Greene County IN Archives History - Books .....Chapter III Formation Of Greene County 1884 ************************************************ 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 April 22, 2006, 3:58 am Book Title: History Of Greene And Sullivan Counties, Indiana CHAPTER III. EVENTS PRIOR TO THE FORMATION OF GREENE COUNTY- THE CREATION-ORGANIZATION- THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURT- REPORT OF THE COUNTY SEAT COMMISSIONERS- FIRST OFFICERS- IMPORTANT ACTS OF THE BOARD- CREATION OF TOWNSHIPS- MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS- THE FIRST COUNTY SEAT- THE RELOCATION AT BLOOMFIELD- STATISTICS-TREASURER'S REPORT- INTERESTING EVENTS- LOGAN, WHITE RIVER AND GUILFORD COUNTIES. DURING the Territorial period of Indiana, the population was so sparse that the few counties which had been organized comprised large tracts of wild country. Knox County was one of the earliest created, and not only included its present limits- but all of Indiana west of the West Fork of White River, and southwest of the Indian boundary line, separating Harrison's Purchase of 1809 from the New Purchase of 1818. Thus, all of Greene County west of the West Fork of White River was part and parcel of Knox County, and so remained until 1816, when it was constituted a part of the new county of Sullivan. In 1821, it became the western portion of Greene County. All of Greene County east of the West Fork of White River was made a part of Orange County in December, 1815, and a part of Daviess County in 1817, and remained with the latter until the formation of Greene in 1821. The following is the full text of the act creating Greene County. AN ACT FOR THE FORMATION OF A NEW COUNTY OUT OF THE COUNTIES OF SULLIVAN AND DAVIESS: Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That from and after the first Monday of February next, all that part of the counties of Sullivan and Daviess contained in the following bounds, shall form and constitute a separate county, viz.: Beginning at the northeast corner of Township 8 north, of Range 3 west, of the Second Principal Meridian; thence south to the southeast corner of Township 6 north, Range 3 west; thence west to the southwest corner of Township 6 north, Range 7 west; thence north to the northwest corner of Township 8 north, Range 7 west; thence east to and east with the south boundary of Owen County to the place of beginning. SEC. 2. The said new county shall be known and designated by the name of the county of Greene, and shall enjoy all the rights, privileges and jurisdictions which to separate and independent counties do or may properly appertain or belong. SEC. 3. Amos Bogers, of Daviess County; Abraham Markle, Jr., of Vigo County; Abraham Case, of Knox County, William White, of Sullivan County, and Charles Polk, of Knox County, are hereby appointed Commissioners, agreeably to the act entitled "An act for fixing the seat of justice in all new counties hereafter to be laid off." Approved January 2, 1818, and the act entitled "An act supplemental to the act entitled 'An act fixing the seat of justice in all new counties hereafter to be laid off,' " approved January 29, 1818. The Commissioners above named shall convene at the house of Thomas Bradford, in the said county of Greene, on the first Monday of March next, and shall immediately proceed to discharge the duties assigned them by law. It is hereby made the duty of the Sheriff of Knox County to notify the said Commissioners either in person or by written notification of their appointments, on or before the first day of February next, and the said Sheriff of Knox County shall receive from the said county of Greene so much as the County Commissioners shall deem just and reasonable, who are hereby authorized to allow the same out of any moneys in the County Treasury, in the same manner other claims are paid. SEC. 4. The Circuit Court and all other courts of the county of Greene shall meet and be holden at the house of Thomas Bradford in the said county of Greene, until suitable accommodations can be had at the seat of justice hereafter to be selected according to law; and so soon as the courts of said county are satisfied that suitable accommodations can be had at the county seat they shall adjourn their courts thereto, after which time all the courts for the county of Greene shall be holden at the county seat of Greene to be established as directed by law: Provided, however, that the Circuit Court shall have power, and are hereby authorized to remove the courts of said county from the house of Thomas' Bradford to any other place previous to the public buildings being completed, should the Circuit Court see proper so to