Union Township

UNION TOWNSHIP

This township is bounded on the north by Marion Township, on the east by Hamilton County, on the south by Eagle Township and on the west by Center and Worth Townships. It contains twenty-five sections. The surface along Big Eagle and Mount's Run is somewhat broken, but is well adapted for grazing purposes. Big Eagle flows through the township from north to south, crossing the Michigan Road one mile south of Rosston and one-half mile north of Northfield in section three. Mount's Run flows through the township, entering Eagle Creek at the south part of section ten. Finley Creek comes in from the northeast and enters Eagle a short distance southwest of Northfield. Jackson's Run also enters the township. The Michigan Road passes through the entire township, entering at the south in section fourteen, running a little to the west of north and leaving in section twenty-eight, where it enters Marion township. It is perhaps the best naturally drained of all the townships in the county, excepting Eagle. The settlement of Union dates back as far as 1826, when the following pioneers entered the wilderness: Jesse Lane, Edward Lane, John Lane, Samuel Lane, Benj. Cruse, Henry Koontz, John L. Koontz, Jacob Johns, Geo. Walker, Riley B. Hogshire, George Shirts, John Davis, Jas. Richardson and the Sedgwicks. Soon after came Henry Nichols, Jacob Tipton, Jacob Jones, James and Wm. Ross, the Dooleys, Shoemakers, Washington Hutton, John Dulin, the Stephensons, Peterses, Alexanders, Wesley Smith, Kincaids, Wm. O. Carey, Vances, Andrew Harvey, John Pitman, James Alexander, Abraham Newcomer, the Giffords, Hicksons, Henry M. Marvin, John Murphy, Jas. Dye, Wysongs, John A. Dulin, Levi P. Shoemaker, Nelsons, Hollingsworths, Levi King, James Berry, Henry Good and Isaac Dye. The first religious meetings were held in 1832, at the house of Mr. Sedgwick. They were conducted by Thos. Brown. The first election was held in 1834. when John Berry was elected Justice of the Peace. He was succeeded by Abner Sanborn. The first mill was built and run by Hiram McQuindy. The Methodists built the first church. They were soon after followed by the Baptists. There are now several good churches, representing nearly all the denominations. There is a Methodist Church at Northfield, also a Seventh-Day Adventist Church, erected and dedicated December, 1886. The Baptists have a brick church at Mount's run. There is a cemetery there where are buried a number of pioneers. Northfield, one of the oldest villages of the county, is located on the Michigan Road. This has been the voting place for a number of years. There is a postoffice also. Among the early physicians were Dr. McLeod, Dr. J. S. Hardy and Dr. Presly. Jacob Tilton, Hiram McQuiddy and Chauncey Cole were early merchants. Rosston, two miles north, was laid out about the time the Anderson & St. Louis Railroad was surveyed. It occupies land owned by the Ross boys. There is quite a little trade here, especially since the railroad was finished from Anderson to Lebanon, January 22, 1887. There is a postoffice here, two variety stores, and a Masonic Lodge. A switch will soon be put in, when it will be a shipping point of some importance. The population of the township in 1870 was 1,057; in 1880 it was 1,092; the number of voters, 250; the number of school children in 1886 was 356. There are eight school houses, three of which are brick and five frame. The Methodists have a society at Big Spring and a good frame church. This has been a popular place for meetings for the last forty years, and many small camp-meetings are held here. The house is located near the Marion Township line. The line between Marion and Union Townships divide the village of Big Spring. Union Township has made good progress as a rule in the way of buildings, roads, schools, ditching, etc. Many of the pioneers are dead. A few remain while others have moved away. Could some of them visit the township now what changes would greet them on every hand. The little cabin in the woods gone, the little bridle-path turned into a pike, the green woods into well-cultivated fields. The pioneers here, as well as in other townships, had much to contend with in their new homes, no mills, no schools and no neighbors. But deprived of them they had their enjoyments. The people were sociable in the extreme. Their wants were comparatively few. The Trustees are as follows: J. F. Stephenson, Geo. Shoemaker, J. M. Koons, H. M. Marvin, R. G. Nelson, W. H. Dooley, Geo. Norwood, L. P. Shoemaker, J. M. Reed, Jas. Hubanks, and Geo. Stephenson, elected November,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.