Throughout this period the immigrants applied for U.S. citizenship, renouncing all allegiance "to any foreign Prince or Potentate and particularly to ____________". (The name of the foreign King such as the King of Prussia was written the blank.)

History became more localized as the important events took place in individual communities rather than affecting the area as a whole. Tradesmen came to the towns; merchants, doctors, wagon makers, cigar makers, bricklayers, blacksmiths. Oldenburg opened its Academy. Sunman experienced a devastating fire in 1905, and Batesville became industrialized. The woodworking craft in Batesville emerged into the 20^th century as a major industry with furniture, hospital equipment, and caskets.

Over the years more people of Irish and English descent came from the southern states. Originally they came from Virginia through Kentucky and later from Kentucky and Tennessee. They brought with them a variety of churches, many of them Baptist. Other nationalities arrived with the coming of the railroads and industrialization.

Many families moved from surrounding communities and the countryside to Batesville. Marriages occurred between communities. Improved transportation and school consolidation furthered this process in recent years. Citizens of this area frequently trace their ancestry to more than one of these immigrant groups.

Many of the descendants of the early English and German immigrants left for the cities of Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and elsewhere. People of other origins came from the cities, particularly to Batesville which had developed a manufacturing base. Others came to live in this area and commute to larger cities.

Although immigration continued, there was no longer any huge influx of people from one particular place outside the area. The families of the earlier immigrants provided most of the population growth. The period of mass movements to the area had ceased. Consequently, the German immigrant culture has remained the predominant one in the Batesville vicinity.

Today, northern Ripley, northwestern Dearborn, and southwestern Franklin counties remain the center of a significant population descended from German Immigrants. Ripley County as a whole has the second highest percentage of German ancestry of any county in the state, second only to Doubois County in southestern Indiana. In the 1980 census 53% of its people claimed some German ancestry and 34 1/2% claimed only German ancestry.

Franklin County as a whole has the 4^th highest percentage of population with German ancestry, 51% of its people claim some German ancestry and 33% claim only German ancestry. This compares to 34 1/2% of the people of Indiana who claim some German ancestry and 13 1/2% who claim only German ancestry.