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Dearborn County – 1833 Indiana Gazetteer

Dearborn County, Indiana entries from:
The Indiana Gazetteer or Topographical Dictionary. Indianapolis : Douglass and Maguire, 1833.
Digitized copy at HathiTrust Digital Library

AURORA, a post town on the Ohio river, below the mouth of Hogan in the county of Dearborn, about four miles from Lawrenceburgh. It contains about six hundred inhabitants, three stores, one tavern, a physician, a lawyer, a preacher of the Gospel, several mechanics of different professions, a seminary, a church, a large and prosperous Sunday school.—Aurora is situated on a bend of the river, having a beautiful view for five or six miles, both above and below, and affords one of the best harbours on the river, from Pittsburgh to its mouth.

BLUE CREEK, a small stream which rises in Dearborn county, and runs in a north-easterly direction into Franklin county, and falls into Whitewater, on the west side, about a mile below Brookville.

CESAR CREEK, a south-western township in Dearborn county.

DEARBORN, a river county, in the south-east corner of the state, bounded by the north by Franklin county, on the west by Ripley, on the south by Switzerland, on the east by the Ohio river and state. It was organized in 1802. It is thirty miles in extent from north to south, and eighteen miles from east to west; containing an area of 448 square miles, or 286,720 acres. In 1830, it contained 14,573 inhabitants. Dearborn county is hilly along the river, but not too steep for cultivation. In about one fourth part of the county the land is considered first rate, one fourth second rate, and the remaining half third rate. The principal products are wheat, rye, corn, and potatoes, which, together with beef, pork, and live stock, are annually transported in large quantities to the southern market. The forest timber consist chiefly of walnut, buckeye, elm, sugartree, locust, poplar, and the several varieties of oak and ash; with an undergrowth of spice, paupaw, plumb, and hawthorn. The county abounds with excellent limestone suitable for building. On the west side of the Great Miami, about two miles from its mouth, is an extensive rich bottom containing several thousand acres, on and in the vicinity of which are several ancient mounds. North of Hardinsburgh, and about a quarter of a mile from the Miami, on the top of a hill, supposed to be about two hundred feet in height, there is an ancient fortification, enclosing ten or twelve acres; the walls are composed of earth, and are from five to ten feet high. On the east side, the wall consists in part of stone, which appear to have been thrown together without order, and covered with earth. It includes all the level ground on the summit of the hill, and does not conform to any regular feature, but is regulated by the extremities of the level on which it is constructed. There is a small circular wall adjoining the mail wall on the west side, enclosing about an acre, on each side of which a gateway leads into the enclosure. On the east side, and within the fort, there is a mound, supposed by some to have been erected for observatory purposes. There are also some other mounds in the vicinity, which from their position seem to have been originally connected, in design, with the works already described. The great numbers of human bones exposed to view by the washing of the rains on the declivities of the hills in the neighborhood, indicate the existence, at some former period, of an immense population. Many stone axes of various sizes, and stone pipes, and hammers, and silicious darts of different shapes have also been found in the vicinity of this place. The principal streams in Dearborn county, beside the Ohio river, which washes its border, are the Great Miami, Whitewater, Tanner’s creek, Hogan and Laughery. Lawrenceburgh is the seat of justice.

HARDINSBURGH, a post town, in Dearborn county, on the Great Miami river, two miles north of Lawrenceburgh. It stands on a beautiful plain above high water. It contains about two hundred and fifty inhabitants, two stores, a tavern, and a number of mechanical establishments. It is surrounded by an extensive rich bottom, occasionally overflown; which circumstance tends to maintain the fertility of the soil by deposite of loam at every freshet.

HARRISON, a post town on the line dividing between Ohio and Indiana; the eastern part in the state of Ohio, and the western part in Dearborn county, twelve miles north of Lawrenceburgh.

HARTFORD, a post town in Dearborn county, on the south bank of Laughery creek about twelve miles south-west from Lawrenceburgh. It contains about a hundred inhabitants, a tavern, two mercantile stores, and craftsmen of various trades.

JOHNSON’S FORK, a mill stream in Franklin county. It has its source in the south-east corner of the county, and runs south into Dearborn county, and falls into Whitewater two miles north of Harrison.

