A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 1, Part 54

Author: Howard, Timothy Edward, 1837-1916
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 826

USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 1 > Part 54

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

See. 4 .- INDIANA CITY .- During the same year another plat, called "Indiana City," was laid out on the north side of the river. This appears also as an independent town. The plat was acknowledged June 28, 1836, by the proprietors, Joseph Battell, James R. Lawrence and Grove Lawrence, and is de- scribed as follows: "This is a plat of In- diana City, in St. Joseph county, Indiana, laid out on the south half of section number nine and the northwest fraction of seetion sixteen, in township thirty-seven north, in range three east." Between Joseph street and the river the plat shows a vacant tract marked "Reserved for water power," and a mill race is shown from the rapids along the north side of the river, down to the "Island." The mill race, however, was never dug along the plat of Indiana City, and consequently the vacant tract was never used "for water power." Years afterwards this sightly traet, high over the St. Joseph river, was presented by Mr. Battell to the city of Mishawaka, to be used as a public park. It has been kept up and maintained by the city, with walks and drives. green- sward, flowers and shade trees. The delight- ful spot is known as Battell Park. The plat of "Indiana City" diseloses another cireum- stance showing that Messrs. Battell and Law- renee were ambitious of great things for their town. Two large squares, of several acres each, are set apart for publie purposes ;

322

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPHI COUNTY.

one is marked "College Green, " and the other "Court House Square." No college has been erected on the "College Green," nor has any court house been built upon the "Court House Square"; and "Indiana City" itself was destined soon to lose its own identity.

See. 5 .- OTHER ADDITIONS .- On March 8, 1837. the plat of "H. H. Fowler's Addition to Mishawaka," also on the north side of the river, was acknowledged by Henry H. Fowler.

On April 19. 1837, Thomas P. Bulla sur- veved a second plat for G. W. R. Fowler. laid out on the southwest fractional quarter of section ten. township thirty-seven north. range three east, "Commencing eighty rods east of the southwest corner of section ten." There is nothing on this plat to show whether it was intended as an addition or not; there being no reference to any other plat.

Sec. 6 .- UNION OF THE TOWNS .- At the elose of the year 1837, there were therefore no less than four independent town plats, besides the additions. On the south side of the river were the St. Joseph Iron Works, platted by Alanson M. Hurd: and Misha- waka, platted by Barbee & Ilarman. On the north side, were Indiana City. platted by Battell & Lawrenee: and Fowler's vil- lage, platted by George W. R. Fowler. Tay- lor's, as well as Hurd's own additions, rec- ognized the St. Joseph Iron Works: while the remaining additions seemed to recognize Mishawaka. The post office, as we have seen, was also called Mishawaka.

On February 17, 1838, an act of the legis- lature was approved. designed to bring the several towns and additions under one name." The act declared :

"That the name of the town of St. Joseph Iron Works and the name of the town of Indiana City. in St. Joseph county, be, and the same are hereby changed to that of Mishawaka; and that all the lots now laid out on either side of the Big St. Joseph river, a. Local Laws, 1837, p. 410.

whether included within the towns of St. Joseph Iron Works, Indiana City, Misha- waka. or additions thereto. be included within the incorporation of the town of St. Joseph Iron Works (hereafter to be known by the name of Mishawaka)."

Thus was unity given to the several towns and their additions, gathered "at the head of the Mishawaka rapids, in the township of Penn, in the county of St. Joseph." For convenience of reference. the old divisions are still recognized as the "original plat." "Taylor's Addition," "Barbee's Addition," "Lawrence & Battell's Addition." and the several "Fowler's Additions"; but all these, and many others since formed, are merged under the happily chosen name of Misha- waka.

The word Mishawaka is Indian, meaning, as it would seem, Big Rapids; the etymology being similar to that of the word Michigan, signifying Great Lake. The town therefore took its name from the most remarkable nat- ural feature of the locality. the great falls in the river at this point. This, too, gave to the eitizens an indication of the fine water power that could be secured by throwing a dam across the river just above the rapids. The actual fall of the river for a few rods at the rapids has been found to be two feet and nine inches. Thus, Mishawaka's future history as a manufacturing town was recog- nized in the very name given to the infant municipality,-the town of the big rapids, the town of the great water power. The iron ore which had suggested the name of the St. Joseph Iron Works has all been taken from the bog where it was once thought to be inexhaustible: but the water power of the rapids which suggested the name of Misha- waka remains a perennial boon to the town and to the city which has grown from the town.

