Covington, Indiana

Isaac Coleman, a Virginian by birth, and a man of fine parts, who had made his advent in Indiana very early, and had settled where Attica is, secured tlie northeast fraction, 82.7 acres, and the southeast fraction, 73.7 acres, of the north half of Sec. 35, T. 2U K., E. 9 W. ; this land being situated close to the Wabash river, the only outlet for trade, and about midway of the county, nortli and south. Mr. Coleman conceived it to be a convenient point for a county seat of justice. In those early days, when railroads were unheard of and the country so densely wooded that roads were obliged to be chopped froiu place to place, it was natural that a place near a stream, even though it were known to be navigable for boats alone, should be chosen upon which to build the principal city of the county. Mr. Coleman inunediately e.xerted his influence toward securing the location of the countv seat on liis laud. L)icas Nebeker and otliers also wurked for its location somcwliere about its present site. Mr. Coleman employed old Mr. Johnson, of Crawfordsville, a surveyor, to lay off a town. Mr. Johnson this same year, 1S2C, laid off Attica and La Fayette. Mr. Coleman's site was chosen as the proper place for the county seat, and the town was called Covington. Dating almost from that moment, efforts have always been in order to re-locate the scat of justice of Fountain county. Other early entries made in this immediate vicinity wei-e as follows: John Wilson and David Vance secured the northeast fraction of the south half of Sec. 35, comprising 78 acres, tlie entry dating Mav 6, 1S2*!. John Miller became owner of the southeast fraction, 82 acres, of Sec. 35, in 1S30. Daniel J.,anders entered the E. ^ of ;N."\V. ^ Sec. 3G, in 182ti. John Wilson and David Vance, in the same year, the W. i of N.W. ^ Sec. 3G. Andrew Sliankland, in 1827, entered the E. i of N.E. 1 Sec. 36. James A. Thompson the W. of S.E. i- Sec. 30, in 182G ; also Wiiliam Ray the S.W. i See. 3C. " William v.. Evans entered the E. l of S'.E. i Sec. 20, in 1820; also William Miller the E. -\ of S.E. } Sec. 20, and Samuel Maxwell the W. A of iS'.W. 1 Sec. 25. A year previous to 1820 William Vandorn entered tln> W. }. of N.E. i Sec. 20. In 1828 Elijah Smith secured the E. A of S.E. i Sec. 25, Benedict Morris the E. i of K.W. J Sec. 25, Levi J. Eeynolds the W. -\ of N.E. i Sec. 25, and James C. Denton entered the W. i of X.E. 1 Sec. 36. In 1820 Jonas Baum obtained the north fraction of S.W. i Sec. 26. In 1831 John Miller bought the E. -i of K.W. i Sec. 26, and Robert Ilettield laid claim to the !-;. A of S.E. \ Sec. 30. A part of these lots of land in after years lircamc additions to Covington, and tlie rest lies immediately around the town.

Passage source: History of Fountain County : Together with Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley, Gleaned from Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, published 1881.

At a meeting of the authorities, held July 25, 1S2G, the county -agent was ordered to cause the town site to be re-snrveyed and corrected, and to present a plat of the same to the "Board." At that meeting the town was formally appellated " Covington." The county agent was also ordered to ofier for sale on the first Monday in October of that year, the lots belonging to the county. It is needless to say all this was done, and that Covington began to germinate. A very few squatters were already on the ground. John Gillam lived in a very small log cabin, which stood on the ground now occupied by the jail. He had a large family and was poor. He worked at clearing, or any job work that could be obtained. Joseph Grifiith and his son Barton were the first to actually settle anywhere on this spot. Joseph Griffith moved to Illinois and there died. His son Barton remained and became clerk for Joseph -Sloan, whose business he largely managed. Llaking the trip to New Orleans, carrying produce on flat-boats, he incurred a severe attack of dysentery, which proved fatal on his return. His death was a loss to the community, as he was a bright, energetic spirit. Daniel Landers was at that time a rising merchant of the "log town" of Indianapolis. Mr. Landers concluded to start a branch store at Covington, and for that purpose sent out Joseph L. Sloan. Mr. Sloan made the trip in October, 1S26, across the country, bringing a load of goods with him, and chopping a large part of his way through the dense woods. Having arrived, it was necessary to build as soon as possible, so as to shield his merchandise from the weather. John Gillam, Joseph and Barton Griffith, lent helping hands. Anderson "White came from Coal creek, seven miles, with his o.x team. Joseph Baum, James Bilsland, Lucas Nebeker, James Whitley, Joseph Shelby, John Steeley, and perhaps others, who lived in the "Bend," came iiurrying to the spot to take part in the erection of the first ^'business house" of the county seat. The building, about 1-1x18, onestory, of unhewn logs, daubed and plastered, was soon ready for occupancy. The shelves were riven boards, and nails brought by Mr. Sloan were used, but were not common. The store immediately became the center of atti action, and the surrounding farmers were happier.

