Thorntown Public Library

Sugar Creek Township occupies the northeast corner of the county. It is six miles from east to west, and five and one-half miles from north to south. It contains thirty-three sections, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Clinton County, on the east by Washington Township, on the south by Jefferson Township, and on the west by Montgomery County. It is drained principally by Sugar Creek, which enters the township from Washington Township at section twenty-five. Flowing west it leaves the township at section thirty-one, and enters Montgomery County. About one-half of the township lies on each side of the creek. The Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Lafayette Railroad passes through the township, entering at the southeast corner. It passes through Thorntown and leaves the township near where sections sixteen and seventeen unite. Wolf Creek flows northwest and enters Sugar Creek near the center of the township. Prairie Creek enters Sugar Creek at a short distance northeast of Thorntown. Morrison's Creek flows from the northeast and enters Sugar Creek at section thirty, on the west side of the township. Some of the finest land to be found anywhere can be seen here. That part known far and wide as "Sugar Plain " is the garden spot of the township and perhaps county. The township is number one as a rule, and coupled with this we find it is highly cultivated, has excellent buildings, commodious barns and other evidences of thrift and prosperity. Originally there was some of the finest timber here, such as walnut, poplar, oak and ash. A few remaining trees and stumps tell what it must have been in its former state. Thorntown, the only town in the township, located on Sugar Creek, is a town of some note. In another place we will say more about it under the head of " Sketch of Thorntown." The township up to the year 1828 was in the Indian Reserve, a strip of land ten miles square, occupied and owned by a tribe of Miami

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

Indians. They remained until the year 1833 or 34. Here may yet be seen some of their burying grounds. Thorntown was at one time the headquarters for French traders as early as the year 1800. They kept up a trade with the Indians and early trappers. At one time near Thorntown the Indians raised corn. Some of the people living there now remember seeing the hills where the corn grew, as well as other evidences of cultivation. Sugar Creek Township is historic ground. Here the Indian wooed his dusky mate, danced the war dance, sung the songs of the hunter, smoked the pipe of peace and buried their dead in a sitting position. Those who were actors then have long since gone to the happy hunting grounds. After the Government came into possession of the Reserve the land was offered for sale at Crawfordsville in November, 1829. Among the early purchasers were Cornelius Westfall, William Kenworthy, Samuel Lucas, paying from $1.25 to $4.00 per acre for it. The first settler was Geo. Harness, with the small family of wife and twelve children. This-must have been in the year 1830. Mr. Harness seems to have had a hard time. After he and his wife had worked in harness in more ways than one he finally lost his land. He lived to the age of 108 years, dying in 1876 on the Michigan Road in Clinton County, Indiana. This township was organized in 1831. The first election was held at the house of William Kenworthy, April, 1832, when Benjamin Sweeney and Jas. Van Eaton were elected Justices of the Peace, and Green Foster and David Laudrum, Constables. About this time quite a number of families came; among them were Joshua Burnham, Jas. Scott, Joshua and Jas. Van Eaton, John Skeen, Wm. Gypson, Isaac Gypson (now living). Later came Samuel Brenton, Hugh Moffitt, Jeremiah Moffitt, Mr. Benson, Mr. Baker, Mr. Blue, Wm. Childers, John Miller, Adrian Ball, Isaac Corbet, Benj. Lewis, John Furgeson, Abraham Utter, Wm. Turner, Nathan Maroney, Wm. Payne, Robert Cook, Robert Morrison, Thos. Goldsbury, Eli Goldsbury, Samuel Cass, Adam Boyd, Wm.

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

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 Sugar Creek Township - 5,415 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.