In 1837 Troy was incorporated as a town, being the second community to do so in Perry County. Dr. Robert G. Cotton, resident of Troy and county representative, saw to the enactment. Jacob Protsman, Jas. B. Worthington, Jno. Bristow, John Daniel and John Huff constituted the first board of trustees. In 1859 the first organization having lapsed, the town was re-incorporated with Dr. Magnus Brucker, Cullen C. Cotton, Jacob Daunhaur and W. T. Washer as trustees, David R. Hubbs clerk, treasurer and assessor. On May 4, 1859, the first meeting was held.
Pottery Business
In 1838 a charter was granted the Indiana Pottery Co., to manufacture, at Troy, Rockingham and other stoneware. Samuel Casseday, John Bell, William Garvin, of Louisville, and Reuben Bates of Troy were the leading stockholders. Bates gave 160 acres of land adjoining Troy. Owing to various causes the company did not succeed and in 1851 Samuel Wilson and John Sanders under a lease continued the business. In 1860 Samuel Wilson erected a plant of his own on Main street, the present location of the M. A. Eberhard implement shop. In 1863 Benyan Hinchco erected a plant of his own in town and gradually the larger plant disappeared. The seventies saw the last vestige of pottery making at Troy and Troy ware was no more. Several years ago descendants of a family who were here with the pottery company and now owners of a large plant at East Liverpool, Ohio, visited here to see the town in which their grandparents had failed to make good. However none of Henry Clew’s descendants have so far found time to seek old Troy.
Physicians and Teachers
Drs. Greathouse, Sugg, Bramel, Cotton, Gage, Bacon and Brucker were the earliest medical practitioners of note in the early days. John P. Dunn, father of Isaac Dunn, was a prominent Trojan and in 1852 was elected State Auditor. He and Wilson Huff, delegate to the constitutional convention convening on the first Monday in October, 1850, were the prime movers for the clause in the State Constitution to allow the forming of a new county with Troy as county seat. Mayhap this day will come. In 1818 a Yankee named Thompson taught school, followed by George Phillips in 1819. Among other early teachers were Solomon Lamb, Aquila Sampson, W. H. Porter, John Daniel and John Litherland. The first schoolhouse was a log structure and stood where the present house now stands. It was erected about 1827, later replaced by another, which was used until 1835, when a one story brick was built, which was in 1871 enlarged by the addition of another room to the first floor and a story added and is still the schoolhouse.
The Civil War
When the war between the States was brewing and came to a climax many Trojans with southern trade and friendships as their guide were, with some other Perry county people, ready to move the dividing line north of Troy. Yet when the first news of the fall of Fort Sumter came, two days later, by the packet Grey Eagle, immediately northern sentiment took the lead and the Union, the Union forever, had the sway. The Troy Artillery was organized and on October 19, fifty-four Trojans departed in their country’s behalf on the steamer Eugene for Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville. Capt. Cutler and his boys were given a big supper at Eagle Hall on Saturday evening, the 18th. They were mustered in November 21 as Company E, 49th Infantry, Ed. B. Cutler, Capt.; Hiram Evans, 1st Lieut.; Wm. A. Jordan, 2d Lieut. Twenty-five others, recruited by Surgeon Magnus Brucker, had left two weeks earlier. Many more were called in this dire time of need. Great was the suffering of those who remained behind to await news from father or brother or lover. People who complain now of the price of goods, know not whereof they speak. Goods high and the family provider gone, made countless suffering. After the close of the war many of the boys returned; but at the present time only six remain of our boys of 1861, namely: Edward Boulware, Mose Beard, J. R. Huffman, Stephen Eple, C. C. Purcell, J. P. Siscel.
