Shelby Township, Jefferson County, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Shelby Township is one of ten townships
in Jefferson County
, Indiana
, USA
. As of the 2000 census
, its population was 1,052.
Shelby Township was created from the northern part of Milton Township and the remnant of Pittsburgh Township on Feb. 12, 1823 by the Jefferson County commissioners. The action wiped out Pittsburgh Township. Shelby was named after Isaac Shelby, who commanded troops at the battle of King's Mountain during the Revolutionary War.
It is an overwhelming rural township in which Burley tobacco is a major cash crop. A store and a restaurant in Canaan, which is open part time, are the only retail businesses in the township. The elementary school in Canaan is the township's only educational facility.
Four churches operate within Shelby Township: Indian-Kentuck Baptist Church, founded in 1814, Jefferson Presbyterian Church, founded in 1818, and Mt. Pleasant Baptist, founded in 1897. The Canaan Mennonite Chapel was founded in 1975. It is located at 9430 N. Barbersville Road near Canaan. Two others have cemeteries that straddle the Switzerland County and Jefferson County boundaries: Brushy Fork Baptist Church, founded in 1818, and Caledonia Presbyterian Church, founded in 1828. The church buildings sit in Switzerland County. However, both congregations were founded in Jefferson County, and at different times, the buildings have been in this county.
Churches that no longer exist include St. Anthony's Catholic Church, founded in 1849, was folded into the Prince of Peace Parish in Madison in 1993. The church building was acquired by a Catholic organization that conducts masses and holds retreats there. The Center Baptist Church joined the Coffee Creek Baptist Association in 1829 and folded by 1832. It was replaced by the Center Grove Separate Baptist Church, a different denomination, whose building was erected about 1859 on Hicks Ridge. Center Grove Baptist became what was then called a Regular Baptist Church. It was renamed and joined the Madison Baptist Association on Dec. 29, 1894 as the Hicks Baptist Church. The church building burned in the 1970s and was not rebuilt.
The township has had the following post offices: Barbersville (Dec. 7, 1826-Nov. 19, 1838) and (June 27, 1848-May 31, 1906); Caledonia (Dec. 13, 1830-July 23, 1834) and (July 2, 1836-Nov. 29, 1838); Canaan (Nov. 29, 1838-Jan. 15, 1911)Canaan Rural Station Canaan (Feb 16, 1911-Aug 31, 1921); Canaan reopened Aug 20, 1921; China (Jan. 30, 1833-Nov. 29, 1838), (Feb., 3, 1879-May 2, 1881); and (Feb. 23, 1882-Feb. 28, 1902); Hicks (May 7, 1884-May 31, 1906); McGregor (Sept. 24, 1887-June 15, 1907); and (Wise May 27, 1897-Feb. 28, 1905). In addition, it has been served by post offices at Manville (Jefferson County); Jay, Moorefield and Pleasant), Switzerland County, and Buchanan's Station (Riley County).
The Canaan Post Office is the only one operating in the township. Much of the township is served by Madison rural delivery and parts by the Cross Plains post office. It is worth noting that Canaan itself is served by the Madison Post Office, while Canaan supports a rural route.
About 1817, families of Lowland Scots began arriving, and more continued to arrive through the early 1830s. Many were from towns such as Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and the Edinburgh area. They founded a predecessor to Caledonia Church in 1818, which lasted until 1825, and formed the bulk of that church's membership when it was organized. The Scottish settlement stretched in Pleasant and Craig Townships in Switzerland County on the east and Milton Township in Jefferson County to the South.
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Indiana
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 32,428. The county seat is Madison.-History:Jefferson County was formed in 1811...
, 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...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, its population was 1,052.
Shelby Township was created from the northern part of Milton Township and the remnant of Pittsburgh Township on Feb. 12, 1823 by the Jefferson County commissioners. The action wiped out Pittsburgh Township. Shelby was named after Isaac Shelby, who commanded troops at the battle of King's Mountain during the Revolutionary War.
