Fountain County IN Archives History - Books .....Incorporation 1881
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Book Title: History Of Fountain County

INCORPORATION.

   The town of Covington seems to have been free from any municipal government
for more than half its life. No particular public improvements were made
excepting those in which the county was concerned. At the legislative session of
1851, a bill passed that body entitled a bill "To incorporate the town of
Covington in the county of Fountain"; the first section reading as follows: "Be
it enacted by the general assembly of the State of Indiana, that such part of
Troy township in the county of Fountain as is situate within the town of
Covington, and the additions thereto which may now exist or be hereafter laid
out and recorded, including all lots, streets, alleys and public grounds
therein, and also including the outlots and canal and all that portion of Sec.
35 in T. 20 N., R. 9 W. of said town of Covington, and its additions extending
to the Wabash river and to the limit of the territorial jurisdiction of Fountain
county, thereon be, and the same is hereby, erected into a town corporate, which
shall be henceforth known and called by the name of Covington." Sec. 2 provided
for the necessary officers; these consisting of recorder, treasurer, and five
trustees. The recorder was to be elected for three years and till his successor
should be chosen; the treasurer for two years, etc., and the trustees for one
year. The marshall was to be appointed by the common council. Sec. 3 noted the
conditions necessary to eligibility for office. Sec. 4 declared "That the first
election under this act shall be held on the first Monday in March 1851,"
conducted as other elections. Sec. 5 made plain the duty of the inspector of
elections. Sec. 6 christened the body, composed of the recorder and trustees,
the common council, and set forth its powers. Another section set apart the
first Tuesday in each month for the meeting of the council. Sec. 9 provided for
the appointment of marshall, clerk, and street commissioner, each to serve two
years. Sec. 14 gave to the recorder widespread and important authority, making
him conservator of the peace within said town, and allowing him to "exercise all
the power and authority, right, jurisdiction and immunities of a justice of the
peace of Troy township, both civil and criminal," etc. Sec. 29 declared "the
limits of said town shall be so extended as to embrace the common burying-ground
of said town," etc. Sec. 31 provided for dividing the town into five wards,
according to the order of the "common council." Sec. 32 made it unlawful to sell
spirituous liquors without license. Sec. 35 gave the town power to build and
maintain a wharf or public landing on the Wabash river, within the corporate
limits of said town, and to regulate the landing of steam-boats or flat-boats,
and other powers which had before been exercised by the county commissioners.
This document was signed by Joseph A. Wright, governor of Indiana.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF FOUNTAIN COUNTY,

TOGETHER WITH
HISTORIC NOTES ON THE WABASH VALLEY,

GLEANED FROM EARLY AUTHORS, OLD MAPS AND MANUSCRIPTS
PRIVATE AND OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND OTHER AUTHENTIC, THOUGH, FOR THE MOST
PART, OUT-OF-THE-WAY SOURCES.

BY H. W. BECKWITH,
OF THE DANVILLE BAR; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF
WISCONSIN AND CHICAGO.

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

CHICAGO: H. H. HILL AND N. IDDINGS, PUBLISHERS.
1881.

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