History  of  Addison  Twp
Addison Twp, Shelby Co, IN: Township 12, 13 North - Range 6, 7 East
per Plat Directory distributed by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, 1997.

THE  SHELBY  DEMOCRAT
July 18, 1895
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BUGABOO.
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Special Correspondence to the Democrat.
              BUGABOO, Ind., July 15, 1895.
          Wheat thresing in this locality is nearly completed.
          Mr. Webb and wife are the guests of Mr. Tenant and family.
          Lon Brown, who was kicked by a horse is slowly improving.
          A social was given at the home of Tobe Worland on Saturday night.
          The Thompson Sunday school appointed there teachers on last Sunday.
          George Miller was struck by a scantling falling from the loft of a barn and badly hurt.
          A large number of people attended services at Mt. Pisgah, conducted by Rev. Hughes Sunday eve.
          Ask Will Shadley why he drives west every Sunday evening to charm the heart of some sweet --- "Tot?"
          Miss Ethel Harney is prepared to give music lessons on the organ.  Miss Ethel is a fine musician and all wishing to take music lessons should give her a call.
          A lecture will be given Sunday morning at Mt. Pisgah by Prof. Reed the subject:  "Destiny of Man" also a lecture Sunday night by Dr. Carney, subject, "Ministry."  Everybody invited.
          A number of friends spent Sunday with Frank and Lida Reed.  A grand time was had.  Among the guests were  Vanarsdal, of Shelbyville, and  Willie Sleeth, of Pleasant Hill.
          Edgar Hatfield has been suffering severely from heart trouble.  He thinks of taking treatment from Dr. Griffin in Greenfield.  Ed's first attack was at a party about three weeks ago.
VAN.  
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The first settlement made in Addison Township, was in the northwest corner long known as the "Wray Settlement." The pioneers of that neighborhood were:
Rev. James Wray
Isaac and James Templeton
Samuel and John Nail
Zeboniah Stubbs
James Montgomery
Zebedee and Barnabas Wray
These were all native North Carolinians.
Copied by Judith Lucero
History of Shelby County, Indiana, Chicago, Brant and Fuller, 1887, page 303


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          Addison, the largest of the townships, is in the center of Shelby County, and in it Shelbyville, the capital, is situated. It is bounded on the north by Brandywine and Marion Townships, on the east by Union and Liberty, on the south by Noble and Washington, and on the west by Brandywine and Hendricks Townships. In extent it is seven miles from east to west, and eight miles from north to south. The Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad, and the Jefferson, Madison & Indianapolis Railroad, pass through Addison Township, and there are four railroad stations and two postoffices.  There are fine gravel roads in every direction, and no less than fifteen center in Shelbyville. There are thirteen churches in Addison and nineteen schools; eleven of the schoolhouses are of brick, and the graded school of Shelbyville, under the able management of Prof. R.S. Page, has a deservedly high reputation.
          Prescott, the only other town besides Shelbyville, is a station on the Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad, and has several stores and a post office.
          Shelbyville is peculiar for its popularity throughout the county. Its streets often present an appearance of crowding and bustle and thrift equal to a large city. The demand for houses is greater than the supply. In railroad, telegraphic, post office and gas facilities, and in protection against fire, as well as in advantages of access by fine roads, and the pleasures of driving amid pleasant landscape, Shelbyville stands second to no place of its size anywhere. The streets are graded, graveled, smooth as a floor, thoroughly drained, and fringed with shade trees. Among public buildings, the Court House, Blessing's Opera Hall, Ray House, First National and Shelby Banks, Exchange Block, Sylvan B. Morris', Deprez's, Joseph Levinson's, stand foremost. Of private residences the following are the most beautiful:
George C. Thatcher's,
Frank C. Sheldon,
Dr. William G. McFadden,
John Elliott,
John Blessing,
D.J. Shaw,
Judge K.M. Hord,
Isom Wray,
Mrs. A. Blair.
Among the best farms in the township may be named:  Those of
George Senour,
Leonidas Gordon,
Isom Wray,
Alfred Major,
John Shaw,
Thomas Francis,
Christopher Houston,
Milton Barger,
Samuel Montgomery,
Joseph Kennerly,
Matthew Wright,
Guy Johnson,
Thomas Goodrich,
John Robinson,
Milton Jeffras,
Nathaniel Thompson,
Samuel Hamilton,
Charles Muchmore,
Thomas Duvoll,
William Henry,
John Wheeler,
William A. Moore,
James, Robert and
Charles Clark.
In the northwestern corner of the township there is an interesting neighborhood, called "the Wray Settlement," and in early days familiarly known as "Carolina".  This was probably the first settlement in the territory of Addison township. The pioneers of that neighborhood were the Rev. James Wray, father of Isom Wray, Isaac and James Templeton,  Samuel and John Nail, Seboniah Stubbs, James Montgomery, Zebedee and Barnabas Wray.
Atlas of Shelby Co., Indiana, Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co, 1880, page 13.


SHELBY  UNION  BANNER
April 14, 1864, page 3, col 2
Township Elections -- Official.
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ADDISON TOWNSHIP.
Trustee.
          Union                Copperhead       
Thos. H. Fleming...423 Isaac H. Wilson...354
Justice.
William Hacker.....428 James Fix.........349
Constables.
Jas. C. Morrison...430 Wyatt Barnes......332
Wm. Davie..........428 James L. Capp.....331
J. Hollingsworth...421 John Worland......337
Columbia Stafford..418 Mat. Deitzer......343



THE  NATIONAL  VOLUNTEER
SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA
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April 6, 1854
          Democrat delegates from Addison Twp. to attend the State Convention.
James Elliott ~ ~ ~ J. Faivre ~ ~ ~ William Farrell
J. W. Ballard ~ ~ ~ J. Bennett ~ ~ ~ James Smith
J. W. Sleeth ~ ~ ~ S. Kirk ~ ~ ~ Isaac H. Wilson
D. Thacher ~ ~ ~ P. Murphy ~ ~ ~ H. Dobbins
B. Coats ~ ~ ~ D. Ulrey ~ ~ ~ G. W. Laingor
J. Milleson ~ ~ ~ W. Jackson ~ ~ ~ Thomas Byerley
S. McKinnsey ~ ~ ~ E. M. Wilson ~ ~ ~ Jacob Vernon
Z. Ray ~ ~ ~ A. Miller ~ ~ ~ A.G. Selman
J. Maholm ~ ~ ~ Daniel A. Snyder ~ ~ ~ T. A. McFarland
Samuel Montgomery ~ ~ ~ Godfrey D. Sindlinger
Abstracted by Maurice Holmes, in his book Shelbyville, Indiana, Newspaper Excerpts: 1853-1859.  Submitted by Sherry Badgley Ryan, with permission from the author.

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