The county of Morgan is in many respects one of the most favorably located tracts of country in the State of Indiana. It is within an hour's ride of the State capital, and is bounded on the north by Hendricks and Marion Counties, on the east by Johnson, on the south by Brown and Monroe, and on the west by Owen and Putnam. The county contains 450 square miles, or 291,800 acres, and is watered by the West Fork of White River, and by its branches, White Lick Creek, Mud Creek, Big Indian Creek, Stott’s Creek, Clear Creek, Burnett’s Creek, Rhodes’ Creek, Mill Creek, and by other smaller streams. The valleys are extremely fertile, and produce annually large crops of grain. The numerous bluffs along the principal water-courses are suitable for grazing. There is an abundance of timber, consisting of poplar, walnut white oak, hickory, beech, maple and other varieties. An abundance of excellent building stone is found, and is near the surface and easily obtained. Native gold and copper have been found in small quantities. The sanitary conditions are very favorable, as the porosity of the soil and the rolling character of the surface prevent the development of malaria.


    The county was formerly the undisputed home of the Miami tribe of Indians. Here they had lived for an indeterminate period of years, unmolested by the whites. The earlier race, known as Mound Builders, so far as can be learned, left no traces of their presence in the county. The case is different with the Indians. They were here when our fathers came, and mingled freely with the white men. The rapid settlement of the State after the war of 1812—15, and especially after the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, when the power of the Indians was completely crushed, led to numerous treaties, whereby the Indians ceded to the Government various tracts of land, and retired toward the setting sun. The Delaware's, many years before, had obtained from the Miamis a large tract of land in Central Indiana. In October, 1818, at St. Mary’s, Ohio, the Miamis and Delaware's ceded to the United States a large tract of land in Central and Southern Indiana, including the present county of Morgan, except a small portion in the southwestern
part, whIch bad been relinquished at an earlier date. This was scarcely done before the white settlers began to invade the present county in search of homes, and the survey of the lands was commenced.



