Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume II, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Madison, Brant & Fuller
Number of Pages: 566


USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume II > Part 1


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GENEALOGY COLLECTION


3 1833 01814 7162


GENEALOGY 977.201 ALSR V.2


VALLEY


OF THE


UPPER MAUMEE RIVER


WITH HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF ALLEN COUNTY AND THE CITY OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA. THE STORY OF ITS PROGRESS FROM SAVAGERY TO CIVILIZATION.


V.2.


VOLUME II.


Gc 977. 201 AlEr 1.2


ILLUSTRATED.


MADISON, WIS .: BRANT & FULLER, 1889.


.


Democrat Printing Company, Madison, Wis.


1 i


1519233


INDEX TO VOLUME II.


GENERAL HISTORY.


Page.


Amusement, places of. 284


Architectural growth. 223 Evangelical Association .. 315


Assembly, members of. 384


Lutheran, English. 311


Dispatch


322


Asylum. 225


Methodists


306


Freie Presse.


322


Attorneys, prosecuting (see


Courts).


Banks. 246


Bench and bar (see Courts).


Berghoff brewery


166


Breweries. 165, 166


Buildings, government.


224


College, Fort Wayne. 307


Staats Zeitung 319


319


Canal Era.


165


Common Pleas 460


county


276


Organization of Allen county 374


281


St. John the Baptist


432


St. Joseph's.


432


St. Joseph's hospital.


427


St. Leo's.


429 430


St Mary's


416


t. Patrick's.


433


St. Paul's ..


422


Gas, natural. 286


Railroads


51


St. Peter's.


423


Hospital. 284


Manufacturing enterprises. 86


Medical college. 335


Medical profession 330 War record. 391


Churches, Protestent 296


Medical societies 334


Water-works.


259


Wayne Hotel.


228


Y. M. C. A. building.


224


PERSONAL HISTORY.


Page.


Adkins, A. W.


Bard, Samuel.


193


Benoit, Rev. Julian 423


Albrecht, Martin L ..


133


Barnett, W. W.


345


Bensman, Rudolph. 98


Alden, S. R.


502


Barnum, George P


293


Bensman, William J 114


Amnes, Geo. W.


292


Barr, William J. 193


Maderson, Calvin .. 47


MIdderson, J. R. 84


35


Barrows, Frank R.


174


Bitner, John R. 111


Blair, Solon K 74


Muger, Charles


52


Bastian, Jacob


194


Blair, Thomas W 279


Neit, Moritz ..


49


163


Beaber, Abraham G. 194


Beaver, A. C .. 139


Boerger, A. H 178


Boester, F. H 234


Niefer, John


243 46


Becks, Rev. Julius


427


Boltz, Ferdinand F. 100


Ninger, Kilian ..


45 Becquett, John B


40


Boltz, Fred. C 124


Niswes, M ...


241


Begue, John C


50


Bond, Charles D.


252


Noridt, Fred.


236 Beighler, John 195


Bookwalter, E. H 329


Borden, James W 476


ta, H. F.


113 Bender, Louis


Page.


Page.


Bigger, Samuel 487


Bitler, Samuel D 139


. Mucher family.


Muger, Benjamin L.


192


Bass, John H. 93


Baxter, Thomas .. 271


Blakesley, Lyman. 77


Bobilya, Louis J 178


Nes'es, Henry P.


339 46


Newer, B. H.


Beaver, Charles B 85


Becker, Frederich. 50


Bohne, Carl . 117


Nieder, John.


Barrand, John B. 39


Bierbaum, F. R. 74


Barrand Peter F. 38


Barrett, James M. 502


Street railways .. Transportation, local 288


288


St. Vincent's orphan asylum 428


Church, Hebrew 314


Baptists 301


Christian. 315


Churches. Protestant.


Page.


Page.


Congregational 315


Newspapers


317


American Farmer. 319


Presbyterian, First .. 296


Gazette ..


320


Presbyterian, Second .. 300


Journal .. . 321


Presbyterian, Third. 301


Miscellaneous. 319


News 322


Reformed . 313


Poultry and Pets.


322


Sentinel 317


255


Centlivre brewery


Circuit, first session


440


Criminal.


463


Probate . 458


Superior. 465


Under first constitution 440


Under second constitution 460


Dentistry. 370


Finances in 1825 376


Postoffice building. 224


Public buildings.


