Dearborn County, Indiana entries from: Scott, John. The Indiana Gazetteer or Topographical Dictionary. 1826. Reprint, Indianapolis : Indiana Historical Society, 1954.
Digital Copy on Internet Archive
AURORA, a post town in Dearborn county, situated on the bank of the Ohio river, four miles from Lawrenceburgh, in a beautiful bend of the river, which affords on of the best harbours for steamboats, for taking in wood, &c. It contains 60 or 70 dwelling houses, chiefly brick and frame, 200 inhabitants, 6 stores, 3 taverns, one lawyer, and mechanics of various professions. There is also a grist and saw mill, and an extensive distillery adjoining the town.
DEARBORN, a south-eastern county, and one of the oldest in the state: while it was under the Territorial government, its extent from north to south was upwards of 100 miles, bordering on the state of Ohio as far north as Fort Recovery, embracing all that section of country now contained in Randolph, Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties. Its greatest length at present is 28 miles from north to south, and 15 for east to west, and contains 432 square miles or 277, 480 acres. It is bounded on the east by the Ohio and Miami rivers, north by Franklin, west by Ripley, and south by Switzerland counties. Its principal streams are the Miami, Whitewater and Ohio rivers, and Hogan, Laughery and Logan creeks. In 1825 it contained about 11,270 inhabitants. Lawrenceburgh is the seat of justice.
DRY FORK, A large creek which takes its rise in the state of Ohio, runs a south-western course, and empties into Whitewater in Dearborn county. It has, probably, taken its name from the circumstance of the water disappearing at certain seasons of the year.
GEORGETOWN, a small post town of Dearborn county.
HARDENSBURGH. A handsome post town of Dearborn county, situated on a beautiful high, level piece of ground on the west side of the Big Miami river, two miles north from Lawrenceburgh, on the road leading to Harrison, Brookville, &c.
HARRISON. A large flourishing post village, situated on the line dividing this state from the state of Ohio, and immediately on the east bank of Whitewater river. One half of this town is located in Dearborn county in this state, and the other in Hamilton county, Ohio. The main street runs north and south immediately on the state line. It contains about 25 or 30 families and 150 inhabitants; 2 inns, 2 stores, 1 blacksmith, 1 wagonmaker, 1 tobacconist, 1 cabinet-maker, several shoemakers, tailors, Carpenters, &c. It also contains two physicians, but no lawyers. The site upon which this town stands is beautiful, and the surrounding country delightful. It also has the advantages of pure air and good water. It is 12 miles north of Lawrenceburg, and 18 south of Brookville.
HARTFORD. A small post town in Dearborn county, situated on Laughery creek, 12 miles from Lawrenceburgh. It contains 40 dwelling houses, 100 inhabitants, 1 store, 1 tavern, one physician, and mechanics of various professions. There are also adjoining this place, a tan yard, and carding machine, together with a commodious grist and sawmill.
HOGAN. A valuable mill stream which takes it rise in Dearborn county, and empties into the Ohio river at the town of Aurora, 4 miles below Lawrenceburgh.
LAWRENCEBURGH. This town is the seat of justice of Dearborn county, situated immediately below the mouth of the Big Miami, on the bank of the Ohio river, 20 miles below Cincinnati, N. Lat. 39 6, W. Lon. 7 38. It contains about 150 handsome brick and frame dwelling houses, 700 inhabitants, 9 stores, 5 taverns, 6 lawyers, 3 physicians, and a vast number of mechanics of various professions. There is a very large store house, 5 stories high, erected in this place, which is considered to be the best on the river from Cincinnati to the Falls; at which a very considerable business is done; proprietor Mr. Gibson. There is also an expensive silk lace-factory established in this town, which supplies a large district of country with this article. This is the only establishment of the kind west of the mountains. The place also contains a printing office and masonic lodge.
“Some idea can be formed of the commerce and growing importance of this town and country, by the following statement of produce shipped at the river, for the Mississippi or lower country market, from the 1st of January to the 1st of May, 1826. In giving this statement, we have confined ourselves, almost exclusively to the product of the neighborhood of the town: not having it in our power to give the whole amount of produce exported from the county, which would, it is believed, if taken into the account, swell the sum to 80 or 100,000 dollars.
[see original for list of goods and prices]
In making out the above, a number of articles, forming small sums, such as oats, flax-see, hoop poles, &c. were omitted, but which in the aggregate, would amount to six or seven thousand dollars. The price set to each article, it will be observed, is what is supposed the average price received for it, when taken to market; some of which are probably put at under prices: none, we believe, too high.
To carry this produce to market, something like twenty flat boats were employed, at an average price of one hundred dollars each.—These boats were generally built by our own citizens; and the hands employed to navigate them, resided principally in the county: so that the greater part of the money expended for the exportation, was put in circulation in the county, among our industrious and enterprising citizens.”
LAUGHERY. A large creek which takes it rise in Ripley county, and empties into the Ohio river, three or 4 miles below Lawrenceburgh.
MANCHESTER. A small post town in Dearborn county.
NEW LAWRENCEBURGH. A flourishing village situated on the south bank of Tanners creek, in Dearborn county. It is separated from old Lawrenceburgh by a narrow strip of low ground which is frequently inundated by the back water from the Ohio river. The site of this town is, however, several feet about high water mark. It contains about 25 handsome brick and frame buildings, elegantly painted, 100 inhabitants, 2 stores, 1 tavern, and several mechanics.
RISING SUN. A post town in Dearborn county, situated on a beautiful eminence on the bank of the Ohio river, 13 miles below Lawrenceburgh. It contains from 80 to 90 handsome dwelling houses, chiefly brick and frame; 4 stores, 2 inns, 2 physicians and a vast number of mechanics of various professions. The land around this town is broken, yet fertile. This place has the advantage of steam boat navigation: in short, but few villages on this noble river, offer greater inducements to the industrious and enterprising, than this place.
WILMINGTON, a flourishing post town in Dearborn county: it is handsomely situated on Hogan creek, 8 miles from Lawrenceburgh. It contains about 40 dwelling houses, 100 inhabitants, 1 physician, 2 taverns, 1 store, a valuable tanyard, and a number of industrious mechanics.