do. SEC. 5. The agent who shall be appointed to superintend the sales of lots of the county seat of the county of Greene shall reserve ten per centum out of the proceeds thereof, and also ten per centum out of the donations made to the county, and pay the same over to such person or persons as may be appointed by law to receive the same for the use of a library for said county of Greene, which he shall pay over at such time or times and places as may be directed by law. SEC 6. The Board of County Commissioners of the said county of Greene shall within twelve months after the permanent seat of justice shall have been selected, to proceed to erect the necessary public buildings thereon. SEC. 7. The same powers, privileges and authorities that are granted to the qualified voters of the county of Dubois and others named in the act entitled "An act incorporating a county library in the counties therein named," approved January 28, 1818, to organize, conduct and support a county library, are hereby granted to the qualified voters of the county of Greene; and the same powers and authorities therein granted to and the same duties therein required of the several officers and the person or persons elected by the qualified voters of Dubois County and other counties in the said act named for carrying into effect the provisions of the act entitled "An act incorporating a county library in the county of Dubois and other counties therein named," according to the true intent and meaning thereof, are hereby extended to and required of the officers and other persons elected by the qualified voters of the county of Greene. SEC. 8. The act entitled "An act fixing the permanent northern boundary line of Daviess County" is hereby repealed. This act to take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the Western Sun. Approved January 5, 1821. COUNTY ORGANIZATION. After the passage of this act by the General Assembly and prior to its approval by the Governor, as will be seen from the dates, the following recommendation was presented to the Governor and acted upon by him as shown in the succeeding order: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 3d January, 1821. To His EXCELLENCY, JONATHAN JENNINGS, Governor and Commander in Chief of the State of Indiana: The undersigned Representatives of the district including the county of Greene recommend to your Excellency, Thomas Bradford, of Greene County, as a fitten character for the office of Sheriff of said county until the next annual election; and Eli Dixon as Coroner; and for the office of County Surveyor, John Stokely; and for the office of Trustee of the county seminary, Cornelius Westfall. JOHN M. MCDONALD, GEORGE R. C. SULLIVAN, ROBERT STURGESS. The Secretary of State will execute commissions on the above recommendations. January 3, 1821. JONATHAN JENNINGS, Governor. McDonald, Sullivan and Sturgess were then representing Sullivan County in the State Legislature, and the western part of Greene was, at that period, as will be seen from the opening of this chapter, a part of Sullivan County. The commissions for Thomas Bradford, Sheriff; Eli Dixon, Coroner; John Stokely, Surveyor; Cornelius Westfall, Seminary Trustee, were issued January 5, 1821, the same day the act creating the county was approved by the Governor. "Whether the first three County Commissioners, the first Justic3s of the Peace, the first Associate Judges and the first Clerk and Recorder were commissioned by the Governor upon recommendation or were elected by the citizens of the county and then commissioned, cannot certainly be stated by the writer, though the latter course seems to have been pursued. If so, the election must have been held in the county some time in January or early in February, for Greene County as a separate existence was to date from the first Monday in February, and would require officers to set the civil and judicial wheels in motion. Or was that necessary? Several of the commissions were dated in March and others in April. The election was held at the house of Thomas Bradford, and the officers elect were sworn in on the 6th of March by Phineas B. Rogers, a Justice of the Peace of Daviess County. All were required to swear that they, either directly or indirectly, had not given, carried or accepted a challenge to fight a duel, which act by the law of IS 16 disqualified from office. Norman W. Pearce and John L. Buskirk were elected Associate Judges, and commissioned April 27, 1821; and at the same time Thomas Warnick was commissioned Clerk, and George Shroyer, Recorder. The latter officer seems not to have qualified, as the duties of that office were performed by Mr. Warnick, who was qualified as Clerk for