Vallonia, Indiana

Last updated

Vallonia, Indiana
Census-designated place
Joseph Jackson Hotel, southern side and front.jpg
The Joseph Jackson Hotel, a historic site in the community
Jackson County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Vallonia Highlighted 1878290.svg
Location of Vallonia in Jackson County, Indiana
USA Indiana location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Vallonia
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Vallonia
Coordinates: 38°50′46″N86°05′57″W / 38.84611°N 86.09917°W / 38.84611; -86.09917
Country United States
State Indiana
County Jackson
Townships Driftwood, Brownstown
Area
[1]
 • Total0.76 sq mi (1.96 km2)
 • Land0.76 sq mi (1.96 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[2]
535 ft (163 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total379
 • Density501.32/sq mi (193.61/km2)
Time zone UTC-4:00 (EDT)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5:00
ZIP code
47281
FIPS code 18-78290 [3]
GNIS feature ID2629880 [2]

Vallonia is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Driftwood and Brownstown townships, Jackson County, Indiana, United States. It was an 18th-century French settlement and 19th-century American frontier fortification known as Fort Vallonia. As of the 2010 census, Vallonia had a population of 336. [3]

Contents

History

Fort Vallonia

Vallonia was a French settlement of the late 18th century and lay between the Muscatatuck River and the White River's east fork (aka Driftwood). Circa 1810, hostilities began between the settlers and Native Americans. Governor General William Henry Harrison ordered a fort built as well as a number of other defensive structures including a large stockade, garrison, blockhouses, and a spring. [4] to be built to protect the some 90 families in the area. Two companies of Indiana Rangers were stationed here during the War of 1812.

Huff's Fort and Ketcham's Fort were two other fortifications, though not as large. Huff's fort was said to be "higher up" than Vallonia and Ketcham's "still above". [5]

One of the companies of Indiana Rangers was newly organized, and set out to investigate claims of a Native American war party near Brownstown. Finding no war party, the company returned to Fort Vallonia, but one ranger, Robert Sturgeon, rode ahead. He was ambushed by Native Americans and killed. The Rangers, in a panic, rode hard back to Fort Vallonia, never stopping to help Sturgeon. [6] Five civilians finally left the fort to recover Sturgeon's body, and buried it near the fort. When Major John Tipton arrived and learned of the Rangers' conduct, he assumed command of the fort and began routine drills of the two companies stationed at the fort. A later skirmish, known as the Battle of Tipton's Island, allowed the Rangers to prove their ability to engage Native Americans.

Numerous attacks and skirmishes occurred between the Rangers of Fort Vallonia and American Indians during the War of 1812. Attacks in this area of the Indiana Territory diminished after an expedition to destroy the Miami village at the confluence of the Wabash River and Mississinewa River. That expedition left Fort Vallonia on July 1, 1813, led by Colonel William Russell in command of the Indiana Rangers and Major Zachary Taylor in command of the 7th Infantry Regiment, as well as a company of Kentucky volunteers. The force destroyed the deserted village, which had been heavily fortified by Tecumseh, but covered 500 miles (800 km) without encountering a single Native American. [7]

Later developments

Vallonia was legally platted in 1853. [8]

Geography

Vallonia is located in southwestern Jackson County on the southeast side of the valley of the East Fork of the White River. Indiana State Road 135 passes through the community, leading northeast 4 miles (6 km) to Brownstown, the county seat, and south 18 miles (29 km) to Salem.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Vallonia CDP has a total area of 0.76 square miles (1.97 km2), of which 0.2 acres (763 m2), or 0.04%, are water. [3]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
2020 379—
U.S. Decennial Census [9]

Today

Vallonia is a small unincorporated community located on S. State Road 135. In 1972, Fort Vallonia was rebuilt and is the centerpiece for the annual Fort Vallonia Days festival. The three-day event is held on the third weekend of October and draws crowds of up to 30,000 people.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson County, Indiana</span> County in Indiana, United States

Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 46,428. The county seat is Brownstown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middleburg, Florida</span> Census-designated place in Florida, United States

Middleburg is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) within Clay County in the U.S. state of Florida, located 26 miles (42 km) southwest of downtown Jacksonville and 16 miles (26 km) northwest of Green Cove Springs, the county seat of Clay County. As of the 2020 census, the population of Middleburg was 12,881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brownstown, Indiana</span> Town in Indiana, United States

Brownstown is a town within Brownstown Township and the county seat of Jackson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,947 at the 2010 census. It was named for Jacob Brown, a general of the War of 1812.

