Author: Paul

Author Paul R. Wonning considers himself an "Indiana Hound," because he likes to "sniff" out the interesting places and history of Indiana and then use his books to reveal them to his readers. He also enjoys gardening, American history and dabbles in writing fantasy and humorous fiction.
Ripley County History Series, Sample Chapter

Sample Chapter – A Brief History of Napoleon

A Brief History of Napoleon
On February 9, 1820 the town of Napoleon was laid out by William Wilson from a 160 acre government land grant. The village takes its name from the former French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Seven days later he started selling lots. Ten first 32 lots were purchased by George Craig of Vevay, Indiana. Craig went on to build the first Ripley County Court House in Versailles. He later represented Ripley and Switzerland Counties in the Indiana Senate from 1822 – 1824. Continue reading Sample Chapter – A Brief History of Napoleon

Indiana County Short History Series, Ripley County History Series

Historic Travel Guide to Ripley County

Discover the historic nooks and crannies in Ripley County, Indiana. The Historic Travel Guide to Ripley County reveals the many places history has touched in the county. The author’s included Ripley County History Auto Tour takes the traveler through the many historic places in the county. The book covers many Ripley County towns including Batesville, Versailles, Osgood, Napoleon, Sunman and Milan. Continue reading Historic Travel Guide to Ripley County

Ripley County History Series, Sample Chapter

Sample Chapter – Eleazer Wheelock Ripley (April 15, 1782 – March 2, 1839)

Eleazer Wheelock Ripley (April 15, 1782 – March 2, 1839)
The son of Sylvanus Ripley and Abigail Wheelock, Eleazer was native to Hanover, New Hampshire. Ripley attended Dartmouth College, graduating in 1800 with a law degree. He opened a practice in Portland, Maine, when Maine was still part of Massachusetts. He served in both the Massachusetts House Representatives and the Massachusetts Senate. When the War of 1812 broke out, he organized the 21st United States Infantry Regiment. Continue reading Sample Chapter – Eleazer Wheelock Ripley (April 15, 1782 – March 2, 1839)

Indiana State Park Travel Guide Series, Sample Chapter

Sample Chapter – General Geology Clifty Falls State Park

The area of Clifty Falls State Park lies on an area geologists call the Cincinnati Arch. This geological formation stretches between the Illinois Basin, in south central Illinois, and the Appalachian Basin, which slants southwest through eastern Virginia. The rock layers in the area of the park slant towards the west with the younger rock faces to the west and the older to the east. The exposed rock is mostly composed of a substance geologists call Laurel Dolomite. Continue reading Sample Chapter – General Geology Clifty Falls State Park

Indiana State Park Travel Guide Series, Sample Chapter

Sample Chapter – General Geography – McCormick’s Creek State Park

Two historic events that occurred eons ago created the landscape contained in McCormick’s Creek State Park. The first was a shallow sea that covered the region that is now Indiana about 250 million years ago. Dead sea creatures, corals and sand settled at the bottom of this sea. The rock present in the canyon of McCormick’s Creek is in three layers, the oldest at the bottom is called Salem Limestone. Hikers can find this layer in the Limestone Quarry near the canyon’s mouth on the Quarry Loop that branches off from Trail 2 and 7. The next layer is the sixty foot thick St. Louis Limestone, which makes up the majority of the canyon walls. Near the top of the falls this layer ends, topped by the Ste. Genevieve Limestone. Continue reading Sample Chapter – General Geography – McCormick’s Creek State Park

Indiana County Short History Series

A History of Dearborn County, Indiana

A History of Dearborn County serves as a great historical resource for home school students and Indiana history buffs. It includes information on museums, historical markers, National Register of Historic Sites and other areas of historical interest in Dearborn County, Indiana. The guide is a great help in planning field trips as local parks and nature preserves are included in the book, as well. Readers will discover historical information on Dearborn County cities and towns like Aurora, Lawrenceburg, Greendale the smaller communities in the county. Home schooling parents and local history buffs can use the book as a guide to finding Dearborn County’s historical treasure for fun and educational field trips. Continue reading A History of Dearborn County, Indiana

Indiana County Short History Series, Sample Chapter

Sample Chapter – Israel Ludlow Surveys True Meridian That Became Indiana/Ohio State Line

By October 1798 Ludlow had completed surveying the Greenville Treaty line and was ready to begin surveying the Symmes tract in the region of the Great Miami River. Before he could begin surveying this, he needed to have a true north/south meridian from which he could base the remainder of the survey. The Northwest Territory Act had mandated that 5, and not more than 7, states be created from the vast territory Continue reading Sample Chapter – Israel Ludlow Surveys True Meridian That Became Indiana/Ohio State Line