378


First election. 375


Public enterprises.


281


Parks.


Physicians licensed. 336


Physicians, Monroeville. 369


Police, The


256


Population 390


St. Louis


County infirmary 381 Times.


Officers, city


383


federal


Churches, Catholic. 411 Cathedral 415


St. Aloysius 434


Business interests 145 17 Courts 439


Protestant Episcopal. 310


United Brethren. 316


Fire department 257


382 Statistics, financial St. Rose of Lima. 433 Improvements, aid to 381 political .. 385 St. Vincent's. 431


Beverforden, Henry F 195


Mddersen, Peter 115


Nell'es, Henry B.


Nusiks, Creed T 362 Bell, R. C. 498


Milling interests. .


23


Municipal and federal. 251


195 | Boseker, Christian 228


INDEX TO VOLUME II.


Page.


Boswell, Asa C. 361


Boswell, A. J .. 360


Bowen, George W 342 Dwenger, Rt. Rev. Joseph. 436


Bowser, Sylvanus F. 135


Brackenridge, Joseph


486 34


Edgerton, Joseph K. 63


Hayden, John W.


279


Brackenridge, G. W


Brackenridge, Robert. 34, 507


Brames, Louis 141 Ehrmann, Charles. 198


Brammer, Rev. J. H .. 429 Ellison, T. E .. 503


Brandt, Diederich 96


Brannan, John H 405


Braun, John


142


Entemann, Christian 199


Ersig, William A 199


86


Henderson, Zenas.


40


Ewing, Charles W.


472


Henry, James M.


232


Hensel, Peter


236


Herber, J. F.


226


Herbst, Otto P


278


Hetrick, Jacob


356


Hettler, C. F.


265


Brinsley, Jolın C ..


295


Fink, Frank H. 97


402


109


Brossard, John 196 Fisher, Abel.


Brown, Seneca B.


370


Fisher, R. J ..


95


Higgins, Frank P


82


Hilbrecht, Henry .


266


Bruebach, George T.


343


Bruns, C. W.


244


Fleming, Thornton J. 169


Hild, Henry.


242


Hilgemann, H. F. 206


118 Hill, Thomas. Hilton, Charles S 120


Hinton, John C. 206


Hoagland, Pliny 62


Hoffman, Henry A 232


Hull, Lewis O. 165


Busching, Henry. 197


Byrne, Rev. M. J.


416


Frank, Mendel


201


Franke, A. H ..


271


Frankenstein, Max L


200


Hyman, Philip H. 139


Iten, Frank 269


Jaap, George 235


Jackson, Thomas 72


Jackson, William T .. 81


Jenson, James O


Case, Charles


509


Chambers, John D 352


Fulton, Charles W.


294


Jones, Fremont }


Jones, Joseph H.


350


Jones, Maurice L.


174


Colerick, David H.


482


Colerick, John


485 Gallmeier, William 240


350


Judy, G. H.


15


Connolly, William A.


366


Coolman, John H.


237


Geake, William


230


Geller, W. F


203


Cooper, Henry


473


Cosgrove, Franklin K


364


Cosgrove, F. D


400 70


Cox, Enoch.


Cramer, Matthias . 103


96


Cratsley, Frank C.


162


Craw, Edward L


191


Crawford, Jolın T


238


Cressler, Alfred D


115


Cromwell, Joseph C.


137


Cromwell, Joseph W


246 41


Dalman, Frederick


Dawson, C. M. 476


Dawson. John W. 324


Dawson, Reuben J. 474


De Haven, Perry N.


172


Delaney, Rev. J. F


416


Derbyshire, Samuel W


360


Detzer, Martin 179


Greenwell, Franklin 367


Greenawalt, George L. 350


Koerdt, Rev. Ferdinand


Kollock, Fred. N ..


Korn, August


Dills, Thomas J.


351


Dinnen, James M


354


Dittoe, Albert J.


167 Haller, Gottlieb. 204


Kreite, Charles F


Doehrmann, William 268


Hamilton, Allen. 250


Krock, John


Doswell, George W 197


Doswell, John H 283


Harding, D. L.


