Greene County Organization
Greene County was organized in 1821.
Prior to that time it had been a part of Sullivan County, and
the county seat was at Carlisle. Those who had official business
to transact had to ride to that town. Previously both had been a
part of Knox County, Vincennes being the county seat. All
official business was transacted there. Those who had county
business to transact went to that town, which had been settled
in October, 1702.1
Carlisle is the next oldest town in the state, it is claimed.
The first county election was held at
the home of Thomas Bradford.
The following officers were elected:
Norman W. Pearce and John L. Buskirk, associate judges
John Seaman, county sheriff
Thomas Warnick, county clerk
Thomas Bradford, collector
John Owen, county treasurer
George Shroyer, county recorder
All were required to swear that they had
not engaged in duels, either as principals or as seconds, and
had not challenged any man to fight a duel.
The first county seat was at Burlington,
that being the exact geographical center of the county. It was
on the east bank of White River, directly opposite the pioneer
town of Fairplay. A city was laid off in the woods, a public
square was located and a courthouse erected at a cost of $250.
The county officials had their offices there and court was held
there, from May, 1822, to May, 1823. A well was dug, but no
water could be obtained. The old well still is located on the
original public square, which is now a part of the farm of
Nicholas Flater, of Richland Township.
Two roads were surveyed, one running
north and south and the other east and west, to the county
lines. No town, it appears, was ever established there, although
Burlington was laid off for a city. A ferry was operated across
White River to Fairplay, where there were a few stores and
several homes.
On finding that water was not obtainable
at the site selected, a petition was submitted to the
legislature praying to have the county seat relocated. The
prayer of the petitioners was granted and a commission appointed
to choose another site for the county seat. This commission
consisted of Amos Rogers, William White, Charles Polk and
Abraham Case.
Owing to the fact that Fairplay was so
near the center of the county and being a town, and having
plenty of good water, all expected that it would be selected as
the county seat. Yet the citizens of the village were too
confident and offered no inducement. But the citizens of
Bloomfield showed more enterprise and offered the necessary
inducements. A site was offered free and the county seat was
located at Bloomfield, in 1823, and still remains there.
When Greene County was first organized
it was subdivided into five townships as follows:
Highland: Which included what are now
Jefferson, Smith, Wright and Highland townships; so named on
account of the hills along White and Eel Rivers.
Richland: Which included what are now
Fairplay, Grant, Stockton and Richland townships.
Burlingame: Which included what are now
Beech Creek, Center and Jackson townships.
Plummer: Which included what are now
Taylor and Cass townships.
Stafford: Which included what are now
Washington and Stafford townships.
The first settlement in Greene County
was formed at Point Commerce in 1812.
The second settlement in Greene County
was formed at Fairplay, on White River, five miles below Point
Commerce. It had 150 inhabitants. After a brief existence the
old town perished. There was a ford just above the ferry.
Newberry, on White river, was the third
town in Greene County. It was settled in 1822, when a store was
opened there by John Ritter. Mike Neff erected a grist mill and
started a ferry. In canal days Newberry was a place of
importance. It is still a prosperous little town.
The fourth settlement formed in Greene
County was at Bloomfield. This became the county seat in 1823.
The fifth settlement in this county was
at Scotland, on Doan's creek, in 1834. That is now a quiet
hamlet.
The sixth settlement in Greene County
was made at Linton, then called New Jerusalem. It is now a
prosperous and pretentious city.
In 1828 Jefferson and old Eel River
townships were formed. They remained separate townships until
1881 when they were merged into one, under the name of the
former, Jefferson. Old Eel River Township lay between White and
Eel Rivers and extended northward to the county line. The first
settlement was in that locality, which is still often designated
by its original name.
Upon the formation of Eel River Township
an election was held at the home of Mr. Dayhuff and the
following officers were elected: Election inspector, Henry
Little John; fence viewers, Alexander Watson and Jonathan
Brashears; overseers of the poor, John Sanders and Caleb Jessup.
The second election in old Eel River
Township was held at the home of Mr. Sanders, when the officers
chosen were as follows: Election inspector, Ephriam Owen; road
superintendents, Richard Wall and G. W. Haton; overseers of the
poor, Caleb Jessup and John Archer; fence viewers, Herbert
Sanders and Henry Smith.
The first elections were held in private
homes, later in mills, and afterwards in the school houses.
The hotel and tavern rates were fixed by
law as follows:
Dinner, 25 cents; breakfast, 20 cents;
supper, 20 cents; corn and hay for horse, 25 cents; whiskey, ½
pint, 12½ cents; cider, quart, 12½ cents; rum, ½ pint, 37½
cents; brandy, ½ pint, 50 cents, board and lodging, week $2.00,
horse keeping, week, $1.25.
The market prices for country produce
and live stock were very low in those days.
Corn was 10 cents per bushel; wheat, 35
cents; cows, $7.50 per head; chickens, 6 cents each; turkeys, 25
cents each. The subscription for a weekly newspaper was $2.50
per year.
Officers of the law were permitted to
arrest fugitive slaves and recover pay for their keeping, until
returned to their owners. John Seaman, one of the first sheriffs
of Greene County, was allowed $14 for arresting and keeping one
runaway slave, two weeks. William Lemons, constable, was allowed
$8.00 for arresting and keeping a fugitive slave for a few days.
The usual fee of a minister or a squire
for performing a marriage ceremony in early days was 25 cents.
Sometimes, the groom desiring to be especially liberal, the
preacher was paid 50 cents.
Footnotes:
1. This date is doubtful. - Ed.
Index
Source: Indiana Magazine of History, Vol. XII March, 1916 No. 1,
Settlement of Worthington and Old Point Commerce, by Robert
Weems, 1916
Indiana AHGP
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