CARROLL COUNTY, INDIANA

             Henry Robinson and his son, Abner Robinson, were the first settlers of Carroll county. Others followed close in their footsteps. The Robinsons built their cabins in the winter of 1824-5, and, in the fall of 1825-6, the settlement had reached quite a neighborhood. There is a long train of interesting pioneer reminiscences connected with the early experiences of the Robinsons, and those who settled in the county about the same time. These would afford a narrative full of romance and interest, and full of evidences of the great energy and perseverance of those early setters. But we have no space for this narrative. Carroll county was organized by an act of the general assembly, in 1828. The commissioners appointed for the purpose selected the site of the present city of Delphi for the county seat. It was first given the name of Carrollton, but was soon after changed to Delphi. The sale of lots took place on the el4eventh day of August, 1828, but land was not very valuable then, and the lots went off at a low price. So little enthusiasm was manifested at the sale, that it was decided to dispose of only part of the town lots, and await a more profitable season for the sale of the others. Not long after the sale a Presbyterian church was organized at Delphi, and the residence of Henry Robinson was used as a place of worship. In the fall of 1828, a large number of new settlers arrived, and the little town began to show evidence of growth and prosperity.

            The fall and winter of 1828-9, were unusually dry. ‘The merchants shopped their goods form Cincinnati for the Wabash on steamboats, which could proceed no further than the rapids below Vincennes, at Mount Carmel.’ From that point they were conveyed to Delphi on wagons, ‘very much to the injury of the merchants, and the disappointment of the people.’ Early in the year 1830, Mr. Henry Robinson’s mill was put in operation. During that year the summer was exceedingly dry and sickly. The county improved rapidly, but, unfortunately for Delphi, as it first came into notice that season, the unusual amount of sickness gave it a bad name, from which it did not recover for many years. This idea, however, has long since been lost in the general and well-founded reputation of the present Delphi for healthfulness.

            At the first meeting of the Old Settlers’ Society of Carroll county, held in 1855, the following list of the names of the early settlers of the county was obtained. It gives their names, their native States, age at that time, and the date of their settlement in the county.

Abner Robinson, KY, age 54, 31 Dec 1824

William McCord, VA, age 59, 06 Feb 1827

James Odell, IN, age 44, Feb 1825

Thomas Gillam, Sr., PA, age 69, 04 Apr 1829

John M. Gillam, PA, age 54, 04 Mar 1829

Thos. Sterlin, PA, age 54, 03 Mar 1825

John Little, NC, age 66, 06 Nov 1826

John M. Ewing, PA, age 58, Apr 1827

Daniel McCain, OH, age 55, Apr 1826

William Hughes, VA, age 68, Feb 1829

Adam Porter, VA, age 50, Nov 1829

Aaron Gregg, OH, age 53, Oct 1830

William McCain, OH, age 52, 10 Dec 1828

John W. Gillam, IN, age 44, 01 Apr 1827

Isaac Robbins, OH, age 39, Oct 1828

William B. Givins, VA, age 37, Apr 1829

Henry M. Graham, IN, age 38, 06 Jan 1829

John B. Milroy, IN, age 35, Dec 1826

John Archer, OH, age 40, Apr 1831

Joseph Cox, KY, age 37, Apr 1829

John Barr, OH, age 47, Sep 1831

Isaac Jackson, VA, age 40, Oct 1827

Jas. F. Givins, IN, age 28, Apr 1827

George Royster, IN, age 29, Jan 1830

James H. Stewart, KY, age 46, 10 Apr 1830

Andrew Burntrager, VA, age 55, Sep 1829

Enoch Stancel, OH, age 49, Nov 1830

David Baum, PA, age 50, Apr 1825

Noble Conklin, OH, age 48, Oct 1830

Jas. McDowell, NC, age 69, 14 Aug 1826

Sam D. Gresham, VA, age 49, 30 Apr 1830

            These are by no means all the early settlers, or even a complete list of those who settled previous to 1829. But it embraces nearly all who located in the county in 1828, and previous to that date.

            The first circuit court of Carroll county was held at the house of Daniel Baum, on the eighth of May, 1828, Judge B. F. Morris, presiding. This was a pioneer court scene, but Carroll county has beautiful outgrown those early days. Delphi has, to-day, an elegant court house, and the Carroll Circuit Court is one of its boasted evidences of a high intelligence.

            The surface of Carroll county is undulating along the Wabash, Tippecanoe and Wild Cat, which are the principal streams; in other places it is level. About one-fifth of the county was originally dry prairie, the balance forest, consisting mostly of oak, walnut, poplar, beech and sugar tree. The soil is mostly a rich loam, well adapted to corn, wheat, etc., and these, with cattle, hogs, etc., are the principal surplus articles produced for exportation. The rural districts of the county present one general scene of prosperity. The farmers are nearly all wealthy. They have good residences, thrifty farms, excellent schools, commodious and substantial churches. Education is encouraged, and the youths promise much for the future welfare of a prosperity already flourishing. The towns and villages of the county are all enjoying superior graded schools. Delphi has a population of over two thousand, and is the largest town in the county. Its school facilities are excelled nowhere in the State.

Source: An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana . By DeWitt C. Goodrich and Charles R. Tuttle, 1875.