USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Dekalb County, Indiana, with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families > Part 17
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MILLS.
At the mouth of Fish creek, in 1827, Houlton & Hughes erected their saw mill; and Mr. Casebeer had a grist mill in operation near the same time. Higher up Samuel Kepler had another, and at the outlet of Fish lake, were the Hamilton mills, owned by John Fee.
FIRST OFFICERS.
The first justice of the peace of Troy township was A. S. Casebeer, and the others who followed were: S. Learned, Hambright Reese, Jacob Helwig, G. C. Everetts, John McDonald and George Smiley. Early constables were : Willard Eddy, Peter Helwig, R. R. Emmerson, H. Casebeer and George Smiley. Among the trustees prior to 1860 were: Amos Stearns, Jacob Helwig, Roger Aldrich, Jacob Casebeer, John Robinet, Peter Jennings, W. R. Emmerson, Simeon Aldrich, William Knisely, B. Wise, B. Wallick. Timothy McClure and Daniel Knisely. W. R. Herbert, A. F. Pinchin, F. G. Biddle and D. McCurdy were clerks during the same period, while the office of treas- urer was filled by S. Learned, D. W. Aldrich, J. A. Zimmerman, Amos Stearns and G. C. Everetts.
ARTIC.
The Artic postoffice was established in 1850, and was in charge of Amos Stearns until his death in 1860. His son James was the postmaster during the following three years, and then John Stearns for one year. Resigning, he was succeeded by James McDonald, who held the office when it was discon- tinued in 1865. It was re-established in 1884, with Joseph Bell as postmaster.
In 1880, the population of Troy township was 646; in 1890, 607; in 1900, 520; and in 1910, 500.
SPENCER TOWNSHIP.
The board of county commissioners, on June 7, 1909, divided the town- ship of Concord, and named the lower half Spencer township. The division was for school purposes entirely, and although much controversy and hard feeling existed at the time, the two townships at present are enjoying mutual prosperity.
Interurban Bridge between Garrett and Auburn Ind.
ONE OF MANY BEAUTIFUL SCENES IN DEKALB COUNTY
The OLD Mill.
Spencerville Ind.
ONE OF DEKALB COUNTY'S OLD LANDMARKS
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DEKALB COUNTY, INDIANA.
SPENCERVILLE.
Spencerville is the only town of any consequence in the township. The town has about two hundred and seventy-five people, and several good busi- ness houses and stores. Two churches and two lodges have existence here. The town is not incorporated. One school building, a very complete and excellent structure, was erected in 1909 at a cost of seven thousand dollars. The Wabash railroad runs about two miles west of the town, and transfer is provided to the station.
GRANT TOWNSHIP.
On September 8, 1889, the county commissioners, acting under a peti- tion of tax-payers and voters, made the north half of Union township into a new township, to be known as Grant township. The area comprised in this new division was sections one to eighteen.
WATERLOO.
Four and a half miles north of Auburn is located the town of Waterloo, in Grant township. The town was formerly in Union township, but upon the division of the latter, the place fell within the bounds of the new town- ship of Grant. Two branches of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad meet at Waterloo, making the town important as a shipping center. In 1890 the town had a population of one thousand four hundred and seventy- three ; in 1900, one thousand two hundred and forty-four; and in 1910, one thousand one hundred and sixty seven.
The first settlement near the present site of Waterloo was made near Cedar creek, northeast, and was called Uniontown; it is now a mere suburb to Waterloo. Wesley Park erected a board shanty on the site of Uniontown in 1838 as a shelter for two men who were building a bridge over Cedar creek at that point. In November, 1838, D. Altenburg and L. Walsworth and their families, together with the two bridge builders, passed a night while the settlers were on their way from Steubenville to their selections of land in Union township.
Owing to the fact that the place was on the line of the state road from Fort Wayne north through Angola, and being remote from other settlements, it was thought to be a splendid site for a town, and accordingly a plat was made by Frederick Krum. George Trout built a store building and estab-
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lished a trading point. The firm of M. & A. Hale next entered the merchan- dise business. James Bowman erected a water power saw mill, and about 1856, after the laying out of Waterloo, changed it to a steam power mill. Richard Burniston was the local blacksmith; Dr. Jones the physician, Mr. Wareham the gunsmith, and a Mr. Smith had a cabinet shop.
