USA > Indiana > Huntington County > History of Huntington County, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the State of Indiana > Part 36
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CITY OF HUNTINGTON.
payments, and were continued until the fall of 1845, which was the last payment made here to the general body of the Indians, as they were removed to Kansas by the United States in 1846, excepting a few families that were permitted to remain. These families and their descendants continued to draw their propor- tion of the payment annually until the year 1880, when the last payment of principal and interest came due and was paid by the Government. But the sum thus distributed in the early settle- ment of the town and county went a long ways toward keeping off the hard times that usually pressed so hardly upon the new settlements, and to that extent gave Huntington an advantage over her neighbors.
Of the Indians who were privileged to remain, the most noted was Francis La Fontaine, or Chief La Fontaine as he was gener- ally called. La Fontaine's Indian name was To-pe-ah. He was born near Fort Wayne in 1810. He was married at about the age of twenty or twenty-one to Catharine the daughter of JohnB. Richardville, whose Indian name was Pin-ge-ugh.
Manifesting great interest in the welfare of his tribe, he be- came very popular, so that in 1841 he was elected principal chief of the Miamis, after which his principal residence was at and near Huntington.
In 1846 when the Indians removed to Kansas in accordance with the provisions of their treaty with the United States, La Fontaine went with them, although privileged to remain: he stayed with his people until the following spring, 1847, when he started to return to Huntington. The route of return was at that time from Kansas Landing, now Kansas City, on the Mis- souri River, down that river to the Mississippi River, down that river to the mouth of the Ohio River, thence up the Ohio to the mouth of the Wabash, and thence up that river to Lafayette, by steamboat, and from Lafayette to Huntington via Wabash and Erie Canal. At St. Louis on his return La Fontaine was taken sick: he continued his journey, however, until he reached La- fayette, when the disease had made such progress that he was unable to proceed further, and died there on the 13th of April, 1847, aged thirty-seven years. His body was embalmed at La- fayette and brought to Huntington for burial, and was interred in the burial ground of the Catholic Church.
He was a large, tall and robust man, weighing about 350 pounds and generally dressed in Indian costume. He left a widow andseven children, of whom two children, Mrs. Archangle Engleman, of this city, and Mrs. Esther Washington, of Kansas, are still living.
The town was incorporated by a special act of the Legis- lature of the State, February 16, 1848. The territory included within the corporate limits, consisted of the original plat, and the additions of Helvey, Johnson, Murray and La Fontaine.
Dr. Able M. Lewis was the first Mayor after the incorporation,
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
A. F. Stewart the first recorder, and John Roche, F. W. Sawyer, Albert A. Hubble and D. S. Meyers were the first trustees.
Dr. Lewis served as Mayor for three years, until March, 1851. William C. Smith was Mayor from March, 1851, to March, 1852. Marven Hecox, from March, 1852, until March, 1855.
Dr. A. M. Lewis again, from March, 1855, to March, 1856. William C. Kocher, from March, 1856, until March, 1857.
Henry Drover was elected Mayor in March, 1857, but served for only two months, when he resigned, and William C. Kocher filled the remainder of the term, until March, 1858.
Dr. L. C. Pomeroy was elected Mayor in March, 1858, and served until March, 1860.
Frederick Kopp was Mayor for one year from March, 1860, and Joseph Z. Scott for one year, from March, 1861.
William C. Kocher was elected Mayor in March, 1862, and served for three years, until March, 1865.
Samuel F. Day served as Mayor for one year from March, 1865, and William C. Kocher for one year, from March 1866, and Samuel F. Day from March, 1867, to March, 1868.
Benjamin F. Hendrix, from March, 1868, to March, 1869.
Peter L. Paullus, from March, 1869, to March, 1870.
William Brown, from March, 1870, to March 1871.
Porter Ayres was elected Mayor in March, 1871, but resigned on April 16th, following.
Richard A. Curran, served out the balance of the year until March, 1872.
William M. Thomas, was Mayor from March, 1872, to March, 1873.
George W. Stultz was elected mayor in March, 1873.
On the 17th day of September, 1873, the town having the requisite population therefor, and the people having voted in favor of the same with only two dissenting votes, the town was re-incorporated as a city, under the general laws of the state authorizing the same, and Mr. Stultz was re-elected and con- tinued to serve as Mayor of the city until May, 1878.
