Jefferson County Petitions
When the citizens wanted something from their government they would often request it by way of a document
called a Petition. The Petitions listed below were transcribed by Robert W. Scott and he states "Spellings are copied per the
originals." The source of each document he transcribed is with the Petition. These Petitions originally published by Ruth Hoggatt.
Town of Madison Petition
Jefferson County, IN
To His Excellency William Henry Harrison Governor of the Indiana territory.
The Citizens of the town of Madison humbly sheweth unto your Excellency that they halve grate needs of another Majustrate in this place to
discharge the ordanary business of this town and agreeable to [your] own request we the undersigners do recommend our worthey friend Abraham T. Fisk
to your Excellency to serve us as a majustrate if your Excellency will gratify your petitioners request in the purticular theay will feall them
selves in duty bound to pray petitioners names this 28th Day of January 1812
| Charles Eastin |
David Vancleave |
Phil Eastin |
| William Downey |
Abraham Smock |
Jacob Smock Senr |
| Jacob Smock junr |
Jacob Yunt |
Jno. Ryker |
| Gerardus R. Robbins |
Jacob Kelly |
John Storm |
| Lewis Waggoner |
Leoanrd Barnes |
Samuel Hensley |
| Benjamin Devawon(?) |
Robert Manchus |
[The Benjamin Devawon above is probably Benjamin Devore.]
Petition printed Hoosier Genealogist Vol. 15.
An account of day workers done on the Road, towards the payments of road taxes and the number of certificates given by Jacob Short
supervisor for Lawrenceburg Road district with the sums annexed, August 31st 1816
| Name |
Days |
Dollars |
Cents |
| John Lanham |
4 |
2 |
50 |
| Wilson Buchanan |
4 |
2 |
50 |
| Thomas O. Neal |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| William O. Neal |
2 |
1 |
25 |
| Abraham McKay |
2 |
1 |
25 |
| Uriah McKay |
2 |
1 |
25 |
| Humphrey Brooks |
3 |
1 |
87 1/2 |
| John Halms Senr |
2 |
1 |
25 |
| Mordecai Brooks |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| John Lee Senr |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| Isaac Howard |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| Daniel Demaree |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| Francis Wilkey |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| James O. Neal |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| Jesse Neal |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| George Marquis |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| Ebenezer Marquis |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| Nathan Lee |
1 |
00 |
61 1/2 |
| David Forester |
2/5 |
00 |
25 |
Milton Township Petitions
Jefferson County, Indiana
These two petitions were listed in the History of Milton Township, written for the Jefferson County Historical Society. The author
is not stated but was probably William E. Ryker, the society’s president. The author stated the two petitions were in his posession. The first is undated.
- Robert W. Scott
"To the Honorable, the Associate Judges of the Jefferson Circuit Court. We, your petitioners, beg leave to state and represent to
your Honors that we are situated in a rather remote section of the country and particularly as respects to the want of civil officers, there being at this
time a considerable settlement on the Indiana Kentuck peace within several miles, which places us in a disadvantageous situation as respects to the subjects
of controversy that might be determined before a justice. Now in order to remedy these inconveniences and in some measure to bring justice to our doors, we
beg again your honors to recommend the appointment of Joseph Howard, of our neighborhood, to fill that office. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will
ever pray, etc."
Signed by Henry Banta, Henry Saylers, Joseph Hankins, David Forester (?), Francis Welchel, John Lee, Mordecai Brooks, Noah Brooks, Jesse Neal, Umphrey Brooks,
Daniel Neal, Gershom Lee, Enoch McCarty, Robert McKay, John Bohannon (Buchanan), Stephen Rutherford, Moses Devore, Benjamin Devore, Eliza Devore, George Burton,
Isaac Short, Isaac Howard, James Brown, John Helm, David Demaree, Benjamin Brooks, Nicholas Manville, John Lochred (Lockridge). After the signatures is added
this further request. "We, the above petitioners, wish you to appoint John Lanham as constable in the settlement."