The construction of the air line by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad through the county caused the platting of Waterloo City, as it was called for several years, there being another Waterloo in the state. Miles Waterman, afterward a member of the Legislature, owned a tract of land south of Uniontown, lying on both sides of the railroad track. On this tract he laid out the town of Waterloo, assisted by John Hornberger, and the acknowledgment was taken before Justice of the Peace George Wolf on March 14, 1856. A railroad office was the first structure raised. Eli William- son, the pioneer carpenter, built the first dwelling house. Store buildings were erected by James Irving and John Wood, and rented. The sale of lots and buildings began and continued at a very lively rate, and the population began to increase. Some of the men who moved in were: T. Y. Dickinson, after- ward publisher of the Waterloo Press; Dr. J. N. Chamberlain, sheriff of county from 1860 to 1862; Henry Willis, who filled the same office from 1864 to 1868; Jacob Kahn, merchant; Gen. Lewis J. Blair. John Shull opened the first tavern, which was later known as the Central House. J. P. Beers, from Auburn, was the first lawyer in the town. The first grist mill was built and run by Josiah and Jonathan Weaver, and it stood in Union- town and was built in 1868. George Thompson and Best, Mcclellan & Moody later erected mills. The latter firm suffered a total loss by fire in 1876. Waterloo has the honor of having had the first fire department in the county.
WATERLOO IN 1913.
The United States census of 1910 places the number of people in Water- loo as eleven hundred and sixty-seven. The town is well located on two railroads, and enjoys increasing prosperity as a shipping point for the sur- rounding country. The present town board is composed of the following men : J. E. Dilgard, W. F. Bowman, John Dunn, Wesley Beidler, and Samuel Gfellers. W. R. Newcomer is clerk, Verne W. Lowman is treasurer; and W. H. Ettinger is marshal. A new town hall was built in the year 1912, to re- place the one destroyed by the windstorm of November 1I, 19II, which swept over the town from a northeasterly direction, and entailed a hundred thousand dollar loss to the town. The new town hall is modern in equipment and cost
UNION ST. LOOKING EAST. WATERLOO, IND. 27 H. WILLIS &SON PURE
PICTURESQUE WATERLOO
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twelve thousand dollars. The Indiana Public Utilities Company, an outside corporation, supplies water and light to the town. Gas, paved streets and sewerage have not yet been installed in the town.
LIBRARY HISTORY.
The first steps taken to procure a library for Waterloo were taken in the fall of 1911. On the evening of December 5, 1911, Miss Ora Williams, of Indianapolis, one of the state organizers, came to Waterloo, and a public meeting was called at the old United Brethren church, and the library law and its scope fully explained. A committee from the Fortnightly club, the Minerva club, the Progressive club, and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, was appointed to proceed with the work of organization. Not until the summer of 1912, however, was the work pushed. Then they got busy and the necessary subscription was soon raised, and at the July meeting of the town board the petition and the subscription list were presented and the town board ordered the levy to be made. One of the first official acts of the newly appointed town board was the issuance of an invitation to the advisory boards of Grant and Smithfield townships to join in the establishment of a public library. Smithfield township took no action, but the advisory board of Grant township wanted an expression from their people. The necessary signatures of the tax payers was obtained, and the levy made.
A room in the Denison block was rented, and Bertha Knott was appointed librarian, and on November 20, 1912, the library was opened to the public. Book showers, donations by individuals and clubs, entertainments by the Rebekah lodge and high school societies furnished money to buy books, and four hundred books were on the shelves and the state loaned two hundred more.
The erection of a building had been discussed early and the secretary of the board was instructed to open up correspondence with the Carnegie corporation. After some delay this was done, and on March 26, 1913, the Carnegie board pledged nine thousand dollars for the building with the con- ditions that a site must be donated and the town and township to guarantee to raise nine hundred dollars annually to maintain the library. On April 14, the board selected the two Showalter lots on the corner of Wayne and Maple streets as the best site for the new building and the purchase money was con- tributed by the people of the south side. Wilson B. Parker, of Indianapolis, was chosen as architect. On June 28th, contracts were let. Goodall & Sons, of Peru, secured the contract. The new building will be ready for dedication sometime in December, 1912, or the first of the year 1913.
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DEKALB COUNTY, INDIANA.
UNION TOWNSHIP.
The township of Union is centrally located, and may be regarded as the most important in the county, due to the location within its limits of Auburn, the county seat. Union township is bounded on the north by Grant township, on the west by Richland and Keyser, on the south by Jackson, and on the east by Wilmington. Cedar creek runs down from the northwest corner, through the township and leaves near the southwest corner. This drains the town- ship very thoroughly, although not many years ago there were several tama- rack swamps in it. The northern and western portions of the area are generally rolling and somewhat sandy. The southeastern part is more level, and of a clayey constituency. The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, the Vandalia of the Pennsylvania system, and the Baltimore & Ohio railroads cross the township at various points.
