Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana

Preface

THIS volume goes forth to our patrons the result of months of arduous, unremitting and conscientious labor. None so well know as those who have been associated with us the almost insurmountable difficulties to be met with in the preparation of a work of this character. Since the inauguration of the enterprise, nearly one year ago, a large force has been employed — both local and other — in gathering material. During this time, upward of three thousand persons have been called upon in the two counties, to contribute from their recollections, carefully preserved letters, scraps of manuscript, printed fragments, memoranda, etc. Public records and semi-official documents have been searched, the newspaper files of the counties have been overhauled, and former citizens, now living out of the counties, have been corresponded with, all for the purpose of making the record as complete as could be, and for the verification of the information by a conference with many. In gathering from these numerous sources, both for the historical and biographical departments, the conflicting statements, the discrepancies and the fallible and incomplete nature of public documents were almost appalling to our historians and biographers, who were expected to weave therefrom with any degree of accuracy, in panoramic review, a record of events. Members of the same families disagree as to the spelling of the family name, contradict each other's statements as to dates of births, of settlement in the county, nativity and other matters of fact. In this entangled condition, we have given preference to the preponderance of authority, and while we acknowledge the existence of errors and our inability to furnish a perfect history, we claim to have come up to the standard of our promises, and given as complete and accurate a work as the nature of the surroundings would permit. Whatever may be the verdict of those who do not and will not comprehend the difficulties to be met with, we feel assured that all just and thoughtful people will appreciate our efforts, and recognize the importance of the undertaking and the great public benefit that has been accomplished in preserving the valuable historical matter of the county and biographies of many of its citizens, that perhaps would otherwise have passed into oblivion. To those who have given us their support and encouragement, and they are many, we acknowledge our gratitude, and can assure them that as years go by the book will grow in value as a repository not only of pleasing reading matter, but of treasured information of the past, and become a monument more enduring than marble.

May, 1882. THE PUBLISHERS.

CHAPTER I. Page

Abstract of Assessors' Report 32

Blooded Stock 26

Boundaries 12

Church and School Statistics 32

Climatic Conditions 11

County Agricultural Society 23

County Press 27

Cranberry Marshes 12

Geological Features 21

Hints on Drainage 13

Lakes and Rivers 12

Menu Temperature 13

Medical Practitioners 21

Peat and Iron 22

Railroads..... 31

Sanitary Condition 15

State Ditches, Table of 17

Surface and Soil 12

Tile Manufacture 18

Whitley County Medical Association 18

CHAPTER II. Arrival of Settlers 51

French Traders 44

Hardin's (Col.) Defeat 41

Harmar's (Gen.) Expedition 41

Indian Customs 51

Indian Trails and Villages 42

Indians of Whitley 35

Little Tui tie and Coesse 38

Mound-Builders 33

Seek's Village 38

Treaties of Cession 43, 45, 47

Treaties with the Miamis 36

CHAPTER IV. Page

CHAPTER III.

Bench and Bar 64

Boundaries, County 56

Circuit Court, First Term of. 58

County Courts, First 57

County Officers, First 57

County Officers, Table of 66

County Seat, Location of. 57

County Seat, Survey of. 58

Horse-Thieves and Regulators 71

Jurors, First Grand 61

Jury, First Petit 62

Land Entries, First 55

Murder, The First 63

Naturalization, The First 64

Perjury, First Case of. 62

Pioneer Life 73

Political Caucus, First 68

Presidential Vote 71

Probate Court, The First 64

Public Buildings, First 64

Settlements, First 56

State Roads 72

Surveys, Table of. 54

Trial For Forgery 62

Bounty and Relief Funds 91

Deserters, Arrest of 87

Drafts, The 85

Fall of Sumter, Excitement over... 76

Field Work, Record of. 91

Newspaper Animosities 78

" Pap Shoemaker's Fort" 78

Public Sentiment in 1861 75

Quotas, Condition of 88

Roll of Honor 95

Soldiers' Aid Society 83

Soldiers of the Earlier Wars 74

Soldiers of the Mexican War 75

Volunteers, Roll of First 78

War Meetings 76

Township Histories.

