Hanover Township is bounded on the north by Hancock County, on the east by Rush County, on these south by Union and Marion Townships, and on the west by Van Buren Township. In size it is five miles square. The first settlers were:

Joshua Wilson
Richard Tyner
James Griffin
Josiah Glover
William Johnson
Resin Davis
Seth M. Cole
David Calken
James VanArsdell
Eli Lucas
William Smith
John Carmony
Nathan Young
Lewis Johnson
William and Augustus C. Handy
William Wolf
Dr. David Seth McGaughey
James T. Reid
James Tyner
G. Spurrier
Jonathan and Thomas Swain
Paris C. Talbert
William Montgomery
Joseph and John Davis
Maj. Ashbel Stone
Joshua Holding
Lathrop Francis
Rev. Samuel Morrison
Alexander Rittenhouse
Joseph Adams
Chauncey Butler, Jr.
Jacob Fouts
Henry Buck
Thomas Tyner
Andrew Woodyard
Geroge G. Righter
Dr. David Tracy
Moses Kitchell
Isaac Adams
William Dyer
James and Thomas Phillips
Ira Bailey

          There are three towns in this township, Morristown, Freeport and Hanover; two mills, Hanover and Wolfe's; two post offices; two railroad statoins; eight churhes; eight school districts, ten school buildings with a large surplus school fund,and not a pauper in the township.
          As early as 1819, two settlers arrived here from the neighborhood of Brookville and began clearing away the dense forest. They were Joseph Hewitt and Firman Smith. It is highly probable that theirs were the earliest improvements in the territory now occupied by Hanover Township. The first four-wheeled wagon of which any trace can be found in Shelby County, was owned by one of those pioneers, Joseph Hewitt. The first church organized was of the Baptist denomination, and was presided over by Elder Benjamin. There must have been considerable thirst for learning among the early settlers of this vicinity. It seems that they were not content to sink into intellectual inactivity, and have their children grow up in ignorance. A night school was begun by Levi Young and Moses Kitchell. Here the children of the pioneers received the rudiments of an education.  As tallow candles were an article of luxury and extravagance in those times, the school children during the day prepared the light-wood, by the blaze of which they were to receive their lessons in the evening. The first schoolhouse was erected in 1823; it was known as "Old Union," and situated near the home of Jonathan Johnson. The first teacher who taught in it was John M. Wilson, from Connersville, a man of superior abilities for his vocation. Dr. Alexander Brown,  William Handy, Dr. James M. Adams, were among his successors.
          A group of New England families settled here soon after immigration began, in what is still known as the "Yankee Settlement," and one of the most beautiful localities in the entire West.  The lands of Hanover were entered rapidly. Many of the settlers came with means to start on, and for years this part of the county was in advance in respect to culture and improvements.  The surface of the county is gently undulating. The soil in the river bottoms is rich moamy, and even upon the uplands the poplar and walnut timber indicate a superior soil. The township is well watered; Big Blue River flows through it from north to south, and there are a number of other smaller streams. Many beautiful springs of limestone water are found here. The roads are excellent, among them three of the best pikes in the State. Some of the citizens have taken great pains in raising fine stock; of these, Calvin Kinsley, Hiram Cole, and Wiram Woodyard merit particular mention.
          Morristown was the thrid town organized in the country. It was laid off May 3, 1838, by Rezin Davis and Samuel Morrison, and has from the start been a place of considerable importance.  It was named by Mrs. Nancy Davis, a noted person among the early settlers, in honor of the Rev. S. Morrison, a well-known pioneer preacher of this region. A curious old tradition has fastened itself to the hill in the center of Morristown. It is said that a treasure was concealed there ages ago by the aborigines. For many years, even as late as twenty years ago, Indians have been known to come and linger around the spot, encamping for weeks and weeks, and loath to take their departure. There is a good graded school here; a Methodist Protestant Church; a post office; a station of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis Railroad; ten stores; a tavern, and a large and lucrative grain trade. A medical society has been maintained here for a long time, by an interesting cluster of physicians. Its present members are: Dr. D.S. McGaughey, who came here in 1836; Dr. J.G. Wolfe, who was formerly clerk of the county, and Dr. George McGaughey. Dr. O.F. Fitch, a veteran educator, who has made the science of astronomy a specialty, and owns one of the largest telescopes in Indiana, resides here. Father Ship, an aged and venerable minister of the Methodist Protestant Church, and an early settler, is one of the interesting links with the past.
          Freeport, on the pike from Shelbyville to Morristown, has a post office, store, woolen-mill, saw-mill, school and church.  Hanovertown was formerly a station of the now defunct Knightstown and Edinbugh Railroad but has at present merely a group of residences, a church and a schoolhouse.
From the Atlas of Shelby Co., Indiana, Chicago:   J.H. Beers & Co, 1880.

SHELBY  UNION  BANNER
April 14, 1864, page 3, col 2
Township Elections -- Official.
____

HANOVER.
Union.                                                        Copperhead
Trustee.
W. W. Woodyard.....133  David Kemp.........89
Justice.
Samuel Engle.......120  A. P. Wortman......94
Constable.
Geo. W. Anderson...118  John Carter........92
George Meredith....115  Jas. B. Spurrier...94

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