Indian Creek

Indian Creek township is the center one of the three which form the western border of Lawrence county. The name is taken from the creek that enters at the northwest corner, leaving near the southwest corner. Salt creek and the East fork of White river form the eastern and southern boundaries. The township is one of the original five, and now is much smaller than at first, at present comprising about fifty-three square miles. In the agricultural life of the county this township stands very high, by virtue of the excellence of the soil. The ground is rich bottom land in most places and is very productive, although not the most valuable in this respect in the county.

A few of the men who entered land in this township during the days up until 1820 were: Henry Speed. John Towell, Simon Ruebottom, Benjamin Beeson, Silas Dixon, Jonathan Lindley, Ephraim Lee, Isaac Williams, Joseph Richardson, Seymour Cobb, Archibald Wood, Felter Hughes, James Garton, David__Sfiars, Jesse Towell. and Peyton Wilson, in 1816; David Ribelin. James Duncan. Adam Siler. John Duncan, John Cloud, John Roberts, Reuben Short, Jeremiah Boone, Elijah Boone, John Rochester, Wesley Short, John Crook, Daniel Todd, Abraham Kern, Robert Garton and R. Browning, William Dillard, John and Michael Waggoner. Joseph Sargeant, Henry Waggoner, Elbert Howard, Sullivan and Duncan, John Duncan, in 1817; Robert Wood, William Gartin, Henry Piersoll, Holland Pitman, William Dougherty, James Mulloy, Isaac Waggoner, William Cochran, Robert Mitchell, Peyton Wilson and Martin Ribelin, in 1818; Andrew Howard, Sterling Sims, John Short, Albert Howard, Benjamin Chestnut and William Wood- run, in 1819; John Donaldson, in 1820.

The first elections of Indian Creek township were held by Joseph Sullivan as inspector at Stepp's. but a little later were held at the house of Samuel Owens, not far from the present site of Springville. James Cully held the office of constable for the first time, and Patrick and Adam Tyler were overseers of the township poor in 1819. In 1822, when Perry township was formed out of part of Indian Creek, the southern border was extended to White river, and the election place changed to the house of Frederick Hamer.

In the early days of Indian Creek township there were many grist mills situated within her borders. One of the earliest was situated on Indian creek, and was operated by water power. Robert Dougherty operated it in the year 1818, and then sold it to a man named Bowers. Henry Purcell owned it next, and in his hands it was shut down. John Craig, in 1824, built a horse mill on his farm, and ran it successfully for about ten years. This mill failing. Mr. Craig erected a new and better one, which descended to his son, Robert Craig. Elijah Carton had a "corn cracker" near what is now Fayetteville, and the power was furnished by an inclined wheel and a young steer. John Short, Simon Ruebottom, Oliver Cox and Isaac Rector also owned small mills.

The making of salt was at one time a good industry in the township. The value of the product was high, due to the poor transportation facilities with the outside world. In 1824 Joseph Laughlin dug a salt well on the farm owned by Jackson Kern, but the produce-was not sufficient to pay for the expense of manufacture.

Samuel Simons, one of the earlier settlers, kept a tavern where Fayetteville now stands. The bill of fare was very simple, consisting at times of roasting ears and sweet milk, for which a sum of twenty-five cents was charged. This tavern was kept for a period of two years, when the owner abandoned it and went to farming. Among the first merchants was John Vestal, who came to Fayetteville in 1816 or 7817. and there set up a stock of merchandise in a log house. He replenished his stock from Louisville, the goods being hauled from there in wagons. Frederick Hamer also undertook the merchandise trade in 1826, and enjoyed a very lucrative trade.

Marion

Marshall

Of the three townships which form the northern end of the county, Marshall is the center, and is next to the smallest in the county. The township was named for John Marshall, the eminent chief justice of the United States. Land entries were made in this township as early as 1816. and this

is hard to account for, as the agricultural facilities in the greater part of the county are poor, the land being broken and hilly. The southern portion, however, contains some excellent soil, and has been the scene of stone quarrying on a large scale, the stone being shipped to all parts of the country.