Sec. 7 .- INCORPORATION .- Even before the date of the act of the general assembly unit- ing the several divisions, the town, under the name of the St. Joseph Iron Works, had

323

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

already been incorporated. On Monday, the first day of September, 1834, being the first day of the September term, 1834, of the board of commissioners of St. Joseph county, the following order was entered :

"Now at this day comes in before the board Orlando Hurd and files a petition of the inhabitants of the town of St. Joseph Iron Works, praying for the said board to order an election in said town. that they may have the said town incorporated. And the said board, after examining the prem- ises and the evidence adduced, order and di- rect that notice to the said citizens be given to meet at the house of Orlando Hurd on the last Saturday in this month, to elect trustees of said incorporation."

For some reason which does not appear of record, the election was not held as ordered; and. on Tuesday, January 5. 1835, being the second day of the January session of the board of county commissioners for that year, the following further order was made:

"It is ordered by the board that an alias notice be given to the citizens of St. Joseph Iron Works to meet at the house of Orlando Hurd and eleet trustees for the incorporation of said town."

The following return was made of the election so called :

"At a meeting of the qualified electors of the village of St. Joseph Iron Works, held pursuant to publiek notice given by the sher- iff of the county of St. Joseph, at the house of Orlando Hurd in said village, on Satur- day, the thirty-first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, for the purpose of electing five trustees in and for said village, Elias Smith was called to the chair and John J. Deming appointed clerk. And thereupon the said chairman and clerk were duly sworn to the faithful dis- charge of their duties respectively, in super- intending said election, by Samuel J. H. Tre- land. Esq., one of the justices of the peace in and for said county. The votes of the eleetors were then taken and canvassed, and

the result of said election declared to be as follows: James White, Alexander Sandi- lands, John J. Deming, Samuel Staneliff, Henry De Camp, trustees.

"It witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3 Apl., 1835.

"Jno. J. Deming. Clerk."

This was the first town incorporation in St. Joseph county. preceding by a few months the incorporation of the town of South Bend.

II. BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.

From the beginning Mishawaka has been noted for its business enterprise. The founders and early settlers of the town were men remarkable for their public spirit. They were enterprising, pushing. persevering. They built the first dam across the St. Joseph, and likewise erected the first bridge, and both by private means. A mill race was dug on each side of the river; and early use was made of the unequaled water power at the rapids.

The St. Joseph Iron Works, the original corporation organized by Alanson M. Hurd to reduce the iron ore found in the bog south of town long continued to be the leading business corporation. Under the name of the St. Joseph Manufacturing Com- pany, and engaged in the production of plows and other farming implements. it con- tinnes to this day as one of the business forees of the community.

Another company, organized under an aet approved February 17. 1838.ª was the Misha- waka Iron and Manufacturing Company, with a capital of one hundred thousand dol- lars. the incorporators being John N. Sher- man, Orlando Hurd. George W. R. Fowler, Charles W. Pomery and Alonzo Delano.

In 1836, leading citizens of the town had taken a prominent part in organizing the first insurance company of St. Joseph county, The St. Joseph's County Mutual Fire Insur- ance Company. By an act approved Feb- a. Local Laws, 1837, p. 211.

324

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

ruary 8, 1836," the company received a char- ter from the legislature, the first section of which provided :

"That Samuel Sample, Horatio Chapin, L. M. Taylor, A. Coquillard, John Brown- field, Elias Smith, Orlando Hurd, J. E. Hol- lister, J. H. Orr, Francis P. Taylor, A. M. Hurd, and all other persons who may here- after associate with them in the manner herein prescribed, shall be a corporation by the name of the St. Joseph's County Mutual Fire In- surance Company, for the purpose of in- suring their respective dwelling houses, stores, shops, and other buildings, household furniture and merchandise, against loss or damage by fire."

This company is of interest, if for no other cause, in that it brought together, seemingly for the first time, the prominent founders of South Bend and Mishawaka. It is of interest for another reason, that its organization and management seem to have been quite sim- ilar to those of the present St. Joseph County Farmers' Fire Insurance Company, which for many years has proved so successful and economieal for the insurance of the property of the farmers of the county.

During the year 1834, Orlando Hurd opened a hotel for the accommodation of the traveling publie; and in the following year Francis P. Taylor erected the first flour- ing mill. The town at the rapids was thus fairly under way.

