Why am I writing this? My last post had to do with some survey dates and additions to the town or city of Madison. If you do a search on the city of Madison, Indiana, to see when it became a city, you might get confused. Here are a few of the blurbs I read:
“founded in 1809”
“Madison was settled about the beginning of the 19th century; was incorporated as a town in 1824, and was first chartered as a city in 1836.”
“…was settled when Indiana was still a territory and became a city in 1809.”
“…the town officially incorporated on April 1, 1809.”
“It was incorporated as a town April 15, 1824, as a city by the act of Legislature of 1838.”
What’s a person to believe? I got tired of trying to figure it out for now, so until I see something in a first hand record to tell me otherwise, and, considering Madison just celebrated it’s Bicentennial this year…as in 200 years…right or wrong…I am using the “official” Bicentennial website for Madison which says, “1824 April, Madison was incorporated as a town by a special act of the legislature.” The website also states, “1837 Madison was incorporated as a city. Moody Park served as Madison’s first mayor from 1838 to 1850.” Obviously the bicentennial dates to 1809.
Meanwhile, I will keep looking at records.
Madison, east of Ferry 