Until the year 1820 the land entries were as follows: Jacob Hattabaugh, 1816; William Curl, 1816; Hamilton Reddick, 1817; John Fairley, 1819; John Goodwin, 1818; Robert Anderson. 1819; John Hargis, 1816; William Sackey. 1817; Jesse Brown, 1816; James Culley, 1816; Michael Hattabaugh, 1816; Jacob Bruner, 1818; Henry Brown, 1818; John Zumwald, 1818; Henry Leonard, 1818; Patrick Tyler, 1817; Nicholas Bruner, 1816; William Ouillen, 1818; John Dryden, 1817; Joshua Gullett, 1816; Adam House, 1816; Thomas Reynolds, 1817; and Absalom Sargeant, 1817.

The first mill of the county was built at Avoca about the year 1819, by a man named Fitzpatrick. The next owner of this mill was Absalom Hart, an experienced miller, having owned a mill on Indian creek. After fifteen years of success, Hart sold the mill to the Hamer brothers, who owned the mill for ten years, and then sold out to Levi Mitchell, who in turn disposed of the property to Dr. Bridwell. The Doctor sold out to George Thornton, of Bedford. Short & Judah were the next owners, and while in their possession the mill burned down. Samuel Short rebuilt the structure soon after, and in 1865 Hayden Bridwell obtained a half interest in it, holding the same until 1868, when he became-the sole owner. The mill was operated by a turbine water wheel, and had three sets of buhrs, one each for corn, wheat and chop feed.

About 1830 the Humpston mill was built. It was on the farm later owned by Ephraim Decker, and was operated by an undershot wheel and the current of Salt creek. There was but one set of buhrs. The plant was abandoned in the late forties. Kinser & Whisman erected a steam grist and saw mill in 1870 near the present site of Guthrie. This plant was successful from the first, and in 1880 the necessary machinery for making spokes was added at a large cost.

The first merchant in Marshall township was Eliphalet Pearson, the father of Judge E. D. Pearson of Bedford. His former occupation had been as a keeper of the ferry on the Ohio river, at Jeffersonville. but he traded that business for a stock of merchandise valued then at about five thousand dollars. After this he moved to the McCrea farm, in section ;, in the northwestern part of the township. This spot was on the old stage line from Leavenworth, on the Ohio river, in Indianapolis, stopping at Springville, Bedford and Orleans and Paoli in Orange county. Pearson's ideal location made his venture a profitable one. and for three years he conducted a thriving business.

He also owned an oil mill there, and manufactured quantities of linseed oil, as flax was grown then in this locality in large quantity. The method of making the oil, of course, would seem primitive in this day of labor-saving machinery; the seed was ground by a large stone operated by horse-power, and the oil was pressed out by a common l>ean press. Later Pearson moved his mercantile business to Springville, in Perry township, where he continued until 1840. In that year he constructed a wool carding machine, operating the same for eight years. He also started a tan yard in 1846, but a few years later resumed the merchandise business, and followed the same until his death, in January, 1863.

In the town of Avoca, while operating the grist mill, Doctor Bridwell opened a general merchandise store. He also established the first postoffice there, and acted in the capacity of postmaster. This office was abandoned after a few years, but was taken up again by O. A. Owens in 1866. Owens began to keep articles of merchandise, and built up a good trade. The successor to Owens in the merchandise line was John Heaton. and he continued for two years, at the end of which time he removed to Newberry, in Greene county, the business at Avoca being conducted by the Blackburn brothers. Heaton, however, soon returned.

