USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > A standard history of Elkhart County, Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development, Volume I > Part 33
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"The inception of the town followed the construction of the Chicago division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad in 1873. The first station-house was that now occupied by the Unger millinery rooms and stood about where the stock-pens are now located. Our townsman, Henry Eby, was the first station agent, he and his brother George, residing at Locke. Mr. Eby also had the first goods on sale here, occupying room in the station-house which stood in the edge of the timber.
ORIGINALLY LOCKE STATION
"The original town site was laid out on the farms of and by Messrs. Daniel Metzler, John Culp, Jr., and Henry Stahly, Sr., about the middle of December, 1874, and lots offered for sale. The present Dietrich corner was laid out in a clearing or 'deadening' with tall timber standing here and there. This station was then called Locke Station.
FIRST SPELLING, NAPANEE
"The railroad officials called the interested parties together to select a name. All the names suggested were not acceptable to the railroad people, as they were similar or alike to some other station on the line. George Eby was in the council and he suggested Nap- anee, an Indian name. This was rejected by those interested, though agreeable to the railroad people, who then said that it should remain Locke Station. When the town was surveyed and the proposition for a postoffice eventually came up, the name Nappanee was selected as previously suggested, there already being a Locke, and the railroad people at once adopted the new name,
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spelling it Napanee. When it was adopted by the postoffice depart- ment at Washington the second 'p' was added.
ORIGINAL SITE, HUCKLEBERRY SWAMP
"The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad seemed then to have been the only inducement for people to buy these lots, for there were no other natural advantages aside from the distance from other trad- ing points. Notwithstanding that the town was laid out on the 'water shed'-the highest point of ground in this part of the country-the water on the north side of Market street finding its way into the Great Lakes and the water on the south side of Mar- ket street flowing on to the Gulf via the Kankakee, the early home- seeker found considerable water on 'the shed.' The town site was closely bordered by the forest on the southeast, and swamp ash prevailed along with willows and huckleberry bushes on portions of the town lots. There was an abundance of timber adjacent.
SAW-MILL PRECEDED TOWN
"In fact, Messrs. J. C. Mellinger and B. F. Myers located a saw-mill here in 1873, prior to the time of laying out the town, the mill standing where the Methodist parsonage now is. However, these gentlemen resided in Locke, a then prosperous village 21/2 miles north and west, at the time the town was platted in 1874.
NAPPANEE'S FIRST HOUSE AND INDUSTRY
"Up to January, 1875, a large number of lots had been sold, but nobody had attempted to erect a dwelling thereon or to enter the new town as a citizen. There was no road south of the public square then. It was anything but an inviting proposition. But, early in that January, C. D. Volkmann, our present local machinist and boilermaker, was looking for a location to begin anew the battle for this world's goods, having lost his dwelling in a New Paris fire. The only lots within his then financial reach, were lots 37 and 38 in the John Culp, Jr., original plat. A now rusty document drawn by the late Robert H. Walburn, under date of January 11, 1875, in the form of a mortgage contract, shows that Mr. Volkmann came into possession of the two lots by paying $20
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
cash and an agreement to pay a balance of $60. He obtained these lots on a promise to erect a house and move his family to the new town site. A few days after, found Mr. Volkmann erecting the first dwelling house ever built in Nappanee, assisted by his brother- in-law, Eli Holderman. The weather was below zero and they worked by a rail fire. On February 3, following, he moved his family into the little house, thus becoming the 'oldest inhabitant' of Nappanee by actual settlement on the then town site. In front of the house was a wheat field; in the rear was a frog pond. In the meanwhile, he and his brother-in-law opened a blacksmith shop on one lot."
On the land where Mr. Volkmann built his little blacksmith shop, through the industry and energy of the proprietor and his family, there arose in not a few following years, quite a machine shop for the handling of engine repairs and general work, as well as a repair shop for automobiles and bicycles, and a garage, also. Mr. Volkmann owned the first car in Nappanee and called his later plant the Globe Iron Works.
ORIGIN OF THE COPPES INTERESTS
"Another industry to enter the town was a planing mill owned by the late Joseph Strohm. This, together with the sawmill, was the early beginning of the large consolidated industry of the present, John D. and Frank Coppes as young men, beginning the sawmill work here on the Mellinger mill in 1873 and afterward becoming financially interested buying the Meyers' interest and finally absorb- ing the Strohm planing mill in 1879. Two years later Samuel D. Coppes, the present banker, joined hands with his brothers and their brother-in-law, Mr. Mellinger, who, in 1884, disposed of his interest, and the firm name became Coppes Bros. Later this firm name became Coppes Brothers & Zook, and continued success brought consolidation of growing interests and the present name of Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Company.
