USA > Indiana > Noble County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 17
USA > Indiana > LaGrange County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 17
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I
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HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
Meeker, Oliver Osborn and others. After five or six years of use, this house was abandoned, and a frame was built at the same place, which was burned down two years later and replaced with another, which lasted until the present brick house was erected in 1881. A log schoolhouse was erected at Valentine, not far from 1840, Thomas Oliver furnishing a portion of the lumber, and Abraham Eiman making the shingles: Hiram Gardner helped build the house. Elmira Crandall was one of the first teachers, her term being the winter of 1842-43. She boarded at Hiram Gardner's, paying two bushels of corn per week for her board. This house was used until about 1848. A log dwelling on the Schoonover farm was devoted to the uses of education after that, but was finally destroyed by fire about twenty-five years ago, when the present small frame was built. Since the village of Valentine has sprung up with an increase of families to send to school, the house has become too small to prop- erly accommodate the children. A new and larger house should be built with- out delay. A log schoolhouse was built near Mr. Dickinson's, or near Mr. Koon's, in 1841. Lucretia Crandall, now the wife of Hiram Gardner, was the first teacher, most probably. She taught during the summer of that year, and was paid ten shillings per week. During the winter of 1840-41, this lady taught in a building belonging to Almon White, and was paid twelve shillings per week. The school building north of Oliver Lake was erected some twenty- one years ago, Benjamin Williams being the first teacher. A log building in the northeastern part, on A. J. Rayer's farm, was devoted to school purposes as early as 1842. It was probably used until a schoolhouse was constructed about six years later. The present country schools are above the average.
The most important school in the township, and one of the most important in the county, was the "Wolcottville Seminary." In 1851, ex-Gov. Slade of Vermont was President of the National Board of Education. The Protestant denominations in the East saw, with concern, that the Roman Cath- olics, with greater religious enterprise, were sending teachers out into the back- woods, and were founding many Catholic schools and churches in the great West. This led to the creation of the above-mentioned Board of Education, a Protestant organization, whose object was the establishment of Protestant schools and churches in the backwoods. This led to a strong demand for Christian work- ers who were willing to take their chances in the rapidly growing West. About this time, also, Mr. Wolcott became dissatisfied, for some reason, with the schools in his vicinity, whereupon he wrote to ex-Gov. Slade, asking that a thoroughly competent Christian teacher be sent out to Wolcottville, to labor as a governess in his family until some arrangement could be made for her in a public school. It had entered Mr. Wolcott's mind to build a seminary at Wol- cottville. Ex-Gov. Slade promptly sent out Miss Susan Griggs, a very earnest, true-hearted Christian lady. She was immediately employed as gov- erness in Mr. Wolcott's family at a salary of $250 per year, and, to commence with, had but one scholar. Miss Griggs reached Wolcottville and began her
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labors in October, 1851. Her presence at the village was soon known, and several citizens asked that she might teach their children. A house belonging to Mr. Wolcott was fitted up for her, in which she taught during the winter of 1851-52, having twelve scholars. She also taught in this house the following summer, having thirty scholars. During the summer of 1852, Mr. Wolcott, at an expense of over $3,000, erected the Seminary building, and also a large frame structure in which students might find rooms while attending the school. In November, 1852, school in the Seminary was begun. A tuition of $3.50 was asked for the term of eleven weeks, and if Latin, French, German, painting in oil or music were desired, extra tuition must be paid. About fifty students were in attendance during the winter. Miss Eliza Dudley, of York State, was employed as assistant. Miss Griggs was to have all she could realize from the school tuition, and was required to keep the buildings in repair. The doors of the Seminary were thrown open to young men, although the school was origi- nally designed for females alone. Here it was that Miss Griggs, for seventeen long years, labored in the field she had chosen. Sometimes she had enrolled as high as 115 students, the average being about sixty-five for the entire period. Sometimes two assistants were required. Diplomas were not granted. The Seminary was not denominational, though Christian exercises were regularly held. A catalogue was published, and perhaps two-thirds of the students came from abroad. The effect of the school upon the neighborhood was soon seen. Education and intelligence were at a premium, and Wolcottville acquired fame over a large section of country for its thrift, brightness and general excellence. Too much cannot be said in praise of Miss Griggs. She