USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of DeKalb County, Indiana : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns and biographies of representative citizens : Also a condensed history of Indiana > Part 64
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John Platter settled on section 7, just north of his present location, and there lived till within a few years, when he moved upon his present farm. Marilla, his eldest daughter, was for many years a teacher in common and graded schools, and was
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an honor to the profession. Solomon De Long settled on the St. Joseph, across from Newville; was one of the early County Commissioners; served during the war in the Forty-fourth and One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiments, having the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the latter, and died some years ago. Daniel Strong was a pioneer, and settled on the farm after- ward owned by Jackson Andrew, deceased. Other old settlers were: Dwight Moody, J. S. Peck, John Thompson, I. N. Blood, Alva Lawrence and Ephraim Strong. S. H. Bartlett, his father, and altogether a family of eleven persons moved in- to the township in 1836. George Weeks, ex-surveyor, came in at the same date.
" The Mound " is an elevation of ground on section 7, on the Ashman farm. It is about ten rods from the " Little St. Joe," and on the south bank of a small creek that empties into the St. Joe at this point. It was opened in the fall of 1837 by Silas H. Bartlett, Daniel Strong, Jr., John Platter and Frasier Bart- lett. They found a large quantity of human bones about three feet from the surface. The elevation was then ten feet, but is now only about four. It is evident that this was a sepulcher of the mound builders, and the rude earthworks indicate that here was also at some time a fortification.
The village of Newville, formerly called Vienna, is situated on the northwest bank of the river, on the southwest quarter of section 6. It was surveyed and platted by George W. Weeks, in March, 1837, for Washington Robinson, a pioneer settler and owner of the land. The original plat contained twenty-six and a half acres, exclusive of streets. Washington Robinson was the first Justice of the Peace in the county, and at his house the first election was held. N. L. Thomas, a Methodist minister, was the first storekeeper in Newville. In the chapter on "Pioneers' Association " is told how he trans- ported his merchandise on horseback from Fort Wayne. The first church, a log house, was raised by the Methodists. One Dodge was the host of the first tavern opened, and Dr. John Lattman was the pioneer physician. John Cary, the first shoe- maker, and also an early Justice of the Peace, afterward became a storekeeper at Salem Center, in Steuben County. Several bridges have been built across the St. Joseph River at Newville, at considerable expense to the county. Heavy freshets convert the stream into a flood, deluging the low lands
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and sweeping away all obstruction. Newville is a small place off the railroad, but its people have always been known as an in- telligent, progressive community. There are now two general stores, one drug and grocery store, two physicians, three blacksmith shops, two wagon and carriage shops and one saw and planing mill.
The Newville Christian church was organized in the fall of 1851 by James Hadsell, in a school-house where the United Brethren parsonage now stands, across the river and southeast from Newville. Of the twenty-seven first members, three are yet living-Mrs. Henrietta Strong and Mrs. Julia A. Rex, of Newville, and Sarah Coburn, of Hicksville. At the close of 1879 the church had a membership of 192. There are now 154 communicants. The present pastor is Elder Oscar B. Jewell. Services are held on alternate Sundays, and on the other Sun- days social meetings are held.
The Newville United Brethren church was organized in 1842 by Rev. H. Kumler, with four members, of whom S. De Long was Leader and M. Soper, Steward. Their house of worship was erected in 1855. A new roof was put on and other repairs made about 1880, and at the present writing (1885) a brick founda- tion is being constructed, which, with other changes, will cost $500. The successive pastors have been : Revs. H. Kumler, J. Thomas, J. Fink, -. Briggs, J. Geer, S. Linsey, E. Day, Will- iam Mathers, William Butler, C. O. Lawrence, T. Osmund, J. K. Alwood, D. Holmes, J. Lower, C. Crossland, -. Rhodes, William O. Butler, J. Dixon, J. Brown, J. G. Bowersox, G. Crawford, J. N. Martin, S. J. Colgen, and R. T. Martin, who now fills the pulpit. The present membership is fifty-nine. The Trustees are : Messrs. Nichols, May and Tarney. A good par- sonage, near the church, is the property of the society. The Sunday-school has an average attendance of about seventy-five.
