Settlers at Shelby- Indiana

The sale of "New Purchase" lands began in October of 1820. After the land had been purchased from the Indians and surveyed, it was sold to the highest bidder for private ownership. Between October and December, there were over 100 claims entered for Shelby County.
The minimum price for early land sales in Indiana was $2.00 per acre. Hard times had fallen on the frontier. Many banks had failed and many of the settlers, who had contracted for land, could no longer meet the payments. The government reduced the minimum price to $1.25 per acre and lowered the minimum number of acres needed to purchase to 80.
The squatters were allowed to purchase their land at the $1.25 per acre rate. Those that had arrived when the land was first purchase from the Indians, were allowed ‘squatters rights’. All of the earlier settlers to this area were squatters.