262


Krusy, H. F. W


Dougall. A. H. 188


Harrison, Robert H. 107 Kryder, John L


Dreibelbiss, John. 191


Harrison, Walter S. 2.15


Kuhne, F. W


Dreibelbiss, Robert B


191 | Hartman, Rev. B. 431 Kunkle, E. B


Page


Dudenhoefer, George P. 131


Hartmann. Henry. 405


Hartman, Jacob. 205


Hartman, John H. 205


Hartman, Joseph H. 206


Edgerton, A. P. 33 Hartman, S. B. 372


275


Heaton, Owen H.


507


Hedekin, Michael


42


Ely, George W 267


Heimroth, Andrew


112


Hench, S. M .... 497


Henderson, A. R.


132


Henderson, S. C ..


40


Breidenstein, Simpson 192


Breimeier, Ernst 233


Brimmer, Joseph 242


Brenton, Samuel


406


Fay, James A.


487


Felts, George F.


401


Ferguson, John


128


Fischer, Henry E.


106


Higgins, C. R.


277


Brown, William H


39


Fitch, Charles B.


121


Fitzpatrick, Bernard .. 105


Fletcher, Charles P .. 76


Fletcher, Josiah F. 292


Buckwalter, Louis


111


Foellinger, Jacob. 45


Buhr, Henry .


197


Foster, David N. 149


Foster, Samuel M. 151


Fox, Louis, and Bro


160


France, Joseph S.


488


Caldwell, James 355


Campbell, Daniel 113


Carnahan, William L 159


Freeman, Samuel C ...


44


Carpenter, Warren 270


192


Freiberger, Ignatius 200


201


Carson, W. W. 478


Fre stoffer, Henry. Fremion, Joseph


143


French, Brooks.


118


Jocquel, John J.


175


Chapin, A. A. 500


Gage, Robert 145


Gale, George A 202


Gallmeier, Ernst 240


Johnson, A


18


Colerick, Walpole G 483


Geake, J. J.


231


Kabisch, Rudolph 20₽


Kalbacher, Anton


Kaough, William


Keefer, Christian. 211


Keel, Aurora C. 169


Keil, Frederick W.


Kelker, Anthony . 79


Keller, Henry. 1.40


Kendrick, Frank B.


Kendrick, William H 231


Kern, Jacob J. 402


Kerr Murray manufacturing company 115


176 Kintz, A. W


Klett, Jacob 13


Knecht, F. J 2.


Knight, William


Knothe, Charles F 12


Koehler, John A 14


Koehler, Paul


Koenig, C. F.


Koenig, Rev. E.


Dickinson, Philemon 163 Diehl, Hugh M. 272


Gregg. James S. 341


Gruber, John Michael. 203


Hackius, G. L .. 116


Haiber, Charles F. 204 Kortee, Frederick


Haiber, George W 204


Hanna, Samuel.


Krohne, H. H. L


Diether, Jolm H.


127 127


Diether, Louis


Korn, John


Graffe, Frederick, jr 160 Kline, C. W 2


Granneman, H. C.


179


Gray, James P 78


Griffith Levi .. 234


Griswold, Crawford. 74


Green, M. France: 44


164


Gilmartin, Edward.


173


Glenn, Thomas M


187


Cran, Robert.


Glenn, William M


80


Gocke, Anthony


51


Gocke, Louis H ..


51


Golden, Edward J.


171 75


Gordon, George P.


Gotsclı, Theodore O


161


Graffe, Henry C ..


Graham. James A. 105


202


Gibson, David N.


406


Gilbert, John ..


200


Freese, August


Carrier, A. H .


351 73


Buck, Charles W


Bullerman, Henry F. 404


Bursley, Gilbert E 157


Hunt, John T. 207


Hunter, Lewis C. 403


Cartwright, Charles 102


Cody, Maurice 42


Johnston, William, jr


Gard, Brookfield


Coombs, William H. 474


Gessler, Albert F


31


Brink, John J. 178


Brinsley, George C. 184


Brooks, William H 338


Hewes, James C ..


Hilbrecht, Henry, jr 269


Buchman, A. P.


Eme, Claude F. 47


Breen, W. P 505


Essig, Charles O.


Ewing, W. G. and G. W.


Hazzard, Louis.


Ehle, August N 199


Page.


Dunham, Frank W. 104


Eckhert, John C. 198


Kraft, Frederick


INDEX TO VOLUME II.


Page.


Laubach, A. J .. 354


O'Brien, Dennis.