ORGANIZATION.
Union is one of the oldest townships in the county, being but two months younger than Franklin. At the first regular meeting of the board of com- missioners of DeKalb county, September 5, 1837, those present being Peter Fair, Samuel Widney and A. F. Beecher, it was "ordered that the con- gressional township 34 north, range 13 east, be organized as a township for judicial (civil) purposes, to be known by the name of Union township, and that townships 34 and 35 north, range 12 east, and townships 33 and 35 north, range 13 east, be attached thereto." It was also ordered "that Wesley Park be appointed supervisor for the road district No. I, comprising the whole of Union township; and all the lands residing within said township are allotted to said district." The first election was appointed for the first Mon- day in December following, and Lanslot Ingman was named as inspector of elections.
Among the early justices of the peace of Union township were: Lanslot Ingman, David Altenburg, John Carpenter, W. Griswold, John Davis, G. Wolf, S .W. Russell, J. D. Davis, J. W. Case, and William Lessig. Early constables were: J. O. P. Sherlock, William Shirter, Lyman Chidsey, T. J. Freeman, Isaac Latson, Joseph Garver, John Drury, Z. Tanner, H. Siberts, J. Powlas, H. Jones, L. Weaver, S. Bowman, L. Leasure, Jonathan Hall, A. O. Espy, J. Haun, Zopher Johnson, Jeremiah Plum, William Valeau, Andrew Harsh, J. H. Piles, Emanuel Miller, George Jones, and J. B. Howard. The 3
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trustees prior to 1860 were: J. B. Rockwell, David Altenburg, J. F. Coburn, John Husselman, N. Payne, James C. George, C. Simonds, S. W. Sprott, Aaron Hague, James R. Cosper, T. J. Freeman, Kneeland Abbott, William Middleton, Henry Clay, G. R. Baker, J. E. Hendricks, A. Watkins, T. R. Dickinson, H. Moneysmith, D. Eldridge, J. Hawk, Dr. W. Dancer, Jacob Cupp, J. J. Huffman, John Davis, O. A. Parsons, O. C. Houghton, John Somers, John Lightner, W. W. Griswold, Adam Stroh, J. K. Hare, John Ralston. S. Sanders, and Jacob McEntaffer. Isaac Kutzner and John C. St. Clair were early assessors.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
In discussing the first settlement of DeKalb, the most will be written in the history of Auburn, as the pioneer story of that town is practically synonymous with that of the township. Early settlers in the township on farms were: Kneeland Abbott on the south, David Altenburg and Levi Walsworth on the east, and the Husselmans and McEntaffers on the north. Altenburg and Walsworth moved in during November, 1838; James R. Cosper and John Weeks in the spring of 1841 ; and the same year John Somers and Lyman Chidsey settled southeast of Auburn. In the northeast, Rockwell, Lightner and Morringston were the first settlers. Two days were occupied with raising the heavy frame of the Husselman barn, and most of the settlers for miles around were engaged in the work.
In 1880 the population of Union township, exclusive of Auburn and Waterloo was 1,200; in 1890, including Auburn 3,050; in 1900, 4,032; in 1910, 4,710.
THE CITY OF AUBURN.
By Wesley Park.
In the fall of 1836 the first settler of Auburn, Wesley Park, entered land adjoining that of John Houlton, the first settler of the county. It is said that a Mr. Comstock opened the first store in the town of Auburn. Thomas J. Freeman, who occupied a frame building at Park's corners, ap- plied for a license on March 5, 1838, to sell goods. He brought his supplies from Fort Wayne on horseback, using a pair of saddlebags. Freeman kept whiskey, for liquor was much used among the Indians and settlers, who liked its qualities as a preventative of chills.
