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 88
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" While I kept busy at my job I could just about get provis- ions enough to keep us in the bare necessaries of life, so far as eating was concerned ; but I had no time to be sick, and no rest but the Sabbath. One cold March evening, after chopping hard all day, I took a bushel of potatoes and seventeen or eight- een pounds of pork on my shoulder and started for home about dusk. The distance I had to travel along a blind trail, through the darkness and brush, was about six miles. Coming to Buck Creek, over which a small limber log was placed, I undertook to walk it with my load, but fell off into the water, which was high. I then waded through the balance of the creek, getting very wet. Cold, wet and tired, I pursued my journey with my heavy load, until the long miles were passed, and I set down my pork and potatoes in my cabin.
" The worst part of the tale is that Lytle was not satisfied with my doing the job so cheap, and taking my pay in high- priced trade, but he actually moved the stakes first set so that the lines might take in several large elms that were just outside of the job; and besides, wanted me to chop up to a curving brush fence which ran from stake to stake on one side of my
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square job, including about a quarter of an acre more than the straight line agreed upon. My job being finished, as agreed upon, including, too, the elms fraudulently brought in, I went to Lytle in his house to demand a settlement and the balance of my pay ; but he refused to pay unless I chopped up to the brush fence. This, under the circumstances, with my hands covered with blisters from hard and incessant chopping (a kind of labor I was not accustomed to)-this, I say, provoked me almost beyond endurance, and I told him I should take it out of his hide right then and there. I was making toward him. His wife screamed, and Lytle turned it off with a laugh, saying he would pay me, and thus the matter ended."
" We will here interrupt friend Miller," says Mr. Widney, " by stating that this Lytle, as all the old settlers know, was a hard customer. He seems early to have exchanged his con- science (if he ever owned such an article) for a gizzard, with which to grind new comers. He was a very profane man, although Bill Mathews declared that Lytle didn't know how to swear, he strung his oaths together in such an awkward way. And surely Bill was a competent judge of the matter!"
" I used," continued Mr. Miller, " to go down to Lytle's some- . times on Sunday afternoon to be there on Monday morning to commence my job. Well, one afternoon Lytle, being an excel- lent boatman, asked me to take a little ride on the river in his canoe. I consented, and tried to help him navigate the craft, but was very awkward at the business. This provoked him, and he let out such a volley of angry oaths at me as I had not been accustomed to listen to tamely. In the midst of his im- precations he set down his pole with more than usual energy, and smack it went into two pieces, while he was leaning on it with all his weight. Plunge went Lytle, head foremost, into the deep, cold river. I laughed, of course, and he turned in the water and threatened to upset the canoe. I seized a paddle and told him if he undertook it I would split his head. Be- ing in a cold element he soon cooled down and came out peaceably.
" In the spring of 1837 I had lent William Rogers half a barrel of flour; for, though six miles apart, we were neigh- bors, as was usual at that time. I expected that it would be re- turned before needed ; but the bottom of the flour sack stared me in the face before it arrived. Getting up one morning I
HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY. 957
found only flour enough for one small cake. I told my folks to bake and eat it while I went for the lent flour. It was six miles to Rogers', and there was but a ' trace' for a road. I set out early afoot, and barefoot at that, and made good speed, thoughts of breakfast spurring me on, until I came to a swamp, round which the trace wound. Thinking to gain time I struck across, expecting to find the place where the trace came round ; but, the morning being cloudy, I missed the course and the trail. I traveled on rapidly, however, in what I supposed to be the right direction, until the sun broke out and I found that it was about noon, and I was only about a mile from home ! I quickly sought the trace again, and passed down it at a rapid rate until I reached Rogers', where I got something to eat. Rogers pro- posed that if I left the flour he would bring it up on a horse the next day, but I knew this would not answer our wants. So I told him I could carry it; and taking the hundredweight of flour on my shoulder I trudged back the whole six miles with- out once laying it down.
