372     HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
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                      CHAPTER V.
 
CARR TOWNSHIP - EARLY SETTLEMENT - LAND ENTRIES - LIFE IN THE
  WOODS - RELIGION - EARLY ENTERPRISES - FERRIES - SPARKSVILLE
  AND WEDDLESVILLE [WEDDLEVILLE].
 
CARR TOWNSHIP is located in the southwestern part of
Jackson County, and is bounded on the east and south by
the East Fork of White River; on the west by Lawrence County,
and on the north by Owen Township, Jackson County. The sur-
face is diversified, that portion along the course of White River
being level or undulating, while the greater portion of the town-
ship is broken, the hills in many parts rising to the height of
from 300 to 400 feet, which with the deep gulches make the
scenery quite picturesque. There is quite as much diversity in
the soil as in the surface. In the eastern and southern portion
the soil is very fertile, and in this portion large crops of corn are
raised and excellent meadows abound, while on the hills the soil
is sterile and poorly adapted to agriculture. The township was
originally covered with a dense growth of forest trees, which by
the woodsman's ax has largely disappeared. The giant oak, the
mammoth poplar and much of the most valuable timber has been
manufactured into lumber and transported to the lumber markets
of the world.
 
Carr Township was named in honor of Thomas Carr, who was
at the time of its creation a member of the board of county com-
missioners and one of the most intelligent and highly esteemed
citizens of the county.
 
The first settlement was made at Leesville, now Lawrence
County, which was at the time a part of Washington County, but