Boone County IN Archives History - Businesses .....Historical Sketch Of Sugar Creek Township 1874
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SUGAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.

  SUGAR CREEK TOWNSHIP takes its name from a creek by the same name, which flows
through the township from east to west, passing very nearly through its center.
This township is located in the extreme northwest corner of the county, and lies
in a square body, except being one half mile longer north and south than it is
east and west.

  The surface of Sugar Creek township is not as enticing as some other parts of
the county, although a great portion of it is well adapted to the cultivation of
the different kinds of grains and grasses. There are some spots of broken or
hilly land, while there are others pleasingly undulating, and still others very
level. The undulating is, at present, the most desirable for farming purposes,
while it must be admitted that the level lands are by odds the richest, and in
time will command the greatest price per acre of all other qualities of land in
the country. Again, let us urge upon the farmers the importance of tile
draining; make to yourselves farms that will be little empires of wealth within
themselves. Farmers, if you can hear of a tile factory in reach of you, don't
halt between two opinions, but go at once, and if needs be, pledge your best
horse or cow to secure tiling for at least one field. After you have carefully
and thoroughly drained that one field, you will need no one to urge the matter
upon you, but the increase in your crops and the satisfaction of cultivating
gained thereby will be an argument to your intelligent understanding which you
can not well resist. Especially will this be the case with those who own level
black soils. We do not urge this matter in the interest of any manufacturer of
ditching materials, but solely for the good of the farming community.

  Sugar Creek, running through this township, is fed by numerous small streams
flowing into it from the north and south. Some of these little brooklets find
the waters of Sugar Creek within the borders of the township, and are very
valuable for stock water. This township, like most of its neighbor townships, is
pretty well supplied with timber, much of which is of a valuable kind. The
public roads are passably good.

  The I., C. & L. R. R. runs through the township from its southeast corner to
near the middle of its north line, thus giving to the township increased
facilities for shipments. The L., C. & S. W. R. R. touches it upon its extreme
northwest corner.

  The most important town in the township is Thorntown. It is situated on the
first-named railroad, in the southeastern part of the township. It is a place of
considerable business enterprise; most of its inhabitants are enterprising,
intelligent and sociable. The school-houses, bridges, and other public property
are in tolerably good condition.

SECRET ORGANIZATIONS.

  Osceola Lodge, No. 173, I. O. O. F.; Thorntown; organized in the year 1856;
membership, 103; value of property, $4000.

  M. Encampment, No. 83; membership, 50.

  Washington Lodge, F. and A. M. (colored); Thorntown; membership, 30; value of
property, $100; organized about the year 1868.

  Thorntown Lodge, No. 113, F. & A. M.; organized in May, 1852; membership, 75;
value of property, $1500.

  Grant Lodge, No. 519, I. O. G. T.; organized December 16, 1868; membership,
47; value of property, $1000.

  New Hope Grange, No. 1728; organized March, 1874; membership, 28; value of
property, $50.

  Walnut Grange, No. 844; organized October, 1873; membership, 60; value of
property, $100.

  Sugar Plain Grange, No. 715; organized December, 1873; value of property, $100.

  Sharon Grange, No. 436; organized October, 1873; membership, 43; value of
property, $40.

  Wagoner Grange, No. 679; organized November 18, 1873; membership, 150; value
of property, 40.

THEOLOGICAL.

  Presbyterian Church, Thorntown; membership, 280; Rev. D. K. Calmery, pastor;
T. J. McCorkle, superintendent of the Sabbath School; number of scholars, 240;
value of church property, $10,000.

  M. E. Church, Thorntown; membership, 345; Rev. L. Nebeker, pastor; G. W.
Cones, superintendent of Sabbath school; number of scholars, 200; value of
property, $20,000.

  A. M. E. Church, Thorntown; membership, 25; Rev. John Ferguson, D. D., pastor;
Robert Hedgepath, superintendent of Sabbath school; number of scholars, 45;
value of property, $500.

  Friends' Church, Thorntown; membership, 75; Rev. W. P. Hayworth, pastor; Dr.
H. H. Allen, superintendent Sabbath school; number of scholars, about 50; value
of property, $1800.

  M. Baptist Church; membership, 90; J. M. Patton, superintendent Sabbath
school; number of scholars, 125; value of property, $2,500.

  Christian Church, Thorntown; membership, 55; Rev. W. R. Jewell, pastor; John
Glover, superintendent of Sabbath school; number of scholars, 50; value of
church property, $5,000.

  Friends' Church, Walnut Grove, four miles south-west of Thorntown; membership,
100; Rev. Hugh Woody, pastor; M. Kendall, Sabbath school superintendent; number
of scholars, 45; value of church property, $1,000.

  Friends' Church, Sugar Plain; membership, 200; Rev. Nathan Elliott, pastor;
Enos P. Huddleston, Sabbath school superintendent; number of scholars, 50; value
of church property, $4,000.

  Young Men's Christian Association; organized February 8, 1874; membership, 70;
W. F. Gilchrist, president; A. G. Roleth, secretary; have use of M. E. Church
library, valued at $2,000, and contains 400 volumes; value of property, $120.

EDUCATIONAL.

  Number of school houses in Sugar Creek township, 11; value of school property,
$8,000. R. H. Rees, Township Trustee. Number of children, 643.

POLITICAL.

  Vote of Sugar Creek township, 800; majority, Republican.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

THE PEOPLE'S GUIDE
A BUSINESS, POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS
Directory of Boone Co., Ind.
TOGETHER WITH A COLLECTION OF VERY IMPORTANT
DOCUMENTS AND STATISTICS CONNECTED
WITH OUR MORAL, POLITICAL
AND SCIENTIFIC HISTORY;
ALSO, A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF BOONE COUNTY,
AND A
BRIEF HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP.

BY CLINE & McHAFFIE.

INDIANAPOLIS: INDIANAPOLIS PRINTING AND PUBLISHING HOUSE.
1874.


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