Changes in Boundary

Changes in Boundary Prior to the session of the Territorial Legislature of 1812-13, all of the present Perry County west of the meridian line constituted a part of Knox County, while the few sections in Union Township lying east of that line were part of Harrison County. At the Legislative session of 1812-13 two new counties, Gibson and Warrick were created out of the southern end of Knox, and Warrick then compriseOld_Countiesed about the limits of Posey, Vanderburg, Warrick, Spencer and Perry.

Perry County at first included much of the southern portion of both Dubois and Crawford, besides about half of Spencer, or all east of the line dividing Ranges 5 and 6 west.  By an act approved January 10, 1818, a portion of Harrison County was temporarily attached to Perry, as follows: Beginning on the Ohio River at the mouth of the little Blue River; thence up the same to the line dividing Sections 30 and 31, Township 3 south, Range 1 east; thence west to the second principal meridian on the western boundary of Harrison County; thence south to the Ohio River; thence by the same to the beginning. By an act approved January 29, 1818, a portion of Dubois County, was attached to Perry, as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of Township 3 south, Range 3 west; thence west with said township line to the line dividing Ranges 3 and 4 west; thence north with the same three miles; thence east through the center of said township to the line dividing Ranges 2 and 3 west; thence south to the beginning. By the same act also Crawford County was created out of Harrison, Orange and Perry. Dubois was created by an act approved December 20, 1817. It at first included the south half of Township 3 south. Range 3 west, but this was repealed by the act of January 29, 1818, which attached such half township to Perry as stated above. Except the creation of Spencer County, January 10, 1818, these were the only changes made of the present Perry County soil. Much of the early proceedings relative to county affairs is lost with the first record book of the county commissioners. Pursuant to the act creating the county, the locating commissioners or a majority of them met at the house of James McDaniel, and after viewing several places along the river finally fixed upon a tract of 120 acres of land at Troy, donated by James McDaniel, senior and junior. Solomon Lamb donated 10 acres, and Israel Lamb money probably. The commissioners also received from the citizens of that vicinity a subscription of money sufficient to build the necessary court house, jail, etc. The county agent, Francis Posey, laid out the town and offered the public lots for sale—first at public auction but later at private sale. The county commissioners met, and the other officers established offices and set the wheels of county business in motion. They divided the county in Troy, Tobin, Oil, Hurricane, Anderson, and Clark Townships. Hurricane was about the present township of Hammond and Huff of Spencer County, probably at first extending north as far as* Dubois County; but a little later the northern part was created as Carter Township. Hurricane for a time seems to have been called Lamar Township—appears so in the Perry County records. A little later Union and Smith Townships were created. A township called Athens is referred to in the early records, and was in Tobin’s Bottom.

History, Genealogy, Early Settlers and Historical Points of Interest in Perry County, Indiana