gave herself no relaxa- tion from labor, and, as a necessary consequence, lost her health in 1869, and was compelled to sever her connection with the Seminary, greatly to her regret. A Sunday school was organized in the Seminary in 1852, under the superin- tendence of Miss Griggs, and continued through the years until school there ended. Miss Griggs was Superintendent for thirteen consecutive years. Through her earnest determination alone, the Sunday school not only lived, but greatly prospered, with an average attendance of about fifty. Miss Griggs has shown a heart and a character extremely rare in this gilded age of money- making and sordid selfishness. The best years of her life have been spent in self-denial, charity, humanity, and pure womanly work. Her health has been sacrificed, her means employed, and her life dedicated to the struggle of widen- ing the sphere of Christian intelligence and human happiness. True as a mag- net to her life duties, she has beaten down all obstacles, and inspired those around her with the enjoyment of noble endeavor. In view of her long years of labor at the village, how scores have been made happier by her, how hun- dreds have gone out from her instruction with truer ideas of life and its duties, how patient self-denial and faith in God have been the watchwords of this noble woman, it is unquestionably due her from the citizens that her declining years be rendered free from the bitterness of poverty and thanklessness. And
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HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
the part borne by Mr. Wolcott, does not that deserve recognition ? All the expense of erecting the buildings was sustained by him. In one year he paid as high as $75 tuition, when, under the contract with Miss Griggs, his children were to receive instruction free of charge. Lack of generosity was not one of his faults.
The Evangelical Lutheran society, which has a frame church on Section 15, was organized in 1856 by Rev. J. G. Biddle. During the winter of 1856- 57, a memorable revival was conducted by Rev. Biddle. Among the early members were Elias Plank and wife, Mrs. Mariah Teeter, Michael Hoff and wife, Tobias Aichele and wife, Mr. Alspaugh and wife, Daniel Holsinger and wife, and others. In 1858, the membership was about fifty. The pastors after Rev. Biddle have been A. J. Kromer, W. Waltman, Jabez Shafer, D. Smith, Leander Kiser, and, at present, L. Rice. The church was erected in 1860, and cost about $1,600. The society has preaching every two weeks. Sunday school has been had occasionally. In 1840, a Methodist Episcopal society was organized near Valentine, by John and Abraham Rowe. Among the early members were the Rowes, the Brundages, the Flints, the Braytons and others. For a time they met in John Rowe's house; but later, schoolhouses were used. The society has lived until the present. It has now a fine brick church at Val- entine, erected last year at a cost of about $3,000. The Albrights effected an organization at Wright's Corners about the close of the last war. Their fine church was erected twelve or thirteen years ago. The society is prosperous. In July, 1837, the following persons organized a Baptist society at Wolcott- ville: Samuel Barnes and wife, Almon White and wife, Dr. Perkins and wife, D. A. Munger and wife, Nancy Dickinson, Julia A. Pierce and Sister Sawyer. Elder McMack presided, and L. M. Chont acted as clerk. Elder Burroughs became the first pastor, continuing until 1845, when Elder C. H. Blanchard succeeded him, giving the society half his time. Elder Blanchard has been with the society the greater portion of the time since. In 1843, a log meeting house was built one-half mile south of the village, and used until 1851, when the frame church was erected at Wolcottville. In 1844, the Sunday school was organized. The Methodists effected an organization at Wolcottville in 1839, under the ministration of Revs. Posey and Allen. The society started with but four members, A. Witter, Mrs. Witter, Kizziah Nichols, and another, whose name is not remembered. Schoolhouses and dwellings were the first meeting houses. A building owned by Ozias Wright was used several years. The society became quite strong in 1844; but, in 1858, had weakened until only seven persons be- longed-seven women-as follows : Susan Griggs, Mary A. Taylor, Melinda Strayer, Mrs. Strayer, and three others. The society got its first real start from a revival held in the Seminary building by Rev. D. P. Hartman, at which time some thirty persons became members. About as many more joined at the time of a revival held by Rev. William Van Slack. Meetings were held in the Seminary until 1874, at which time the church was built at a cost of about
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$3,000. As stated above, Miss Griggs conducted the Sunday school for years, but was finally succeeded by Mr. Cutler. The society is now strong and pros- perous. Posey and Allen organized a Methodist society at the Tamarack in 1840. There were some eight members at first. In 1852, a small frame church was built, and was occupied by the society until about ten years ago, since which time the membership has been so small that but few meetings have been held. The church is at present used to hold funerals in, there being a cemetery near it. Other small religious societies have flourished in the town- ship at different times.