The first school-house was built of round bass-wood logs, about 16 x 20 feet, with a " shake " roof held in place by weight poles. There were two small windows, and the door of rough lumber, was hung on wooden hinges ; a string raised its wooden latch. The fireplace was surmounted by a stick and mud chimney. A round piece of timber was split in two, and the flat side of each turned up, and four or five pins inserted for legs, to form the seats. A puncheon laid upon pins stuck in the wall formed a writing desk. This house was built in the spring
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of 1839, and the following fall the first term of school was taught by Marietta E. Robinson, for $1.50 per week. A new frame school-house was built about 1843, on what is now the site of the United Brethren parsonage, and in 1850 a church and school-building was erected, under the lead of R. Faurot. In 1852 a select school was opened by R. Faurot, which was maintained until 1861. After Mr. Faurot, the principals were : J. E. Hendrix, A. Hartness and L. Barr. Since 1861 it has been a township school. It has now two departments, primary and high. The latter is presided over by F. M. Merica, and has an enrollment of eighty pupils. Mrs. Josie De Long teaches ninety-six pupils in the primary department. William Seely is Trustee.
The first school in the township, however, and also the first in De Kalb County, was taught in 1837, by Eunice Strong, daughter of Daniel Strong, and now the wife of James Thomas, of Kearney Junction, Neb. The house was a frame, sided up with shaved clapboards, or whip shingles. It was the first frame house built in the county. It still stands, on section 7, Newville Township, on the homestead of Ephraim B. Strong, a brother of Eunice.
Among the early Justices of the Peace in Newville Town- ship were, besides Washington Robinson already mentioned, J. Helwig, John Cary, J. S. Peck and Dwight Moody. Early Constables were: John P. Widney, John Thompson and Asa Overacker; and the first few Trustees were: D. Strong, A. B. Fetterer, N. Fuller, John Newton, John Murphy, N. L. Thomas, Newton Thomas, I. N. Blood, Alva Lawrence, S. De Long, D. Moody, Ephraim Strong and John Platter.
The population of the township is now 760, or 51 to the square mile, and the valuation per capita is $314.81. The num- ber of acres of land assessed is 8,813.25 ; value of same, $161,677; value of improvements, $21,220; value of lands and improve- ments, $182,897; value of lots, $1,270; value of improvements, $5,375 ; value of lots and improvements, $6,645 ; value of per- sonal property, $51,880; total value of taxables, $241,422; rate of taxation, $1.71 ; number of polls, 119; poll tax, $1.50; total amount of taxation, $4,388.54.
The following crop reports are for 1881: There was in wheat, 1,518 acres, producing 10 bushels per acre, or 15,180 bushels; in corn, 929 acres, producing 25 bushels per acre, or 23,255
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
bushels; in oats, 504 acres, producing 25 bushels per acre, or 12,600 bushels; in meadow, 595 acres, producing at one ton per acre, 595 tons of hay ; in Irish potatoes, 26 acres, producing at 28 bushels per acre, 728 bushels.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Silas H. Bartlett, proprietor of the Newville Hotel, and in- surance agent, was born in the town of Melbourne, County of Sherbrooke, Lower Canada, Jan. 20, 1825, a son of Frazier and Arolina (Brown) Bartlett, natives of Vermont. His grand- father, Joseph Bartlett, served seven and a half years in the Revolutionary war ; three years of the time was Washington's body-guard. In July, 1836, his parents came to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled in Concord Township, and the follow- ing October moved to section 7, Newville Township. The country was inhabited mainly by Indians who often visited them, trading venison and berries for supplies. One evening in the fall of 1837 when the family were at supper, they were startled by an Indian's voice, and on looking around saw an Indian's head sticking through a hole in the wall, called a win- dow. After trading a ham of venison for some potatoes and a pumpkin, he left in delight. The Bartlett cabin was made of round hickory logs, 20x 30 feet in size, with puncheon floor, clapboard ceiling and roof. They cooked by fire-place. Wild animals were numerous and very troublesome. Their home was in the woods and they were obliged to undergo many hardships. The father went to Maumee to buy corn, a distance of fourteen miles. Six miles of the way he had to cut a road through the woods, and two miles had to cut through the ice. He took a part of the corn to Hughes Mill and took home a box full of ears. His oxen gave out on the way, and he was obliged to leave a part of his load. He hung some pork, which he had bought, in the bushes to keep it from the wolves. For five weeks the family lived on hulled corn. The father died in May, 1860, and the mother Dec. 27, 1882. They had a family of eleven children, but four of whom are living-Mrs. Lucina Woodcox, Silas H., Simon S. and Mrs. Delilah Ayers. Silas H. Bartlett was married March 29, 1849, to Almira A. Weeks, daughter of Luther Weeks. To them have been born seven children; but five are living-Adelaide, Sarah, Charles, Eva- line and George. He engaged in farming till forty years of
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age and then in saw-milling several years. He has been Just- ice of the Peace twelve years, and is now a Notary Public. He is a member of the Disciples church.
