ORGANIZATION AND SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWNSHIPS.
ANDERSON — BOON — CAMPBELL — GREER — HART — LANE — OHIO-
OWEN — PIGEON — SKELTON.
ANDERSON TOWNSHIP.
Anderson township is situated in the southern part of the
county, on highly elevated, though arable land, and borders on
the Ohio river. The first settlement was made in this township
in the year 1805 by Bailey Anderson, in honor of whom it was
named. Among the early settlers were Solomon Vannada, William
Briscoe, Joseph Arnold, Daniel Rhoades, Daniel Bates,
John W. Youngblood and the Sheltons.
BOON TOWNSHIP.
Boon, the central and largest township in the county, was one
of the earliest settled. Its first resident was Ratliff Boon, first
Representative of Warrick county in the State Legislature, and
subsequently Congressman during sixteen years, and twice elected
Lieutenant-Governor, serving a part of one term as acting
Governor. In honor of Mr. Boon the township was given his
name. Among those settling shortly after Boon were Hudson
Hargrave, Joseph De Forest, John Couts, Joseph Lawrence, Jacob
Harpole, Joseph English, John B. Kelley, Joseph Adams,
William Webb, Jacob Richardson, Edward Baker and Jacob
Johnson.
CAMPBELL TOWNSHIP.
Campbell township, which lies in the western part of the county,
was named in honor of its first resident, Thomas Campbell, a
man much esteemed by his fellow-citizens, and on whom was
bestowed various offices of trust and honor. However, by some
it is claimed that John Luce was the first settler of this township.
Soon after Mr. Campbell's settlement, Isham West, Joseph McDonald
and Phillip Miller, whose names are frequently associated
with the history of the county, arrived and located in the
same vicinity.
GREEK TOWNSHIP.
Greer township, which lies in the northwest corner of the county,
west of Hart and north of Campbell, is named in honor of
Richard Greer. Mr. Greer was an early citizen of the township,
and resided in it until his death, which occurred in 1866. Lar-
kin Birchfield, a Baptist minister, was one of the original settlers
of the township, having located in it in 1827, two years after Mr.
Greer. John Hornet, John Barton, William Taylor, George Taylor,
James Kell and Joseph Fields were also among the early
settlers of the township.
HART TOWNSHIP.
Hart township, in the northwestern part of the county, was given
the name of Hon. John Hart, an early settler, and who was once
Associate Judge of the Circuit Court. James Hinman settled in
this township in 1814. Among those who settled here early
were Tubby Bloyd, Lane W. Posey, John McMurtry, Elijah
Boyd, Charles Morgan, John Taylor, Henry Hopkins, Clem.
Nutter, Isaac McSwane and the McCord family.
LANE TOWNSHIP.
Lane, adjoining Hart, Owen and Pigeon townships, in the
northwestern portion of the county, was named in honor of Gen.
Joseph Lane, who once represented this county in the State Senate,
and has a national reputation as the Mexican war veteran,
and was once Governor of Oregon, and a candidate for Vice-
President of the United States on the Breckenridge ticket in 1860.
Its first settlers were Captain James Ashby, Stephen Hanby, William
Scales, David Whittinghill, Daniel Cook, Jasper Hanby
and a Mr. Powers. On account of its smallness this township is
sometimes called "Little Lane."
OWEN TOWNSHIP.
Owen township, which lies adjoining Lane, Boon, Hart and
Pigeon townships, was organized in 1 848 out of the territory of
Skelton. In honor of Robert Dale Owen it was given his name.
The first residents of the township were the families of Phillips
and Gentry, which, by the way, have not failed to ' ' multiply and
increase " in accordance with the scriptural injunction. Matthew
Gentry, ex-county commissioner, settled in this locality in 1822.
OHIO TOWNSHIP.
Ohio township, lying in the southwestern part of the county
and bordering on the Ohio river, was first settled by John Sprinkle
in the year 1803. Felty Hay and James Lynn came into the
township shortly after Mr. Sprinkle. Among others who settled
here early were Gaines Roberts, John V. Darby, John Alexander,
Daniel Frame, Isham West, and a family named Gay.
PIGEON TOWNSHIP.
Pigeon township lies in the northeastern corner of the county,
and is indebted to Little Pigeon creek, on which it borders, for
its name. The first settlement in this township was made by
George Taylor in 1821, and his brother, John Taylor, came in
1823. Nicholas Taylor also settled in this vicinity in 1821. Other
early settlers were John Greenaway, Samuel Ingram, Jesse
Spradlin, the Skelton family, B. A. Ward, A. M. Jones, Jessie
Isaacs, Morgan Chinn, P. N.' Whittinghill, Hiram Brooner, John
Beardsley and C. B. Allen.
SKELTON TOWNSHIP.
Skelton township is situated in the eastern part of the county.
The territory of this township originally covered one third of the
county, but it has been reduced by the organization of Lane,
Owen and Pigeon townships on the north of its dominions. As
an honor to Judge Zachariah Skelton, a highly esteemed pioneer,
and who was Associate and Probate Judge successively during a
period of twenty-one years, the township was given his name.
The earliest settlers of the township were John Phillips, Judge
Skelton, Samuel Brashears, Isham Kelly, Isaac Powers and
Thomas Herston. |