Samuel F. Day was elected Mayor in May, 1878, and served for two years.
Lawrence P. Boyle was elected Mayor in May, 1880, and served four years until May, 1884, when Samuel F. Day was again elected and is still serving the city as its Mayor to the very general satisfaction of its citizens.
The principal business part of the town was first located on West Market and State Streets from the store of Dr. Fate, (Daniel Shepper's property) eastward to Jefferson Street.
After the completion of the canal, "boat stores" and other places of business sprung up along the canal between the middle and upper locks; the middle lock was just below the basin at Shearer's warehouse, and as the county improved and grain be- gan to be brought in for sale, to be shipped on the canal, a large
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portion of the business was done by the stores near the canal, the business houses extending northward on Jefferson Street from the Market Street crossing and eastward along Matilda street with a few stores on Washington Street.
The erection of the stone hotel, known for many years as the " Rock House, " on the southeast corner of the present school house lot in the year 1835, by Gen. John Tipton, and of the large brick building, yet standing, on the opposite corner of the street in the year 1841, and the two large warehouses on the canal on opposite sides of Warren Street, gave that portion of the town a large share of the business for many years, the business houses at the lower end of West Market and State streets being gradu- ally abandoned, with the exception of the brick hotel known. as the American House, owned at the present time by the Misses Ayer, which had been erected in 1844, and still continues to com- pete for the hotel business. The location of the Wabash Railroad on the then south side of town, together with the gradual decay of the canal turned business southward along Jefferson Street, giving that street the business supremacy it still maintains. The construction of the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad and the round house shops, yards etc., in the east end of the city has extended the business portion of the city eastward along Market, Franklin and Warren Streets. The many manufacturing establishments located in different parts of the city are referred to under their proper headings.
The continued growth of the city is shown by the large and numerous additions that have from time to time been niade to its platted territory and corporate limits.
The first addition to the original plat was laid out by David Johnson, August 29, 1836, and lies eastward from the original plat along the river and south of State Street.
On April 24, 1837, Champion Helvey platted that part of the city lying north of State Street and south of the Wabash Railroad and Briant street, east of the original plat, and it is known as Helvey's addition.
January 29, 1838, Capt. Elias Murray added an addition that lies east and adjoining Byron street in the northeast part of the city.
The Indian Chief Francis La Fontaine, laid out La Fontaine's Addition on the west of the original plat, October 24, 1846.
Louis Hitzfield's first addition was laid out on the east side of the original plat in the northwest corner of Section 14, in Janu- ary, 1856.
The first addition south of the river in the Third Ward, or Drover's Town, was laid out by Henry Drover, August 22, 1857, on a part of the fractional southwest quarter of Section 15, and included about twenty acres.
May 23, 1859, Mr. Drover added largely thereto, including parts of Sections 15 and 22.
April 14, 1863, Mr. Drover subdivided 160 acres lying west of his other additions into out lots.
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
March 1, 1859, John Roche laid out Roche's addition west and north of La Fontaine's Addition, William Paul and Christian Koster platted Paul and Koster's addition out of a part of Lot 4, in Tract 2, of the Richardville Reserve, February 11, 1860. And John Roche laid out his railroad addition east of the origi- nal plat and north of the Wabash Railroad, Feburary 16, 1861.
October 27, 1862, John Hough, of Fort Wayne, laid out his ad- dition of out lots, in the northwest quarter of Section 11, on a part of which the round house and shops of the Chicago & Atlan- tic Railroad are now situated. And February 10, 1863, Josiah S. Sabin laid out his addition of out lots in the northeast quarter of Section 11.
January 24, 1864, Ewing's addition of out lots were laid out east of the then city limits, now nearly all included in Col. Briant's factory, saw mill and yards, and in Briant & Beppus' subdivision's, and the Chicago & Atlantic depot grounds, yards and right of way. Daniel Kitt's addition in the southeast part of the city, adjoining Drover's additions was laid out in Sep- tember, 1865.
January 18, 1866, Andrew J. Schlosser platted an addition in the southwest quarter of Section 14, east of Drover's addition.
James M. Bratton platted a part of Section 15, east of Drover's Addition, April 16, 1867.
Thomas La Fontaine's addition formed out of a part of Lot 1, in Tract 2, of the Richardville Reserve was laid out April 5, 1866.
