USA > Indiana > Kosciusko County > A standard history of Kosciusko County, Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development. A chronicle of the people with family lineage and memoirs, Volume I > Part 8
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
19 Claude Matthews was inaugurated Governor January 9, 1893, and Myron D. King was appointed Secretary of State for the unexpired term. 20 Daniel E. Storms resigned April 1, 1906, and Fred A. Sims was appointed for the unexpired term.
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
L. G. Ellingham, from 1910 to 1914.
Homer L. Cook, from 1914 to 1916. Ed Jackson, from 1916 to November 27, 1917. William A. Roach, from 1917 to -. 21
AUDITORS OF STATE
William H. Lilley, from 1816 to 1828.
Benjamin I. Blythe, from 1828 to 1829. Morris Morris, from 1829 to 1844. Horatio J. Harris, from 1844 to 1847. Douglas Maguire, from 1847 to 1850. Erastus W. H. Ellis, from 1850 to 1853. John P. Dunn, from 1853 to 1855. Hiram E. Talbott, from 1855 to 1857. John W. Dodd, from 1857 to 1861. Albert Lange, from 1861 to 1863. Joseph Ristine, from 1863 to 1865. Thomas P. McCarthy, from 1865 to 1869. John D. Evans, from 1869 to 1871. John C. Shoemaker, from 1871 to 1873.
James A. Wildman, from 1873 to 1875. Ebenezer Henderson, from 1875 to 1879. Mahlon D. Manson, from 1879 to 1881. Edward H. Wolfe, from 1881 to 1883. James H. Rice, from 1883 to 1887. Bruce Carr, from 1887 to 1891. John O. Henderson, from 1891 to 1895. Americus C. Daily, from 1895 to 1899.
William H. Hart, from 1899 to 1903. David E. Sherrick, from 1903 to September 14, 1905.22 Warren Bigler, 1905 to 1906. John C. Billheimer, 1906 to 1910. William H. O'Brien, from 1910 to 1914.
Dale J. Crittenberger, from 1914 to 1916. Otto Klauss, from 1916 to 1918.
TREASURERS OF STATE
Daniel C. Lane, from 1816 to 1823. Samuel Merrill, from 1823 to 1835.
21 Appointed December 21, 1917, to fill unexpired term of Ed Jackson, resigned to enter army.
22 David E. Sherriek resigned and Warren Bigler was appointed for the unexpired term.
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
Nathan B. Palmer, from 1835 to 1841. George H. Dunn, from 1841 to 1844. Royal Mayhew, from 1844 to 1847. Samuel Hannah, from 1847 to 1850. James P. Drake, from 1850 to 1853. Elijah Newland, from 1853 to 1855. William R. Nofsinger, from 1855 to 1857. Aquilla Jones, from 1857 to 1859. Nathaniel F. Cunningham, from 1859 to 1861. Jonathan S. Harvey, from 1861 to 1863. Matthew L. Brett, from 1863 to 1865, John I. Morrison, from 1865 to 1867. Nathan Kimball, from 1867 to 1871. James B. Ryan, from 1871 to 1873. John B. Glover, from 1873 to 1875. Benjamin C. Shaw, from 1875 to 1879. William Fleming, from 1879 to 1881. Roswell S. Hill, from 1881 to 1883. John J. Cooper, from 1883 to 1887. Julius A. Lemcke, from 1887 to 1891. Albert Gall, from 1891 to 1895. Frederick J. Scholz, from 1895 to 1899.
Leopold Levy, from 1899 to 1903. Nathaniel U. Hill, from 1903 to 1907. Oscar Hadley, from 1907 to 1910. William H. Vollmer, from 1910 to 1915. George A. Bittler, from 1915 to 1916. Uz McMurtrie, from 1916 to
ATTORNEYS-GENERAL
James Morrison, from March 5, 1855. Joseph E. McDonald, from December 17, 1856. James G. Jones, from December 17, 1860 (died). John P. Usher (appointed), from November 10, 1861 (resigned). John F. Kibby (appointed), from March 19, 1862. Oscar B. Hord, from November 3, 1862. Delana E. Williamson, from November 3, 1864. Bayless W. Hanna, from November 3, 1870. James C. Denny, from November 6, 1872. Clarence A. Buskirk, from November 6, 1874. Thomas W. Woollen, from November 6, 1878. Daniel P. Baldwin, from November 6, 1880.
