Selma, Indiana

This is one of the central townships in the tier which forms the eastern limit of the county. It is six miles long and six miles wide, its area, therefore, being in round numbers 23,040 acres. It is bounded on the north by the township of Delaware, on the east by a portion of Randolph County, on the south by Perry Township, and on the west by Center.

Passage source: History of Delaware County, Indiana : with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, published 1881.

The surface is generally level, broken only by the valleys of the streams which traverse it. These streams are, with one or two excep tions, unimportant brooks or branches, tributaries of White River, which flows in a westerly course across the southern portion of the township. None of them are of sufficient magnitude to afford propelling power for machinery, and during very dry seasons their course across the township is only recognizable by their deserted beds. When the opposite extreme prevails, and there is an abundant rainfall, their narrow beds are quickly filled, and for the tiue being, these little streams, usually so insignificant, become roaring torrents, rushing impetuously toward their respective outlets, the Mississinewa and White Rivers. > malarial diseases which, half a century ago, were so common. In these later days, however, scientific farming has opened up a medium of egress for the water left in the depressed places by the receding streams, and the modern system of underdraining has been both the means of conveying away the waste water and redeeming lands otherwise useless. The soil in the vicinity of the river is of a sandy nature, but in other places it is almost wholly clay. It is quite rich and well adapted to the successful cultivation of all the varieties of fruit and grain common

Passage source: History of Delaware County, Indiana : with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, published 1881.

The first tract of land was entered at the Government land office at Fort}Wayne, by William Blunt, Sr., on the 9th day of December, 1822. The land then entered was a portion of Section 28. Mr. Blunt was probably the first permanent settler in the township. He cleared and improved a large farm, and was long a valued and useful member of the community. On the 16th day of December, 1822, Wilder Potter entered a tract of land in the same section (28), and cleared a portion of it. The remainder he sold to settlers who came to the township at a later date. The east half of the southeast quarter of Section 22 was entered by David Branson, December 11, 1823. Alanson Ashley and Henry Bolton entered land in Section 30, May 31, 1823. Both were industrious and respected members of the community. Mr. Ashley afterward became identified with other localities. James Jackson, formerly a citizen of Portsmouth, Ohio, entered a tract of land in Section 21, October 1, 1827. His farm was the east half of the northeast quarter of this section, and upon this farm he made his home until death. . His from Clark County, Ohio, accompanied by his wife and seven children, viz., Jacob, John, Elizabeth, Samuel, Jane, James and Rebecca, four of whom survive him and reside in this county. About the year 1830, his daughter Rachel was born, and was one of the first white children born in the settlement. He improved the farm which he had entered, making it his home until death. In November, 1830, John Moore came from Portsmouth, Ohio, and entered a body of land lying partially in Center and partially in Liberty. To this he added another tract, by purchase, making his possessions several hundred acres. His journey from Ohio was accomplished by the usual method of travel in those days, i. e., in wagons, containing the family and household goods. The children who accompanied him were Cynthia, William J., Philip, Levi, J emima, J. Spencer, Charles Wesley, Joseph and Milton. His son Enos was born February 15, 1834. His uncle, John Moore, had preceded him, having located here in 1829.:

Passage source: History of Delaware County, Indiana : with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, 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 Liberty Township - it names this place 20 more 20 times.