USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Elkhart County, Indiana > Part 11
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Dairying did not begin to command attention until a number of years after the general live stock industry had gained a foothold. At one time there were several breeders of Ayrshires in the county, and that breed was looked upon with considerable favor. The Holsteins also have been bred, but not to any great extent. The Jersey has been the leading breed of dairy cattle in this county for fully a third of a century. and few others are bred at the present time. At first their merits were but little appreciated, many people who saw them at the county fairs taking them for scrubs. This was doubtless because of the unfavorable appearance they made by the side of the handsome Short-horns. It is said that at one of the fairs some time in the '6os Elijah Adams, of Washington township, exhibited a small herd of Jerseys, and some of the visitors at the fair expressed surprise that such inferior looking cattle should be placed on exhibition. In reply to their inquiries Hon. John E. Thompson jocularly remarked that they were exhibited to show the superiority of blooded cattle ( Short-horns) over scrubs. But the disfavor with which they were met by those who were partial to the Short-horns did not prevent them from growing steadily into favor as a dairy breed. Today upon all of the best dairy farms are to be found herds of pure bred or high grade Jerseys. . And dairying as a specialty has grown from a very insignificant beginning to be a profitable industry. but only in limited areas is it made a spe- cialty. On many farms it is carried on with profit as an adjunct to
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mixed farming. Particularly is this the case on farms located near the cities, where a ready market is found for dairy products.
Sheep were brought here by some of the earliest settlers, and they have been raised in the county continuously. Like the other animals the first sheep kept by our pioneer farmers were scrubs, and for twenty years or more no other sheep were known. They were kept for the purpose of supplying wool for home use, the product being woven into cloth and made into garments. Major Violett, who located in the vicin- ity of Waterford in 1829, kept a large flock of sheep, probably the largest in the county for a number of years. Of the first blooded sheep to be brought into the county but little is known. The first man to ex- hibit them at the county fair was William Long, of Benton township. This was in the early '50s. The Mathers, of Middlebury, also began breeding them at an early day, but whether they or Mr. Long were the first there are no data to show. The blooded sheep of that day were the Merinos. That kind continued to be bred quite extensively for thirty years or more, but there are very few of them in the county now. They have been supplanted by the mutton breeds, including the Shropshires, the Southdowns and Oxfords. The first named are the most numerous of any. While there are not as many pure bred sheep in the county as there ought to he the grades of the Shropshire are to be found in a great many flocks.
It is only in recent years that poultry raising as an important branch of farming or as a business in itself has received particular at- tention. From the time when the first settlements were made here each farmer kept a few chickens, and some of them kept ducks and geese. Many of the settlers brought a sufficient number of chickens with them to start a flock, and others bought a few of their neighbors after they came. Occasionally peddlers came from the east bringing chickens with them to sell to the people of the new country. Elisha Irwin tells of a man who traveled through the county in 1833 or 1834, driving a flock of geese which he was selling as he found buyers. Probably no more peculiar method of marketing poultry of any kind than this was ever heard of. The fowls that were kept by the early settlers here were of the common mongrel breed, or perhaps it would be more nearly correct to say no breed at all. They were of every color, size and form. They laid plenty of eggs in the summer but none at any other time of the year. Their flesh was of a quality far inferior to that of the improved breeds of fowls that are kept now. Just when blooded
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chickens were introduced is not known nor is it known who intro- duced them. Jacob Pfeffer, Jr., of Middlebury township, and the Latta's of Elkhart township, were among the first farmers to begin improving their flocks of poultry by the introduction of blooded stock. The first pure breed chicken that was brought in was the old Shanghai some time in the '50s. They were greatly inferior to the improved breeds of the present day, but they were so far superior to the water fowls that they immediately found favor with the progressive farmers. After the Shanghais came the Brahmas and the Cochins, which were still better. These were the leading meat breeds that were kept here during the 'cos and '70s. The first of the egg-producing breeds were the Black Spanish and the Humbugs. They were here about the same time with the Cochins and the Brahinas. About 1870 or a little before the American Dominiques made their appearance and were popular for a time. These were the first of the American breeds as well as the first general-purpose breed. In the early 'Sos the Plymouth Rocks were introduced here, and they at once became very popular. This pop- ularity has continued to the present time, and they have proved to be profitable. On most of the farms outside of those which have made a specialty of egg production can be found Plymouth Rock blood. The Wyandottes have been introduced in very recent years, and they are beginning to share with the Plymouth Rock the popularity which the former has monopolized as a general purpose fowl. The Black Spanish have been succeeded by the Leghorns as egg producers on most of the farms upon which eggs are made the principal feature of the poultry business. The poultry industry is steadily growing in importance, espe- cially in the vicinity of the cities and towns where there is usually a good home market. as well as excellent facilities for shipping the prod- ticts to the markets of the large cities.