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
Francis T. Hord, from 1882 to 1886. Louis T. Michener, from 1886 to 1890. Alonzo G. Smith, from 1890 to 1894. William A. Ketcham, from 1894 to 1898. William L. Taylor, from 1898 to 1903. Charles W. Miller, from 1903 to 1907. James Bingham, from 1907 to 1911. Thomas M. Honan, from 1911 to 1915. Richard M. Milburn, from January 1, 1915, to November 9, 1915.23 Evan B. Stotsenburg, from November 11, 1915, to 1917. Ele Stansbury, from 1917 to -.
SUPERINTENDENTS OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
William C. Larrabee, from 1852 to 1855. Caleb Mills, from 1855 to 1857.
William C. Larrabee, from 1857 to 1859.
Samuel L. Rugg, from 1859 to 1861. Miles J. Fletcher, from 1861 to 1862.
Samuel K. Hoshour (appointed), from 1862. Samuel L. Rugg, from 1865 to 1869.
George W. Hoss, from 1865 to 1869.
Barnabas C. Hobbs, from 1869 to 1871.
Milton B. Hopkins, from 1871 to 1874 (died).
Alexander C. Hopkins (appointed), from 1874 to 1875.
James H. Smart, from 1875 to 1881. John M. Bloss, from 1881 to 1883. John W. Holcombe, from 1883 to 1887.
Harvey M. LaFollette, from 1887 to 1891.
Hervey D. Voris, from 1891 to 1895. David M. Geeting, from 1895 to 1899. Frank L. Jones, from 1899 to 1903.
Fassett A. Cotton, from 1903 to 1909.
Robert J. Aley, from 1909 to January 1, 1910
Charles A. Greathouse, from 1910 to 1917. Horace Ellis, from 1917 to ----
STATE GEOLOGISTS
David Dale Owen, from 1837 to 1838. Ryland T. Brown, from 1853 to 1859. David Dale Owen, 1859.
23 Richard M. Milburn died and Evan B. Stotsenburg was appointed be Governor Ralston.
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
Richard Owen, from 1859 to 1861.
Edward T. Cox, from 1869 to 1879. John Collett, from 1879 to 1881. John Collett, from 1881 to 1885.
James Maurice Thompson, from 1885 to 1888.
Sylvester S. Gorby, from 1888 to 1890.
Sylvester S. Gorby, 1890 to 1894. Willis S. Blatchley, from 1894 to 1910.
Edward Barrett, from 1910 to -.
ADJUTANTS-GENERAL
Stephen Ranney, February 14, 1817.
Henry P. Coburn, December 24, 1819.
Stephen Ranney, December 5, 1822. Thomas Posey, September 3, 1823. J. Landis.
Douglas Maguire.
David Reynolds, during Mexican war.
David Reynolds, January 16, 1850.
William A. Morrison, June 12, 1857. Lewis Wallace, April 15, 1861.
John M. Wallace, April 26, 1861. Lazarus Noble, May 27, 1861.
W. H. H. Terrell, November 12, 1864.
James C. Veatch, May 20, 1869. John C. Greenawalt, 1870. William W. Conner, January, 1873.
George W. Russ, January, 1877.
James R. Canahan, 1881 to 1885.
George W. Krontz, 1885 to 1889.
Nicholas R. Ruckle, 1889 to 1893.
Irvin Robbins, 1893 to 1897. James K. Gore, 1897 to 1901. John R. Ward, 1901 to 1905. Oran Perry, 1905 to 1910. George W. McCoy, 1910 to 1914.
Franklin L. Bridges, 1914 to 1917.
