The Shelbyville News
Saturday March 20, 1948
Page 5
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YOUR TOWN — PLEASANT VIEW
By Hortense Montgomery
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With these subjects today we finish the villages of the county before
beginning with our own city of Shelbyville. We hope we have offended no one by
what we have left out or put in. We have given credit for all we knew but we
could now tell many more nice things after the sketches have been published.
We often wonder as we pass through the village of Pleasant View how the
country looks from the windows of the homes in the village, we can quite well
imagine that it deserves the name of Pleasant View, because of its high
situation and overlooking the fine farmlands about it. It is in Moral township
on State Road 29.
It was begun as a trading post in 1835 by
Frederick Thacher, uncle of Hon. G. C. Thacher, at one time a member of the Indiana Legislature.
It was
platted July 6, 1836 by Alexander Means, one of the three Means brothers.
Mr. Thacher began his post-stage store with only a small stock of goods.
Besides being beautifully situated Pleasant View was conveniently situated on
the old Michigan Road now known as State Road 29, which was then the main artery
of travel for all this part of the country. Thus situated it was a stage station
where produce was exchanged for merchandise and it was an overnight and short
stop for travelers, it had two hotels where travelers could be accommodated, and
it had several stores and numerous shops. At one time it had a post office and a
woolen mill which created much trade. For some reason it was a favorite place
for physicians, just why we were unable to learn. There were a school, a church
and a blacksmith shop.
With the building of the railroad followed in succession by more modern means
of transportation, its importance began to wane. It has served well the needs of
a pioneer country. The large brick building along the highway which was the
school building is now used as a residence. The village still has its Baptist
church, there are two filling stations and a general store. Here or about live
the descendants of the early pioneer families of long ago, the Means,
Smiths, Pollards, Pfendlers, Dakes, Stanleys, Larrisons
and House. Mr. David
Smith, lawyer, has his office in Shelbyville, but lives in Pleasant View,
his daughter Miss Melba Smith gave up the profession of teaching for
scientific farming; near here is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Perdue,
who both have devoted their lives to better farming and rural improvements.
Contributed by Barb Huff
The Shelbyville Republican
Friday, October 21, 1898
Page 1
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CORRESPONDENCE.
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MORAL.
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The infant of Oscar
Means is very sick at this writing.
Mrs. Joe Land, sr.,
is crippled very much with a gathering on the hand.
Mrs. Jane Dake,
of this place, visited her daughter, Mrs. Sherman Gould, last
week.
Several of the Germans of
this vicinity attended the services held at Palestine Sunday.
John Perkins,
who has been home from the army on a two months furlough, has returned.
Arel, the little
son of Joe Land, is quite sick. His symptoms are
thought to be of typhoid fever.
We understand invitations
are issued for a wedding in the near future. Both parties have the best
wishes of all.
Wes Rouse,
while working on the "magnificent mansion" of Joseph Edwards
last week, fell and hurt himself severely.
Fanny Ferris,
of Shelbyville, who has been visiting relatives at this place for the last three
weeks, returned home Saturday evening.
Quite a number of our men
and boys attended the sale of Mrs. J. G. Perry last Saturday,
bringing home with them many useful articles.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam
Pfendler, sr, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Pfendler, jr, accompanied
by Mrs. Harry Means, took advantage of the excursion to
Louisville Sunday. They report a good time and a jolly dinner.
To the author of the
piece published in The Republican of recent date, concerning the township
convention, we wish to extend our greatest thanks for the remarks he made of old
Moral. We heartily agree "Moral is all right ."
Ed Pritchard,
of near London, has charge of the school at this place this season. We can
not say anything against Ed, but if he succeeds in breaking some of the pupils
of their rude ways (or break their necks) we will praise him beyond
comprehension.
CRACKER JACK.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming
Pleasant View was laid out by Alexander
Means, July 6, 1836. Surveyed the same day by John H. Messinger for said Means. Recorded
July 20th, 1836, thirty-one lots, all regular full-sized lots 4x10 rods --- forty square rods --- one-quarter acre,
Michigan State Road recorded 100 feet wide, adopted as the main or principal street. Sycamore Street is spelled
Sickamore on this plat. First addition was made September 1st, 1837, and the record fails to show by whom.
Sixty-two lots more laid off, all full lots 4x10. Michigan Road 100 feet wide platted as Main Street.
All other streets in said town twenty-four feet wide.
Pleasant View was in early times the principal town in the northwestern part of the county. The town began its existence as a trading point about the year 1835, when Frederick Thatcher moved a small stock of goods from the Means place about one-half mile east of the village. He is said to have been the first merchant in the township, and after locating at Pleasant View did a good business for some time. The town was situated on the old Michigan road, and was for many years
a stage station, where horses were changed and the weary traveler could find refreshments according to his taste.
A hotel was among the early institutions of the place, and the number was soon increased to two. Merchants
multiplied and doctors grew plenty. Among the merchants, Adamson & McDougal, Joseph Kennedy,
John Stanley, McCracken & Berry, and others, were some of the leaders. The first doctor
was a Scotchman named Hutchinson; the came Tyner, Levitt and many others. Levitt was probably
one of the leading physicians of the county. Until the building of the railroad, Pleasant View was a flourishing
country village, and gave promise of a bright future, but after the completion of the railway, it gradually declined
to its present condition. A woolen factory at one time did a flourishing business, and other small enterprises
were commenced. The present and only merchant is O. F. Mann. The post office has been
discontinued at that place, but under the same name is now at Brookfield, less than two miles away, upon the railroad.
History of Shelby County, Indiana, Chicago: Brant & Fuller, 1887, pg 450.
Pleasant View
Plat of the Town of Pleasant View – laid off on Section 14 in Township 14, North of Range 5 East & bound on the west by the North & South line dividing So. Section & on the W1/2 of the N. E. Gr. & off on a scale of ten rods to the square inch.
N.B. the course of the Michigan Road is eighty degrees North of West & one-hundred feet 3wide & all regular lots contain one fourth of an acre, being four by ten rods square. Lot NO. 10 contains twenty-five square rods of ground. Lot NO. 11 contains five, lot No. 12 contains four rods, Lot No. 13 contains twenty, Lot No. 26 contains five rods, Lot No. 25 contains thirty-two, Lot No. 28 contains eleven, Lot NO. 29 contains thirty & Lot NO. 31 contains 7 ½ rods. Walnut Street is laid out 16 ½ feet wide and Sycamore Street is laid off 24 feet wide & Main Street is on the Michigan State Road is 100 feet wide. Surveyed July 6th 1836 by John H. Messenger for Alexander Means, Proprietor.
Recorded July 20th 1836.
M. Robins, Recorder S.C. Ind.
· Sycamore Street must be the street that was not named on the plat map and runs at an angle.
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