Fall Creek Township

Location: north side of Reformatory Rd., between CR 650 and Indiana Reformatory

    One of the very first settlers to Madison County and another man who was a veteran from the Revolutionary War rest in this picturesque family cemetery.  The white gravestones of the Crosley can be seen easily from a distance since they are located on a high hill on the north side of Reformatory Road.  Reformatory Road was first named the Indiana Highway when it was cut out of the wooded wilderness in early Madison County history.  This "highway" was the only overland trail, dirt path, or "trace" between Pendleton and Indianapolis.  One of the earliest to settle the land along its route was the family of Conrad Crosley. 

    Conrad, 1799-1869, and his wife Elvira, 1807-1891, came from Virginia in 1820 to settle land four miles south of Pendleton.  Conrad Crosley was an exemplary pioneer in the Fall Creek area, and he and his wife developed "one of the finest farms in the county" explains Samuel Harden in The Pioneers.  The house became a gathering place for settlers' meetings, and the family was highly respected.  Mr. Crosley, in fact, had the honor and the duty of being a guard over the  convicted white murderers of an innocent Native American family in early county history.  (For more on the massacre and trial, go to the Madison County history page.)  Harden describes Conrad: "...light complexion, some six feet high, and would weigh perhaps two hundred pounds at his best. A pleasant talker, and full of early time reminiscences which he delighted to relate."  Historian Harden also gives an example of Conrad's generosity:

    "Mr. C. will be remembered by many as one of the staunchest citizens of the county.  An instance of his kindness will be given which actually took place in the year 1823.  Mrs. Hollingsworth, after a severe spell of sickness, desired some tea.  Mr. C., learning of this, started to New Castle to obtain some.  Finding none there, he continued to Richmond, where he met with like success; not easily discouraged, he continued to Eaton, Ohio, where the coveted herb was obtained.  Mr. C. returned, and a cup of tea was made to gladden the heart of Mrs. Hollingsworth, who lived to remember the act of humanity, which had few equals at that  day."

    Evidently, one of Conrad's favorite stories involved the lumber for the first Indianapolis court house since a summary is included in the 1880 history of the county.  According to Conrad, the lumber for the court house was actually cut at the falls on Fall Creek in 1824.  Mr. Crosley and his crew had been contracted to raft all the lumber to Indianapolis.  After the lumber was cut, it was then hauled in wagons to a spot on White River below Anderson.  Part of the lumber was built into a large raft, which floated the rest of the lumber to Perkinsville.  At Perkinsville, there was a primitive dam, so the raft had to be taken apart. All of the lumber was hauled around the dam and then reconstructed into the make-shift flotilla.  This was the only troublesome section of the journey.  Near Noblesville, a large fish floundered onto the raft.  Conrad caught the fish and going to a nearby homestead exchanged with the lady of the house "material to replenish their jug."  The trip was filled with other incidents and remained a memorable, happy adventure for Conrad the rest of his life.   

    The 1880 history gives the character of Conrad Crosley high praise:  "He was of that class of material best adapted to the necessities of a new community--brave, honest, and humane."  Conrad Crosley was not just an exemplary pioneer settler but an exemplary man for any time period.  Mr. Crosley's pillar, in the picture above, is in the right foreground with the stones of his family members reset to the left.

    In the 1970s, the Crosley Cemetery was part of a cow pasture.  At that point many of the stones were broken and resting in piles against the pasture fence.  The newly-formed Madison County Cemetery Commission undertook the cemetery's reclamation.  The MCCC fenced off the graveyard, cut down vegetation along its borders, re-landscaped the area, provided a gate and an access lane, restored the broken stones, reset them into family groups, and turned the finished graveyard over to the township trustee for maintenance.  This beautiful spot along the pioneers' trace was restored, and Samuel's stone and the Crosleys' were preserved.

During a 1980s expansion of the nearby Pendleton Reformatory, two human skeletons were uncovered.  After scientific analysis, it was determined that the remains were those of a related adult and child from the first quarter of the 19th century.  The bones were reburied in the nearest pioneer cemetery--the Crosley.  The stone pictured above was placed over their grave by the Madison County Cemetery Commission.

This grave marker is a testimony to not only the pioneers of the past but also the dedication and purpose of earlier MCCC members who wished to acknowledge the many settlers of whom we have no record.  The stone above reads: 

"UNKNOWN PIONEER

AND CHILD

HE 45 YEARS OLD

CHILD 6 YEARS OLD

LEST WE FORGET

OUR HERITAGE

AUG. 5, 1985"