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From: "Ron Hanks" <>
Subject: [INMARTIN] Question about early Martin County
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 19:12:03 -0500


Hoping someone can answer this qustion for me. Everything I have been able to find shows that present day Martin County would have been part of Knox County in 1811. Is there any part of the County that would have been part of Harrison County at that time?

I ask this because Peter Hanks died at the Battle of Tippecanoe in November 1811. I have reason to believe that he lived in the area that later became Martin County. When his widow applied for a pension, there are several places in the files referring to Peter Hanks of Harrison County. The pension was applied for from Knox County ca.1812

I have a few theories on this.

1) My information is wrong and Peter Hanks was actually in Harrison County and his widow moved to Knox County shortly afterwards. (Peter's sister and brother-in-law , Ruth (Hanks) and Hubbard Marshall, arrived at Peter's home between the time he had left to serve in the militia and the time he was killed. Source - 1897 letter from Rev. Leon Marshall to Judge John Marshall, relating a statement by John Hanks Marshall s/o Ruth and Hubbard Marshall. The statement referred to the home as being in Martin County (I assume that to mean what later became Martin Co). Land entries place the Marshalls in early Martin County.)

2) I have seen an early map of Indiana/Knox County that showed townships one of which was Harrison Township. Perhaps he lived in Harrison Twp of Knox County and it was stated wrong in the pension files.

3) Peter Hanks was in Lieut. Berry's Detachment of Mounted Riflemen, of the Indiana, Militia. This was a detachment of Captain Spier Spencer's Yellowjacket of Harrison County. I have not been able to find if Berry's unit was also from Harrison County or not. Since he was part of Spencer's unit, they may have assumed he was from Harrison County.

4) A portion of Martin County was part of Harrison County at this time.

Any insight would be appreciatted.


Ron Hanks

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