Harry B. Smith, 1917 to -
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1816
The entire development of Indiana as a state has been accomplished under two constitutions-those formulated in 1816 and 1850-51. Ad-
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
mission had been asked of the Twelfth Congress (1811-12), and in order to ascertain if the territory had the required number of inhab- itants entitling it to statehood a census was taken in 1815. The result was to disclose the fact that not only had the required 35,000 people became residents of Indiana, but that 63,897 had enrolled themselves as Hoosierites; so that the territory was entitled to statehood with a vengeance.
The successive steps by which that end was attained were: Adop- tion by Congress of the memorial asking the admission of Indiana into the Union, December 11, 1815; act enabling the people, through their accredited representatives, to adopt a state constitution and form of government, approved April 19, 1816; election of delegates to the con- vention to be organized for that purpose, May 13, 1816; adoption of the state constitution, June 29, 1816, and the formal admission of the state into the Union, on December 11th of that year.
The convention which framed the constitution consisted of forty- three delegates, apportioned as follows: Wayne, 4; Franklin, 5; Dearborn, 3; Gibson, 4; Perry, 1; Switzerland, 1; Jefferson, 3; Clark, 5; Posey, 1; Washington, 5; Harrison, 5; Knox, 5; Warrick, 1. Offi- cers of the convention: President, Jonathan Jennings; secretary, William Hendricks ; doorkeeper, Henry Batman. The delegates assem- bled at Corydon, Harrison County, June 10th, and adjourned on the 29th of that month. The constitution was not submitted to the people for their ratification, but was approved by Congress. The instrument was never amended, and remained in force until November 1, 1851.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1850-51
The people of Indiana decided, at an election held on August 6, 1849, that their old constitution was obsolete. They did not ask for amendments, but for an entirely new instrument-and in no uncer- tain voice. The Yea vote amounted to 81,500, and the Nay, to only 57,418. The delegates to the convention were elected about a year afterward, on August 5, 1850.
The convention, which met at Indianapolis, on the 7th of October, 1850, consisted of 50 senatorial and 100 representative delegates, the apportionment of the delegates having been based on members returned to the various counties in the State Legislature. As to political com- plexion, ninety-five of the delegates were democrats and fifty-five were whigs. The officers of the convention were as follows: President. George W. Carr, Lawrence County; secretary, William H. English : assistant secretaries, Robert M. Evans, Harman G. Barkwell and
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
George L. Sites; sergeant-at-arms, Samuel MeKinzey; doorkeeper, Samuel J. Johnston. Elias S. Murray was the senatorial delegate who represented Huntington, Kosciusko and Whitley counties, and James Garvin was sent from the lower house as the member from Kosciusko County. Murray was a whig and Garvin a democrat.
After remaining in session for 127 days, the convention adjourned on February 10, 1851. When the constitution was completed, the enrolled copy was deposited with the secretary of state, and it was published in full in three separate issues of the Indiana State Sen- tinel, the Indiana State Journal and the Statesman. The convention also issued an address to the electors of the state in which was sum- marized the most important changes from the old constitution. The electors were permitted to vote on the ratification or rejection of the constitution as a whole and on the article relative to the exclusion, civil disabilities and colonization of negroes and mulattoes.
The election was held on August 4, 1851, and resulted in a vote of 113,230 being cast in favor of the new constitution and 27,638 against it; the article regarding negroes and mulattoes was carried by 113,828 to 21,873. Governor Joseph A. Wright therefore issued his proclama- tion, September 3, 1851, declaring the constitution in force on and after the first of the following November.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Since the adoption of the constitution of 1851 many amendments to it have been proposed but only a few adopted. In 1873 Article X on Finance was amended by the addition of Section 7, by which the state refused to be held liable for any stock issued to pay for the completion of the Wabash & Erie Canal to Evanston. But 1881 was the star year for amendments, seven being passed during that period. They related chiefly to suffrage qualifications and election regulations ; enumeration of inhabitants and apportionment of members of the Assembly ; restricting the Assembly in the passage of special laws and forbidding that body to legislate on various specified subjeets to which general laws could apply ; limiting the indebtedness of any political or municipal corporation within the state to two per cent of its taxable property, and excluding negroes and mulattoes from settlement in the state, as well as declaring void all contracts made with them, all fines imposed for a violation of the provisions of the last-named amend- ment being appropriated for the colonization of such persons.