Perry

Perry township is situated in the northwest corner of Lawrence county, and is composed of the congressional thirty-six sections in township 6 north, range 2 west. The name Perry was given in honor of the famous sea commander who conquered the British on Lake Erie during the war of 1812. When Lawrence county was organized in 1818, all of the territory now in Perry township was a part of Indian Creek township. It was converted into an independent township on May 14, 1822, and included all of the land west of Salt creek and north of the line between townships 5 and 6 north.
Pleasant Run

The following is a list of some of the early land entries in Perry township, including some of the most prominent men in the county: Eli Powell, 1817; Alexander Clark, 1817; Jesse Davis, 1818; Warner Davis, 1816; Robert Holarday, 1816; Ralph Lowder, 1819; Benjamin Phipps, 1818; Michael and Mathias Sears. 1817; William Newcomb, 1817; William Sackley, 1817; William Kern. 1817: Thomas Hopper, 1817: William Hopper, 1817; Jonathan Osborn, 1816; Azel Bush, 1818; Isaac V. Buskirk, 1818: Joseph Taylor, 1816; Benjamin Dawson, 1818; Archibald Wood, 1816; John Gray, 1817: William Kerr, 1817; William Tincher, 1817; Reuben Davis, 1816; Seymour Cobb. 1816: John Armstrong, 1817; Samuel Steel. 1817: John Duncan, 1817; Coats and Samuel Simon, 1817; John Dishman, 1818: Adam Hostetter. 1817. Other.-; noteworthy among the early settlers were: Wesley Short, William Whitted, Aden Gainey, Samuel Owens, Caleb Odell, Nathan Melton. Kenneth Dye, John Jarvis. William McDowell, James McDowell. Thomas Cobb, Dixon Cobb, and later, Noah Bridwell, Elza Woodward, Zedekiah Robinson, Melcart Helmer. Samuel Tincher, Franklin Crooke, M. C. Rafferty, Milton Short, John and Thomas Hert. Thomas Armstrong, John Hedrick. John Rainbolt, Andrew McDaniel. Tames Beaty. Booker Wilson, Martin Holmes, James Garton, Eliphalet Pearson, John D. Pedigo. John Vestal and A. H. Gainey.

Milling was the chief pioneer industry in the township, and the first mill was operated by Benjamin Dawson, beginning probably in the year 1818. This mill was a very primitive affair, and was abandoned in 1835, when water mills began to l>e built. Noah Bridwell conducted a horse mill run by a tramp wheel until 1840. also had a still in connection. Wesley Short also owned a small mill on his farm about 1835. In the early forties Levi Butcher and Eliphalet Pearson had carding mills in the township, and they carded considerable quantities of wool brought in by the farmers. Pearson sold out to Elza Woodward, who in turn placed the mill in the hands of Zachariah Purdv. Under the last ownership the mill was abandoned in the fifties. Cotton was another produce raised in this portion of the county during the early days, and several cotton gins were constructed. Aden Gainey and Samuel Owens operated a gin for about seven years. This gin gained notoriety at the time from the fact that Lorenzo Dow preached a sermon there to one of the largest crowds ever assembled in the township.

Hunting constituted the prime sport of those days, deer and bear being very plentiful. John Gray, who came up from Kentucky in the fall of 1815, became noted for his skill as a hunter, and he killed enough game to support his family. He performed the feat of killing four deer with one bullet; he shot two. recovered the bullet from the second deer, and later had two others lined up for a shot, using; the same slug of lead.

