USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Fort Wayne, Indiana, city directory, 1869-70 > Part 19
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
HAMILTON, Leo Post Office, is situated on the west bank of the St. Joe river, about fourteen miles north-east of Fort Wayne. It contains three churches, one Methodist Episcopal, one United Brethern, one Catholic ; a two story brick school house, one flouring mill, one steam saw mill, one tannery, a stave factory, a shingle factory, a woolen factory, three stores, one saloon, two blacksmith shops, a manufactory of horse rakes, three boot and shoe shops, one tin shop and two wagon shops. There is one physician in the place, and a pastor to each of the churches. A lodge of F. & A. M. meets monthly. There is also a flourish- ing lodge of Good Templars. Population about 240.
CEDARVILLE is pleasantly situated between the St. Joe river and Cedar Creek, near the mouth of the latter. It contains one church, (Methodist Epis- copal,) one saw mill, one grist mill, a planing machine, a shingle factory, one store, one grocery, in which the post office is kept, a blacksmith shop, and a wagon shop. Cedarville, though its name has long been on the county map, is in fact, now only in the third year of its existence, is rapidly growing, and its inhabitants feel sanguine that it will become one of the first villages of the
B. TRENTMAN & SON, No. 86 Columbia Street, Fort Wayne,
ALLEN COUNTY DIRECTORY. 221
county. They are encouraged in this belief by the fact that it is accessible by steamboats on the St. Joe river, even at the lowest water mark.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Trustee, John Schorpf; Justices of the Peace, Boyd Thompson, David Steele; Constable, Iasac James ; Assessor, Louis Nettlehorst.
EEL RIVER
Township, situated in the north-western part of the county, is bounded on the north and west by Noble county, on the east by Perry, and on the south by Lake and Washington townships. It was first settled in the year 1823 by F. C. Shoaff, Wm. Mooney, Oliver Potter, Geo. Hand, and others. The surface of the township is generally level. The southern and eastern part being almost entirely prairie. The toil is a rich loam, well adapted to the raising of corn and grass. The principal streams are Eel River and Willow Creek. The town- ship contains nine school houses, and one in the course of construction, two of which are of brick, and the remaining seven are wooden structures, three churches, one Methodist, one Baptist, and one United Brethren ; two post offices, one Heller's Corners, west of the centre of the township, Thomas R. Morrison, post master, another in the western part of the township, on the Goshen road, Norris Heller, post master, one steam sawmill, one dry goods store, one boot and shoe establishmont, two gunsmith shops, and one lodge of Good Templars. There are three ministers, two physicians, and no lawyer residing in the township,from which any inference may be drawn that will suit the taste of the reader. The number of scholars enrolled the last enumeration was 526. The oldest citizens residing in the township are Wm. Bennett, 86 years old, Samuel Harrison, 70 and Nathan Bennett, 70. The population of the township is as follows : males, 570 ; females, 521; total, 1091.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Trustee, John M. Taylor ; Justices of the Peace, G. W. Hutsell, John Val- entine ; Assessor, Ph. Hathaway.
JACKSON
Township, situated in the eastern, or south-eastern part of Allen County, is bounded on the north by Maumee, on the south by Monroe on the west by Jef- ferson and on the east by Paulding county.
The surface of the township is flat and very heavily timbered, the lumber which it affords finding a ready and convenient market at Monroeville. Flat Rock Creek and an unnamed tributary are the only streams in the township. The soil is strong and well adapted to the growing of grains and grasses, and fruit and root crops-some of the land, however, would be greatly improved by a thorough system of drainage. The first settlement was made in the year 1840 by George Bale, George Hollinger and Robert Mooney. The oldest settler now living in the township being George Hollinger.
The township contains three school houses, the last one erected in the year
Wholesale and Retail DEALERS IN GLASSWARE, Etc., Etc.
222
ALLEN COUNTY DIRECTORY.
1868, no church, and one township library, in care of the Trustee, Samuel Bal- yard. The principal roads traversing the township are the Sugar-ridge Road, from Fort Wayne to Van Wert, Ohio, the Paulding and Van Wert road and the Paulding and Monroeville.
Monroeville and New Haven are the principal shipping points and post office address for citizens of this township.
The township is very sparcely settled as yet, most of the land being owned by capitalists at Fort Wayne and other points abroad. The number of males in the township is 102 ; females, 87 ; total population, 189.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Trustee, S. W. Bolyard; Justice of the Peace, Douglass L. Whitaker ; Assessor, Constant Pernot.
