Elizaville, Indiana

Wiley, Abner Knotts, J. A. McDaniel, W. H. Evans, John Evans, Obid Hardesty, Robert Perkins, F. C. Phillips, Hugh Sample, John M. Wiley, Frank Downing, Hiram Powell, Jos. Stephenson, Hugh McDonald, Ozias Robinson, Samuel Downey, John R. McDonald, E. Swope, Matthew McLear, "Marian Evans and Andrew Burns. Among the early ministers were John Reynolds (Presbyterian), John Bonner, Wm. Turner, Wm. Hall, Carson Buckbalter (Christian), and Henry I. Bennett, who yet resides in the township. The following were among the early school teachers : Jas. H. Sample, Hiram J. Roberts, Henry I. Bennett, Jas. Mulligan and John Foley. Mr. Mulligan is yet living in the township and has served as County Surveyor several years. Clinton Township was first settled in the year 1834. The first election was held in 1835, at the house of Newton Cassaday, when a man by the name of Maxwell was elected the first Justice of the Peace. It is said that Hugh Sample, son of Jas. H. Sample, was the first child to see the light of day in this township. He is yet living two miles west of Elizaville, on the Thorntown road. This event occurred in 1837.. Among the first marriages were John Stephenson to Miss Adams, Eris Stephenson to Margaret Wylie and John M. Burns to Miss Wylie. The first religious meeting was held at the house of A. B. Clark; this was in the year 1835. There was nothing like a permanent society organized fill a year or two later, when the old school Presbyterian formed a society and held meetings at private houses. Houses of worship were erected in due course of time. There are now five churches in the township, viz: Hopewell (Presbyterian), in the southwest part of the township on the Thorntown and Strawtown road, in section 31; Mud Creek, or Salem, is situated on Mud Greek in section 27; there is here, as well as at Hopewell, a cemetery where many of the pioneers are buried. The Baptists have a church at Elizaville, as also have the Christians. The Presbyterians have a brick church in the same town. The number of school children in the township in 1885 was 527; number of school houses, 10.

Passage source: Early Life and Times in Boone County Indiana, published 1861.

The first religious meeting was held at the house of A. B. Clark, in 1835. A year or two later the Old School Presbyterians held meetings in private houses and formed a society. Among the early ministers were John Reynolds (Presbyterian), John Bonner, William Turner, William Hall, Carson Buckhalter (Christian), and Henry I. Bennett. The early churches were as follows: Hopewell (Presbyterian), in section 31, on the Thorntown and Strawtown road. Mud Creek or Salem, in section 27, organized with twenty members in 1836 as the Social Reform Presbyterian church. In 185S it joined with the United Presbyterian and henceforth known by that name. In the year 1836 the Old School Presbyterians in the west part of the township on the Thorntown road. The Baptists, Presbyterians and Disciples each organized and erected churches at Elizaville, making in all five churches for the township. The report made in 191 1 by the survey of the Department of Church and Country Life in Indiana by the Board of Home Missions of the Presbyterian church is as follows, viz: The three churches of Eliza- ville, Baptists, membership 137, standing still. The Presbyterian, membership 12, losing ground. Disciples, membership 152, growing. The United Presbyterian, Salem or Mud Creek, membership 102, standing still. The Presbyterians west part of the township, membership 53, losing ground. At Salem and Hopewell are cemeteries where many pioneers are sweetly resting until the resurrection morning-.

Passage source: History of Boone County, Indiana : With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Old Families, published 1914.

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 Clinton Township.