Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 69

Author: F.A. Battey & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 976

USA > Indiana > Noble County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 69
USA > Indiana > LaGrange County > Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 69

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).

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HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY.

the necessities of life was much less. Some of them claim that real cases of suffering from want were no more common then than now, and that they were able to raise their bread from their " little cleared patches," and, in case any were not, they were assisted in procuring it. " What," asked one of them, " was the use for us to go hungry when the earth brought forth, spontaneously and abundantly, wild fruits of various kinds, when the forest was full of wild game and the lake near us full of fishes ?" Again, they refer us to the im- munity, in those days, that the young enjoyed from many of the evil and de- moralizing influences that surround those of the present, and, in short, they dwell upon those days with evident satisfaction and consider them the happiest of their lives.

Jefferson Township is bounded on the north by the Township of Orange; on the west by York and Albion ; on the south by Green, and on the east by Allen. It was organized in the spring of 1838 by the election of James Skinner, Lewis Potts and Jehu Foster, Trustees ; John Call, Justice ; and Alfred Martin, Constable. At this election, there were nine votes cast. These officers had no competitors. As the emoluments of the offices, at that time, were very small, or, as an old settler expressed it, "as there was no money in the treasury to steal, office seekers were very scarce." These all had the implicit confidence of their neighbors, and were unanimously re-elected. The settlers usually got their grinding done at Stoufer's Mill, situated on the Elkhart River, two miles northwest of Goshen, in Elkhart County, a distance of about thirty-five miles. Several days were required to make the trip. Each load contained the grists of several neighbors. At that time and for many years after, Fort Wayne, about thirty miles distant, was their place of market. It took about three days to make the trip, as the roads were very rough and muddy, and the hills long and steep. Several went together, and joined teams in pulling through the deepest mud, and up the steepest hills. They took pro- visions for themselves and horses, and camped out at night. Their next trad- ing point was Kendallville, which it continues to be for the northeastern portion of the township ; and for the remaining portion Albion is the center point. Their first and only trading point in the township is a country store started by Ephraim Foster about fifteen years ago, in a part of his large farm dwelling house, and which is still kept by him. It consists of dry goods, groceries, no- tions and ready-made clothing, and proves to be a great convenience to the surrounding country, as well as profitable to the owner. The first saw-mill erected was by Samuel C. Spencer, in 1846, on a small stream called " Buck Creek," on Section 20, and on the farm now owned by his son, Luther Spen- cer. For a number of years, the sawing for several miles around was done at this mill ; but it is not now in operation. There are two others in the town- ship, however, now in operation, one owned by George Inscho, and situated at the geographical center thereof, and the other by Thomas Hudson, and situated near the southeast corner. Both are propelled by steam, and do a thriving

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business. There are no grist-mills in the township, and never have been. The first schoolhouse was erected in the southeast corner of that part of the farm of James Skinner lying north of the Albion and Kendallville road and directly west of the Union Church. It was small, built of small, round logs, covered with the old-fashioned clapboards which were held in place by weight-poles, and with a floor made of split puncheons. The chimney was built outside of the house with logs and " sticks," and the back wall of the fire-place with " nigger- heads." For seats were benches made of split logs, with the split side up, which through motives of humanity were divested of the largest splinters. The windows were made by cutting out the greater portion of one log on each side of the house, and pasting in greased paper in the place of glass. This usually afforded sufficient light when the house was not full of smoke. The balance of the furniture consisted of writing desks made by boring two-inch holes into the wall, into which were driven wooden pins, upon which planks were placed. The walls were ornamented with wooden pegs, upon which were hung the schol- ars' extra clothing and dinner baskets ; two, however, were reserved and sacred- ly set apart for the schoolmaster to keep his "gads " on. This structure served as a model for other districts for many years, until they erected frames. There are at present eleven schoolhouses in the township, and through the kind- ness of John W. Moorhouse, the present competent and efficient Trustee, we have been furnished with the following, as to the time of their erection and materials used : District 1 (not learned), brick ; District 2, 1878, brick ; Dis- trict 3, 1871, frame ; District 4, 1868, frame ; District 5, 1859, frame; Dis- trict 6, 1880, brick ; District 7, 1872, brick ; District 8, 1879, brick ; District 9, 1876 or 1877, brick ; District 10, 1873 or 1874, brick ; District 11, 1875 or 1876, brick.

