Early History of Madison
By John Vawter, April 13, 1850
"Father, with six or eight other Kentuckians from Franklin and Scott Counties, visited what was then called the
new purchase at a very early date. A part journeyed by land and a part by water. The land party crossed the Ohio River at Port William
(Carrollton), the others descended the Kentucky and Ohio rivers in a pirogue to a point opposite Milton. The pirogue answered the double
purpose of carrying forward the provisions of the company and enabling the men to pass from one bank to another, swimming their horses
along side. The company made their headquarters in the river bottom in the western extremity of the city limits of Madison. In the day
the company divided into two parties, exploring the adjacent highlands to the head of Crooked Creek and the neighboring lands of Clifty.
They met at night and reported their discoveries. To Crooked Creek, they gave the name of Mill creek; to Clifty, Hard Scrabble; but
subsequently, on learning the name of each stream the red men's name prevailed with the settlers.
At the time, December, 1805 Elder Jesse Vawter selected the spot where Judge S. C. Stevens now resides on the hill.
(This place is now occupied by Dr. William R. Davidson, 1915.) He returned home and made every arrangement for taking possession of his new
home early in the spring of 1808. He with others made the first settlement in and about Madison. Nearly all the settlements made in that year
and the two or three succeeding years were made on the highlands. Among the first settlers in the county were Elder Jesse Vawter, James
Underwood, Joshua Jackson, Colby Underwood, and James Edwards, all of the Baptist denomination. East of Crooked Creek were Col. John Ryker,
Paul Froman, Ralph Griffin, Joseph Lane and others, the last two families being Baptists. West and southwest were Col. Samuel Smock, James
Arbuckle, Michael and Felix Monroe, Isaiah Blankenship, Amos Chitwood and others. The first corn was raised in Jefferson county in the year
1806, most of it being planted as late as June.
"The first settlement made in the river bottom near Madison was by William and John Hall in 1806 or 1807, a little
above Isom Ross's tan-yard (puchased by Jonathan Lyon in 1808). The second was made by John H. Wagoner on the high bank a little west of Main St.
in Madison. (Main street, or Main Cross as it was then called, is now known as Jefferson street). Wagoner unloaded his boat on the tenth day of
May, 1808, and immediately commenced building a house to live in. The third person who settled in the limits of the present city was Robert M.
Trotter, afterwards a justice of the Peace. The fourth was Joshua Wilkinson, a single man. The fifth was Joseph Strickland, afterwards justice
of the Peace and with Strickland came a man by the name of Schofield, and perhaps others not recollected. Next came John Booth, the first
inn-keeper; then John Sering, Samuel Burnet, tthe second inn-keeper; then Charles Easton with a number of others. Which brings us down to the
time of the first sale of lots in Madison in February 1811. During all the above time, all the preaching for twenty or thirty five miles up and
down the river and through the county was of the Baptist order. The first sermon ever delivered within the chartered limits of Madison was by
Elder Jesse Vawter, among the cottonwoods on the river beach, a little above the stone mill. The text was the first verse first chapter of the
Gospel of St. John. It was a funeral occasion, the death of Widow Black. Mrs. Jonathan Lyon, mother of Philemon Vawter, closed the service. This
was the first death and funeral preached in the vicinity of Madison.
"After the land sale in May, 1808, and the sale of lots in Madison in 1811, the town and country commenced filling up
rapidly with settlers.
"I was the first justice of the peace within the vicinity of Madison while it was Clark county. My commission bears the
date of sixteenth of July, 1808. The first judges for Jefferson county were Gen. William MacFarland, president of the Court of Common Pleas,
Samuel Smock and John Paul, second clerk Richard C. Talbott, first Sheriff, John Vawter. I am not certain but that Basil Bently was second sheriff
in Jefferson county but very soon retired from office. The third sheriff was Thomas T. Stribling. The first court ever held in Jefferson county was
held in a log cabin owned by John H. Wagoner, in February, 1811. The sale of the first lots in Madison (old Town) was in the same month; the first
proprietors, Col. John Paul, Jonathan Lyon and Louis Davis. The first addition west was surveyed by me for Col. John Paul. The first Court house,
called the Buckeye House, was built by myself for the proprietors. The first jail was a square log house, builder's name not recollected. First public
house was kept by John Booth, second by Samuel Burnett, third by Major Henry Ristine.
"The first store was owned by John Sering & Co., a drug store was started about the same time by Dr. Drake & Co., the third store
was opened by S. C. Stevens, the fourth by myself, fifth by J & N Hunt, sixth by McCabe & Co., seventh by Mr. Clarkson, eighth by John McIntyre. The first
physician was of the name of Fiske, second, James Hicks, third, John Howes, fourth David H. Maxwell. The first attorney-general, Alex A. Meek, second a man
by the name of Oulds, third, Gen. Wm. Hendricks.
"I was personally acquainted with the first proprietors of the town. A more excellent or upright man than Col. Paul was hard to find.
He was one of Gen. George Rogers Clark's bold adventurous soldiers, who sided in the capture of Kaskaskia and Vincennes. he was elected one of the representatives
from Clark county in the year 1810. this was previous to the formation of Jefferson county and Col. Paul then resided in Madison. He was also one of the members
for Jefferson county who formed the present constitution of Indiana.
"I was crier for the first sale of lots in Madison, but had nothing to do with the surveying of laying out of the same. Laid out the first
additon of west of Broadway for Col. Paul in the winter of 1814-15. Had nothing to do with any addition to the town.
"My second visit to Indiana was in May 1806. I came in a pirogue and landed a little above the stone mill opposite Milton visited the
highlands east and west of Crooked Creek, continued at my father's half faced shanty until near the middle of June in order to assist him in getting his corn
planted, returned in the same craft with my mother and other relatives to Frankfort, Kentucky. In September, 1806, my father moved his family from Kentucky to
Mount Glad, the place where Judge S. C. Stevens now resides. (Now the residence of Dr. William R. Davidson, 1915).
"In December, 1806, I made my third visit to Indiana in company of John Branham. He aided in driving my father's cattle and fattened and
stock hogs from his Kentucky residence to his new home in what was then a wilderness. At this time, I made a selection of a place to move my family in the spring.
It was the identical spot where the depot and machine shops of the railroad company are now on the hill. In March 1807, I arrived with my family, wife and one child
at my originally selected site in the woods. In 1808, I built a house on the hill (Michigan) nearly opposite Godman's creek and resided there until 1812. In this
year, I purchased property in Madison and moved to it. The property purchased by me was two lots on Main Cross street, east of Polly & Butler's iron store and west
of Mulberry St. In 1814 I sold both lots to Mr. David McClure. In the winter of 1815, I purchased of Col. Paul the corner now owned by George M. Phelps, and built a
large farm-house, large for the size of Madison. Had the water conveyed by pipes, in connection with Col. Paul, from the hill at Hites. In the same year, I sold it
also to David McClure, moved to Vernon in November, 1849, with my family. Since November, 1849, I have resided in Morgantown, Morgan County, Ind.
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