JEFFERSON
Township, is bounded on the north by Milan, east by Jackson, on the south by Madison, and west by Adams townships. The surface is generally level, with a few good ridges of excellent land. The level land lying in the eastern part of the township, is well timbered, and only requires drainage to make it the most productive in the township, especially for grasses. The first settlement was made by Messrs. Whitney and Blackmore, in the year 1833. This was once a favorite Indian hunting ground. The streams abounding in fish, and to this day traces of the beaver are plain in many of the creeks, and arrow heads and toma- hawks, of rude manufacture are frequently upturned by the plowshare. Wolves are said to have been a great pest to the early settlers, frequently commiting serious depredations on their smaller stock. The oldest inhabitants in the town- ship are Joseph Gronaur, A. Whitney, A. Wolf, Aretas Powers, and William Harper. The first birth was that of Reuben Powers in the year 1837. First marriage was that of Reuben Powers, sr., to Miss Eveline Whitney, in 1838, by William Brown, Esq .; first death was that of a child drowned in the year 1836. The Maumee river flows through the north-western part of the township. The Wabash and Erie canal, and Toledo, Wabash and Western Railroad pass through the northern, and the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway through the south-eastern corner of the township.
MAPLES, a small post office village, of 125 inhabitants, situated on the Pitts- burg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway, about ten miles from Fort Wayne, boasts one dry goods store, one grocery and saloon, one stave factory, Fitch & Maples, proprietors, which is doing a very prosperous business. It has also a prosperous I. O. G. T. lodge. Two doctors reside in the village. The township contains one church, Catholic, comprising a charge of 103 families ; eleven schools, and one township library, in good condition. The population of the township is rated as follows : males, 615; females, 512; total 1,127.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Trustee, Francis Gladio; Justices of the Peace, F. A. Ray, Nicholas Ladig; Assessor, Charles M. Joly.
Wholesale and Retail DEALERS IN QUEENSWARE, Etc., Etc.
ALLEN COUNTY DIRECTORY.
223
LAFAYETTE
Township, which receives its name from the Marquis de Lafayette, so celebra- ted for the part he bore in our Revolutionary history, the south-west corner township of Allen county, is bounded on the north by Aboit, and on the east by Pleasant townships, and on the south by Wells, and west by Huntington counties. It was laid out in sections in the year 1840, and was first settled in the following year by James Wilson, William Jobs and Samuel Fogwell. Re- becca Fogwell was the first white child born. The first death was that of Samuel Fogwell. The township is well watered, in the southern part by Eight Mile creek, in the northern part by Little River, and in other parts by smaller streams. The Huntington and Indianapolis roads cross the township in a south-westerly direction and are the principal means of transportation. In the north-western part the surface is very rolling, but toward the opposite corner, becomes more level. The soil is very fertile and is well timbered, principally with hickory, oak, wal- nut and maple, but in some parts of the township considerable quantities of poplar are found. As a proof of the quality of the soil and the industry of the inhabitants one need only to look at the finely improved farms whose bountiful harvests of grains and fruits, and substantial buildings and surroundings, now gladden the eye of the old pioneer as well as the passer-by, where thirty years ago the silence of an almost impenetrable forest reigned supreme. The princi- pal products are corn, wheat, oats and flax. The township contains eleven school houses, two churches, one German Methodist and one Evangelical Asso- ciation, three saw mills, and three post offices-Aboit, in the north-western part of the township, nine miles from Fort Wayne; the Nine Mile post office, which as its name implies, is nine miles from Fort Wayne, is in the eastern part, and,
ZANESVILLE, a small postal village of about 250 inhabitants, in the southern part on the line of division between Wells and Allen counties, fifteen miles from Fort Wayne. It contains one church, one general store, one shoe shop, one blacksmith shop, one wagon shop, and one saw mill. The Toledo, Wabash and Western Railway passes through the north-western part of the township, along the northern bank of Little River, but has no station. The population of the township ranks: males, 657, females, 622; total, 1,279.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Trustee, James M. Young; Justices of the Peace, Samuel H. Ambler, John McClare; Assessor, John Ligget.
