"Morgan county is located near the geographical centre of the State, and contains about 291,800 acres of land, and is watered by White river, White Lick creek, Mud creek, Big Indian creek, Stott's creek, Clear creek, Burnett's creek, Rhodes' creek, Mill creek, and other smaller streams. There is a considerable portion of this county rough and broken, especially along the White river, where the land is not very profitable for grain growing, but is well adapted for the production of fruit, such as apples, peaches, pears. About one-third of the county is bottom land. The soil in this section is a sandy loam, very rich and productive. The county is splendidly timbered. The principal kinds are poplar, walnut, white oak, hickory, beech, sugar tree, etc.

     Morgan county was organized in 1823 [1822-smc], and named in honor of General Daniel Morgan. The first county election was in a log house, owned by Mr. Stotts. The house was built in the year 1819, about one and a half miles west of Waverley. It was, probably, the first house built in the county. The first settlers came to the county, probably, in 1818. Mr. Phillip Hodge purchased land and settled in the county in 1818. Mrs. Rebecca Douglas settled among the Indians, in Morgan county, in 1817, but the first general settlement may be set down in 1819, when, among others, Robert C. Stotts, Hiram T. Craig, James Laughlen, James Stotts, Nathan Laughlen, and W. M. Offield, settled in what is now called Harrison township. Among the settlers who immediately followed these, and who have endured all the privations of pioneer life, were the families of the Hodges, Samuel Moore, Judge Hiram Reynolds, George H. Buler, G. A. Phelps, Mr. McCrakens, Benjamin Cutberth, Reuben Claypool, Ales, and Thomas J. Worth, Daniel Thornberg, Jack Record, John Bray, Madison Hadley, Richard Hadley, Benjamin Stafford, and Rebecca Blank [Blunk-smc]. The latter is now a citizen of Clay township. She was one of the first settlers, and is the oldest person in the county, and one-of the oldest ladies in the State. She was born in Richmond, Va., in the year 1768, and is nearly one hundred and seven years old. She remembers Daniel Boone, and has participated in some of his deeds of daring on the borders of Kentucky.

     Martinsville, located near the centre of the county, is the county seat. It has now a population of nearly two thousand, and is the largest town in the county. Mooresville is the next largest town, and has a population of nearly sixteen hundred. The founder of this place, who is well known to the people of the State, is still an active citizen. The county is well supplied with good schools and churches. There have been great improvements made in this direction during the last five years. The public improvements of the county are in advance of some other counties.

     This is a good agricultural county. It has 133,615 acres of improved land, producing annually 330,000 bushels of wheat, 6,500 bushels of rye, 1,190,000 bushels of Indian corn, 65,000 bushels of potatoes, 229,355 pounds of butter about 10,000 tons of hay, and over 60,000 pounds of wool, besides thousands of dollars' worth of vegetables. The value of improved land in the county is $9,000,000. The raising of live stock is a profitable pursuit in this county. The farmers are a thrifty class of people, distinguishing themselves by their industry and their love for public improvements. "