The other petition dated 1818
"To the Honorable, the Board of Commissioners of Jefferson Co. State of Indiana: We the undersigned, pray your honors to grant us a
division of the township of Madison to set off such a part of the township as your honors shall think proper for the accommodation of the inhabitants of
Indian Kaintuck and the adjoining settlements. By complying with the above request you will confer a singular obligation on your petitioners. Jan. 26, 1818."
The history has a comment that this petition has the same 12 signers as the 1816 petition and that the names listed are the new lines. It is not clear if
that means the first petition, listed as undated, was written in 1816. However, it clearly has more than 12 names.
Signers:
William Welchel, Davis Welchel, John Welchel, Frank Welchel, William W. Welchel, George Helms, Abraham Helms, Isaac Helms, John Helms, Thomas O. Neal,
William Neal, James A. Neal, William McKay, Uriah McKay, Abraham McKay, William Cob. Ambrose Cob, John Henry, Jeremiah Wilkins, David Hutcherson, Samuel
Johnson, George Rogers, Wiley Brooks, James Sheridan, John West, Chris Bean (probably Christian Bear), Jacob Short, John Lanham, Thos. Windsaw, Daniel H.
Larimore, Nehemiah Vernon, Samuel Heath, Shuble Farr, Andrew Lee and Thomas Von (Vaughn).
Transcribed by Robert Scott from an original in the possession of the Jefferson Co. Historical Society. No date is given in the petition, but the year 1826
has been written in the margin.
To the Honorable the Justices Cort now is Session in the town of Madison for the purpose of doing County business for the County of Jefferson
We your Petitioners Request your Honors To grant us a road a cart road leading from John Tates of Milton Township and intersecting the
county road at Wm Glens leading to Welches Mills an from Said Tates (word illegible?) by the Brushy Fork and in granting the same your Petitioners remain
in duty bound.
Signers Names
John Tait
Abijah Grimes
David Imrie
William Dow Senior
William Dow junior
Andrew Morton
James Culbertson
Matthew Ralston
William Ralston
William Weir
John Scott
Samuel Welch
Thomas Taylor
William Lawson
Milton Twp Road Petition - 1832
Transcribed from Original from the archives of Jefferson Co. Historical Society that was in the possession of the Madison library
in the early 1970s. Transcribed by Robert W. Scott. Original spelling preserved.
The undersigned are of the opinion that a cart way be established agreeable to the following boundaries would be of public utility.
Beginning at the house of James Steel in Milton Township on the west half of north east quarter of section 6 Town 3 North of Range
12 E thence running westward to as to Strike Indian Kentucky creek a short distance above the mouth of the lost fork creek in sd
section about 80 poles from the Beginning Your Board will pleas to appoint suitable men to lay out and mark sd road and with order
to maker return therof at the next term of your board. The above is addressed to the Board of County Commissioners of Jefferson
County Indiana at Aug term of 1832
Signed by
| William Vaughn |
Levi J. Whitaker |
Tavener McKay |
| Benjamin Thrasher |
William April |
Shadrach Lanham |
| James Steele |
Timothy Trulove |
Peter Keel |
| John E Gale |
*** |
Benjam Thacher Jr. |
| George McKay |
J Miles |
Wm Hutchinson |
| Moses Lass weell |
John Jeffries? B Streetford |
Joseph Steel |
| Amass W. Brunson |
Joel Cofer |
Benjm Shirk |
| Sanford Faught |
Andrew L. Joyce |
John Steel |
| Edward Coomly |
John Joyce |
John Vaughan |
| John Stewart |
John Shirk |
Wm Heath |
| James Vaughon |
George Johnston |
Dearborn Vaughan |
Pittsburgh Twp. Road Petition 1821
Transcribed from a copy of an original in the archives of the Jefferson County Historical Society by Robert Scott.
sides are dark and the center is dark where the document was folded. Words in that area are difficult to read. Questionable
words are in brackets.
To the honorable County Commissioners
We undersigned persons do from a sense and knowledge and sincerity wish for the [p...?] of the publick interest [believing?]
that the Pittsburgh [Road ] leading from said [f...] to where it interests the Razor fork road may be [relinquished] as we
conceive it to be of now utility or advantage to the publick at large or our [..illegible...] neighborhood.