" On one occasion the Coats and Rose families and myself being out of breadstuff, we held a consultation as to where we should go to get corn. I was for going to Fort Wayne, but they thought best to go to the northwestern prairies. They started to the prairies and I sent $10 along. They were gone ten days and my money brought me ten bushels of corn, the milling and hauling of which cost me $10 more. So my meal cost me $2 per bushel, with much of it rotten, as there had been frost on the 29th of the preceding August, killing the corn on these prairies, leaving it too green to keep without rotting."
The first marriage in Wilmington was that of Dan Coats and Mary Allen. The knot was tied by Justice Washington Rob- inson, in January, 1836. The bridegroom was one of the larg- est and stoutest men in the county. Dan used to be swift of foot, and on one occasion this gift of nature served him a very good purpose. It was that year that hydrophobia prevailed to such an alarming extent that cattle, hogs, and even wild foxes " went mad." It was said that as Dan was walking through the woods a mad fox attacked him. Rightly considering that retreat was his best policy, Dan started at full speed, with the fox after him. They had a pretty even race until Dan jumped a large log, and seeing on the other side a good club, seized it
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and let the fox have the weight of it, and of both his hands, as it came over the log in hot pursuit. This ended Reynard's mad career. A drop of his blood alighting on Coats' cheek as it flew warm from the head of the fox, burned like fire.
The following description of the well known " hard winter " is from the pen of the Rev. S. B. Ward:
"The winter of 1842-'3 will long be remembered by the early settlers of the county, and especially those of Wilmington Township. In 1841 and 1842 quite a number of settlers of small means came in, and they had raised but little to live on when the 'hard winter' set in. The fall had been fine, but about the first of November a light snow fell, which mostly went off soon after. On the 17th of the month it set in cold, with high winds and some snow. The snow continued to in- crease from time to time, until it was nearly two feet deep on the level, with occasional showers and hard freezes, so that it was almost impossible to get about. It snowed a little every day but one through February, and March came in with the severity almost of a polar winter. By this time most of the hay and grain was consumed, and hogs and cattle were daily dying all over the country from starvation. Some settlers lost all their hogs and most of their cattle before feed came in the spring. Very many had to depend on the browse of the tree tops as feed for their cattle for the last two months of cold weather. For the last few days of March, however, even this provision of nature was cut off. When all were anxiously looking for the opening of spring, heart-sick in view of the suf- ferings of the poor dumb animals, the sleeper in his lone cabin in the midst of the forest was awakened on the night of the 27th of March by the continual crashing of the tree tops, which did not cease until day dawned, when to the dispirited im- migrant was revealed the cause of all the commotion of the night.
" It had been raining, freezing as it fell, until the tree tops were broken under their load of ice. That day and for several days it seemed that the cattle must all die; for when the trees were cut down for browse, the small twigs, encased in a hard coat of ice, would break off, with the ice adhering, and mingle with the snow. Besides this, the crust on the snow was so thick and hard that the cattle could hardly get about. The wild animals also suffered almost as much, seemingly, as the
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domestic ones. It was nothing unusual to see squirrels so re- duced as to be easily caught by hand. On election day (first Mon- day in April) snow was one foot deep in the thick woods, and it was good sleighing on most of the roads. That week, how- ever, sent the snow in another form to Lake Erie or the Gulf of Mexico, and in a few weeks herbage began to appear, and hope sprang up again in the settler's heart. Shame on that man that now complains of hardships, or that does not thank and reverence the hardy pioneer of those forests."
Wilmington was organized Sept. 5, 1837, at the first regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners. The board then con- sisted of Peter Fair, Samuel Widney and A. F. Beecher, who "ordered that the congressional township 34 north, range 14 east be, and it is hereby, organized as a civil township to be known by the name of Wilmington Township." They also directed "that Byron Bunnel be appointed Supervisor for the road district No. I, comprising the whole of Wilmington Town- ship, and all the hands residing in said township shall be allotted to the same district." In March, 1838, fractional township 34 north, range 15 east (now Stafford), was added to Wilmington for judicial and civil purposes, and a new election was ordered held the first Monday in April following, at the house of Ira Allen, with Milton A. Hull as Inspector.