KELSO, a township in Dearborn county.

LAWRENCEBURGH, a post town, and the seat of justice of Dearborn county. It is situated in an extensive rich bottom, on the bank of the Ohio river, two miles below the mouth of the Great Miami river. It contains about a thousand inhabitants, nine mercantile stores, one drug store, three taverns, eight lawyers, four physicians, three schools, two brick churches, a brick court house, a stone jail, a market house, and two printing offices, each of which issues a weekly newspaper. It is distant from the city of Cincinnati, in the state of Ohio, twenty-two miles, and eighty-six miles south-east from Indianapolis. N. lat. 39 deg. 5 min. W. lon. 7 deg. 35 min.

LOGAN, a township in Dearborn.

MANCHESTER, a township in Dearborn county, lying between Tanner’s creek and Hogan, and extending to the western border of the county.

MANCHESTER, a small post town in Dearborn county.

RANDOLPH, a township in Dearborn county.

RISING SUN, a post village in Dearborn county. It is situated on the bank of the Ohio river, thirteen miles south from Lawrenceburgh. It contains about six hundred inhabitants, four stores, a tavern, a grist mill propelled by steam power, a seminary and a church; together with a number of mechanics of various trades. The surrounding land is broken and hilly, but very fertile; and the town has the advantage of a salubrious atmosphere, pure water, and an elevated pleasant situation, added to the advantages of uninterrupted steam boat navigation.

SPARTA, a township in Dearborn county.

TANNER’S CREEK, a mill stream in Dearborn county. Its source is in the north-western part of the county, whence it runs south-easterdly, and empties into the Ohio river about a mile below Lawrenceburgh.

UNION, a township in Dearborn county.

WILMINGTON, a post town in Dearborn county. It is situated on the state road leading from Lawrenceburgh to Madison, eight miles south-west from Lawrenceburgh. It has one tavern, two stores, a physician, a school house, and a church; with about a hundred inhabitants, amongst whom are a number of industrious mechanics.

Dearborn County – 1826 Indiana Gazetteer

Dearborn County, Indiana entries from: Scott, John. The Indiana Gazetteer or Topographical Dictionary. 1826. Reprint, Indianapolis : Indiana Historical Society, 1954.
Digital Copy on Internet Archive

AURORA, a post town in Dearborn county, situated on the bank of the Ohio river, four miles from Lawrenceburgh, in a beautiful bend of the river, which affords on of the best harbours for steamboats, for taking in wood, &c. It contains 60 or 70 dwelling houses, chiefly brick and frame, 200 inhabitants, 6 stores, 3 taverns, one lawyer, and mechanics of various professions. There is also a grist and saw mill, and an extensive distillery adjoining the town.

DEARBORN, a south-eastern county, and one of the oldest in the state: while it was under the Territorial government, its extent from north to south was upwards of 100 miles, bordering on the state of Ohio as far north as Fort Recovery, embracing all that section of country now contained in Randolph, Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties. Its greatest length at present is 28 miles from north to south, and 15 for east to west, and contains 432 square miles or 277, 480 acres. It is bounded on the east by the Ohio and Miami rivers, north by Franklin, west by Ripley, and south by Switzerland counties. Its principal streams are the Miami, Whitewater and Ohio rivers, and Hogan, Laughery and Logan creeks. In 1825 it contained about 11,270 inhabitants. Lawrenceburgh is the seat of justice.

DRY FORK, A large creek which takes its rise in the state of Ohio, runs a south-western course, and empties into Whitewater in Dearborn county. It has, probably, taken its name from the circumstance of the water disappearing at certain seasons of the year.

GEORGETOWN, a small post town of Dearborn county.

HARDENSBURGH. A handsome post town of Dearborn county, situated on a beautiful high, level piece of ground on the west side of the Big Miami river, two miles north from Lawrenceburgh, on the road leading to Harrison, Brookville, &c.

