Salt Creek Township

Salt Creek Township 1

Salt Creek Township is located in the southeast section of Monroe County. It primarily consists of farms and forests. The township was formally incorporated in 1825.

There are currently two settlements in the township: Knight Ridge and Woodville Hills.

In 1857, James Fleener laid out 18 lots on Section 21, Township 8 north, Range 1 east, and named it Friendship. Friendship Road and Friendship Cemetery still remain in that area.

Moses Williams was the first American landowner in the township, buying 160 acres in 1817. He expanded his holdings in 1820, 1821, and 1824.

Other early landowners included:

• Lowe and Lee, 120 acres on Section 10, in 1818.
• Elisha Pollard, two quarters on Section 18 in 1820, and others
• John Huff, Section 22, 1820 and section 27, 1821?
• Henry Wampler, Section 23 and 27, 1821?
• James Matlock, section 27, 1822
• John W. Lee, Section 11, 1824
• J. O. Howe, Sections 2 and 12
• John Barnes, section 10

Salt

Numerous salt springs upon the Salt Creek were made use of by deer. Salt was rare and costly in the early 19th century, and some settlers managed a business of evaporating the water and producing salt. Henry Wampler, Thomas Literal, and others began a salt works at a briny area on Section 12, Township 8 north, Range 1 east. The works consisted primarily of some shanties and some iron kettles, but were able to produce more than 800 bushels of salt a year. In the early nineteenth century, the saltworks owners petitioned the county government to build a road to their works; when built, it was the first county road.

Source: Counties of Morgan, Monroe and Brown, Indiana.