seven years June 6, 1821, and very likely as Recorder also. Thomas Bradford acted as Clerk prior to the qualification of Mr. Warnick. REPORT OF THE COUNTY SEAT COMMISSIONERS. On the 10th of March, 1821, the County Commissioners met at the house of Thomas Bradford, and the first thing done was to receive the report of the Commissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate the county seat, the report being as follows: STATE OF INDIANA, ) ss GREENE COUNTY, ) We, the undersigned Commissioners, met at the house of Thomas Bradford, and after being duly sworn according to law, proceeded to examine the situations presented to our views, and have selected a place for the seat of justice of said county of Greene in Sections 9 and 10, Township 7 north, Range 5 west, on a bluff which puts into White River in the east side, and we have received sixty acres of land for the use of said county from Thomas Bradford, and forty acres out of Section 10, Township 7 north, Range 5 west, adjoining Thomas Bradford on the east side; twenty acres donated from Frederick Shepard, and twenty acres as a donation from Zebulon Hogue. Given under our hands and seals this 10th day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one. AMOS ROGERS, ) ABRAHAM CASE, ) CHARLES POLK, ) State Commissioners. WILLIAM WHITE, ) ACTS OF THE COUNTY BOARD. Nothing farther seems to have been done until the re-assembling of the board at the house of Thomas Bradford on the 6th of April. Thomas Bradford was appointed Clerk pro tempore, and John Owen, Treasurer. The county was duly declared organized and was divided into the following five townships: Highland- Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 3, Township 8 north, Range 4 west; thence south with the line dividing Sections 2 and 3 to the southeast corner of Section 34, Township 8 north, Range 4 west; thence west with the line dividing Townships 7 and 8 to the southwest corner of Section 31, Township 8 north, Range 7 west; thence north with the said range line to "the northwest corner of Section 6, Township 8 north, Range 7 west; thence east with the line dividing Townships 8 and 9 to the place of beginning. This township included the present townships of Highland, Jefferson, Smith and Wright. Richland- Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 3, Township 7 north, Range 4 west; thence south with the line dividing Sections 2 and 3 to the southeast corner of Section 34 of said township; thence west with the line dividing Townships 6 and 7 to the southwest corner of Section 31, Township 7 north, Range 7 west; thence north with said range line dividing 7 and 8 to the northwest corner of Section 6 in said township; thence east with the line dividing Townships 7 and 8 to the place of beginning. This township included the present townships of Richland, Fairplay, Grant and Stockton. Burlingame- Beginning at the northeast corner of Township 8 north, Range 3 west; thence south with the east line of Greene County to the southeast corner thereof; thence west with the south line of said county to the southwest corner of Section 35, Township 6 north, Range 4 west; thence north with the line dividing Sections 34 and 35 to the northwest corner of Section 2, Township 8 north, Range 4 west; thence east to the place of beginning. This township comprised the present townships of Beech Creek, Center and Jackson. Plummer- Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 3, Township 6' north, Range 4 west; thence south with the line dividing Sections 2 and 3 to the southeast corner of Section 34 in said township; thence west with the township line dividing 5 and 6 to the White River; thence up said river with the meanders thereof to the township line dividing 6 and 7; thence east with said line to the place of beginning. This township comprised the present townships of Taylor and Cass. Stafford- Beginning at the northwest corner of Section 6, Township 6 north, Range 7 west; thence east with the line dividing Townships 6 and 7 to White River; thence down said river with the meanders thereof to the line dividing Townships 5 and 6; thence west with said township line to the southwest corner of Section 31, Township 6 north, Range 7 west; thence north with said line to the place of beginning. This township comprised the present townships of Washington and Stafford. Burlingame Township was named in honor of Abel Burlingame; Stafford in honor of Jesse Stafford; Plummer in honor of Thomas Plummer; Richland after Rich-land Creek, and Highland for the elevated country along White River and Eel River in the northern part of the country. On the 2d day of the April session, the necessary officers were duly appointed for