Eagle Township

EAGLE TOWNSHIP

This township occupies the southeast corner of the county. It contains twenty-six sections, and is drained by Big and Little Eagle Creeks. They unite near Zionsville and from there Big Eagle flows southwest and leaves the county near where the old Sheets mill site was in section ten. Fishback rises in Worth Township, flows in a southern direction through Eagle, and leaves the township south of Royalton in section eight. The Long Branch comes in from Hamilton County on the east, enters Big Eagle east of Zionsville and below the old "Dye mill dam". Eagle is somewhat undulating along the above streams. There is comparatively little waste land however in the township. As a rule it is well cultivated, and the soil responds well to the agriculturist. It is nearly sixty-five years since it was first settled, and it was here the first settlement was made, possibly excepting Thorntown, about the year 1823 or 1824. Among those who first came to Eagle Township are the following: Patrick H. Sullivan, Jacob Sheets, John Sheets, David Hoover, Austin Davenport, Jesse Davenport, Nathan Carr, Wm. Carr, James McCord, John McCord, Frederick Lowe, George Dye, Jacob Stone King, John King, Jas. Harmon, Wm. and John Harmon. Coming soon after we find the names of Washington and Thos. P. Miller, Benj. Cox, Peter Gregory, Wm. and Jas. Marsh, Daniel and Hugh G. Larimore, Elijah Cross, the Duzans, Dodsons, Klingers, Robert Thomas, James McCoy, John and Nelson Shaw, Wm. Smith, Daniel Lewis, Elias Bishop, John Ray, Noah Burkit, Wm. E. Lane, Joseph Bishop, Wm. Bishop, John Shelburne, Jerry Washburn, L. Tansel, John Wolf and Hiram Wolf. The first election was held at the house of David Hoover, when Jacob Sheets was elected Justice of the Peace. He was succeeded by T. P. Miller, Wm. Smith and Wm. Farlin. Rev. Jas. McCoy was the first preacher in the township. He was a Baptist minister, and it was as early as 1825 when he first preached in the township. His first meetings were held in the house of David Hoover. The first probate court was held at the house of David Hoover in November, 1830. David Hoover was the first clerk and Austin Davenport the first sheriff of the county. The first mill was built by Jacob Sheets on Eagle Creek. Geo. Dye built a grist mill on Eagle Creek, near where Zionsville now stands. There was a small mill built on "Irishman's Run", near where Wm. S. Smith now lives. Duzan's mill on Eagle Creek may also be classed among the early mills of the township. John Burton built a sawmill on Little Eagle Creek in 1840. The first marriage in the county was that of Elijah Cross and Mary Hoover in December, 1831. Mrs. Cross is yet living at Zionsville on a part of the farm entered by her father, David Hoover, in 1824. Mr. Cross died in 1869, and is buried at Crown Hill, Indianapolis. Eagle Village for many years was the voting place, and here it was where most of the business was done of the Eagle Creek country, extending into Hamilton County on the east and Marion County on the south. This continued until the completion of the Indianapolis & Lafayette Railroad in 1852, when Zionsville sprang up one mile farther west. This was a death knell to Eagle Village. It was here that the "Eagle Village Light Infantry" was wont to rally every month. Capt. J. F. Daugherty was in command. Among the early ministers were Jas. McCoy, Geo. Dodson, Isaac Cotton, Robert Thomas, Geo. Dye, Geo. Boroman, Geo. W. Duzan, Wm. Klinger and Wm. Gouge, all now deceased. The principal cemeteries of the township are one at Eagle Village, one just south of Zionsville, formerly called the Bishop graveyard, and the third one at Eagle Creek Baptist Church. The fourth on the Michigan road, near where the old Bethel Church formerly stood, known as the Bethel graveyard. It is located on the land entered by Austin Davenport. He as well as many other pioneers are buried there. The first brick house was built on the Michigan road Clarkstown and Eagle Village, in the year 1835, by Austin Davenport. The population of Eagle in 1870 was 2,320, in 1880 it was 2,284, and in 1887 estimated at 2,500. Number of school children in 1884 was 414; number of voters in 1886 was 542; number of school houses are 10, two of which are brick and eight frame. Around the early history of Eagle cluster many interesting reminiscences, for it was here the first cabin was built, the first marriage ceremony said, and the first mill built. Most of the actors have been summoned to another world. We can not afford to forget those names so dear to us all. Such men and women were needed at that time, they came and filled their places. It took courage to undergo such privations and hardships. The young know comparatively little of the trials our early settlers underwent. The following are the early doctors: William N. Duzan, H. G. Larimore, Warner F. Sampson, S. W. Rodman, Jeremiah Larimore, N. Crosby, Geo. W. Duzan and Dr. Sellers. The following have served as trustees: W. W. Atchison, A. J. Sanders, Manson Head, J. D. Swaim, S. M. White, Paul D. Leibhardt, T. J. Shelburn, and T. P. Mills, now acting.

Source Citation: Boone County History [database online] Boone County INGenWeb. 2006. <http://www.rootsweb.com/~inboone> Original data: Harden & Spahr. "Early Life and Times in Boone County, Indiana." Indianapolis, Ind. Carlon & Hollenbeck. 1887.