LAKE
Township, in the western part of the county is bounded on the north by Whitley county and Eel river township, on the east by Washington, and south by Aboit townships, and on the west by Whitley county. It was first settled in the year 1835 by Andrew Forsythe, who was followed in the fall of the same year by William Luckey, Samuel Caffrey and James Pringle. John McClure, Francis Sweet and Sampson Pierson settled here in the year 1836. The town- ship was organized in the year 1837, and the first election held in April of the same year. There are three churches, one Methodist Episcopal, one Free Will Baptist, and one United Brethern, one church organization of the Catholic faith
B. TRENTMAN & SON, No. 86 Columbia Street, Fort Wayne,
224
ALLEN COUNTY DIRECTORY.
with a membership of seventy families, mostly of foreign birth; a Good Tem- plar's lodge, and a township library. The soil is fertile, but in some parts rather low, all of this, however, is capable of being improved under a system of thorough drainage. Wheat and corn are the principal products. Sorghum is also raised in considerable quantities in some parts of the township. The Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway traverses the southern portion of the township. The township is well watered by Aboit creek, in the southern part, and a fine lake and its tributary in the northern part. There are eleven school districts with an attendance during the past year of 473 scholars. The township, Arcola included, has a population of, males 629; females, 537 ; total, 1,166.
ARCOLA is a post office village in the south-western part of the township, and a station on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway, eight miles from Fort Wayne. It contains one grocery and dry goods store, one saw mill, one shingle and lath factory, one wagon shop, one blacksmith shop, one boot and shoe shop and one saloon, and has two physicians. Population, males 66; females, 35; total 101.
TOWNSHIP OFFERS.
Trustee, Joseph Rockhill ; Justices of the Peace, Patrick Ney, and Thomas Larimore; Constables, John Miller, and Michael McLaughlin ; Assessor, John G. Clapesatle.
MADISON
Township is located in the south-eastern part of Allen Co., and is bounded on the north by Jefferson Township, south by Wells County, east by Monroe Town- ship, and west by Marion Township. The Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway passess through the north-east corner of the township, and is the only means of transportation. Monroeville, in Monroe Township, is the nearest ship- ping point, being about five miles from the center of this township. The first settlement was made in 1838, by Messrs. - - Browning, William Hill, George Eagy, Andrew Meek, John Edwards and Milton. Holmes. The oldest man in
the township is Adam Emeneheiser, age 92. The township contains several saw mills, carpenters, two blacksmith shops, three Churches-one Presbyterian, erected 1848, one Lutheran (Evangelic,) erected 1866, one Lutheran, erected 1846-ten district schools, with an average attendance of thirty-five scholars each, one Vigilant Committee, or society, organized ten or fifteen years, owing to the depredations of horse thieves. Surface of country flat, and heavily tim- bered with oak, ash, walnut, poplar, etc. Soil good, and well adapted to the raising of all hinds of grain, fruit and grass-grazing, especially, being good.
This Township was traversed by old General Wayne in his route to Fort Wayne from Piqua. No post office in the Township. The mails are received at Monroeville. There are no running streams in the township, but it is well watered by springs, &c. Population, males, 483 ; females, 425 ; total, 908.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Trustee, John Flaugh ; Justices of the Peace, Silas Work, Amassa Shaffer ; Assessor, John Marquarot.
Wholesale and Retail DEALERS IN LOOKING-GLASSWARE, &c
ALLEN COUNTY DIRECTORY.
225
MARION
Township, the keystone in the southern tier of Allen County townships, is bounded on the north by Adams, east by Madison, and west by Pleasant Town- ships, and on the south by Adams County. The surface is slightly rolling, heavily timbered and well watered.
The soil is a rich, sandy loam, universally good, there being no waste land in the township. Wheat, oats and corn are the principal productions. The town- ship was first settled in 1835 by Jesse Heaton, Sen., David Spitler, C. Lipes, Garret Norton, Thomas Thompson and -- Marion, from whom the township derived its name at its organization in 1836. These were soon followed by Judge McLain, David McLain, John M. Sorg and others, who settled on the east bank of the St. Mary's river, along the present location of the Piqua road.
The oldest inhabitant now living in the township is Jesse Heaton, 80 years of age. Himself and wife still live on the same farm which he located 34 years ago.
The principal roads traversing the township are the Piqua road, or old plank road from Fort Wayne to Decatur, the Winchester road, running along the west- ern ridge of the township, the Flat-rock road from Williamsport to Van Wert, Ohio, and the old Piqua road, or what is generally known as the Wayne trace, the route General Wayne and his army traversed on their way to Fort Wayne.
