way of propelling machinery. "The dense forests of heavy timber and low wet lands of Boone county, were not suffi ciently attractive to bring within its borders a class of men of peculiar refinement and means, consequently it was first settled by men of stout constitutions, iron wills, and but little financial resources. It required a vast amount of labor and untiring effort to clear away the heavy forests preparatory to raising crops. Many of the early settlers cleared out a little 'truck patch,' sufficient to raise some 'roasting ears,' beans and other garden vegetables, after which they applied themselves to hunting, fishing, etc. The settler who could command a good rifle, two or three dogs, a cow, and one old horse, with the means to buy powder and lead, was considered supremely happy. In these early days there was abundance of wild game-deer, bear, wolves, turkeys, pheasants and quails. The currency of the country was the skins of deer, raccoons, mink and wild honey."

The county was once the home and hunting-grounds of a tribe of the Miamis; upon the banks of the streams were the graves of their fathers. In these little mounds lie the remains of many a native warrior and hunter. The site of the present town of Thorntown was once the habitation of nearly five hundred Indian and French traders. About the year 1833 most of the tribe were removed from the reservation at this place, which was purchased by the government in 1828. Thorntown, located in the northwestern part of the county, was once a lively Indian trading post; since that time it has become a lively place, with a civilized home trade. Only a few years ago the county of Boone was a wilderness, so densely covered with heavy timber and underbrush that the rays of the sun were almost entirely cut off from the earth in the summer season. Lonely and desolate must have been the feelings of those who first traversed these woods, when naught but nature's uncultured sounds greeted the ear when the eye could see no heavens for the intervening foliage when serpents and lizards, frogs and hornets, and wild beasts were possessors of the land. Forty years have wrought a mighty Then no cleared fields were visible

change in the county.

from one neighbor's to another; great lakes of water, backed up by huge trunks of fallen trees, were visible on every hand; but now the lake has become a fertile field; great farms have been opened; the eye can see for miles over green or golden fields of corn. The cabin superseded the wigwam, and the neat cottage has superseded the cabin in almost every locality Lebanon, the county seat, is located near the centre of the county, in a rich and productive section. It is a small town, but is thrifty and rapidly improving. It has a population of about three thousand, including a fine class of citizens, enterprising, intelligent and prosperous. The town and county have good schools and school advantages.*

CHAPT

CHAPTER LXX.

HENDRICKS COUNTY

HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.

ENDRICKS county is located near the centre of the State of Indiana. It contains about one hundred and thirty-five thousand acres of land. The county was organized in 1824, and was named in honor of Governor William Hendricks. The surface of the county is gently rolling, and the soil is generally very good. The county is well timbered, especially in the northern portion. It is well watered by Eel river, Mill creek, Mud creek, White Lick creek, and their numerous tributary streams.

The first settlers of the county emigrated from North Carolina to this county about the year 1818, and settled on government lands prior to entry. The first lands were entered in the county in 1821, about three years before the organization of the county. The first settlements were made in the southeast portion of the county, in what is now Liberty and Gil*From a published sketch of the county.

ford townships. Among the first settlers were David Downs, Ross Nicholas, Richard Christie, George and David Matock, William Ballard, Jonathan Rodgers, James Thompson, Thomas Hadley, Josiah Tomlinson, John Bryant and Thomas Lockhart

The county was organized in 1824, and Danville was chosen as the seat of justice. The first settlements were made in the county in 1818, when the first trees were felled and the first rude cabins erected. This population increased so rapidly that in 1824 there were more than one thousand inhabitants in the county. In 1870, the population of the county was twenty thousand two hundred and seventy-seven. The growth of wealth and public improvements in the county have been commensurate with this growth in population. The old court house has long since perished, and a new and substantial building has taken its place. The new jail and county asylum are substantial and well conducted institutions. The pioneer log school houses of the county have gone, and now over one hundred fine brick and frame school buildings attest the educational advantages of Hendricks county. Excellent turnpike roads bisect each other in all parts of the county, and ample railroad facilities are presented. The county has now over one hundred and thirty thousand acres of improved land, valued at twelve million dollars. The products of the farms have always been largely remunerative. The taxable property in the county is worth over twenty million dollars. In every sense, the people of Hendricks county are intelligent, progressive, and enterprising citizens.