The above information is as full as can be given, owing to the defective- ness of the records. As Mr. Moorhouse is very zealous in the cause of educa- tion, the three frame buildings will undoubtedly soon give way to substantial bricks. As the record is silent as to the cost, it is estimated that the average cost of the brick buildings is about $1,000. The schoolhouses are furnished with globes, charts, blackboards and other convenient and necessary appliances. The first school taught in the township was in a small cabin on the farm of David Herriman, in the winter of 1838, for the term of three months, by Orvin Watkins, of Orange Township. He was paid $1.50 per scholar. As it was the usual custom in those days for the teacher to "board round," in front- ier parlance, he lived like a "fightin' cock," for it was always known the week before where he would be the next, and as he was generally held next in importance to the preacher, great pains were taken to provide viands of a more delicious character than usual. Again, he always slept in the "high bed," which, as there was but one room in the cabin, was always curtained, in order to protect the stranger while retiring.

The first sermon in the township was preached by Elder Spears, of the

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HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY.

Close Communion Baptist Church, at a private house, very soon after the first cabins were erected. The ministers in the Western country in those days were generally missionaries, and made it their business to follow the new roads, be- lieving that their divine commission required them to go wherever sinners were to be found, and yellow-legged chickens crowed, even into the depths of the wild, gloomy forest. They always traveled on horseback, with "saddle-bags" under them, which contained a few articles of wearing apparel, notes of sermons and a Bible. And especially in this particular locality were they made welcome, as these settlers were all from moral neighborhoods, where the Gospel was reg- ularly dispensed every Sabbath. These, therefore, generally threw open their rude cabins for preaching in the winter and during bad weather in the summer, "God's first temples " being preferred in pleasant weather. This custom pre- vailed until schoolhouses were erected, which were afterward generally used. As hymn books were scarce, the preacher lined two lines of the hymn at a time. In place of a choir, there was a Clerk, whose duty it was to start tunes. We are told that neither time nor melody was particularly required, only that they "sung with the spirit and understanding." Soon the pride of some of the Clerks led them to "send East" and procure a tuning fork. As for in- strumental music, it was out of the question. True, some of the old settlers brought their fiddles with them; but in these, it was generally considered by the ministers, the devil made his headquarters; and while it is true that most of the churches in the township have organs and well trained choirs, still the introduction of instrumental music was necessarily slow and gradual, owing to the deep-seated prejudice of many of the churches against it. Not many years ago, a minister in an adjoining township, while the people were assembling, was observed to "look daggers " at the choir and organ ; but, being a stranger in the neighborhood, said nothing until he arose to read the hymn, when his sense of propriety gave way to indignation, and he gave expression to it in the following language: "The choir will please fiddle a tune to hymn 289." But such prejudice seems to have fled with the wolves and Indians. Elder Spears preached in the neighborhood occasionally, and was succeeded, we believe, by Elder Blanchard, who also remained with them a number of years. This de- nomination has members residing in the township, but no regularly organized church. The next minister of the M. E. Church was named Miller, and at the close of his first sermon informed his congregation that exactly four years from that time he would preach to them again, and he punctually kept his appointment and preached to them several times afterward. The first church edifice erected in the township was Hartman Chapel, by the M. E. society, in 1856, about one mile east of the residence of John Foster and on the Albion and Kendallville road. It is a frame structure, plain but commodious, in which religious services are held every two weeks. The church, we understand, is in a flourishing condition. The second church building, "Rehobeth," was erected by the Lutherans in 1857, a small, neat, frame house. The third was

John, Q Singrey JEFFERSON TP.

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"Zion Chapel," a frame building, built by the U. B. denomination. It is sit- uated near the northeast corner of the township and is regularly used. The fourth was erected by the Old School Baptists, some ten years ago, about one and a half miles east of Albion. It is a frame, tasty and commodious, and is in constant use. The fifth and last, the "Union Church," was erected in 1876, situated north of the Kendallville and Albion road, directly opposite the Skin- ner Cemetery. It is a brick structure and cost about $3,000. In this all denominations have the privilege of worshiping.

The population of the township in 1880 was 1,226. The total value of taxable property for the year 1881 is $598,770. There is one blacksmith shop in the township, belonging to Uriah Trumbo, at Baker's Corners, on the Avilla road. The first white settler in the township under five minutes of age was "little Johnny Andrews." His parents came from Huron County, Ohio, in the spring of 1837. Johnny landed at the house of his grandfather, Samuel C. Spencer, January 12, 1840.

