Genealogy

Cities & Towns

Gibson County,

Indiana

Owensville

Patoka

Princeton

St. James

Skelton

Snake Run

Somerville

*****

Warrenton

Wheeling

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.    

   Buena Vista

This little, old hamlet is in the northern part of the township on the westbank of White river, on military donation land No. 2. It was platted in 1848 and prospered for six years, having four business houses that carried excellent stocks; two packing houses, one saw-mill, a hotel, blacksmith shop wagon shop, two doctors, one saloon, one church and one school house. When the railroad was built, Hazelton, a station on that line of railroad; drew the most of the business from it and left it to die for want of support.
There its site stands on the sands of White river. Nothing of importance is there today.

This township is a triangular shaped, though rough edged, territory, the northeastern point of one of the most irregular counties in all Indiana.

This was the location of the old Decker ferry, the first on White river in this county. For a while the little town boomed, but when the Evansville & Terre Haute railroad went to Hazelton route instead of Buena Vista route it proved a death blow and Washington Twp. was left without a town.

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.

     FORT BRANCH.

Seven and a half miles south of Princeton is located the town of Fort Branch. The railroad was put through in 1852, and since that time the growth of the place has been steady. The town originally, when the railroad
was built, was named LaGrange, in honor of Aaron LaGrange, who owned (23)the land. The postoffice was moved from Little York, which had been a mile north. As there was another town of that name in the state, the name was
afterward changed to Fort Branch, after the fort built during the Indian troubles.

Among the early merchants were James Strain, T. M. Strain and Charles Harrington. The first school house was built in 1861.Fort Branch was built in 1811 and was constructed within an enclosure or stockade, located across a small branch in order to obtain a water supply furnished by Pigeon creek, a little north of the present town, on an eminence,the highest point for miles around. The site of this old fort is now under cultivation.

The stockade was built of split logs, set upright in the ground, and the blockhouse was made of logs two stories in height. There were port-holes in both stories and this enabled the pioneers to shoot in any direction at the enemy. Two blockhouses, each thirty by forty feet in size, were situated on the line at opposite sides of the stockade. A few weeks after the fort was
finished and ready for any emergency, a rumor got out that the Indians were going to attack the settlement. Residents of the neighborhood gathered their families and sought safety in the fort. The Indians failed to show up, and it is not on record that the fort was ever used as a defense against the intruders.

When Fort Branch was laid out it was partly in Patoka township. A half mile south of the village L. T. Mead and Littleton Lowe formed a partnership, erected a building and started a general store, the object being to start a town in opposition to Fort Branch, but the undertaking was a dismal failure. The first preaching in Fort Branch was done by Rev. T. M. Strain.

In 1913 Fort Branch had about one thousand two hundred inhabitants.The community was incorporated as a town in May, 1902. The present officers are: Trustees, Clarence Sides, Charles Scales and Henry Hickrod; the clerk and treasurer is Frank Homan, and the marshal is John Peck.

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.

Francisco

Francisco.

This was a town whose heydey was during the time of the Wabash & Erie canal. It was platted and laid out in January, 1851, by John Perkins. Orieinallv it was on the east side and up to the banks of the canal, on section 19, township 2 south, range 9. Several business houses and two flouring mills were built by Perkins, and the town flourished until 1858. Mrs, Sweeney taug-ht the first school here. The first church was built in 1855. Dr. J. M. Ireland was the first resident physician.

Those Who remember Mr. Perkins say he was energetic man. He built two flouring-mills, a saw-mill and several houses. For a number oiyears he was a merchant and real estate dealer. Francisco was a very busy place in 1854 and 1858. Three large packing establishments, three large grain warehouses, a number of general stores and a few smaller places oi business gave an impetus to the hamlet.

Among the pioneer merchants and business men, who labored earnestly for Francisco were Reuben Baldwin, William Moore, S. G. Barnett and Moore & Knowles.