Benjamin F. Blair, druggist and grocer, Newville, Ind., was born in Lorain County, Ohio, Feb. 3, 1833, a son of John Blair, who brought his family to De Kalb County in the fall of 1835 and settled in Concord Township. They made the journey by teams, having two spans of horses and one yoke of oxen. They often made but one mile in a day, the road being through the black swamp, and the trip was a long and tedious one. At that time the country was inhabited by Indians, but they were friendly and rarely made them any trouble. Our subject was reared in the woods of De Kalb County, and early learned the duties of a pioneer life. His educational advantages were lim- ited, as schools were few and his services were needed at home. The land settled on by the Blair family has all been cleared, and is the present site of the town of St. Joseph. Aug. 23, 1863, Mr. Blair was married to Caroline A. Dodge, a native of Newville, born Feb. 9, 1840, daughter of Anthony Dodge, a pioneer of this township. They have two children-Belle and Don Juan. In 1862 he moved to Newville and bought and shipped stock from that time till 1876. In the spring of 1884 he engaged in his present business, and carries a full and com- plete stock of drugs, medicines, paints, oils, groceries, etc. He has a good trade, which is constantly increasing, having by his genial and accommodating manners won the confidence and esteem of the entire community. He was elected County Commissioner in 1876, and made an efficient and reliable officer.
Otis S. Blood is a native of Ohio, born Jan. 15, 1842, and in 1846 accompanied his parents, Albert N. and Sophia Blood, to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled in Newville Township. Here he was reared and educated, remaining with his parents till the breaking out of the Rebellion. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in Company F, Forty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served till Nov. 23, 1864. After his return home he engaged in agricultural pursuits, locating on the old homestead where he has since lived. He was married Dec. 13, 1867, to Leah Culler, a native of Massillon, Ohio, daughter of Joseph Culler. His father, Albert N. Blood, was a local preacher of the United Brethren church. He served his township as Trustee and As- sessor several terms. His three sons were all soldiers in the
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war; the eldest, Elias, died in the hospital, and the youngest died at home from the effects of disease contracted in the ser- vice. He died March 1, 1863, and his wife is now living at Hicksville.
Henry W. Coburn, merchant, Newville, Ind., was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, March, 15, 1830, a son of Ebenezer and Delia (Wilson) Coburn, his father a native of Burlington, Vt., and his mother of Massachusetts. In 1838 his parents moved to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled in the Coburn settlement in Concord Township, where he was reared and educated. In 1857 he was married and moved to Newville, and located on the lot where he has since lived. In 1864 he built his residence. He worked at the carpenter's trade a few years, and in the spring of 1863 bought a half interest in the Newville saw-mill, which he ran four years. He then worked at his trade till the spring of 1870, when he engaged in merchandising in company with A. A. Fetterer, under the firm name of Fetterer & Coburn. In 1876 he bought his partner's interest and has since carried on the business alone. He carries a capital stock of $5,000, consisting of dry goods, groceries, boots, shoes, hats, caps, crockery, hardware, etc. He keeps constantly on hand a com- plete stock of everything in his line and has a good trade, doing an annual business of $10,000. In ISSI he built a new store 24 x 50 feet in size, which is one of the neatest and most conven- iently arranged in the town. Mr. Coburn was married Nov. 27, 1857, to Sophia Mathews, a native of Concord Township, daughter of John Mathews, a pioneer of De Kalb County, now deceased. Mr. Coburn is one of the representative business men of Newville, but is quiet and unassuming in his manner, and never seeks official honors, preferring to attend strictly to his own affairs, and leaving the cares of office to others. He and his wife are members of the Christian church.