the five townships created the day before. Zebulon Hogue was appointed Superintendent of the Section 16, Township 7 north, Range 5 west. This was the first action toward the sale of school lands. At the May session, various other Superintendents of sixteenth sections and numerous township officers were appointed, an account of which will be found elsewhere. James Galletly, a Scotchman of superior intelligence and learning, and an eminent surveyor, who became well known in many of the western counties of Indiana by reason of his being called upon to survey numerous county seats and other public lands, was appointed by the board to survey and lay off into streets and lots the land donated for county seat purposes; and at the same time the board determined that the county seat should be called Burlington. Detailed directions were given as to the laying-off of the new town. In August, George Shroyer, who had been appointed County Lister, made returns, and was paid $32 for his services. Thomas Bradford was appointed to procure a seal for the County Board, the design to be a heart surrounded by an olive branch. The first county road was projected at this term, and was to extend from Burlington up through Highland Township to the Owen County line. James Warnick, John H Owen and John S. Owen, Sr., were appointed Viewers. Another road was projected from Burlington to the south boundary of the county, near Wesner's, with William Scott, James Howell and Cornelius Bogard, Viewers, The petitioners for this road were Orange Monroe, James Brown, John Owen, James Warnick, Peter C. Vanslyke, William Scott, John Van Voorst, Cornelius Vanslyke, Lewis B. Edwards, William D. Lynch, Thorn as Warnick and Ephraim Owen, Sr. Another road was ordered viewed, leading from Ingersoll's Ferry via Fellows' mill to intersect the Bloomington road on the west line of Monroe County, near Dobson's. Thomas Bradford, Able Westfall and Abel Burlingame, Viewers. These were the first three roads ordered viewed and built after the county was organized. Thomas Bradford was appointed to procure a set of weights and measures. Solomon Dixson was given leave to establish a ferry on Section 9, Township 7 north, Range 5 west, and at this time the following ferry rates were established for the whole county: Man on foot, 6 1/4 cents; man on horse, 12 1/2 cents; a loaded two-horse wagon, 75 cents; a loaded road wagon, $1; a road wagon unloaded, 75 cents; sheep and hogs, each 2 cents; neat cattle, each 4 cents; pleasure carriage, $1; oxen and cart, 50 cents; oxen and wagon, $1; a one-horse wagon, 50 cents. In November, 1821, the board again met at the house of Thomas Bradford. Reports on the above roads and several others were received. Ephraim Owen, Town Agent, was authorized to let the job of clearing the public square to the lowest bidder, with instructions to have all trees twelve inches in diameter and under cut within six inches of the ground, between twelve and twenty inches not above twelve inches from the ground, and the remainder not below two feet from the ground; and also to let the job of digging a public well to the lowest bidder. At this term. Mr. Owen as Town Agent reported that $11.60 had been received from the sale of town lots, and claimed $3 of it to cover his expense in advertising the sale in a newspaper at Vincennes. The remainder was deposited in the hands of Thomas Bradford. On the 13th of November, as provided in the act creating the county, the board authorized the Town Agent to advertise the letting of the contract to build a courthouse; and to have as much means on hand as possible, all town lots unsold were ordered sold for what they would bring. John Decker, Sheriff of Knox County, was paid $20 for notifying the locating Commissioners of their appointment as such. The expense of the county for the year 1821 was as follows, in full: For listing property, $30; for Clerk's and Sheriff's fees, $83; to Sheriff of Knox County, $20; roads, $15; elections, $9; printing, $3; making tax duplicate, $10; grand jury expense, $9.75; sending to Bloomington for laws, $3; Commissioners' fees, $56; total for the year 1821, $238.75. The receipts were 0. ADDITIONAL ACTS OF THE COUNTY BOARD. In February, 1822, Zebulon Hogue was appointed Superintendent of the timber standing on the lots of Burlington. John S. Warner was paid $3 for whisky furnished at the sale, and for "crying" the sale, of clearing the public square, the digging of a public well, and the sale or letting of the contract of building the court house. In May, the tax levied was as follows: On 100 acres of first-class land, $1.50; on 100 acres of second-class land, $1; on 100 acres of third-class land, 75 cents; all