In the year 1832 Joseph Martin came to Clark County and settled on section 7 of town 10 and built a house on the National Road, which at that time was in the process of construction.1 He was a native of Ohio and a man of no particular enterprise and drifted to this point without any definite motive. The land where he settled had originally been entered by John Chancellor, who subsequently sold it to Amos Potts. Martin purchased the land in about the year 1833. A short time afterward Joshua Cooper, with some genius for speculation, suggested to Martin the plan of platting a village on part of the property which was done in the year 1833 under some arrangement of partnership by the two men. The platting of the town attracted a small settlement, the out-growth of which was the erection of a little log cabin where a small stock of groceries and more whiskey, were offered for sale. This little store, or gin-shop rather, was started by Fitch & Redman and was the general rendezvous of the entire neighborhood. The community which early gathered here, consisted largely of a floating class of people whose practices gave the place a very unsavory reputation. The people were cheifly characterized by their dissolute habits, and general lack of thrift. Sunday was especially devoted to horse-racing and carousing, a system of things which continued to characterize the place for several years. In the year 1836, John Stockwell and a Mr. Chenoweth came from Darwin and moved a stock of goods into the little cabin that had been used by Redman & Fitch for a grocery. About the same time Willis Doughetee commenced the erection of a frame building near the central part of the town, for the purpose of engaging in the mercantile business, but sold the house to Stockwell & Chenoweth before it's completion, who transferred their stock to it.1 **To be continued**

Notes & Sources:
W. H. Perrin, History of Crawford and Clark Counties, O. L. Baskin & Co., 1883 Transcribed by L. K Ortman