Two amendments to the constitution were proposed by the Gen- eral Assembly of 1917. One of them forbade the General Assembly to
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
create any office with a longer term than four years, and made it un- constitutional to increase the term or salary of any official before the expiration of his period of service. The second conferred the right of suffrage on females at least twenty-one years of age, who should have resided specified lengths of time in state, township, ward or precinct.
These amendments were referred to the General Assembly of 1919. If acted upon favorably they will be referred to the electors at the general election of 1920, or at a special election held prior thereto.
There is a strong movement abroad for the calling of a convention to formulate a new constitution for the progressive state of Indiana, the impression prevailing among many of its ablest men and women that such a course would be preferable than the attempt to add to the existing instrument the numerous amendments which have been proposed.
THE COUNTIES AND THEIR NAMES
The reader of average intelligence need not be informed as to the origin of the names of many of the Indiana counties; on the other hand, the sources of many of them are known to but a comparative few, and it would be the rare exception to find any one person who could pass an examination on this subject with a perfect percentage. With other invaluable matter, the Indiana Year Book has collated this information, which, as contained in the following table, is self-ex- planatory :
County
Origin of Name
Date of Organization County Seat
Adams
President John Quincy Adams.
March
1. 1836
Decatur
Allen
Col. John Allen of Kentucky ..
April
1, 1824
Ft. Wayne
Bartholomew
Gen. Jos. Bartholomew, U. S. Senator
Feb.
12. 1821
Columbus
Benton
Thomas H. Benton, U. S. Senator.
Feb.
18. 1840
Fowler
Blackford
Judge Isaac Blackford.
Feb.
18, 1839*
Hartford City
Boone
Daniel Boone
April
1, 1831
Lebanon
Brown
Gen. Jarob Brown of Wer of 1812.
Apell
1, 1836
Nashville
Casa
Gen. Lewis Cass, Governor of Michigan.
April
13, 1829
Logansport
Clay
Henry Clay
April
1, 1825
Brazil
Clinton
DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York.
March
1, 1830
Frankfort
Daviess
Col. Joseph Daviess
Feb.
15, 1817
Washington
Decatur
Commodore Stephen Decatur
March
4. 1822
Greensburg
Dekalb
Baron Dekalb
May
I, 1837
Auburn
Delaware
Delaware Indian Tribe
April
1, 1837
Muncie
Dubola
Toussaint Dubols
Feb.
1. 1818
Jasper
Elkhart
Elkhart Indian Tribe
April
1. 1830
Elkhart
Fayette
Marquis de LaFayette
Jan.
1, 1819
Connersville
Floyd
Col. John Floyd of Virginia
Feb.
2, 1819
New Albany
Fountain
Major Fountain of Kentucky.
April
1, 1826
Covington
Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Feb,
1. 1811
Brookville
Fulton
Robert Fulton
April
I. 1836
Rochester
Carroll
Charles Carroll of Maryland ..
May
1, 1828
Delphi
Clark
Gen. George Rogers Clark.
Feb.
3. 1801*
Jeffersonville
Crawford
Col. William Crawford
March
1, 1818
English
Dearborn
Gen. Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War.
March
7. 1803*
Lawrenceburg
* Date of Legislative Act as date that act became effective is not available.
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
County
Origin of Name
Date of Organization County Seat
Gibson
John Gibson, Governor of Indiana Territory ..
April
1, 1836
Princeton
Grant
Captains Samuel and Moses Grant of Kentucky
April
1. 1832
Marion
Greene.
Gen. Nathanael Greene.
Feb.
