Abington Township

Abington Township

[The following supplies an omission in the town of Abington.] The first resident 'physician that practiced in the township was W". J. Matchett, in 1828. He was succeeded by James Ruby, who practiced some ten or twelve years ; within which period, he took into partnership a former student of his, John M. Swallow, who is said to have had a very extensive practice, and died in 1849, at the early age of thirty-three. After him came Dr. John Cleveland, who also is said to have been a successful practitioner, now residing at Centerville. He was followed by Moses G. Mitchell, of Ohio, now a Universalist preacher, residing in Abington. Present physicians - John Q. A. Robbins, and James E. Swallow, son of John M. Swallow, above mentioned.

The first wagon-maker was John Gilbert ; the next, William Harp. The present ones are the four Green brothers, Thomas, Thaddeus, Daniel, and Charles. Present blacksmiths - Thomas Stevens, Caswell Hollar, and Moses Mitchell. Harnessmakers - Samuel and Erank^Lell. Carpenters - Andrew Hunt, Ferdinand and Harrison Weber. Shoemaker - Daniel Jennings.

Source changes here: from Memoirs of Wayne County and the City of Richmond Indiana, by Hon. Henry Clay Fox, published 1912; 480 words in this source stream.

Abington Township

Abington township was formed in 1837. The land was originally a part of both Washington and Wayne townships. The eastern part of the township was settled very early. Among the earliest settlers was John Endsley, formerly from South Carolina, who settled on John's creek in the eastern part of the township in 1806. His brother, Abraham Endsley, came with him and settled on the White Water river, a mile from the mouth of the Elkhorn. In 1806, John Cox, from Kentucky, purchased the land where the present town of Abington is located. He died in 1811 and his death is said to have been the first in the limits of the township.

In 1807, Charles Hunt, from North Carolina, settled in the southeast part of the present township. His son, George, was the first surveyor in the county and the first clerk of the county-court.

Other early settlers in the limits of the township were Henry Fender, Gabriel Fender, Thomas Moffitt, Thomas Bradbury, David Carson, John Wright, John Hunt (the first blacksmith and gunsmith), William Dye, James Lamb, and William Jarrett. On the land of Thomas Moffitt was built one of the forts constructed during the war of 1812 as a means of protection against the Indians.

The western and central parts of the township constitute good level or slightly rolling agricultural lands.. On the east, the east branch of the White Water river passes through it. This section is hilly, but the valley land is rich. The.township is touched by the Elkhorn branch, Butler creek, and a number of other smaller streams which give a necessary water supply.

miles to the eastern line. It is bounded on the north by Center township and a corner of Boston; on the east by Boston township; on the south by Union county and one mile of Fayette, and on the west by Washington township. It has an area of 14,080 acres.

Among the early industries established was a carding machine, erected at the mouth of the Elkhorn by Richard Sedgwick and Smith Hunt. A carding and fulling mill was erected by John Brower, about 1824, and the first grist mill was erected on the east fork of White Water, a little below the mouth of the Elkhorn, in 1808.

Abington, on the west bank of the east fork of the White Water river, was laid out, in 1817, by John and Joseph Cox. It was platted Dec. 5, and the certificate of the survey was recorded Nov. 5, 1818. The first merchant in Abington was Moses Cox. A saw mill was built by Thomas Manning. The first wagon maker was John Gilbert; the first resident physician that practiced in the township was W. J. Matchett, in 1828. The first church to be established was the Methodist Episcopal, which was organized at an early date; the United Brethren was organized about 1818. ©