GREENE COUNTY
HISTORY
This county, which was named
in honor of Gen. Nathaniel Greene, was organized in 1821. The county
seat was first located at Burlington, but was afterwards removed to
Bloomfield. The county has a population of about 26,000, and there is
every reason to suppose that it will be nearly, if not quite, doubled
in the next decade.
The resources of the county are excellent. The soil is good, and there
is an abundance of coal, iron ore, and limestone. The coal and iron are
easily mined, and exist in great quantities. Extensive business
interests will, undoubtedly, spring up out of the mineral resources of
this county, which will be fully developed in the course of the next
five or ten years. The extensive coal fields only await increased
facilities for transportation.
Bloomfield is the county seat, and is in a flourishing condition. The
public buildings are in good order. Good schools and school
buildings exist in every quarter, with a few exceptions, and the
religious societies represented have all substantial houses of worsnip.
The first settlers of the county were John Van Yorst and Daniel Carlin,
who came in the spring of 1818. In November of the same year, Peter C.
Vanslyker, Sen., and his son, Cornelius P., came with their families.
In the spring of 1819, James Warwick, R. Hill, Thomas Bradford, W.
Robinson, and William Scott settled near the others. In 1819, the
Indians who resided in the county, departed for their western homes.
They bid an affectionate adieu to the graves of their forefathers, and
to their favorite hunting grounds. The scene was an impressive one, and
was long remembered by the settlers of that year.
Worthington, in this county, is also a very lively town. The White
River Valley Times is published at this place. The town has unusual
commercial advantages, and is destined to become a prominent business
centre.
