As we all work on our family history, I am sure the migration stories cross our minds. Especially, if your family did a lot of that travelling before 1850 or so.
Prior to this time, many areas west of the Appalachian Mountains were still wilderness. I have read several accounts of how the forests of the southern half of Indiana were so dense as to not see daylight until you came to a clearing. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Although my Hoosier ancestors most likely used the Ohio River to reach their Dearborn County destination, my 5th-great grandfather, Elijah Sparks, may have used the following road in his position as a Indiana Territorial Judge. He held this position from 1814, until his death in the spring of 1815. From what I have read in the past, he had to ride quite a distance as he had a large area to cover.
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| The first road to cross Indiana was blazed by Captain Ephraim Kibbey in 1799-1800. This two-hundred mile route ran from Cincinnati to Vincennes, crossing the Greene Ville Treaty Line here. Location: SR 350 on border of Dearborn and Ripley Co., IN. Source: https://www.in.gov/history/markers/4131.htm) |
Recently, I discovered this gem of a description about the origins of "Kibbey's Road". I found it in the book, Early Indiana Trails and Surveys by George R. Wilson. According to following account, it appears that poor Captain Kibbey gave his all to the project!
"There were early trails running east and west through Dearborn County. One went from near Milan toward Cincinnati. The survey records call it 'Kibbey’s Road.' It was the first one crossing the entire state from Cincinnati to Vincinnes, and was laid out early in the nineteenth century. perhaps in 1801-2. The Western Spy, published in Cincinnati July 23, 1799, contained the following item: 'Captain E. Kibbey, who some time since undertook to cut a road from Vincennes to this place, returned on Monday, reduced to a perfect skeleton. He had cut the road 70 miles, when by some means, he was separated from his men. After hunting them some days without success, he steered his course this way. He had undergone great hardships and was obliged to subsist upon roots, etc., which he picked up in the woods.' Twenty years later gazetteers described the line of the road west from Cincinnati as 'Burlington, 15 miles; Rising Sun, 10; Judge Cotton’s, 20; Madison, 20; New Lexington, 17; Salem, 32; French Lick, 34; East Fork White River, 17; North Fork White River, 20; Vincennes, 16; total, 201 miles.' "
As I did some research on the internet regarding this road, I discovered that the above marker is now missing. Also, there appears to be some confusion in regards to what present-day road is the original Kibbey Road.
If anyone has any answers for me, I would love to hear them! I am sure many of our Hoosier ancestors used this road to travel west through Indiana, and it might be of interest to our fellow genealogists and history buffs!
Please comment below and let me know what you think.
Source:
Wilson, George R., C.E., L.L.B.. Early Indiana Trails and Surveys. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society Press, 1919, 4-5.
IHB: Kibbey's Road. https://www.in.gov/history/markers/4131.htm
IHB: Kibbey's Road. https://www.in.gov/history/markers/4131.htm
