Jackson Township

JACKSON TOWNSHIP

This township occupies the southwest corner of the county It is bounded on the south by Hendricks County, on the west by Montgomery County, on the north by Jefferson Township, and on the east by Harrison and Center Townships. It contains a little less than forty-eight sections, being a little deficient at the northeast corner. Jackson Township is drained by Eel River and Raccoon Creek, the former leaving the county and entering Hendricks County at the south line of section eleven , a short distance southeast of Jamestown. Raccoon Creek flows in a southwestern direction, leaving the township in section thirty-one, near where the Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad the county of Montgomery. The above railroad enters Jackson Township at the south line on section eleven, passing through Jamestown, bearing to the north of west, and leaving the county and township in section thirty-one. Without doubt, Jackson is one of the best townships in the county. The land along the above streams can be excelled in no place, much less in Boone County. Good husbandry is noticeable in every direction, brought about by a well-directed system of drainage. Jackson originally was the best timbered township in the county, if one may judge from what is yet standing and from stumps of trees cut down -- timber of the most valuable kind -- such as walnut, poplar, oak, etc. There is yet (in 1886) standing on the farm of Mrs. Ashley, three miles northwest of Jamestown, one of the finest poplar groves in the state. It is a grand sight to behold those monarchs of the forest. But the ax is, or soon will be, whetted that will lay them low, as well as others of the same kind. A stump of a poplar tree, on the farm of W. H. Coombs, measures nine feet. This tree, when standing, was said to be one of the finest specimens of its kind in the township. The proposed Anderson & St. Louis Railroad will, if ever finished, pass through Jackson Township in a southwesterly direction, entering at section eighteen, passing through Advance, and leaving the county and township at section thirty. Jamestown, one of the earliest settled places in the county, is, and has been for years, the principal trading point in the township, as well as the voting precinct, a separate account of which will be found in another part of this work, under the head of "Sketch of Jamestown." Advance, mentioned as being located on the Anderson & St. Louis Railroad, is a voting place, and contains several business houses, postoffice, church, etc. Although a new place, it has quite a local trade, and, on the completion of the railroad, will be a place of some importance. It is located in the northern part of the township, midway between the east and west lines, and is six miles due north of Jamestown. Jackson Township was settled about the year 1828. Among the first to arrive, we find the following: Young Hughs, Lewis Dewees, John and Washington Gibson, William Farlow, Isaac Miller, David Bush, John Porter, Robert Davis, Andrew Hudson, Alijah Brown, Samuel Jessie, Andrew Long, George and William Walters, William White, Hiram Young, Jacob Johns, and John Whitley. This pioneer band were joined a few years later by the following persons: The Headys, Niceleys, Emmerts, John McLean, John T. Hurt, John Crisman, John Cunningham, Mieken Hurt, Thomas Caldwell, Samuel Miller, James Davis, Robert Walker, William Duncan, Isaac M. Shelly, Anderson Trotter, John Airhart, Henry Airhart, Isaac H. Smith, W. H. Coombs, S. P. Dewees, W. B. Gibson, Dr. George L. Burke, Samuel Penry, Samuel Cunninghnm, Elisha Jackson, Henry B. Myers, W. W. Emmet, and the Galvins.

George Walker, one of the earliest ministers, held meeting at the house of John Porter, and it is said this was the religious meeting held in Jackson Township. Mr. Walker was a Baptist. The first house erected was by the Methodist in 1832, called Brown's Chapel, named in honor of the late Thomas Brown. There are now many neat and well-located houses of worship throughout the township. The school-houses are also good indicators of thrift and progression. No township has more advancement than this in every direction. The vast forest has given way to well-cultivated fields. The people now living in Jackson have every reason to be proud of their homes. It has taken labor to bring about the above results. The hands that felled the trees and cleared the fields are folded in rest. Their graves may be seen in different parts of the township. A few remain among us.

The population of Jackson Township in 1870 was 1,200. In 1880 it was 1,162. The number of voters in 1886 was 757. Number of school children in 1884 was 726. The school houses number fifteen, of which nine are brick and six frame.

The following have served as Trustees: Eli Miller, James Sandlin, James H. Kerby, F. C. Galespie, John McLain, Henry Airhart, J. P. Long, W. S. Laferty, W. H. Hostetter, G. W. Shockly, F. C. Gilesby, and Marion Porter, now serving, elected April, 1886.

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.