265


Seibold, H. J. 180


Shafer, Edward A. 358


Shambaugh, William H. 402


Lauferty, Isaac 253 O'Leary, Rev. T. M 415 Shea, Michael F. 83


Lang, Rev. J. F. 415


Law, C. D 67


O'Rourke, Patrick S


68


Shrimpton, Alfred 232


Shryock, William W. 373


Shuman, E. 183


Siemon, A. F. 161


Simonson, James H. 126


Singleton, Michael T. 273


Singmaster, Joseph. 49


372


Siver, Emett L.


359


Slater, John.


274


Smaltz, Francis M.


218


Loag, George W.


396


Paulus, Frank D


183


Loesch, George H. 180


Long, Mason. 167


Longacre, M. P 138


Lowry, Robert. 496


Luers, Rt. Rev. J. H 426


McCaskey, George W. 357


Pierce, Ogden.


182


McCausland, John W .. 358


Mcclellan, Charles A. O 408


McClure, Andrew. 83


McCormick, Thomas H. 362


Pressler, John.


134


McCulloch, Hugh 248


269


McDonald, R. T.


120


McIntosh. William.


53


Randall, Perry A


501


Mckay, James M.


157


McKinnie, W. M., & Co.


228


McLain, Nelson W.


403 76


McMullen, John.


235


McNamara, Washington


103


Reinewald, Rudolph C.


263


McNiece, Nicholas R.


212


Reiter, George


214


McNutt, L. D.


288 52


McQuiston, John W


Renfrew, Robert G


104


McQuiston, Wilson.


124


Madden, James D. 244


Mark, Rev. J. A. 433


Markey, A. C .. 212


Martz, Christian 358


Matsch, J. Christopher 96


Robinson, James H. 46


Robinson, James M. 506


Rockhill, William. 406


Rockhill, William W.


328


Metcalf, S. C.


348


Meyer, Diedrich. 264


213


Romer, Rev. C. M.


421


Meyer, Henry William


95


Romy, Robert L. 190


Thieme, J. G.


170


Meyer, John F. W.


152


Meyer, William D. 267


Meyers, Charles F.


289


Rosenthall, Isaac M.


344


Ross-Lewin, Edward A


132


Miller, Cassius A


235


Rossington, R. B. 71


216


Moffat, D. W 298


Rudisill, Henry 36


367


Monning, Henry.


419


Monning, John B .. 127


Moran, Peter A. 212


Morgan, Joseph D. 365


Morgan & Beach. 149


Morris, John. 480


Morris, Samuel L. 499


397


Schiefer, Christian 49


Schlatter, Christian C. 176


Schmueckle, Frederick 267 Virgil, Thomas S. 348


Volland, Henry 50


Wagenhals, Samuel 312


Wagner, John C .. 175


Wahrenberg, Fred 274


Weber, Andrew 107


Weil Brothers 185


Weisell, David D. 371


Wenninghoff, Christian. 221


Ninde, L. M 508


Schust, George A


271


Wheelock, E. G. 341


Niswonger, Henry W 359


Northrop, S. A. 304


Seaton, John ... 345


White, James B. 154


Nusbaum, Peter.


142 | Seavey, Gideon W


162 | Wichman, A. C. F. 124


137


Thompson, Nelson W 73


Thompson, Richard G. 70


Tinkham, John P. 220


Torrence, George K 190


Tower, Alexander M. 112


Trautman. John. 274


Tresselt, Christian 48


Trentman, August C 147


Trentman, Bernard 148


Underhill, Elliot S. 141


Urbine, James 181


Van Buskirk, A. E 353


Vesey, William J .. 504


Veniard, Rev. Felix 431


Moynihan, A. J. 328


Muldoon, John W 242


Munson, Charles A. 399


Murphy, George ... 364


Neireiter, Conrad. 189


Schroeder, Henry


239


Nestel, Daniel.


53


Schultz, Henry ... 243


Schulz, Adolph F. 118


Schulz, William Fred. 185


Schust, G. Adolph 116


Schweir, Henry. 217


Page.


O'Connor, Bernard. 66


Lauer, Gregory .. 240 O'Connor, B. S. 67


O'Rourke, Edward. 489


O'Rourke, W. S. 505


O'Ryan, Patrick 273


Leonard, Nelson


143


Oechtering, Rev. J. H 421


Lepper, Charles O 180


Leykauf, John N 211


Liebman, E. F


233


Liggett Bros .. 291


Lillie, John. 129


Lindlag, Philip J.