"In the meanwhile other industries followed, and mercantile interests expanded as the country became cleared up, and the town grew. After a short period of about fourteen years (short when compared with the experience of hundreds of towns), Nappanee outgrew her township garb and assumed affairs municipal."
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
WATER WORKS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT
Nappanee became an incorporated town in 1888 and, in common with other such bodies, came under the new state law of 1905 for the governing of cities and towns. Municipal improvement has kept pace with business and industrial development, and both the
NAPPANEE WATER WORKS PLANT
plants which furnish an abundance of wholesome water and fire protection, as well as electric light for public and domestic pur- poses, are owned and operated by the municipality. The water supply is pumped from a depth of 160 feet, and the standpipe, which insures adequate distribution and pressure, is nearly 120 feet in height. Until March, 1900, the water reservoir, which furnished the water under the highest pressure, consisted of a wooden tank;
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
at that time, the latter was replaced by the steel tank now in use. The town is well illuminated by both arc lights and incandescent bulbs. The water works and electric light plant are practically under one roof and under the general supervision of the city clerk, with a special electrician and engineer in direct control.
THE TELEPHONE SERVICE
Among the public utilities of greatest value to Nappanee is the local telephone service. It was introduced by Claude R. Stoops in August, 1898, and his experiment consisted in the installation of fifty-two 'phones. Some four years afterward, having supplied the town fairly well, Mr. Stoops extended the local line into the adjacent country and soon brought Nappanee into social and busi- ness connection with a considerable territory. This was the com- mencement of the present service which embraces several hundred telephones and a large extent of country directly tributary to Nap- panee.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
Nappanee has been fortunate in having at the head of its public school system such men as B. F. Deahl, Professors S. W. Baer and Charles F. Miller. The high school was organized in September, 1895, the beginning of Professor Baer's superintendency, a four years course, consisting of work in English, mathematics, history, science, and one foreign language, either Latin or German. In 1898 the school was given its first commission from the state. The commission was renewed in 1902 and again in 1905. This com- mission authorizes the superintendent of schools to certify pupils for admission to the various state colleges. In 1904 the high school was put upon the diploma list for the University of Michigan, Northwestern University, the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio. Besides the state colleges and the above named universities, the graduates of the Nappanee high school are admitted without examination to De Pauw University, Franklin College, Wabash College, Butler University, Earlham College, in fact all the higher institutions of learning both state and denominational in the State of Indiana.
In 1905 Professor Baer was succeeded by Prof. Charles F. Miller, as superintendent of the Nappanee public schools, and has
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
continued as such. At the present time there are 130 pupils enrolled in the high school, and 430 in the grades; the teaching force com- prises sixteen and the value of the school property is about $40,000. The Board of Education: W. A. Price, president ; H. E. Zook, sec- retary, and C. R. Stoops, treasurer.
NAPPANEE BANKS
For many years the Farmers & Traders Bank, controlled by various members of the Coppes family, was the only institution of
NAPPANEE SCHOOL BUILDING
the kind at Nappanee. The bank was founded by Daniel Bechtel, a pioneer and substantial farmer of Harrison township, and his sons, Samuel and Henry, both soldiers and leading citizens; the year of its establishment was 1884. In 1887, Samuel Bechtel died ; two years afterward Bechtel & Son, as the firm was then known, erected the present bank building, and in May, 1891, after the death of the father and senior member, Samuel D. Coppes and his son, Harvey E., purchased the business. The elder Mr. Coppes had himself become a townsman in 1881. Without going into details, it is sufficient to state that from that time to the present the Coppes family has been the controlling force of the bank. Early in its history H. B. Greene became identified with the bank as book-
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
keeper and for some time has been its acting president, and Frank Coppes, son of the founder and long identified with the milling interests of Coppes Brothers & Zook, is cashier. The capital of the Farmers & Traders Bank is $80,000.
The First National Bank was organized in June, 1907, with the following officers: J. S. Walters, president ; Jesse Ringenberg, vice president, and Floyd Slabaugh, cashier. There has been no change in this management, except in the cashiership, which is now held by Paul A. Heiermann. The capital stock of the bank is $40,000 ; surplus, $20,000; average deposits, $240,000.
