Ohio county contains eighty seven square miles, or 55,680 acres of
territory. Of this, 54,750 acres are tillable. The general character of
the land is rolling, and in some parts broken by ranges of hills;
these, however, are not so high or so steep as to prevent cultivation.
Many of these hill, farms rival the bottom lands in fertility; “while
the bottom farms, lying along the courses of the Ohio river, Laughery
or Arnold’s creeks, are fully equal to the far-famed Miami bottoms in
richness.” Some time previous to its settlement by Americans, the soil
of Ohio County was the scene of a terrible massacre that of
Colonel Laughery and his party, which occurred in 1781. Colonel
Laughery, with a party of about one hundred men. was descending the
Ohio, endeavoring to overtake and and re-enforce the celebrated General
G. B. Clark, who was then on
an expedition against the western Indians. He was waylaid and surprised
near Laughery creek, where he, with most of his men, were overpowered
and massacred.
In the spring of 1798, Benjamin Chambers, a government officer, first
planted his compass and carried his chain over the land on which now
stands Rising Sun the county seat of Ohio county. “This, together with
several tracts which he surveyed, was granted to him and Lewis Davis by
government, the patent bearing date of October twenty first, 1807, and
the signatures of Thomas Jefferson, president, and James Madison,
secretary of state of the United States. In 1803 he had built a double
log house, and moved his family out here the same year. In the same
year, John Fulton and his son, with their families, emigrated here from
Lancaster county, Pa. They bought land the following year from Benj.
Chambers, and Samuel Fulton built a cabin on the river bank, near where
the woolen factory now stands, in Rising Sun. The beautiful scenery of
green and lofty hills, opening fields, giant forests, and winding
river, presented an enchanted picture to his family. He was a pioneer
of many excellent qualities, and noted for his daring skill as a
hunter, simplicity of manners and integrity of character. He opened his
house for the use of the Rev. James Kemper and Rev. David Riske
to preach the gospel, from 1804 to 1808.” * In 1799, Benj. Avery
located on a tract of land bordering on the river, a half a mile above
Rising Sun. In 1802, Thomas Fulton settled on the bank of Arnold’s
creek, on what is now known as the Nelson farm. The Indians encamped
there often and. held their councils, but they were seldom troublesome.
In 1808, the Brown family began to settle in the county. First came
Ethan Allen Brown. He and David Brown established the “old Brown
homestead.” Roger Brown, Jr., came in 1610, and the rest of the family
in 1814. Ethan Allen Brown rose to honorable distinction in the civil
service of his country. He became judge of the supreme court, governor
of the State of Ohio, commissioner of the land office, senator of the
United States, and minister to Brazil He died. at Indianapolis, February
twenty fourth, 1852, aged seventy six years.
The early settlement of Ohio county is as also that of all other
counties in the State full of romance. In the winter of 1805, Samuel
Fulton made a large party for his neighbors; Benj. Chambers, an invited
guest, put his, oxen to a large pirogue (a water craft, or dug-out),
and, with all of his family and a few of his neighbors in it, gave them
a merry sleigh-ride to the party. This was a common conveyance during
the season of sleighing, in those early days of our history. In 1817, an attempt was made to
organize Ohio county, but the measure was not carried into effect until
1843. In December, 1844, the first court was held in Rising Sun the
latter place having been selected as the seat of justice for the county. Rising Sun is situated upon the Ohio
river, thirty five miles from Cincinnati, Ohio, upon a high rolling
table land; so high there is no possibility of an overflow from any
rise in the river. A complete natural drainage is afforded. The city
was first laid out in the spring of 1814, in a dense forest, which then
covered its present site, by John James. Rising Sun was incorporated as
a city by a special charter, in January, 1848, and has long been
celebrated for its beautiful location, health, wide and pleasant
streets, numerous shade trees, cozy and elegant residences, and
congenial and intelligent inhabitants.
The land in Ohio county is very fertile, and well watered by numerous
small streams. There are throughout the county numerous mounds, near
which interesting relics of the “stone age” have been found.