Passage source: History of Fountain County : Together with Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley, Gleaned from Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, published 1881.

About the same time that Mr. Sloan came Mr. Eawles made liis way from the prairie, north of Terre Haute, up the Wabash river in a keel-boat, or barge. He brougiit his family and household goods. Mr. Rawles, or as he is known, David Kawles, immediately began the construction of a hotel, assisted by about the same men who aided Sloan. His building was about 16x24, one-story, round logs, clapboard roof^ puncheon floor. He purchased some nails of Sloan, '- the merchant," and some boards of "Wiiite, with which he made some " e.\tra good doors." On the rear of the " hotel " he built a rail pen which lie battened and covered with chipboards, and in this Mrs. Eawles did the cooking. Joseph Sloan and his clerk were the first boarders. 1S26, the heralder of the first store, and tirst hotel or " tavern '" of Covington soon rolled away, giving place to 1S27. This year witnessed the arrival of Andrew Ingram and Daniel Rogers, both attorneys-at-law ; hardly an inviting place, it would seem, to that profession, yet there was considerable real-estate business to transact ; John McKinney, who started a tannery, Frank Merrill, who opened the second store, and Dr. Hamilton. Most of these men were patrons of the " Hotel de Rawles,'" and one could scarcely conceive of a company composed of lawyers, a doctor, merchants, tradesmen and farmers witliont concluding as to the fun of that early day. For amusement, the above named persons and others to the number of twelve, organized themselves into a body for the purpose of holding moot court. Their organization was christened with the beautiful and appropriate name " Oallisumpkin Society," intensely classical, showing that in that primitive age Covington had her sages as well as Greece. David Rawles presided as "Dispenser of Justice," and listened to the pleadings of Ingram and Rogers, attorneys composing the Covington bar. James "Whitley was constable. The attorneys, ever anxious for practice, carefully watched the actions of men, and no misdemeanor escaped punishment. The judge, ever proud of his position, issued writs promptly, and the constable, desirous of showing his authority, unhesitatingly served all summonses and made arrests even if liis best friends suffered. A conimon misdemeanor, against which a law of that body positively asserted itself, was the brushiiii: of flies from one's face when tiiere were fewer than one dozen of these pests endeavoring sim\iltaneously to deprive him of all appetite or comfort. Could such an act be proven against any one, a heavy fine was the inevitable result; the trial often lasting tiiUate in the hours of the night. At that time the site of Covington was covered largely by brush and stumps. A common fine was to retpiire tlie " law-breaker to dig up one of those stumps." In this way much of the land was cleared. Dr. Hamilton relates how, when having returned from a professional call, the constable immediately served a process on him, accusing him of brushing the flies from his face when fewer than a dozen were bothering him. The doctor secured the services of lawyer Rogers and went into trial before Judge Eawles. The trial over, the iisual judgment was rendered, but this time the penalty called for the uprooting of the largest stninp of all. The doctor, loath to exert his muscular ability to so great an extent, readily paid a man $5 to remove the stump. Four gallons of whisky, too, was consumed at his expense. The Callisumpkin Society was instrumental in doing much toward the development of the town, and its name is worthy of perpetuity.

Passage source: History of Fountain County : Together with Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley, Gleaned from Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts, published 1881.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Troy Township - it names this place 27 more 27 times.