    Township 11 north, Range 2 west, which had been ceded by the Indians prior to 1816, was surveyed in that year by William Harris, and was therefore the first land in the county measured by a surveyor's chain and compass. It was re-surveyed by Thomas Brown in 1819. Township 11 north, Range 2 east, was surveyed in 1820, by B. Bentley; Township12 north, Range 2 east, in 1820, by B. Bentley; Township 13 north, Range 2 east, in 1820, by B. Bentley; Township 14 north, Range 2 east, in 1820, by W. B. Laughlin; Township 11 north, Range 1 east, in 1819, by Thomas Brown; Township 12 north, Range 1 east, in 1819, by Thomas Brown; Township 13 north, Range 1 east, in 1819, by Thomas Brown; Township 14 north, Range 1 east, in 1820, by Stephen Coliett; Township 11 north, Range 1 west, in 1819, by Thomas Brown, and in 1848 (the islands) by A. E. Van Ness; Township 12 north, Range 1 west, in 1819, by Thomas Brown; Township 13 north, Range I west, in 1819, by John Milroy; Township 11 north, Range 2 west, in 1816, by William Harris, and in 1819 by Thomas Brown; Township 12 north, Range 2 west, in 1819, by John Milroy; Township 13 north, Range 2 west, in 1819, by John Milroy. The date of the arrival of the first settlers cannot be given, though it was probably 1818. Ten or fifteen families arrived in 1819, and many more in 1820. All who came prior to September 4, 1820, and, indeed, many who came after that date, were “squatters,” not owning the land upon which they lived until they had taken out pre-emption papers under the ordinance of 1787, and later Congressional enactment's granting and modifying the right. lit is estimated that sixty or seventy families were living in the county on the 1st day of January, 1821. On the 4th of September, 1820, the lands of the county were formally thrown into market for the first time. Those who had come in previously hastened to the land office at Brookville, and entered the claims they had squatted upon or pre-empted, and many others, who had not yet been in the county, came in search of homes. Perhaps two thirds of the early settlers were from the Southern States, mostly from Kentucky, but largely from Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas. The following persons entered land in the county in the year 1820, after the 4th of September, in the township and range given with each name: Philip Hodges, Township 11 north, Range 1 east; Joseph Townsend, same; George Mathews, same; Benjamin Freeland, same; Benjamin Huffman, same; John Case, same; Jacob Cutler, same; Jacob Lafavre, same; John Gray, same; Joshua Taylor, same; Joshua Gray, same; Thomas Jenkins, same; Chester Holbrook, same; Jacob Case, same; John Reed, same; Nancy Smith, same; Isaac Hollingsworth, same; Presley Buckner, same. All these located in Township 11 north, Range 1 east.
    The following persons entered land in 1820, after September 4, in Township 12 north, Range 1 east:
John Butterfield, David Matlock, Enoch McCarty, Benjamin McCarty, Jonathan Lyon, Martin McCoy. Samuel Elliott, Jonathan Williams, Devalt Koons, John Connor, Andrew Waymore, Larkin Reynolds, Thomas Jenkins, Joel Ferguson, Reuben Most, John Graves.
    The following entered land at the same time in Township 13 north, Range 1 east: Francis Brock, William Ballard, Thomas Lee, Charles Vertreese, James Hadley, Eli Hadley, William Rooker, Charles Reynolds, Isaiah Drury and Benjamin Bames. William Founds located in Township 14 north, Range 1 east, same time i. e., from September 4, 1820, to the close of the year.
    The following persons entered had during the same period in Township 11 north, Range 1 west: James K. Hamilton, John Burnett, Samuel Newell, Fred Barkhart, Daniel Stout, John Kennedy, Rice Stroud, Isom Stroud Anthony Vernon, Presley Buckner and Thomas Hodges. The above persons, numbering fifty-four, were the only ones who entered land in the county in 1820.
    The following persons entered land in the year 1821: Samuel Scott, James Clark, Jacob Cutler, Thomas Hiadley, Henry H. Hobbs, Charles Reynolds, George Mathews, Jonathan Lyon, W. W. Drew, Elisha Hamden, Thomas Irons, James Stott, Jonathan Williams, John Hodges, John Butterfield, James L Kidds, Edward Jones, David Allen, Jacob Chase, John Marker, Edward Jones, Jacob Case, Joseph Henshaw, Abner Cox, David Matlock, Thomas Dee, Joseph Frazier, William McDowell, Samuel Jones, Thomas Beeler, John Leavell, Jesse McCoy, Christopher Ladd, Joseph Bennett, Samuel Blair, David Price, Joseph Sims, John Hamilton, John Barnes, George H. Beeler, Joseph Beeler, Benjamin Mills, Robert Stafford, wirnam Gregory, Cyrus Whetzel, Jesse Tull, Henry Rout, John Paul, Thomas Ingles, Joseph Bennett, Thomas Gardner, William Goodwin, James Burch, Ezekiel Slaughte; John McMahan, Jacob B. Reyman, John W. Reyman, Christopher Hager, Thomas Carey, Benjamin Carey, George Moon, Samnel Dadde, Josiah Tomlinson, Eli Hadley, Abner Cox, James Curl and John Sells, all of whom located east of the Second Principal Meridian; and David Fain, Hiram Strand, Thomas Hodges, Philip Hodges, Wiley Williams, Abner Alexander, Samuel Goss, William Anderson, Joseph Ribble, James McKinney, Thomas Thompson and Reuben F. Allen, on the west sideof the meridian.
    The following persons entered land in the year 1822: Allen Gray, John Gray, Alexander Rowand, L Gray, William Townsend, Josiah Townsend, Presley Buckner, James Reynolds, Jacob Cutler, Joshua Carter, Benjamin Outlibert, Martin McDaniel, Isaiah Drury, William Bales, Elias Hadley, Jelin Carter, Moses Anderson, William McCracken, B. F. Reason, John H. Bray, Jesse Overman, Charles Vertreese, Jacob Jessup, Andrew Clark, Richard Day, William Ballard, Stewart Reynolds, Eli Mills, Isaac Price, John and Enoeli Summers, Charles Ketchum, George Crutchfield, John Martin, Levi Plummer, David E. Allen, Benjamin Mills, Hiram Mathews, Abner Cox, William Landers, Thomas Ballard, Harris Bray, John Kennedy, Abraham Strond, Fred Burkhart, John Euckner and John Mannon, all locating east of the meridian line except the five last named. The above lists include all who entered land in the county prior to the 1st of January. 1823. Besides these there, were a comparatively few families living in the county who owned no land. They would probably equal in numbers those named above who never resided in the county, so that the above lists may be taken as showing to within a close figure the population of the county at that time. Probably 170 families resided in the county by January 1, 1823. This would represent a population of about 800.
    The territory comprising Morgan County was a portion of that extensive tract of country secured by cession from the Delaware and Miami Indians in 1818, and known as the “New Purchase.” The next legal provision concerning the territory composing the county was an act of the State Legislature approved January 20, 1820, the second section of the act being as follows:

