Hanna's Crossing

Hanna’s Crossing was a collection of homes in Monroe Township where sections 5, 6, 7 and 8 meets. This community was four miles west of Bainbridge and nine miles north of Greencastle, at the intersection of what is now U. S. 36 and U. S. 231. Because this area is nine miles north of Greencastle, some people refer to it as Nine Mile. The prominent families in the early days included the Darnall’s and the family of Col. Alexander Shores Farrow. As noted in the map of Monroe Township in the 1879 Atlas, there were two cemeteries which were split by what was then State Road 43. To the east was the Darnall Cemetery and to the west and a little north was the cemetery of the Col. Farrow family. These cemeteries still exist today, but the current U. S. 231 is to the east of the Darnall Cemetery and the Farrow family cemetery is about 50 yards to the west of U. S. 231. The small bridge on what was formerly State Road 43 is still visible near the Farrow family cemetery.

Col. Farrow was an early settler in that part of Putnam County. He was a veteran of the War of 1812 and a prominent farmer and stock-raiser. His obituary took up most of the front page of the Greencastle Banner on April 12, 1877, which can be viewed at Hoosier Chronicles Online.

Col. A. S. Farrow was mentioned several times in the 1879 Putnam County Atlas:

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The Putnam County farmers began at a very early day to improve the quality of their live-stock, giving especial attention to the breeding of cattle for the beef market. Many of the pioneers came from counties in Kentucky, which had then made considerable advancement in that business. Col. A. S. Farrow and Roach Frakes, were among the earliest to introduce fine cattle into the county for breeding purposes. Col. Farrow was, also, one of the foremost breeders of horses, and owned the first jack in the county. In 1845, Dr. A. C. Stevenson bought some thorough-bred cattle, the first in the county, from Mr. Owen, and, in 1853, he imported three direct from England.

The first fair for the exhibition of stock, was held on the 7th day of September, 1837, on the ground occupied by the Presbyterian Church recently destroyed by fire. It was but little more than a show of live-stock, held on the open ground, and without fees. A committee passed judgment on the merits of animals exhibited, but no premiums were paid. The horse owned by Col. A. S. Farrow was adjudged the best in that department; but the other winners on that day cannot now be remembered.