Hawley's addition, lying east of Murray's addition in Section 10, was laid out in May, 1866.
Joseph Niley's addition, adjoining Murray's and Hawley's ad- dition was platted April 13th, 1867.
George J. Bippus' addition of out lots in the southwest quarter of Section 22 was laid out February 29th, 1842, and his second addition of out lots in the northeast quarter of said section, April 27th, 1872.
R. C. Mayne's first addition lying east of Schlosser's addition, was added to the city August 15th, 1873.
William G. Foust laid out Foust's addition in the northeast part of the city, east of Hitzfield's first addition, September 5th, 1874.
George R. Corlew's addition, adjoining Drover's addition on the south was laid out May 31st, 1875.
George Favorite's addition of out lots west of Drover's out lots was platted January 15th, 1876.
George J. Bippus' addition in Section 14, east of Mayne's ad- ditions, was laid out July 17, 1876.
Louis Hitzfield's second and third additions were laid out in January, 1877, and are now wholly included in the yards of the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad.
R. C. Mayne's second addition, lies east of his first addition, and was laid out December 21, 1877.
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CITY OF HUNTINGTON.
Henry Drover's fourth addition, in part of Section 15, was added to the city, June 3, 1878.
Charles H. Nix laid out a part of Section 10, north of Murray's and Hawley's additions, July 17, 1880.
The administrator of James Whitestine's estate laid out Whitestine's addition, June 30, 1882.
George J. Bippus' second addition, in Section 14, lies east of his first addition in said section, and was platted August 17, 1882.
B. Eisenhauer's addition was formed from a part of Lot 1, in Tract 2, Richardville Reserve, in the northwest part of the city, May 12, 1883.
Dr. F. S. C. Grayston's addition to the city was laid out upon a part of the northeast quarter of Section 14, in the east part of the city, June 13, 1883.
July 10, 1883, Caroline M. Lehmeyer laid out her addition in Section 15, west of Drover's fourth addition.
Timothy Collins' first addition is in part of Tract 7 of the Richardville Reserve, was platted September 7, 1883, in the north part of the city.
Drover's fifth addition, south of Drover's other additions, was laid out September 29, 1883.
R. C. Mayne's third addition lies east of his second addition and was platted October 20, 1883.
Mrs. Agnes McFarland's addition, lying east of Grayston's Addition and north of the Wabash Railroad, was laid out October 16, 1883.
John A. W. Kintz's addition, including and replatting a part of Nix's Addition, was laid out in Section 10, north of the city, December 4, 1883.
S. H. Purviance's Heirs' addition was platted south of Drover's additions, March 18, 1884.
Charles Foster's addition, on First Street, in the northeast part of the city, was platted May 3, 1884.
Dr. D. S. Leyman's addition, on a part of Tracts 2 and 22, in the Richardville Reserve, in the north part of the city, was laid out July 25, 1885.
John McCarthy's addition in said Tract 22, February 23, 1886.
George J. Bippus' addition in the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 14, east of Grayston's addition, was laid out May 31, 1886.
J. W. Purviance's addition, south of Purviance Heirs' addi- tion, was laid out by the administrator of his estate June 3, 1886.
George J. Bippus' Englewood addition, on Mt. Etna Avenue, south of J. W. Purviance's addition, was laid out September 28, 1886, and his addition of a part of the northeast quarter of Sec- tion 14, east of Ewing's addition, September 28, 1886.
Drover's Sixth addition south of Drover's other additions was laid out in October, 1886 and Catherine Giphart's addition east of Grayston's addition, December 3, 1886.
There has also been a large number of subdivisions of out
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lots and other parts of the above additions that are not given. The territorial area of the city is about 2.500 acres, extending for two and one-half miles east and west, up and down Little River, and about about two miles north and south.
The little town was almost depopulated in the summer of 1849, by that dreadful scourge of the East, the Asiatic cholera. Its dread- ful approach gave rise to the first Board of Health. The Board was appointed by the Common Council of the town, and consisted of Drs. C. D. Thayer, A. M. Lewis and F. W. Sawyer, and Messrs. John Roche and M. Crum, and they were given authority to take such necessary measures as they might deem best to prevent the appearance of the cholera, or to mitigate its severity if it should appear; the records do not disclose how faithfully the Board dis- charged its duty, but we readily believe they did all that could be done under the circumstances. But no human power could prevent the dread disease, and it is of record that two members of the Board of Health, Dr. Thayer and Mr. M. Crum were among its victims.