WILLIAMSPORT, a small post offices town, is situated in the south western part of the township, on the west bank of the St. Mary's River. It contains one store, one saw mill, one flouring mill, M. Cody, of Fort Wayne, proprietor, one shoe shop, one wagon shop, two blacksmith shops, two churches, one Presbyte- rian and one Methodist Episcopal, one school house and a post office.
MIDDLETOWN, another modest hamlet, is situated about a mile and a half south of the center of the township, on the Piqua road, eleven miles from Fort Wayne. It contains one store, one blacksmith shop, one saw mill, Messrs. Moneysmith & Morton, proprietors, one post office, two cooper shops, one hotel, one church, (Methodist Episcopal, erected in 1854,) one school house, and a Masonic lodge, organized in the year 1854, and now in a very flourishing condi- tion. The township is well supplied with religious and educational advantages. There are seven church organizations-two Methodist Episcopal, two German Lutheran, one Baptist, one Presbyterian, and one Roman Catholic. There are fourteen schools in the township; two German Lutheran, two Roman Catholic, (one of these a Sister's school, situated near the church, on the Piqua road, eight miles from Fort Wayne,) and ten district schools. There are in the town- ship 656 males, and 607 females ; total 1,263.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Trustee, Morgan Harrod; Justice of the Peace, David McLean; Assessor, H. K. Turner.
MAUMEE
Township, located in the eastern part of the county, is bounded on the north by Springfield and Scipio, on the south by Jackson, and on the west by Milan townships, and on the east by Paulding County, Ohio. It was first settled by Ulrich Saylor, sr., Ulrich Saylor, jr., and Solomon Swisher, in 1837. The town-
29
B. TRENTMAN & SON, No. 86 Columbia Street, Fort Wayne,
226
ALLEN COUNTY DIRECTORY.
ship was organized in 1843. The first marriage was that of Betsy E. Saylor and Charles Harding, in 1841. The oldest settlers now living are U. Saylor, sr., U. Saylor, jr., and William Johnson. The township is traversed by the Maumee river, the Wabash and Erie canal, and the Toledo, Wabash and Western Rail- road. The surface is flat, and in many places swampy. There are three school houses, a township library, a grocery at Bull Rapids, and a station and post office called Woodburn, on the Toledo, Wabash and Western R. R., sixteen miles from Fort Wayne. Population : males, 179; females, 150; total, 329.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Trustee, Jacob Saylor, term expires October, 1870; Justice of the Peace, Isom Rosevell, term expires October, 1873; Assessor, Franklin Roberts ; Con- stable, James H. Simpson, term expires October, 1870.
MILAN
Township, lying in the eastern part of the county, is bounded on the north by Cedar Creek and Springfield, east by Maumee, south by Jefferson, and west by St. Joseph townships. The first settlements were made from 1838 to 1840 in- clusive, near the Maumee river, by Alvin Hall, George Forstater, Charles Shriner, Nathan Lake, John Nuttle, Wilkes Gillet, Andrew Wakefield, Richard Barrow, and others. The oldest residents now living are R. D. Nuttle, Charles Shriner, and Alvin Hall, who came respectively in the years 1835, 1837 and 1838. The township contains eight school houses, valued at $3,500, a Lutheran society holding its services in a school house, a township library, and a post office on the Ridge road, Solomon Benninghoff, post master. The principal streams are the Maumee river, Six Mile, Nine Mile and Ten Mile creeks. The Wabash and Erie Canal, and the Toledo, Wabash and Western Railroad passes through the township. The north-west part, (about one-third of the township,) contains some of the finest farming lands in the county. The rest is rather low and swampy, but if properly drained would make a good grazing country. Popula- tion : males, 604; females, 496; total, 1,100.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Trustee, Joseph Spindler ; Justices of the Peace, Robert D. Nuttle, George G. Nuttle ; Assessor, Tyler M. Gillet.
MONROE
Is located in the south-east corner of Allen County, midway between the rivers St. Mary and Maumee, a distance of sixteen miles from Fort Wayne, and border- ing on the Ohio State line, fourteen miles from Van Wert, Ohio. This town- ship has the facilities afforded by the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Rail- way running direct through the center of the township, thus rendering an easy access with the city of Fort Wayne, or village of Van Wert by rail, and afford- ing a good market for the immense amount of choice timber for which the town- ship is noted. The land is of an undulating surface, composed of a rich, black sandy loam well adapted to the raising of corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, grass
Wholesale and Retail DEALERS IN CUTLERY, CASTORS, Etc.