At this early date, after the St. Joseph Iron Works had been incorporated, but be- fore the passage of the act of the legislature organizing the several town plats into the one town of Mishawaka, and before the erec- tion of the bridge over the river, we have a ray of light thrown upon the condition of the enterprising community, in a record left by Dr. E. W. H. Ellis, one of the early settlers of St. Joseph county. Dr. Ellis tells us that he reached the north bank of the St. Joseph river, "opposite Mishawaka," August 7, 1836, and was taken across the river by the a. Local Laws, 1835, p. 157.

ferryman. He adds that the population was then not over five hundred; and that the population of South Bend at the same time, was not over eight hundred.

While the dam was built, the races dug and a number of manufacturing plants or- ganized at an early day; yet the greater number of the concerns that have given to Mishawaka its high place as a manufactur- ing center are of a later date. The most important step taken, perhaps, in giving sta- bility and activity to the Mishawaka manu- facturing industries, was the organization, June 28, 1867, of the Mishawaka Hydraulic Company. This company was made up chiefly of the manufacturers already engaged in using the water power of the river. The list of names of the incorporators alone is sufficient to show the importance attached to the proper management and care of the dam, races and other things connected with the nse and protection of the invaluable water power, from the beginning regarded as the true source of the prosperity of the town. The incorporators of the Hydraulie Com- pany were :

George Milburn, Ann M. Studebaker, Thomas H. Milburn, Washington J. Brower, John S. Ball, David Nottage, Horace B. Mar- tin, Lorenzo W. Martin, George Kuhn, John Kuhn, Anthony Kuhn, Albert Cass, Adol- phus Eberhart, Palmer C. Perkins, Adoniram B. Judson, Nelson Ferris, William Dawley, Martin K. Lnshbaugh, Thomas Costello, Warren Palmer, Joseph Warden and the St. Joseph Iron Company, by Henry G. Niles, trustee.

The subscribed capital of the company was fifty thousand dollars: and the objects stated in the articles of association were to keep up the dam, water power, races, banks and other matters connected with the power, and to sell and dispose of water power to other manufacturers.

The Mishawaka Furniture Company was organized October 10, 1867, with a capital of sixty thousand dollars. The incorporators

325

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

were : Adoniram B. Judson, Robert Mont- gomery, Lewis T. Booth and De Witt C. Eggleston.

On August 23, 1869, the famous Milburn Wagon Company was incorporated, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. The incorporators were : George Milburn, Thomas HI. Milburn and John Milburn. The business of the company was the manufacturing of wagons, farm implements and other business incident thereto.

George Milburn was a man of extraordi- nary energy and force of character. His company at once entered upon a career of great activity and prosperity ; and it seemed that Mishawaka was about to become one of the great wagon making centers of the world. The company reported the value of vehicles manufactured during the year end- ing July 1, 1873, at four hundred and forty- six thousand, six hundred and fifty-two dol- lars. During the same year, however, an un- fortunate controversy arose between the company and the town. Mr. Milburn asked for certain facilities for side tracks along the streets from the factory to the Lake Shore railway which the authorities of the town felt unable to agree to. Instead of exercising a spirit of forbearance towards one another, the parties allowed the breach to widen until the Milburn Wagon Works abandoned the town of Mishawaka where they had grown and prospered. Induce- ments held out to the company to locate in Toledo had perhaps something to do in com- pleting the estrangement.

It was an unhappy quarrel for both town and company. A mammoth building in process of erection by the company at To- ledo was blown down by a storm on Decem- ber 4. 1873, entailing a loss of over twenty thousand dollars. In other respects it does not seem that the company prospered as it would have done in the town of its origin and vigorous youth. As for Mishawaka it- self. the loss of the factory seemed almost irreparable. Coming as it did, so soon after

the fearful conflagration that destroyed the business section of the town, on September 5, 1872," the blow was such as might well stagger the energies of the people. For years, the silent walls of the Milburn wagon works were an unpleasant sight to those who had so long hoped and labored for Misha- waka's prosperity. But, by degrees, this loss, as well as that occasioned by the great fire, was overcome. The vacant buildings, one after another, were filled with new in- dustries; until, finally, the wounds were all healed, and the good town went ahead and flourished as if no harm had ever been suf- fered. As in case of Chicago after its fire, or San Francisco after its earthquake, it was demonstrated that Mishawaka, by rea- son of her situation and surroundings, was destined to be a successful manufacturing center, so that even what appeared as over- whelming calamities could not destroy her.