It is said that, on his arrival, he was received with greater hospitality, and had more kind attentions paid him, than had been given to any other early settler, and that his example in braving the hardships of the wilderness was imitated by many more immigrants of the same age, to that immediate neigh- borhood.

The number of volumes in the township library is 230. The total amount of revenue for school purposes, for the year 1881, is $3,484.40. Amount of common fund expended since September 1, 1880, $1,981.70. Amount of special fund expended since September 1, 1880, $1,091.53. Average daily attendance of children in schools of the township for the year 1880, 229. Average length of schools taught within the year in days, 143. Total number of male pupils admitted in the schools within the year, 168; that of females, 161. From the slight investigation recently made by amateur archæologists, unmistakable evidences have been discovered of a once extensive settlement- within the boundaries of Noble County of the pre-historic people called " Mound-Builders." Mounds have been found containing human skeletons, with ashes and charcoal, and in some instances implements and ornaments. In this township, a few mounds have been examined, with like results as above, and many more believed to exist. Those examined are situated near the east banks of the Sweet and Skinner Lakes. Another discovery about two years ago, in this township, was made by Mr. Lewis Seeley on his farm in Section 7, which seems to point back to a very remote period. In boring for water, and when at a depth of ninety-nine feet, the auger entered a piece of timber which, as evidenced by the auger chips, was in a sound state of preservation, and on the same evidence was pronounced pine. It is probably a portion of the glacial deposits of the great Mississippi Valley, brought down from the north by ice. From the time of the arrival of the first settlers, the Indians, until 1840, were numerous, and some traces of their trails are yet to be seen. During all that

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time they were peaceably disposed toward the white settlers, and, in fact, we have learned of but one incident that their conduct savored of barbarism. This is related by eye-witnesses as having occurred on the east bank of Sweet Lake. Late one pleasant afternoon, while one of the squaws with a long wooden paddle was stirring a pot of hot mush, a little Indian boy annoyed her to such a degree as to give her passion control of her better judgment. Snatching the mush- besmeared paddle from the pot, she severely chastised the little red boy. The effect of this hot mush poultice upon the little naked denizen of the forest can be better imagined than described. It created quite a commotion in the camp, and in a few minutes after the painful occurrence, the loud screams of the frantic little sufferer had brought a large assembly of both sexes, who became very much enraged and cried for summary vengeance on the cruel offender. Some were in favor of blows, while others, more merciful, suggested the appli- cation of a poultice of the hot mush. As the witnesses left previous to the settlement of the vexed question, it is not certainly known what disposition was made of the cruel female.

Perhaps there is no township in the county more attractive to the agricult- urist than this. It is gently rolling, with but very few marshes or swamps. The general character of the land is a rich black surface with a clay sub-soil, which produces excellent crops of wheat, oats and clover ; also peaches, apples, and various other kinds of fruits. It is, or was, covered with a large and valu- able growth of timber, such as black-walnut, poplar, oak, cherry, ash, beech, hard maple, etc. It is well improved, and perhaps no township in the county possesses a more thrifty set of farmers. A majority have large and comfortable dwellings, together with good barns and stable room, and, in short, all conven- iences and appliances possessed by the thrifty farmer. The soil shows as little evidence of impoverishment from the removal of mineral constituents by crops, as any township in the county ; such waste being generally carefully supplied each year by barnyard compost, and when this is not sufficiently abundant, resort is had to mineral fertilizers. For several years past, considerable atten- tion has been paid to the subject of drainage, and resort is being had to arti- ficial drainage where nature has left this important task unperformed. In visit- ing the various portions of the township, our attention is attracted by the rapid improvement in stock within the past few years. Many importations of the best blooded stock to be found are being made by farmers. The township is well watered by a considerable number of small streams and springs, that afford water for stock. All the stock in that early day was turned loose, and ran unrestrained in the woods. When wanted, they had to be hunted, the cows at least every evening. This task was usually performed by the smaller members of the family. Two sons of William Inscho, George and Hugh, the former twelve and the latter nine years of age, after about a year's experience, became adepts in the Indian art of telling the right direction when it was unknown. One afternoon, they started for their cow somewhat later than usual, and, just