CHAPTER V. Columbia City and Township 98

Birth, The First. 105

Business Firms, List of. 108

City of Columbia, Platting of. .101

Churches 117

Court, First 105

Election Laws from 1838-52 103

General Industries 107, 111

Grain Traffic 112

Hotel, First 105

Marriage, First 105

Merchant, First 106

Mill, First 107

Organization of Columbia City..ll3

Organization of Township 102

Railroads 113

Secret Societies 121

School Officers 115

School Revenues 115

Settler, First 105

Sunday Schools 116

Whirligig of Politics 104

CHAPTER VI. Area and Population 123

Ashery, First 127

Business Men 133

Cemeteries 125

Churches and Ministers 131

Collamer Village 134

Death, First 125

Early Elections 132

Indians, The 125

Land Entries, First 124

Marriages, First 128

Merchants, Early 126

Mills, Early 126

Roads 124

Schools, Early 128

Page.

Schoolhouses and Districts.... 131

Secret Orders 133

South Whitley 132

CHAPTER VII. Biographical 153

County Officers, Early 142

Crimes and Casualities 144

Death, First 145

Elections, Presidential .138

Educational 147

Indian Trails 136

Individual Reminiscences 161

Inn, The First 153

Jurors, Grand and Petit 142

Lakes and Streams 136

Larwill Village 151,157

Lorane Village 158-

Marriages, Early 143

Mercantile Enterprises 152

Mill, First 153, 155

Mill. First Steam Saw 162

Name, Origin of 136

Land Entries, Original 148

Officers, First 138

Physicians, Early 151

Post Office, First 161

Pioneers as Experts 143

Railroads 151

Richland's Volunteers 163

School and Church Buildings,

First 155

Secret Orders 157

Settlers, Early 164

Settler, First 137

Summit Village 161

Tax Exhibits 142

Township Officers 141

Voters, The First 138

CHAPTER VIII. Churubusco 178

Churubusco County Press 183

Church, First 183

Conviction for Passing Counterfeit Bill 177

Conviction for Perjury 177

Fatal Accident 175

Marriage, First 175

Mercantile and Industrial 178

Mill, First 176

Mill, Second 177

Murder, First 176

Tl

CONTENTS.

Page.

Pioneer Tribulations 173

Post Office, First 177

Secret Societies 184

Schoolhouse, First 175

Taverns, Early 176

Terrific Explosion 185

Tragic Fate 177

CHAPTER IX. Adventures in the Woods 187

Amusements, Early 193

Births, Early 193

Bridge, First 193

Church History 196

Coesse Village 194

Death, First 193

Experiences, Early 191

Fatal Fall 188

Good Templars Lodge 195

Growth of Township 186

Justices of the Peace, Early 186

Marriage, First 193

Physician, First 186

School Teacher, First 188

Settlers, Early 186

Tavern, First 194

Traders, First 186, 194

Wartburg College 196

CHAPTER X. Church Societies 203

Land Entries, Early 201

Marriages, First 201

Mill, Early 205

Physicians, First 202

Post Office, First 202

Roads 203

Schools and School Statistics. ...202

Settler, First 198

Tax Assessment 201

CHAPTER XI. Adoption of Name 212

Page.

Blacksmith, First 207

Clergy and Churches 214

Forest Adventures 208

Forest Village 216

Mastodontic Remains 212

Mills, First 213

Pioneer Customs 207

Postal Facilities 216

Raccoon Village 211

Road, First 206

Schools and Schoolhouses 213

Secret Societies 216

Settlement, The Early 206

Settlers, Early 207

CHAPTER XII. Bloomfield Village 223

Circuit Court, First 225

Fatalities 225

Lakes 218

Matrimonial 224

Mills and Manufactures 223

Name, Derivation of 217

Physical Features 218

Religious Societies 225

Settlement, Early 218

Social Life 222

Surface Features 226

Chapter XIII

Address of E. L. Barber 231

Churches 229

Educational Reunion 230

Roads and Mills 228

Old Settlers' Reunion 230

Physical Features 229

Prominent Citizens 229

Roll of Settlers 227

Taxes, First 228

CHAPTER XIV. Page. Characteristics of Population. ..236

Cold Springs Village 235

Death, First 235

Etna Village 236

Mills and Tanneries 235

Schools and Churches 235

Wedding, First 235

Biographical Sketches.

