Boon Township

    Boon Township received its name for its illustrious citizen and early settler, the Hon. Ratliff Boon. It was created in 1816 while the county seat was at Darlington. The County Court orders that "Anderson Township be subdivided by a line running through the center of Township No. 6, south of the base line, and that portion north of the aforesaid township of Anderson be and and the same is herby ordered to be known as Boon Township; and it is further ordered that the several elections, to-wit: For a delegate to the convention and a member of the Legislature, the former to be holden on the second Monday in May and the latter on the first Monday in August next, be and are hereby ordered held at the house of Joseph English, in the aforesaid township of Boon, and to be conducted by Hezekiah Hargrave, who is hereby appointed to superintend the same." By many it is supposed that Ratliff Boon was the first settler in this township, but of this there is some doubt. Others go so far as to claim that his son Perry was the first white child born in the county; but when it is considered that there were many families settled in the county from three to four years earlier than the date claimed for Boon's settlement here, the probabilities of Perry's birth being the first will not be very strong.

Early Settlers

    Many names already given in the Anderson Township history figure largely in the first events of Boon Township. Ratliff Boon was a native of Georgia, but while young moved with his parents to Danville, Kentucky, where he learned the trade of gunsmith. He came to Warrick County not earlier than the year 1809, although it is claimed by some that he came two years earlier than that date. His father-in-law was Bailey Anderson, who had come in 1807, and by whose solicitation he was induced to locate in the new Territory. From the time of his settlement in Warrick County he was identified with all public enterprises. It is said that he located about three miles west of Boonville, and that the house erected by Boon is still standing.

    At the first election held in Boon Township after its organization, on the 13th of May, 1816, thirty-one votes were cast for delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Twenty-seven were for Bailey Anderson and four for Daniel Grass. Following is a list of the voters: Raliff Boon, Bailey English, Bailey Anderson, Joshua Anderson, Samuel Hinman, John Lout, Thomas Skelton, Pinkney Anderson, John Litner, Joseph Lawrence, John Hale, John Alexander, William Campbell, William Alexander, Thomas Campbell, Daniel Frame, Robert Layton, John Baker, John Luce, Samuel Broshears, John Hargrave, Bailey Anderson, John Gardner, James Hargrave, William Webb, Wilson Bullitt, John Rout, Hezekiah Graynes (?), Joseph English, George W. Tevault and Robert O. Tevault. Eneas McAllister was a candidate at this election, but in Boon Township received no votes. The returns were signed by Hezekiah Hargrave, John Keith, G. W. Tevault and Joseph English as Judges. Wilson Bullitt and Robert O. Tevault, Clerks. This, it must be remembered, was about two years prior to the birth of Boonville, and while the county-seat was located at Darlington.

    Boon Township is by far the largest in the county and occupies a central position. It is bounded on the north by Hart and Owen Townships, on the east by Skelton Township and Otter and Little Pigeon Creeks, on the south by Little Pigeon Creek, Anderson and Ohio Township, on the west by Ohio and Campbell Townships. In agricultural facilities it is unexcelled by any other in the county. This was recognized by the early settlers, and the land entries for this township are larger in proportion than in any other part. The following is a full list, prior to and including the year 1820:

    James Young, 1818; Samuel Shannon, 1818; Israel Broshears, 1819; William Barker, 1816; John Williams, 1820; Daniel Andrew, 1815; Isaac Rhoads, 1815; Jacob Sever, 1817; J. Johnson, 1817; John Williams, 1818; George Williams, 1820; John Davis, 1819; John Campbell, 1820; William Baker, 1817; Isaac Hudson, 1817; John McMillan, Sr., 1817; Francis M. Ashley, 1818; John D. Day, 1819; William Graham, 1818; James Hargrave, 1816; Joseph Weir, 1817; William Webb, 1817; William Campbell, 1816; Joseph Mumford, 1817' Hezekiah Hargrave, 1816; Richard Stephens, 1815; Samuel Broshears, 1815; William Harris, 1818; William Berry, 1817; Joseph English, 1812; Isaac Blackford, 1818; John Gardner, 1814; Ratliff Boon, 1812; John Daugherty, 1816; John Couts, 1813; James W. Battle, 1818; James Wright, 1816; Nathan Nichols, 1817; William M. and Orville A. Tarlton, 1820; Joshua Anderson, 1813 Bartholomew Wood, 1816; Jesse Boon, 1817; Edward Baker, 1817; Joseph Adams, 1818; Henry Hopkins, 1818; Brannock Wilkerson, 1818; Walter Wilson, 1818; Eli Strand, 1817; Samuel Hinman, 1814; Henry Rhoads, 1818; W. G. Buckler, 1818; Moses Wood, 1818; Roland Ellis, 1818; James Corwin, 1816; Olney Hines, 1819; Job Matthews, 1818; Daniel Frame, 1815; Solomon Vanada, 1818; Robert Hedges, 1818.