Victims of the disease generally died in great agony, within twenty-four hours after the attack.
On the first appearance of the disease a great many of the citizens of the town who could do so fled to the country or to other places where the disease did not exist, business men closed their places of business, and families left their dwellings in ter- ror of a disease that literally wasted at noonday, and for the time being the little town was a place of mourning. Those who could not leave, and a faithful few who would not leave the sufferers to their fate remained in the town, but trade and busi- ness were almost entirely suspended.
There were thirty-two deaths in the town, among whom were J. S. Hendryx, an attorney-at-law, and a member of the town council. Dr. Thayer and M. Crum, above named, of the Board of Health, and others. A sad romance is related of the last vic- tim who died of the disease, a Mr. Charles Follett, of Ohio. He was a young man of wealth and high social position and had come to the town to fulfill a marriage engagement with an esti- mable young lady residing here; he arrived in the town on Wednesday, the marriage ceremony having been fixed to take place on the following Sabbath, but on Friday night, after his arrival, he was taken sick with the prevailing disease, at his hotel, died on Saturday, and was buried on the Sabbath that had been set apart for his happy union with the bride of his choice.
After the epidemic had ceased, the citizens who had left the town during its prevalence returned, business houses were re- opened and the vacant dwellings again occupied, people from the country who had avoided the town came again to trade, and grad- ually the prosperity and progress of the town, that had been temporarily eclipsed, returned, and the fearful scourge was a thing of the past.
Five years afterward, in 1854, the epidemic returned and the
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former scenes of death, suffering, terror and flight were repeated; the faithful few again remained at the post of duty. The vic- tims from the citizens of the town numbered twenty-eight, but among the laborers at work on the Wabash Railway, then in course of construction through the county, the disease was more fatal and upwards of one hundred of them fell victims to its ravages.
After the subsidence of the disease in the early autumn the citizens who had fled from its approach again returned, business was resumed and the town again entered upon its course of prosperity, which happily was not again interrupted by any epi- demic until in the winter of 1872, when the small-pox in the course of a few weeks, caused the death of twenty-two citizens of the city, of whom was Dr. John G. Williams, the physician who was called to attend the first case, but through the prompt, energetic and efficient efforts of the Board of Health and the municipal authorities, the disease was rapidly quarantined, and soon ceased to exist. Since then there has been no attack of any epidemic disease.
Baptist Church. - The First Baptist Church, of Huntington, was organized in May, 1841. In January preceding twelve mem- bers of the Baptist Church, of New Carlisle, Ohio, came together as a Baptist Colony from that place to Huntington. They were: H. J. Betts and Nancy P. Betts, his wife; Charles Taylor and wife, Hugh Montgomery and wife, and their daughters, Lucy and Elizabeth: S. P. Barnes and John Kenower. In the organ- ization of the church they were joined by brother and sister Holliwell, lately removed from Milton, Wayne County, Ohio, and the church organized with these fourteen members.
Of these fourteen constituent members three are still living in the city and are members of the church they helped to organ- ize, namely: Mr. William Taylor, Deacon; John Kenower and Mrs. Elizabeth Purviance, formerly Elizabeth Montgomery.
H. J. Betts was the first clerk and one of the most active members of the little church from its organization until his death which occurred in September, 1844. His widow afterward married the late Judge William Shearer, father of Postmaster Maj. Shearer, and continued an active member of the church until her death in 1585.
The first pastor was Rev. David Lewis, and services were held the first and third Sabbaths in each month, the church to pay the pastor " whatever they could; " the amount expected was probably not large.
The pastor resigned in November following and the church was supplied with preaching occasionally, until July, 1842, when George Sleeper, a young man not yet ordained, was called to preach to the church. His compensation was to be $150 in money and boarding for himself and horse. He to give half his time to the church.
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
In October following the young preacher was regularly ordained and served the church faithfully for four years.
In April, 1843, Charles Taylor, John Kenower and H. J. Betts were appointed a committee to take measures to secure the erec- tion of a house of worship. The house was built of brick, was 34x45, one story, but was not completed until 1847, and cost $700. The building is still standing where it was originally built, nearly opposite the American House, on West Market Street.
The little brick building was occupied by the church until, 1867, when it was sold and the proceeds invested in the present spacious church building on East Market Street.
