PREFACE. In p u bli sh i n g this work i t has been m y obj ect to give to t h e p u bli c interesting information in regard to t h e begin n ing and formation of one of the greatest States in the Union , Indian a . Corydon was est ablished as the seat of o u r Territorial govern 1 81 3 e o f o u r war m ent in , while we w re i n the m idst second a t o with Great Brit in . From Corydon went up the petition f Congress rom our territorial fathers , asking to be admitted t h e i nto the Union of States , and to have Indiana added to f great galaxy as a ree and independent State , on the same fo ot i n g with origi nal States . It was to the old pioneer fathers at Corydon that Congress promptly replied , granting their p eti tion . It was at Corydon tha t the first Constitution of the y t h e State was form ed and adopted . It was at Cor don that first laws for the government of the people of the State were - m ade . It was at the time honored town of Corydon that t h e t e o f S at Indiana was born , nourished and fondled i n infancy , m a reared and trained in youth , that gave her the imp etus to ture into giantry . During all this tim e here clustered the h eroic and p atrioti c i s pioneers , and giant intellects of the State . Forgetfulness t . w o n dro u s o s t l e very near un o all In the boundless , j of things , a f i s our lives and our deaths re lost sight o . The panoram a f - - - a u shi ted , and the life bustle o f t o day i s the death t blea of to morro w. A n d while it is extremely difficult to recover from a s the dim and sh dowy past , a true history of all the struggle — an d and privations of the pioneers o f their hardships , trials s ff o f f u erings; of their victories , experiences hope and aith; of h s their disappointments and triumphs , s till we have t eir place o f o f r action , as well as m any their acts , together with thei in t h e s e s historic and sacred names , which we present page _ 4 an d h w ich , we doubt not , will be appreciated and greatly cher i sh e d b v the noble son s and daughters of t h e great State of I ndiana Being e n gaged in writi n g a full and complete history of H a arrison , the old C pitol County , I have selected the matter c ontained herein for the benefit an d e dific at i o n of the peopl e throughout our State . The Author , F . LEMM ON . n 1 891 . Corydon , India a , October , TH E ANCIENT CAPITAL . i Harrison County , within the b oundaries of which i s the t me was hon ored town , and first State Capital of Indiana , Corydon , named in honor of the first Territorial Governor of Indiana , i an d William Henry Harrison , the distinguished patriot , sold er — m statesman . It was the fourth county organized carved fro i n 1 80 8 a portion of the territory i ncluded in Knox county , , t n I t i and is situated in the sou her portion of the State . s b ounded north by Washington county , east by Floyd county , - - south east , south , and south west by the Ohio river , which run s ' o n its border about sixty m iles , west by Crawford county , and 478 contains square miles , and a population of The settlement of this county , by the whites , dates back to the b e n f gi ning o the present century . In common with the entire ‘ s outhern part of the S tate , i t is somewhat broken and hilly , b ut possesses some beautiful and fertile valleys . The upland s fo r have no superiors in the State small grains and fruit , which are p roduced in abundance . The wheat yield this year be ing h estimated at fully one million bushels . T ere are m any at a h tractive caves , and beautiful stre ms of water wit in its limits . The population of this county being principally descendants wh o l from the old sturdy p ioneers , came here near y a century ' ago , and the balance being excellent people from t h e o lde r S are tates , they intelligent , ci vil , industrious , economical and progressive . Indeed no other county i n our State , has better “ t society than the old Capi ol County . i While there are not m any wealthy people i n our county , t n has often and truthfully bee said , by persons who travel ex t e n sive l y , that in proportion to p opulation , no other county i n the State had more good li vers than this county , and the gen e ro s it y and hospitality of wh ose people knew n o bounds"and 6 i a as the old pioneer fathers , whose characteristics they have - h e rit e d t h e r . , latch string always hangs outwa d o f u s t i e e an d The Ancient Capital , Corydon , the seat j , the geographical and legal center of the county , was founded in 1 808 H . , by William Henry Harrison and Hervey eth It is a a o n b eautiful town , pleasantly situated i n a v lley , and the high o f an d rolling ground at the j unction Big Little Indian creeks . o n b v f It is surrounded all sides high hills , rom which grand views of the surrounding country m ay be obtained . It is 120 o f 2 0 m m iles due south Indianapolis , iles west of the Falls Cit A ff 8 i es , Ne w lb any , Je erson ville and Louisville , and m iles ‘ 7 n L . east of the noted Wya dotte Cave , miles south of the , E . h u St . L . Railroad , by whic i t is connected by the Lo isville , r Ne w Alh a n v Co ydon Railroad . h o f . n At the suggestion Go v Harriso , t is town was n amed by n Miss Je nie Smith , daughter of Edward Smith , a deserter from the British army , during the Revolutionary War . Some years wa i n t after Mr . Smith deserted he worked his y o the wilderness where Corydon now stands . A few rods east of the Fair s ri n u s t Ground p, g, j south of the present corporate limits of l o Corydon . Mr . Smith erected a g cabin , where he re ared a large , i ntelligent and respectable family . While Gen . Harrison fre was Govenor of Indiana Territory , at Vincennes , he m ade an d oal s o S o f quent visits east , pen t a part his time in Harrison ’ c . ounty , and while on those visits , he always made Mr Smith s n c abi one of his stopping points , where he rested his we aried “ limbs , and his j aded nag . ’ The Ge neral was very fond of vocal music , and Mr . Smith s daughters were good singers . They had procured a song book “ ’ in which was the song Old Corydon . This was the General s favorite , and he , on his visits , had the young ladies sing it , and frequently to repeat it; and often after supper the General and the Sm ith fam ily would gather in front of the cabin door whil e those noble young pioneer heroines would m ake the hills and n valleys , around where Corydo now stands , resound with thei r W musical strains , perhaps drowning the screams of the iley and a b t sneaking p nther , and the owls of the i mpuden and daring n wolves . On taking his leave of the family , one morni g , the General suggested to the young ladies that h e intended to f n t M ss ound a tow near by , and reques ed a name , whereupon i i t Jennie Smith s uggested that be called after his favorite song , Co r don h w as . y , whic accepted by the General f By an act o the General Assembly of Indian a Territory , at 1 1 t h Vi ncennes , whi ch was appro ved on the day of March , 1 81 3 o f n was , the Seat Gover ment of said Territory fixed at “ a t Corydon , Harrison County , from and f er the first day of May , In conformity wi th a j oint resolution of both Houses of t h e A A General ssembly of the Terri tory , cting Gove rnor Gibson p rorogued them to meet at Corydon on the first day o f Decem 1 1 e 8 3 . b er , Coryd on rem ain d the Territorial and State Capi tal of Indiana , from that date un til the tenth day of January , 1 8 25 w . , hen it was removed to Indianap olis The p opulation h d of this ancient town is near one t ousan , which is not much w as t h e a grea t er than i t was while it Cap ital of the St te .