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PREFACE.

IN presenting this volume to the residents of Darke County, we have reason to believe

that it will be in the hands of our friends. A friendly disposition was manifested toward our representatives during its compilation, and we trust the result of our labors may be in no sense a disappointment.

In this history, we have endeavored to record only facts, gleaned from the most authentic sources, and have been aided by efficient historians and those associated with the earlier rise and progress of the county to the present time. We have labored to introduce the reader to the wigwam of the red man, seat him by the hearthstone of the pioneers, to trace a history of the county's organization, and to faithfully represent the present condition of Darke County while entering the last decade but one of the nineteenth century. Test years more would have made the record of many facts and incidents, which we present herewith, an impossibility. Memory is one of the faculties that first shows signs of decay, and, even among those of the "old guard" still living, another decade would have found many a link rusted out fro& their chain of recollections.

The general history of the county was compiled by Prof. W. H. MCINTOSH, assisted by H. FREEMAN. The introductory chapter on "The History of Darke County is from the pen of JOHN WHARRY, of Greenville, now the oldest resident of the town in which he has lived more than half a century—who was cotemporary, as elsewhere stated, not only with the settlement of that town and township, but with actors in events that preceded by many years the settlement of the town and county. When Mr. WHARRY was first requested to contribute a chapter to this work, his intention was to deal with the town and township of Greenville from its first settlement to the year 1840. But he has gleaned from earlier times, and advanced to a later period in his delineation of ever& and persons, all of which will be found interesting and valuable to our readers.

We are indebted, for reliable data of war times to Capt. CHARLES G. MATCHETT, who had practical experience in many events of those stormy days; to Drs. JOHN E. and WILLIAM H. MATCHETT for important assistance rendered in the preparation of the history of the Medical Societies and other prominent points; to Prof. J. T. MARTZ for a carefully prepared article on Educational History ; to Messrs. T. H. McCUNE and W. H. BIRELEY, who furnished valuable early church and religious data; to JOSEPH COLE for facts furnished for the history of Washington Township; to the officials of the county, the city officials, township officers and the citizens of Darke County generally.

We thus publicly take the liberty to express an appreciation of the kindness unselfish interest that has been shown us in the preparation of a volume which we trust will meet the approval of our readers and add to their libraries a book of valuable reference.

THE PUBLISHERS.

CONTENTS.

HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY.

Indian History— Organization and Early Settlements of the County, and Early History of Greenville—Township and City, by John Wharry - 207

Fort Greenville - 210

Formation of Darke County - 215

Darke County, by Prof. W. H.McIntosh - 243

Introduction - 243

Line of Organization — Concurrent Events - 245

Pioneers—Their Record, Incidents of the Times, 1808 to 1816 - 249

Personal Reminiscences - 251

The County Seat - 255

County Buildings - 257

Darke County from 1816 to 1824 —Progress of Settlement, - 263

Reminiscence - Land Prices and Payments - Farming Implements - Condition of County in 1824 - 271

Climate - 276

Darke in 1824 - 280

Early Preachers— Education - Marriage — Customs and Marriages, etc - 281

Darke County in 1840— Celebration—Commemoration— Mass Meeting at Greenville - 287

Geographical— Situation—Area —Township— Villages - 292

Agriculture, Trade & Markets - 299

The Statistics of 1853 - 301

History of the Darke County Agricultural Society Geology - 302

Civil List, Officers and their Duties 317

The Underground Railroad in Darke County - 322

Roads, Turnpikes and Railroads - 325

Banks and Bankers - 335

The Press of Darke County - 337

Education—Public and Private Schools - 340

Societies - 343

Roll of Pioneers - 345

Darke County During the War

of the Rebellion - 352

Patterson Township - 385

Wabash Township - 387

Allen Township -

390

Mississinawa Township - 391

Jackson Township -
392

Brown Township - 400

York Township - 405

Richland Township - 409
Wayne Township - 413

Adams Township - 416

Greenville and Greenville Township from 1840 - 423

Washington Township 438

German Township - 444

Neave Township - 449

Van Buren Township - 461

Franklin Township - 453

Monroe Township - 455

Twin Township - 458

Butler Township - 462

Harrison Township - 465

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

Adams Township - 540

Brown Township - 717

Butler " - 661

Franklin " - 678