5, 1821
Bloomfield
Hamiltoo
Alexander Hamilton
April
7,1823
Noblesville
Hancock
John Hancock
March
1,1828
Greenfielct
Harrison
Wm. Henry Harrisoo, Territorial Governor.
Der.
1, 1808
Corydon
Hendricks
Wm. Hendricks, Governor of Indiana.
April
1, 1824
Danville
Heory
Patrick Henry
June
1, 1822
Newcastle
Howard
Gen. T. A. Howard.
Jan.
15, 1844+
Kokomo
Huntington
Samuel Huntington
Dee.
2, 1834
Huntington
Jackson
Gen. Andrew Jackson.
Jan.
1. 1816
Brownstown
Jasper
Sergeant Jasper of South Carolina.
March
15, 1838
Rensselaer
Jay
John Jay, Governor of New York
March
1, 1836
Portland
Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Feb.
1, 1811
Madison
Jennings
Jonathan Jegoings, First Governor of Indiana.
Feb.
1. 1817
Vernoo
Johnson
Judge John Johnson, Supreme Court of Indiana
May
3, 1823
Franklin
Knox
General Koor, Secretary of War ..
June
20. 1790*
Vincennes
Kosciusko
Kosciusko, Polish bero of American Revolution ..
June
1, 1837
Warsaw
April
1, 1832
Lagrange
Lake
Derived from Lake Michigan.
Feb.
15, 1837
Crown Point
Laporte
French, meacing the "door" or "port"
April
1. 1832
Laporte
March
1, 1818
Bedford
Madison
James Madison
July
1, 1823
Anderson
Marion
Geoeral Francis Marioo
April
1. 1822
Indianapolis
Marahall
Chief Justice John Marshall.
April
1, 1836
Plymouth
Martin
Major John P. Martin of Kentucky.
Feb.
1. 1820
Shoals
Miami
Miami Indian Tribe
March
1, 1834
Peru
Monroe
James Monroe
April
10. 1818
Bloomington
Montgomery
General Richard Montgomery.
March
1, 1823
Crawfordsville
Morgan
General Daniel Morgan
Feb.
15, 1822
Martinsville
Newtoo
Sergeant John Newton
Feb.
7, 1835*
Kentland
Noble
James Noble, First U. S. Senator from Indiana Dhio River
March
1, 1844
Rising Sun
Orange
Orange County, North Carolina. .
Feb.
1, 1816
Paoli
Owen
Col. Abraham Owen, fell at Tippecanoe.
Jan.
1, 1819
Spencer
Parke
Benjamin Parke, first territorial delegate to Congress
April
2. 1821
Rockville
Perry
Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.
NoF.
1. 1814
Caonelton
Pike
Commodore David Porter, War of 1812.
Feb.
1. 1836
Valparaiso
Posey
General Thomas Posey
NOv.
1. 1814
Mt. Vernon
Pulaski
Count Casimer Pulaski of the American Revolution ..
May
6. 1840
Winamac
Putnam
General Israel Putnam
April
1, 1822
Greencastle
Randolph
Either Thomas Randolph or Randolph County, North Carolina
Aug.
10, 1818
Winchester
Ripley
General E. W. Ripley, War of 1812.
April
10. 1818
Versailles
Rush
Dr. Benjamin Rush
April
1, 1822
Rushville
Scott
General Charles Scott, Governor of Kentucky
Feb.
1, 1820
Scottsburg
Shelby
Isaac Shelby
April
1, 1822
Shelbyville
Spencer
Captain Spier Spencer
Feb.
1, 1818
Rockport.
Starke
General Starke
Jan.
15. 1850
Knox
St. Joseph.
St. Joseph River
April
1,1830
South Bend
Steuben
Baren Steuben of the Revolutionary War
May
1. 1837
Angola
Sullivan
General Daniel Sullivan
Jan.
15, 1817
Sullivan
Switzerland
Switzerland, native land of first settlers
Oct.
1. 1814
Vevay
Tipperanoe
Tippecanoe River and Battleground.