THE NEWSPAPERS
The local press is represented by the Nappanee News and the Nappanee Advance. The News may be called a product of the Murray family. It was founded in 1879; Gordon N. Murray, also postmaster of Nappanee, came into possession in 1888, and, with his son, John R. Murray, is still its owner. The latter has had an interest since January, 1914. The News is published weekly.
The Weekly Advance was founded in 1891. Its last two edi- tors and proprietors have been John H. Wagner and E. V. Blair.
NAPPANEE'S INDUSTRIES
The largest business and manufacturing interests of Napanee are, of course, controlled by Coppes Brothers (Frank and John D.) and Zook (Harold E.). In 1902 the old interests of the Coppes and Zook families and the Nappanee Furniture Company were consolidated. The latter company was engaged exclusively in the manufacture of tables and kitchen cabinets; the first named, in the saw-mill business, lumber manufacture and planing, the mak- ing of boxes, the manufacture of flour and dealing in grain and building materials. The present firm operate flour and sawmills, a furniture factory and a large garage.
One of the leading houses of Nappanee, which conducts both a large industry and an extensive business, is styled George Freese's Sons. They are manufacturers of separator butter, and dealers in eggs, poultry and produce. They manufacture from six to ten thousand pounds of butter daily, and also have establishments at Fostoria and Fort Wayne, with creamery separator stations at
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
Milford, Wakarusa, Oak Grove, Burketville, Cromwell, Jonesville and other points. The business itself is a product of Elkhart County, first being established in Elkhart by the late George Freese in 1857, who came from Germany to America in 1850, and soon aft- erward to this county. The business was afterward moved to Goshen, where these sons were all born, with the exception of Bennett, who is a native of New Jersey. At the county seat, the founder of this industry not only laid the foundation of the busi- ness, which he brought to Nappanee in 1881, but established him- self in the hearts of the people there, who made him mayor of the city. He employed his sons in the business from boyhood up, each in turn, and they inculcated the energy, knowledge of the busi- ness and frugality of its founder. Mr. Freese died at Nappanee, on August 23, 1890, and his four sons then associated with him, J. Frederick, George, Bennett and Edward Freese, continued the business.
The Novelty Works of Lamb Brothers & Greene were estab- lished by George L. Lamb, who had been engaged in the same line at Goshen. The plant turns out, as specialties, mission and piano lamps.
Besides the industries mentioned somewhat in detail, there are wagon and machine shops, a plant engaged in the manufacture of cement blocks, a silo factory and perhaps others which might be classed as manufactories.
THE CHURCHES OF THE PLACE
That the people of Nappanee and its immediate neighborhood are well supplied with the means to satisfy their religious cravings should be evident when it is learned that the Methodists, the United Brethren, the Evangelical Association, the German Lutherans, the First Brethren (Progressive Dunkards) and the various branches of the Mennonite Church, are all represented by established organi- zations.
The Amish Mennonite Church appears to have obtained the first foothold in the Nappanee region. There had been at least two organizations of that sect before the town was platted. The first society was organized in 1857, with Samuel Yoder as bishop and John Ringenberg as minister. John Yoder and Samuel Hoch- Vol. 1-25
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
stetler also had charge of the society until it was disbanded in 1871. Many of its members had moved onto farms further west, thus weakening the church. It was reorganized in 1875 and a house of worship erected in 1878. Jacob Blilie was the next ordained minister. In July, 1888, James H. McGowen was ordained to the ministry and has served to the present time; Levi W. Yoder was ordained in 1912. The church has a membership of 140 and sup- ports two schools.
The Mennonite Church was founded in 1870 and David Burk- holder has been its pastor for many years.
There is also a New Mennonite Church, of which Jacob Moore is minister.
In 1874, the year in which Nappanee was platted, the Methodist and the United Brethren Churches were formed. They have both flourished. The present pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church is Rev. Sherman Powell; of the United Brethren Church, Rev. W. F. Pellett.
The Church of the Evangelical Association was founded in 1892, and it has been served by the following: Rev. J. W. Metzner, two years ; H. H. Reinoehl, four years ; Rev. S. Hofferbert, two years; Rev. H. H. Reinoehl, four years; Rev. C. D. Rarey, three years ; Rev. A. S. Fisher, three years ; Rev. F. B. Walmer, one year ; Rev. L. E. Smith, three years; Rev. E. E. Miller, two years. The pres- ent membership of the church is 140.