While the improved stock, including poultry, which can be seen upon most of the farms of the county at this time, shows a progress be- yond the wildest dreams of even the most advanced among the pioneer farmers, the methods of caring for the farm animals show fully as much advancement. In the early days very little of the stock enjoyed the comfort of being housed. It was about as much as could be done to provide shelter for the faithful team, and that was not always what could have been desired. The rest of the stock had to content them- selves with whatever protection the woods and the bushes afforded them. The chickens were permitted to roost in the trees, so it is not
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to be wondered at that there were 110 eggs except in summer. The stock of those days must have been as hardy as were the pioneers them- selves, who were able to endure the rigors of the severe winters with no more shelter than was afforded by the hastily constructed log cabins. Notwithstanding their hardiness those animals had few qualities which would commend them to the farmers of the twentieth century. It is not surprising that stock-raising was neither a pleasant nor a profitable part of the early settlers' farming operations.
The county fairs, the first of which was held in 1851 and the last in 1893. exercised a wholesome influence upon the agriculture of the county and contributed materially toward its progress. These fairs were held under the auspices of the Elkhart County Agricultural So- ciety. which was organized in 1851. But long before this an agri- cultural society had been proposed, as is shown by the following extract from the commissioners' record: At May session. 1836, "ordered that the clerk write six advertisements that there will be held at the court house in the town of Goshen on the last Saturday of June next a meet- ing for the purpose of organizing a county agricultural society, and that the sheriff set up the same in the most public places in the county." No permanent result seems to have followed this action of the board. The history of the county's agriculture would be incomplete without some mention of this society and the exhibits it held from year to year. The first officers of the organization were: Ebenezer M. Chamberlain. president : C. A. Hinman, vice-president : Charles L. Murray, secretary : Nathan Smiley, treasurer. The first fair was held in the court vard at Goshen. October 24 and 25 of the same year. There was what was then considered an excellent exhibit of the products of the farm, includ- ing grains, fruits and vegetables, as well as live stock. In later years the same exhibit would have been considered very small and inferior in quality. In the live-stock department horses were well represented. there being a total of forty-five. There were but sixteen head of cattle, nine sheep and four hogs. According to the secretary's report there was not shown at the fair a single pure bred animal of any kind. Among the exhibitors that year were Elias Paul, Irvin Vincent. George P. Rowell. S. H. Weyburn, M. M. Latta. Azel Sparklin. Peter Fetters. James Canton. William Vesey. J. W. Violett, Matthew Rippey. Henry G. Davis, Thomas Miller and Abner Blue, names which were well known throughout the county at that time and for years afterward and many
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of whose descendants are among the leading citizens of the county at the present day.
The fairs continued to be held in the court yard and court house for four years, when a small plat of ground, consisting of four acres, was purchased for fair ground purposes. This ground was located on the south side of Madison street in Goshen and extended some distance east and west of Ninth street. Later a tract of ten acres was pur- chased about half way between Goshen and Waterford and fitted up for fair ground purposes. In 1866 and from 1868 to 1873, inclusive, no fairs were held. In 1874 a fine tract of land consisting of twenty- nine acres lying just outside of the corporate limits of Goshen on the east side of the Ft. Wayne road, was purchased by a joint stock company organized for this purpose, and leased to the society. The lease also stipulated that the society should have the privilege of pur- chasing the grounds at some time in the future, which was done. In 1874 a successful fair was held on the new ground, and this continued for a period of nineteen years. In 1892 the agricultural society became embarrassed financially and a year later, after holding an unsuccessful fair, it practically disbanded. Subsequently the beautiful grounds were sold, and for twelve years past Elkhart county has held no fairs.
There is no doubt that the Elkhart County Agricultural Society and the fairs which it held from year to year were instrumental in advancing materially the agricultural interests of the county. The ex- hibits and the contests for prizes created a friendly rivalry among the farmers and live stock breeders and stimulated them to make greater efforts for excellence in their respective lines of farming and stock- raising. They demonstrated the superiority of well bred stock over the scrubs which many farmers had previously been breeding. They af- forded an opportunity for the farmers to meet, compare notes and exchange experiences. Each annual fair was a milestone which marked the progress which had been made during the previous year. At the first three fairs addresses were delivered on some subject relating to agriculture, a feature which was discontinued after the third year. In studying the progress in agriculture and horticulture in Elkhart county the fairs must be reckoned as a potent factor in this development.