this for county and State purposes. Fifty cents was the levy on each poll; 37 1/2 cents on each horse, mule or jack; the season rate for each stallion; 25 cents on each ox; 50 cents on each gold watch; 25 cents on each silver watch; $5 ferry license; $3 for each bonded servant over twelve years of age, and $1.25 on each pleasure carriage. This was quite a heavy tax for that day, and the Collector had hard work to collect even a limited portion of it. Many were forced into delinquency, for there was but little money in the country, and no means of getting more. People were forced into exchanges to effect commercial transactions. So much butter was exchanged for so many potatoes, or so many dozen eggs for so much sugar or so many yards of calico. The money savings of a year were carefully kept to settle with the dreaded Tax Collector. The county expenses for 1822 were heavy, the outlay mainly being for the location and survey of Burlington, the building of the court house, and the efforts to supply the town with good water. Daniel Smith cleared the public square for $47. Thomas Warnick was paid $5.67 1/2 for crying a sale of lots and for whisky furnished. It was customary then, all over the West, at sales of that character, to furnish free whisky to "sweeten the bid," as it was termed. The whisky was procured by order of the County Board, and paid for from the county funds as any other expense. A singular allowance was made by the board in 1822- singular now, but not then. John Seaman, Sheriff, was paid $16 for arresting and keeping in custody fourteen days a fugitive slave named Thomas Clayburn. Thomas Bradford, James Howell and Zebulon Jenkins built the court house, which was first occupied by the County Board in May, 1822. The building cost $250. The total expense of the county for the year 1822 was $970.34, while the receipts were only $360.41 from May, 1822, to May, 1823. The county, from the start, was forced to issue "orders" which circulated like currency, though they depreciated somewhat in the hands of the holders, and were thus a source of annoyance and loss. In 1823, Augustine Passmore, tavern-keeper, and other tavern-keepers throughout the county, were required to conform to the following charges: Dinner, 25 cents; breakfast, 20 cents: supper, 20 cents: horse to corn and hay, 25 cents; whisky, one-half pint, 12 1/2 cents; cider, per quart, 12 1/2 cents; whisky, per gill, 6 1/4 cents; good rum, one-half pint. 37 1/2 cents; good French brandy, one-half pint, 50 cents; boarding by the week, with lodging, $2; horse keeping by the week, $1.25; same by the day, 37 1/2 cents. William Lemmons, Constable, in February, 1823, was paid $8 for arresting and keeping in custody for several days a fugitive slave. Augustine Passmore was hired to finish the court house- to put a lock on the door, complete the windows, etc. The want of good water at Burlington was a great annoyance, and continued to be so as time passed and the costly public well failed to give satisfactory returns. This proved a serious objection to the continuation of the county seat at Burlington, and talk was indulged in for a re-location. Other matters arose also quite serious, until at length the Representatives in the State Legislature were petitioned to secure the passage of an act to re-locate the seat of justice. Accordingly, late in 1823, the following act was passed by the General Assembly: RE-LOCATION OF THE COUNTY SEAT. AN ACT FOR THE BE-LOCATION OF THE SEAT OF JUSTICE OF GREENE COUNTY: SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, That George W. Demies, of Vigo County; John Allen, Sr., of Daviess County; John Johnson, Sr., of Owen County; Henry Ruble, of Knox County; and Andrew Berry, of Knox County, be and they are hereby appointed Commissioners to re-locate the seat of justice of the County of Greene, agreeably to an act entitled "An act fixing the seat of justice in all new counties hereafter laid off." The Commissioners above named .shall convene at the town of Burlington, in said county, on the second Monday of February next, and shall immediately proceed to discharge the duties assigned them by law. And it is hereby made the duty of the Sheriff of the said County of Greene to notify the said Commissioners by a written notification of their appointment, on or before the first Monday of February next, and he shall receive for said services such compensation as the County Commissioners of said county shall deem just and reasonable, to be allowed by them out of any moneys in their county treasury, in the same manner that other claims are allowed. SEC. 2. That the Circuit and all other courts of said county of Greene shall meet and be holden at