The Presbyterian Church was organized on September 28, 1899, by Rev. H. B. Townsend, assisted by Rev. Frank W. Weatherwax. The charter members were S. W. Craige, Amy Craige, Charles C. Craige, James W. Carpenter, Eunata H. Carpenter, Alice Lists, George W. Curtis, Prudence Curtis and Alverta Curtis. The suc- cessive pastors have been as follows: Rev. Frank W. Weatherwax, Rev. Robert H. Hooke, Rev. Campbell L. MacKay, Rev. Mark G. Clayton, Rev. Burt S. Gifford, Rev. Alex. R. Evans and Rev. D. W. Parks. The church edifice was begun in 1905 and dedicated September 30, 1906. Present membership, 103.
There are also the First Brethren, or Progressive Dunkards, of which Rev. C. H. Ashman is pastor, founded in 1888; the Church of the Brethren, Rev. Daniel Wysong, pastor; the German Luth- eran, founded in 1901, Rev. J. W. Wesner, pastor, and the Church of God, established at Nappanee in 1912, Rev. Fred Fletcher, pastor.
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES
Nappanee Lodge No. 566, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized under a dispensation granted by the Grand Master of Indiana, of date, January 30, 1882, with the following appointed officers to act under dispensation : William A. Flickinger, worship- ful master; Jacob S. Walters, senior warden; William H. Young, junior warden. The following were then appointed to the several offices by the acting worshipful master: Levi Price, treasurer ; Joseph K. Julien, secretary; Jasper J. Price, senior deacon ; Joseph Strohm, junior deacon, and Jacob Mann Tyler. The first meeting U. D. was held February 2, 1882. At this time, if all mem- bers were present, they had the offices filled and an audience of one.
The charter was granted May 24, 1882. The several worshipful masters having been elected and installed are as follows: 1882, ยท 1883 and 1884, William A. Flickinger; 1885, Jacob S. Walters; 1886, 1887 and 1888, Walter O. Stauffer; 1889, John S. McEntaffer ; 1890, Ethan A. Dausman ; 1891 and 1892, Charles J. Swezey ; 1893, John S. Inks; 1894 and 1895, Charles J. Swezey; 1896 and 1897, Perry A. Early; 1898, 1899, 1900 and 1901, J. Webb Carpenter ; 1902, Amsey H. Kaufman ; 1903, Willard A. Price ; 1904, Michael S. Hoover; 1905, Harry B. Greene; 1906, Amsey H. Kaufman ; 1907, Perry A. Early; 1908, Thomas Platt Greene; 1909, Harry Phend; 1910 and 1911, Willard A. Price; 1912, Charles A. Inks ; 1913, Wil- lard A. Price; 1914, Burton A. Uline; 1915, Edward T. Playne; 1916, Charles A. Baker.
The present officers of this lodge are: Charles A. Baker, wor- shipful master; Samuel A. Frevert, senior warden; William F. Stose, junior warden; James D. Arvine, treasurer; Perry A. Early , secretary ; John Rhoads, tyler; Edward T. Playne, senior deacon, and Walter Miller, junior deacon. The affiliated membership is seventy-six.
Both the Knights and Ladies of the Maccabees have organiza- tions at Nappanee. The former, Nappanee Tent No. 81, was organized in June, 1894. The first past commander was J. F. Freese; the present, W. B. Rensberger. Present membership of the tent, seventy-five.
The Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias are also in the local field.
CHAPTER XVIII
MINOR TOWNS AND STATIONS
WAKARUSA-MOUNT OLIVE POSTOFFICE-WAKARUSA PLATTED THE PRESENT VILLAGE-THE CHURCHES-THE NEWSPAPER AND BANKS-MIDDLEBURY-THE CHURCHES-NEWSPAPER AND BANK-BRISTOL-EARLY HISTORY-MILLERSBURG-DRAWBACKS TO RAPID GROWTH-NEW PARIS-EARLY SETTLERS-ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT OF BENTON-IGNORED BY THE RAILROADS-RAIL- ROAD STATIONS.
Scattered throughout Elkhart County are several flourishing towns and centers of population, which are a credit to their founders and later-day promoters. Wakarusa, in the southwest, and Middle- bury, in the northeast, are the largest of these minor towns, Millers- burg, Bristol, New Paris and others being mentioned and described in this chapter.
