Henry County, Indiana - Introductory and Descriptive, 1884

Introductory and Descriptive

The Importance of Local History. - The Scope of this Work. - Geographical Position of Henry County. - Topography. - Water-courses AND Springs. - Resources of the County. - Soil, Clima.te AND Productions. - State of Agriculture. - Railroad Facilities. - Geological Features of the County. - Ancient Works. - Relics of Prehistoric People.

All history is essentially local. Ho record of events, however important, can make a vivid or lasting impression upon a reader^s mind if the locality of the occurrences is not given due prominence. By association the scenes of great events become sanctified and endeared in the hearts of a people. Wno, for instance, can gaze unmoved upon the house which was the home or the birthplace of an illustrious man? Who can give expression to his emotions as he stands upon the ground where some decisive struggle for liberty took place?

Even the most prosaic places, even the simplest of every day occurrences, are somtimes elevated beyond their natural condition, becoming illustrious and important on account of the memories which surround them. And even within the narrow limits of a county, events, perhaps of little moment in themselves, are constantly transpiring, which growing venerable through age become invested with peculiar interest and are rightfully worthy of perpetual remembrance. A small community has its place in history as well as a large one. Every intelligent and public-spirited citizen feels a degree of pride in the achievements, the industrial growth, the religious, social, and intellectual progress of his county.

Thus it is that in almost every section of the Union efforts are now being made to perpetuate local history. Ho cause is more worthy of popular attention. Centuries hence, when a history of the American people shall be written, the historian will gather his data largely from the facts which are now being collected and put in preservable form. But the greatest importance of local history lies in the interest which we may expect posterity to entertain for it. The work of the pioneers - humble in its details yet magnificent in its results; the first rudely built church or school-house; the founding of a village; the inception of an industry; each mark an epoch in the history of any locality. The nationality of and characteristics of the early settlers; their lives, adventures and hardships; the part performed by them in civil, judicial or military affairs - all these are topics in which their descendants can never cease to have an interest.

In the following pages, it has been the writer's aim to treat upon the subjects above mentioned; also to embody an account of such events in the county's history as seemed worthy of record; to trace the growth of industries, wealth and population;' in short, to present, in a fair and impartial manner, a History of Henry County and its Inhabitants. In order to preserve the names and the memory of the heroic pioneers, and with a view toward giving honor to whom honoris due, considerable space has been given to biographical matter, in which will be found much that is interesting and valuable.

Henry County is situated in the eastern portion of Indiana, about midway between the northern and southern limits of the (State. Its eastern boundary is about twenty-three miles distant from the Ohio State line. The county contains about 390 square miles, or 249,600 acres. Bandolph and Wayne counties lie on the east; Fayette and Bush, on the south; Hancock and Madison, on the west; and Delaware on the north.

The surface of the county is generally undulating, though portions are nearly level. The land is watered by numerous streams which flow toward all points of the compass, but eventually mingle with the waters of the Wabash and Ohio rivers. The largest stream is Blue Biver, which, rising in the northeastern part of the county, flows in a southwestern direction through the central portion. The other principal water-courses are Duck Creek, Flatrock Creek, Sugar Creek, Stony Creek and Fall Creek, each of which has many branches within the county. But little land in the vicinity of the streams is so broken as to be untillable. Springs and

The soil is deep, rich and productive. There are certain areas of swampy ground, which when redeemed become the best of farming lands. The climate is salubrious and agreeable. All cereals of this latitude, as well as grasses and vegetables, flourish. Fruit can be grown profitably and of excellent quality. The native woods are walnut, maple, poplar, oak and other common varieties.

The chief wealth of the county is in its agriculture; though, as will be seen hereafter, there are manufacturing enterprises of no mean importance in which much capital is invested. In all the essentials of scientific and profitable agriculture, the farmers of Henry County are fully ''up with the times." Industrious, intelligent and progressive, they have discarded methods which experience had proved to be useless, and adopted instead the ways of the thrifty agriculturist. In excellence of farms, buildings, machinery and improvements, few rural communities can surpass Henry County. Hor should we neglect to mention the fine stock, upon which our farmers pride themselves, and with good reason - for no department of farm business has received greater attention than this, in recent years, or been attended with more satisfactory results.

Five lines of railroad enter the county, four of them reaching the county seat, and some of them touching almost every township. Hundreds of miles of excellent turnpike connect the farming districts with the county seat, the railroad stations and the thrifty towns and villages of the county. Thus the farmer finds a convenient and ready market for his produce and secuies the best prices. The rapid increase of agricultural wealth shows that these advantages are duly appreciated. Indeed it is an indisputable fact that farmers, stock -raisers, fruit-growers and horticulturists can get as liberal returns for capital invested here as anywhere in the State of Indiana.

Geological Features

Rocks m situ are rarely found in the county, but along Blue River there are some outcrops. The bed-rock formation is that of the Upper Silurian system. Evidences of glacial action are found in the bowlders scattered about over the county; in the beds of sand, gravel and clay, generally unstratified, which cover the bedrock. In the vicinity of Hew Castle there are found occasional small showings of conglomerate, with impressions of leaves of indigenous trees. The generally unhomogeneous character of the soil tells of the mighty forces of nature once active here during the Drift period. The Silurian rocks were among the earliest formations. What, then, has become of the Devonian, Carboniferous, and other formations, which once rested above them ? Gone - swept away, or crushed and pulverized, by the potent energy of immense glaciers, in a period of unknown duration !

The outcrop of the bed-rock of the county, already mentioned, is in Spiceland Township. This is a grayish or light-colored lime stone, suitable for building purposes, or for the manufacture of lime. Here quarries were opened by the Government when the National road was building, and they have been worked occasionally, by private individuals, up to the present time. There are numerous gravel-beds in the county, of almost inexhaustible extent.

Ancient Works

Like many portions of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys, Henry County still retains the marks of the handiwork of a prehistoric people. Spear-heads and arrow-heads of flint; hatchets, hammers and other implements of stone, have been found in considerable numbers. But the most interesting relics are the mounds and earthworks, which, even yet, are not totally obliterated by the plowshare.

On the Hudelson farm (once the Alan Shepherd farm) there are several well-defined mounds, which may have been either burial places or military works, or possibly they served in both capacities. They are generally surrounded by embankments, on the inside of which appears to have been a ditch. Some of them enclose about half an acre of ground. They appear to hava been circular, quadrangular, and sometimes irregular in outline, though the walls have been so nearly destroyed that their form cannot be traced accurately. Similar works are to be found in other parts of the county. All undoubtedly were formed long ages before the white man disturbed the Indian from his peaceful possession of the soil; and probably all, or many, of these works were fashioned by that race whose origin and existence is veiled in mystery - namely, the Mound-Builders.