March
1, 1826
Lafayette
Tipton
General John Tiptoo
May
1, 1844
Tipton
Union
Symbolleal of Union of interests.
Feb.
1, 1821
Liberty
Vanderhurgh
Henry Vanderburgh, a territorial judge
Feb.
1, 1818
Evansville
Vermillion
Vermillion River
Feb.
1. 1824
Newport
Vigo
Colonel Frauris Vigo
Feb.
15. 1818
Terre Haute
Wabash
Wabash River
March
1, 1835
Wabash
Warren
General Joseph Warren of Revolution.
Mareli
1, 1827
Williamsport
Warrick
Captain Jacob Warrick
April
1, 1813
Boonville
Waahington
George Washington
Jan.
17, 1814
Salem
Wayne
General Anthony Wayne
Feh.
1, 1811
Richmond
Welle
Captain Wm. A. Wells
May
1, 1837
Riuffton
White
Colonel Isaac White
April
1, 1854
Monticello
Whitley
Colonel William Whitley
Jan.
29. 1839*
Columbia City
* Date of Legislative Act as date that art becomes effective is not available.
+ Formerly known as Richardville, name changed December 28, 1846.
OFFICIAL STATE FLOWER AND FLAG
By legislative enactment, Indiana has both a State Flower and a State Flag. In 1913 a measure was passed through the General As-
March
1, 1836
Albioo
Ohio
General Zebulon M. Pike.
Feb.
1. 1817
Petersburg
Porter
Name of Lafayette's homo near Paris.
Lagrange
Lawrence Capt. James Lawrence.
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
sembly giving the floral honor to the carnation, brilliant and rich in color and exhaling the spicy fragrance, yet charged with a certain restfulness, suggestive of Riley, and Field, and others who have been pronounced true sons of Indiana.
The Legislature of 1917 adopted a state flag, consisting of a blue field 5 feet 6 inches long by 4 feet and 4 inches wide, on which is a flaming torch in gold or buff with nineteen stars. Thirteen stars are arranged in an outer circle representative of the original states, and five stars in a half-circle below the torch and inside the outer circle of stars represent the states admitted to the Union prior to Indiana. The nineteenth star, appreciably larger than the others and placed above the flame of the torch, is symbolic of the Hoosier state. The word Indiana is placed in a half cirele over and above the larger star representing the state, and midway between it and the star directly in the middle of the outer circle. Rays are shown radiating from the torch to the three stars on each side of the star in the upper center of the circle.
INDIANA STATE SONG
"On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away," is the Hoosier State Song which, by general consent, has been adopted as expressive of the homely homey sentiment which is typical of the people of Indiana. Both the words and the music were written by Paul Dresser, and the former are incomplete and somewhat colorless without the accompany- ing melody. The words run thus:
'Round my Indiana homestead wave the cornfields, In the distance loom the woodlands clear and cool, Oftentimes my tho'ts revert to scenes of childhood, Where I first received my lessons- nature's school. But one thing there is missing in the picture, Without her face it seems so incomplete, I long to see my mother in the doorway, As she stood there years ago, her boy to greet.
Chorus
Oh, the moonlight's fair tonight along the Wabash, From the fields there comes the breath of new-mown hay, Through the sycamores the candle lights are gleaming, On the banks of the Wabash, far away.
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
Many years have passed since I strolled by the river, Arm in arm, with sweetheart Mary by my side, It was there I tried to tell her that I loved her, It was there I begged of her to be my bride. Long years have passed since I strolled thro' the churchyard, She's sleeping there, my angel, Mary dear; I loved her but she thought I didn't mean it, Still I'd give my future were she only here.
