Bibliography
Manuel Brownish and you can Priscilla Burdine’s modern matrimony license, March, 9, 1843, Guide A, La Porte Condition, Indiana Condition Clerk’s Workplace, Courthouse.
Brand new four most popular Ebony rural groups inside Gibson State become one unnamed settlement for the Montgomery Township and you may Lyles Route, Roundtree, and you can Sand hill within the Patoka Township. Surnames for the condition African Us americans tend to be Anderson, Banister, Bass, Cantrel, Chaves, Cliff, Cole, Grier, Hardimen, Liggens, Lyles, McDaniel, Morland, Nolcox, Roundtree, Key, Walden, and you may Williams.
Montgomery Township
The new arrival out of African Us americans on Gibson County appears to have began with Charles Grier. The guy bought forty miles when you look at the 1815 as to what turned Montgomery Township. He stumbled on Indiana off Virginia. He with his wife, Keziah, sooner or later gotten 260 miles of home. He seems to be new nucleus out-of a keen unnamed settlement within the brand new township. Though Grier’s home is a radius in the Dark colored settlers away from Patoka Township, the guy funded a keen African Methodist Episcopal Chapel inside Sand-hill. And his homestead the guy possessed land near the establish date Lyles Channel. Grier (died in 1872) or other loved ones try buried during the a beneficial Montgomery Township cemetery.
This new finish big date of payment is unfamiliar. This new Montgomery Township census listing 11 blacks within the 1850, 24 into the 1860, and you can 33 within the 1870. Audrey Werle’s directory lists Grier, including five most other Ebony brains out of household regarding the 1870 census. Five ones anybody, together with Grier, is actually defined as producers. When Grier died, their people proceeded to own result in Montgomery Township.
Patoka Township
Within this Patoka Township, there were most Ebony pioneers. The fresh Gibson Condition census listing forty five 100 % free blacks from inside the 1820, 53 for the 1830, and you may 137 inside the 1840. In the succeeding federal decennial censuses to own Patoka Township black colored citizens is actually detailed the following: 171 into the 1850, 209 inside 1860, and you may 312 inside the 1870.
Roundtree Payment is actually discover from the Patoka Lake. James Roundtree ‘s the term most in the this community. The guy although some oriented the brand new Black colored Connection. Afterwards if this would have to be repaired, he fought and you can claimed a case you to went to the new Indiana Finest Judge.
New payment regarding Sand hill try found below Lyles Route. Brand new Hardiman and you may Nolcox household are two early leaders of this this black colored rural area. Both parents continue to be agriculture inside the Gibson County.
Arlene Blanks Polk, good descendant from Joshua Lyles brings a short sumesake regarding Lyles Station. Within this present Outlines regarding Indiana and you can Midwestern Records blog post, she corrects the latest century-old misconception you to definitely Lyles are a slave which was freed of the a great benevolent, white grasp. As a result of criminal background and other documents, she implies that the guy belonged in order to a family of free African Us americans regarding Virginia. The household relocated to Tennessee then in order to Indiana in which Llesis listed on the 1840 Patoka Township, Gibson Condition census. Some of the Ebony brains from house which can be listed with him existed close him during the Tennessee. About Farming Schedule to possess 1850, Joshua Lyles possesses 320 miles regarding residential property that have a farm value off $five-hundred. He given house with the membership college in1864, along with 1870 the guy learn the facts here now donated home to your Flight Railway. It actually was after this time your city obtained the newest name Lyles Route. Joshua Lyles passed away around 1885, leaving an extremely rich legacy.
Look into the Gibson County provides exposed other very early African american settlement names also: Algerville Mountain, Button, and you will Walden. Significantly more studies needs to be done and see once they was basically separate communities otherwise the way they interact with the better identified settlements inside the Montgomery and you may Patoka townships.