Francisco was incorporated as a town in the year 1907 and has at present a population of six hundred. The trustees are George Schafer, R. C. Stor- mont and John H. McConnell; the clerk, Ralph Goldman; the treasurer, A, J. Peveler; the marshal, A. L. Wright. The business interests are as follows in 1913: Physician, D. H. Swan; general stores, A. J. Smith, 0. T,Downey, A. J. Loveless, W. M. Stormont, Joseph Thompson; meat market
Horace Swartz; blacksmiths, William Gentry, George Schafer; barbers, Monroe Hubbard; livery, C. H. Alarden; hardware, Stanford Witherspoon, William Hasselbinck; drugs, L. B. Wallace; restaurants, Walter Downey, E. W, Dill, Shuh & Peveler operate a tile factory. The Wyoming Coal Companyoperate mine here, mining a good quality of bituminous coal, which is shipped to all parts of the country.

The Francisco State Bank was organized in 1908 and chartered in the same year. The first officers were: D. H. Swan, president; J. R. Morrow; vice-president; W. B. Critser, cashier. The first capital was $25,000, and is
the same at present. The officers of the institution now are: S. R. Davis,president; J. R. Morrow, vice-president, and J. W. Finch, cashier. The surplus is $3,500, and the deposits, $55,000. The bank building, which was erected in 1908, cost $1,900.

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.

        HAUBSTADT.

     This was formerly known as Haub's Station, an old stage stand on the state road from Evansville to Vincennes. It is ten miles south of Princeton. The town was laid out in the fall of 1855, by James H. Oliver, who had before bought the land. Henry Haub, after whom the town is named, kept the stage stand and a general store. August Gelser was another early merchant, also L. Ziliak. Casper Keasel was the first blacksmith.

     The present town of Haubstadt numbers about six hundred people. The election for incorporation was held on July 29, 1913, and shortly afterward officers were chosen. They were: W. W. Sipp, George Stiefel and
Jacob Pfeiffer, trustees; Matthew Halbig, secretary and treasurer, and Jos eph Gruebel, marshal. The town is composed almost exclusively of Germans and is a very flourishing and growing community. Good schools, progressive business interests and a well ordered town government are elements which contribute to the upbuilding of the place.

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont = 1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.

         HAZELTON.

This is the second oldest town in Gibson county. It was named in honor of Gervas Hazelton, the second white settler in the county to permanently locate. Gervas Hazelton first lived in a "camp," the back of which was an
immense walnut log and sides of poles covered with bark, the front open to admit the heat and light of large log fires. Hazelton was famed far and wide as an entertainer and his camp was always open to the struggling settlers.

The town of Hazelton was surveyed and platted by Lucius French in 1856. T. S. Fuller erected the first frame building in Hazelton. In about John Breedlove built a blacksmith shop. Being located on the south bank
of White river, the town became a very important port in the days of flat and keel-boats. Numerous cargoes of corn, wheat and pork were shipped from Hazelton every week. New Orleans was then the best market for farm pro- ducts raised, at that date, around Hazelton. The highway of travel was via the Patoka, Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi rivers and five or six weeks were required to make the round trip. A complement of five men was the usual number required with each boat. And it was no trouble to get hands, as many young men were anxious to make the trip and would do it for little pay. Imagine men shoving a keel-boat loaded with merchandise from New Orleans to Hazelton or Patoka and you will get a better idea of Gibson county's situa-
tion in its infancy. The first steamboat of any note to pass up White river was the "Cleopatria"; she made fast at the ferry where Hazelton stands and attracted big crowds of people.    

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont = 1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.

       No info at this time

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont = 1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.

    Web page for Lyle's Station

http://www.princeton-indiana.com/pages/history/lyles-Station.htm

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont = 1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.

OAKLAND CITY.

Situated at the crossing of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois and the Southern Railroads, the town of Oakland City has grown to be the second town in the county, in size, commercial standards and importance. The present population is two thousand three hundred and seventy, and it is an incorporated town, the town having been made such in 1885.

Jesse Houchins was one of the earliest known residents in this town, followed by many others whose families are yet identified with the interests  of Oakland. The first steam grist-mill was built in 1855 by a stock company
and cost eight thousand dollars. Jacob W. Hargrove and James W. Cock rum built the first store room. Cockrum and Warrick platted the town on January 15, 1856, and since then there have been many additions made.Solomon Harris had the first blacksmith shop, Franklin Rose the first wagon shop, these during the year 1857. The first person born in the present city limits was D. C. Barrett, in 1827. W. M. Cockrum and J. W. Hargrove opened the first harness shop, also a shoe shop. N. C. Crister had the first furniture and cabinet shop. The Oakland cemetery was laid out in 1855 by James W. Cockrum. The first resident physician of Oakland was Dr. William R. Leister. The Independent of 1871 was the first newspaper. The first school house was constructed in 1860, and J. M. Henderson was the first teacher. Among the early manufactures which nourished and up to 1885, were the Columbia Mills, the agle Mills, barrel and stave heading factory,
tile and brick works.

