PLEASANT TOWNSHIP FIRSTS
Pleasant was the first organized township in the county.
The first inhabitants were the Miami Indians.
The first settler was GOLDSMITH GILBERT
The first land entry was made by DAVID CONNER.
The first store was near Sutton's Ford.
The first mill, the second in the county, was built by SAMUEL McCLURE, in
1828.
The first death was that of BETSY PRICKETT, in 1831.
The first marriage was that of MOSES CONNER and ANN SUTTON, April 3, 1832.
The first elections was held at the home of EPHRAIM BADGER, near the mouth
of Badger Creek. JEREMIAH SUTTON was the first justice of the peace, and GEORGE F.
DUNN was the second, he holding that office longer, probably, than any other man ever
held office in Grant County, in all 37 yrs. He was also probate judge of grant County
from 1844 to 1848.
The first schoolhouse was built about 1832, on the Badger farm.
The first country brick schoolhouse in the county was at Center, that is No.
5.
The first church was built by the Methodist Episcopail Denomination, in 1847,
on the WHITEMAN farm,
and was known as Pleasant Chapel, but long since abandoned.
The first election for justice of the peace was held at the home of RILEY
MARSHALL, JEREMIAH SUTTON being the choice of the voters, he having previously held that
office by appointment. He was also a member of the first board of county commissioners.
DAVID CONNER and HENRY RENBARGER were two of three commissioners appointed to view and
locate the first public highway north from Marion. This highway is known as the Lagro
road. GEORGE RENBARGER, ROBERT McCLURE, JEREMIAH SUTTON, JONATHAN BERRY and ZADOK
PRICKETT were members of the first grand jury in the county.
DANIEL BADGER, HENRY RENBARGER and PLATT SUTTON were members of the first
petit jury for the first term of circuit court in the county.
The first high school in the township was established in 1891.
The first common school graduates were BYRON GEBHART, WILLIAM LEWIS &
FRANK NEFF. The The first railroad, the Pennsylvania, was built in 1867.
WILLIAM MOREHEAD was the first volunteer for the Mexican War. The first
Grant County Mexican soldier to die and be buried in a foreigh land was JEREMIAH SUTTON,
Company A, Fourth Indiana Regiment, who died and was buried in May 1848, at Puebla,
Mexico. Pleasant township has the distinction of furnishing the first Grant County
volunteer for the Rebellion in the person of LEVI H. MILLER, and the first Grant County
soldier boy in blue to receive in his body a leaden ball from a rebel gun was FRANK H.
HALL.
Pleasant is the historic township of the county. The only battle ever fought
in the county was fought on Pleasant township soil.
Taken from History of Grant County by Whitson.
A re-enactment of the BATTLE OF MISSISSINEWA takes place every October on the
MISSISSINEWA BATTLEFIELD, seven miles northwest of Marion, Indiana. Everyone is welcome
to attend
For more information, write to "Mississinewa 1812" Mississinewa Battlefield
Society, P.O. Box 1324, Marion, Indiana, 46952. Telephone: 765-662-0096
JCT