Hamilton, Indiana

By the year 1836, about all the Government land was taken up. The land oflice was at Crawfordsville, and there were residents enough to justify the holding of public religious services. The first church was built at Hamilton in 1838, by the Methodists, who still hold meetings in it. At that time Hamilton was the great business center for this part of St. Joseph count}'. Since the railroad has been built through the county and made a station at New Carlisle, Hamilton has run down. This place is frequently called Terre Coupee, from a postoflice of that name near there. There are also at Hamilton a neat school-house, a grocery and several residences. This village is situated near the center of section 2-4, in Terre Coupee Prairie. This prairie was very marshy before it was drained and cultivated; it is now one of the most fertile spots in the State of Indiana. It is over four miles in diameter and contains 3,000 or 4,000 acres, which is worth $80 to $120 an acre. It is almost as level as a barn floor, and just sandy enough for agricultural purposes.

Passage source: History of St. Joseph County, Indiana :, published 1880.

The first Methodist house of worship in the county was erected at Hamilton, and was dedicated in May, 1841, by Rev. Aaron Wood, D. D. The first Methodist preaching at New Carlisle was by Rev. Abram Saulsberry, in 181:9, then on " Byron Circuit." The first class in New Carlisle was formed in 1853, of the following members: Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Pidge, Josiah Pidge, Jacob Hopkins, James and Delilah Egbert, Mr. and Mrs. James S. White and Eliza White. Kev. A. H. Pidge was the class-leader. This year the parsonage was built, and ever since then it has been the home of the circuit preacher. The church building at this place was erected in 1858.

Passage source: History of St. Joseph County, Indiana :, published 1880.

James Davis, deceased, was a successful farmer. He was among the early settlers of Olive tp. He was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1802, the son of Daniel Davis, and of Welsh descent. He received his education in the common schools in Ohio. He was married in 1824 to Jane Hull. They were the parents of 3 children, all boys, only one of whom is living at the present time. The eldest was married, and at his death, which occurred in 1877, left a wife and 7 children, 4 girls and 3 boys; the eldest girl is living with her grandmother, who is still living on sec. 8, the old homestead. The subject of this sketch died in 1873. His wife, Jane, nee Davis, is still living. She used to be a good horseback rider; when 15 years of age she rode on horseback from Florida to Ohio, and says she enjoyed the trip ver3' much. She was born in 1807, in Hamilton county, Ohio; came to this county in 1835, in company with her liusband, James Davis, wlio died here in 1873. They were married in Hamilton county, O. She now owns 184 acres of land in two farms, one in Indiana, the other in Michigan. Mr. D. was a Republican in politics. Sami'.el, the only child living of the family, spent 20 years of his life as a telegraph operator; at the present time he is a photographer in Michigan.

Passage source: History of St. Joseph County, Indiana :, published 1880.

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 Olive Township.