SECTION 2. That all the remaining part of the said New Purchase lying east of the Second Principal Meridian, except so much of it as has been attached to the counties of Fayette, Jackson and Wayne by former laws, and except so much of it as is attached by the first section of this act to the counties rained therein, be, and the same is hereby formed into a new county, to be known by the name of Delaware; and all that part of the said New Purchase lying west of the Second Principal Meridian be and the same is hereby formed into a new county, to be known by the name of Wabash.

This act made all of the present Morgan County east of the meridian line a part of Delaware County, and all west of that line a part of Wabash County. The first elections held in the county were before its creation, and after the passage of the above act, or during the years 1820 and 1821, and the returns went to the county seats of Delaware and Wabash Counties respectively. It is impossible to tell where they are now, as those counties then were widely different in size, form and location from what they are at present. In 1821 the rapid settlement of the territory composing the county made it apparent to the settlers that a new county ought to be created for their benefit, and accordingly at the session of the Legislature of 1821—22 a petition from the residents was formally presented, praying that such an enactment might be passed. Accordingly, the following act was introduced, passed, and approved by the Governor:


SECTION: 1. Re it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That from and after the fifteenth day of February next, all that part of the counties of Delaware and Wabash contained within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning on the township line dividing Townships 10 and 11 north, where the line dividing Ranges 2 and S east cross the same; thence west to the center of Range 2 west, of the Second Principal Meridian; thence north nine miles; thence west three miles to the line dividing Ranges 2 and 3 west; thence north eleven miles to the corners of Sections 19 and 20; thence east with said line twenty four miles to the line dividing Ranges 2 and 3 east; thence south to the place of beginning, shill constitute and form a new county, to be designated and known by the name and style of the county of Morgan.
SEC.. 2. That James Borland, of Monroe County; Thomas Beazely, of Lawrence County; Phillip Hart, of Owen County; John Martin, of Washington County, and James Milroy, of Washington County. be and they are hereby appointed Commissioners for the purpose of fixing the permanent seat of justice for the said new county agreeably to the provisions of an act entitled “An act fixing the seat of justice of new counties hereafter to be laid off’ The Commissioners above named, or a majority of them, shall convene at the house of John Gray, in said new county, on he first day of March next, and then proceed to discharge the duties assigned them by law.
SEC. 3. That the said new county of Morgan shall enjoy the rights, privileges and jurisdictions which to separate counties do or may properly belong.
SEC. 4. It shall be the duty of the Sheriff of Monroe County to notify the Cornmissioners above named either in person or by written notification, of their said appointment, and the Commissioners of the county of Morgan shall allow them any sum of money that they may deem just and equitable, who are hereby authorized to allow the same out of any moneys in the county treasury in the same manner other claims are paid.
SEC. 5. The Circuit and other courts of the county of Morgan shall be holder at the house of Jacob Cutler, or at any other place the court may adjourn to in said county, until suitable accommodation can be had at the county seat; and so soon as the courts of said county are satisfied that suitable accommodations can be had at the seat of justice, they shall adjourn their courts to such place in said county as shall be fixed on by said Commissioners for the seat of justice of said county, established as directed by this act.
SEC. 6. The agent, who shall be appointed to superintend the sale of lots at tile county seat of the said county of Morgan, shall reserve ten per centum out of the proceeds thereof, and also of all donations to the said county, and pay the same over to such person or persons as may be appointed by law to receive the same for the use of a library for said county, which he shall pay over at such time or times as may be directed by law.

