Stearleyville, Indiana

Stearleyville is an unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Clay County, Indiana.

Stearleyville
Unincorporated community
Stearleyville Location in Clay County
Coordinates: 39°26′42″N 87°03′41″W
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Clay
Township	Jackson
Elevation [1]	650 ft (200 m)
ZIP code	47840
FIPS code	18-72854[2]
GNIS feature ID	444104

The townsite of Stearleyville was founded by George Stearley, the son of German immigrants Johann (John) and Rosanna Burkhardt Stierle from Pfuhl, Neu-Ulm, Bavaria who emigrated to Clay County in 1856.[3] George Steraley served as Clay County sheriff. In this family there were six sons: George, William, John, Fred, Charles and Tobias, and one daughter, Rose. There was a railroad depot, store, church and several dwellings. A blacksmith shop was started by George Stearley II, then operated by his brother Roy. A post office was established at Stearleyville in 1893, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1902.[4]

By 1900, there were so many descendants of the Stearleys in the area, it prompted a local saying that "Clay County was made up of Stearleys and Ragweeds".[5]

Today this area is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

Stearleyville is located at 39°26′42″N 87°03′41″W.

References

1. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
3. Baker, Ronald L. (October 1995). From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History. Indiana University Press. p. 311. ISBN 978-0-253-32866-3. ...on land owned by George Stearley.
4. "Clay County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
5. Blanchard, Charles (1884). Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana: Historical and Biographical. F.A. Battey & Company. pp. 387.