May the 14th 1821
Pittsburgh Twp.
Signers Names
Russel Sheldon
Robert Phillips
John Miner
John Eccles
Samuel Harris
Robert hatan ?
Samuel Demaree ? [A Scrawl]
Sutherland Mayfield
James Egan [or Ecan]
James Morison
Robert Morrison
Adam Caplinger
John Copland
Elijah Lott
Wm. Gordon
Dannel Demaree
Daniel Demaree
Thos. Henton [or Kenton]
[Transcriber’s Note. Pittsburgh Township was one of three original township in Jefferson Co. It included what is now Milton Twp. and Shelby Twp.
Names are transcribed, where legible, as written so it is James Morison and Robert Morrison. The two Daniel Demarees are clearly men with different
signatures.]
Transcribed from Original in archives of Jefferson Co. Historical Society
by Robert W. Scott. Original spelling preserved.
State of Indiana
Jefferson County:
to the honorable board of justices for the county aforesaid we your humble petitioners pray for a road as follows viz beginning on the road
leading from Madison to Versailles between John M. Mitchells & Peter Rykers thence to William Halls thence the nearest and best way to Sheetses
on Indian Kentucky and we will ever pray August 24, 1826
| M. Hyatt |
James Campbell |
| R.B. Mitchell |
John Goeap? [Illegible] |
| John Bice |
Atwell David |
| Isaiah Hyatt |
Wilson B. Benefiel |
| Elisha Brady |
Peter Ryker |
| James Littlejohn |
William Robertson |
| Gideon Hyatt |
James J.(?) Gillum |
| Andrew Hyatt |
Mordecai Wyatt |
| J P. Hobbes (?) |
Abraham Hite |
| John Laon (Cain?) |
| Amos Simpers |
| J.M. Mitchell |
| Wm. B. Benefiel |
| Timothy Barber (Jr. ) or (Sr?) |
Shelby Twp Road Petition - 1833
Transcribed from Original from the archives of Jefferson Co. Historical Society that was in the possession of the Madison library in the early 1970s.
Transcribed by Robert W. Scott. Original spelling preserved.
To the Honorable
The Bord of Commissioners of Jefferson County State of Indiana your Petitioners would present to your Body that it would be for the good of the
Neighborhood to have a review of Part of the Rode leading from the Deal Mill Beginning at the South West Corner of the South East T.... off Section
3 town 5 Range 11 East thence while the Rode is now traveled on the West Side of Barbers the improvement must to above of Draw Bars thence East to
the Madison and versailles Rode on the South Side of the Meadow fence or if they should think it Better to keep the Now travelled Rode from The place
of Beginning to Where it Now intersects the Madison and versailles Rode to Report to your honourable Body accordingly and if they the sd viewers it
is hoped will be instructed to Deport Their view of the usefullness of Sd Rode in to the Public taking in the work that is Necessary to keep Sd Rode
in Repair and fencing the Lane so as your honorable Body Can Decide according to the best interest of all Concerned in the Premises and your Petitioners
will Duty Bound Ever Pray April 25, 1833
Subscribers Names
Richard Hayes
Levi Poston
John McCullough
Jesse Benefiel
Jacob Banta
Reece Rabourn
Atwell David
Ira Littlejaln
John Black
Daniel Ward Jr.(?)
David Vestill
John Peak
James Kidd
David Kidd
James J. Gillum
Mood Pulliam
William Campbell
May 6 1833
To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of Jefferson County; praying for a change in the road that part of the Road leading from Madison to
Versailles where Beginning at what is commonly called Canaan and Running down the Branch on the old Route or track where it will intersect
Road again near James Kidds land on Indian Kentucky Creek if your honours will grant us this change your humble petitioners will ever pray
Signers names
Henry McCarty
John Lochridge
John Hall
John Warfield
Andrew hyatt
Samuel Welch
Timothy Chanler
David Kidd
James Hall
William Hall
Bennet Maddux
Gordy Colehoon?
Wm E. McLeland
Jonathan Hathaway
Squire Hall
John P. Vail
Henry McCarty
