Chesterfield is a town in the State of Indiana that lies in Union Township, Madison County as well as Salem Township, Delaware County. The Town’s population was 2490 as of the 2020 census.

Chesterfield’s Origins

Chesterfield, originally known as “West Union”, was platted by Amasa Makepeace in 1830.

Also in 1830, Union Township, where the majority of the town lies, was organized. Union Township is the smallest township in Madison County.

In 1834, the town was renamed from West Union to Chesterfield.

On March 11, 1858, Chesterfield was officially incorporated as a town.

William Dilts

The first settler in the area, William Dilts, brought his extended family and others from Warren and Montgomery counties in Ohio, arriving in 1821. He settled on the east side of Mill Creek for three years. The location Dilts selected was entered out from under him by Joshua Baxter. This act upset Dilts who relocated to Delaware County.

Several years later, Dilts returned to the area and entered 160 acres just east of his original settlement. At this location, Dilts constructed a log house which he opened as the first hotel in this part of the county. He then built a brick house, the first of its kind in the township, near the log house.

Frederick Bronnenberg

Shortly after Dilts settled in 1821, Frederick Bronnenberg came through the area on his way to Illinois with his ox team. One of the oxen gave out near the Dilts settlement, prompting Bronnenberg to request assistance from Dilts. Dilts indicated the roads west were worse than the roads Bronnenberg had traveled on so far, so the Bronnenberg family opted to stay and settle in the area. One of the Bronnenberg children was ill at the time of their arrive in the area and, unfortunately, passed away. The Bronnenbergs occupied the abandoned cabin of an Indiana trader named McChester.

Amasa Makepeace

In 1822, Amasa Makepeace and his family settled in the Chesterfield area.