and publisher of the Indianapolis Journal Horatio C. Newcomb, mayor of Indianapolis Theodore Steele, artist Jessamyn West, writer Famous people who visited and lived in Vernon include: Alexander Campbell, founder of the Christian Church and Bethany College; Henry Ward Beecher came to Vernon early in the Civil War and made a plea for Lincoln and the Union at the Courthouse; and Lord Flanigan, English nobleman, was at one time a citizen of Vernon. Richard Nixon spoke in front of the courthouse in Vernon on June 24, 1971, for the dedication of a plaque commemorating the birthplace of his mother, Hannah Milhous Nixon. Literature In Jessamyn West's book, "The Friendly Persuasion", the Birdwell family lives near Vernon. References External links Town website County seats in Indiana Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Towns in Jennings County, Indiana Towns in Indiana National Register of Historic Places in Jennings County, Indiana