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after finding her and starting for home, darkness overtook them, and they were compelled to remain in the woods until morning. Rover, the faithful com- panion of all their forest rambles-a large, courageous black dog-was with. them, as usual. Being unable to proceed further, they all lay down together -the boys, dog and cow. Egyptian darkness so thoroughly shut out every object from their vision, that the presence of the dog could only be determined by the friendly beating of his tail against their little bodies. The boys fell into a deep slumber, and were only once interrupted during the night, and then by the fierce growls of the faithful dog as he had chased away some animal which had approached them. At early dawn, they were awakened by "old whitey" and the fondling of Rover, who seemed to understand the responsibility that rested upon him in the care of his assumed charge. They started the cow, and by her were led homeward. The mother, who had spent a night of grief closely bordering on despair, in her close watch for the least sign of their coming, upon the first glimpse of their presence rushed to receive them in her arms, overjoyed at their rescue. The anxious father and several of his neighbors, who had spent the night in fruitless search, were called home by certain signals. There was joy and thanksgiving in the little household, and it is needless to say that. the faithful dog then and during his life-time was fondly cared for. During those early times, as now,

" Death rode on every passing breeze And lurked in every flower."

Therefore, in a short time after the settlers had cleared spots for the rude cabins of the living, it became necessary to prepare one also for the windowless houses of the dead. In the year 1838, the death-angel made his first visit to this little colony, and mercilessly snatched the fairest little bud from the home of Alfred Skinner. At that time, no spot of earth in the township had been set apart for a burial place, and, after the death of his child, Mr. Skinner's brother, James, kindly tendered an elevated sandy spot on the northeast corner of his land, lying south of the Kendallville road, in which to deposit its remains. In a short time, another of his little children, as if to relieve the loneliness of the first, was laid by its side. This spot was shortly afterward dedicated exclusively to the burial of the dead. It is one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the county. It is filled with beautiful marble slabs and monu- ments, two or three of which cost about $500 each. Some of these point back to the earliest scenes of the township, and pour into the ears of the writer the sad and solemn story of the final rest of the old pioneers. There is one other cemetery in the township, near Rehobeth Church, which was established many years after the one above described. It is neatly arranged, and also contains many beautiful marble tombstones.

CHAPTER XI. BY WESTON A. GOODSPEED.

ORANGE TOWNSHIP-INTERESTING FACTS OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENT-EARLY PIONEERS-INCIDENTS IN THE BACKWOODS-SAW-MILLS, GRIST-MILLS, TAN- NERIES, WOOLEN FACTORIES, ETC .- ROME CITY AND THE RESERVOIR-BRIM- FIELD AND NORTHPORT-THE TEACHER AND PREACHER-ISLAND PARK AS- SEMBLY.

TN the year 1844, the following persons owned land in Orange Township : Eri Allen, Jonathan Alexander, Samuel Alcott, Josiah Arnold, Oliver At- wood, Jeremiah Andrews, Leonard Appleman (Northport), John B. Bowie, Leonard Barber (Northport and Rome), David Bratton, Henry R. Burnam (Northport), Rufus Berry, Samuel Booth, John Beam, John Riley, Chester Baxter, David Bidlock, Alonzo Bashee, Asa Brown, John Barrett, William Barrett, David Bixler, Samuel Comstock, James Cummings, Hiram H. Chip- man (Rome), Levi Cunningham, Stanfill Corbin, John Corbin, Joshua B. Cut- shaw, Joseph Comparet, David H. Colerick, Joseph Caldwell, Constant Cook, William Callett, James Crofoot (heirs), Chancey Carter, Francis Comparet (Northport and elsewhere), Joseph A. Crosby, Joseph Calkins, James Camp- bell, Joel Doolittle (Northport and Rome), Calkin Disbrue, John Dunbar, J. F. Dunbar, Arthur Dunbar, Lewis Dunbar, William M. Dales, Ichabod Dicker- son, William Dickerson, William Denny, Lewis Druillard, William Dunlap, Mason Dunlap, Christian Eaton, Levi Eaton, William Engle, Alexis Edwards, David S. Fields, Joseph Freelove, Benjamin F. Fields, Christian Foster, Da- vid Fulton, F. N. Fellows, R. H. Fowler, Anson Greenman, David Gardner, David B. Herriman, Samuel Hitchcock, William Hitchcock, Hall Hubbard, John Hardy (Rome), Jacob Heater (Northport), Stephen Harris, Ira Hovey, N. G. Hale, Jacob Holdren, John Hofferman (Northport), Comfort Hiller, G. W. Hatch, John M. Herndon, Benjamin Jones, R. M. James, Alexander John- son, Ebenezer Jessup, T. A. Johnson, Rufus Reeler, Thomas Koon (Rome), Homer King, Jonathan Law (Rome), John Lamm, William Latta (Rome), George Lymore, William Leverick, William Lady, William Long, Peter Lamp- son, Henry Lotz, R. L. Longwell, H. P. Lampson, Charles Mitchell, D. A. Munger, James Madison (no land), John Myers, J. A. McQueen, Thomas Mc- Leland, Don C. Mather, Abel Willington, William Matthews, William Morris, Ezra Morse, Archibald McVickers, Hiram Mucker (Rome), Robert Mucker (Rome), George McIlvain (Rome), Joseph B. Martin, George Nichols, William Nesbit, Oliver Osborn, Daniel Price, Benjamin Potts, Margaret Perkins, Eben- ezer Pierce, Sanford Pierce, Betsey Parker (Rome), Lorenzo Payne (Rome), Isaac F. Rice, Charles W. Rockwell, Gideon Reynolds, Moses Rice, John Rup, Thomas H. Roberts, Daniel Rice, Finley Stephens (Northport), John Strous

