I currently have on loan the "History of Indianapolis and Marion County,
Indiana" by B. R. Sulgrove, (L. H. Everts & Co.: Philadelphia. 1884) and
ran across this information on p. 509:
"The earliest settlements in Decatur [Twp] were generally made in the
vicinity of the White River and near springs" ~~ "The first settlements
were made in 1821" and "who was the first settler" ~~ "cannot now be
ascertained." ~~ "Among the first, were the Dollarhides, David Kime,
Charles and Joseph Beeler, Demas L. McFarland, John Thompson, Jesse
Wright, and John, James, Edward, Eli, and Jacob Sulgrove
on the west side of the river,"
For those interested, Decatur Twp. lies in the very southwest corner of
Marion Co. In 1822, when the township was created, it was six miles
north to south, and seven miles east to west. In 1833, it was decreased
to include only the area west of the White River.
What has been particularly interesting to me was finding children of
early Wayne Co, IN settlers, living in Decatur Twp.
Cindy Kimes