Among the plants established in the early seventies and later that had very much to do in determining the success of Mishawaka as a manufacturing town were the following:

The Andrews School and Church Furni- ture Company was incorporated December 20. 1870, with a capital of fifty thousand dol- lars. The incorporators were: William W. Ferris, S. E. White, J. Q. C. Vandenbosch, William N. Dunn, James Welliver, Henry G. Niles and Alfred H. Andrews.

The Hollow Axle Manufacturing Com- pany was organized March 4, 1871, with a capital of twenty thousand dollars; the in- corporators being : George Milburn, Wil- liam A. Lewis and William Moffitt.

The Bostwick Refrigerator Company was incorporated August 10, 1873, with a capital of twenty thousand dollars. The incorpo- rators were: Joseph Bostwick, Thomas A. Bless. Christian Bless and William Bost- wick. They manufactured not only refrig- erators, but also other house furnishing goods.

The Mishawaka Woolen Manufacturing a. See Subd. 3 of this chapter, Sec. 13.

326

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

On July 14, 1873, the Perkins Wind Mill and As Company was incorporated. The capital was fixed at forty thousand dollars. The incorporators were: Palmer C. Per- kins, Pardon J. Perkins, Albert Hudson, Luther I. Clark, Byron C. O'Connor, Jacob C. Suyder and Reuben E. Perkins. By de- grees the production of windmills engaged the attention of the company to such an extent. that, on September 9, 1902, on pe- tition to the St. Joseph circuit court. the name was changed to the Perkins Wind Mill Company. The company has sold its prod- ucts all over the United States. During the year preceding its incorporation. the eon- cern made and sold over one hundred wind mills: and the production and sales have increased enormously since that date. Per- kins' windmills are as well known in Michi- gan or Nebraska as they are in Indiana.

The Mishawaka Wagon Company was in- corporated January 18, 1876, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars; the incorporators being Robert Montgomery. De Witt C. Eg- gleston and Charles E. Sillsbee.

Several paper and wood pulp companies were established, as follows :

March 4. 1880. the Mishawaka Wood Pulp Company: capital, fifteen thousand dollars; incorporators, Lucius Clark. John F. Clark and Robert R. Clark.

April 21, 1881, the Mishawaka Paper Com- pany; capital. fifteen thousand dollars: in- corporators, George H. Taylor, Lucius Clark and Robert F. Fram.

February 24, 1882, the AA. Gaylor Pulp Company; capital, twelve thousand dollars;

Company was incorporated January 31, incorporators. Lucius Clark, Albert Gaylor 1874, with a capital of twenty-five thousand and Edmund C. Westervelt. dollars. The incorporators were: George April 1, 1887, the Mishawaka Pump Com- pany; capital, nine thousand dollars; in- corporators, William Miller, J. W. Vanden Bosch and W. L. Kimball. Hartstein. Jacob Beiger, Martin V. Beiger, D. A. Dixon and George E. Wells. This company has become noted for its success in the manufacture of wool boots; the ex- tent of the manufacture and sale of such wool felt boots having long since attained mammoth proportions.

The Mishawaka Pump Company was in- corporated February 27, 1883, with a cap- ital of ten thousand dollars. The incorpo- rators were James Dougherty, John H. Uline and George Dougherty.

The St. Joseph Milling Company was or- ganized July 2. 1883, with a capital of six- teen thousand dollars. The incorporators were: Adolph Kamm, Simon Yenn. John J. Schindler and Caspar Kuhn. The mill was erected in 1861 by George Kuhn. Caspar Kuhn and Angust Kellner. It was after- wards operated by George Kuhn : and finally by the corporation organized in 1883, as before stated.

Somewhat more than a quarter century ago, Wallace II. Dodge founded at Misha- waka. Ind., what has since become known as the Dodge Manufacturing Company. The embryo was in the form of a little sawmill property for the production of hard-wood lumber. This industry prospered so well that on February 24, 1880, the Dodge Manu- facturing Company was incorporated by Wallace H. Dodge, William W. Dodge and Elizabeth II. Dodge. The business contin- ned to grow rapidly and steadily, with every indication of most gratifying prosperity. Within a year. however. in 1881, the little factory was totally destroyed by fire.

The loss of its uninsured plant was a se- rious one for the young concern. but rebuild- ing was undertaken at once, on a larger and more substantial plan.

As an indication of the growth of the fac- tory. it may be stated that the original cap- ital was fixed at fifty thousand dollars, and that, in 1897. it became necessary to increase the capital to five hundred thousand dollars. Two products of this factory have brought fame to it from all over the world,-one is

PUBL

1. .