This act to take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
Approved December 81, 1821. Samuel Milroy
Speaker of the House of Representatives
 Jonathan Jennings    RATLIFF Bros,
  Governor.    President of the Senate.


    On the 1st -of January, 1822, James Bigger was commissioned Sheriff of the new county by the Governor, and empowered to call an election for four Justices of the Peace, one Clerk and Recorder, and two Associate Judges; but as he failed, in some manner, to do as directed, his commission was dropped or revoked, and Benjamin Cutler was commissioned on the 16th of January, 1822, to take his place and call the necessary election. This election was held early in 1822, with the following result Justices of the Peace Larkin Reynolds, Samuel Reed, James Burns and Hiram Mathews, all four of whom received commissions from the Governor, dated May 22, 1822; Clerk and Recorder—George H. Beeler;:
Associate Judges—Jacob Cutler and John Gray, who were commissioned March 13, 1822.

    Prior to the year 1831, the County Board (now the three County Commissioners) comprised all the Justices of the Peace in the county. The first County Board was the Justices elected as stated above. They met at the house of Jacob Cutler, early in June, 1822, for the transaction of business. One of the first acts was to divide the county into townships, and order an election held in each for the necessary officers. The number of townships erected at this time was four Washington, Monroe, Ray and Harrison. James Shields was appointed Treasurer of the county, and Charles Beeler, Surveyor. The report of the Commissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate the county seat, was presented to the board at their first session, and formally accepted, and the Commissioners were paid and discharged. Nothing further can be stated regarding the early acts of the County Board, owing to the destruction of the records by,,fire a few years ago. This loss was a great misfortune to the county.

    The first session of the Morgan County Circuit Court was begun at the house of Jacob Cutler, on the 25th of March, 1822, with Judge William W. Wick in the chair.    He presented his commission from   Gov. Jennings constituting him President Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, for the period of seven years from January, 1822. On this commission was the following endorsement:

    Be it remembered, that on the 12th day of February, A. D. 1822, personally appeared before me, Miles C. Eggleston, President Judge of the circuit aforesaid, the within named William W. "Wick, who being duly sworn according to law, took the following oaths, to wit: That he will support the Constitution of the United States, and of the State of Indiana; and that he will, to the best of his ability and judgment, discharge the duties of his office as President Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State aforesaid faithfully; and that he has not since the 1st day of January, 1819, either directly or indirectly, knowingly given, accepted or carried a challenge to any person in or out of the said State, to fight in single combat with any deadly weapon; and that he will not knowingly give, accept or carry a challenge to any person or persons to fight with any deadly weapon in single combat, either in or out of the State, during his continuance in his said office.

John Gray and Jacob Cutler produced their commissions as Associate Judges, and George H. Beeler and Benjamin Cutler produced theirs as Clerk and Sheriff respectively. Court was then declared open. The first business transacted was the adoption of a seal for the court, an impression of which was made on the record of the court. The next act was to admit Hiram M. Curry, Craven P. Hester and Calvin Fletcher to practice as attorneys at the court. The latter was appointed Prosecuting Attorney. Larkin Reynolds and Jonathan Williams were appointed County Commissioners to fill vacancies that had been made. Both the Clerk and the Sheriff then gave their official bonds, with satisfactory security, which were approved by the court. The first suit was a case in chancery, Jacob Cutler vs. J. M. Cox. The defendant not being a resident of the State, the notice of the tendency of the suit was ordered published four weeks in the Indianapolis Gazette, notifying him that unless he appeared at the next term of the court to answer, the complainant's bill would be taken as confessed, and acted upon accordingly. The court then adjourned.