Shawswick

In the central part of the county is Shawswick township. On the south the East fork of White river flows, and on the west Salt creek. The land adjacent to these streams comprises the best agricultural ground within the borders of the county. Also, Leatherwood creek flows diagonally across the township from northeast to southwest, and the land through which this stream flows is named the Leatherwood district, and is famous for the richness and fertility of the soil. Nearly all the land to the east of Bedford is under cultivation and the farms are supplied with the latest and best improvements all indicative of the prosperity of the region. The bottom land along White river is a strong rival of the land of the Leatherwood district, and it is even claimed by some to be richer. The number of land entries made prior to and in 1820 proves how inviting the locality was to the settler coming on his way to the northward. These early land entries were as follows: James Mandell, Samuel Lindley. Ezekiel Blackwell. Hiram Kilgore, Charles Kilgore, Preston Beck, William Bristoe, Reuben and Simpson Kilgore.. Marguis Knight, Joseph Glover, James Gregory, John Hays, William Thornton, William Foot, John Gardner, John Williams and William Fisk in 1816; Dixon Brown, David Johnson, Thomas Thompson, John Horton, Melcher Fehgelman, Robert Whitley, Vinson Williams, Peter Galbert, Martin Ribelin, William Dougherty, John Hawkins, Thomas McManus, Ross and McDonald. James Maxwell, Samuel Dougherty, Robert Dougherty, Alex  Butler, George Silver, Thomas Elrod, Roger McKnight, Jacob Castleman and Thomas Allen in 1817; Pleasant Padgett, Lewis Woody, James Blair, Andrew Owen, James Riggins, Mark Tully, William Denson, Stephen Shipman, Absalom Hart, Abraham Mitchell, John Spears, David Wilson, Timothy Ward, Arta Garrison. Ebenezer McDonald, Fetler and Hughes, Peter Harmonson, James Erwin and Henry McGree in 1818; T. McAfee, Michael Johnson, R. Bowles James Blair, James Denson, Joseph James, James Owens, in 1819; Jacob Hikes, Cuthbert and Thomas Bullitt, Dixon Brown, Roger McKnight, Jacob Geiger, Bartholomew Thatcher, Fetler and Hughes, Phillip Starr, J. Thompson, James Allen, Jonathan Henderson, Isaac Jamison. Samuel Gwathney, Thomas Maffith, James Pace, Thomas Hill and Jacob Clark, in 1820.

Shawswick was one of the original five townships, and the name came in the following manner: A judge in the early history of the state bore the name of Wick, and he had many admirers in this county who insisted that the township should be named after him. One of the county commissioners at the same time, by the name of Beazley, had a comrade by the name of Shaw, who was killed in the battle of Tippecanoe. Beazley advocated the name of Shaw and had many supporters in his desire. The two parties finally compromised on the name Shawswick.

It is highly probable that the first elections were held at the town of Palestine. Pleasant Parks was the inspector at the first voting, but in the following year was succeeded by William Kelsey, Joshua Taylor and James Mundle were chosen overseers of the poor in the same year. Instead of one constable, Shawswick township maintained that the dignity of the law could be upheld by no less than three, so accordingly Nathaniel Vaughn, William Dale and John Sutton were appointed as constables.

The many streams in the township gave rise to many water mills of various types, some for grinding grain and others for sawing timber. Early in the twenties Alexander Butler and Robert Dougherty built a saw mill on Leatherwood creek, about a mile and a half southeast of Bedford. The mill was run by a flutter wheel, which was faster and easier of operation than the undershot wheel. Edward Humpston, whose name was prominently identified with mills over the whole country, built another saw mill above the above mentioned one and on Leatherwood creek. After a time, and as was his custom, he sold the mill to Richard Rvans, who ran the plant for seven years before abandoning it. Humpston also built a grist mill in 1826, which lasted for several years. It was operated by a breast water wheel. Farther up the creek, and near the present site of Erie, a grist and saw mill was built in 1832 by Wesley and Michael Johnson. Also the Rawlins mill was among the best of the day, and was built by Joseph Rawlins about 1835. It was one of the largest in the county, having three runs of buhrs. and quantities of flour were shipped from here to all parts of the country By railroad it was shipped north to Detroit and other northern cities, while the southern, transportation was conducted by means of flatboats, principally down the Mississippi to New Orleans. There were many other mills, but each in turn suffered an ignominous end, either being abandoned by the owners or being washed out by a sudden rise in the streams.