On November 5, 1838, Daniel Strong and Isaac T. Aldrich, newly chosen commissioners, together with Peter Fair, a member of the old board, met
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at the house of Wesley Park. The books of the early county, and the first records, were written upon all kinds of manuscript, even family records. As the commissioners met at different times and settlers moved into the county, the few officials having their headquarters at Auburn, were employed in reducing townships areas and districts, until the congressional became the boundary of the civil townships.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The settlers watched neither times nor seasons in their emigration, but waded the snows of winter, or in the summer, following Miller's trace, skirt- ing the swamps, and, until a land entry could be made, accepting the hospitali- ty of the resident settlers. For several years Auburn was little more than a name, and many lots were bought and held by speculators. In 1839, there was a small sale of lots, but little building upon them. Several men came in the fall of 1839, boarded with Wesley Parks and Freeman, and bought land and lots. aided in the selection by Parks, who charged a small fee for his services. Daniel Altenburg and Levi Walsworth came from Steubenville in November, 1838, having a very difficult journey through the snow and swamp land. Wolves howled in the darkness around their night camps on the trail, and strange and fearsome noises occurred in the forests around them. They expressed themselves as mighty glad to reach the settlement. On January 17, 1840, the Sherlock family came. In 1841 came Samuel W. Sprott, David Weaver, David Shoemaker, Henry Curtis, Lyman Chidsey. James R. Cosper and David Cosper.
TAVERNS.
At this time there were four taverns in Auburn, and their cheery inter- jor was utilized by the settlers as a rendezvous where
"A mug of ale, and hearty jest Did never fail to give a zest"
to the merry companies that assembled there. These taverns were owned by Thomas J. Freeman, O. A. Parson, J. O. Sherlock and Nelson Payne. In the year 1841, there was much sickness in the settlement at Auburn. The old mill dam north of the village was deemed responsible for the fever and ague that came upon the community. The water backed up at the dam, and was a veritable hotbed of malerial germs, according to the settlers. They said that maleria was worse in the morning and evening, for the air, when
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heated, arose, bearing miasma with it, and toward evening as the surface cooled, the malaria sank again to the earth. No medicine could remove the disease while the malaria existed. In this age, we know that such was not the cause of malaria. The breeding and re-breeding of germs caused alter- nate fever and chill, for the germs lived in the blood, not in the old mill dam, although the mill dam was the home of the mosquito which carried the germ to the human body. Provisions were scarce, the wildness of the sur- rounding country, and the fewness of the inhabitants, in number seventy-two, made this year a miserable one and a tax to the strongest and most optimistic pioneer. Dr. Ross, R. B. Cooper and Eli Pritchard were the only doctors.
In 1842, Samuel W. Ralston came to DeKalb county, and found here eight families, among them being those of Wesley Park, O. A. Parsons, J. Puffenberger, Lanslot Ingman, J. O. Sherlock and Nelson Payne.
In 1843, O. C. Houghton and family, of New York, came to the settle- ment, and Houghton bought the steam mill owned by Wesley Park. Aaron Hague and David S. Shoemaker also came in this year. This year is noted on account of the terrific hurricane which swept over DeKalb county, level- ing grain fields, unroofing cabins, felling giant trees of the forest, and perform- ing many peculiar freaks by force of the winds. The next year was also one to be remembered, for the winter was one of the severest in the whole history of DeKalb county. In 1845, efforts were made to have the old mill dam north of the town removed, and the case was even taken to the courts.
STREET BEGINNINGS.
The Fort Wayne and Coldwater state road through Auburn bore the name of West street, and the Defiance and Goshen state road laid out as entering on Seventh street and leaving on Third street. Cedar street was platted as Main street, and a street east was East street, but was vacated in 1855, because its course led through the bottom lands of Cedar creek and swamps. From Ninth street south to Fifteenth street, was a swampy tract too low for drainage, covered with rank vegetation in the summer. John Kruger established an ashery at the east end of the street. In the year 1848, the taxes for Auburn amounted to $18,337.39.
INCORPORATION AS TOWN.
In the year 1849, Auburn was incorporated as a town, and divided into wards, as follows: First ward, all north of Fourth street; second ward, be-
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tween Fourth and Eighth streets; third ward, between Eighth and Twelfth streets; fourth ward, between Twelfth and Green streets; fifth ward, remain- ing south of Green street. The election for officers was held on September 22, and C. A. Parsons, Wesley Park, Nelson Payne, James T. Bliss and Joel E. Hendricks were named as the first board of trustees. These men served in their official capacity without compensation of any kind-except possibly a political favor now and then. T. R. Dickinson was appointed clerk of the new town, Egbert B. Mott, treasurer, and William B. Dancer, assessor. In the fall of 1849, quite a colony of people emigrated from Stark county, Ohio.
At an adjourned meeting of the board of trustees of Auburn, held April 30, 1853, at the store of S. B. Ward, it was resolved: "That in and from this time and henceforth this town be incorporated and governed as provided in Sec. 56, of chapter 108, of the revised statutes of 1852." These laws state that a town may, by resolution, become incorporated under this act, but the same shall be deemed a surrender of all the rights and franchises acquired under any former act of incorporation. The officers were specified to remain the same. Thus, Auburn was again incorporated, but to what advantage it is not known. In the year 1853, also, sidewalks were established at a width of ten feet, and the planting of shade trees was authorized within the ten feet. This was done, and today Auburn's many trees beautify the town.