    This session was begun at the house of Jacob Cutler on the 23d of September, 1822, present, John Gray and Jacob Cutler, Associate Judges. It having been made manifest that a place for holding court had been prepared at Martinsville, the new county seat, the Judges, in accordance with the enactment for the formation and organization of Morgan County, before proceeding to business, ordered an adjournment of the court to the house of George H. Beeler, in the town of Martinsville. The court reassembled at 1 o'clock, P. M. Daniel B. Wick and James Whitcomb were admitted to practice law at the court. The Sheriff returned the following list of Grand Jurors: Jesse Stark, Conrad Burns, Benjamin Hoffman, Jesse Mulhollen, Humphry Harris, Wilson Taylor, Thomas Lee, Joshua Taylor, John Caldwell, Solomon Tucker, James Donnard, George Crutchfield, Eli Hadley, James Shields, William Hadley, Samuel Scott, Sr., Thomas Reed and Isaiah Dressier. Stark, Mulhollen, Wilson Taylor, Caldwell, Donnard and Crutchfield were not present. Samuel Scott, Jr., and Richard Day were added to those present, and the Grand Jury thus constituted were sworn and directed to retire under the charge of Abraham  Keedy, Bailiff. The first case at this session was William Cooley  vs. Jesse Smith, trespass vi et armis. The plaintiff was given time to amend his declaration. The next case was the State of Indiana vs. Edward Applegate, recognizance to keep the peace. The defendant's attorneys moved to quash the indictment, but after a spirited discussion the motion was overruled, and Mr. Applegate was ordered to enter into bonds at $100 to keep the peace toward Gideon Wells. The next case was of the same nature, but William Pumroy was discharged from entering into bonds to keep the peace toward Brice Witcher, whose fears were declared to be groundless. Ten cases came before the court at this session, of the following character, in the order named : Assault and battery, recognizance to keep the peace, same, chancery, same, assault and battery, petition for divorce (Rachel Morrison vs. Thomas Morrison), covenant and assault and battery. Each Grand Juror was ordered paid 75 cents per day, and the bailiff the same. Christopher Ladd was granted a license to keep tavern at Port Royal. John Tiffany produced his commission as Coronor of the county, and Thomas L. Galpin, his as Sheriff. The Grand Jury returned the following " True Bills : " Against James Stotts, Sr., for assault and battery; against John L. Johnston and Joel Stroud for affray; against Larkin Johnson and Michael Dittemore for affray, and against George W. Preston for retailing liquor without a license.    The court then adjourned.

    This was begun at the court house in Martinsville, on the 1st day of April, 1823, before Judge Wick, and John Gray and Jacob Cutler, Associate Judges. Cephus D. Morris, Harvey Gregg, John Adams, Breckenridge Smith, Bethuel F. Morris, Elkin Nayler and Isaac Nayler were admitted to practice law before the court. Thirty cases came before the court at this session, the greater number being for assault and battery. The Grand Jury returned eight " True Bills." The first Petit Jury were summoned at this session to try the case of the State vs. G. W. Preston, for retailing liquor without a license. These men were Abner Cox, James Linn, Isaac D.. Koffman, William Gregory, Henry Pence, Joseph Aulton, James Hadley, Thomas Reed, Jesse Rooker, Larkin Reynolds, Humphrey Harris and William Townsend. The defendant was found guilty, and damages were fixed at $2 and costs of suits. The plaintiff moved an arrest or stay of judgment on such a verdict, which was granted, and he was discharged. John Stipp was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Board of Commissioners. Joshua Taylor was granted a license to keep tavern-. J. A. Breckenridge was appointed Prosecuting Attorney, vice Fletcher, who was unwell. John Sims was granted a license to keep tavern in Martinsville.