the town of Burlington as aforesaid, until suitable accommodations can be had at the seat of justice, to be established by virtue of this act, at which time the courts being satisfied thereof, they shall adjourn to meet, and shall continue to hold their sessions at the seat of justice last aforesaid; provided, however, that the said court shall have authority to remove said court from the said town of Burlington to any other place in said county, previous to suitable accommodations being prepared at the county seat, to be established as directed by this act if the said court shall deem it proper. This act to take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved December 17, 1823. In accordance with this act, the re-locating Commissioners convened at Burlington early in February, 1824, to consider the applications for the new county seat. Fairplay, a thriving little town on the west bank of the river, near Burlington, seemed at first the most eligible point that could be selected. The location was good and the water was good, but the proprietors of that town and the residents thereof, feeling sure of securing the prize, tendered but few donations, and they of not much value. On the contrary, Peter C. Vanslyke, who owned the land in and around the present Bloomfield, agreed to donate sixty-two acres in one body, besides, if the writer is correctly informed, one or more other small tracts in the county. This was the best offer, and was accepted by the locating Commissioners, much to the disappointment of Fairplay. On the 27th of February, the County Board gathered at Bloomfield, the new county seat, and directed the Town Agent to lay off the donation into lots, according to a plan prepared, and to insert the following advertisement of the sale of lots in the Indianapolis Gazette and the Indiana Farmer, of Salem. BLOOMFIELD. The new seat of justice of the county of Greene will be sold on the 22d day of April next, on the premises. The terms of sale will be one-tenth of the purchase money in hand, and the residue in five equal semi-annual installments, town orders to be taken in payment, except the one-tenth part thereof. This town is beautifully situated on the east side of the West Fork of White River, on a rich, dry soil, plentifully watered by good springs, possessing as many natural advantages as any other new town perhaps on this river, surrounded with a very flourishing settlement contiguous to mills and mill seats. The attention of merchants, mechanics and manufacturers will be particularly excited by the extent of surrounding country, the convenience of water works, and healthfulness of situation. From the superior natural advantages possessed by the town, and its electricity to the center of the county, it is elevated above the fear of future re-locations. EPHRAM OWEN, SR., February 28, 1824. Agent forBloom field. Is not that a brilliant description? The extent of surrounding country to excite the attention of mechanics, etc.! and the electricity of the town to the center of the county to elevate it above the fear of future relocations! Mrs. Partington probably took her vocabulary from the writer of this advertisement, yet in her happiest moods and palmiest days has never surpassed the above description. The locating Commissioners transferred their claims for duties under the legislative enactment to Peter C. Vanslyke, as assignee, who was paid $75, in full for such claims. The details of the sales of lots in Bloomfield will be found in the history of that town. The Town Agent-was ordered to proceed immediately to the erection of a hewed-log court house on the public square in the new county seat. At the September term, the County Board met for the first time at the court house in Bloomfield. In November, 1824, the County Treasurer reported the receipts and expenditures of the county in full from the organization to that time, as follows: RECEIPTS UNDER JOHN OWEN, TREASURER. March 27, 1822, O. T. Barker, J. P 80 75 May 7, 1822, Thomas Bradford. Collector 38 30 May 14, 1S22, P. Ingersoll. J. P 1 00 May 15, 1822, Thomas Bradford. Collector 37 00 May 28, 1822, Abel Burlingame, J. P 1 00 August 22, 1822, John Breece, J, P 25 August 14, 1822, James Warnick. Circuit Court Clerk 1 50 November 26, 1822, John Seaman, Collector 188 12 1/2 April 7, 1823, John Seaman. Collector 41 87 1/2 May 10, 1823, Thomas Bradford. Collector 83 09 May 12, 1823, John Seaman. Collector 16 50 May 12, 1823, P. Ingersoll, J. P 2 00 May 12, 1823, Thomas Warnick 3 00 May 12, 1823, Thomas Bradford, Collector 24 51 May 13, 1823. Augustine Passmore, tavern license 10 00 January 5, 1824, John Seaman, Collector 276 77 3/4 RECEIPTS UNDER H. B. DEAN, TREASURER. March 23, 1824, John Seaman, Collector $80 50 May 3, 1824, John Gardner, J. P 1 00 May 11, 1824, Ephraim Owen, Town Agent 126 93 1/2 September 18, 1824, Ephraim Owen, Town Agent 127 67 1/2 November 21, 1824, Ephraim Owen, Town Agent 58 25 Total receipts $1,120.93 3/4 EXPENSES UNDER JOHN OWEN, TREASURER. May 14, 1822, County Commissioners $38 50 May 12, 1823, County Commissioners 390 85 EXPENSES UNDER H. B. DEAN, TREASURER. August 9, 1824, County Commissioners $10 00 August 10, 1824, County Commissioners 276 77 3/4 County Collector's commission 21 43 August 9, 1824, County Collector's commission 80 50 August 9. 