Portraits.

Austin, Stephen S 119

Broxon, James 209

Collins, Richard 39

Creager, Peter 199

Foust, F. H 89

Harrison, James M 99

Hughes, C. W 49

Magers, F. M 169

McDonald, L B 69

McDonald, Mrs. I. B 79

McDonald, F. M 109

Merriman, Elijah 129

Putt, B. F 179

Richard, Lewis 149

Richard, Huldah 159

Tulley, Francis 29

Trumbull, A. M 139

Wenger, N. R 189

Views.

Court House. Whitley County 19

Infirmary, Whitley Connty 219

Jail, Wbitley County 59

CHAPTER I. Page. Geology 5

Indian History 19

Indian Mounds 11

Lakes and Ponds 9

Meteorology 10

Topography 9

CHAPTER II. A Child's Mysterious Disappearance 38

Birth, The First 54

Churches, The Early 54

County Buildings 42

County Census 39

County Officer* 44

County Organization 27

County Seats 41

Judiciary, The 47

Judicial Execution 34

Land Entries, The Early 28

Page.

Marriage, The First 54

Members of the Bar 48

Physicians, The First 53

Poor, The County 43

Post Office, The First 57

Settlement, The First 27

State Canal 32

Suffering in 1838 SI

Thieves and Counterfeiters 33

Valuation and Taxes 40

CHAPTER XII. Avilla's First House 214

Page.

Churches, The Early 217

Deaths, The Early 211

Election, The First 211

Franciscan Convent 218

Hunting Reminiscences 214

Incorporation of Avilla 216

Industries and Improvements..212

Marriage, The First ...211

Roll of Early Settlers 208

Schoolhouse, The First 268

Underground Railroad 216

White Settler, The First 208

CHAPTER XIX. Page. Bears and Other Beasts 291

Fish Stories 292

Marriage and Death, First 288

Religious Societies 294

Roop and Other Pioneers 287

Saw-Mill, First 291

Schools 293

Biographical Sketches.

Albion, Town of 363

Kendallville, City of. 297

Ligonier, Town of. 332

Portraits.

Alvord, Samuel 35

Bowman, John , 45

Bowman, Mrs. Mary 55

Calbeck, Joseph 230

Clapp, William M 16

Earuhart, John 239

Fisher, Eden H 199

Foster, Jehu 184

Gerber, E. B 151

Hall, William J 321

Hall, Lucinda 322

Keehn, George 165

Kimmell, Orlando 65

Kiser, Jacob 234

Riser, William S 173

Lang, Julius 75

Lash, James J 178

Mitchell, John 117

Mitchell, William 85

Ott, Abraham 249

Ott, George 276

Pancake, John 220

Prentiss, Nelson 8

Reed, L. N 131

Shifaly, John 327

Singrey, John A 189

Stanley, H. C 269

Stewart, James C 244

Teal, Norman 125

Tousley, Hiram S 25

Vanderford, Joel 95

Vanderford, Mrs. Joel 101

Voris, W. N 289

Walker, John 259

Weston, Thomas B 137

Weston, Catherine 143

Wolf, Jacob 159

Zimmerman, John 224

Views.

Court House, Noble County 4

Infirmary, Noble County 279

Jail, Noble County 209

ERRATA.

In note at foot of page 188, Part I, instead of Bond, read Baughan.

In sketch of Leggett & Crider, on page 254, Part I, last line, instead of May 27, 1838, read May 27, 1858.

In last paragraph on page 280, Part I, instead of George Eberard, Sr., read George Eberhard, Sr.

a/

PART I.

HISTORY OF WHITLEY COUNTY.