The October session, 1823, was held at the house of G. H. Beeler. Judges Wick, Gray and Cutler were present. Edgar A. Wilson and Daniel Goodwin were admitted to the bar, and Christopher Ladd was licensed to keep tavern at Port Royal. In March, 1824, the court convened  at   the   court house.   Gabriel J.   Johnson   and  Hiram  Brown
were admitted to the bar. In 1823, Edgar A. Wilson was admitted, also Daniel Goodwin; Hiram Burris in 1824; T. F. G. Adams, Michael G. Bright and Philip Sweetzer, 1824; James Braman, Andrew C. Griffith, W. W. Wick and Hiram Brown and Henry Hurst in 1825; Henry P. Coburn, James Forsee, Benjamin Bull and William Herrod in 1826 ; James Morrison in 1829 ; Tilman A. Howard in 1831; G. F. Waterman and W. 0. Ross, 1832 ; Ovid Butler, 1835; John Hutchen and Mason Hulett in 1837 ; Harvey Brown, 1838; Henry Seacrest and Algernon S. Briggs, 1839.

    The first session of this court was begun at the house of George A. Preston on the 2d of May, 1822, before Jacob Cutler and John Gray, Associate Judges of the Circuit Court, who proceeded to appoint Jonathan Watkins as County Commissioner to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Larkin Reynolds. No other business was transacted at this session.
    At the September session, 1822, before the same Judges, the first business was the issuance of a citation against Edward Applegate, guardian of the infant heirs of Isaac Hollingsworth, deceased, commanding him to appear on a certain day to exhibit a true inventory of all the " goods and chattels, lands and tenements " of the deceased. Nancy Smith and John Reed were summoned as witnesses. This court was held at the house of Jacob Cutler. Nothing else was done until the 30th of September, when Mr. Applegate appeared and presented the following inventory of the goods, etc., of Hollingsworth, deceased :
    " Four promissory notes, aggregating $132.75; four head of horses, eight head of milk cows, two head of steers, one heifer, four yearlings, five calves, feathers for two beds, three coverlids, five bed quilts, two sheets, nine delf plates, pewter plates, dishes and spoons, one earthern pitcher, one tin coffee pot, tea cups and saucers, one shovel-plow and two hoes, a number of hogs, two metal pots, one drawer knife, one pigon and churn, one small wheel, two weaving slays, two bells, two empty barrels, one rifled gun, one dutch oven, two chairs, one man's saddle, seventy eight acres of land, one sieve, money on hand, $7, money collected from James Stills, $11.25; property sold to wit: 100 pounds of pork, 663 pounds of pork, one hog sold, two sows and pigs; property in Kentucky as follows: One milk cow, one wagon and gears, one bed and bedding, five counter-panes, three pillows, three sheets, one trunk, one pot, one pigon, one ax, one tin bucket, two pewter plates, one pewter basin, one chair; amounts due from two men, $5.50."
    This inventory is given in full that all may know what constituted the real and personal property of the old settlers. Joshua Taylor was appointed administrator of Hollingsworth's estate, and required to give bond in the sum of $1,000 for the faithful performance of his duty. Larkin Reynolds, Pressley Buckner and James Lang were appointed to appraise the estate. Mr. Applegate was to support the heirs, and have the use of the estate. This session was held at the house of G. H. Beeler in Martinsville.
    In March, 1823, Thomas L. Galpin and Thomas Sailors were granted testamentary letters as executors of the estate of Jacob Coss, deceased. His personal estate was valued at $916.12J. And so the record goes on. Among the estates settled up within the next few years were those of Joseph M. Stotts, William Ballard, Isaac Overman, Conrad Burns, John Paul, Ira Ashton, Edward Warren, William Beeson, Elijah Knight, John Winter, Thomas Dickens, Robert Bradshaw, Ezra Wilcox, Thomas Deakin, Benjamin Pucket, James P. Vance and John Douglass. The first Probate Court held at the court house was in September, 1825. Probate business was done by the Associate Judges of the Circuit Court until 1829, at which time the first Probate Judge, John Matthews, took charge of the court. In 1853, the affairs of probate were merged into those of the Common Pleas Court, and in 1873 into the Circuit Court.

