Editing Vernon, Indiana

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Vernon, Indiana
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Jennings County Indiana courthouse.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Jennings County courthouse in Vernon
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = File:Jennings County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Vernon Highlighted 1878902.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Vernon in Jennings County, Indiana.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Indiana]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Indiana|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Jennings County, Indiana|Jennings]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[List of townships in Indiana|Township]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[Vernon Township, Jennings County, Indiana|Vernon]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_18.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 16, 2022}}</ref>
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_land_km2            = 0.54
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_km2           = 0.54
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.21
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.21
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 236
|population_density_km2   = 439.78
|population_density_sq_mi = 1140.10
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 659
|coordinates_footnotes = <ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>
|coordinates              = {{coord|38|59|07|N|85|36|36|W|region:US-IN|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 47282
|area_code                = [[Area code 812|812]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 18-78902<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2397713<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2397713}}</ref>
|website                  = [https://web.archive.org/web/20090708091046/http://www.vernonindiana.org/php/index.php www.vernonindiana.org]
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Vernon''' is a town within [[Vernon Township, Jennings County, Indiana|Vernon Township]] and the [[county seat]] of [[Jennings County, Indiana|Jennings County]], [[Indiana]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref> With a population of just 236 in the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], it is the smallest county seat in the state of Indiana, lying just south of the much larger [[North Vernon, Indiana|North Vernon]]. It sits on a peninsula as it is nearly surrounded by the [[Muscatatuck River]]. Vernon is the only Indiana town with an elected mayor and an elected town marshal. {{As of|2025||df=}}, Wayne Zamora is the mayor and Britt Burgmeier is the marshal.

The [[Vernon Historic District]] is on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and is the site of many firsts in the state.
* The first area set aside for use as a public playground in Indiana, The Commons
* The first elevated railroad overpass west of the [[Alleghenies]]
* The first all women's jury in Indiana
* The first [[Disciples of Christ]] church in Indiana
It was also the home of Indiana's fourth state park, now called [[Muscatatuck County Park]].

==History==
Vernon was named after [[Mount Vernon]], [[George Washington]]'s plantation estate in Virginia.<ref>{{cite book|last=Baker|first=Ronald L.|title=From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History|url=https://archive.org/details/fromneedmoretopr00bake|url-access=registration|date=October 1995|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=978-0-253-32866-3|page=[https://archive.org/details/fromneedmoretopr00bake/page/n351 334]|quote=...named for Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington.}}</ref> The Vernon post office was established in 1817.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Jennings&searchtext=&pagenum=2|title=Jennings County|publisher=Jim Forte Postal History|access-date=November 9, 2014}}</ref>

Vernon was the site of a near-battle on July 11, 1863, during [[Morgan's Raid]] in the [[American Civil War]]. [[John Hunt Morgan]], targeting the [[Ohio and Mississippi Railway|Ohio and Mississippi Railroad]], demanded the surrender of the town, which was defended by 100 local militia in strong positions on hills and bluffs overlooking the [[Muscatatuck River]] and 178 Union troops under the command of Colonel Hugh Williams.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Boyer|first=Margrette|date=1912|title=Morgan's Raid in Indiana|journal=The Indiana Quarterly Magazine of History|volume=8|issue=4|pages=156–157|issn=0147-2259|jstor=27785388}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://emergingcivilwar.com/2013/07/15/the-raid-continues-morgans-raiders-in-indiana-3/|title=The Raid Continues: Morgan's Raiders in Indiana|first=Caroline|last=Davis|date=July 15, 2013}}</ref> The defenders successfully stalled Morgan by demanding time to consider surrender, and then requesting time for the evacuation of women and children, until 1,000 Union troops under the command of Brigadier General [[John Love (general)|John Love]] could arrive from [[Seymour, Indiana|Seymour]]. Major General [[Lew Wallace]] also arrived later to take command of the entire Union force converging on Vernon. Morgan ultimately retreated south toward [[Dupont, Indiana]], rather than risk a confrontation.

==Geography==
According to the 2010 census, Vernon has a total area of {{convert|0.24|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1878902
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=July 25, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213051109/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1878902
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 690
|1860= 630
|1870= 673
|1880= 616
|1890= 613
|1900= 557
|1910= 453
|1920= 423
|1930= 410
|1940= 413
|1950= 480
|1960= 461
|1970= 440
|1980= 329
|1990= 370
|2000= 330
|2010= 318
|2020= 236
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 11, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 318 people, 134 households, and 84 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1325.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 167 housing units at an average density of {{convert|695.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.6% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 134 households, of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.3% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.92.

The median age in the town was 39.3 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; and 13.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 330 people, 117 households, and 80 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,383.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 139 housing units at an average density of {{convert|582.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.48% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.91% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.30% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] and 0.30% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]].

There were 117 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 124.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,750, and the median income for a family was $36,875. Males had a median income of $28,333 versus $22,143 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $17,367. About 5.2% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==

*[[Sarah T. Bolton]], pioneer poet
*[[Ovid Butler]], founder of [[Butler University]]
*[[Lincoln Dixon]], a member of the U.S. Congress
*[[William Forsyth (artist)|William Forsyth]], artist
*General [[Robert Sanford Foster]], officer in the Civil War
*[[John C. New]], [[Treasurer of the United States]], U.S. Consul General to Great Britain and publisher of the ''[[Indianapolis Journal]]''
*[[Horatio C. Newcomb]], mayor of Indianapolis
*[[T. C. Steele|Theodore Steele]], artist
*[[Jessamyn West (writer)|Jessamyn West]], writer<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jessamyn West {{!}} American writer|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jessamyn-West|access-date=February 26, 2021|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>

Famous people who visited and lived in Vernon include: [[Alexander Campbell (clergyman)|Alexander Campbell]], founder of the Christian Church and Bethany College; [[Henry Ward Beecher]], who came to Vernon early in the Civil War and made a plea for Lincoln and the Union at the Courthouse; and Lord Flanigan, English nobleman, who was at one time a citizen of Vernon. [[Richard Nixon]] spoke in front of the courthouse in Vernon on June 24, 1971, for the dedication of a plaque commemorating the birthplace of his mother, [[Hannah Milhous Nixon]].

==Literature==
The 1945 novel ''[[The Friendly Persuasion]]'' by Jessamyn West and its [[Friendly Persuasion (1956 film)|1956 Oscar-nominated and Palme d'Or winning adaption]], starring [[Gary Cooper]], are set in and around Vernon during the Civil War.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Dawn |title=13 most notable movies set in Indiana |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/movies/2017/12/05/13-most-notable-movies-set-indiana/923096001/ |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=The Indianapolis Star |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.vernonindiana.org Town website]

{{Jennings County, Indiana}}
{{County Seats of Indiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:County seats in Indiana]]
[[Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Jennings County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Indiana]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Jennings County, Indiana]]