Fountain County IN Archives History - Books .....Removal Of The County Seat 1881
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com August 25, 2006, 4:16 am

Book Title: History Of Fountain County

REMOVAL OF THE COUNTY SEAT.

   At the outset there was opposition to the choice of sites for the county
seat, and since its location many attempts have been made to relocate. About
1829 or 1830 most ludicrous schemes were indulged in in order to carry and also
to defeat the project. Petitions had already been signed praying the legislature
for a change, but no paper had as yet presented names sufficiently numerous to
call the legislature to action. At last the relocationists, becoming desperate,
after securing the names of all those living in the county favoring removal, it
is said then resorted to the cemeteries, "the cities of the dead," and solicited
their signatures, or rather wrote their names, on their petition paper. It is
further alleged that these anxious persons visited the graveyards in Montgomery
county in order to swell the number of signers, determined to beat this time
those already satisfied with existing nature of things. However, Covingtonians
became somewhat alarmed at the growing list of "petitioners for change," and at
the suggestion of a prominent citizen, Capt. White, a hero of "Horse Shoe Bend"
in the war of 1812, brought forth his muster-roll, and by copying the names of
soldiers living and dead, obtained a list sufficient to overbalance their
antagonists. The petitions were sent to the legislature bearing more signatures
than there were at that time citizens of Fountain County. The joke was
discovered by the legislators, and, after some mirth, it was decided to appoint
commissioners to relocate the county seat, and also a committee to appraise the
Covington property, requiring that should the change be made the county should
pay to owners of property in and around Covington the full value of their
property, or make good the depreciation in value which would naturally follow
the change. The commissioners met at Covington, and in company with a certain
citizen made a tour of inspection through the county. Favorable points with
their advantages were noted, and on the return a secret session held. The
citizen awaited anxiously. Soon, the meeting over, one of the commissioners,
taking a stake and an axe in hand proceeded to the center of the old public
square and drove the stake. The citizen's hat came off, the commissioners were
treated to a banquet, and departed, leaving Covington to be still the seat of
justice of Fountain county. Since that time many efforts have been made but
frustrated. The question has taken political issue at different times, tickets
being nominated placing in the contest relocation candidates; but so great would
be the expense of removal, and so detrimental to property owners, the change
will not likely be made.


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.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/fountain/history/1881/historyo/removalo69nms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/infiles/

File size: 3.8 Kb