Darlington

submitted by Karen Nance

Transcribed from "History of Warrick County and its Prominent People - 1909, Pages 21 - 22.

Other Towns in Warrick County - History of Darlington.

The once promising village of Darlington was situated about four miles above Newburg, and less than a mile from the Ohio river. In 1814 the county seat of Warrick county was removed from Evansville to Darlington, which gave the latter considerable importance in county affairs.

On July 26, 1816, the official plat of Darlington was recorded. Being the capital of a county covering a large area of rich land, and as a commercial point admirably situated, Darlington was then regarded as a town of great promise, and pioneer speculators were eager to own land there. Town lots sold readily, and it is recorded that Hon. Ratliff Boon, then living upon a farm which is the present site of Boonville, on Nov. 15, 1816, paid $42 for lot No. 42. Daniel Decrow built the old log cabin court house at Darlington, the county paying him the sum of $290. Today the old cabin is in ruins and is all that is left of Warrick's former capitol.

In 1818 the seat of justice was removed from Darlington to Boonville by enactment of the Legislature and the owners of land in the former place were granted the privilege of taking, in lieu thereof, lots in the latter. To Darlington this was a death warrant. The "town", consisting of the court house and only a few dozen cabins, quickly disappeared, and the ground is now tilled by farmers, all evidences of a town or settlement having long passed away.

The following is recorded in Warrick County Plat Book #1, Page 19
October 17th, 1816 - Surveyed for William Briscoe, Agent for Warrick County, beginning at a point at a corner white oak and cotton wood marked No. 3 and 7 thence S. 6-1/4 E, 3 . 20 poles to an elm and sycamore thence S. 87 N. 20 poles to a maple on the bank of the river, thence N. 58 W. 212 poles to a hackberry tree on the river, thence N. 6 1/2 W. 190 poles to a stake in the road by Wiggin's fence containing 300 acres laid off by a scale of 90 poles to the inch, the lots 18 poles square divided into four equal parts, the Public Square containing 2 acres and poles, Streets 60 feet wide. This within plat is a true copy of the town of Darlington laid off above the mouth of Cypress Creek including the Mouth of Little Pigeon on the Bank of Ohio River.

Given under my hand this 26th day of July, 1816.
Signed - Samuel Moore, S.W.S.
The first survey made in lots laid out by James Holloway.

NOTE: The actual plat sheet of Darlington is on Page 18 in Warrick County Plat Book #1.

William Briscoe was the first County Agent in Warrick County. He also owned property in Darlington and the Briscoe Cemetery was located in Darlington, Anderson Township.

Transcribed from "Indiana Warrick County Cemeteries - Anderson, Campbell, Greer and Hart Townships"
Page 27

BRISCOE CEMETERY
ANDERSON TOWNSHIP
WARRICK COUNTY, INDIANA
S.W. of Yankeetown

Briscoe, William
Briscoe, George
Briscoe, Sally
Briscoe, Smith
Briscoe, Kerr
Briscoe, Henrietta Danforth
Briscoe, Jack
Briscoe, Patsy Loy
Briscoe, Ertes
Briscoe, Napoleon
Hedges, Sally (Sally Briscoe - md. 9-13-1821 to Joseph Hedges)
Hedges, Joe
Mrs. Baker (the mother of Mrs. Lewis)
Taylor,-------- (the great grandmother of Simon, Charles & Ida Taylor)
Clark & Wife
Collins, Jonas
Collins, Hixy (wife of Jonas) (before marriage, was a Briscoe)

Above list furnished by Herman Collins, compiled by his father and given to T.J. Dillingham. Published in Boonville Standard.