Early Justices of the Peace in Wilmington Township were: Charles D. Handy, Moses L. Pierson, Daniel B. Mead, P. B. Nimmons, John Moore, Dr. Madden, Ezra Dickinson, Richard Worth, L. A. Benedict and H. C. Colgrove. Early Constables were: Daniel Coats, N. H. Mathews, Jesse Wood, William K. Straight, William Mathews, William Campbell, Edsall Cherry, Noble Cherry, Peter Kester, A. F. Packer, Hiram Freeman, N. W. Delano, Isaac Eakright, W. D. Armstrong, Joseph Norris and John Weaver.
The Trustees, prior to 1860, were: John Helwig, M. L. Pierson, Collins Roberts, Joseph Nodine, Joseph Totten, Asa Sawyer, S. B. Ward, Thomas Fosdick, E. W. Fosdick, Edgar Treman, William Maxwell, Nelson Smurr, Andrew Smith, William H. Thomas, Dr. Madden, Lot B. Coe, N. G. Sewall, G. Maxwell, W. K. Straight, P. B. Nimmons, W. D. Arm- strong and A. Cochran.
The population of Wilmington Township is now 1,529, besides Butler (1,117). This is about forty-three to the square mile. The
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valuation per capita is $369.28. The number of acres of land as- sessed in 1884 was 21,817.07 ; value of same, $472,894 ; value of improvements, $46,915 ; value of lands and improvements, $519,- 809; value of personal property, $87,415 ; total value of taxables, $607,224 ; rate of taxation, $1.41 ; number of polls, 241 ; poll tax, $1.00 ; total amount of taxation, $8,953.59.
The following statistics of staple crops are for the year 1881 : Number of acres in wheat, 3,188 ; product of same, at 7 bushels per acre, 22,316 bushels ; acres in corn, 2,104 ; product of same, at 25 bushels per acre, 52,600 bushels; acres in oats, 1,154; prod- uct of same, at 30 bushels per acre, 34,620 bushels; acres in meadow land, 1,012 ; product of same, a ton and a quarter per acre, 1,265 tons of hay ; acres in potatoes, 27 ; product of same, 20 bushels per acre, or 540 bushels.
Mount Pleasant U. B. Church is over thirty years old. In 1854 meetings were held in the house of Abraham Eakright, on sec- tion 20, by Revs. Benton and wife, both preachers. About this time, or soon after, a class was organized in Mr. Eakright's house, either by Revs. Benton and wife or Rev. Mr. Moffitt, who succeeded them in 1855. The constituent members were : William McBride, Mr. Dirrim, Abraham Eakright and their wives, and Mrs. Levi McBride. Services were held in Mr. Eakright's house until 1861, when they commenced to use the old log school-house on section 19. Here a remarkable revival was held in March of that year, over seventy persons being converted. Five of these afterward became ministers. An- other of the number went to church one night, laughing and scoffing, but was converted then and there, with a whisky bot- tle in his pocket. The society was known as the Eakright class until the place of worship was removed to the present Mt. Pleasant chapel which was erected in the fall of 1870. This is a frame structure, 30x 40 feet, on section 22. The present pas- tor is Rev. James Martin. Services are held every other Sun- day. Sunday-school and prayer-meetings are maintained the year round. There are about 100 communicants.
A class was organized as early as 1850 at Wilmington Center by the United Brethren, but this was dropped in a few years. The Methodists also had a class in an early day at the Center.
The Lilly U. B. Church at Moore Station was organized by Rev. Aaron Lilly in December, 1882, with twenty-seven mem- bers. Services were held in the Mooresville school-house until
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the next summer, when they built a fine large frame church, 32 × 44 feet, costing $1,400, at Moore Station. Services are held every alternate Sunday, and Sunday-school and prayer- meeting are maintained weekly the year around. The present pastor is Rev. Richard Martin, of Newville. The Class-leader is Isaac Shaffer, and the Trustees are Henry Brown, J. E. Miller and John Cook.
