Journey to 1840 Logansport, Indiana Part One

There is nothing more helpful to understanding the history of the place you live than to come across first person accounts of the events that shaped your community." A tour Through Indiana in 1840 : A Diary of John Parsons of Petersburg, Virginia provides such an opportunity to for the Hoosier historian. John Parsons finished his studies at the University of Virginia in 1839 . He started the study of law but found it not to his liking.

In 1840 Mr. Parsons planned a visit to Indiana to visit a cousin who had settled in the young state a few years prior. Mr. Parsons had planned to settle in "Wabash Country" if he found the place to his liking. So in 1840, John Parson set out with letters of introduction from his family and friends out east and began his fateful journey to the Hoosier state. It was the year of the first modern election as we know it , in 1840. Mr. Parson used the stage couch, canal boat, horseback, and an occasional ride on the budding railroad system.

Of interest to the Cass County residents is Mr. Parson's account of his journey told time spent in Logansport Indiana. On June 26, 1840 Mr. Parson boarded a stage coach from Indianapolis to Logansport with many scheduled stops on the way. He took the most traveled route of the time which was the Michigan Road , which today is stilled used by many traveling from the northwest side of Indianapolis to Logansport. Mr. Parsons compared the Michigan road to the importance of the National Road. He wrote, "Until its construction some years ago, there was no way to for travelers to reach the northern part of the state saved by Indian trails." Mr. Parsons counted his blessing that a road notorious for being muddy mess most of the year was blessedly dry.

His first stop of note was in Boone County was Eagle Village . The coach stopped to deliver and pick up mail. Mr. Parson's noted the county was named after Daniel Boone. One of his companions from Carroll County noted that the early settlers of Boone County had not found farming practical because "because every acre 100 trees averaging four inches in diameter , and from eight to four feet in height "; were common in the area. Skins became the currency for the families of settlers that stayed in the area. His companion commented, " the only real necessaries for a family at that time, (about a decade earlier) were two rifles, powder and lead, a barrel of salt, a camp kettle , and a couple of dogs."

Today one only slows for a moment on their way through Eagle Village , and it is likely that the town is far less populated now than it was in 1840 ; a bustling trading post. The land was eventually cleared of trees ; much f Boone County is a suburb of Indianapolis. The remaining land is traditional Indiana farms and horse farms.

The next stop on Mr. Parson's stage coach journey was in Clinton County in the village of Kirklin .He noted the town was named after its proprietor , Nathan Kirk. He noted that the only white towns of any significance on the Michigan Road heading towards Logansport were Kirklin and Michigan Town. There are some places today that were settled after the time Mr. Parsons, but both Michigan Town and Kirklin are still the most likely places for travelers to stop when traveling the Michigan Rd ( at this point known as route 29) into Logansport. Mr. Parson had many other villages pointed out to him on route to Logansport but these were, "until recently inhabited by Indiana and a few French traders."., the villages had been abandoned or intentionally burned with the forced removal of the Pottawomie Indians by the Army in 1838 to Kansas.

Many of the local fellow travelers of Mr. Parsons , were sorry to have seen the Indians removed from their home. One passenger, "not yet over 22" had gone with the caravan of Indians to Kansas driving a four horse team. Mr. Parsons said, "He told of their suffering from hunger, thirst , and fatigue." This event was later known as the "trail of death.", as many of the Native Americans from the area died on the forced march.

Finally , Mr. Parson's stage coach arrived in Logansport and he directly stopped at his place of lodging for his visit. It was the Mansion House run by a Mr. Douglas. He hurried of to find a Mr. Pratt , a fellow law student and English literature enthusiastic for whom he had letters of introduction. Mr. Parson's first impressions of Logansport , were as follows:" it has less than a 1,000 inhabitants, I judge, but because of its location on the rivers and canal and its plentiful waterpower, gives promise of flourishing growth. I noted its bridge , a handsome covered structure over the Wabash, Its Market House, a roof on brick pillars , much frequented by farmers I am told, its library, a substantial log building and a brick educe which I later learned is the Seminary ( first school in Logansport.)."

Mr. Parson through letters of introduction would have the access and company of the most influential families in Logansport at the time. Including those who had worked closely with General Tipton; who had only passed the year before. He would meet and write personal impressions of such important folks as artist George Winters and Hyacinth LaSalle.

Source: A Tour Through Indiana 1840: The Diary of John Parsons of Petersburg Virginia ; editor Kate Milner Rabb, Robert M. McBride & Company, New York, New York; June 1920.(pages:193-214).