

Butlerville had a bank on the east side of Main Street at the comer of Pike Street. In the 1930s the bank closed and the building became the post office. In 1977, a new post office was built north of US Highway 50 on the west side of town. Hiram Shepherd was the postmaster at that time. Jane Mathews was the next postmistress and Anita Biehle is the current one. Now the old post office building is known as the AFSCME union hall.

J. W. Silvers used to have a funeral home south of the railroad tracks on Washington Street. He kept his hearse and horses in the hack, and his residence was across from it. Mrs. Tucker later lived there. Mooreheads and Mrs. Hepburn later lived where the funeral home was. In early years the drug store was facing Main Street right behind the depot. Dr. Nelson, Fred Owens, William Rockefellow. Marion Murdock, Luther Murdock, Bertha Armand, and Albert Laherty ran this business over the years. Mr. Laherty moved it to a two-story building south of the highway with his living quarters on the upper floor. Many have fond memories of the tasty treats they could buy at the soda fountain. There was no pharmacist, but he carried a complete stock of non-prescription drugs. He was also the ticket agent for the Greyhound Bus. People could buy a ticket to go to North Vernon on either the bus or train and come back on the other one. This was quite a convenience.

In 1898 Charles Woodard had a hardware and tin shop. Roy Swarthout, the ticket agent and telegraph operator, opened an up-to-date hardware store. He sold it to Roy Bullock. Roy moved the store to North Vernon. Then the Church of God used the building with a parsonage next to it. Still later. Ed Schonfeld had a skating rink there.

Opal Ferguson Hepburn gave piano lessons in her home.

Russell B. and Lola Eakins lived south of the highway at the end of Main Street and had to move their house back from the road when the highway came through. He had a building moved next to his residence for a general store. Around 1940, he drove a huckster twice a week through the countryside, selling his merchandise from the store. In later years. Jack Owens had a shoe repair shop in the old store building. Mr. Eakins had gas pumps in front of his store. John Chaille. Jesse Chaille. Mose Ryan. Harry Chaille and Russell Chaille were barbers at one time in Butlerville. Jimmy Steve, was probably the last one. His shop was in a little building south of the highway east of Eakins' store.

Aaron Amos. Jesse Wilson, and then Morton McCaulou. all had a blacksmith shop south of High School Road across from the two story building that was used as a school.

After Kenny Ferguson's general store burned in Angust 1939, he started another one in a two story brick building north of the railroad on Main Street. He also had gas pumps. The Masonic Lodge used the upper floor. Later, Ted Murphy operated this store. At one time, silent movies were held on Saturday nights in the summer on a vacant lot south of the store.

The Fairmount neighborhood was located southeast of Butlerville in the area of 175N and 75o E. Lewis E. Brougher owned a farm in Fairmount that now belongs to Paul Belding. At one time a general store was on Brougher's farm. It was two stories high, had a winding stairway and a back porch. The family who owned the store lived upstairs.

Nebraska, platted in 1856, is a small town in northeastern Campbell Township located on US Highway 50. The township people talked of naming the town Elliottville but the Nebraska territory evidently influenced the decision.

The B&O Railroad ran through the middle of Nebraska. It first merged with the Chesapeake Railroad and for a number of years was called the Chessie System, Then it merged with Southern Pacific Railroad and is now known as the CSX  System. The railroad pond, a designated stop to fill the steam engines, still exists.

Nebraska had a post office until 1995 when it closed and residents were given street addresses to support the Jennings County  911 emergency response system. Now the mail carrier Jack Brooks, makes deliveries out of the Butlerville Post Office.

J. H Grinstead was a farmer and stock dealer. Hiram O'Conner was a lawyer and notary public and John Alice an auctioneer.

Southwest of Butlerville and near Nebraska, John Blankenship had a sawmill operated by his son. James, on the South Fork near the southwest corner of the township, operated by water power. Later he sold the mill to Lindsey Stanley who sold to John A. Wilson. They sawed 250 feet of lumber in a day. It had a sash saw that moved very slowly, Corn was also ground and one-tenth was taken as payment for grinding. Persons wanting flour took their wheat to Vernon.

