Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Counties of Warren, BENTON, Jasper and Newton, Indiana; historical and biographical. by Ed. A. Mossman pub. F. A. Battey & Co., Chicago, 1883 [213-214] GENERAL COUNTY MATTERS. PHYSICAL FEATURES BENTON COUNTY consists of a broad expanse of gently undulating prairie, unbroken, except by a few groves, the largest of which are but a few miles in extent. It is situated in the eastern part of what is commonly denominated the Grand Prairie, which extends far to the westward, and embraces a large portion of the States of Indiana and Illinois. Many parts were originally very wet, but a system of drainage has been adopted, which will ulti- mately result in bringing nearly all the surface into cultivation. Pine Creek is the only stream worthy of mention. It runs souther- ly, and empties its waters into the Wabash River. The northern portion of the county is watered by tributaries of the Iroquois River. The county is excellently adapted to grazing, and some of the finest droves of cattle produced in the West are annually ship- ped from this county to the Eastern markets. About the year 1875, or perhaps a little earlier, tile-draining was begun in the county, and it was found to enhance the productiveness of the soil to such an extent as to more than meet the expectations of the most san- guine advocates of this system of drainage. Portions of the county, and especially the southwestern portion, are still quite wet. There probably is not, however, an acre of ground in the county that is so wet as to be unfit for cultivation after it shall have been drained as well as circumstances will admit of. Of the groves that have been alluded to, the principal ones are White Oak, Parish, Hickory, Sumner's (formerly Sugar), Denton's and McConnell's. Mt. Gilboa and Mt. Nebo are probably the highest points of land in the county, the former, which is situated in the township of the same name, being about eighty feet higher than the surrounding prairie. A splendid view of the surrounding country, for a distance of fifteen miles, can be had from its summit. THE SOIL Throughout the greater portion of the county, the soil is a rich black loam; although there are portions of the county in which the soil is a light clay, well adapted to the raising of wheat. The best wheat land to be found in the county is in the vicinity of Oxford, this being the only portion of the county in which wheat is cultivated to any considerable extent. For corn and stock raising, there is not, probably, a better county in the State than Benton. TIMBER As previously observed, the surface of the county is very largely composed of prairie. There are, however, a few groves skirting the streams, the largest of which probably is White Oak Grove, which is situated principally in Oak Grove Township, and in which, as may be readily inferred from the name, white oak timber largely predominates over other kinds. In other groves, other kinds of timber predominate, as may be readily inferred from the names (Hickory Grove and Sugar Grove, for instance) applied to them. =========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access the more of our information about Benton County, IN, by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/in/benton/ ===========================================================================