Spice Valley

Another of the five original townships in the southwest portion of the county is Spice Valley township. The present area of this locality is approximately fifty-two miles square. Beaver creek flows through the smith western part, on the west and south it is hounded by Martin and Orange counties, on the north the East fork of White river is situated, and on the east is Marion township. For the most part, the land in this township is too broken to be of much value for agriculture, but is well suited for grazing. The ground along the river is an exception, and it is to this that the early settlement of the county is indebted, To the year 1820 there were thirty-four purchases of land, while in Indian Creek township there were fifty-eight during the same time, thus indicating the relative value of the land. These entries were Simon Gilbert, William Lindley, C and T. Bullitt, Ezekiel Blackwell, Jonathan Lindley. Aquilla Gilbert. Henry Speed, Absalom Field, Thomas Lindley, Joseph Hastings. Abraham Holaday, Thomas Coulter, Josiah Trueblood. Joel Connelly. Josiah Connelly in 1816; Josiah Connelly, Joel Connelly. Robert Fields, John Chapman, Gideon Coulter, Henry Cosper, John Connelly in 1817; Jesse Beazley. Nichols Koon. John Quinn, David Bruner. William Cochran, John Luttrell, Roger McKnight, and John Swaim in 1818: William Maxwell. Francis Tincher. in 1819; John Sanders. William Hoard, in 18.20.

Absalom Fields was the first inspector of elections in the township, and the elections were held first at his home, but were later changed to the home of Richard Beazley. Josiah Connelly was the first constable, and Absalom Fields and Joel Connelly the first overseers of the poor. These latter offices have long since passed out of existence.

The milling industry of Spice Valley township in the early days was mostly confined to Hamer's mil! in Marion township, in the eastern part. Until 1840 or later the people of this locality patronized this mill, because the mills in this township were small and inadequate. Josiah Trueblood owned a very primitive horsemill. Near 1830 a horse mill was in operation near Bryantsville, owned by Henry Weathers, but has since disappeared. Distilleries were an important feature in the early industrial life, and many things have been attributed to the large practice of making liquor. The flowing springs and various features of the land, also the early training of the settlers, contributed to the occupation. Joshua Barnes owned the most important of these distilleries about 1850, and he also did a great deal of fruit distilling.

The following interesting items are from the pen of T. M. Brinkworth:

"William Hoard, at the time of his death, in 1853, owned about six hundred acres of land and out of this farm the town of Huron was platted in 1859 by his heirs and descendants. No one of the earlier settlers has left so many direct descendants in this and neighboring; townships as William Hoard. They furnished twelve or fifteen soldiers to the Union army during the Civil war.

"This township was settled very slowly until about the year 1850, when the land entries became frequent: a large per cent, of these entries in the west end of the township bear dates between 1850 and 1858.

"Owing to the lateness of her settlement Spice Valley cannot boast of any Revolutionary or 1812 veterans and only two Mexican veterans (known to the writer) sleep within her borders, Joseph Hosier and George Brink-worth.

"But it was in the Civil war that Spice Valley made a record that is unequaled by any of her sister townships in Lawrence county and doubtless by few in the entire state. Her quota was always full and the draft was never resorted to. I feel safe in saying that this was true of no other township in Lawrence or the neighboring counties of Orange and Martin. ] dare say that there are more old soldiers residing in the vicinity of Huron in proportion to the population than any community in the state, barring a soldier's home.

"This township was heavily timbered with oak, poplar, walnut, hickory, beech and ash. but less maple than the eastern townships. The working of this timber was the chief industry from the time of the building of the Ohio & Mississippi railroad, which was completed about 1855, until these fine forests were almost entirely exhausted some twenty years ago, since when more attention has been given to the cultivation and fertilization of the soil, and. while the improvement in the methods of farming from year to year is slow, yet it is steady and perceptible.

