austinindiadev

Austin in 1880

The article below is from the July 1st Austin Chronicle 1880 edition. The story was reprinted by the Scott County Journal July 7th, 1977 edition.

“Austin has 287 inhabitants; two dry goods and grocery stores conducted by two of Indiana’s best and ablest country merchants, Thomas Hughbanks and John W. Montgomery both self-made men.

One drug store owned by Benj. F Henslee, an enterprising and reliable man who has made all he has since the since the Civil War. “

“One confectionery owned by Stuart Johnson, a clever reliable self-made man. One hardware store owned by Robert Walker and one Government licensed Whiskey house owned by Albert H. Denney. Three millinery stores owned by Mary Rickets, Mrs. Dora Ogden and Mrs. Ann Wilson. Three dressmakers Mrs. Jane Crawford, Miss Mary Rickets and Mrs. Eva Rogers.”

“One Stave and Heading Factory owned by J.C. Thompson, a clever gentleman and a fine businessman, giving constant employment to about ten hands and a portion of the time, 25 or 30.”

“One chair split and furniture owned shop by James S. Owens, giving employment to five to eight hands. Two wood shops owned by Benj. F. Foster and James Owens who make wagons and buggies. Two blacksmith shops where you can get a wagon ironed, or a horse shoe or any kind of work done by Adam Reynolds or the Ogden bros., Oscar and Eugene. One copper shop owned by James Spurgeon and one Hoop shaving shop owned by Elias Mitchell who employs four or five hands.”

“One Cabinet and Undertaker’s shop owned by Esq., L.H. Baldwin where you can get anything you want in the furniture line and just what no one wants (a coffin). A post office conducted by Oscar Ogden who is a dealer of cigars and stationary and knows how to do the clever. The Masons and Odd Fellows are both flourishing with halls of their own. A graded school conducted by Prof. A.N. Munden and Miss Alice Hoover having school ten months in the year, a free term, a spring term and summer normal, our schools under the supervision of Prof. Munden are SECOND TO NONE in the state of the kind.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Ira Herald and son buy all the old iron and copper in the country and pay you anything you want in tin or glass line. One hotel owned and conducted by Stuart Johnson and wife, where there is ample accommodation for man and beast. One lawyer A.N. Munden, one Notary Public John W. Montgomery, two Justices of the Peace L.H. Baldwin and J.H. Statton, one Constable Harvey Alexander.”

“Two physicians Henry R. Casey and Sion M. Rogers, both gone to farming (be) cause (of) no sickness. Two churches the Methodist and Christian, both having good houses in a flourishing condition.”

“One Newspaper, published by B.F. Foster and son and edited by Will M. Foster a young man of 18 summers, for whom we predict a brilliant and useful future, being a young man who never says I can’t.”

“This part of Indiana is splendid farming country. The average yield of corn is about 35, wheat 14, oats 25 bushels per acre. It is perhaps the best portion of the state, for grass often producing two tons per acres. Stock growing of all kinds is also very profitable here. This is the most splendid country for grapes as they grow and mature splendidly any place in this (Jennings) township.”

“R”

Austin, June 25, 1880.

Austin Officially Established as a Town

On May 3rd, 1853, Austin officially became established as a town. Scott County Justice of the Peace John Cantwell signed the voluntary act of the New Frankfort trio, George A. Rankin, John Elsey and Caleb Skeel. With that declaration the trio donated land and envisioned great opportunities as the now busy railroad ran right through the center of the town. The great steam engines made frequent stops in Austin, on their way to Indianapolis from Louisville, Kentucky. 

Austin is located in south central Indiana, just 35 miles north of Louisville Kentucky, and is part of Scott County, Indiana. (The Austin city and rural areas are also part of Jennings Township). Scott County was formed on February 1st, 1820, and was named after General Charles Scott (1739-1813) of Virginia. Scott was a Revolutionary war hero who participated in a number of engagements against the Indians in Indiana and was the fourth Governor of Kentucky 1808-1812.

Purportedly the naming of Austin, Indiana, derived from War Veterans of the War with Mexico (1846-1848). An appreciative United States government offered Veterans of the war, land in Indiana as a gift for their services to their country. The Veterans arrived from Texas and after settling into the village, they named the community Austin, in honor of Austin Texas where several of them once lived.

The Early history of Austin, Indiana

The story of Austin Indiana began in 1839, when a white settler named Isaiah Jones settled into the area and began clearing off the land where he built a log cabin home for his family. As Jones settled into his land, he became friends with local Indians, most likely Delawares that lived nearby. Jones faced many challenges as he cleared away the forests, along with the rigorous life of the daily hard labor he constantly had to deal with the threat of panther and bear attacks to his livestock.

As Jones continued to farm the area, and other settlers moved into the community, the small village remained a farming community until 1848, when the Pennsylvania Railroad began constructing a road through the village. Over the next couple of years there was significant change in the community, and soon people began to live nearby the tracks being graded in the town. By the late 1840s the Texas natives were already calling the community Austin, and by the early 1850s the community was filled by residents with diverse backgrounds. There were the early settlers still living in the area, along with the Texas natives, and the Irish immigrants that came to Austin to work on the railroad. The Irish immigrants were known to be hard workers, hard fighting and hard drinking.

On May 3rd, 1851, and with the railroad grading nearly complete, a gentleman named Morris Sarver purchased ten acres of land from Isaiah Jones. The land Sarver purchased was situated on both sides of the newly laid tracks, and to him should go the credit of having the first idea of a town on the railroad, even though he did nothing to develop the plan. In March of 1853, the land was sold to George A. and Katherine Rankin of New Frankfort, Indiana. George Rankin then formed a business venture with two men from New Frankfort, named Caleb H. Skeel and John Elsey. The three men now in control of the land and vision that once belonged to Sarver pursued the establishment of Austin as an official town.