HISTORY OF JONESBORO, DATES BACK 125 YEARS
FIRST SETTLEMENT KNOWN AS DARLINGTON - TOMORROW IS 110TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST SALE
OF LAND ON PRESENT TOWN SITE
Cheated out of becoming the county seat of Grant County by what old-times
delare was illegal voting; Jonesboro can still claim to be one of the older towns in the
county. The first settlement was established 125 years ago, and tomorrow, February 18,
will be the 110th anniversary of the entering of the first grant on land now comprising
the town of Jonesboro.
The history of Jonesboro dates back 125 years to the early eighteenth
century. In the extreme southern part of Jonesboro, in the vicinity of Tenth to Twelth
streets a small settlement of some four or five houses and a general store combined with a
blacksmith shop owned by a man name McCORMICK, was known as DARLINTON, it was the only
white trading center for a radius of many miles.
The remainder of JONESBORO was then wild lands owned by the government. A
plot of ground containing 73.36 acres, now the center of JONESBORO, was entered February
18, 1829, by JOHN McCORMICK and the grant was signed by PRESIDENT ANDREW JACKSON.
The next owner was OBADIAH JONES, who with his family, migrated from Ohio
and purchased the land from McCORMICK, June 9, 1834, for the sum of $275.
With the assistance of his brother Daniel, who was a surveyor the land was
plotted the following year. The new location was called Jonesboro after it's founder.
The town was platted after the pattern of Dayton, Ohio, near which the Jones family
formerly lived.
Main street is in its original location, and Fifth street was called South
Main. The plots of ground were sold to various people, changing ownership several times.
It is said by old timers that a trading post along the Mississinewa river attracted trade
by boat for several miles in both directions.
The PIERCE family has figured prominently in business enterprise for many
years. The present location of the R. T. PIERCE grocery was purchased March 21, 1871 by
SAMUEL S. HORNE Jr. and he erected the two story brick block, with a store room on the
ground floor, and a lodge hall above. The Odd fellows lodge pruchased the building Feb.
14, 1878, and have occupied it for sixty years.
Later the lodge added the north room, where the W. P. GRAY hardware store is
now located, and enlarged the lodge hall above, taking up the second floor of both
buildings.
There were a number of wooden structures occupied as dwellings and business
places from the alley south to fifth street, where later the ED PIERCE grocery and meat
market was erected.
The old dam across the Mississinewa river in North Jonesboro was built in
1889 by SYLVESTER FRANKBONER, and the water power was used to operate the grist mill, part
of which remained there until recent years. The dam provided a pool that was a great
place for swimming. The original JONES homestead still stands in Jonesboro, and was
originally a log structure. It has been enlarged and weatherboarded over the logs. EDGAR
McDANIEL and family occupy this property.
The NICODEMUS property, on Main street between fifth and Sixth, is also an
old landmark built in 1853 by a doctor and consisted of three rooms. It has since been
enlarged.
The village was in the midst of heavy timber, supplies and merchandise had
to be obtained from Richmond and Cincinnati, a matter of several days travel, mostly by
horseback, and was quite dangerous because of Indians. The Indians had their council
meeting place at Rock Dam and at that early period all the white settlements were along
the river.
Soon after the village was established, a grist mill was built along Back
creek near a junction of Main and Water streets in 1840. Then within a few years four
other mills sprang up and that is where the idia originated for naming this Mill twp. The
last mill to be operated here was built in 1849, and was torn down a few years ago.
The Jonesboro Elevator, owned by REES/ROSS J. MORGAN, was originally built
for a schoo house, and was used as such until a brick school was erected at Eleventh and
water streets in 1894. This building burned in february of 1903, and was rebuilt the same
year. The first high school graduating class was in 1897.
The first tavern in this section of Indiana was built here in 1854 and was
located at Fourth and Main. the building is now owned by HARRY PHILABAUM. It was the
only tavern between Chicago and Cincinnati, and did a thriving business.
Other industries also lacated in Jonesboro. A woolen mill in 1860, and a
tannery, both located on the creek bank, the tannery at the west end of Fifth street.
Some of the old walnut timbers were dug out when the swimming pool was made.
A bending factory was also built in 1860, which stood on the grounds where
MRS. CLELLA JARNAGIN'S home now stands. There was a thriving tombstone factory built,
in 1874. Also a casket factory and a large grain elevator.
The first churches were built south of Jonesboro, located in wooded
sections. Later more modern buildings were erected here.
In the early history of Grant county, Jonesboro was a contender for the
honor of being made the county seat. In May, 1831, an election was held to decide the
location of the county seat, and Marion won by a very narrow margin. Old residents of
Jonesboro declare that illegal voters were brought in from the vicinity of Converse, in
sufficient numbers to swing the election to Marion.
Taken from an old newpaper clipping, date and name of the newspaper unknown.
The clipping was found in the belongings of Lawrence Revis formerly of Jonesboro
JCT