ALLEN COUNTY DIRECTORY. 227
and potatoes, with all the cereals requisite for table use. The principal com- merce of this township consists of the large quantity of staves, spokes, lumber and hub timber, together with the hoop poles and live stock which are being constantly shipped from Monroeville, the principal market place, situated in the centre of the township. This township was first settled in 1838 or 1839 by a few hardy pioneers who had the courage and fortitude so essential to the early settlers to induce them to forego the comforts and societies of older States for the new and most bitter trials of manhood which have to be endured in settling up a new country, in the midst of a dense wilderness far from markets of any kind, with nothing to cheer them but the prospects of the future, among them there is none more worthy of note than Peter Slemmer and Hugh Anderson, the two first settlers of Monroe Township, or of those who immediately followed them, Noah Clem, Samuel Clem, William Rabbit, Moses Ratledge, William Ratledge, Elijah Redenhouse, John Fredline, John Stephenson, Thomas Meeks and Asa Dillon, many of whom are still living upon their now old and improved farms, and are capable yet of telling of the self-trying times they have endured that they might reap the benefits in their older days.
The first white male child that was born in the township was John Ratledge. The oldest man now living in the township is Hugh Anderson, who, though very old, is still able to look to the interests of his farm and household. Monroe, un- like the most of the other townships, can boast of a smart thriving village situ- ated about the centre of the township, wherein is constantly in operation numer- ous factories, steam saw and grist mills, together with all the other branches of mechanism usually carried on in inland towns or villages, while as for churches, schools and societies in general, it is unsurpassed by any township in the County, excepting Wayne. And can boast of every convenience calculated to render life pleasant in a society where benevolence and energy is necessary for public im- provements as will be seen readily by observing the various churches, schools and benevolent societies, such as Masonic, Odd Fellows and Good Templars, together with the Ladies' Sociable, wherein the mite is given freely for such charitable purposes as the society deem most needy. For a more full description of the township we would refer the reader to the history of Monroeville, here- unto connected.
MONROEVILLE, the centre of Monroe Township was first laid out as a town by John Barnhart, Esq., in 1854, and is located sixteen miles eastward from Fort Wayne, on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway, and is sixteen miles from Van Wert, Ohio, and twelve miles from Decatur, the county seat of Adams County, Indiana; thus rendering it a thriving inland business point with a population of from eight to twelve hundred inhabitants, and at present has four large stave manufactories, two steam saw mills, one large flouring mill, five dry goods stores, three grocery and provision stores, two blacksmith shops, two wagon shops, with various others, such as carpenter, cabinet, boot, shoe and harness shops. This town for many years after it was laid out was nothing but a mail station upon the railroad, and its entire growth, as seen at present, has been accomplished within the last four or five years, and so rapid has been its pros- perity that within one year's time it has surpassed every village in the county for business facilities derived from manufactories and merchandise.
The citizens of Monroeville are, in general, enterprising and industrious, and seem to possess a public pride worthy of commendation, as will be readily observed from their nice churches that have been lately erected, with other fine buildings
.
B. TRENTMAN & SON, No. 86 Columbia Street, Fort Wayne,
228
ALLEN COUNTY DIRECTORY.
already completed and in progress of erection, such as school houses, town halls, etc. The streets are kept in good repair, and few towns having double the age of Monroeville, can boast of better sidewalks. The inhabitants take a high stand in favor of education, and have already contributed largely for the purpose of erecting a Graded School suitable for the town, and surrounding country churches are well attended, and all seem to vie with each other in helping to preserve order and friendly feelings throughout the town. Of religious denominations there are three-Methodist Episcopal, Lutheran and Catholic, each denomina- tion having a fine church and a large congregation. The benevolent institu- tions of Monroeville are as follows : The Monroeville Masonic Lodge, No. 293, the Independent Order of Good Templars, and the Brotherhood of Odd Fellows. Each order having a large number of members, and are in a thriving condition, possessing good halls, and meet regularly.
The principal business of the town is derived from the timber that surrounds it, and from the immense amount of staves, lumber, spokes and hubs that are bought at this place, giving employment to numerous hands in the manufacture of the same, and distributing weekly from ten to fifteen thousand dollars for those articles of trade. While at the same time Monroeville is the principal market place for Decatur, the county seat of Adams County, thus helping to contribute occupation for teaming to and fro between the two towns, and affording plenty of business for livery and horse dealers, together with the advantages derived there- from for the two hotels of the place, where accommodations can be obtained worthy of the landlords, who endeaver to render the comfort and happiness of their guests their chief satisfaction.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.