The first hotel, intended as such, was kept by T. J. Freeman, who some years afterward built the hostelry known as the Franklin House, also Gris- wold and later Auburn House. Samuel Reed was the first minister in Au- burn, representing the Methodist Episcopal denomination. The first resident carpenter was James R. Cosper, and later Samuel Ralston, Amos Hutchin- son and O. C. Houghton came. The first cabinet makers were J. O. P. Sherlock, John Johnson and L. Ingman. The first gunsmith was Isaac Savage, and afterwards, Charles Stimely. The first wagon maker was Jona- than Hall. Philip Fluke was the first tanner. The first shoemakers were: Cyrus Smith, A. Forshee, S. Latson; the first harness maker, William Abright; tinner, Isaac Jones, Sr., and hatters, Joseph Garver, John Tridell and J. D. Davis. John Tridell started the first foundry on the site of the postoffice.
At the close of the Civil war Auburn was a very quiet and retired vil- lage of about seven hundred inhabitants, its principal features being two,. long, tree-lined streets, the new court house, the woolen factory and the academy. The academy and woolen factory were afterwards destroyed by fire, also the court house.
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The early religious, educational, medical and legal history of the present city of Auburn is discussed fully in the respective chapters dealing with those subjects.
INCORPORATION AS CITY.
In the latter part of the month of April, 1900, the town of Auburn was incorporated as a city of the fifth class. The town board held its last meeting on May 4th, of that year, and then the following officers took office for the first time : Mayor, Don A. Garwood : clerk, C. B. Weaver ; treasurer, David A. Hodge; marshal, E. Morton, Hilkey; councilmen, John Zimmer- man, Milen E. Garrett, John B. Rolape, Howard B. McCord, Perry A. Muhn and Eli T. Cochran. Thomas H. Sprott became mayor in 1902; J. Y. W. McClellan in 1904; George O. Denison in 1906, and H. R. Culbertson, the present incumbent, in 1910. James Y. W. McClellan will take the office in January, 1914. The other officers of the city at this date are : E. O. Little, clerk; E. E. Shilling, treasurer; John Kerran, marshal; J. H. St. Clair, E. A. Johnson, Frank Shook, T. H. Leasure and O. J. Wise, councilmen. A new city hall is in process of construction for the use of the city officials, fire department and assembly rooms. This structure is a handsome one of brick with stone trimmings, and will cost when completed, thirty-five thou- sand dollars.
PUBLIC UTILITIES.
Auburn possesses public improvements proportionately equal to any other city in northern Indiana. Five miles of asphalt paving add to the beauty of the city, and the streets are at all time.kept clean and in the best of condition. The absence of heavy traffic is a saving factor to the asphalt. and consequently, holes and rips are seldom observed. An extensive sewer- age system of about seven miles is but another of the sanitary features of the city. Cement walks, lined with beautiful shade trees, with the many artistic residences, make Auburn typically a "city of homes."
The Auburn water and light works was constructed in the year 1898, at an original cost of thirty-five thousand dollars. The plant is now valued at one hundred thousand dollars. The water is drawn from deep artesian wells, and is of first quality, in clearness and purity. The gas for the city is supplied from the Indiana Light and Heat Company of Fort Wayne, which also furnishes the artificial gas to Garrett and Kendallville.
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LIBRARY.
About seventeen years ago, when a committee, of which Charles Eckhart was chairman, established a reading room in the building now occupied by the Maze cafe, the first steps might be said to have been taken toward the erection of an efficient library for the public. The original Culture Club had in the meantime provided a library for its members and others who contri- buted to the support of the institution. At that time, however, there existed no library laws as we now have, and abandonment of all these movements was necessitated for want of proper support. The late W. H. Keckler, when president of the Commercial club, became interested in the matter, and he appointed a committee, but unfortunately, this body did nothing.
The various clubs appointed delegates who met conjunctively and Miss Merica Hoagland, then state librarian, gave a thorough discussion relative to the requirements and the methods of procedure necessary to take advan- tage of the state law. The clubs subsequently submitted reports stating the amounts of money they would contribute and while the result demonstrated the great momentum the movement had gained, it was not equal to the sum necessary for the expedition of the plans. The Thursday Evening club then districted the town of Auburn, assigning territory for each member to can- vass. The result was a subscription which assured success for the library.
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