142


Pape, Charles ... 123


Pape, William C 126


Pearse, James W


289


Smaltz, John


217


Smead, Frank K 218


Smith, Cornelius S. 343


Smith, F. M 177


Smith, J. L 366


Smith, J. Sion 270


Sommers, H. G. 181


Souder, Daniel W 396


Sosenheimer, C. J. 264


Spereisen, Jacob A. 218


177


Spiegel, Gottfried E. 219


173


Stapleford, L. P.


41


130 Stellhorn, Charles. 172


Stemen, Christian B. 352


Stemen, George B 357


Stephan, William 107


Stier, Jacob J. 97


Storm, J. A. M 177


Strodel, John George 219


Studer, Himerius L. 219


Stultz, Charles E. 362


Sturgis, Charles E 338


Stutz, John A. 361


Suelzer, John . 238


Sullivan, Andrew 220


Summers, James 220


Sweet, Samuel B 68


Sweringen, H. V. 346


Tagtmeyer, David. 137


Tapp, Herman W


236


Taylor, John M.


398


Taylor, Robert S.


488 171


Thieme, Frederick


Thomas, William A 125


Thompson, M. M .. 401


Thompson, Nelson.


Meyers Frederick C. 98 182


Miller, Frederick Moellering, William.


226


Rowe, Nicholas B ..


Ruhl, Wm. DeLa


Rurode, E. C. 158


Ryan. Patrick. 265


Sallot, Victor A .. 102


Sarnighausen, J. D 324


Sauvain, Samuel H. 216


Schaper, Charles H. 238


Scheid, Peter J .. 268


Viberg, George H. 398


Schneider, Matthias 216


Schone, H. H. 184


Schroeder, L. S. C. 280


Newton, Charles H. 71


Niemann, Gottlieb 213


Niezer, John B. 397


Page.


Landenberger, John M 131


Lenz, Frederick. 211


Leonard, Nathan R. 326


Ogden, Robert .. 243


Olds, N. G., & Sons 98


Oids' Wagon Works 114


Orr, John W 164 Sites, E. F 372


Page, William D 325


Perrin, A. C ...


294


Peters' Box Co. 123


Peters, John C


122


Pfeiffer, Henry.


175


Pixley, George W.


153 355


Porter, Miles F.


Powers, Emmet W 290


Quinlan, Rev. W. J


433


McDonald, P. J


Racine, Aime


135 37


Randall, Franklin P.


Ranke, Wm .


Rastetter, Louis


129


Read, H. A.


291


McMahan, Sylvester


Rehling, Ernst


113 52


Remmert, H. J


117


Rhinesmith, John 125


Rich, Sanford. 227


Rippe, Frederick 237


Robertson, R. S. 493


Robinson, H. H. 499


Mentzer, Simeon E 369


Mergentheim, A 168


Messman, Rev. A 423


Rodahaugh, Thomas J 110


Rohan, John H. 119


Meyer, Frank H.


Rose, Charles .. 215


Rose, Henry A. 214


Ross, James P. 215


Monahan, Dennis 171


Reidmiller, John M.


Spice, John ...


Spiegel, Gustave


Sites, Henry C.


Lintz, Anthony. 43


Shordon, Daniel. 183


Wheelock, Kent K. 342


Mowrer, Isaac ..


Nelson, Isaac DeGroff 409


1


INDEX TO VOLUME II.


Page.


Page.


Page.


Wilder, Joseph H.


99


Winch, Calvin J.


133


Woolsey, Hiram B. 103


Wilkens, Jacob V


221


Wise, William.


202


Worden, James L.


465


Wilkinson, Frank.


272


Withers, W. H. 479


Worley, George N


368


Williams, Jesse L.


61


Wolf, Louis .. 158


Yergens, William 130


Wilson, John ..


221 Wood, George W.


322


Zollars, Allen 490


Wilson, Thomas W


506


Woodworth, Alonzo L. 110


Winbaugh, George W.


144


Woodworth, B. S.


340


ILLUSTRATIONS.


Page.


Page.


Page.


Bass, J. H


96


Griebel, A. L.


Old Fort.


Frontispiece.


Benoit, Rev. Julian


424


Hackett, E. A. K.


320


Page, William D.


320


Boseker, Christian.