It is an overwhelming rural township in which Burley tobacco is a major cash crop. A store and a restaurant in Canaan, which is open part time, are the only retail businesses in the township. The elementary school in Canaan is the township's only educational facility.
Four churches operate within Shelby Township: Indian-Kentuck Baptist Church, founded in 1814, Jefferson Presbyterian Church, founded in 1818, and Mt. Pleasant Baptist, founded in 1897. The Canaan Mennonite Chapel was founded in 1975. It is located at 9430 N. Barbersville Road near Canaan. Two others have cemeteries that straddle the Switzerland County and Jefferson County boundaries: Brushy Fork Baptist Church, founded in 1818, and Caledonia Presbyterian Church, founded in 1828. The church buildings sit in Switzerland County. However, both congregations were founded in Jefferson County, and at different times, the buildings have been in this county.
Churches that no longer exist include St. Anthony's Catholic Church, founded in 1849, was folded into the Prince of Peace Parish in Madison in 1993. The church building was acquired by a Catholic organization that conducts masses and holds retreats there. The Center Baptist Church joined the Coffee Creek Baptist Association in 1829 and folded by 1832. It was replaced by the Center Grove Separate Baptist Church, a different denomination, whose building was erected about 1859 on Hicks Ridge. Center Grove Baptist became what was then called a Regular Baptist Church. It was renamed and joined the Madison Baptist Association on Dec. 29, 1894 as the Hicks Baptist Church. The church building burned in the 1970s and was not rebuilt.
The township has had the following post offices: Barbersville (Dec. 7, 1826-Nov. 19, 1838) and (June 27, 1848-May 31, 1906); Caledonia (Dec. 13, 1830-July 23, 1834) and (July 2, 1836-Nov. 29, 1838); Canaan (Nov. 29, 1838-Jan. 15, 1911)Canaan Rural Station Canaan (Feb 16, 1911-Aug 31, 1921); Canaan reopened Aug 20, 1921; China (Jan. 30, 1833-Nov. 29, 1838), (Feb., 3, 1879-May 2, 1881); and (Feb. 23, 1882-Feb. 28, 1902); Hicks (May 7, 1884-May 31, 1906); McGregor (Sept. 24, 1887-June 15, 1907); and (Wise May 27, 1897-Feb. 28, 1905). In addition, it has been served by post offices at Manville (Jefferson County); Jay, Moorefield and Pleasant), Switzerland County, and Buchanan's Station (Riley County).
The Canaan Post Office is the only one operating in the township. Much of the township is served by Madison rural delivery and parts by the Cross Plains post office. It is worth noting that Canaan itself is served by the Madison Post Office, while Canaan supports a rural route.
History
The first land acquired by settlers was in 1809 on the northern border with Ripley County. Many early settlers were Scotch-Irish and were prominent in forming the Jefferson Presbyterian Church in 1818. Another early group was what was known as "Low Dutch", families primarily of Dutch origin who had lived in the New Amsterdam settlements in New York and New Jersey and who moved to Kentucky in the early 1780s. They were also involved in the formation of Jefferson Presbyterian, but joined the former Pleasant Presbyterian church in neighboring Switzerland County when it formed in 1829.About 1817, families of Lowland Scots began arriving, and more continued to arrive through the early 1830s. Many were from towns such as Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and the Edinburgh area. They founded a predecessor to Caledonia Church in 1818, which lasted until 1825, and formed the bulk of that church's membership when it was organized. The Scottish settlement stretched in Pleasant and Craig Townships in Switzerland County on the east and Milton Township in Jefferson County to the South.
