Clinton County, Indiana - Chapter 28: Uxiox Towxship, 1913

As Union is the youngest of the townships, it is very appropriate that it should be the smallest. It includes only 20 square miles of territory, being four miles north and south by five miles east and west. The surface of the township is level, inclining to the w est, and it is well drained by the Kilmore and South forks of W ildcat creek. This township was a part of Jackson township front 1830 to 1872, and was then included in Center township.

The first settler w ithin the limits of the township w as Col. William Douglass. who located on section 32 in 1828. The next to follow was I. D. Armstrong. who located on section 33 in the same year. In 7829 John McCrary located mi section 2<). Arthur Compton on section 27. Joseph Steel. Sr., on section 3b. Jesse Carter on section 32. and Robert Smith on section 27. After the location of the county seat at Frankfort the settlement of what is now Union township was fairly rapid, as compared with other parts of the county, as it was near to Frankfort and crossed by the roads leading to shipping points on the Wabash river. It had no railroad until the Vandalia was built across it in 1S70: and only this until the completion of the Monon in 1883. These two lines now give the township good transportation facilities.

The earliest social development was identical with that of Center township, the farms of Matthew Burrell and John Douglass being on sections that border, on the Union township line. This is still largely true of the southern part of the township, which is convenient to Frankfort for church privileges and other features of social life. The only town in the township is Killmore. in the northern edge of the township. It was originally platted in 1854 by Abner Pence, with the name of Penceville: and the name was changed after it became a station on the Vandalia railroad. The town is not incorporated. but is a thriving little place. There is here a Methodist church, which is served by Rev. C. B. Smith, the pastor at Rossville.

Union township was organized in 1S89. owing to the dissatisfaction of the people in the northern part of Center township with a tax donation made to secure the Clover Leaf shops at Frankfort. The real estate valuation in 1912 was $610,495; personal and corporate. $395,495; total. $983,955. The total tax rate was Si. 60 on one hundred dollars. The number of polls was 149, and the total poll tax rate was $1.50. The township trustee is William H. Price, postoffice. Frankfort. Rural Route Xo. 1. The township assessor is John J. Lipp. postoffice, Frankfort. Rural Route X'o. 8.