"The schools of Spice Valley were few and the teachers indifferent until about the year 1857, when the Legislature created the office of township trustee, giving the system some head, and a marked improvement both in the number of school houses and in the character of teachers is noted. John McGinness, one of the old teachers, far above the average of that time, was elected as the first trustee at the April election, 1857, reelected in 1858 and 1859 (the last time for a term of two years) and served till 1861. at the April election of which year Jesse Connerly was elected trustee and served continuously until 1868. He bears the unique distinction of 'being the only Democrat elected to that office during the entire history of the township. He was not of much education, but possessed a remarkable personality that drew men to him. The writer regards it one of the greatest fortunes of his life to have known Jesse Connerly. He lived at the old Connerly Switch, on the farm his father bought in 1823, and he lived in that same spot until his death in 1891. His home was a rendezvous for the neighbors for miles around and the traveler never asked in vain for a rest at his place. To him and George W. Jones must largely be ascribed the credit for the good showing of the township during the Civil war. They saw to it that the families of the absent soldiers did not want and this assurance induced many a man to go to the front. Mr. Jones still lives, at the advanced age of eighty-six. His grandfather, Thomas Jones, settled a mile east of Huron in the early twenties and on this farm he was reared and later owned it and collected together a farm of over one thousand two hundred acres. He is the last of the early settlers and soon will sleep with the stalwart pioneers, by whose side he struggled so faithfully to build up a community.

"There were many noble men who cast their lot in Spice Valley, but this sketch must be too brief to mention all. However, there are some that stand out above the rest and we will mention a few of them. The township is indebted to two branches of the powerful Burton family which did so much in the development of the sister township of Marion. Eight of the ten brothers settled in Marion, but two came to Spice Valley. Hardin and Eli. The first was a Baptist preacher and fanner and a great deal more. He was a splendid type of man. He reared an intelligent family. Drs. John \Y. Burton and George W. Burton were his sons and did splendid service in their profession. Two other sons. Isom and Hardin, taught many schools in Spice Valley and were instrumental in bringing the schools to the high plane they have attained. A grandson, Jackson Burton, also did yeoman service in the uplift of the schools of this section. For the last twenty years he has been engaged in the mercantile business and is now a leading merchant in this part of the country.

"Eli Barnes, son of Joshua Barnes, heretofore mentioned, was one of the old teachers and served in the capacity of township assessor for many years.

"Richard Williams, who owned much fine land near Port William, was among the most substantial and respected of our early citizens. Dr. A. W. Bare was another leading citizen who lived a pleasant, gentle and useful life in the beautiful valley of Bryantsville.

"Spice Valley has quite a deposit of kaolin and alluminum clay and at one time this industry employed several men, but of late years the mines have not been worked.

"Some of the men of recent years who have been most active in the affairs of this township are Leonidas W. Spencer, Daniel W. Sherwood, Thomas J. Daniel and William Trowbridge. And now, as I close this short story, I wish to mention one of the latterday and present teachers, William McNabb. Since 1882 he has taught school almost continuously. He is original in his methods and never fails to inspire his pupils to strive for better things. There is hardly a district in the township in which he has not taught and always with the highest success. Were I asked the question, what man in the last thirty years has performed the greatest service in Spice Valley, the answer would be without a moment's hesitation. "Bill" McNabb."

Pleasant Run

The northeast corner of Lawrence county is the location of Pleasant Run township, and it was created when the county was organized in 1818. The township now comprises sixty sections, being all of township  6 north, range i east, and the western half of township 6 north, range 2 east. As in Spice Valley township, the land is much too rough to be of great value for crops, although along the streams may be found some excellent land. Back. Leatherwood, Little Salt and Pleasant creeks cross the township, and from the latter the name is derived. In the list of Lawrence county townships

Pleasant Run had the fewest settlers until 1829, having but twenty-three land entries, as follows: Jesse Gilstrap, 1820: William Clark, 1820; Adam Helton, 1820; William J. Anderson, 1818; Arnold Helton, 1818; E. Terrill, 1820; Heirs of Abraham Martin, 1820: Rene Julin, 1818; R. Brooks, 1820: Samuel Gwathney.' 1820; Joseph Dayton, 1816; Joseph Trimble, 1820; E. Parr, 1820; Edmund Garrison, 1820; James Mundell. 1816; John McClellan, 1820; David McKinney. 1816; Edward Moore, 1820; Cuthbert and Thomas Bullitt, 1820; Vana Wilson, 1817: Jacob Woolen', 1820: Edward Tewell, 1820; and John N. Nichols, 1817.

