156                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

of the founding of the town, during which interval the hamlet which
sprang up about the mills was popularly named Hazelton, presumably,
from the thicket of hazel-brush previously abounding thereabout. A
postoffice was not established until at some time in the year 1870, and
was made a money order office July 1st, 1873. The coal and iron interests
and industries so rapidly developed the town that within a few years it
became the second in the county in importance, and is said to have been
in its palmiest days the heaviest local shipping point between Indianapolis
and St. Louis.
    Knightsville was incorporated in 1872. The petition having been
filed with the Board of Commissioners at their March term, the prelimi-
nary election was held on the 20th day of the same month, resulting in
favor of the proposition. At the succeeding June term of court, on the
5th day of the month, the Board declared the territory described incor-
porated. The town then had a population of 800. First trustees: W. C.
Hudson, F. Sullivan, Wm. Watson; D. H. Davis, Treasurer; A. Hutchi-
son, Clerk; S. C. Nicoson, Marshal. The postmasters at this place have
been: Daniel H. Davis, Andrew Oswalt, Scott Inge, James Munce, Noah
Palmer, John Mason, Joshua Horsfield (the incumbent). Scott Inge
served under both the Cleveland administrations.
    The practicing physicians have been: C. C. Stokes, Dr. Hamrick, Dr.
Lynch, George Dunn, S. C. McClintock, W. H. Sams, William J. Dick-
son, E. E. Ellis, J. H. Bixby, Dr. Starr, J. C. Thomas, B. F. Spelbring,
R.  M. Hollingsworth, J. C. Hufiman, F. G. Thornton.
    The first schoolhouse was erected on the Main street, by the Western
Iron and Coal Company, on ground donated by the proprietor of the
town-site, and a Mr. Mack employed by the company to teach. Within
a very few years the school population of the town had outgrown this
house, when a two-story frame of four rooms was built by the incorpora-
tion in the south part of the town. The development of Knightsville
commercially and numerically for the first few years of its history sur-
passed that of any other town of the county. But the suspension of
operations of the iron industry and the removal of the plant, in the year
1875, which had employed from 250 to 300 men, materially detracted from
the industrial and commercial prestige of the town. The Indiana Coal and
Iron Company operated two coal shafts at this place.
    The first store here was opened by Barnett & Witty, in 1867, the
same year that the town-site was founded, and the second by William C.
Hudson. Davis & Collins, D. O. Elliott, Alexander Parks, Amos Hutch-
inson, Nicoson & Winkeipleck were also among the early business men
of the town. A little later on, including also the present, may be enumer-
ated: F. M. Sigler, Aaron Cook, I. J. Nicoson, D. H. Davis, E. L. Win-
kelpleck, Zeller, McClelland & Co., Thomas Bridewell, Indiana Mercan-
tile Co., John L. Kennedy, W. H. Plumb, William Richards, C. A.
Withers, James N. Dilley, Morris Gray, Andrew Oswalt, William T.
Davis, Alexander Haggart, John Lyons, Morgan & Co., Biggerstaff &
Dickson, William McDonald, George Rohrig, James Suttie, George Came,
D.  H. Davis & Co., S. F. Adamson & Son, Davis & Dixon, Llewellyn
John, Eckels Brothers, Morton & Price, Mrs. Anna McNabb.
    The Methodist Episcopal and Christian church organizations main-
tain houses of worship at this place.
    Knightsville is the only town in the county which has numbered
among its population a representative of the colored race as a practicing