CHAPTER IX.
BY R. H. RERICK.
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP-SURFACE FEATURES-INCIDENTS OF EARLY SETTLEMENT -CATALOGUE OF PIONEERS-VILLAGE OF MARION-INDUSTRIAL GROWTH- VILLAGE OF VAN BUREN-THE DWIGHT AND BARNES TRAGEDY-LEARNING AND RELIGION.
V AN BUREN, as named by the founder of the second village of the county in honor of the then President-elect, was "admitted into the Union " in 1837. Van Buren is the northwest township of the county, bounded by the Michigan line on the north and Elkhart County on the west, and comprises a variety of lands-level, fine farming land in the east, and in the west a beautiful country, which in part compensates for a little lack in suit- ability for the farmer, by affording, in its rolling hills and beautiful lakes, a refreshing relief from the monotony of sandy prairies.
The township is well watered by Pigeon River, flowing through the middle, and its tributaries : Crooked Creek to the north, and Shipshewana, Muddy and Buck Runs at the south. Pigeon River supplies a valuable water-power, which was early utilized, and in such capacity that surveys were made at an 'early day to discover if it could be made navigable as an outlet for this region to the lakes. But the development of railroads soon discouraged that project. The most important lakes are on the boundary lines-on the Elkhart line: East Lake and Stone Lake, the latter interesting as the most beautiful of the county and as the scene of a sadly romantic tragedy. One-half mile from this place lies Fish Lake, about a mile in length, on the State line. These lakes are rendered very attractive by the unbroken sweep of sandy beach surround- ing them, and the picturesqueness of the inclosing hills. They are part of a group which includes Klinger's Lake, a well-known resort on the Lake Shore Railway, further to the north across the line in Michigan. A very large part of the land at the first settlement was in marshes, and though this area has been much reduced, perhaps one-eighth of the land is marsh. The "Big Marsh " includes most of this territory. At the January session of the Com- missioners, in 1837, it was ordered that all the county north of Township 36, and west of the center line of Section 9, be set off as Van Buren Township, and John Olney appointed Inspector, and an election set for the first Monday in April for Justice of the Peace, at the house of Seldon Martin. This first elec- tion, at the site of the village of Van Buren, called out some thirty voters, but the records are not to be found, and it is only remembered that one Pierce was the first Justice. The next incumbent was Jesse Harding.
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The first comers, so far as known, were Jesse Huntsman, who took pos- session of the only piece of prairie land in the township in 1829, before the land was on the market, and Nehemiah Coldren, who in the same year built the first log house, near the bridge over Crooked Creek. Coldren entered land later in Greenfield. But the first settlement was made east of the village, on land then well timbered, but remarkably clear from underbrush, owing to the fires started by the Indians. Here the grass grew luxuriantly, which was as near as could be had to milk in the absence of kine, and the trees were full of wild honey. The land was open to purchase in 1831, at the land office in Fort Wayne, and in this year Ami Lawrence, Obadiah Lawrence, Nathaniel Calla- han and Asa Olney went from Lima to Fort Wayne on foot, following the In- dian trail, to enter farms. Soon after, " Uncle " Asa Olney made the same trip alone, in a three days' journey. He remembers distinctly some incidents of this tramp through the forests. The prairie wolves were numerous then, and their noise, as they cracked the bones of their evening meal, made no agreeable serenade as he tried to sleep. One night, during his solitary journey, a party of Pottawatomies held a war dance and jubilee near the place at which he was resting, over the body of some enemy which they had given a quick pass to the happy hunting grounds. Asa Olney was called on to serve on a jury at Goshen before the separation of La Grange from Elkhart County. As an in- stance of the ways and means of the pioneers: Mr. Olney, who entered at first but eighty acres, enlarged his farm considerably by the proceeds of a two-acre patch of turnips, and a half acre of melons. The new sandy land produced wonderful vines. Melons of thirty pounds were ordinary, and pumpkins fre- quently reached the comfortable weight of 100 pounds. The vegetables found a good market at White Pigeon and Constantine, Mich. This earliest party of settlers was composed of Nathaniel Callahan, with his family, one of whom, Ami, still lives in the township (other sons died, Almon, in 1846, and Mills, in May, 1881); Obadiah Lawrence, who died in 1852; his brother, Ami Law- rence (died 1839), whose daughter Annie was the wife of the elder Callahan ; Asa Olney, brother-in-law of Nathaniel Callahan, who, with his wife, is still living in the township ; and his brother John Olney, whose sons, Jackson and William, are still on the homestead. They were all from Washington County, Ohio, and settled within two miles east of Van Buren, at what might be called the Crooked Creek settlement. In the spring of 1831, John Cook, an En- glishman, entered land in Section 17, where his son William still resides. Cook soon succumbed to pioneer hardship, and died in August, 1831. His was the first death among the settlers. At the other portal of existence, the first events which the chronicler can discover were the births of a brother of Ami Calla- han, who died at the age of one year; of Sylvanus Olney, born February 20, 1832, who died here July 10, 1879, and Huldah Lawrence, December 25, 1832.
The pioneers, in the custom, since become quite popular and romantic, of a matrimonial journey to Michigan, were Hiram Harding, of Lima, and Miss Lola
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HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY.
Callahan, who were married at White Pigeon. Then, however, that was the nearest place where the legal sanction could be found. Since then, a great many lovers, without the same necessity, have made White Pigeon their Gretna Green. Another early wedding was that of Alfred Martin, of Van Buren, and Ellen Hubson, of White Pigeon. In 1833, the neighborhood was increased by the settlement of Tyler Fleming and John and David Cowan. Philip Munger, who died about 1842, and Kellogg Munger, who lived until the last decade, were the new-comers of the next year.
In June, 1835, Peter and Nicholas I. Sixby entered lands in Sections 10 and 14. Solomon Whitney settled in the Crooked Creek neighborhood in 1836, and Robert Scott, who, however, died after a year's residence. These were families of this neighborhood for several years. Among later comers was, in 1843, Arby Crane, who afterward removed to Lima and La Grange. His son, Samuel D. Crane, became County Superintendent. When the settlement began again to increase after the "sickly season," it was in such a rapid man- ner as to. defy the chronicler. The first burial-place of the neighborhood was on Callahan's land, in Section 17, where members of the Callahan family, Philip Munger and Robert Scott were buried. The earliest public ground was in Section 20, on the White Pigeon road. On the lands of Berry and John Cook, in addition to these, there were private burial-places.
The first road to be surveyed was through this settlement-the Defiance & White Pigeon road-of which Judges Newton and Seeley were viewers, and John Kromer, surveyor. The first county road in the township was laid out in 1838, joining the Defiance road, between Sections 17 and 20 in the east. The second State road passed through the center of the township, and is called the Vistula road, as it was intended to connect " Vistula on the Maumee "-now Toledo-with South Bend. Thomas P. Bulla and John Kromer surveyed the " road in 1835. There were settlements along the line of this road south of the river, before the survey. John Belote and his son Elmer were here in October, 1834, and built a house on the present Belote farm next year. The father was from Western New York, where he had been a member of an inde- pendent company of horse in the war of 1812. He was one of the first Trustees, and held that place for several years. He died August 20, 1857, at the age of sixty-two. Elmer Belote, a steadfast bachelor, is still a well-known citizen, and has served the county for two terms as Coroner. His brother, James S. Belote, died in 1865. In the winter of 1834-35, the Belotes built a log bridge across the river, on their land, which endured seven or eight years. Before that a canoe had been used as a makeshift for a ferry at this point, and travelers on the other side, with good voices, were promptly served. A sub- stantial bridge now spans the stream at this point, and also the Sidener bridge, at another old crossing, a mile below. William Tharp, in Section 30, and Jacob Butt, who died here, in 1868, aged seventy-two, came in at the same time as the Belotes. In 1835, Nicholas Sidener, of Clearfield County, Ohio,
Ami Calabuni
VAN BUREN TP.
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VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.
came to his present farm in Section 30, and with him, his brother, Samuel Sidener, who afterward removed. Samuel Berry lived in this vicinity. George Turnbull, who, with Ami Whitney, was chosen Constable in September, 1837, were in the neighborhood, and Edward Robbins and one Nobles. These were probably all the earliest settlers here, and of them only Nicholas Sidener and Elmer Belote are still residents at the writing of this history.
A burial-place in Section 30, on the Vistula road, known as the Belote Graveyard, was opened in 1836, and is the last resting-place of the following old settlers : Mrs. John Fowler, died 1851, aged fifty-one; Sylvanus Olney ; Peter Fox, died 1859, aged fifty ; Jacob Butt, John Belote, James S. Belote and Elisha Tharp.
On the Vistula road, upon the present farm of Richard L. Newman, a village was laid out in June, 1836, by Francis Rhoads, Isaac Buckley and Eppah Robbins, who were then the owners of the land. The village was named Marion and a tavern was erected by the owner of the plat, and a store started by James Belote and Buckley. By the vigorous efforts of the project- ors of Marion, quite a " huddle " was built up, but it soon became evident that it could never grow up to the paper, and the owners of the lots joined in a petition to have the village resolved into wheat fields, and thus Marion disap- peared forever. John Fowler lived in the place for a short time. He was the owner of a distillery near Buck Creek. Best was another of the residents. A saw-mill was built by Harding & Johnson on Buck Creek in 1836 and run for several years.
The western portion of the township began to receive settlers about 1836. In November of this year, Peter L. Keightley, brother of John Keightley, of Newbury, a native of Lincolnshire, England, came into the township and occupied his land in Section 22. Mr. Keightley used to take the liberties ordinary in the old country with the letter "h." Not far from his place there was a tree in the road with the letter L cut upon it, which was a well-known land-mark, and it is still told that Mr. Keightley's manner of directing travelers to " go to the heL," and so on, would frequently cause a misunderstanding. Mr. Keightley is still an honored resident of the neighborhood where he has spent so much of his life.
About 1837, there settled west of Van Buren, Jacob Moak, whose- son Peter now lives near the State line. Other settlers, west of the river, up to 1840, were Robert and John Marshall, Englishmen, Bower, George W. Fergu- son, Garel Osborne, John Sallier (who made the first clearing in the southwest, and died before 1840), and several on the Vistula road near the county line, including Widow Dodd, William Mack, whose sons are still upon the old farm ; and at Stone Lake, William Davis, a friendly Quaker who is kindly remem- bered.
The first burial-ground in this vicinity was near the county line, in what was called the Mack settlement. The first interment was of Josiah
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Remington, at which the sermon was preached by a young minister, John P. Jones, since prominent in county and State history.
Charles Dwight, with his wife and child, came to the quarter section which he now resides upon, March 9, 1841. Mr. Dwight in his early days was a boatman upon the Erie Canal in New York. He is a member of the seventh generation in America of this distinguished family. His later life has been saddened by the tragedy of which an account is given elsewhere, in which his youngest daughter was the victim. In 1843, Alonzo Clark settled near the county line, and Aaron Freeman, still a prominent citizen of the township, came upon his farm in the same year.
Crooked Creek curves down into Indiana, inclosing with a lake to the north a fertile territory called " The Island." This land was held by speculators at first, and one of the earliest actual settlements upon it was by John Dalton in 1840. Mr. Dalton had been with his brother James in White Pigeon since 1836, where he had come from Rochester, N. Y. In 1850, he bought the Van Buren Mills, and has since resided in the village, where he has a comfortable residence. Mr. Dalton, starting with little of this world's goods, has amassed a considerable fortune.
About 1850, a settlement was started in the southwest corner called New Pennsylvania. John L. Rhoades, Jacob Mehl and John Foster were the earli- est settlers, but all have removed. They were all Pennsylvanians. The schoolhouse on this section now bears the name of the settlement. John Kling- aman made the latest original entry of land, taking the southeast quarter of this section in May, 1848.
About the year 1840, the population began to increase rapidly, and as a consequence the prices of provisions began a considerable rise. This was possi- ble, however, and the prices do not seem extravagant at this time. In 1834, wheat drawn to Constantine, Mich., brought only 35 cents, and corn 18 cents, but in 1836 the prices were doubled. Before the Van Buren Mills were built, about a week would be consumed in going to mill, and farmers often preferred to grind a small grist in a common coffee-mill. It was delicate work raising wheat then. About one-sixth of it was apt to be smutty, and the cereal had to be washed and spread out to dry upon the upper chamber floors. Farmers of the early day hardly dreamed of the wholesale methods of modern agri- culture.
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