Mills and distilleries were the chief vocations during the early days of the county. Adam Helton and a man named Mitchell owned a few of these mills, but on account of the scarcity of water they were compelled to wait until a storm before they could grind at all. Among the distilleries probably the most important one was that kept by William Clark, familiarly called Billy. John Hunter also kept a still on his farm.

The first elections of the township were held at the home of Joseph Dayton, with Thomas Henton as inspector. William Fish and Drury Mobley were overseers of the poor in the township.

Buddha

Though it was once known as Flinn's Crossroads, the origin of the town's current name is a subject of debate. The most prevalent story is that the name was suggested by a traveling salesman who stopped at the hamlet's store when it was only known by the street crossing that marked the downtown. Another story states that the name derives from some of the first settlers in the area, an English family named Bodey that operated a supply port on the East Fork of the White River one mile south of the crossroads, in what is now called Rivervale. That is supposedly how "Boo-dee" came about and eventually evolved into its present name. Buddha is the home of the White River Baptist Church and Station Two of the Guthrie Township Volunteer Fire Department. Nearby Carlton Cemetery is the resting place of the remains of many pioneers of the area.

Mitchell

Mitchell, Marion township, was named in honor of Gen. O. M. Mitchell, an officer in the Federal army, who died at Huntsville. Alabama, in 1862. The location of the town is on the south half of section 36, town 4 north, range I west, and on the north half of section 1, town 3 north, range 1 west, and was platted on September 29. 1853, by G. W. Cochran and John Sheeks. Good railroad facilities are afforded the people of this town, the Baltimore & Ohio and the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville, or the Monon, passing through the town at present. West Mitchell, an addition, was laid out January 17, 1859, by Jonas Finger, and on November 26 1865,  there was another addition by D. Kelley & Company. Since that time other additions have been made, and now the town covers quite an extent of territory. Some earlier merchants were Silas Moore & Son, John R. Nugent, and Robert Barnard. J. T. Biggs and G. W. Dodson were early druggists. Sam Cook was the premier blacksmith, and J. T. Biggs was the hotel keeper. In 1860 the town contained six hundred and twelve people, and in 1880, one thousand, four hundred and forty-three.

INCORPORATION AS A TOWN.

On December 23, 1864, Mitchell was incorporated as a town. Joshua Budd, R. Barnard and Z. L. Warren were named as the first trustees, and A. T. McCoy, the first clerk. McCoy resigned later in favor of H. S. Manington. The same officers served in 1865. In 1866, S. Moore. J. D. McCoy and F. M. Lemon were elected trustees, and H. S. Manington. clerk. In 1867, the trustees were S. Moore, J. D. McCoy, and William A. Burton. In 1868, S. Moore. J. D. McCoy and Z. L. Warren. The following list gives the successive trustees, with the year of their entrance into office, from 1869 until the time of incorporation as a city: 1869, W. V. T. Murphy, A. L. Munson, Samuel Cook; 1870, same officers; 1872, Allen Edwards. J. P. Tapp, William A. Burton: 1873, Isaac B. Faulkner. Isaac H. Crim, James A. Head: 1875, Allen Edwards. Dennis Coleman. Jacob J. Bates; 1876, James D. Moore, A. A. Pearson, David L. Fergurson; 1877. John Mead, I. H. Crim, Milton N. Moore; 1878, John O'Donnell, James Richardson. Jacob Bixler; 1879, John O'Donnell, James Richardson. Jacob Bixler: 1880, George Z. Wood. James D. Moore, George W. Burton; 1881, Thomas Richardson, Wilton N. Moore, William J. Humston: 1882, Milton N. Moore. William H. Edwards, Thomas Richardson; 1883. Milton N. Moore. Charles W. Campbell. William H. Edwards; 1884. John Mead. M. N. Moore. Thomas Welsh; 1885, A. Edwards, F. J. Wolfe. H. H. Crawford: 1886, M. N. Moore. H. A. Trendley: 1887, Abbott C. Robertson; 1888. H. A. Trendley, 1889, Allen Edwards, Gus Levy; 1890, Sam Cook. F. R. Blackwell: 1891, Allen C. Burton: 1892. James D. Moore. F. R. Blackwell: 1803. Milton N. Moore: 1894. William Newby. John Mead; 1895. J- L. Holmes, Sr.. Ralph Prosser; 1896, Charles Coleman, Ralph Prosser; 1897. M. N. Moore; 1898. Thomas W. Welsh. Fred R. Blackwell: 1899, same: 1900. David Kelly. M. N. Moore, James F. Mitchell: 1901. David Kelly, Henry Scott. James F. Mitchell; 1902. G. W. Walls. Lewis Barlow: 1003. George W. Walls. Henry S. Scheibe. Lewis Barlow: 1904. M. N. Moore, H. Scheibe, Henry Chapple; 1905. H. S. Scheibe. Harry Chapple, and Noble L. Moore; 1906. Harry Chapple. John L. Murphy, and N. L. Moore: and in 1007. Chapple. N. L. Moore and John T. Murphy.

