OLD JENNINGS




To the Jennings County People������������������������������� The Muscatatuck still wanders
Who have wandered from the fold�������������������������� On along its winding way
Some in search of fame and glory���������������������������� Sand Creek joins the Wyalusing
Others for the pot of gold����������������������������������������� As it did in elder days
I recall to your attention�������������������������������������������Graham beautifies the landscape,���
Wheresoever you may roam��������������������������������������As above its waters clear��
That the soil of Jennings County������������������������������ On the bank you sat delighted
Still remains your native home��������������������������������� In the days when you were here

Rolling hills and lovely valleys��������������������������������� Out amid the autumn forest
Where your feet once loved to stray������������������������ Where you often spent your time
Ere you packed your goods and vanished����������������Hickory nuts grow in abundance
At the time you went away��������������������������������������� On the trees you used to climb
Still retain their old time beauty����������������������������� And the pawpaws golden yellow
As it was in days of yore��������������������������������������������And the grapes of purple hue�
Don't forget them but remember����������������������������� Still grow in shaded valleys
They are safe in Natures store����������������������������������As they always used to do��

Flowers that bloomed along the roadway���������������Beech and Ash and Oak and Maple�
And the rustic country lanes������������������������������������Sycamore and Dogwood trees�
Still are blooming in those places��������������������������� Still adorn the woodland pathways
Nourished by the sun and rain�������������������������������� Swaying in the autumn breeze
Just as when you drove to market�������������������������� Other choice spots in the landscape
As you often used to do�������������������������������������������� Where you loitered many a day
With a load of corn or pumpkins�����������������������������Still are waiting for a visit�
That in Jennings County Grew������������������������������� From the folks who moved away

Streams that flowed along the valleys���������������������Then remember good old Jennings�
Where the drooping willows grow��������������������������Where you spent your childhood days
Past the clifts that cast their shadows�������������������� Don't forget its hills and valleys
On the waters down below�������������������������������������� And its flower bordered ways
Still flow in unceasing currents�������������������������������As on lifes path you journey�
On their journey to the sea��������������������������������������Growing older year by year��
As they did before you left us���������������������������������� Don't forget your native county
Source of joy to you and me������������������������������������ And the friends remaining here

by Frank�E. Little

FRANK E. LITTLE-City attorney of North Vernon, was born in the traditional "log cabin" within two miles of this city June 3, 1854. He obtained his education in the district schools and high school of North Vernon. In 1870 at the age of 16 he removed to Camden Co., Missouri, where he engaged in farming. Returning in 1817 to this county, he worked by the month during summer seasons on farms, in Bartholomew and Shelby counties. He also took a course in Fable's brick yard, Greer's stone quarry and on the O & M construction train. In 1874 he went to Indianapolis and entered the service of the father of William Forsythe the artist. In 1876 he returned to Jennings Co., and obtained a two year license to teach in the common schools. In 1882, 1882, 1884 he was employed in the high school of this city. He read law in the office of the Hon. John Overmyer, and in 1885 entered into a partnership. He married Ella Welsome on November 18, 1880.

From Prominent Citizens of Jennings County.











Did you ever wonder why your ancestors chose Jennings County when they were deciding where to settle in what was then
a frontier area?� The recent pictures above may give you some hint, the area�was beautiful and remains so to this day. Of course the heavy forests are mostly gone and with time the soil proved to be difficult to farm but the area draws one back
and at least in my case gives me a feeling of peace & of returning home. I wanted to include this section as a tribute to those who settled here, many of whom left family buried in the area and for those of you who have not been able to travel here to do research to give you an idea of what the Jennings County is like in the rural areas. In the section below I go into the many changes in the county over the years so you can grasp why it can be confusing for researchers.


Townships
At the first session of the County Commissioners, the county was divided into 3 townships.� 1. Montgomery was all that part south of the line which divides
townships 5 & 6. This takes in all of the present Montgomery Township, all of the present Marion Township which was set off in�Feb. 1843 and most of
Lovett Township formed from Montgomery and Vernon in Sep. 1871. 2. Vernon was all that part north of the line divided townships 5 and 6, or most of
the rest of the county. 3. Franklin Township was all that part that went to Ripley County.


Jefferson County 18 December 1815 one year prior to Jennings County being created
this helps to�see why�in early research you need to check neighboring counties
and especially Jefferson County for possible records.


��This map shows Jefferson County December 27, 1816 after Jennings County was formed, at this time�
����what shows as Ripley County actually belonged to Jennings County and was known as Franklin Township-this continued from Dec.27, 1816 to Jan. 14, 1818




This map shows Jennings Co. at�first organization�(except for Franklin Township) on Dec. 27, 1816
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This map shows Jennings Co. after the acts of Jan. 12, 1820, effective Feb. 1, 1820 and the act of Jan. 20, 1820
The act of 12, Jan. 1820 effected "All that part of Jennings Co. south of the Muscatatuck River" in Range 7 east, which was transferred
to Scott Co.� On Jan. 20, 1820 attatched to Jennings County was "All that part of the New Purchase" lying south of a line drawn
due west, from the line dividing the Grouseland Purchase, from the said new purchase, through the center of Township 8, until it
intersects the Range line dividing Ranges 6 & 8 and east of said range line. By law of the same date, jurisdiction over Delaware
County was given to Jennings County, along with Jackson, Ripley, Franklin and other counties bounding Delaware.