Randal Faurot, A. M., was born in the town of Hopewell, near Canandaigua, N. Y., in 1820. He was the seventh son of Randal and Urana (Dolittle) Faurot, who moved to Royalton, near Cleveland, Ohio, when he was twelve years of age. Hav- ing a desire for an education, he relinquished his share in the prospective fine farms for a few terms in an academy and the time to study. As soon as competent he taught school in the winter and devoted his summers to study, and finally entered Oberlin College where he remained several terms. He subse-
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quently graduated from Bethany College, Virginia. In early life he took a decided stand with the Disciples of Christ and worked earnestly with the people who built up so many large churches of devoted Christians on the Western Reserve, Ohio, and soon became a successful preacher as well as teacher. While on a visit to his father and brothers who had moved to Michigan, he met the natural orator and revivalist, Benjamin Alton, whose labors were so productive of good in Ohio, Mich- igan and Indiana, and engaged in holding meetings with him in Stafford, Newville, Coburn's Corners, and other points. Feel- ing drawn toward this part of the vineyard, he decided to remain in De Kalb County and became of great assistance in building the churches at Newville, Waterloo, Kendallville, Mishawaka, Edgerton, riding on horseback over the rough roads, and in addition to holding meetings, visiting the sick and afflicted, comforting the poor and needy, and leading many to righteousness. He was largely instrumental in the building of Newville Academy, which flourished and was a great source of good for many years. His memory is held in grateful remem- brance by many in different States, because of his arduous labors in the cause of education. He was a persistent and thor- ough worker. His work was never left half done. He was strongly opposed to secret societies, and was a clear, shrewd debater, carrying his audience with him more by the force of his logic than by his persuasive powers. Kind and thoughtful, his greatest desire was to be useful to his friends, finding his greatest pleasure in seeing those he loved happy. While preach -. ing in Philadelphia, he wrote and had published, " Pilgrim's Progress," a book written in imitation of John Bunyan, in which he showed the advantages and joy of living a Christian life. It was a work of great interest to a Christian, and of benefit to a young convert, and he received many letters, acknowledging the help derived from its perusal, and thanking him for giving the public a work of the kind. At the breaking out of the Rebellion many of his students enlisted, and it was the wish of some that he should go as their Chaplain, but one who knew him well, said: "No; Elder Faurot could not look on sin and intrigue with sufficient allowance to work among those who so misused each other." However, he and his wife went twice to Tennessee during the war, first as volunteer nurses after the battle of Murfreesboro, and again to look after wounded friends.
yours truly J. DSeighty.
.G
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
While there they lent such valuable aid in starting schools for the colored people that he was subsequently called South to locate a school for the oppressed race, and after many months of labor, during which he was engaged much of the time in missionary work, he, with Dr. W. A. Belding, located the Southern Christian Institute on an old plantation of 800 acres, lying on the railroad fourteen miles east of Vicksburg and twenty-six miles west of Jackson, Miss. Here in the midst of the work he builded, and which was as dear to him as his own family, he died Oct. 10, 1882, the day before his sixty-second birthday. He was married in May, 1847, to Letitia Hutchings, in Cortland County, N. Y. She had preceded him in the pioneer educational work of De Kalb County, and there they met in 1845. She proved a worthy help-meet for a noble man, sympathizing with him in all his work, and aiding him by her counsel and prayers in all his varied vicissitudes. Her kindly ministrations to the sick and oppressed endeared her to the hearts of all who knew her. They had no children to gladden their home, but reared from childhood a motherless nephew and niece, Marvin Faurot Hall, of Hillsdale, Mich., where he attended college, and subsequently located and is engaged in the electric-light business ; and Mary L. Hutchings, now the wife of Dr. W. P. Andrews, proprietor of the magnetic springs at St. Louis, Mich. Their home was ever the home of the widow and orphan, and the weary and oppressed were ever welcome, and given a resting place. Truly, the deeds of the good live after them and shine as bright stars in the crown of their rejoicing.