WVAKARUSA
During the first ten years after Olive Township was organized there were no centers or population other than the log school- houses. In 1849 a postoffice, known as Mount Olive, was established in Harvey Bly's log cabin, 21/2 miles north of the present Waka- rusa. In that primitive postoffice was born the wife of Mr. George Nusbaum, the present postmaster of Wakarusa, and as Mrs. Nus- baum is her husband's assistant, the Bly family has been identified, first and last, with Uncle Sam's affairs in this vicinity for over fifty-five years.
MOUNT OLIVE POSTOFFICE
In 1852, a village was platted where Wakarusa now stands, and was given the name of Salem, the original plat being made by Messrs. Holdeman, Smeltzer and Pletcher. When the Mount Olive
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
postoffice was moved to this place, there at once arose difficulties in consequence of there being another Salem in the state.
WAKARUSA PLATTED
After a period of confusion in postal matters, the citizens assem- bled in town meeting and voted a new name. At this meeting, which was held in 1859, Mr. Jacob Dell, then a boy in his teens, was present, and he remembers many of the pros and cons of the discussion which preceded the change of name. Mr. Woolverton
ELKHART STREET, WAKARUSA
finally proposed the name of Wakarusa, which was the name of a place in Kansas, of which he had been a resident, and this designa- tion was finally adopted. Wakarusa is an Indian word whose meaning, according to the best authorities, is "knee deep in mud." It was owing to the consistency of this name with the nature of the boggy soil on which the village was located that the decision of the majority of the citizens finally favored the present title.
William Moon was the first settler on the site of Wakarusa, building his house near what is known as the "fish pond." Thomas Inks and Jackson Woolverton are mentioned as the first merchants, the Lutherans built the first church, and the first public school was
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
erected about 1856, subscription schools having been in vogue up . to that time. Among other well known pioneers may be named Samuel Kline; Mrs. Lucinda (Stevens) Woolverton, whose hus- band is said to have named the town, and Mrs. Pamelia ( Pitts) Grove, who was also the first child born in Locke Township and long lived in the old house on the west side of Elkhart Street ; also Anthony Myers, David H. Pletcher, Abraham Weldy, Isaac Leth- erman, Mrs. Mary A. Young and Mrs. Abraham Lechlitner.
THE PRESENT VILLAGE
Wakarusa is now a town of some 1,200 people, on the Wabash line, with a good surrounding country from which to draw its outside vitality. It is quite a trading center, supports two banks and a newspaper, as well as a number of good general stores. Its streets are well kept and have long ago outgrown the "knee-deep- in-the-mud" period. Wakarusa was incorporated as a town in 1898. As to the present adequate electric lighting for its thoroughfares, its business houses and residences is supplied by the Hawks Electric Company of Goshen. Power is also supplied for the electric pump- ing apparatus, which operates the town waterworks. The supply, which also assures fire protection, is obtained from two deep wells. The pumping station is on the first floor of the new town building, which was completed in September, 1915. It is a substantial two- story brick structure and a credit to Wakarusa. The council chamber is on the second floor and the building has also "jail accommodations" fully equal to the demand, which, in truth, is not large or continuous. The town has also a fire department, organ- ized in 1902, supplied with a chemical engine, hook and ladder, and other apparatus.
The public school system, in which the town has always taken so much pride and interest, is under the control of Supt. S. LeRoy Scoles, and the following board of education : Dr. A. S. Sensenich, president ; Calvin Lienhart, secretary, and H. M. Freed, treasurer. About 230 pupils are enrolled, of whom ninety are in the high school. There are nine teachers on the faculty of the high school and in the grades. The Wakarusa high school has been accredited with the Indiana State University since 1905. The school building now occupied was constructed in 1894, but repaired and much improved in 1914, and the entire property is valued at $20,000.
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
THE CHURCHES
The Christians and Methodists, the Church of the Brethren and the Mennonite Brethren in Christ are well organized at Wakarusa. The Christian Church was founded in 1867, and on New Year's day of 1905 its members dedicated a handsome house of worship. Rev. H. O. Harris is the present pastor. The Church of the Brethren has been active in the locality for over half a century. Its missionaries preached in various schoolhouses until 1878, when the Baugo Church was erected. The Wakarusa house of worship
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PUBLIC SCHOOL, WAKARUSA
was built in 1895. Until 1915 both congregations were in one dis- trict. In that year it was divided, since which time H. M. Schwalm has been pastor of the Baugo Church and C. Metzler, of the Waka- rusa organization. There is a combined membership of about 140. The Mennonite Brethren in Christ are in charge of A. B. Yoder, and the Methodists of Reverend Stookey.
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