Lick Creek History

By: Author Unknown

The first African American settlers came to Orange
County, Indiana before 1820. Led by Jonathan Lindley,
eleven families traveled with a group of sympathetic
Quakers in search of a new land which forbade slavery.
Jonathan Lindley settled in Orange County in 1811, five
years before the County was established and Indiana
became a state.

These settlers were free citizens who fled racial
persecution and increasingly restrictive laws for free
blacks in their previous home in North Carolina.
Traveling with the Quakers offered some protection on
their journey and the promise of supportive neighbors
upon their arrival.

Initially, the Quakers sold these families 200 hundred
acres of land north of Chambersburg which they cleared
and farmed. According to the 1820 census records, at
that time there were 96 blacks living in Orange County.
As more blacks came in to the area they purchased land
from the United States of
American (patented).

The first African Americans to purchase land in the
Lick Creek area were Benjamin Roberts, Peter Lindley,
and Elias Roberts all in 1832. By 1855, the settlement
reached its maximum size of 1,557 acres. (For more
information on the settlement and research to
investigate it see the Bedford Times Mail article
"Digging up History" of June 11, 2000)

One of the few sources of information on the residents
of Lick Creek settlement comes from their freedom
papers filed in the County Courthouse. When the slave
trade ended, the practice of kidnapping free blacks and
selling them into slavery in Kentucky became prevelant.
Once kidnapped, the free blacks had little recourse.
There is also a County Register of 1853 which Indiana
law required of all negroes and mullatos. A physical
description, often including distinguishing marks, is
listed and statements by white witnesses vouching for
the registrants free status and character.

Many volunteer efforts throughout the years have helped
maintain the Thomas and Roberts family cemetery near
the site of the former AME Church. There are at least
14 marked headstones. Burials occurred between
1856-1891.

According to early histories, Chambersburg was a
station on the underground railroad. Apparently it was
the first stop north of the Ohio River. The Quakers in
the area were instrumental in this effort and the
Lindley House may have been this station.

At the end of the Civil War, the population at Lick
Creek began to sharply decline and by the early 1900's
the African Americans were gone. In fact, many left in
the year 1862. Why they left is still somewhat of a
mystery. Several factors probably contributed to this
decline. The war was in progress, a boom of industry
occurred in nearby cities, and racial pressure was
increasing with the establishment of anti-black
organizations. The last resident of Lick Creek
Settlement was William Thomas who sold his land in
1902.

After the black landowners left the area, the land was
purchased by white neighbors who continued farming
until they were unable to pay their taxes. Many lost
their land in the 1930's. This area is now part of the
Hoosier National Forest and is the focus of ongoing
archaeological research.

Horseback Riding Article Source: http://www.smallbusinessadvertisingarticles.com/horsebackridingarticles

If you have first-hand experience with this trail riding venue we encourage you to post your article here. Tell us what's good and bad, any pointers, directions, parking or camping information and be sure to say which trails you like. Articles can be easily posted using the "Submit Articles" link on the left of every page. There is no

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated