Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 2, Part 11

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 948

USA > Indiana > Adams County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 2 > Part 11
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 2 > Part 11

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).

he humbly replied, " but father says the Nar- row-Gauge Railroad will do this town more good than any fourteen Sunday-schools; and I am going to chuek my coppers into that enterprise for the next few weeks." "Won't the heathen miss your pennies?" she asked. " I suppose they will; but we've got to come right down for this road or this town is busted."

Well, to condense the history of Wells County's connection with this road into a few lines, let it be sufficient to say that Messrs. Hugh Dougherty, James Crosby, W. J. Craig, clerk of the Wells County court at that time, and others of other distant points, took hold of the enterprise in 18-, and, under the new law enabling townships to vote aid or take stock, raised the money on their indi- vidual credit, and soon built the road from the State line to Warren, the first train reach- ing Bluffton in Angust, 1879.

The present name of this road, given at the head of this section, was adopted by the new company last year, and it is determined now to widen the track to the standard gange, run through trains to Kansas City, and bring the whole line up to first-class con- dition. It has already been greatly improved within the last few months. It has fifteen miles of track in Wells County, assessed at $2,000 per mile, and is also assessed at $625 per mile for rolling stock, and 8550 for im- provements and right of way.

Chicago d' Atlantic .- This line was pro- posed about 1872. The next year Wells County voted by 247 majority for aid to this road, but before it had the opportunity to repeat the old history of hope-deferring hide-and-seek with other companies, local aid and links, ete., ete., a solid company of East- ern capitalists seized it and pushed it through, completing it from Marion, Ohio, to Chicago. Instead, however, of passing through Bluff-

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ton, as the citizens here hoped, it struck an independent air line from Decatur to lunt- ington, leaving our county seat about live miles to the south. Commenced business with through trains in July, 1883.

The Chicago & Atlantic connects at Ma- rion, Ohio, with the New York, Pennsylva- nia & Ohio for the Atlantic seaboard. In Wells County it has 13.80 miles of track, ex- clusive of sidings, assessed at $8,000 per mile; rolling stock, 82,500 per mile; im- provements and right of way in the county, 8400.

Besides the above roads there are two or three other companies organized to build railroads through Wells County; as, the " Bluffton & Logansport " line, to be a link eomeeting with a line from Wheeling, West Virginia; and the " Bluffton, Kokomo & Sonthwestern, with a directory consisting of such eminent names as Robert G. Ingersoll, Joseph E. MeDonald, James M. Quigley, Syl- vester II. Kneeland, Francis M. Russ, etc., etc.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

The first court-house was situated on the west side of Main street, between Market and Wabash streets. It was built of square hewn logs, was two stories high, the first floor being occupied for courts and all sorts of meetings, and the upper by one or two county offices that were in existence at that time,

June 18, 1838, the commissioners ordered that John R. Greer, county agent, should adver- tise for the letting and building of a court-house in Bluffton, on the first day of August next. Specifications: The house to be built of hewn logs, 18x24 feet, two stories high, and covered with three-foot boards, nailed on; floor to be oak or ash; with six twelve-light windows, four below and two above, and stairs to upper room. Also one jail, of hewn timber one foot square, 18x20 feet, two stories high.

These structures were necordingly built, and were therefore very similar in appear- ance. They were erected by David Whit- man, an old farmer residing ont in the country a few miles. The jail was situated some twenty rods to the south, on the sonthwest corner of the lot, where the present court- honse now stands. Both these buildings were destroyed by fire many years ago.

April 24, 1843, the board of commissioners contracted with Alinon Case for the construc- tion of the second and present court-honse, at 85,000. He sold the contract to George W. Webster, of Marion, Indiana, who completed the structure in 1845; it was accepted by the board October 4, that year, and at the time it was one of the finest court-honses in Northern Indiana; but the times have now far out- grown it. It is built of brick manufactured near by, fronts the east, with four large, tall columns in front, characteristic of the age in which it was built, is two stories high, the lower for court and the upper for county of- fices; but the upper story is partly abandoned. The county offices are in smaller brick build- ings adjoining or on the premises. The citizens wish they felt able to ereet a new structure in keeping with the demands of the county work.

About the years 1855-'56, a brick jail was built a little south of the court-house, but it is now temporarily occupied by some of the county offices.

The third and present jail and sheriff's res- idence was built in 1880, at a cost of $21,400, and is a fine structure. Its extreme dimen- sions are 44x80 feet, and 75 feet from the ground to the top of the spire; two stories high, mansard roof, of slate, cellar throughout, walls of briek, and the exterior of the French renaissance style is very attractive. Prison wall lined with one-fourth inch boiler iron. It is situated one square southwest of the court-

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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

house. Jonathan P. Smith, of Bluffton, eon- tractor, and E. J. Hodgson, of Indianapolis, architeet.

The infirmary is a few miles southeast of Bluffton, on the southwest quarter of section 23, Harrison Township. The farm, com- prising 156 acres, was purchased in 1864; 125 aeres are in enltivation. The building is a new, substantial brick edifice, of modern style, completed in 1875, at a cost of about $16,000, and will accommodate eighty per- sons. The value of the building and farm is estimated at about 828,000. Average num- ber of inmates, forty to fitty. Present super- intendent, Amos Rowe, with a salary of $500 per ammm.

The County Library, comprising about 800 volumes, is sustained by the interest ae- erning from the fund established by setting apart ten per cent. of the proceeds of the original sale of lots in the Bluffton plat. The library is at present kept in the office of the county surveyor, and is in his charge. The use of the books is free to the public.

EDUCATION.

The first school in Wells County, as already mentioned, was taught by Jesse B. McGrew, in 1837, on the farm of Adam Miller, above Bluffton, on Six-mile Creek, on the south part of seetion 11, Harrison Township. An- other school, one of the earliest if not the second, was taught on a place adjoining the above, where David Powell's old tannery building now is, in a log house 11x18 feet, with elapboards held on by weight-poles, seats arranged in a semi-circular form around the fire-place, and writing desks of hewn slabs pinned to the wall. In 1841 a sehoo)- house was built on the land of William Stndabaker, north of Bluffton. It had a stove. Charles Grimes, a good teacher, taught the first school here, for $30 to $38 per

term of seventy-eight days. After this Lewis Prillaman and Abraham Stndabaker taught at the same place. In 1843 a school-house was erceted on the land of Thomas W. Van Ilorn, about four miles above Bluffton, where the teachers were Henry Prillaman, John II. Moore and Ellison Covert.

All these early schools were supported by private subscription, and were good sehools.

Other early teachers were Charles F. Cruikshank, Absalom Brewster, Asa Coho, George C. Fellows, James Turner, W. P. Mann, Henry Atehinson and James Ferguson. Ann Maria Fields, prior to 1850, taught school in a house in the rear of T. L. Wisner's present residence; and she often used to say that she had to use " birch tea" in order to preserve the peace.

For many years now there has not been a log school-house in the eonnty.

The first school commissioner, Judge W. HI. Parmalee, was an energetic, efficient officer. Ile received 8238.79 for school purposes, but how the money was obtained the records do not show.

Sueli were the beginnings. Now let us glanee at the stage of educational work the people of Wells County have attained. There are now in the county 6,763 children of sehool age, 3,554 males and 3,209 females; fifty-one briek school-houses, and fifty-seven frame, which, with the apparatus, furniture and grounds, are valned at $105,185; total number of pupils enrolled, 5,810, and average daily attendanee, 4,093; total amount of tui- tion funds July 31, 1886, 851,234.55. The total indebtedness of the respective schools of the county for the year ending at the above date was 8668.60.

Mr. Ernst, the present connty snperin- tendent, publishes annually a manual of the schools, comprising the names and postoffice address of the members of the county board

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MISCELLANEOUS.

of education, an outline of the Indiana sehool system, name and locality of the State educa- tional institutions, schedule of school officers, an account of the permanent school funds of the State, course of study, calendar of school officers' duties, rules for teachers and pupils, grade outfit, text books adopted by the county board, enumeration of school children by townships, statistics of school property, tuition funds by townships and the roll of teachers.

Teachers' institutes have been held anın- ally or oftener sinee about the year 1852, and since 1875 normals of six to ten weeks' dura- tion have been held during the summer at Bluffton, condueted by the county superin- tendent.

TEMPERANCE.

Reference has already been made to the political temperance movement of 1874-'75, when the " crusade" wave struck Wells County, but not in the " Mother Stewart " form; it was in a mild political form. Tem- peranee lectures and signing of temperance pledges have been in vogue here from earliest day, but there have been three great move- ments. The first is the one we have just alluded to, when among the leaders were Newton Burwell, William Perdue, Dr. J. C. Fulton, John Alexander, John Byall, A. T. Place, Jonathan Lowery, A. N. Coddington, William Bloxsom, James S. Williams, Mor- rison R. Walker, Isaae Marshall, Charles Ellingham, Allison Fulton, John S. Goodin, D. K. Ilanna, D. If. Griffith, Elias Rinear, B. E. Merriman, John Chalfant, Dr. Sewell, William Stobie and others. The animus of this movement was to operate through statn- tory law, as well as by moral suasion.

On the other hand, on a subsequent ocea- sion, in June, 1877, George A. Barry, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, visited Bluffton, representing the moral suasion principle on

the Murphy plan, when over 1,800 signed the pledge, 300 of whom had been drunkards or drinking men. To secure the permaneney of this revival a society was organized, with William Blackstone for president; Robert R. Harvey, recording secretary; Frank T. Waring, corresponding secretary; and an exeentive committee consisting of Hugh Dougherty, W. W. Wisell, W. J. Craig, George E. Gardiner and Elza Il. Justus. It was called the Bluffton Temperance Union.

As a third revival, the old plan of legal prohibition is looming up again, encouraged by its snecess in other States and localities, and by the tremendous increase of the prohi- bition vote on the national ticket from 1880 to 1884, a leap from 11,600 to 160,000 in the United States. The labor party, however, especially in the eities, are at present draw- ing heavily from the prohibition element. The plan in Wells County is to operate through the old parties first, and, that failing, then strike out independently.

CENSUS.

The total population of Wells County, in 1860, was 10,844; 1870, 13,585; 1880, 18,- 442. As it is still increasing, it must be over 20,000 by this time. Number of males in 1880, 9,547; females, 8,895; number of males of military age (eighteen to forty-four inclusive), 3,821; males over twenty-one (voting population), 4,540.

Nativity: American, 17,851; foreign, 591. Of the American-born Indiana furnishes 11,- 879; Ohio, 3,958; Pennsylvania, 991; New York, 136; Illinois, 86; Kentucky, 83. Of the foreign-born, Germany supplies 206; Ireland, 133; England and Wales, 55; Seot- land, 26; British America, 16; Franee, 1; Sweden and Norway, 1.

The population by townships in 1880 was: Chester, 1,668; Harrison, 43,089 (including

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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

Bluffton, with 2,354, and Vera Cruz with 260); Jackson, 1,496; Jefferson, 2,262; Lan- caster, 1,806; Liberty, 1,752; Nottingham, 2,057; Rock Creek, 1,412, and Union, 1,600.

The assessment of real and personal prop- erty in 1884 was: 231,098 acres of land in the county, valued at $3,177,635; improve- ments, $795,005; lots, 8263,545; improve- ments, 8374,615; Personal property, $1,- 568,165, polls, 3,497. Total value of taxable property, 86,178,865.

Agricultural statistics are given under the head " Agricultural."

OTHER ITEMS.

In the antnin of 1871, when devastating fires raged so furiously throughout Michigan, Wis- consin and Chicago, similar destruction from the same source was witnessed throughout Wells County. From October 3 to 10 the woods were on fire in many places, often breaking over into the treasured property of the farmer or the Inmberinan. Fenees, barns, hay, lumber-yards, ete., were burned in

considerable numbers, and it was only with great difficulty that many residences were successfully protected. Everything combus- tible had been drying and "seasoning" so long and so thoroughly that the copious rain of the morning of the 10th put only an apparent or temporary stop to the progress of the consuming element, for in a few days it broke out again and did immense damage, until fields, roads and water-conrses put a final cheek to its sway.

March 20, 1886, two and three miles south and west of Bluffton, a violent wind de- molished houses, barns and timber in great quantities. It tore up jam piles, tore down large oak trees, and switched every movable object around like straws. Ilappily, no lives were lost, but many had a very narrow escape, with small bruises. Probably the most violent storm that ever visited Wells County.

In 1873 a wall map of Wells County, four feet by five, was published by a Philadelphia firm. On one corner is a map of Bluffton.

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BLUFFTON.

OME we now to the een- tral point of our history, the beautiful city on the bluffs, named from its situation. The name was suggested by R. C. Bennett, Sr., not be- cause the bluffs here are partien- larly high, abrupt or conspienous, but merely from the fact that the town is situated on the bluff side of the river. The naine " Bluffton" first appears on the records in 1838.

Under the head "County Gov- ernment" an account is given of the location of the county seat at this place.

The original plat of Bluffton was surveyed in March, 1838, by John Casebeer, the ap- pointed county surveyor, and James R. Greer, the county agent, laid out 191 lots. The plat was recorded March 23. At the June session following, the county commissioners ordered the agent to begin the sale of lots on the 16th of that month, and to continue from day to day until all were sold. Only the alter- nate ones, however, were to be sold, and three or four were reserved for Almon Case, in con- sideration of entertaining visitors at the sale. 38

It was provided that the purchasers should have the privilege of entting all timber that might endanger themselves or their property.

The day arriving, the first lot sold for 892, and others " in like proportion." The sale was said to be very " spirit"-ed, as the records show that Almon Case was allowed $5 for whisky on that occasion, and James Scott 75 eents for a jug of whisky. This liquor was furnished free to all in attendance, being handed around in a bucket and taken straight. All were more or less intoxicated. License had been granted Mr. Case, for $15, to keep tavern for one year. This was the first tav- ern license issued in the county, and in those days a tavern license ineluded the license to retail whisky by the drink. Ilis tavern was succeeded by the " Exchange Hotel," on the southeast corner of Main and Market streets, where it still stands, a characteristic relie of " tavern " days. It was a noted stopping place in the days of stage evaches.

Ten per cent. of the funds derived from the sale of lots was reserved for a county library, which institution is still kept up.

August 16 following the county agent laid out an addition of fifty-six lots, since which time a number of additions have been made.

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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

The next month, JJohn Studabaker, the first merchant in Bluffton, obtained from the com- missioners license to sell merchandise. He erected a log pen, with clapboard doors, where Tribolet's clothing store now stands, into which he moved his meager stock. This he bartered, instead of selling for cash, coon- skins and furs being the common medium of exchange. Coonskins were practically legal tender. Ile had no occasion for burglar- proof safes. At about the same time the clerk's office was built, where Bugh's drug- store now stands. These two fabrics then comprised all the improvements on Market street, and the view between them was ob- structed by timber of various dimensions, so that strangers had generally to be piloted from one to the other.

In 1840 Bluffton had 225 inhabitants, while the county had 1,822.

The first trustees of Bluffton were Lewis S. Grove, Joseph A. Williams, Engle Starr, William Strode and Nelson Kellogg. The last named, who is still a resident of the place, was elected president, and Grove was appointed clerk. -

Bluffton was incorporated February 12, 1851, since which time the following have acted as

MAYORS.

David Angel, 1851; Samuel Deeker, 1852; J. II. Buekles, 1853; C. W. Beardsley, 1854; S. R. Karns, 1855; C. S. Bergan, 1856; J. E. Brown, 1857; J. R. MeCleery, 1858; I. A. Godard, 1859; W. R. Ferguson, 1859; Robert Russell, 1860; Newton Burwell, 1861-'64; John MeFadden, 1865-'66; C. G. Quick, 1866-67; N. Kellogg, 1868; Levi Mock, 1860; Levi Moek, 1873-'76; William Blackstone, 1877-'78; David T. Smith, 1879 - '80; E. C. Vanghn, 1881-'82; II. L. Martin, 1883; James P. IIale, 1883 to the present.

The clerks have been: Theodore Horton,

1851-52; N. Kellogg, 1853-'58; T. II. Crosby, 1859; John North, 1873; N. T. Miller, 1874-'80; P. L. Robison, 1881-'83; Benedict Burns, 1883-'86, since which time there has been a vacancy, the place being filled by the mayor.

First councilmen, 1851: Thomas L. Wisner, Bowen Hale, John Eby and C. T. Mel- sheimer; marshal, John Plessinger; treasurer, Erastus K. Bascom; street commissioner, George MeDowell.

The municipal year commences with the first of May.

The first ordinances passed by the conneil after the incorporation in 1851 were:

1. Taxing each family for the first dog 50 cents, and for each additional dog, $1; also 50 cents on each $100 of real and personal property, and a poll tax of 50 cents for street improvements.

2. Imposing fines for driving or riding within the corporation faster than a common trot, except when going for a physician; shooting for sport, gambling or disorderly conduct, retailing spiritnons liquors in less quantities than a quart without a license from the corporation; selling or giving liquors to minors or drunkards.

From the Republican Bugle of 1849 we quote the following local market report, as a curiosity: Wheat, 50 cents; rye, 28 cents; corn, shelled, 25 cents; oats, 19 cents; flax- seed, 56 cents; butter, per pound, 8 cents; ginseng, 25 cents; beeswax, 18 cents; featlı- ers, 25 cents; eggs, per dozen, 5 cents.

For other first things in Blufftou, see the. section headed " Beginnings."

Now, to see what advance this town has made, let us glance at its business interests.

The place is beginning to don the style of a city by the erection of fine three-story business bloeks, as the Curry, in which are the opera hall, postoffice, etc .; Tribolet's and

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BLUFFION.