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co. 

OWENSVILLE.

The town of Owensville is situated on the Mt. Vernon branch of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad, and is eleven miles Southwest of the city of Princeton. The town was originally laid out by Philip Brisco, of Kentucky, and he named it after Thomas Owens of that state. Willis Alsop kept the first store in this town, keeping general goods, including whiskey. On October 4, 1881, the town was incorporated and the first board of trustees was composed of James Montgomery, Hiram Westfall and James A. Robinson. L. P. Hobgood was the clerk and J. F. Bird the treasurer. Before it be forever lost from the records of the county, let it be stated here that the beginning and early development of Owensville was about as follows: For a few years prior to the platting of the town, Willis Alsop, who lived in a log house, kept for sale a small stock of goods, such as groceries, whiskey, dry goods, etc., and may well be known as the pioneer merchant, though indeed a small business was transacted by him.' John McFadden built a log store on Main street, a half block from the square to the north. There he put on sale a fairly good stock of general merchandise. He continued in trade ten years, then moved to Missouri, where he was called from his house and shot. The leading early business was transacted by John C. Warrick, son of Capt. Jacob C. Warrick. He began business as a merchant about 1820. He dealt on a large scale, buying much produce and shipped immense quantities of grain and other commodities. His store stood on the southeast corner of the public square. It was a one-story frame
building. Warrick amassed a large fortune, as counted those days. He erected a large warehouse on the Wabash river, where his grain and pork was stored during the winter, and when navigation opened up in the spring-
time they were loaded on great flat-boats (such as Lincoln used to work on and floated down the great rivers to the sea. He was also the first postmaster and held many large interests in Owensville. In 1838 he finished a
steam saw-mill, to which was added a flouring-mill with three run of buhrs.He urged other business men to locate there and was a genuine hustler. At his death, in 1847, he was carrying on the largest business of any one man in Gibson county. He left no heirs.

Between 1845 and 1850 other merchants came in. At one date Owensville boasted of her woolen mills in which a large business was conducted. Coming down to the morning of June 29, 1876, the whole solid front
of store buildings on the east side of the square was swept away by fire, causing a loss of forty thousand dollars. The structures were all frame, save the one above named as being on the corner. Several fine brick buildings were later erected on lots where part of these buildings stood. Thirteen hundred and fifty people now compose the town of Owensville, the third largest in the county. The town has had a rapid growth and ranks high among towns of similar size in this portion of the state. The officers at present are: Grant Teel, A. W. Thompson and F. A. Strehl,trustees Charles N.Emerson, clerk E. H.Summers, treasurer, and Sylvester Selby, marshal. A town hall was built in 1911 and cost three thousand four hundred and twenty-five dollars. There is at present about one thousand five hundred dollars in the city treasury.

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co. 

The town of Patoka is three miles north of Princeton and twenty-one miles south of Vincennes. It is located on sections 24 and 25, township 1, range 10 west, on the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad and the Patoka river. Patoka is an Indian name, and means "log on the bottom," applying to the many logs that had settled in the mud at the bottom of the Patoka river. The town, which was platted and recorded as early as 1813,was first called Smithfield, then Columbia, and then by its present name. There is no doubt that it is the oldest town of the county, many having lived there before it was platted. For years it was a stage station between Evans-
ville, "Stringtown" and Vincennes.

Thomas H. Martin is believed to have been the first hotel keeper and minister in the town. In the early eighties the following was written of Patoka:

"Patoka has a population of eight hundred and has seen better days.

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co. 

CITY OF PRINCETON.