Geography
Shelby Township covers an area of 48.52 square miles (125.7 km²); of this, 0.01 square mile (0.0258998811 km²) or 0.02 percent is water. The streams of Barbersville Creek, Black Branch, Bloody Run, Brushy Fork, Canaan Branch, Dry Fork, East Prong Indian-Kentuck, Hannibal Branch, Horton Branch, Little Brushy Fork, McCurry or McCrory's Branch, Miller Branch, Puncheon Camp Creek, Razor Fork, Salem Branch, Seals Fork, Shaw Branch, Spring Branch, Toddy's Branch, Vestal Branch, West Fork Indian-Kentuck, White Eye Branch, and Wilson's Fork, run through this township.Unincorporated towns
- BarbersvilleBarbersville, IndianaBarbersville, Indiana, was an unincorporated town in Shelby Township, Jefferson County, Indiana. Nothing remains of its few buildings.Barbersville was probably preceded by the town of Edinburgh, which was platted on Nov. 3, 1815 and recorded in the Jefferson County deed records...
- CanaanCanaan, IndianaCanaan is a small unincorporated town in Shelby Township, Jefferson County, Indiana.-History:Canaan began growing slowly with the establishment of John Warfield's farm in 1812. The first known use of the name Canaan is dated November 15, 1832 when Edwards Ayres advertised that he had opened the Bee...
- ChinaChina, IndianaChina is an unincorporated community in Shelby Township, Jefferson County, Indiana. It spans Shelby and Madison Townships and was for years largely defined by the existence of a general store in Madison Township and the former St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Shelby township. Razor's Fork runs...
Adjacent townships
- Brown Township, Ripley CountyBrown Township, Ripley County, IndianaBrown Township is one of eleven townships in Ripley County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,499.-External links:* *...
(northeast) - Pleasant Township, Switzerland CountyPleasant Township, Switzerland County, IndianaPleasant Township is one of six townships in Switzerland County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,260.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Pleasant Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Aaron at *...
(east) - Milton TownshipMilton Township, Jefferson County, IndianaMilton Township is one of ten townships in Jefferson County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 864.-History:The township was created by the Jefferson County Court of Common Pleas on May 12, 1818 from Madison Township and Pittsburgh Township...
(south) - Madison TownshipMadison Township, Jefferson County, IndianaMadison Township is one of ten townships in Jefferson County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 16,770. It was one of three townships created when Jefferson County began operation on Feb. 11, 1811. Prior to that, the area was part of Madison Township Clark County...
(southwest) - Monroe TownshipMonroe Township, Jefferson County, IndianaMonroe Township is one of ten townships in Jefferson County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 379.Monroe was the next-to-last township created by the Jefferson County commissioners. It was carved from Lancaster Township on March 11, 1842. Much of township became part of the...
(west) - Shelby Township, Ripley CountyShelby Township, Ripley County, IndianaShelby Township is one of eleven townships in Ripley County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 867.-External links:* *...
(northwest)
Cemeteries
The township contains these cemeteries: Canaan, Copeland, Etherton, Fry, Indian Kentuck, Jefferson Presbyterian, Lee, Lemen, Mathis, Means, Mermoud, Mount Pleasant Baptist, Pullum (or Pulliam), Riker, Risk, Rogers, Short (Blackhawk), Skeen, Spencer, Thornton, Vestile (Evans Farm) and Welch. Two cemeteries span the county line between Shelby Township and Pleasant Township, Switzerland county—Brushy Fork Baptist and Caledonia Presbyterian.Major highways
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Indiana State Road 62Indiana State Road 62State Road 62 in the U.S. State of Indiana is an east–west route that runs from the Illinois state line in the southwest corner of Indiana to the Louisville, Kentucky area, then northeast toward the Cincinnati, Ohio area.-Route description:... -
Indiana State Road 250Indiana State Road 250State Road 250 in the U.S. State of Indiana is a secondary route that runs from U.S. Route 50 in Brownstown eastward toward the Ohio River at State Road 156 in Patriot in southeast Indiana. Towns include Uniontown, Paris Crossing, Canaan, and East Enterprise...