Early settlement records for this area show that George Shultz and William Johnson bought land in the area of West Salem in 1824. Hiram Alexander and Levi Meafield settled in 1825, followed by Jacob Bullen in 1826 and Jacob Seachrist in 1829.

     Postal records show West Salem having the first post office in the area. It was established March 24, 1848 with Jacob Secrest, formerly Seachrist, as the first postmaster.

     Jacob Bullen was the proprietor when the town was platted, May 30, 1849. It consisted of eight blocks of two lots each on Cross and Main Streets. In 1855, records show the town had a store and a blacksmith. The same year the post office changed to Graysville, which was to become the area of Sheasville-Alaska. By 1874 none of the land owners previously mentioned were listed in the Ashland Township Directory.

     Araminta July Ann Carpenter Ford bought the land, and what was left of the town, from Jeremiah Davis in 1875. As a child she is reputed to have survived an indian attack in which she was scalped, ever after she wore a cap or bonnet. Her parents were killed in the attack. A bear attacked her and her sister Sarah in Switzerland County, Indiana shortly after moving there from Kentucky.

     She moved to Morgan County with her husband from Bartholomew County where they had sold their 157 acres. They were reported to be "set in their ways." George was raised a northern Mormon. Araminta's parents and grandparents were from the south, didn't like Mormon customs, and they differed strongly in their views during the Civil War. They were divorced in 1871.

     The land was deeded to her daughter, Eliza Jane Cooper, in 1892. She lived in the house until 1935. Eliza's husband, William Cooper, was a wagon maker, together they had seven children.

     Other town names in the area are Graysville, Sheasville, Lewisville, and Alaska which had a post office until 1909.

POTTORFF, W.A., farmer, born in Kentucky, 1817. POTTORFF, G.S., farmer and carpenter, born in Kentucky, 1852. SECREST, THOMAS, farmer, born in Indiana, 1837. SANDY, WILLIAM, H., farmer, born in North Carolina, 1805

STIERWALT, MICHAEL, farmer, born in Indiana, 1821. STIERWALT, J.F., farmer, born in Indiana, 1834. STIERWALT, J.M., farmer, born in Indiana, 1846.

BIOGRAPHIES

MICHAEL STIERWALT was born December 3, 1821 in Washington County, Indiana. The oldest of eleven children, with John and Elizabeth (Sandy) Stierwalt from North Carolina as parents, and of German decent. Mr. Stierwalt moved to the community of area of West Salem in 1855 with his wife, the former Adaline Guy, and their eight children. In 1860 he was elected Assessor and served three terms. He also served as Township Trustee from 1876 and was re-elected in 1878 and 1882.

WILLIAM H. SANDY was born in North Carolina in 1805. By 1810 he had emigrated with his family to Washington County, Indiana and moved to Owen County by 1812. He married Lucinda (Thompson) and settled near Gosport by 1830. In 1852 they moved to Morgan County and Ashland Township where he remained. Mr. and Mrs. Sandy raised eleven children.

The Salem School taught grades 1 - 8 as did most of the area schools, and was open at least until 1928. In 1949 the township consolidated with Eminence School and the small schoolhouses closed shortly thereafter.      Eminence Consolidated School serves Ashland Township today and has approximately 460 students in grades K - 12.