The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-29
NAMING AN INDIANA TOWN.
Early Settlers Shot at Target TO Settle
the Dispute.

Resting by the side Of General VII
liam Henry Harrison's saber in the
'"Old Curiosity Shop collection OF an
tioues in the old State Bank building
at Terre Haute, Ind, is target rinc
of ancient design that is declared TO
be the weapon that gave Logansport
her name. The old rife. might well
come under the classification Of heavy
ordnance. for it is over seven feet in
length. 1t weighs thirty,seven and a
half pounds and shoots bullet 80
heavy that twelve Of them make
pound. In firing it an iron rest mad
TO be used. and the rest is exhibited
with the rifle. Maurice Thompson re-
Gently made it the subject OF one OF
his collection of Indiana stories.
According to his story, in the latter
part Of the '20s the settlement at the
mouth of Eel creek had reached pro-
portions that necessitated the selection
of a name. The main functionaries
met one afternoon under the branch
ing elms along the Wabash and under
took the christening. Every one had
suggestion and many settlers pressed
claims. General John Upton wanted
TO bcstow a Latin or Greek name that
| was synonymous with the mouth OF
| the Eel" Hugh B. McKeen, who had
formerly resided on the Maumee, near
| the spot where the Shawnee chief.
| Logan. lost his life while attesting his
| fidelity to the white people, urged the
| name of Logan. Colonel Duret Joined
with McKeen, adding the port" as
| the town was the prospective great
port of the upper Wabash. that was
| then thought to be navigable.
| The story has it that, unable to
reach a unanimous decision any other
way. the frontiersmen finally decided
to leave the decision to the aim Of the
rifle. The best smoothbores and
squirrel rifles were brought out and
! each man that had offered a name
placed the future of his claim on his
| nerve and eye. The Logansport man,
| it is claimed. hit the bulrs-eye Of the
| target. which was placed on an elm
| tree down along the river.
AS a rule Indiana towns and cities
| have either been named in honor OF
prominent people, first settlers, or In
dams, or have been given their names
as the result of locality. Elkhart was
named after the Elkhart river, and
the Elkhart river was given its name
! because there was an island in the
stream that the Indians fancied re-
sembled the heart of an elk. Governor
William Henry Harrison, riding
through the forests on the old Vincen
nes-Ohio Falls trail, heard the sweet
voice of Jennie Smith singing the
plaintive ballad "Corydon," and it at
tracted him many times to the Smith
home, where he located the first capt.
tai of the State and named it after the
song.
Rockville is city builded on rich
alluvial deposit, and but two rocks Of
any size can be found in the town
There was the usual wrangle between
pioneer settlers, each Of whom wanted
the town named after himself. A
last a stranger laid his hand on tn,
big rock and said: well, here's /,
| fellow that's been here lOnger'n an!
OF you-name it after him." The on,
flask in the crowd was drained an,
, the town was christened by the empt!
bottle being broken over the ''fellov
that's been here loDger'n any of us
, indianapolis Press.