Hamilton, Clinton County, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Hamilton is an unincorporated community in Madison Township
, Clinton County
, Indiana
. The town is named for Alexander Hamilton
.
). According to a 1913 history of Clinton County, "tradition has it that these two men met under the shade of a tree, near where the two highways cross, on a Sunday and agreed to join in layout out the town plat, which agreement was thereafter carried to execution..." The plat
, surveyed March 21, 1839 and recorded April 19, 1839, included 36 lots each on the east and west sides of the road; additional lots were added June 30, 1842.
The first house in Hamilton was built by John Jamison, a saddler
, who also ran a small shop. Later stores were operated by Waldron Drew, Mr. Frankenfield, and many others. Harvey Blacklidge operated the first blacksmith shop and was succeeded by Samuel Hammel who occupied the position of village blacksmith for many years. One of the most prominent people in Mulberry's early history was the village physician Dr. John Connor, "a very large, fleshy man, weighing perhaps three hundred pounds, though not tall. Seated on his two-wheeled cart and drawn by a fine sorrel horse, he was a familiar figure to all of the people living within several miles of the village." Other prominent early citizens included cobbler Alfred Cornelison, who being disabled and unable to walk drove a dog team, James McDavis, Joseph Miller, Hamilton Yundt, Joseph Rex, Jonas Hammel, Jesse Sweet, Joseph Kauffman and William Sense.
Hamilton reached a population of more than a hundred and was an active business center for the community, but it was eclipsed by nearby Mulberry which had the only railroad station in the township, and gradually dwindled during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It now consists of about a dozen homes.
Madison Township, Clinton County, Indiana
Madison Township is one of fourteen townships in Clinton County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 2,158. The township was named for President James Madison.-History:...
, Clinton County
Clinton County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,866 people, 12,545 households, and 9,057 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There were 13,267 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. The town is named for Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
.
History
The western portion of the land on which Hamilton stands was settled by Jacob Stetler in late 1829 or 1830, and the eastern part by John Gallinger in 1831, the two being separated by what is now Hamilton Road (near its intersection with what would become State Road 38Indiana State Road 38
State Road 38 in the U.S. State of Indiana serves as a connection between Lafayette in the west and Richmond in the east.-Route description:State Road 38 begins in Lafayette with State Road 25 and U.S. Route 52. There is an interchange with Interstate 65 at exit 168. It proceeds east-southeast...
). According to a 1913 history of Clinton County, "tradition has it that these two men met under the shade of a tree, near where the two highways cross, on a Sunday and agreed to join in layout out the town plat, which agreement was thereafter carried to execution..." The plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
, surveyed March 21, 1839 and recorded April 19, 1839, included 36 lots each on the east and west sides of the road; additional lots were added June 30, 1842.
The first house in Hamilton was built by John Jamison, a saddler
Saddler
Saddler is both a skilled trade and a surname. As a trade, it refers to the occupation of making saddles.Saddler may refer to* Osmund Saddler* Sandy SaddlerAlso* Saddler, reporting name for the R-16 missile...
, who also ran a small shop. Later stores were operated by Waldron Drew, Mr. Frankenfield, and many others. Harvey Blacklidge operated the first blacksmith shop and was succeeded by Samuel Hammel who occupied the position of village blacksmith for many years. One of the most prominent people in Mulberry's early history was the village physician Dr. John Connor, "a very large, fleshy man, weighing perhaps three hundred pounds, though not tall. Seated on his two-wheeled cart and drawn by a fine sorrel horse, he was a familiar figure to all of the people living within several miles of the village." Other prominent early citizens included cobbler Alfred Cornelison, who being disabled and unable to walk drove a dog team, James McDavis, Joseph Miller, Hamilton Yundt, Joseph Rex, Jonas Hammel, Jesse Sweet, Joseph Kauffman and William Sense.
Hamilton reached a population of more than a hundred and was an active business center for the community, but it was eclipsed by nearby Mulberry which had the only railroad station in the township, and gradually dwindled during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It now consists of about a dozen homes.