192


Leonard, N. R .. 320


Sarnighausen, J. D. 320


School for Feeble Minded 224


Brooks, W. A


336


Lowry, Robert 496


Thompson, M. M 400


Carson, W. W


480


Moellering, William


256


Tillo, Charles D 320


Colerick, David H.


448


Monning, Henry


416


White, J. B 160


Edgerton, J. K.


64


Mowrer, Isaac. 468


Zollars, Allen . 464


Ferguson, John


128


Zurbuch, Joseph F. 222


Brackenridge, Joseph. 304


Loag, George W 384


THE CITY OF FORT WAYNE, BY W. P. COOPER.


THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, BY B. S. WOODWORTH, M. D.


ORGANIZATION.


CATHOLIC CHURCHES, BY REV. JOHN F. LANG.


COURTS OF ALLEN COUNTY, BY JUDGE ALLEN ZOLLARS. 1


THE CITY OF FORT WAYNE.


THE CANAL ERA.


HILE journeying from east to west on the New York, Chicago & St. Louis railway, the traveler experiences in western Ohio an uninteresting ride through heavily-wooded districts until, a half hour after crossing the Indiana line, he comes suddenly to a noble river, along whose precipitous banks he is whirled for several miles. Houses multiply, and are seen to be aligned in streets; the smoke of many factories curls about the train, shutting out the glimpses of stately churches, tall business blocks, tasteful residences and the other abundant evidences of a rich and prosperous city.


The journey is now along an abandoned water way. Suddenly, close to the railroad, but high above it, comes in view a modest little park. On a tall staff floats the American flag and from the well kept enclosure a cannon looks out, as if to keep watch and ward against assailants, who may be expected to swarm up from the valley below. In a moment more the train halts and the passengers for Fort Wayne alight.


The river whose meanderings he has followed is the Maumee; the abandoned water way is what remains of the Wabash & Erie canal; the little park with its flag-staff and cannon mark the site of old Fort Wayne, and the traveler stands upon a bustling depot platform which has taken the place of a part of the canal dock along which the business of the town was for many years transacted.


The stores that line the old dock in solid rank have made a right- about face from the line of the canal and front upon a handsome street, but over what are now the back doors of the oldest of them may yet be seen signs of quaint and indistinct lettering advising the world that West India goods, sugar, rope, provisions, rum, and what not, are to be had within.


Not until the days of railroads did the commerce of Fort Wayne begin to forsake the old waterway, and then the city passed forever from an interesting era that people love to chat about. The event of the day, the day of forty years ago, was the arrival of the gorgeous packet. It was drawn by better-whipped mules than those that tugged at the slower freight boats; and was a craft of larger size and fitted with comfortable accommodations for a passage of many days and nights. A packet's approach to a town was always heralded by a great


II


·


IS


VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.


blowing of horns from the deck, followed by a prodigious bustling of the tradesmen on the wharf, and the hurrying to the dock of no small portion of the population. The passengers, having debarked, were refreshed at the public houses, made purchases, were questioned about the places they came from, the object of their journeys, and were thoroughly interrogated for the news that mail and telegraph now supply.


Then the horn summoned on board those who were to continue their voyage, the swaggering driver, in slouch hat and top boots, cracked his whip, away trotted the mules toward the next stopping place and the bustle on the wharf was over until the approach of the next packet boat was sounded.


Though the Wabash & Erie canal has long been a thing of the past, it was the most important factor in the development of Indiana and the northwest, and the accomplishment of its construction will always remain a monument to the memory of a few far-sighted and energetic pioneer citizens. It was a most stupendous work of internal improve- ment-the largest continuous line of artificial water communication in the world, and did more to give to Fort Wayne its early impetus than all other agencies combined. All of the more important towns of the northern Indiana counties, through which it passed, have similarly pros- pered, and have grown to be large and wealthy county seats, viz .: Fort Wayne, Huntington, Wabash, Peru, Logansport, Delphi and LaFayette, and by reason of the earlier advantages derived from the canal, have easily outstripped all neighboring places in both population and business. Indeed the first car of progress was not drawn through the Maumee and Wabash valleys by the shrieking locomotive, but by the patient and plodding mule.


