Warren County (Indiana) Atlas

Have you used plat map books? We often use these books to locate a farmstead in a county. But, have you ever found a biography in one of those books of plat maps? The 1877 Warren County (Indiana) Atlas contains some short biographies along with some photographs of both individuals and homesteads. While I have photocopies of pages from this atlas, a digitized version is available on the Indiana Memory website.

While these biographies do not begin to cover the entire population of the county, I am fortunate that a biography of Zebulon Foster is found on page 27.

Zebulon Foster, Pike Township, was born in Pike County, Ohio, August 19, 1808. Mr. Foster settled in Warren County at an early day, locating in Pike Township, his present home. Mr. Foster and Miss Caroline Ostrander were united in marriage February 14, 1833. There were born u nto them Edward, Rachel (now Mrs. W. B. Crider), Eliza (now Mrs. G. T. Bell), Mary (now Mrs. Warren Crawford), William F. and Harriet (now Mrs. J. J. Fleming). Mrs Foster died June 3, 1871. Mr. Foster married, for his second wife, Mrs. Juliette Russell, August 30, 1876, with whom he now lives in good comfortable circumstances in their home, on the land entered by him in the year 1828, a tract of 400 acres. In church relation Mr. Foster is a zealous Methodist, and has been for over forty years.

Also in the atlas are portraits of various citizens including Zebulon and his second wife, Juliette.

The atlas also includes drawings of various farmsteads with Zebulon Foster’s home being one of those featured.

Since Warren County, Indiana is where my great-great grandmother, Mary Foster, met and married my great-great grandfather, Washington Marion Crawford, I can also find information about my Crawford family in the atlas. This includes a biography of Washington Marion’s father, Nelson G. Crawford, Nelson’s portrait and a drawing of the farmstead passed down by Nelson to his oldest son, James H. Crawford.

Nelson G. Crawford, deceased, of Washington Township, was born in Preble County, Ohio, October 17, 1808; settled in Warren County, Indiana in 1829, and commenced the business of farming. On September 3, 1833, Mr. Crawford and Miss Martha Smith were joined in marriage, the fruits of which union were the following named children: James H., William C., Washington M., Mary E., Sarah A. and Corlia C. Crawford.

Mr. Crawford located and improved a farm in Section 8, commencing in 1832, and lived upon the same until his death which occurred March 21, 1864. He held positions of trust in his township, was a thorough business man, never having trouble of any kind with his neighbors. He gave each child one thousand dollars at the marriage and accumulated enough to own, at his death, 750 acres of land. He enjoyed the respect and confidence of his neighbors and died regretted by all who knew him. A view of the homestead will be seen in the Atlas.