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(Rome), Abraham Shears, Ezra Sanford, Joseph Steinbarger, William Taylor, Peter Thatcher, Herman Thatcher, Richard Thomas, William Liff (Rome), Jo- seph Thompson, John Vancelder, German Warren, Samuel P. Williams, Ozias Wright, Timothy Watkins, Orlin Watkins, Phineas Williams (Rome), Levi Wildman (Rome), George Wolcott (Rome), Christian Wolf, H. W. Wood, Francis Woldbald and John Winton. Among the very earliest settlers in the township were the following: Eri Allen, William Wright, David B. Herri- man, David Bidlock, Samuel Smith, David Law, Charles Law, David S. Field, Luke Diggins, Timothy Gaby, T. M. Watkins, Joseph Doolittle, William Imes, Stephen Harris, John and S. Corbin, J. F. Brothwell, Abraham Shears, Orlin Watkins, J. A. Waldron, Archibald Crofoot, James Kelley, James Madison, William Latta, David P. Bowrie, Jacob. Heater, Francis Comparet, William and Samuel Hitchcock, and many others, some of whose names appear above.

It is not known who was the first permanent settler in Orange Township. Several have claimed the distinction, but no one has successfully proved his claims. It is likely that the first came about the year 1833, or perhaps 1834, probably not sooner, as no evidences now exist of an earlier occupation of the soil by white men. It is probable that white hunters, those who followed that pursuit exclusively, had dwelt temporarily in the township before the appear- ance of the first white settler. This is always the case in a new country. A band of hardy hunters and trappers move over the country between the van of the army of civilization and the rear guard of the army of barbarism. They are a sort of a connecting link (not Darwin's) between the Indians and their white successors. Orange evidently furnished good hunting, as the numerous swamps, forests, lakes and oak openings clearly prove. Hundreds of wary deer wandered across the woodland, cropping the rich June grass which grew in abundance at each little opening. It was no trouble to shoot them, and each cabin had its choice venison steak. Wolves were numerous, and proved a serious drawback to the rearing of sheep. Many a fine flock of the latter have been attacked in the night, and when the fond owner went to feed them the next morning have been found mangled and dead. Then it was that the owner violated one of the injunctions of the decalogue. Bears were rarely seen when the settlers first came in. They had been driven off by the appearance of white men. The Indians were still numerous, two of their temporary vil- lages being in Orange Township-one near the " Narrows," at Sylvan Lake, and the other in the western part, near Waldron Lake. They mingled freely with the settlers, but were not feared unless when drunk. Then their savage and vicious dispositions came out in their true colors, and people had to beware. On one occasion they had had a shooting-match at their village on the " Nar- rows," and many of them had become intoxicated on whisky which had proba- bly been obtained of Jacob Heater at Northport. Two drunken Indians pass- ing by the cabin of James Madison came to the door just at night, and wanted to come in, but were prevented by the inmates. It was cold weather, and they

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Counties of LaGrange and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 69

Author: F.A. Battey & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : Battey & Co. Number of Pages: 976

Author: F.A. Battey & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 976