The plan for uniting by canal the waters of Lake Erie, with those of the Ohio river is said to have been entertained by Gen. Washington, a practical surveyor, but the glory of the accomplishment of the great undertaking rests principally with Hon. Samuel Hanna and Mr. David Burr of Fort Wayne. It is related that in a familiar conversation had in a summer house, attached to his then residence at the northwest cor- ner of Barr and Berry streets, Judge Hanna first broached the subject to David Burr. The latter was a man of broad character and great ability and much influence. He entered into the spirit of the undertak- ing with great ardor and in frequent meetings the plans were matured which bore such grand fruitage. For some time before this the project of an artificial waterway from the Ohio river to Lake Erie had been agitated in Ohio, and a survey of the Miami canal was made in 1824, under the direction of Micajah T. Williams, an elder brother of Jesse L. Will- iams, who was connected with the party of surveyors. This survey was carried to Defiance, on the Maumee and thence to the lake, forming a southern branch of the great system. The canal was anticipated in the treaty of 1826 with the Miami Indians, in which, where the reservations were mentioned, it was stipulated, that the state of Indiana may lay out


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19


THE CANAL ERA.


· a canal or road through any of these reservations, and for the use of a. canal, six chains along the same are hereby appropriated.


Messrs. Hanna and Burr supplied themselves with facts touching the length and direction of the proposed canal, and became acquainted with the engineering difficulties in the way of the undertaking, and they began a correspondence with the representatives of Indiana in congress, and so impressed upon their minds the importance and feasibility of the pro- ject that a survey of the canal by a corps of the United States topo- graphical engineers was ordered. As has been previously mentioned, this corps, under Col. James Shriver, worked heroically on the survey from the mouth of the Tippecanoe to the head of the Maumee rapids, though Shriver and Moore, his successor, fell victims to malaria. The survey was completed to the Maumee bay by Col. Howard Stansbury, who was one of the original party. This work was begun at Fort Wayne in May or June, 1826, and completed in 1828.


Then followed an act of congress, approved March 2, 1827, grant- ing to the state of Indiana "every alternate section of land, equal to five miles in width for six miles on both sides of the proposed line and throughout its whole length for the purpose of constructing a canal from the head of navigation on the Wabash at the mouth of the Tippecanoe river to the foot of the Maumee rapids. This munificent grant of land, amounting to 3,200 acres for every one of the 213 miles of the proposed work, was the first of any magnitude made by congress for the promotion of public works, and initiated the policy of land grants afterward so liberally pursued. A subsequent act approved May 24, 1828, provided for a similar grant to Ohio for the southern branch, and also for the cession to Ohio by Indiana of the territory granted to Indi- ana within the Ohio boundary. Commissioners were appointed by each state, W. Tillman on the part of Ohio, and Jeremiah Sullivan on the part of Indiana, who arranged a treaty between the two states, by which Ohio agreed to construct the part of the Wabash & Erie canal in her territory in exchange for the land granted to Indiana between the lake and the Ohio boundary.


The prominence into which Messrs. Hanna and Burr grew as the champions of such an important work appears to have excited a strange and powerful opposition, but Judge Hanna, in a hard-fought contest, was elected to the legislature as the special champion of the canal policy. The grant of land was accepted by the Indiana legislature in the session of IS28, and the sum of $1,000 was appropriated to purchase the nec- essary engineering instruments and make a survey of the summit level. Samuel Hanna, David Burr and Robert John were appointed a board of canal commissioners, and ordered to make the survey mentioned.


Mr. Hanna went to New York, purchased the necessary outfit of instruments and returned by way of Detroit, bringing the instruments from the latter place by horse-back to Fort Wayne. John Smythe, the engineer, accomplished no more, after arriving at Fort Wayne, than to gauge the river and adjust his instruments when he became a victim to


20


VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.


the diseases of the region, and Judge Hanna and Mr. Burr were com- pelled to take it up, with the aid of a surveyor and finish it without the assistance of the engineer. They provided for the construction of a dam on the St. Joseph river six miles north of the town, from which point a feeder canal led an abundant supply of water to a point a mile west of the town, where the main line was intersected. During the year 1830, the middle or summit division was located and prepared for con- tract by Engineer Joseph Ridgeway. At the legislative session of 1831-2, the canal commissioners were authorized to place the middle division under contract, creating a board of fund commissioners, and authorizing a loan of $200,000 on the credit of the state. At the first meeting of this board at Indianapolis, in the spring of 1832, it was found that the total amount realized from the sale of canal lands was $28,651. During this spring Jesse L. Williams was appointed chief engineer.




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