Nathan T. Fuller, section 9, Newville Township, was born in Strongsville, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Aug. II, 1821, a son of John Fuller, a native of Vermont who settled in Cuyahoga County in 1818 and lived there till 1841, when he moved to Henry County, Ohio. Nathan remained with his parents till manhood, accompanying them to Henry County, and in 1844 began life for himself. He worked three years by the month on farms and in saw-mills, and in the spring of 1847 went to work on a lake steamer. The following fall he went to Cin- cinnati and enlisted in the Mexican war and served till August, 1848. In September, 1848, he came to De Kalb County and lived with Southard Ellis four years, and in April, 1851, bought the farm where he now lives. He has 110 acres of good land, sixty-five of which he cleared himself, it being all heavily 45
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
timbered when he settled on it. He is engaged in general farm- ing and stock-raising, at which he is very successful. He en- listed in the war of the Rebellion Sept. 20, 1861, in Company F, Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry, and served till Nov. 22, 1864. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Battle Creek, Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, and thence to Chatta- nooga where his regiment was on guard duty till their dis- charge. At Stone River he had four bullet holes shot in his clothes, and his pocket-book was torn to pieces, but he was unharmed. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Re- public, an organization in which he is much interested. He was married July 4, 1854, to Lucinda Nichols, and to them were born five children, but three of whom are living-Fran- cine, Flora and Logan. Francine married Benjamin F. Nelson, of Hicksville, Ohio, and has three children-Inez L., Earl D. and Ivah F. Mrs. Fuller died in September, 1873, and March 4, 1875, Mr. Fuller married Mrs. Mary Hull, daughter of Haz- ard Webster and widow of John Hull, who was killed at the battle of Stone River. To them have been born two children, but one of whom is living-Harry. She had three children by her first marriage, but two of whom are living-Ellen and John .. Mr. Fuller has served his township three years as Trustee and two terms as Assessor.
Henry Fusselman was born in Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, May 6, 1815. He was the youngest of fourteen children, and his eldest sister had married and emigrated to a distant State before he was born. Of all the influences which surrounded his early life we know nothing, but they must have been gra- cious to form a character so strong in its simplicity, purity and integrity of purpose. If of the learning of schools he was taught little, he learned somewhere the better lessons of love for God, obedience to His laws and enduring trust in His mercy through Christ; of patience, charity and good will to- ward all his fellow beings; of industry, perseverance and econ- omy as regards his own life and practice. These qualities, added to strong good sense, made him an excellent business man, a valuable citizen and a faithful friend. He was married in Braceville, Portage Co., Ohio, Dec. 22, 1836, to Almeda M. Gay, who was born May 15, 1810. She was a woman of strong intellect, and distinguished among her acquaintances for her bright. keen wit, whose shafts, to her credit be it said, were
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
never poisoned by envy or malice. To her husband she was a valuable and valued helper; to her neighbors a ready and sym- pathizing friend; in her family, energetic and untiring. Mr. and Mrs. Fusselman arrived at the St. Joe River in Stafford Town- ship, April 15, 1838. On the 11th of August after, their eldest child, Barbara, was born. She is now Mrs. Geo. Garver, of Des Moines, Iowa. Afterward were born to them Sarah (Mrs. Henry Herrich), Harriet (Mrs. Charles Thomas, of Omaha, Neb.), Lester, who died in the army; Henrietta and Quincy. The following sketch of Mr. Fusselman was written to his eldest daughter, Mrs. Garver, by John P. Widney, himself long an hon- ored citizen of De Kalb County, but now a resident of Belle- ville, Richland Co., Ohio. It is so just a characterization, and so honorable to its author that we give it verbatim: " I became acquainted with your father, Henry Fusselman, when he first moved into the county. I went with him and Wm. Scoville to Fort Wayne in a pirogue when he laid in his first supplies as a settler. This was our first acquaintance, and it was a pleas- ant one. I found Mr. Fusselman to be one of the most genial companions, of more than average intelligence and of the most unswerving integrity. This first opinion of his character was fully confirmed in after years, for his sterling qualities of head and heart were soon appreciated by a wide circle of friends, and he became a leader in every enterprise that tended to build up good society. In him the widow and the orphan found a fast and reliable friend, as he was frequently called upon to manage the estates of decedents and minors. And such was the confidence of his neighbors in his justice and his judgment that he was, perhaps, more than any other man selected as referee in personal disputes, and his decision was generally satisfactory. For many years he held the office of Justice of the Peace in his township (Stafford), and in after years was selected as one of the County Commissioners. In all his public duties he fully met the confidence of his friends. His religious instincts were not less marked than his social. In the church of his choice, the Disciples or Christian, he stood among the foremost. Firm in his convictions, but tolerant and kind to those of oppo- site views, as a lay preacher he had but few equals. His pub- lic addresses were the overflowings of a sympathetic nature guided by a clear head. As a business man he had many ex- cellent traits, and was specially useful as a dealer in farm pro-
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
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