BUTLER.
One of the brightest towns in Northeastern Indiana is that bearing the name of Butler, from an early settler of Wilming- ton Township. It is situated in the northeast corner of Wil- mington, on sections 1, 2, 11 and 12. Here the air line of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern meets the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad. Of the latter road Butler is a division terminus. The population of Butler is not far from 1,300.
As early as the year 1844 the settlers in the vicinity of what is now a prosperous town had enjoyed postal facilities at a point two miles south of the incorporation at Oak Hill, the office being conducted by Thomas Fosdick, father of E. W. Fosdick, of Butler. In 1842 Messrs. Egnew, Hanes, Cherry, Morris, Tomlinson and others, erected a school-house on the land of George Egnew, near where now stands the blacksmith shop of John A. Moore; and this proved to be the first house in Butler. The first teacher therein was L. Harding, succeeded by Elihu Ocker, Andrew Cochran and E. W. Fosdick. In 1844 a dwelling house was erected by a Mr. Brainard. Relig- ious services were held at the school-house by Rev. Mr. Spell- man in 1843, Rev. Mr. Jones in 1845, and Rev. Mr. Forbes in 1846.
In 1851 a small stock of merchandise was established in a log hut on the southwest corner of the land of Charles Norris. The business was conducted by "Ladd " Thomas and Osburn Coburn. The first frame building was raised on the subsequent site of Haverstock's block, in 1855. It was destroyed by fire in 1870. The second frame structure was erected by Noble & Madden and used as a general store for all kinds of merchan- dise. A dozen other business men followed in rapid succes- sion and made the nucleus of a town. The postoffice was now removed to the village, and was named Norristown, after Charles Norris, who was then selling lots and energetically ad- vancing the interests of the place. Later it was known as Jar-
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vis, and about the time of the war the name of Butler was adopted.
Among the early Postmasters were: E. W. Fosdick, George Noble, A. H. Howard, Solomon Rose, J. J. Hoopingardner and U. P. Carpenter. The Michigan Southern Railroad Com- pany laid out plats July 31, 1856; Amasa Smith surveyed another March 9, 1855 ; George Egnew and I. C. Danforth one April 16, 1855, and later additions have been made from time to time. Butler's first railroad, the air line, was completed May 26, 1856, and in October, 1873, the Eel River road (now the Wabash) arrived. The first tavern was kept by John Shull, and July 4, 1857, A. A. Kennedy first opened the Waverly House for the entertainment of the public. The first saw-mill was erected by Messrs. Danforth, Carpender and a third party, during the winter of 1853-'4, and was operated until very re- cently, the last owner being C. S. Stoy. It was destroyed by fire in 1884. The first brick building was put up by Henry Linderfer in 1856. The first death occurred in 1848, and was that of A. Robe who lived on the later site of Dr. Madden's residence. Henry C. Cherry, born in December, 1841, was the first birth in the town, and the first marriage was that of Amasa Smith to Miss Amelia Morris, the ceremony being per- formed by Elder Cherry. The town was incorporated in 1866, with W. P. Carpender, J. A. Campbell and Elihu Ocker as Trustees; A. A. Howard as Clerk and William Thomas as Marshal.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
The following list includes all doing business at the present time:
Aldrich & Son, Hotel Aldrich; J. J. Ayers, bakery and gro- cery ; L. Burgett, wagon and carriage shop; Joseph Beck, restaurant; John Baker, livery; Ed. C. Crane, Boots House; C. H. Crane, grocery; Mrs. J. E. Clark, ladies' fancy goods; I. Daily, wagon and blacksmith shop; L. J. Diehl, jew- elry ; Fosdick & Wilkinson, drug store; Fink & Son, grocery ; W. F. Garrison, Butler Record; S. L. Hamlin, furniture; Isaac Hirschler, saloon; Harley & Co., hardware; W. Hartung, shoe shop; L. Harris, saloon; H. Haskins, livery; Isaac Hose, sa- loon; E. Hopkins, brick and tile factory; G. T. Johns, boots and shoes; Knisely, Boots & Co., bank; Kehrer & Stone, drug store; Knisely Bros., dry goods and clothing ; J. N. Lingen-