HARRISON. A large flourishing post village, situated on the line dividing this state from the state of Ohio, and immediately on the east bank of Whitewater river. One half of this town is located in Dearborn county in this state, and the other in Hamilton county, Ohio. The main street runs north and south immediately on the state line. It contains about 25 or 30 families and 150 inhabitants; 2 inns, 2 stores, 1 blacksmith, 1 wagonmaker, 1 tobacconist, 1 cabinet-maker, several shoemakers, tailors, Carpenters, &c. It also contains two physicians, but no lawyers. The site upon which this town stands is beautiful, and the surrounding country delightful. It also has the advantages of pure air and good water. It is 12 miles north of Lawrenceburg, and 18 south of Brookville.

HARTFORD. A small post town in Dearborn county, situated on Laughery creek, 12 miles from Lawrenceburgh. It contains 40 dwelling houses, 100 inhabitants, 1 store, 1 tavern, one physician, and mechanics of various professions. There are also adjoining this place, a tan yard, and carding machine, together with a commodious grist and sawmill.

HOGAN. A valuable mill stream which takes it rise in Dearborn county, and empties into the Ohio river at the town of Aurora, 4 miles below Lawrenceburgh.

LAWRENCEBURGH. This town is the seat of justice of Dearborn county, situated immediately below the mouth of the Big Miami, on the bank of the Ohio river, 20 miles below Cincinnati, N. Lat. 39 6, W. Lon. 7 38. It contains about 150 handsome brick and frame dwelling houses, 700 inhabitants, 9 stores, 5 taverns, 6 lawyers, 3 physicians, and a vast number of mechanics of various professions. There is a very large store house, 5 stories high, erected in this place, which is considered to be the best on the river from Cincinnati to the Falls; at which a very considerable business is done; proprietor Mr. Gibson. There is also an expensive silk lace-factory established in this town, which supplies a large district of country with this article. This is the only establishment of the kind west of the mountains. The place also contains a printing office and masonic lodge.

“Some idea can be formed of the commerce and growing importance of this town and country, by the following statement of produce shipped at the river, for the Mississippi or lower country market, from the 1st of January to the 1st of May, 1826. In giving this statement, we have confined ourselves, almost exclusively to the product of the neighborhood of the town: not having it in our power to give the whole amount of produce exported from the county, which would, it is believed, if taken into the account, swell the sum to 80 or 100,000 dollars.

[see original for list of goods and prices]

In making out the above, a number of articles, forming small sums, such as oats, flax-see, hoop poles, &c. were omitted, but which in the aggregate, would amount to six or seven thousand dollars. The price set to each article, it will be observed, is what is supposed the average price received for it, when taken to market; some of which are probably put at under prices: none, we believe, too high.

To carry this produce to market, something like twenty flat boats were employed, at an average price of one hundred dollars each.—These boats were generally built by our own citizens; and the hands employed to navigate them, resided principally in the county: so that the greater part of the money expended for the exportation, was put in circulation in the county, among our industrious and enterprising citizens.”

LAUGHERY. A large creek which takes it rise in Ripley county, and empties into the Ohio river, three or 4 miles below Lawrenceburgh.

MANCHESTER. A small post town in Dearborn county.

NEW LAWRENCEBURGH. A flourishing village situated on the south bank of Tanners creek, in Dearborn county. It is separated from old Lawrenceburgh by a narrow strip of low ground which is frequently inundated by the back water from the Ohio river. The site of this town is, however, several feet about high water mark. It contains about 25 handsome brick and frame buildings, elegantly painted, 100 inhabitants, 2 stores, 1 tavern, and several mechanics.

RISING SUN. A post town in Dearborn county, situated on a beautiful eminence on the bank of the Ohio river, 13 miles below Lawrenceburgh. It contains from 80 to 90 handsome dwelling houses, chiefly brick and frame; 4 stores, 2 inns, 2 physicians and a vast number of mechanics of various professions. The land around this town is broken, yet fertile. This place has the advantage of steam boat navigation: in short, but few villages on this noble river, offer greater inducements to the industrious and enterprising, than this place.

WILMINGTON, a flourishing post town in Dearborn county: it is handsomely situated on Hogan creek, 8 miles from Lawrenceburgh. It contains about 40 dwelling houses, 100 inhabitants, 1 physician, 2 taverns, 1 store, a valuable tanyard, and a number of industrious mechanics.