Harrodsburg, Indiana

Base township is one of the best in the county for agricultural purposes. It has an abundance of low land, as it lies principally in the forks of Clear Creek and Salt Creek, the two principal streams of the southern half of the county. Between the forks the land is gently undulating as a general rule, and the surface soil contains an abundance of food for almost all farm productions. Along the two streams are rather precipitous bluffs, which, back some distance, gradually blend with the general undulating surface of the country. Immediately adjoining the streams are narrow valleys very rich and productive. The geological formation is revealed in many places - at quarries and along the New Albany Railroad principally. In places where the storms have washed away the surface soil, hundreds of geodes, comprising crystalline and butryoidal, are found. The railroad track at Harrodsburg. is 509- feet above the level of the sea, and at Smithville is 710 feet. This shows a railroad grade of 201 feet betweeri those two places. distant about four miles and a half. The altitude at Bloomington is 745, and northwest of Bloomington at the highest point of the grade is 883 feet. The track at Ellettsville is 685 feet above the sea. In the vicinity of Smithville, covering about a section of land, the Keokuk limestone makes its appearance at the surface. A little distance west, extending a little east of north, is the general overlying edge of the Keokuk group, lapping upon the knobstone. A short distance further west is the St. Louis limestone. On Section 2, about a mile northeast of Smithville, the geological formation is as follows:

Passage source: 1884 History of Monroe County Indiana, published 1884.

The village of Harrodsburg, now third in population and importance in the county, was laid out by Alexander Buchanan, proprietor, and John Sedwick, surveyor, in December, 1836, on the northeast corner of the routhwest quarter of Section 29, Township T north, Range 1 west. Twenty-four lots were laid out, and Eee was named Newgene. In May, 1837, Levi Sugart laid out an addition of three lots, and at this time, for some reason unknown, the name of the village was 'changed to Harrodsburg. It is said that the first store was started by Berkey & Isominger, who took out a license in 1836. Jacob Corman took out a liquor license in 1839, paying therefor $25. 'Tilford & Glass early established a store in the village. It is said that A. & P. Carmichael, who were in the mercantile business at Stanford, were also in Harrodsburg. Mr. Berkey bought a lot conditionally in the town before it was laid out.» The early families of the village were those of Henry Berkey, Joseph Cranshaw, Job Horton, Samuel Baugh, Richard Empson, Alexander Buchanan, the Widow Cully and others. This was about the condition in 1844, at which time no store had been in the town for a year or two. In 1844, S. W. & J. D. Urmey opened a store of general merchandise, worth about $450, and the following year Paris Vestal also established a store. James Bentley was the first resident physician; he was also a pedagogue of considerable repute. Baugh & Empson were tanners. Rufus Finley erected a tannery about forty rods down the little creek at the village.* Vestal continued about two years, then sold to Moore & Baugh. Greason was Vestal's partner for a short time, as was also McCrea. In 1848, Vestal and Sutherland were partners, but after a short time each continued separate. James W. Carter was in business about 1849. Sutherland & Graham were together for a short time about 1850. 'The Urmeys still continued, with increasing business. Odell & Walker were in business about this time. Sutherland & Baugh were partners for a short time, closing in July, 1853. In April, 1852, Alex- were assumed by the senior partner. Henry Baugh was alone in business about this time; also W. N. Anderson. Among the business men afterward were Carter & Dunn, Mr. Waldrip, Julius Sues, Harmon & Buchanan, East & Deckard, Judy & Kinser, Oliphant & Pearson, Oliphant & Girton, Carmichael & Urmey, Oliphant & Woodward, Woolery & Wolf, Wolf & Son, Perdue & Wolf, Urmey & McFadden, Perdue & Woolery, Stevenson & Perdue, Woolery, Stevenson & Carmichael, H. C. Smallwood, Deckard, Anderson, Stevenson, J. W. Sears, Brown & Fields, Litzman, Deckard & Chambers, Kinser & Smallwood, W. Kinser, Granger's store, Strain & Woodward and perhaps others. Sutherland & Jones, beginning in 1853, did a large business in packing pork and shiping the same and grain down the creeks to the markets of the South. They sent out from eight to twelve boats each year and employed during the busy seasons forty or fifty men. The aggregate business per annum was little less than $100,000. This gave the appearance of great thrift to the little town, and induced many to locate there who otherwise would have passed on. Urmey & Isominger shipped grain by boat during the forties. The Urmey brothers did the same. Sutherland & Jones lost considerable money on pork, and were gradually forced from business though they paid their debts. Carmichael & Urmey in 181, began a big business in packing pork. The first year they packed 1,800 hogs. The business was increased so that forty men were employed, and as high as 8,500 hogs were slaughtered and packed in one season. Considerable wheat, corn and flour was bought and shipped also. The railroad had been completed in 1853, and this afforded a much better way of reaching market than by water. These, men continued the business until 1877, when they failed, by reason of heavy losses, and compromised honorabl with their creditors.

Passage source: 1884 History of Monroe County Indiana, published 1884.

It is said that the first school in the township was taught near the old Woodward homestead about 1822. This was a short distance south of the present Smithville. The school was held in a vacated log cabin that had been occupied for a short time by some family. Another early school was taught near Fairfax; and still another in the Rogers neighborhood. The Chambers were the founders of a school about 1830. In 1836, there were three schoolhouses in the township, and one or two old residences which were used for that purpose. In about 1840, the old log schoolhouse at Harrodsburg was erected, which was used for school and church purposes until about 1851. School was taught at Fairfax as early as 1838. In 1846, the township consisted of four school districts, two schools being held in District No. 2. During the winter of 1846-47, school was not taught in Nos. 1 or 3. The enrollment in District 2 was 53 and in District 4 was 25. The length of each term was three months. Twenty-two children attended in No. 4, and 34 in No. 2. All these houses were of logs. In 1856, there were schoolhouses at Harrodsburg, Smnithville, Fairfax, and on Sections 8, 11 and 29. The only frame house was at Harrodsburg. The old log schoolhouse at this village had been burned down about 1851, at which time a small one-story frame was erected to take its place. arly teachers in this frame house were Jonas May, Maj. Grimes, Luther De Motte, William Brown, Elzy Woodward et al. Dr. James Beatley taught in the old log house as early as 1844. He was a better teacher than physician. The small frame house was used until war time, when the present two-storied frame building was erected at a cost of about $1,000; three teachers are now employed in the Harrodsburg schools. William Neill is the present Principal. The township schools were greatly improved during the fifties and more so during the sixties and the seventies. The following is for the schools of 1880-81:

Passage source: 1884 History of Monroe County Indiana, published 1884.

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 Clear Creek Township - it names this place 7 more 7 times.