CHAPTER XVI.

BRAZIL AS A VILLAGE.

    At the time of the organization of Clay county, the ground on which
now stands the city of Brazil was covered by the primitive forest. No
habitation of civilization had then yet been planted upon the territory
now comprised within its corporate limits. The population of the county
was then enumerated by but three figures. The National Road had not
yet been thought of by the pioneers of the county. Coal and clay, the
civilizers and commercial factors which built the city, were not then
known to exist here. Just when and by whom this virgin territory was
first settled is not now definitely known. There is no one now living who
trod this soil prior to 1835. A history of Brazil, city and township,
written twenty-five years ago, by A. F. Bridges, makes the statement that
the first settlement here was that made by Samuel Campbell, in 1838, who
built his cabin on the site of what is now the John Hendrix homestead,
north side of West National avenue. But as the National Road was built
and put in passable condition as early as 1835, it is reasonable to assume
that this territory was inhabited at an earlier day. Preston Morgan, a
pioneer who settled on the National Road, near Croy’s Creek, in 1834, in
giving an account of a trip he made, on horseback from Kentucky to
Springfield, Illinois, at a date prior to this, said that there were then two
cabins on the site of what is now Brazil.
    In the year 1843, Owen Thorpe moved a house from the practically
abandoned town-plat of the original Harmony and placed it alongside
the National Road, at a point three miles westward. In the early part
of the year following (1844) he founded a town-site at this point. A
postoffice was also established the same year and Thorpe appointed
postmaster. The proprietor took the precaution to find a name for both
the town and postoffice which would not conflict nor be confounded with
any other at that time known to the geographical and postal terminology
of the country. He chose the name of the largest empire in the “New
World,” for the reason that just at that time there was much being said
in the press of the country (of which Thorpe was a daily reader) about
Brazil, South America, because of its being involved in war with an
insurrectionary party, allied with one or more neighboring powers.
    The original plat, as founded. by Judge Thorpe, comprised that part
of the present city bounded on the north by Church street, on the east
by Walnut, on the south by Jackson, and on the west by Meridian.
    Thorpe is credited with having opened the first store in the place,
having been previously engaged in this business at Harmony. The first
industrial enterprise was that of John Hendrix, Sr., who located here in

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