McFarren's; the Centennial, built in 1876, and named from its being erected during the centennial year of our national independence; in it are the Banner printing office, other offices and stores, etc., and the Hale Block. This and MeFarren's Block, the two latest, were erected in 1881. The Centennial was opened with a public entertainment, at which our jolly friend Todd represented himself in dress and manner as a man having lived here a hundred years and witnessed all the changes as they occurred. One of his humorous para- graphs was: "And I remember three men whom, in March, 1776, I saw sitting upon a sycamore log, eating peanuts, near the place where we now are, whilst they discussed the propriety of entering into matrimonial alliances. The result of their deliberations will best be known in the fact that my then youthful but now venerable friends, Hugh Dougherty, John North and F. N. Kellogg, are still living the life of celibacy."

There are two building associations in Bluffton, -- the Excelsior, organized in 1883, and the Nonpareil, in 1886. Of the first, George F. McFarren is President, and James P. Ilale, Secretary. Of the other, J. J. Todd is President, and John B. Welty, Secretary.

Jolin Studabaker erected his capacious warehouse at the depot in 1869, with two elevators. Size, 40 x 80 feet, and a propor- tional height. This year he is shipping not less than a half million bushels of grain.

The Exchange Bank is a flourishing in- stitution. In 1856 John Studabaker com- menced lending money and selling New York exchange, in connection with his produce business; and in 1863 he, in company with George Arnold, Jeffrey Bliss, Amos Town- send and James Van Emon, organized the First National Bank, with a capital of 850,- 000. In 1868 it closed business, and Janu- ary 1. 1869, the present Exchange Bank was

formed by John and Peter Studabaker and Hugh Dougherty. An incident in its history is worth relating here. Some years ago this bank ordered a remittance of $5,000 by ex- press from Cincinnati. The package " said to contain" that amount was delivered here by the United States Express Company, but with nothing inside except slips of news- paper. The bank sued the company for re- covery, and after one or two adverse decisions finally succeeded in their suit, besides obtain- ing 8475 as damages.

The Bluffton Woolen Mills were built here many years ago, but were generally unprofit- able, except perhaps in the year 1873. In 1879 they were burned, and never afterward rebuilt or succeeded by a similar institution. The loss by the fire was about $3,500, with no insurance.

The oldest grist-mill in the place is the water and steam mill of the Kenagy Brothers, at the foot of Main street. It was built in 1849, by Williams & Morgan. Since their day it has passed through several hands. It has two run of burrs for wheat, one for corn, and one re-grinder. All custom work. En- gine forty-horse power.

J. T. Clayton, on South street, east of Main, was the first to introduce the roller sys- tem in Wells County, in the spring of 1886. The mill was erected a number of years be- fore the war, and the present proprietor has had it since 1861. Engine thirty-five-horse power. Capacity, seventy-five barrels of flour per day. Both enstom and merchant work.

D. Brown & Son's flouring mill, near the railroad bridge, has two run of burrs for wheat, and one for corn. Generally custom work, running nearly all the days in the year. It was built soon after the war period, sinee which time it has changed hands several times, the present proprietors recently pur- chasing C. S. Burgan's interest.

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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

The Bluffton Manufacturing Company, or the Corn-Planter and Washing-Machine Com- pany, of Bluffton, has had a checkered his- tory. It was first formed in February, 1871, for the manufacture of the American Corn- Planter, invented by Samuel Jones, a poor blacksmith of the place, Dr. T. Ilorton fur- nishing the capital and the institution known as T. Horton's Planter Factory. In 1874, with twenty-seven workmen, they made 10,- 000 corn-planters; but Mr. Vandergriff' com- ing in as the chief operating partner, began to substitute elm for ash, and thus caused the enterprise to wane. Next they added the manufacture of the " Western Washer," an excellent style of washing-machine, and drove a profitable business. Two of the partners moving the enterprise to a distant eastern point, on July 13, 1880, T. Horton, W. W. Wisell and W. 1. Fitch (foreman for many years) formed a company. They soon found, however, that to retain a hold on the market a rotary corn-planter must be invented, which was done; but trouble arising as to the pro- prietorship of the patent, the business was placed in the hands of a receiver for settle- ment, resulting in the sale of the machinery to Wisell & Fitch, who admitted Lee S. Kapp as a partner, reuted the old building of T. Horton, assumed the present name, and again went to work, adding to the corn-planter and washing-machine a variety of other house- hold and farm conveniences. In 1885 they moved into the old bending works.

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Author: Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 948

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 948