Worth Township

WORTH TOWNSHIP

The above township contains twenty-one sections. It was created in 1851, out of territory taken from adjoining townships. There are no water courses here. The extreme headwaters of Fishback have their source in the south part of Worth. The Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Lafayette Railroad passes through from the southeast to the northwest, dividing the townships into equal parts. Whitestown, on the railroad and near the center, is the voting place and the headquarters for the business transactions of the township. Holmes Station, founded by John Holmes, was in earlier days quite a business place. Mr. Holmes built a warehouse about the year 1860. At one time a large amount of grain was taken in here, but of late years the business has been discontinued. A separate account of Whitestown will be found under the head of " Sketch of Whitestown." Worth is without doubt the levelest [sic] township in the county and contains as fine land as can be found in Indiana. The farmers have tested to perfection the benefit of drainage, thousands upon thousands of dollars having been expended. Could the tile that is buried under the ground be exposed on the surface the ground would be red.

At one time within the memory of the writer Worth Township was a gloomy looking place. In any direction you might look the vast forest would greet yon on one hand and a sea of water all around running at will. Among the early pioneers to attack the forests in this part of the county were the following: Beginning in the year 1830 Richard Hull, John and James McCord and James White. This little band were soon joined by Thos. Harmon, Adam Kettering, Joseph White and John Smith. No county can get along without a John Smith, and he came. The fact is he always comes, and it is curious that we don't run out of material, but the supply equals demand in this as well as other cases. A few years later following persons came: Philip Lucus, John Neese, Philip Lucus, Solomon Neese, Abraham Hedrick, Moses Neese, John Isenhour, Louis and George Hauser, David Ray, Benjamin Booher, Samuel Ray, Henry Lucus, George Lucas, Abraham Neese, William Staten, Cristopher Bowers, Daniel Buck, John Peters, the Sanders family, the Laughners, Schoolers, Utterbacks, Engledoves, Harmons, Otingers, Bohannans and Goods. The first school was taught by Henry Lucas, in 1837. He was for many years identified with his township, serving as justice and trustee for several years. He was a good man and a firm friend to his county and township and spent the most of his life here. He died recently in the west, the time and place we are unable to give. Among the early ministers we find Rev. John Good, Sen., J. A. Rudasill, Rev. E. S. Henkle, John Good, Jun., and Rev. Livengood. The number of voters in 1886 was 342; number of school children, 533; number of school houses, 8. The growth of Worth has been marvelous. The population in 1870 was 1,342; in 1880 it was 1,425. The school houses are all of brick. The following have served as trustees: Henry Lucas, Jos. Westner, Geo. Hauser, Geo. Hedrick, John Schooler, and Samuel N. Good, elected in 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.