HISTORY OF GREENVILLE
The first settler in Greenville was Andrew Mundall, a schoolteacher from Kentucky. Following the old Indian Trail in 1806 he settled on 160 acres of land, upon part of which the town now stands. Shortly afterwards, Benjamin Haines purchased adjoining property, and in May 1816 they became partners and laid out the village.
It was laid out in a parallelogram straddling what was later called the Paoli Turnpike. There was a public square in the center and a street, appropriately named Cross Street. The territory at this time was a part of Clarke County.
Indiana became a state in 1816 with Corydon as the state capital. Parts of Harrison and Clarke Counties were taken to form Floyd County in 1819. Greenville Township, one of three in Floyd County, was also established at that time. The next move was to select the county seat. Greenville and New Albany, then being equal in size and population, rivaled for the honor. The chances were evenly balanced, leaning a little toward Greenville as it was the more centrally located of the two. Finally, New Albany won out by offering more money and donating a bell for the court house.
The authors of History of the Ohio Falls Counties summarize:
"How different might have been the fate of Greenville had her citizens put up a few more paltry dollars against the seductive charms of a new bell. Instead of being an insignificant town, unsought, unhonored, and almost unknown, it might now be a flourishing commercial city... But it is as it is; and, though its people may have heaved a sigh occasionally over what 'might have been'... its people now seem entirely satisfied with a very pretty town in a very healthy location..."
1920 Movies shown in Odd Fellow's and Masons' Lodge building by Harry Hurrle of Borden
1930 The Redmen (Pocahontas) sponsored Memorial Day Parades from Lodge to Greenlawn Cemetery
1945 Greenville PTA established
1945 Greenville Volunteer Fire Department organized - 1st chief, Bernie Leuthart - 2nd chief, Harry Willian
1949 Fireman's First Fish Fry (June)
Ladies Auxiliary Lois Boaz, First President
1958 Vernon Clark, Dale Schamel, and Vernon McKown gave ground to Town to open Clark St. from Christian Church to Pekin Rd.
1958 Greenville Playground established on Greenville Elementary School Grounds - Judy (Hartfield) Scott and Charles (Buddy) Miller were 1st leaders (June 15}
1961 Greenville Order of Eastern Star instituted
1962 Scout Troop #139 established (Dec. 31)
1964 Greenville Park - 14 acres purchased by Greenville Progressive Association, a newly formed organization of five men: Gladden Boaz, Robert E. Evans, Carl Kiesler, Louis Shrewsbury, and Park (Jack) Warren (Sept.)
1964 Greenville Water Utility established - Farnsley Burkhart, Supt. (Nov.)
1967 Floyd Co. Dept. of Parks & Recreation bought Greenville Park
1967 Dedication of new Post Office - Hilda Miller, Post Mistress (May 21)
1967 Noble Miller's fire - started from welding spark igniting gasoline in open can (May 31)
1967 First fireworks display - presented by Greenville Park Board in cooperation with Greenville Vol. Fire Dept.
1968 First Mr. & Junior Miss Greenville Contest - open to all residents of Greenville ages 5-10
1968 Fourth of July Parade - first in 45 years - sponsored by Greenville Park Board - organized by Vickie Warren and Elaine Evans.
1968 Senior Citizens Club organized under direction of Rev. Ray Bradley, assisted by Wanda Werncke and Dorothy Krupski (July 17)
1969 Greenville Flag - contest sponsored by Greenville Park Board - won by Glenn Burkhart, age 11
1975 Optimist Club - Sept. 8, 1975 Lucien Dean First President
1977 Greenville Water Utility hook-up with Ramsey Water Utility-Gary Getrost. Supt. (July)
1979 Greenville Town Hall and Water Utility building erected.
1979 Parade and Dedication of Town Hall & Water Utility Office
THIS AND THAT
May 1892 There was a levy of 20C on the $100.00 valuation of taxable property in the limits of the corporate town.
July 1892 The Marshal Henry Morris refused to collect the taxes and presented his resignation.
Feb. 1983 Hon. I. P. Leydon Town Lawyer & Toll Keeper.
April 1893 H. H. Sigler was appointed inspector of the May election.
Aug. 1894 Town Officers & Salary - Board of 3 Trustees Salary $6.00 each a year:
Clerk $6.00 each a year
Treasurer $6.00 each a year
Town Attorney $6.00 each a year
Town Marshal shall be allowed $1.50 a day for working the roads, streets and alleys. For collecting taxes he shall receive 10%. For collecting Saloon license he shall receive 5%. For all other license he shall receive 5%.
Cemetery Sexton $3.00 per year and $1.00 per day for cleaning cemetary.
Bond for Treasurer and Marshal $500.00 each.
Oct. 1894 Town purchased from W. Brown & Son one wood pump.
Apr. 1895 C. W. Hample - Town Attorney
$5.00 appropriated as a part payment on Toll bill.
May 1895 R. S. Davis - Town Attorney.
May 1895 Clerk ordered to notify all persons owing for lots in Greenville Cemetery to pay for the same within ninety days or vacate said lots.
Apr. 1896 The clerk was ordered to notify the Saloon keepers that if their license was not paid they would proceed against them -Frank Goss and Henry Stiele took license for 1 year.
1898 Citizens asked to help construct a walk to begin from Main Cross St. to the tollgate, made of gravel and plank.
1898 Pland road Company Toll for hauling 92 loads of gravel $9.20.
1899 Frank Goss - 14 meals at 35C a meal for election Board #4.90.
1899 Dr. W.R. Williams elected Secretary of the Board of Health of Greenville salary $10.00 per year.
1901 Passed an ordinance forbidding persons from watering stock near or upon platform of any public well. A trough to be set 10 ft. away from platform for watering purposes.
1901 Board Meeting held at R. S. Davis Confectionary.
1901 Paid John P. Martin $1.98 for 132 ft. of oak lumber.
1902 Paid Janes E. Dodge $1.40 for coal oil furnished for 4 years at 35 cents a year.
1905
Town paid $5.00 for a pump to put in the well in front of Compton's lot
in Possum Holler.
1906 Jefferson T. McKown elected Treas.
1906
Charles Amos Wells - Marshal ordered to repair board walk between McKown
residence and Collins Flour Mill.
1907 To New Albany Paoli Turnpike Co. Toll on 116 load of gravel at 10C a wagon $11.60.
1908 Marshal ordered all cellars on burned property fenced.
1908
An ordinance to replace and abolish the office of School Trustee and
control of the school of the incorporated Town of Greenville, Ind. To be turned
over to the Greenville Twp.
1909 James M. Davis elected Sec. of Board of Health.
1909
Town purchased coal oil street lamps at the cost of $32.00. The Town
to
furnish oil for lamps and a boy to lite them at $1.00 per month. Dec.
1911 2 gal oil 20*.
1910
(1) An ordinance was ordered to stop all fast driving and auto riding
within town limits.
(2) An Ordinance to stop all games on public highway and all ball games on Sunday within the town limits.
1914 The Marshal ordered to put up two signs, 4 ft. long, one at each end of
Town to notify automobile drivers that the speed limit be 8 miles per. hour.
Source of Information
Simpson Memorial United Methodist - Ailene Travillian History of the Ohio Falls
Cities and Their Counties - L.A. Williams & Co. 1882 Vol. II
I would like to thank all the people who supplied names and dates of the different organizations.
This is you town be proud of it.
Mayola Evans Carmen Willian
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