The Indiana House of Refuge is located on the State farm adjoining Plainfield, in Hendricks county. This is one of the State's most worthy and benevolent institutions, and it is doing a good work for the benefit of the boys who have been sent there.

MORGAN COUNTY.

MORGAN County is located near the geographical centre of the State, and contains about 291,800 acres of land, and is watered by White river, White Lick creek, Mud creek, Big Indian creek, Stott's creek, Clear creek, Burnett's creek,

Rhodes' creek, Mill creek, and other smaller streams. There is a considerable portion of this county rough and broken, especially along the White river, where the land is not very profitable for grain growing, but is well adapted for the production of fruit, such as apples, peaches, pears. About onethird of the county is bottom land. The soil in this section is a sandy loam, very rich and productive. The county is splendidly timbered. The principal kinds are poplar, walnut, white oak, hickory, beech, sugar tree, etc.

Morgan county was organized in 1823, and named in honor of General Daniel Morgan. The first county election was held in a log house, owned by Mr. Stotts. The house was built in the year 1819, about one and a half miles west of Waverley. It was, probably, the first house built in the county. The first settlers came to the county, probably, in 1818. Mr. Phillip Hodge purchased land and settled in the county in 1818. Mrs. Rebecca Douglas settled among the Indians, in Morgan county, in 1817, but the first general settlement may be set down in 1819, when, among others, Robert C. Stotts, Hiram T. Craig, James A. Laughlen, James Stotts, Nathan Laughlen, and W. M. Offield, settled in what is now called Harrison township. Among the settlers who immediately followed these, and who have endured all the privations of pioneer life, were the families of the Hodges, Samuel Moore, Judge Hiram Matthews, Benjamin Hoffman, Jonathan Williams, Larken Reynolds, George H. Buler, G. A. Phelps, Mr. McCrakens, Benjamin Cutberth, Reuben Claypool, Alex. and Thomas J. Worth, Daniel Thornberg, Jack Record, John Bray, Madison Hadley, Richard Hadley, Benjamin Stafford, and Rebecca Blank. The latter is now a citizen of Clay township. She was one of the first settlers, and is the oldest person in the county, and one of the oldest ladies in the State. She was born in Richmond, Va., in the year 1768, and is now nearly one hundred and seven years old. She remembers Daniel Boone, and has participated in some of his deeds of daring on the borders of Kentucky.

Martinsville, located near the centre of the county, is the county seat. It has now a population of nearly two thousand,

and is the largest town in the county. Mooresville is the next largest town, and has a population of nearly sixteen hundred. The founder of this place, who is well known to the people of the State, is still an active citizen. The county is well supplied with good schools and churches. There have been great improvements made in this direction during the last five years. The public improvements of the county are in advance of some other counties.

This is a good agricultural county. It has 133,615 acres of improved land, producing annually 330,000 bushels of wheat, 6,500 bushels of rye, 1,190,000 bushels of Indian corn, 65,000 bushels of oats, from 200 to 1,500 bushels of barley, 50,000 bushels of potatoes, 229,355 pounds of butter, about 10,000 tons of hay, and over 60,000 pounds of wool, besides thousands of dollars' worth of vegetables. The value of improved land in the county is over $9,000,000. The raising of live stock is a profitable pursuit in this county. The farmers are a thrifty class of people, distinguishing themselves by their industry and their love for public improvements.

SCOTT COUNTY.

SCOTT County is situated in the southeastern part of the State, near the Ohio river. It is of irregular shape, and contains about one hundred and eighty square miles. The county, generally, is level and rolling, except a small area known as the "knobs," which is quite broken. The soil is fair; the county is well watered by streams, and many springs abound. The timber is of the very best, and in abundance.

The county was organized in 1820, while the State capital was at Corydon, Harrison county.

It was named in honor of General Charles Scott, an officer of the revolutionary period, and, at a later period, governor of Kentucky. The county was formed from portions of Jefferson, Jennings, Clark, and Washington counties. The first county commissioners were Joseph Switzer, Reuben Johnson, and John IIerod. Wm. K. Richey was the first sheriff, by appointment from the governor. The first sheriff elect was Jesse