This building was begun August 12, 1866, and was dedicated August 9, 1868. It is of brick, 40x66, with a tower and spire in front 127 feet in height. There is a frame addition to the church in the rear, 34x45, for Sabbath School and social meetings, with a wing, 19x22, for the pastor's study and infant class room. The whole property is worth $10,000.
The church also own the lot in the rear of the church upon which they have erected a neat parsonage worth $2,000.
In the erection of the new church and parsonage, while each member of the church did all he reasonably could, it is but fair to state that to Deacon John Kenower belongs the credit of bear- ing the larger portion of the expense, and for their successful completion. It may, indeed, be truthfully said of the now white haired old deacon that during all the forty-six years he has been a member of this church, that he "he has done what he could."
The Sabbath School connected with the church was organized soon after the formation of the church and has always received the earnest care and support of the membership. It is now pre- sided over by Mr. John Mangus with an average attendance of over 100.
The church membership at this time is 115.
The pastors in charge of the church have been, David Lewis, from July, 1841, to November 1841.
George Sleeper, from July, 1842 to November, 1846; Able Johnson, from January, 1847 to October, 1847; Eli Reese, from January, 1848 to April, 1850; H. S. Skinner, from September, 1850 to September, 1852; W. B. Miller, from January, 1858; J. B. Chamberlain, from January, 1858 to October, 1859; James Goodrich, from October, 1859 to September, 1862; C. A. Haven, from January, 1863 to February, 1864; A. Virgil, from July, 1865; to February, 1866; Charles Morton. from April 1, 1866 to July, 1867: S. A. Kingsbury, D. D., from November, 1867 to July, 1869; C. A. Clark, from July, 1869, to May, 1871; S. A. Kingsbury, from September, 1871 to January, 1873, J. C. Barkholder, from Oc- tober, 1873 to April, 1876; G. P. Osborne, from April, 1876 to April 1879: Kline, from 1880 to 1882; George H. McDowell, from 188- to 188 -; George A. Starkweather, from June, 1885: to July, 1886; and Parmenter, the present incumbent, since September, 1886.
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Two of the pastors were ordained while serving the church, namely George Sleeper, October 29, 1842, and Eli Reese, January 16, 1848.
Presbyterian Church .- The First Prebysterian Church was or ganized in Huntington, November 11, 1843, by Rev. Samuel Steele and Rev. Thomas Anderson, in the old court house, with William Steele, Nancy L. Steele, James C. Best, Jane Best, Catherine McClellan, Phebe Anderson, Belinda Anderson and Philander Anderson, as constituent members. Of these eight, two are yet living in the city and are members of the church, namely, Mrs. Nancy L. Steele and Mrs. Belinda Moore, nee Belinda Ander- son. William L. Steele was ordained the first Ruling Elder, Jacob Kenower, who had united with the church upon letter from the church at New Carlisle. Ohio, was elected and ordained as the second Ruling Elder in December, 1843. The church for a time used the court house for church services, afterward, through the generosity of the Methodist Church, they were permitted to use their house of worship until the increasing membership of that church made it impracticable for two congre- gations to occupy the same house.
The church then occupied a second story hall on Jefferson Street for about two years, when the owner of the building con- verted the hall into other uses.
The congregation for a time then accepted the use of the Christian Church, until that organization demanded the use of their house for all the time.
Houseless and homeless, the little band resolved to put their efforts together and build a house of worship for themselves. In 1844, Judge Hanna, of Fort Wayne, had given the society a lot in the city. This was sold, and in 1861 the present site of the church building was purchased, and by the aid of the Church Erec- tion Society, the present neat and convenient church building was erected thereon and dedicated in July, 1864. The building is brick, has a seating capacity of 400, and cost $1,000.
It is related of old Elder Kenower, who throughout all the changing locations of the congregation, had carried hymn books, communion service, and whatever else was needed, to the differ- ent places of worship, when he brought the books, and other things that had been his care so long, into the new building, that he exclaimed with tears in his eyes, "Thank God I am done car- rying books; we are at home now and I have lived to see it."
Father Kenower, as he was familiarly called, was for a time the only male member of the church residing in the town, and the church was spoken of as "Father Kenower and his flock." He was Elder and Sexton during all this time and chorister for twenty-three years before his death, in August, 1866.
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