Oolitic

Three miles and a half northwest of Bedford in Shawswick township, is situated the town of Oolitic with a present population of about two thousand, a substantial growth since the census of 1910, when it was 1,079. Under the statutes of Indiana, the village of Oolitic was incorporated as a town in 1900. The present town officers are: Trustees, Marshall Miller. S. L. Roberts and Ira M. Carmichael: marshal. Joseph Pace: clerk and treasurer, R. V. Worman. The town has no water system, but is supplied with electricity by the Oolitic Light. Heat & Power Company, which was established in April, 1913. The city has a town hall.

The business interests of 1913 are as follows: H. L. Paxton and Walter Mosier, attorneys: blacksmiths, M. Anderson and H. L. Clark: barbers. Smallwood &* Johnson, and Noah Harney: clothing stores. E. IT Riddell; dry goods. R. Dobbins, Berney Mitchell and Isaac Siletz: drug stores, L. A. Smallwood, C. V. George and Harvey H. Belton; furniture. Ooolitic Furniture Company, Meadows & Meadows, proprietors, and the Miller Furniture Company; grocery stores, Cook & Cook. D. Watson, W. M. Cuddy, Harry Byers, Deford Brothers: dray lines, H. L. Clark. Ira M. Carmichael: shoe stores, J. A. Bush, also a jewelry and general store keeper; grain dealers, William Cuddy. Claude Cook and Delbert Watson: livery. H. L. Clark and Thrasher Brothers; hardware. A. C. Clark: lumber. Ziba Owens. Gilbert Pierce and the Oolitic Lumber Company; grain mill, Arch Anderson; millinery, Mrs. Joseph Pace and Mrs. Clarinda Smallwood; meat markets, Delbert Watson and Deford Brothers. The physicians of Oolitic are R. B. Short. Oliver McLaughlin, Claude Dollins and Dr. Ray. Dr. J. B. Blessing is the dentist. There is one newspaper, the Progressive.

The town of Oolitic owes its existence mainly to the stone industry. The town is a center of many quarries and mills bearing a world-wide reputation. Among the principal ones surrounding the town are: The Indiana Stone Company, the Reed Stone Company, the Indiana Quarries Company. the Consolidated Stone Company, the Furst-Kerber Company, and the Ingles Stone Company. A drive through the country nearby reveals mammoth stacks of cut stone, black smoke from myriad mill chimneys, and stone- heaped cars sidetracked ready to be rushed to different points of the country. The workers live in the picturesque and beautiful hills of Lawrence county. close to their working ground, little noting the magnificent proportions and impressive detail of the wooded and rocky elevations around them.

In Oolitic there are three churches, the Baptist, the Methodist and the Church of Christ. The lodges are the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, including the encampment and the Rebekah.

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