    This was held before William G. Turick, Judge, beginning on the 8th of April, 1853. The final settlement of the estate of John Sims, who had died in 1843, and whose affairs had not yet been wound up, was the first business before this court. One amount of personal property was so great that the various inventories cover forty or fifty pages of the court records The Common Pleas, which included probate matters, was a separate court until 1873, when it was merged into the Circuit Court, and has thus remained until the present (1883).

The first courts of Morgan County convened at the log house of Jacob Cutler, which stood about one block north of the northwest corner of the public square in Martinsville. In 1823, the work of erecting the first court house was begun, and in the autumn of 1824, the building was so nearly completed that courts convened there for the first time, as shown by the old court records. The building was a two storied hewed log house, and was located on the southwest corner of the present public square. The upper story was low, but little better than half a story, and contained the jury rooms. The lower story was the court room. This room was also the first meeting house, schoolhouse, lecture room, etc., of Martinsville. The building was about 25x35 feet on the ground, and was compactly built. This building was used until 1833, when the contract of constructing a brick court house on the square was let to Giles B. Mitchell for about $2,500. Mr. Mitchell was a practical brick maker and brick-layer, and completed the work in 1834; but the woodwork was not finished until about two years later. The County Board was compelled to issue " orders"  for the greater portion of the contract price. These orders depreciated considerably in value, though they were current funds for all ordinary expenses in the county. The building was two storied, and was about 35x40 feet on the ground. It did not contain the county offices. These were in business or private buildings until about 1843, when small offices were erected on the square. About 1855, this building was so dilapidated and unsightly that a new court house began to be talked of. The Gazette of March, 1856, having in view the incorporation of Martinsville, then strongly talked of, as well as the erection of a new court house, remarked as follows:    " The old court house, with its crumbling foundation, cracked walls, diseased windows, shattered vane, drooping spire and moss covered "cupola, looking, as Judge Hughes remarked from the bench at the last Circuit Court, ' like some bombarded block-house/ overlooks one vast sea of conglomerated water, mud and filth." The necessary pressure was brought to bear on the County Board, and in March, 1857, orders were issued for advertising for bids to erect either a combined courthouse and jail, or each to be. built separately, the total cost not to exceed $30,000. The contract was finally awarded to Perry M. Blankenship at about that price, the jail and court house to be built together. County bonds were ordered sold to meet the expense. The building was completed in 1859, at a cost of about $32,000. This is the present court house and jail. The court room is above, and offices below; the jail is in the northwest corner of the lower story, and the belfry is on the southeast corner. The hall extends through the building from north to south. The contractor evidently did his work well, as the structure is now almost or quite as good as new. On the 31st of March, 1876, the records of the county in the offices of the Clerk and Auditor were largely consumed by fire, supposed to have been done by some rascally official, to conceal the evidences of his defalcations or other crimes. This was a great calamity, and cost the county many thousands of dollars to copy what remained of the half consumed records. Had the old records not been destroyed, this chapter might contain many items of interest which it now wants.

    The first jail was a small log structure, which was erected on the northeast corner of the square in 1824. It was built of heavy timber, and answered the purposes of the county until 1826, when it was destroyed by fire. Within three or four years, a brick jail was built about where the jailer's house now is on the square by Mr. Sailors. The outside of the structure was of brick, the inside of heavy logs, and between the two walls were about eight inches of broken stone. This was used about ten years, when a much stronger log jail was built in the northeastern part of town. This was used until the erection of the present combined jail and court house in 1857-59.