Another movement for good in this direction is the farmers' insti- tute. The farmers of this county began to hold their institutes three years before the fairs ceased to be held, and during that time each one proved to be a valuable supplement to the other. The first institute
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ever held in Elkhart county was in the circuit court room in Goshen January 22 and 23. 1890. The writer hereof presided over the meeting and served for two years thereafter as president of the association, under whose auspices the institutes were held. The mayor of Goshen, Charles W. Miller, now attorney general of Indiana. delivered an address of welcome on behalf of the city. The speakers furnished by the state for that occasion were: Professor W. C. Latta, of Purdue University, superintendent of farmers' institutes; Hon. J. J. W. Bil- lingsley, of Indianapolis, the editor of the Drainage Journal; Hon. James .A. Mount, afterward governor of Indiana, and his accomplished wife: Hon. J. N. Latta, of Haw Patch, now deceased. The work of these speakers was supplemented by home talent. The presidents of the institute from the time of its inception to the present time are H. S. K. Bartholomew, P. T. Nye, W. S. Smith, John C. Mehl, William M. Mitchell, Hon. John E. Thompson, John Scrannage, Jacob J. Zollinger. Edson C. Bartholomew and Samuel _1. Hoover.
An institute has been held each year from 1890 on, and nearly every subject in which the farmer is interested has received attention. In the past two or three years besides the regular county institute held at the county seat supplementary meetings of one or two days each have been held in one or more of the smaller towns of the county. In Feb- ruary, 1895, the round-up institute for the state was held in this county, and there was a three days' session. During the fifteen years since the first institute was held the advancement which agriculture and kindred industries have made has been very satisfactory. The progressive farm- ers of the county have taken a deep interest in the work, and through them an interest has been aroused in their less enterprising neighbors. A greater number of farmers have become careful students of their business than ever had been before the institutes were held. More attention has been given to the business side of farming. The num- ber of farmers who have taken up specialties in one line or another has been increased. In fact there has been a decided improvement in the agriculture of the whole county. This improvement has resulted in increased profits, more prosperous farmers and a more contented rural population. It is true that not all of this advancement of the past fifteen years can be credited to the institutes. The agricultural press has played an important part. and there have been other influences at work which have contributed toward the result. But to the institutes must be given credit for no small share of it.
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The county is admirably adapted for the growing of most of the staple farm crops and the raising of all kinds of live stock. Wheat was formerly the leading money crop of Elkhart county farmers, but for the past ten years it has not been very profitable. Only two good crops have been raised since 1894-that of 1897. which was 868.870 bushels, and of 1898-893.758 bushels. The crop last year was almost a total failure, falling to 120,260 bushels. On account of the partial failures year after year the acreage sown has greatly fallen off. Corn has come to be the most profitable of the grain crops. The smallest yield of corn for eleven years past was that of 1894, which was 1,074.922 bushels. In 1900 it rose to 1.547.269 bushels. The largest crop of oats in the last eleven years was 660,264 bushels, in 1894. But a comparatively small portion of the corn and oats are marketed as grain, the greater part being fed to the live stock. There is a large acreage adapted to the production of hay, and. in recent years this has grown to be an important crop. Like corn and oats the bulk of the hay pro- duced is fed on farms. Last year's yield of timothy hay was 20,828 tons and of clover 24.698 tons : for 1903 the figures for these two crops were 19,713 and 31.827 tons, respectively. Besides, there were 13,000 bushels of clover seed that year. In 1903, 198.573 bushels of potatoes were grown. To realize the increase in the production of these crops in three-quarters of a century it is only necessary to recall the state- ments previously made in this chapter, that for a few years after the first settlers came here each farmer raised only a small field of wheat and corn, a little patch of potatoes and occasionally one had a patch of oats, enough of these articles for the sustenance of man and beast for the coming year. And the hay crop on each farm consisted of a few loads of coarse marsh hay. In 1830, when the county was organ- ized. the total population was nine hundred and thirty-five. This means that the number of farmers and farms would not exceed two hundred. How insignificant were the crops grown in small plats here and there by this handful of farmers is not difficult to understand.
The number of horses in the county in 1904 was 10.363: cattle, 23,602: sheep, 33,164; hogs, 46.595. The wool clip was 144,686 pounds. The dairy interests were represented by the productions of 753.026 pounds of butter and 3.338.671 gallons of milk. The poultry product in 1903 was 30,506 dozen of fowls and 578.711 dozen of eggs: in 1904 it was 10,125 dozen and 748.465 dozen. While these figures make a very creditable showing there is a possibility of their being
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greatly increased. The farmers of this county have made advancement from year to year, and the successful management of their farms shows the most of them to be abreast of the times. But there is still room for a vast improvement. The farms of the county are naturally fertile and they embrace nearly every known variety of soil. They are capable of sustaining a much larger population than the county now contains. The live stock interests could be greatly increased and the poultry and dairy product could easily be doubled. As agricultural education be- comes more widely disseminated through the medium of the farmers' institutes, the agricultural press and the schools, these resources will be more fully developed.
