Marion Township

Marion Township - including Terhune

Marion Township is situated in the northeast part of the county. It is bounded on the north by Clinton County, on the west by Clinton Township, on the south by Union Township, and on the east by Hamilton County and contains forty-five sections of land.

When the white man came it was covered with a fine growth of timber of the very best qualities. Poplar (the tulip tree), in all its beauty and strength; the walnut, tall and straight; quercus -- the oak, king of the forest and queen Acer the maple, in all her primitive beauty. It was the tableland between the Wabash and the White river systems of drainage; hence very level and covered with water the most of the year. On account of this it was not very inviting to the early settlers, yet a few of the braves ventured and drove their stakes fearlessly. While the Indian yet remained and pursued his hunt in the primeval woods, a few whites are said to have settled in this township on the squatter system, and must have been the fathers of the squatter sovereignty plan, that became national in our western states, and brought forth the great debate between Lincoln and Douglass, which made Lincoln President of the United States, and the terrific history that followed.

These men did not establish homes but merely shacks in which to dwell, while they carried on the business of hunting. They made no more lasting impression on the history of the county than the Indian did. They entered no land, built no permanent homes, hence passed from view as the red man. There were men, however, that saw more than the hunt for wild game; foremost among these were Edward JACKSON and Caleb RICHARDSON, who settled in 1831 and 1832 respectively, on the banks of Eagle Creek. Later in the year 1832 came John PARR, Sr., William PARR, John PARR, Jr., and Alfred SRITE . The next year 1833 they were joined by William LANE and Lewis HARRIS , who settled in the south part of the township. In the Spring of 1834 came Zach TURPIN, John BURNS and Milton HICKSON who also settled in the south part of the township. In 1835, Joseph McCOY, John RUNNO and John, Robert and William STEPHENSON , who bought TURPIN out and established homes. They were followed by others equally prominent, without dates: Samuel EVANS, Joseph KIMBALL, Robert McNULTY , John WRIGHT, John BEARD, John KING, Samuel MOORE, John MOORE, John WRIGHT , James MOORE  Smith CASTOR, Robert BELL, Richard CORNELL and Samuel MEYERS . Each year brought its newcomers until the entire township was staked off for homes, except a few acres that were designated as swamp lands. While the township is generally level and many streams have their source in its bounds, yet there is very little land under this head. In the southwest quarter of section 14, township 20 north, range 2 east, there are in section 7 one hundred and sixty acres. In section 12, forty acres. In section 17, forty acres. In section 18, eighty acres, making all told, four hundred acres. The flood of immigration soon overspread the entire township and pioneer homes were begun throughout all its woods, and the ring of the woodman's ax and bang of his rifle were heard in every direction.

The round log cabin came as if by magic. Blazed ways or paths were made between them, which soon widened into highways so that wagons could pass. The first great road built through the township was the Michigan road. This road enters the township from the south at the southeast corner of section 21, township 19 north, range 2 east, thence north, bearing west and passing into Clinton County near the northwest corner of the township. The next great road in the township was the Strawtown road, running east and west, passing on the township line, between 19 and 20 north, leading from Thorntown through Slabtown to Anderson. All other roads were built on the section and half section lines. The earlier roads you will recognize by their being crooked and running towards Lebanon.

There were no mills in this township until steam power was introduced. There was no water power sufficient to propel a mill, hence the early settler had to crush his corn by horse power or go to Mechanicsburg, down on Eagle creek, or to Noblesville with his grist.

Schools

The first school in the township was in the winter of 1833 for a few weeks, and the first log school house after the fashion of the day, in the southeast part of the township near Big Springs, in the year 1836. It was here that the first boys and girls of the woods gathered with goose-quills and blue-backed spelling books to catch the first ideas of culture under the stimulus of the birch to be good. Out of this small beginning the schools of the township progressed until there was a round baker's dozen scattered over the township as near as there could be, to give one to each four square miles. It figures out one school to less than three and one-half miles. Under the modern system of concentration of schools the number has been reduced to ten and still in the transition period.