CHAPTER V
SETTLEMENT BEFORE CIVIL ORGANIZATION
ELKHART COUNTY ORGANIZED- KOSCIUSKO ATTACHED TO IT-DIVIDED INTO TOWNSHIPS-TURKEY CREEK TOWNSHIP SET OFF-PLAIN TOWNSHIP CONSIDERED A PRIZE-ROSSEAU AND OSSEM-OTHER PIONEERS OF THE PRAIRIES-ELIJAH HARLAN-JOHN B. CHAPMAN -THE PIONEER MILLS-EARLY TOWNSHIP SURVEYS AND SUR- VEYORS-PIONEERS OF TURKEY CREEK TOWNSHIP-JOHN POWELL, FIRST PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP SETTLER-OTHER SETTLERS OF 1833- SETTLERS OF VAN BUREN ANTE-DATING 1836-VILLAGE OF MILFORD PLATTED- JAMES WOODDEN, PIONEER OF HARRISON TOWNSHIP- THE RISE OF LEESBURG-AS COUNTY'S SEAT OF JUSTICE-PROM- INENT MEN OF PLAIN TOWNSHIP-THE HARLAN FAMILY-THE ERWINS -- JOHN THOMPSON-ABRAHAM CUNNINGHAM LOCATES ON BONE PRAIRIE-FIFTEEN DAYS' OVERLAND TRIP IN INDIANA -- THE OLD-TIME NEIGHBORLY WELCOME-UNION LABOR WITHOUT UNION HOURS -- HENRY RIPPEY-THE FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE AND TEACHER -WILLIAM C. GRAVES-THE BLAINES OF LEESBURG THE TIPPE- CANOE LAKE REGION-FIRST RELIGIOUS SERVICES AND PREACHERS
As noted, the treaty of 1833 confined the Miamis and Pottawato- mies of Northern Indiana and Kosciusko County to specified areas, or . reservations, and thereby threw the country open to the secure settle- ment of the whites. Flatbelly, Wawwaesse and Musquawbuck were prominent figures in the general negotiations, on the part of the In- dians, and Jonathan Jennings, president of the United States Com- mission and ex-governor of Indiana, and Gen. John Tipton, Indian agent, for the whites. The conclusion of the treaty made in the fall of 1832 and ratified in January, 1833, made it feasible to define the boundaries of the new county of Kosciusko, which was split off from Elkhart, and soon afterward to give it a distinct political organization.
In the meantime, as a few people had located south of the defined boundaries of Elkhart County, and more were waiting for the Indian question to be settled before they ventured therein, it was necessary to provide at least a thin civil and legal blanket to protect the resi- dents of the unorganized country.
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Vol. 1-6
PIONEER FIREPLACE AND HOUSEHOLD ARTICLES
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
ELKHART COUNTY ORGANIZED
Under the act of the Legislature organizing the County of Elk- hart, an election was held in the spring of 1830, at which was chosen its first officers and Board of Justices. In June of that year the gov- erning board of the county met in a cabin nearly opposite the mouth of the Elkhart River, within the limits of the present city of that name, that location having been designated as the seat of justice.
DIVIDED INTO TOWNSHIPS
One of the first acts of the Board of Justice was the division of the county into Concord and Elkhart townships. The former com- prised six of the northernmost townships of today, with the exception of York and Middlebury, which were included in Elkhart. So that Elkhart Township, as organized in 1830, was much larger than Con- cord; and it not only included the bulk of Elkhart County, as now constituted, but for voting and other purposes were attached La- Grange, Noble and Steuben counties on the east and Kosciusko County on the south.
TURKEY CREEK TOWNSHIP SET OFF '
In May, 1833, the commissioners made the following order: "That all territory lying south of Elkhart County and attached thereto be designated and set apart and known by the name of Turkey Creek Township." Thus the old Elkhart Township was again limited, and in 1835 Turkey Creek Township became Kosciusko County, the limits of which were formally defined during that year.
"While the treaty of 1832-33 was pending," says James W. Arm- strong in his history of Plain Township, many in Elkhart and Wabash counties, and other of the earlier settlements, were waiting anxiously for the time to come when the newly acquired lands should be put on the market. Some of them had been on prospecting tours through Plain Township (Prairie Township at that time was a part of Plain), and were anxious to take up claims, and the consequence was a perfect rush from these older settlements.
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