There is perhaps no one thing which has done more for the ad- vancement of agriculture than the improvement of transportation facil- ities. When all crops had to be hauled a distance of a hundred miles or more by wagon and all merchandise that was brought here had to be hauled a like distance in the same way, each farmer could place but a small portion of his products upon the market. The building of the first railroad did much to simplify the transportation problem. There are now three roads which pass the whole distance through the county. the Lake Shore and Wabash east and west and the Big Four north and south. The Indiana Railway, electric, runs about half way through-from Goshen to the western boundary. Besides, the Balti- more & Ohio passes within a short distance of the southern boundary and touches at the southwest corner. These roads carry our surplus products to the great cities, where they are either consumed or shipped to more remote parts of the earth. The public highways have been improved so that local transportation is not the difficult matter that it was even a quarter of a century ago. The cities within our own boundaries are easily reached over these excellent highways, and they afford a home market for a goodly portion of what there is to sell. The splendid market facilities afford an incentive for growing the most and the best of everything the farm will produce.
Not the least in importance, perhaps it would be better to say most important of all, is the change in the farmer's home and his environ- inents. The cabin of round logs was superseded as quickly as possible by the hewed log house and this a few years later by the plain frame dwelling. Later still came brick houses. The frame house and the brick house are still with us, but each has undergone changes and im- provements from year to year until it no longer resembles the original
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type from which it descended. The strictly modern farm dwelling. with the latest improvements and conveniences, makes a favorable com- parison with the modern city residence. Yet. where stands some of the splendid productions of architecture which constitute the ideal type of comfort and attractiveness once stood the rude, humble round-log cabins of our forefathers. The transformation, pleasing to contemplate, seems almost incredible. And of everything that has been mentioned there is no advancement more commendable than that which has improved the home and its surroundings and made it more congenial to its inmates.
Herein has been traced briefly and necessarily in a very incom- plete way the development of agriculture in Elkhart county. In some respects, doubtless. this development is typical of the progress that has been made in every other county in the state. In other respects it probably differs from that of any other place. But whether like or unlike that of any other section of the country it can be truthfully said that the pioneer farmers of Elkhart county and their immediate suc- cessors did their work well. They laid a good foundation for what has been done since they came and is being done now in the way of agri- cultural development. They came there when this region was a vast forest, unbroken save here and there by a small area of prairie land, and they transformed it into splendid farms. They found it the dwell- ing place of savages; they converted it into homes fit for the habitation of the best race of people on earth. . And we who have come into pos- session of the goodly heritage which they left when they were called from the scenes of their arduous labors should not be remiss in giving them due credit for their achievements.
-H. S. K. BARTHOLOMEW.
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CHAPTER IX.
THE SMALLER CENTERS.
All things wax and roll onwards; arts, establishments, opinions, nothing is ever completed, but ever completing.
-CARLYLE.
Even cities have their graves. -- LONGFELLOW.
It was not long after the country put on an appearance of advanc- ing civilization that centers of manufacture and of industrial and com- mercial life began to be formed. It was natural that the store, the postoffice, the church and the school be located near the sawmill or the grist mill to which the settlers frequently resorted. Those who were engaged in mechanical, industrial or commercial pursuits would have their houses near their place of business. There the preacher, the teacher and the doctor would reside. Others, attracted to the spot by the advantages to be derived from society, would make their homes there if they could do so. Hence there came to be centers of civilization or hamlets and villages, some of which, according to the law of the sur- vival of the fittest, became towns and cities; while others disappeared. leaving only a few vestiges of their former life and activity. The surrounding country settling up so steadily reminds one of the star dust of which worlds are said to be formed, and these centers of civi- lization remind one of the nuclei which are said to grow into worlds and go whirling through their orbits. Or, these villages and towns are like the ganglionic centers of the nervous system. It is proposed in the present and following chapters to notice the cases which Elkhart county presents of this process of formation.
Since no important end would be conserved, even were the data at hand to attain it readily, by considering the various centers in their chronological order of founding. we shall follow the convenient method of treating the towns and villages by townships, in geographical order.
BENTON.
Benton township, occupying the southeastern corner of the county, well watered, densely wooded-in some parts even so to-day-with rich
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soil, early attracted the westward-migrating white man to halt and build a home. It is mentioned elsewhere how Matthew Boyd, who came in 1827. was the first settler, and that he conducted a canoe ferry across the Elkhart about where Benton now stands. This circumstance was no doubt the leading cause which in a short time attracted enough other settlers to that point so that such a center as has been above men- tioned resulted. Then, also, nature had made this an appropriate spot for a settlement, since at this point the Elkhart river presented an excellent mill site, and it must be remembered that the presence of water power was a prime consideration to the town-makers of those days. A location that in this day of railroads and graveled highways would be entirely overlooked often became, during the thirties, a thriv- ing and bustling town. Another reason that prompted a grouping of society and industry at Benton, and which has already been hinted at in connection with the ferry, was that the old Fort Wayne road-the most important means of communication during the early days-passed, and does pass at this day, through Benton.
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