Churches

Civilized man can not live without worship, so they must need gather at some point for this purpose. As in all new settlements, there was no place of meeting. Some one must open the home. Caleb RICHARDSON'S big heart opened and he opened wide the doors of his cabin and there it is said that the first religious services were conducted by Rev. James BROWN, a Methodist minister. In the homes of the people for several years, services were held until 1839, when a Methodist church was built and Rev. WHITE was the pastor in charge. The Methodists grew in numbers and in the early history built two or three other churches in the township.

The Methodist Protestants had one church at an early date. In a rural survey in Indiana, made by the Department of Church and Country Life of the Board of Home Missions of the Presbyterian Churches in the United States of America, made in the months of June, July and August, 1911, this survey was made in co-operation with the Interdenominational Council of the Churches of Indiana, in 1911. It gives the church survey of Marion township at that date as follows:

Six churches, to-wit: The United Brethren in the northeast part of the township, with a membership of ninety-five, condition of church, standing still. The Methodist Protestant, about the center, with a membership of eighty-two, standing still. The Christian Church, west of the center, membership one hundred and eleven, growing. Primitive Baptist, towards the southeast part of the township, membership thirty-three, standing still. Methodist Episcopal, in the center of the southern part of the township, membership fifty-nine, standing still. The Methodist Protestant just east of the Methodist Episcopal, dead.

There is one steam railway in this township, viz: The Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville, which enters the township at the southeast corner of section 35, township 20 north, range 2 east, and passes out of the township at the northeast half of section 17, township 20 north, range 2 east. The only towns in the township are Terhune, on the railroad, in section 22; Waugh, located in the southeast corner of section 16, township 19 north, range 2 east, and Big Springs, which answers for a trading point for the township, located just over the line in Union township in section 26, township 19 north, range 2 east.

Although this township has no great city or even a thriving town, yet it is blessed with an excellent rural district of as fine farms and as energetic and intelligent people as can be found in any place in this broad land of ours. Its beautiful farms of luxuriant soil, good roads and comfortable homes, make a charming environment for happy homes. There is no land more fertile, no clime more healthful or no spot on earth more desirable for a happy contented people.

The first election of township officers was held in the spring of 1835 at the home of Robert STEPHENSON . By a majority of the votes cast, Robert STEPHENSON was chosen justice of the peace and his brother, John, was elected constable. The court being established, the township got down to business and has been running smoothly and prosperously ever since, growing into civilization and becoming a factor for good in the county and state. The following have served as trustees, viz; Richard CORNELL, P. E. MCNEAL, James A. RICHARDSON, Joseph N. SAMPLE, J. A. J. SIMS, Robert BELL, William BELL, W. F. COBB and Josiah STEVENSON .

Terhune

Terhune is located on the east side of section 22, township 20 north, range 2 east, in Marion township, at the crossing of the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville railroad and the pike leading from Mechanicsburg and Sheridan to Noblesville. The town was laid out early in the eighties, during the construction of the railroad. Being surrounded by very rich farming lands, it started out with the most lively boom of any prospective town in the county. Located about four miles on the railway from Sheridan, eleven miles east on pike from Mechanicsburg and fourteen miles southeast from Frankfort on the railroad, its founders thought it would become a large, flourishing town. That was the age in which everybody thought a railroad would insure a town. People flocked to the new town and it grew rapidly. In two or three years there were four stores, three blacksmith shops, many houses and other industries in proportion, sawmill, flouring mill, elevator, large livery barns and every indication of a thriving town. Terhune got its growth in less than three years and has settled down into a good trading center for Marion township. Supporting an excellent elevator, stores, blacksmith shops, school and churches, it makes, with good residences, a very desirable place for homes and country trade. It keeps in touch socially with other towns by good newspaper correspondents.

Submitted by: Amy Davis

Source Citation:  Boone County Township Histories [database online] Boone County INGenWeb. 2006. <http://www.rootsweb.com/~inboone> Original data: Hon. Leander M. Crist. "The History of Boone County, Indiana," Indianapolis : A. W. Bowen, 1914.