1824, County Collector's commission 126 93 1/2 Total expenses $944 99 1/4 The above is only the cash account. In reality, the county was considerably in debt, owing to its "orders," which were outstanding. The Collector of 1821, Thomas Bradford, was charged on the duplicate with $288.12 1/2. John Seaman, Collector of 1823, was charged with $387.12 1/2 John W. Wines, Collector of 1824, was charged with $355.98 1/2. The expenses of the town of Burlington were: Builders of court house $250 00 Clearing the square 47 00 Clearing of a lot 12 75 Tables, benches, etc 35 00 James Galletly, Surveyor 66 12 1/2 Assistants laying out lots 40 87 2/3 State Commissioners 48 00 Total $499 75 When the records were transferred from Burlington to Bloomfield. Benjamin Turley hauled them over, receiving $2 for the trip. A stray pen was ordered built on the square. A part of the donation to the county, in consideration of having the county seat located at Bloomfield, was an agreement to furnish on the ground, free of charge, the logs for a county jail. In May, 1825, these logs were called for. It seems from several items in the records that Hansford Stalcup, Nancy Gillam, and perhaps others, besides P. C. Vanslyke, made donations to the county at the time the county seat was located at Bloomfield. John Hill finished the court house by chinking, daubing and whitewashing, and was paid $10. He also built the stray pen, and Augustine Passmore was the first pound-keeper. In September, 1824, the County Justices took the place of the County Commissioners. By this time, the county was in full running order, though deep in debt. NOTEWORTHY ACTS OF THE COUNTY BOARD. The old public spring south of the square in Bloomfield was a costly institution. It was first walled up in good shape by Richard Montgomery for $180, and afterward was constantly breaking and requiring additional outlays of money. The jail was completed in November, 1826. In 1829, the citizens of Bloomfield petitioned the board to have a public well dug on the square, and donated $40 toward defraying the expense. In 1832, John A. Pegg was paid $4.75 for making ten ballot boxes for the townships of the county. Early in the thirties, the county began to see better times. Money became plentier and easier, and outstanding orders were redeemed. In 1832, John Miller & Co. were licensed to exhibit a caravan of animals in the county. In 1834, it was "Ordered, that the County Agent, W. D. Lester, cause the underpinning of the court house to be repaired so as to prevent the hogs from disturbing the court or any other public business that may be transacted in the court house." Lark B. Jones was elected a student to attend the State University at Bloomington as the representative of the county in September, 1834. A heavy bounty was offered for wolf scalps, and a heavy license was exacted from merchants, ferrymen, saloonmen. Sales, public and private, of town lots took place at stated periods. In November, 1835, it was decided to build a new court house. Estimates and plans were made and closely scrutinized, and the cost was finally fixed at $5,157. All the resources of the county were counted up to meet the expense. Certain donated land on the river southwest of Bloomfield was ordered laid out into lots and sold at the best price possible. This was done, and the town of Vanbayou sprang into life- on paper. The court house was completed within the next few years, though bonds had to be issued for about $2,000 at 12 per cent interest to secure the necessary funds. The bonds were bought by the branch of the State Bank at Bedford. The house cost over $6,000. In May, 1837, there were 740 polls in the county; 43,745 acres of land, and total taxables valued at $425,014. The total levy of county tax was $2,535.31 1/4,and State tax $1,007.53. During the decade of the thirties, the following men were appointed Superintendents to expend, of the three per cent fund on certain bridges and roads in the county, the amounts following their names: Levi Fellows, $550; Jesse Stafford, $150; Elias Crance, $100; James Dixon, $200; Caleb