          Princeton is situated on an elevated ridge, ninety feet above low-water mark in the Wabash river; is one hundred and nineteen feet above the city of Evansville, and four hundred and eighty feet above the ocean's level. Topographically, the city is handsome. The land is for the most part level and well adapted to building sites, without many excavations. There are some portions of the place rather uneven, but in no true sense hilly. The drainage is excellent. It is now an up-to-date city, with a beautiful public square, many fine modern business blocks, a good system of electric lights and a good water-works plant. It has been an incorporated place since 1818, and according to the census returns of the United States in 1910 there were. six thousand four hundred and forty-eight inhabitants. The last decade has seen a rapid growth here, owing to various conditions, but chiefly a true spirit of enterprise that has been fostered by a younger, more active, progressive
element among its worthy citizens. Its schools and churches bespeak intelligence and correct manner of living. The reader is referred to the chapters on Education and Churches for these elements, both of which have been characteristic of Princeton from early days to these opening years of the twentieth century.

           Princeton is not known for its manufacturing industries in recent years, but it exists more especially by reason of the rich agricultural country surrounding it; by its railroad interests; its railroad shops; it being the county seat; its solid banking institutions and retired men and women • who have, many of them, resided here all their lives, at least within Gibson county. The coal, gas and oil industries have of more recent years been of much financial value to the city. The reader's attention is now called to some of the interesting features
of Princeton in former days, for, remember, Princeton is one hundred years old, and this year (1914) is celebrating her centennial anniversary in a befitting manner. Before the laying  out of  Princeton .Long before the plat of Princeton was thought of, Pioneer James McClure deeded thirty acres of land to parties, who finally donated ten acres including the present public square. This tract was given to be used as a "gathering place" for the public, but after years went by, and Princeton was the seat of justice, it became the public square. All this was done while this was a part of Knox county, territory of Indiana. The county seat of Knox county was at Vincennes. William M. McClure, now a resident of Princeton, is a grandson of the James McClure who is above mentioned as owning these lands in the present Princeton plat.

NAMING OF THE TOWN.

'         At the session of court held February 6, 1813, at the house of Henry Hopkins, the following action was recorded, the name of the seat of justice having been hit upon by drawing of lots among the commissioners, Captain Prince winning. The court took into consideration the propriety of establishing some suitable name for the seat of justice for Gibson county; whereupon ordered that the seat of justice for Gibson county be hereafter known and designated by the name and style of Princeton The court then went into the establishment of a plan for the town of Princeton.Whereupon the following plan was adopted, viz The public square and seat of the public buildings is to be laid off in the most suitable manner so as to include as near central as convenient, a certain stake to be set up by the judges of the court the said publick square is to be laid off eighteen poles square, making two acres and four poles; the town, both in- and out-lots, tobr> be laid off from the publick square in such a manner as to leave each street in said town sixty feet wide, and the in-lots to be laid in squares of eighteen poles each way; each square to be divided into four equal squares, so as to make each in-lot nine rods square containing one-half acre and one square rod each. The out-lots to be laid off in such manner as may be thought most suitable by the agent when the same comes to be surveyed.

            "There shall be four streets laid out, two on each side of the range of lots on which the publick square lies, extending from the north to the south side of the town plat, the said lots to be sold on the following terms, viz:  One-third of the purchase money to be paid within six months from the day of sale, the balance in twelve months from the day of sale, the same to commence on the 4th Monday of March next and continue three days, viz: from ten o'clock in the forenoon until three o'clock in the afternoon of each day."

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co. 

Somerville.

This was formerly known as Summittville and was laid out by J. E. Smith in 1853. The town site being located on an elevated piece of ground, Mr. Smith chose the name "Summittville." The first house there was erected by Van Nada and Baldwin and was used by them as a general store. The first postmaster was George Van Nada. In 1853 Jackson Taylor built a blacksmith shop, the first industry of the sort in that neighborhood. Other persons who have been connected with this village are C. T. Shanner & Son. Robert Moore, S. G. Barrett, J. W. Skelton, John Walker, William Helm, J,S. McCoy, A. Woodruff and Thomas Moore. /In 1910 Somerville had a population of two hundred. It had-several small stores and shops, etc., yet it has always served well the convenience othe farming community which makes up the general population of Bartontownship. Since the building of the railroad the markets seem nearer the farm than in early dayswhen far removed from the outside world.-

     From the History of Gibson County by   Gil R. Stormont =  1914 =B.F. Bowen & Co.