Boone County IN Archives History - Businesses .....Sketch Of Center Township 1874
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CENTER TOWNSHIP.

  CENTER TOWNSHIP lies very nearly in the center of the county. Its mechanical
outlines, or borders, are of a peculiar shape. It has the appearance of having
once been much larger than it now is, but by degrees has been eaten into by
other townships until it presents a jagged appearance on every side. It has no
straight line running the full length of the township on any side. It is a
matter of wonder to the mechanical engineer that counties and townships are not
laid out in perfect squares, at least when no visible obstacle appears in the way.

  Center township contains about 55 square miles, or about 35,200 acres. It is
bounded by Marion, Clinton, Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Harrison, Ferry,
Worth and Union townships, leaving but two townships in the county—Sugar Creek
and Eagle—not touched by its borders. Center township is generally quite level,
heavily timbered, and of very rich soil. All the productions common to the
climate may be produced abundantly here. Much of the township is very wet in
certain seasons, although the level wet lands are of the very best when once
properly drained. Time can not destroy their productive qualities. Intelligent
farmers have discovered that tile draining is vastly more remunerative than bank
investments. It is a matter of surprise to the well-informed agriculturist that
more tile draining is not accomplished. It is a well advanced theory,
established by facts, that level land well drained with under-drainage will
withstand the action of both drouths and floods far better than lands not
drained at all. Indeed it is a pretty well established truth that any land,
either hilly or level, is improved by under-draining. Farms in Center township
that are now worth only twenty to thirty dollars per acre might, with proper
attention in this respect, be made worth four times that amount per acre, and at
far less cost than the actual advance in price. What we say here of Center
township may be said of large portions of other townships in Boone county.

  Lebanon, located a little to the northwest of the center of the township, is a
live, enterprising city, containing many fine brick business blocks and numerous
beautiful residences. The streets are well laid out and kept in good order. The
court-house at this place is a monument of credit to the people of the county,
and in no other court-house have we found a more affable and accommodating corps
of officers. They have our hearty thanks for having generously and kindly given
to our agents all needful information necessary to this work. In fact, the
people throughout the county are generous, kind and intelligent, among whom
strangers may not fear to go. There are certainly inducements, both in the
country and in the towns of the county, for men seeking farms or other places of
business.

  The I., C. & L. R. R. runs through Center township from southeast to
northwest, giving to the township good facilities for trade. There are numerous
other roads of other kinds running into Lebanon from every quarter.

  The township is watered by the head waters of Prairie Creek, which empty into
Sugar Creek; also by other small streams of no great importance.

  There are many fine, well-improved farms, besides other improvements, in the
township. The bridges, roads and school property are first-class, considering
the newness of the country.

  There are seventeen school-houses in the township—all substantial
buildings—valued at $13,000. Number of scholars, about 1050. Mr. Milroy Lane is
the present Township Trustee.

SECRET ORGANIZATIONS.

  Boone Lodge, No. 9, F. and A. M.; Lebanon; organized in the year 1845, at
Thorn town, and removed to Lebanon August 9th, 1847, at which place it now is,
and is in a prosperous condition; number of members, 120; value of property, $2500.

  Chapter, No. 39; Lebanon; organized in May, 1857; membership, 49; value of
property, $6000.

  Ruth Lodge, Daughters of Rebecca, No. 2; Lebanon; membership, 75; organized in
the year 1869; value of property, $150.

  Winnebago Tribe of Red Men, No. 36; Lebanon; membership, 100; organized in the
year 1873; value of property, $1,000.

  Solomon Lodge, I. O. G. T., No. 324; membership, 75; organized 1872; value of
property, $100.

  Center Grange, No. 306; two miles northwest Lebanon; membership, 70; value of
property, $200; Peter Cox, Master; S. R. Williams, Secretary; organized August
18, 1873.

  Salem Grange, No. 392; three miles south of Lebanon; membership, 80, value of
property, 3150; organized Oct., 1873.

  Wonder Grange, No. 380; organized Sept., 1873; membership, 50; value of
property, $30; O. D. Shankland, Master; W. M. Byres, Secretary. This Grange is
five miles northeast of Lebanon.

THEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES.

  Missionary Baptist Church; Lebanon; organized Dec. 12, 1873; membership, 25;
Rev. Cyrus B. Allen, pastor.

  Presbyterian Church; Lebanon; membership, 155; value of property, $15,000;
Rev. J. M. Bishop, pastor; S. H. Hamilton, superintendent of Sabbath school;
average attendance, 100.

  M. E. Church; Lebanon; membership, 300; value of property, $12,000; Rev. C. B.
Mock, pastor; A. H. Hawn, Sabbath school superintendent; average attendance, 250.

  Christian Church; Lebanon; membership, 240; value of property, $6,000; Rev. R.
Edmonson, pastor; H. Darnell, Sabbath school superintendent; average attendance,
130.

  Independent Christian Church; two miles north-west of Lebanon; membership, 48;
Rev. J. Shulse, pastor; have no property.

  Gossett Chapel, M. E. Church; four miles southeast of Lebanon; membership, 50;
Rev. W. S. Crow, pastor; Joseph A. Fish, Sabbath school superintendent; average
attendance, 40; value of church property, $600.

  United Presbyterian Church; Lebanon; membership, 35; value of church property,
33,000; Rev. J. D. Glenn, pastor.

  Union Sabbath School; two miles northwest of Lebanon; Henry Shulse,
superintendent; L. F. Moler, secretary; number of scholars, 85.

  Union Sabbath School; four miles northwest of Lebanon; A. Kersey,
superintendent; average attendance, 40.


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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