    An early law of the State provided that certain fines and penalties should be used as a fund to found and maintain a seminary of learning in each county. A Trustee was appointed in Morgan County to care for the fund as it should accumulate, John Mathis being the first. The law provided that when the fund amounted to $400, the County Board at their option could build a seminary. In the spring of 1824, the fund amounted to over $80. It ran up rapidly in the 30's, the receipts for the fiscal year 1835 being $114.23 ; for 1836, $369 ; and for 1837, $79. In the year 1838, the fund amounted to over $2,000, and about that time the work of erecting a two storied brick seminary was begun. The house was a fine structure for that day, and cost in the whole about $2,000. The first teacher was David Anderson, who taught alone. The second teachers were Elijah and Hannah Parks.   William H. H. Terrell is said
 to have been an early teacher. He afterward became Adjutant General of the State. Rev. Thomas Conley was another, as was a man named Bigham. Excellent schools were held there, quite a number of students coming in from abroad, paying tuition, and boarding with residents of the town. After a few years, the institution largely lost its character as a county seminary, and became virtually the school of Martinsville. Students from distant portions of the county ceased to attend, and the institution lost the influence designed by the founders. While the schools therein were at their best, the various expenses were paid from the tuition charged students and from constant accumulations of the fund. The receipts to the fund in 1849 were $410.93. After the passage of the common school law in 1852, provision was made by the Legislature that county seminaries should be sold, and the proceeds and subsequent collections of the fund should be paid into the common school fund. The seminary was accordingly advertised for sale, and finally, in 1854, transferred to Andrew Finley for §1,100. It passed through several hands, and in 1856 went to Mr. Sparks, who transformed it into a woolen factory. Mr. Deturk occupied it for the same purpose during the rebellion. It was torn down about 1864.


An early law provided that ten per centum of the proceeds of the sale of county lots should be used to found and maintain a county library. The first books were purchased in the 30's, and a Treasurer and Librarian appointed. Subsequent collections of the fund as fast as obtained were invested in more books. About 500 volumes were finally secured. The project was gradually abandoned. Township libraries were furnished by the State in the 50's. An aggregate of more than 2,000 volumes was secured. The McClure bequest also furnished the county with a library. Many of these books may yet be seen scattered throughout the county. All these libraries have been replaced with the newspaper the most potent " book " in ancient or modern times.

The early care of the poor was more or less defective, but began soon after the county was organized. It was customary to " farm out the paupers " to the lowest bidders in the various townships, and this method often resulted in placing the helpless or unfortunate in the hands of animals by nature and hypocrites by practice. Sometimes they fell into Christian hands, sometimes into barbarous hands. The plan of " farming them out" continued without interruption until the first poor-farm was purchased on the 22d of March, 1844. The farm was bought of Enoch Graham for §1,200, and comprised 120 acres on Sections 25, 26 and 36, Township 12 north, Range 1 east. On this farm was an ordinary dwelling, which was afterward improved and enlarged, as were the stables and storehouses. New buildings were also erected. A Superintendent was placed in charge of the farm, and numbers of the county poor were removed there. Many continued to be taken care of in the townships, and this is true of the present time.    A doctor was employed by the year or visit to prescribe for the poor; he was called the "County Physician.' Nearly all the regular medical practitioners of the county have officiated in that capacity. This farm continued to be the home of the paupers until 1869, when, owing to its smallness, the County Board ordered it sold and a new one purchased. William B. Taylor was appointed to carry this order into effect. The old farm was sold to Michael Hammons in July, 1869, for §2,700. The new farm was purchased of W, B. Taylor, N. T. Cunningham and Jacob Adams, and comprised about 120 acres, which cost about $12,000. The new brick poor-house was completed in 1871, and cost over $30,000, the brick and stone work being done by J. E. and P. F. Douglas. This building is a credit to the county. The annual poor expense of the county is now about $12,000. Among the later Poor Superintendents have been G. W. Preston, 1867 (the poor-house had twenty inmates then); Sampson C. Voyles, 1868 (thirty one inmates); Charles Day, 1870-75; William H. Dryden, 1876-78; J. W. Duncan, 1879; Sylvester Jackson, 1880; George W. Walker, 1881-83. For a number of years past, the orphan poor of the county have been sent to Plainfield to be cared for and educated. The care of the county for its indigent and helpless is a credit to the humanity of the citizens. But few counties of the State show greater interest and care in this respect.



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