Jessup, $100; Jesse Rainbolt, $200; John Inman, $50; James H. Hicks, $500; total, $1,950. Roads were projected and built in all directions during this period, and large sums of the county funds were expended to pay the multitude of laborers. In 1839, the county polls numbered 1,021: the poll tax was $510.50; number of acres, 50,364.15; value $280,453; value of town lots $21,382; corporation stock, $l,912: value of all taxables, $542,160; total county tax, $2,739.14; State tax,$2,136.90. In March, 1840, there was yet owing Mr. Downing, court house contractor. $1,727 at 10 per cent interest. OTHER IMPORTANT PROCEEDINGS. In 1843, the citizens of Point Commerce and vicinity, at the head of whom were the Allisons, petitioned the County Board to construct a bridge across Eel River at that town, the estimated cost being $736.55. This the board agreed to do, provided the citizens would subscribe and donate all except $200 of the estimated cost. The bridge, with some important alterations of the original plan, was built. In 1845, a majority of the citizens of Richland Township, remonstrated with the board against the granting of grocery (liquor) licenses within the township limits, and an order to that effect was entered upon record, though no attention seems to have been paid to the order, as licenses continued to be issued. It was then found, as it has since been often found, that King Alcohol had an unfailing hold on the appetites of men. Among the students from Greene County, sent to the State University about this time, were: Aden G. Cavins, Alexander M. Cole, Samuel B. Sexson. John B. Sexson. The county tax of the company of men who left the county under Capt. Rousseau in 1846, was remitted, the amount being $68.98. The lower rooms in the court house, except the one occupied by the combined Clerk, Recorder and Auditor were leased, to lawyers, doctors, etc., from time to time, and the northwest room was used for the county library. Early in the decade of fifties, the old jail was sold for $10.75, and a new one was to be built. John D. Alexander, Henry Sargent, Napoleon J. Rainbolt, T. P. East and Jacob Wesner were students during the fifties to the State University. The jail was built by Andrew Downing in 1859-60, and cost over $9,000. In 1857, the county bought, at auction for $51, the iron safe of the Northwestern Bank for the County Treasurer's office. LOGAN, WHITE RIVER AND GUILFORD COUNTIES. In 1860, the project to create a new county out of the counties of Knox, Greene and Daviess was put on foot. The new county was to be called "Logan." The petition presented to the county board, praying that three Commissioners might be appointed to confer with Commissioners of the other counties to be cut down, was signed by 191 citizens living in the tract of country proposed to be comprised in the new county of Logan. After carefully considering the question, the County Board refused to comply with the prayer of the petitioners, whereupon the final settlement was appealed to the Circuit Court. The question hung in the courts for a year or two and was finally abandoned on account of the excitement of the war. Before the question was finally disposed of, the limits of the new county as well as the name were changed. A portion of Sullivan County as well as of Knox, Daviess and Greene, was to be included, and the name was to be White River County. About the same time, another project comprised the creation of a new county to be called Guilford, out of the northeastern portion of Greene County and portions of Monroe and Lawrence Counties: 550 names were signed to the petition asking for the appointment of the necessary Commissioners as provided in the statute. This petition was dismissed by the County Board, owing to the pendency in the courts at the time of the applications for the appointment of Commissioners to establish the new counties of Logan and White River. The interest in the questions growing out of the war settled these questions. Had it not been for the war, it is possible that the limits and extent of Greene Connty might be different from what they are now. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF GREENE AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES, STATE OF INDIANA, FROM THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT; TOGETHER WITH INTERESTING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, REMINISCENCES, NOTES, ETC. ILLUSTRATED. CHICAGO: GOODSPEED BROS. & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1884. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/greene/history/1884/historyo/chapteri20nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/infiles/ File size: 38.9 Kb