Annapolis, Indiana Business Directory 1860-1861

Annapolis, Indiana - a post village in Parke County, Penn Township near Sugar Creek, 7 miles north of Rockville, the capitol of the county, 65 miles west by north from Indianapolis.  It cantains a Methodist Church,a literary institution,the Western Manual School, a library association,and the McClure Institute. One Masonic Lodge,

farm mercantile establishments,one hotel,two woolen Mfg. Co. ,and a variety of trades and professions.  Population 400.  Post Office established in 1836,Sidney Hadley Postmaster.

List of trades and professions:

Masonic Lodge 127

David Best, Chair Mfg.

Breed & Co. , Woolen Manufacturer

Wm.  Carty, Blacksmith and Plow Maker

G. S.  Clark, Broom Mfg.

W. W.  Coffin, Blacksmith

David Connelly, Notary Public and Cooper

Connelly and Stanford, Saddle and Harness Makers

Everett Cook, Blacksmith

A. J.  Copeland, Carriage and Wagon Maker

J. S.  Dare, Doctor

Rev.  Donald Demotte, Methodist Pastor

L. B. Dunigan, Boot and Shoe Maker

J. W. Engle, Woolen Manufacturer

S. T. Ensey, General Merchant

L. P. Ephlin, Boot and Shoe Maker

J. A. Goldsberry, Doctor

Alfred Hadley, Butcher

Sidney Hadley, Grocer & Druggist

R. W. Harrison, Tailor

Wm.  Heidrick, Cooper

B. C. Hobbs, Principal, Western Manual School

Wm. W. Hobbs, Doctor

Isaac N. Hunt, Justice of the Peace

J. W. Hunt, Carriage and Wagon Maker

A. T. Kelly, Dealer in Stoves and Sheet Ironware

Nelson McClure, Painter

E.  McKey, Doctor

James Maris, Proprietor, Temperance Hotel

E. W. Morrison, Window Sash,Blind and Door Manufacturer

Elizabeth Pickard, School Teacher

Pickett & Connelly, General Merchants and Booksellers

D. A. Porter, Carriage and Wagon Maker

Wm. F. Rhubottom, Pump Maker

Sagers & Ingraham, Carriage and Wagon Makers

Seymour Bros. , General Merchants

J. H. Sherman, Dentist

A. S. Stanley, Carriage and Wagon Maker

Simon Stout, Proprietor, Planing Mill

Welch & Lee, Potters and Dealers of Crockery,China and Glassware

Wm. White, Blacksmith

Note: Annapolis was the leading manufacturing and cultural town in Indiana, west of Cincinnati,Ohio, and Richmond, Indiana in the early and middle 1800's.  It was larger than the cities of Indianapolis and Chicago, and by the middle 1800's had over 60 business and manufacturing concerns.

The towns demise began when the proposed extension of the C. H. & D Railroad (Cincinnati-Hamilton-Dayton) westward to Indianapolis and then to Decatur and Springfield, Illinois to form the C. I. & W. (Cincinnati-Indianapolis & Western) was moved just south of Annapolis to just north of what is known as "Old Bloomingdale".

Also contributing to the decline of Annapolis was when Rockville was made the County Seat of Parke County.

The Western Manual School in Annapolis was the forerunner of what was later the Friends Academy in Bloomingdale which became a leading educational institution of its time.

Contributed by: David E.  Coffin (Great-grandson of William Wilshire Coffin)  July 25, 2005