Fort Ashby is a census-designated place (CDP) in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States, along Patterson Creek. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,380 at the 2010 census. The community was originally chartered as Frankfort and then known as Alaska before it took the name of its well-known historic landmark. Fort Ashby is the location of the Mineral County Fair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Tipton</span> American politician (1786–1839)

John Tipton was from Tennessee and became a farmer in Indiana; an officer in the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe, and veteran officer of the War of 1812, in which he reached the rank of Brigadier General; and politician. He was elected to the Indiana General Assembly in 1819, and in 1831 as US Senator from the state of Indiana, serving until 1838. He was appointed as US Indian Agent and was selected to lead the militia in removing Menominee's band of Potawatomie in 1838; they were relocated to Kansas, Indian Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ketcham (Indiana surveyor)</span> American politician (1782-1965)

Colonel John Ketcham was an American surveyor, building contractor and judge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brownstown Township, Jackson County, Indiana</span> Township in Indiana, United States

Brownstown Township is one of twelve townships in Jackson County, Indiana, United States. At the 2010 census, its population was 5,552 and it contained 2,308 housing units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driftwood Township, Jackson County, Indiana</span> Township in Indiana, United States

Driftwood Township is one of twelve townships in Jackson County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 860 and it contained 365 housing units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grassy Fork Township, Jackson County, Indiana</span> Township in Indiana, United States

Grassy Fork Township is one of twelve townships in Jackson County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 668 and it contained 288 housing units. It was named from the Grassy Fork Creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson Township, Jackson County, Indiana</span> Township in Indiana, United States

Jackson Township is one of twelve townships in Jackson County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 20,042 and it contained 8,741 housing units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owensburg, Indiana</span> Census-designated place in Indiana, United States

Owensburg is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jackson Township, Greene County, Indiana, United States. It was named in honor of the Owens family of early settlers. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 406.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freetown, Indiana</span> Census-designated place in Indiana, United States

Freetown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Pershing Township, Jackson County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 385.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williams, Lawrence County, Indiana</span> Census-designated place in Indiana, United States

Williams is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Spice Valley Township, Lawrence County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 286.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana in the War of 1812</span>

During the War of 1812, the Indiana Territory was the scene of numerous engagements which occurred as part of the conflict's western theater. Prior to the war's outbreak in 1812, settlers from the United States had been gradually colonizing the region, which led to increased tensions with local Native Americans and the outbreak of Tecumseh's War. In 1811, Tecumseh's confederacy, formed in response to encroachment by white American settlers, was defeated by U.S. forces at the Battle of Tippecanoe. After the conflict broke out, most Native Americans in the region joined forces with the British Empire and attacked American forces and settlers in concert with their British allies.

The Indiana Rangers, also known as the Indiana Territorial Mounted Rangers, were a mounted militia formed in 1807 and operated in the early part of the 19th century to defend settlers in Indiana Territory from attacks by Native Americans. The rangers were present at the Battle of Tippecanoe, and served as auxiliaries to the army during the War of 1812. At the peak of their activities they numbered over 400 men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Tipton's Island</span>

The Battle of Tipton's Island was an engagement between a Shawnee war party and Indiana militia under command of John Tipton in April 1813 on the White River near present-day Seymour, Indiana.

Ketcham's fort was a 19th-century fort northeast of Fort Vallonia in Jackson County, Indiana.

Huff's fort was established around 1811 or 1812 northeast of Fort Vallonia in present-day Jackson County, Indiana, United States.

United States Rangers were originally raised for Tecumseh's War, but they continued to serve against hostile Indians after the United States declaration of war against Great Britain. A total of 17 independent companies were authorized from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. The Rangers were neither militia, nor regulars, but formed part of the war establishment of the United States as volunteers.

References

  1. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  2. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Vallonia, Indiana
  3. 1 2 3 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Vallonia CDP, Indiana". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  4. ↑ Allison, 243
  5. ↑ Esarey, Logan, Readings in Indiana History, Indiana University, 1914
  6. ↑ Allison, 245
  7. ↑ Allison, 254-255
  8. ↑ History of Jackson County, Indiana: From the Earliest Time to the Present, with Biographical Sketches, Notes, Etc., Together with an Extended History of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory and the State of Indiana. Unigraphic. 1886. p. 394.
  9. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.