ORK PUBLI

As or ere. and .siden ro Int. 1909

FFEE

ORIGINAL DODGE FACTORY, 1878.

FREE

FACTORY AS REBUILT 1882.

VIEW OF THE DODGE MANUFACTURING CO.'S PLANT.

liden

Matrice. r. Mix

331

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

the wood split pulley, designed to be clamped to iron shafts; the other is the use of the continuons wrap system of rope transmis- sion power, using a single endless rope, in successive wraps, to convey power, instead of the old plan of using separate ropes. Wallace H. Dodge, the founder of the com- pany and the perfecter of its notable in- ventions, was perhaps the most original me- chanical genius produced by St. Joseph county. Unhappily, he died in 1894, in the prime of his manhood. Ile was not only a genius, but a most amiable and lovable gen- tleman. His brother-in-law, the Hon. Mel- ville W. Mix, succeeded to the presidency of the company.

On November 27. 1885. the Power and Transmission Publishing Company was or- ganized by Wallace H. Dodge, Edward A. Jernegan and Alexander L. Thorp, with a capital of ten thousand dollars.

The purpose of this company was the "Manufacture, publication and sale of a se- ries of mechanical journals in the interests of manufacturers, millers, master mechanics, and all interested in the use and transmis- sion of power." The monthly magazine called Rope Transmission Power published by this company reached so large a circulation as to affect very sensibly the business and standing of the post office at Mishawaka.

Two other companies organized by Wallace 1I. Dodge bore directly on the welfare of the town.

The first of these was the Mishawaka Water Works Company. incorporated Sep- tember 9, 1890, with a capital of twenty thousand dollars. The incorporators were Wallace H. Dodge, Henry G. Niles and John J. Schindler. The town was in need of a system of water works. but financially un- able to build them. The purpose of the or- ganization, as stated in the articles of in- corporation, was to "construct water works for the use of the town of Mishawaka, to rent to the town of Mishawaka for an an- mual rental, and after the payment of a given

amount of rent then to deed such water works to said town. "

Of like character to the water works com- pany was the Dodge Electric Light and Power Company, incorporated November 29, 1890, with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars. The incorporators were: Wallace H. Dodge, William W. Dodge, W. B. Hos- ford, R. D. O. Smith, , Charles Endlich, George Phillion and Melville W. Mix. The object of this organization was the produc- tion of "electric light, heat and power for commercial, domestic and manufacturing purposes."

Mishawaka was thus supplied with water . and light, and given easy terms of payment for utilities which had become absolutely necessary for the comfort and safety of the people. With the rapid growth of the town, however, there grew up a demand for the ex- tension of water mains and electric light poles and wires, which the municipality found it- self unable to supply. This need grew more acute from year to year; until finally a sen- timent developed in favor of the formation of a private corporation by public spirited citizens, who, in the interests of the public welfare. should agree to take upon them- selves the burden of sustaining the water works and electric light works, and issuing bonds to complete the payments still due the Dodge companies. and also in sufficient amount to proenre means to extend the water mains and electric facilities so as to satisfy the wants of the people. This plan involved the sale of the water works and the electric light plant to the proposed company, reserv- ing to the city the continned management to- gether with an option to repurchase the same as soon as able to do so.

As there was some doubt whether the city had power to make such a sale, an act was passed by the legislature, approved February 26. 1903, giving the necessary power."

The next step taken to carry out the plan was the organization of the Mishawaka Pub- a. Acts, 1903, p. 89.

332

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

lic Utility Company, which was incorporated April 1, 1903, with a capital of ten thousand dollars. Carrying out the public character of this work. which was purely in the inter- ests of the publie, and without profit to the company. a large number of the most pa- triotic and public spirited citizens became in- corporators, as follows: Martin V. Beiger, James A. Roper, E. Volney Bingham. Fred- erick G. Eberhart. Jr., Everett G. Eberhart, Manuel M. Fisher, Vincent Bruner, Melville W. Mix. Nicholas Schellinger, Frank R. Eberhart, William B. Hosford. Henry G. Niles, James De Lorenzi, John A. Herzog, Adolph Kamm, William M. Clark, John E. Baker, Edward A. Jernegan, Francis X. Ganser, Charles Endlich. Simon Yenn, John J. Schindler, David A. Shaw, Albert Gay- lor and William N. Schindler.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 1, Part 54

Author: Howard, Timothy Edward, 1837-1916 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 826

Author: Howard, Timothy Edward, 1837-1916
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 826