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felter, grocery; Latson & Mills, barbers; A. Levy, dry goods and clothing; John A. Moore, blacksmith and wagon shop; Edward May, tailor; D. T. McNabb, hotel and boarding house ; Masters & Scoville, butter and egg packers; W. M. Mutsfeld, harness; W. A. Miltenberger, bakery ; F. L. Nixon, news depot and -cigar stand; Otis & Son, furniture and undertaking; T. Rudd, meat market; J. J. Sise, agricultural implements ; F. J. Seed, dry goods; Stiefel & Strauss, grocery ; Mrs. E. Seed, millinery; S. G. Seawright, tinshop; Mrs. J. A. Stoner, milli- nery and fancy goods; Joseph Strauss, sale stable; Isaac Springer, saloon; Tyson & Son, meat market; C. L. Thomp- son, barber; F. Vanconsant, saloon; A. Watson, blacksmith and wagon shop; Frank Walker, tailor; Miss Sudie Worth, millinery.
PROFESSIONAL.
The first physician was Dr. W. H. Madden. The present practitioners are: Drs. F. W. Fanning, J. B. Bennett, J. D. Kenestrick, J. S. Barnett and H. Lilly. The last named is of the homeopathic school; the others are "regular." The first law firm was that of Messrs. Rose & Fosdick. J. E. Rose now resides at Auburn, his quondam partner still practicing at But- ler. The present resident members of the legal profession are : E. W. Fosdick, O. L. Young, C. J. Coats, A. F. Pigeon and A. J. Baxter.
BANK.
Butler has no National but one private bank, that of Knisely, Boots & Co. The cashier is E. T. Brysland.
NEWSPAPERS.
Each of the two political parties has an organ. The Record, the Republican paper, was started in 1877, and is now pub- lished by W. F. Garrison. The Review, a Democratic paper, was started by R. H. Weamer in 1882. For sketches of these papers see the Press chapter.
SCHOOLS.
The primitive log school-house was supplanted by a frame structure in 1855; among the teachers in this being Hamlin Fay, Mrs. Wood, Miss Stoy, Mrs. Butler and J. A. Campbell. The present fine three-story brick building was erected in 1867, at a cost of $12,000. The first teacher in it was Deck. Thomas.
964 HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
The first regular school was conducted by Rev. G. W. Bower- sox as Principal. He was succeeded by William H. McIntosh, L. L. Hamlin, James Burrier, Leavitt, J. P. Rouse, D. D. Luke, C. A. Fyke (three years), O. Z. Hubbell (one year) and Prof. T. J. Sanders, the present incumbent, who came here in the fall of 1882. There are in the building six rooms, with seven teachers. The present attendance is 350, and the annual enroll- ment 440.
RELIGIOUS.
The Methodist Episcopal society was organized about 1839 at "the corners," before any town had started. Four years later the society commenced holding its meetings one mile north of the present site of Butler, at the house of John McCurdy. After eighteen months another removal was made, to the school-house at the corners, and the membership at once in- creased from fifteen to ninety. Mr. McCurdy, who is still living at Butler, was then living on the farm now owned by Jeremiah Lewis. The frame church now used was built in 1855 and 1856, at a cost of $1,000. As much more has since been expended on a new roof, new stoves, new furniture, etc. The church is now very nicely fitted up. It is 34x 46 feet in dimensions. Mr. McCurdy is the only survivor of the first Board of Trustees. The first pastor of the society was Rev. Jesse Sparks. Among his successors have been: Revs. John Paul Jones, Metz, Lamb, J. J. Cooper (still in the Northern In- diana Conference), Lynch (now Presiding Elder), Cooper, Lamport (now at Ligonier), Wilkinson and D. C. Wolfert. The last named, the present incumbent, came in the spring of 1883. He was preceded by Mr. Wilkinson for three years, and Mr. Lamport was here for the three years immediately preceding Mr. Wilkinson. The church has now about 175 members. The Sunday-school is in a prosperous condition, under the superintendency of J. N. Lingenfelter.
