Magnet, Indiana is an unincorporated community

Unincorporated area

In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...

 along the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

 in Tobin Township

Tobin Township, Perry County, Indiana

Tobin Township is one of seven townships in Perry County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 709.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Tobin Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Dodd at * Gerald at *...

, Perry County

Perry County, Indiana

Perry County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 19,338. The county seat is Tell City. It is the hilliest county as well as one of the most forested counties of in Indiana as it features more than of Hoosier National Forest...

, Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

History

When pioneers started to settle the banks of the Ohio River one of the first in the Magnet area was Dodson, who operated a wood yard. The settlement was known as Dodson Landing. When Dodson left, Jesse Martin took over the wood yard operation. Thus the area was referred to as Martin Landing. In 1848 the residents had to decide on a name for the village. To honor Jesse Martin they chose the name, Rono, after his dog that lived to an extraordinarily old age. The settlement was known as Rono until 1896 when the United States Postal Department changed the name to Magnet.

Civil War Memorial Grave

On August 21, 1865, the steamboat

Steamboat

A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...

, U.S.S. Argosy (Number 3) was returning Union

Union (American Civil War)

During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...

 soldiers of the 70th Ohio Infantry

70th Ohio Infantry

The 70th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 70th Ohio Infantry was organized in West Union, Ohio and mustered in for three years service on October 14, 1861 under the command of Colonel Joseph R. Cockerill.The regiment was...

 home via the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

. The steamer was forced aground by a storm. Her boilers exploded and caused ten fatalities. They were buried in a mass grave one half mile from Magnet (then called Rono). Ten grave makers were raised at the site.

A local historian, Bert Fenn, discovered information that suggested one of the ten that was supposedly buried in the grave may have actually lived until arriving in Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...

 where he died. This could explain why one of the soldiers buried in the grave is an unknown soldier.

The Civil War Memorial Grave historical marker at the site erected by the Indiana Civil War Centennial Commission in 1965.

See also

• List of cities and towns along the Ohio River