Saratoga, Indiana

One principal p'ke, theone extending north toward Portland, has been in existence for several years, and it ia of pricelesB value to those low and level regions, erewhilo wellnigh impassable. The smooth and gravelly surface, the solid highway, is widely in contrast to the " corduroy " that used to stretch its rough and weary length for miles and miles at intervals toward the northeJ'u regions - northward, constantly northward, further and still farther, across swamps, through jungles, over creeks and rivers, through bottomless morasses, into the gloomy, overshadowing forests, those rude paths, those primitive roads - they i could not be called highways - would unroll their endless extent. | And now those awful " corduroys. " which used to jerk and shake and pound and rutilo, with their endless " jwunce " and " bounce," by sunlight and starlight, in rain or in shine, come winter come summer, do that fearful work no more forever! I V Other pikes also are in process of construction - one east and west through Stone Station, through Saratoga east and west, and perhaps others still.

Passage source: History of Randolph County, Indiana with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers : to Which Are Appended Maps of Its Several Townships, published 1882.

Allen Wall was among the very first residents of the Mississinewa Valley, above Deertield. He was born in North Carolina in about 1779. His wife's maiden name was Sarah Beechy, and tlioy had ton children, all grown and married, and seven are living yet. One daughter, sixty tivo years old, is the wife of Jacob Evans, of Saratoga. Mr. Wall entered forty acres about two miles east of Deertield, north of the Mississinewa, settling in the region about 1817-18. Samuel Emery lived not very far away, though ho came years later. Mr. Wall died in 1835, aged about fifty-six. His wife died ic 1841. He was a farmer, and he and his wife were Methodists. Nearly the only settlers oast of Deertield in 1819 were the Masseysand" tho JacksoDs. Robert, James and Tense Massey were there some time before. James, at least, was in tho county and on tho Mississinewa in the summer of 1818. James and Tense Massey appear to have made their first entry in Sections 10 and 11, January 20, 1818, and William Jackson in Section 21, October 2, 1819. Mr. Wall was a farmer, and he and his people were Methodists. It is likely that he was a Democrat, as most (though, indeed, not all) of tho dwellers in that region were and are of that political faith.

Passage source: History of Randolph County, Indiana with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers : to Which Are Appended Maps of Its Several Townships, published 1882.

In 1865, Mr. Bousman was married to Miss Margaret Ann Frase, and in 1866, they began life upon a rented farm. They changed location about once each year until 1869, when he took a lease on a piece of woodland belonging to his father, upon which they settled and on which he worked hard for four years. At the end of this time, poor health compelled a change of occupation. In 1873, they removed to the village of Saratoga, where Mr. Bousman engaged in a huckstering business for one year ; he then learned photographing and carried on a gallery at Saratoga for three years. This business ceasing to be remunerative, he quit it in 1877, and started into ageneralstore,.selling dry goods groceries, and whatever is necessary and profitable iu a small town. At the same time his wife opened a millinery store. These businesses they still carry on. In 1874, Mr. Bousman was made Postmaster at Saratoga, which position he yet fills, and all the time his wife has been his .assistant. He has for some time been Freight and Ticket .\gent for the Pan-Handle Railroad at Saratoga: also agent for the Adams Express Company. It is readily seen that he is a concentrated inhjibitant, and is a useful and respected citizen. By integrity in business he has gained the confidence of the community in which he lives, and by energy, perseverance and correct habits, lie has earned a oempetence, has accumulated property, and is iu a fair way to enjoy a prosperity which a proper life will merit.

Passage source: History of Randolph County, Indiana with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers : to Which Are Appended Maps of Its Several Townships, published 1882.

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 Ward Township - it names this place 8 more 8 times.