St. Mark's Lutheran Evangelical Church was built about 1867, under the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Henderson. It is of brick, 70 x 45 feet in size, and originally cost between $4,000 and $5,- 000. It has been refitted twice at a cost of $3,000. It is very' nicely arranged, and will seat in the neighborhood of 500 per- sons. Mr. Henderson was followed for two and a half years by Rev. W. C. Barnett, brother of Dr. J. S. Barnett, who is now practicing in Butler. Mr. Barnett came here from Au-
HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY. 965
glaize County, Ohio, and is now in Dixon County, Tenn. The next to fill the pulpit was Rev. Jabez Shafer, who came from Monroeville, and remained two and a half years. He is now at Albion. His successor, at Butler, Rev. S. P. Snyder, came from Indiana County, Pa., and remained one year, going then to Illinois. He was followed in this pulpit by Rev. J. M. Mor- ris, who came from Berrien, Berrien Co., Mich., served two and a half years, and is now in Center Brunswick, Rensselaer Co., N. Y. Next, Rev. A. W. Burns came from Monroeville and officiated for three years. He is now in Michigan, and a mem- ber the M. E. church. D. F. Kain then came from Monmouth and remained two years. He is now in Williams County, Ohio. The present pastor, W. Dieffenbach, came from Dongola, Ill., in the spring of 1884. The membership of the church is about forty. The Sunday-school is under charge of Philip Plumb.
The Church of Christ was organized about 1870, and the church edifice erected about 1874. The latter is a frame structure on Oak street, and cost $3,500. Rev. James Harris, the first pas- tor, came from Licking County, Ohio, and remained one year. He is now in Nebraska. He was followed by Rev. James Hadsell, who came from Trumbull County, Ohio, and officiated one year. He died in 1878. The pulpit was next filled by Rev. Thomas Sutton, who came from Michigan, and died at Butler after three years of effective ministry. Under his leadership the church was built. For some time after his decease the society was without a pastor, but finally the services were secured of O. Q. Oviatt, who was then at Newville, but whose home was at Kendallville. After a year and a half at Butler he returned to his home where he now is. The present pastor, Rev. E. C. Faunce, came from Michigan (originally from Trumbull County, Ohio) in the spring of 1882. The church is in excellent condi- tion and has a membership of seventy. Mr. O. L. Young is Superintendent of the Sunday-school.
The Church of United Brethren in Christ was organized in Janu- ary, 1884, with a membership of forty, which at the present time has been increased to fifty. Their frame church building was erected in the fall of 1883, at a cost of $2,300, and dedicated in December, 1883. It is located on West North street. Rev. Joseph, of Pleasant Lake, Steuben County, served as their pas- tor until September, 1884, when the services were secured of Rev. W. O. Butler, of Waterloo.
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
SOCIETIES.
Forest Lodge, No. 239, F. & A. M., was organized in 1858, with the following as the first officers: H. S. Madden, W. M .; W. W. Straight, S. W .; W. R. Chilson, J. W .; Jason Hubbell, Sec .; J. H. Boon, Treas .; W. H. Madden, S. D .; A. Lampson, J. D .; Z. Handy, Tyler. The present officers are: F. W. Fanning, W. M .; S. W. Otis, S. W .; G. T. Johns, J. W .; F. A. Brink, Sec .; G. Wolff, Treas .; James Chambers,S. D .; C. S. Stoy, J. D .; John Bretzius, Tyler. The lodge is in splendid condition, having forty-five members, and meets the first and third Fridays of each month at Masonic Hall.
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