……However, even in these early days, a hermit began to have
neighbors, and in 1809, John Paul was busy establishing his
family near the present site of Madison, having purchased
large tracts of land in this vicinity, at the public sale of land
in Jeffersonville in 1808.
Mr. Paul later named it (the town he founded), Madison, and with
the expanding purpose of making it the seat of justice of the newly
erected county, he admitted as partners in the project, two Cincinnati
pioneers, Lewis Davis and Jonathan Lyon in 1810, and in 1815 Jacob
Burnet, also of Cincinnati. * * * In 1811, John Paul and Jonathan
Lyon established the first ferry from Madison to the Kentucky shore
opposite, at Milton.i
That Harrison must have met these pioneers and become
interested in financial investments of the time is shown from
the following:
The territorial legislature sitting in Corydon in 1814 chartered two
banks. One of them to be located at Vincennes and the other at Madison.
John Paul, founder of Madison, and a hero of the George Rogers Clark
campaign, was behind the latter. The capital stock of the Madison bank
was to be $750,000. The Madison bank, called the Farmers and
Mechanics was promptly organized by John Paul, John Ritchie, Christopher
Harrison, Henry Ristine, N. Hurst and D. Blackmore.2
It may be that this association with the pioneers of Madison
explains his friendship for Jonathan Lyon, causing him in
1815 to sell his cabin to George Logan and move to Salem
with Mr. Lyon. Salem was at that time one of the most important
towns in the territory of Indiana. They brought with
them a stock of merchandise and opened one of the first dry
goods stores in the town of Salem. Harrison built the first
brick house in the town and improved upon his Hanover cabin
by building two rooms, one, however, barely large enough for
a bed. The lot was 72 by 144 feet, northeast corner of the
public square of today and now occupied by the beautiful
Salem State bank building and a large brick building, housing
the post office of the town.
neighbors, and in 1809, John Paul was busy establishing his
family near the present site of Madison, having purchased
large tracts of land in this vicinity, at the public sale of land
in Jeffersonville in 1808.
Mr. Paul later named it (the town he founded), Madison, and with
the expanding purpose of making it the seat of justice of the newly
erected county, he admitted as partners in the project, two Cincinnati
pioneers, Lewis Davis and Jonathan Lyon in 1810, and in 1815 Jacob
Burnet, also of Cincinnati. * * * In 1811, John Paul and Jonathan
Lyon established the first ferry from Madison to the Kentucky shore
opposite, at Milton.i
That Harrison must have met these pioneers and become
interested in financial investments of the time is shown from
the following:
The territorial legislature sitting in Corydon in 1814 chartered two
banks. One of them to be located at Vincennes and the other at Madison.
John Paul, founder of Madison, and a hero of the George Rogers Clark
campaign, was behind the latter. The capital stock of the Madison bank
was to be $750,000. The Madison bank, called the Farmers and
Mechanics was promptly organized by John Paul, John Ritchie, Christopher
Harrison, Henry Ristine, N. Hurst and D. Blackmore.2
It may be that this association with the pioneers of Madison
explains his friendship for Jonathan Lyon, causing him in
1815 to sell his cabin to George Logan and move to Salem
with Mr. Lyon. Salem was at that time one of the most important
towns in the territory of Indiana. They brought with
them a stock of merchandise and opened one of the first dry
goods stores in the town of Salem. Harrison built the first
brick house in the town and improved upon his Hanover cabin
by building two rooms, one, however, barely large enough for
a bed. The lot was 72 by 144 feet, northeast corner of the
public square of today and now occupied by the beautiful
Salem State bank building and a large brick building, housing
the post office of the town.
I am researching my ggg grandmother Ruth Todd Grover who was reported to be the niece of John Paul and I came across this article. Ruth married John Sering who appears to have been the Secretary (or Cashier) of Farmers and Mechanics Bank of Indiana (I found a certificate of shares in Farmers and Mechanics Bank signed by John Paul as President and by John Sering as Cashier [aka Secretary]).
Just trying to make the connection of Ruth Todd Grover Sering and John Sering to John Paul.
Anyone that has information, please contact me at cathyvall@cox.net.
Thanks and thank you carolynjoy for publishing the information about John Paul.
Cathy,
I’m glad you found something useful here. I’m curious – how did you come across the article I posted? I am just amazed at how many people are finding the Paul site because I just started it two weeks ago.
Carolyn