The town of
Reynolds
Heading south from Monon we enter the town of Reynolds. In January 10, 1854 the town was named in honor of Benjamin Reynolds the early pioneer settler. The town was platted by Benjamin Reynolds and others. It was Benjamin Reynolds who owned significant stock in the L.N.A.C. railroad and used his influence to locate the rail line through many of the towns that would spring up along the rail line. Reynolds has been and will probably always remain the town of Reynolds.
The town of
Smithson
Heading south we enter the village of what today is called Smithson. This was a flag station along the L.N.A.C. and was originally called Wheeler. This village was named after the property owner Hiram Wheeler. The post office was however named Smithson in honor of civil war veteran Lieut. Bernard G. Smith. After the death of Mr. Wheeler the village became known to all as Smithson.
The town of
The town of
Wolcott
We end our excursion around White County today with a stop in Wolcott in Princeton Twp. Here we encounter one Anson Wolcott. Much like Benjamin Reynolds he was a man of great wealth and influence. It was Benjamin Reynolds as a shareholder in the East-West rail line who laid out the path of the railroad through White County. As the railroad track was laid, the towns started to pop up. And so it was with Wolcott. Between the years 1858 and 1860 Anson Wolcott snapped up 2,000 acres of ground in and around what would become the town of Wolcott. In May, 1861 the town was laid out by Anson Wolcott and his brother E. G. Wolcott. Soon however, a rivalry began as to what town would be the western collection site for grain and livestock shipments to market. It seems that two other rival towns were to vie for this profitable title. One was Seafield and the other Clermont. Clermont for a short time was winning the battle. However, Anson Wolcott with his unlimited capital resources built storage buildings for hay and grains as well as a huge elevator that was unequaled in the county. He even purchased two presses to bail hay for shipment on the rail line. Once again technology wins the day and it was Anson Wolcott who made all this possible and propelled the town of Wolcott into prominence in this area.
Chalmers
A short distance south appears the town of Chalmers. In 1853 the L.N.A.C was completed through the town of Chalmers. Originally, the town was heralded as Mudge’s Station. The name was identified by the landowner Gardner Mudge. Now this is interesting. In 1873 the town of Chalmers was officially platted. It seems that the majority shareholder and founder of the L.N.A.C had a son whose first name was Chalmers. A deal was struck that the founder James Brooks of the L.N.A.C would build a passenger and freight depot if the town were to be named after his son Chalmers. The deal was agreed upon and Chalmers now had a new nameplate.
The town of
Brookston
Likewise another deal was struck by James Brooks on the new town just south called Brookston. Brookston is officially named after the business railroad tycoon James Brooks. Once again Mr. Brooks agreed that he would build a depot and additional rail spurs if the town would be named after him. Apparently the deal was struck and Brookston became one of the thriving communities along the rail line. 44
Well now‌ there you have it. By now you have either grabbed a map or Googled these towns to determine their exact locations. As you leisurely drive around the county, take time to enjoy the quaint villages, shops eateries and good old Hoosier hospitality in these various communities.