SOLON ROBINSON, 1847 61 



The best of our customers were the Pottawattimies 

 who then dwelt here in considerable numbers. With them 

 commenced my first efforts of a temperance reformation. 

 Of them we obtained great quantities of furs & cranber- 

 ries, in pay for goods, while those calling themselves far 

 superior to the poor Indians in all the moral attributes, 

 gave us promises to pay, some of which are promises to 

 this day. — The first marriage in the county was that of 

 David Bryant, another of my official acts as a Justice of 

 the Peace — Done on a most excessive cold day. The 2d 

 was Solomon Russel, and his was afterwards the first 

 divorce. 



During the same winter, the first mill in the county 

 was put in operation by Wilson L. Harrison, so that we 

 were able to get a little oak lumber in the spring of '37 

 for $15 a thousand. 



In March, 1837, the election of officers upon the organi- 

 zation of the county took place. At this time so slow was 

 the operation of the mails, that a special messenger was 

 dispatched to Indianapolis to get the appointment of a 

 Sheriff & authority to hold the election, the first appoint- 

 ment having failed. The messenger was John Russell, 

 who made the trip on foot & beat the mail at that. Henry 

 Wells was appointed Sheriff. The election for the North 

 township was held at Amsi L. Ball's — for this Center 

 Township at the old log cabin which was Mr. Fowler's 

 first house, now standing near Mr. Eddy's — and for the 

 South at the house of Sam'l D. Bryant. 



Wm. Clark and Wm. B. Crooks were elected associate 

 judges — Amsi L. Ball, Stephen P. Stringham and Thom- 

 as Wiles, County Commissioners. Wm. A. W. Holton, 

 recorder & Solon Robinson, Clerk. Several of the first 

 meetings of the Board were held in that old log cabin in 

 Mr. Pelton's yard. 



John Russell was the first assessor; and such was the 

 fever of speculation at that time, that some of the lands 

 around Liverpool (and another paper town called Indi- 

 ana City, laid out at the mouth of the old Calamic) which 