West of Nebraska near the junction of 500 North and 750 East is a wooded area with a lake situated on about 30 acres. It was once known as Dogwood Lake Campgrounds. In 1994 it was purchased by a group of nine Church of God churches and is now known as the Southeastern Indiana Campground. Camping is restricted to members of the churches. The officers are: Paul Kirby. president: Gene Poer, Vice president. Nina Rees, secretary and Ruby McVey, treasurer.

Ada Klayer Clarkson recalls the stone quarry that was located south of Nebraska along the banks of Otter Creek. It was owned by Jessie H. Grinstead. Big slabs of rock approximately 24" by 30" were cut and brought into town to the train where they were taken to larger cities such as Cincinnati. Ohio to make sidewalks.

Hiram Blemish had a general store in 1908, which was located across the highway and railroad tracks from where it is now. The Lionel Howell family now owns and operates it. Next to the general store John and Bessie Toole owned and operated a creamery. John Alice was proprietor of a first class hotel for many years. Johnathan Allee owned and operated a livery stable where salesmen who rode the train to Nebraska would rent a rig to go out to Zenas. The salesmen ordered goods for Tom Woods. Then, when the order came into town. Luther Allee would take his horses and wagon to pick up the supplies and deliver them. This information came from Edna Allee Cruser. There was also a
grainery and gristmill where corn and wheat were ground into meal and flour. It stood until the 1960s when it was torn down by the Joseph Daugherty family. Emerson Mathews owned and operated a sawmill until he passed away in 1943. Charlie Mathews bought it and moved it west of town.

In the early 1940s the world was in war again and one by one the young men and women of the church and community were called into service There were 52 on the service plaque, four of which paid the supreme sacrifice.

A. G. Case the town physician and surgeon for 33 years. His office hours were 6:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. In between he would go out through (he country making house calls as needed Jesse A Grinstead was a dealer in dry goods, groceries, notions, hardware, queensware, hats, shoes, boots. gloves, etc. He was also a dealer in grain and all kinds of country produce for which he was known to pay the highest market prices at that time.

Nebraska in 1998 has a general store, two churches, a beauty shop owned and operated by Jess and Sue McVey Beeman, and the Medical Clinic that opened in 1997.

Oakdale - George McIlroy came from eastern Pennsylvania, built the town of Oakdale and established a sawmill. The land he bought was covered with white Oak timber that he cut Into lumber and sold in Cincinnati, Ohio. He had a service station and a post office with daily mail. According to an article J C Cope wrote in 1916. Sometime in the 1850s and 1860s Oakdale became the third town in Campbell Township The western boundary of Campbell Township has been changed several times according to records. Nothing remains now but memories of some of the older people and very little proof that there was even an Oakdale community.

There was an area in northern Campbell Township referred to as Cherry Valley. It was located about three miles northwest of Butlerville. Some of the land-owners listed in an 1884 atlas were Hutton, Stoddard, Gallimore, Davis, Stratton, Jeffries, Shields, and Neal. A lot of these people attended Brush Creek Baptist Church and later went into Butlerville to the Baptist Church. The John Hutton farmhouse was used for temporary housing for the first superintendent of Muscatatuck State Colony until the house burned. There was also a brick school building nearby, which housed an employee's family Hopewell is located about one and one-half miles southwest of Butlerville at the junction of 200 North and 5110 East. It  was settle  mostly  by Quakers They were very interested in the education and religious upbringing of their children They built a meeting house and a couple of schools in the Hopewell area

Samuel Woolman was a Quaker and great-grandfather of Betty Brougher Ellercamp. He lived on a farm west of Hopewell which was later owned by William Ellercamp. grandfather of Charles Ellercamp. Samuel died in June, 1868, and is buried in the Grove Cemetery.

There was a brick factory in the Hopewell area that moved lo Butlerville when the railroad was built.

Just south of Hopewell was the Whinnery Ford Bridge that is now known as the Schonfeld Slab Bridge. Frank Schonfeld owned properly near the bridge.