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 81
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The township was first organized by the Board of County Commissioners, September, 1842, and designated by the name of
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Monroe. "For reasons not now known, it was reorganized in June, 1845, at which time it received the name by which it has since been known."
The first settler of the township was John Lewis, who made a tour of the country in 1834, and selected a site for a home on the farm now owned by Messrs. Simonton and Bippus, in Section 5. He entered this and other tracts in various parts of the county, and immediately thereafter erected a cabin for the reception of the other members of his family, who moved out the following spring. Mr. Lewis had formerly been a business man of New York City, but owing to certain reverses, concluded to try his fortune in the then far west. He was a resident of Union for several years, but subsequently engaged in business at Huntington, in which city his death occurred a number of years ago. His son, William H. D. Lewis, came the same time, and for a number of years was permanently identified with the early growth and development of the township. He is at this time an honored resident of Hunt- ington, and one of the oldest residents of the county now living. The same year in which the Lewis family settled in the township, witnessed the arrival of Jeremiah Barcus, who located on what is now the Briant farm, a tract of land at that time owned by Mr. Hanna, of Fort Wayne, who entered it a short time previous. Mr. Barcus resided upon the same for a period of five or six years and then moved to another part of the township. John McEwen, in 1836, settled on the Renbarger farm, in Section 32, and about the same year Joel Seeley settled west of the Lewis place in the northern part of the township, Section 6. Mr. Seeley moved here from Michigan, and a little later was joined by Cyrus Adams and a Mr. Barnhart, both of whom made homes in the same part of the township. The place upon which the former made his first improvements was gotten from Mr. Lewis, who made a deed for 100 acres as compensation for a barn which Mr. Adams erected for him. John Freel came to the township as early perhaps as 1836, and purchased a tract of land in Section 29, upon which he erected a small log cabin the same year. He moved his family from Ohio, but owing to the distance of his new home from any settlement, and the presence of large numbers of wolves, which had the effect to completely "frighten him out," did not occupy his cabin at once, but resided for about one year in Huntington. He moved to his place in 1837, and was a resident of the town- ship for a number of years.
Another pioneer of 1837, was the Rev. William Stevens, who had the honor of being one of the earliest preachers and peda- gogues in the northern part of the county. He settled near the Lewis place in the northern part of the township, locating on land for which he engaged to teach and preach a specified length of time as pay. Finding a better opening near Fort Wayne for the exercise of ministeral and scholastic attainments, he subse- quently asked to be released from the contract, and moving to Allen County continued his professional career there for several
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years. Frederick Yahne was an early settler in Section 5, mov- ing to the township from the State of Ohio, and purchasing from Mr. Lewis. He subsequently moved to Jackson Township, where a son, Emanuel Yahne, also an early settler, still resides. Con- spicuous among the early comers was Adam Young, who is said to have been the first German settler in Huntington County. His first appearance in the township was as a common tramp, being alone, friendless and penniless with no definite destination in view. Passing the residence of Mr. Lewis, while making his way from Mr. Vermilyeas, in Jackson Township to Huntington, he stopped and requested a breakfast, promising to pay for the same in any kind of work which the family saw fit for him to do. After eating his breakfast he was told to make himself use- ful in the potato patch near the house, in which he at once went to work with such a will as to surprise even Mrs. Lewis, who was never known to take very kindly to foot pads. He worked on until noon, and after dinner resumed his hoeing, having no inten- tion of quitting until the task was finished, the family in the meantime wondering if he was going to take his departure or not. His manner of working, together with his gentlemanly demeanor, pleased Mr. Lewis, who about the middle of the after- noon concluded to hire the honest German if he desired employ- ment. A bargain was soon made, Mr. Young agreeing to work for $12.00, which Mr. Lewis paid him regularly for a period of seven years. He subsequently purchased a tract of land near Roach's Prairie, Section 27, and was also instrumental in induc- ing quite a number of German friends to locate in the township, sending money to the old country at different times for the pur- pose of bringing his friends and relatives across the water. He is remembered as an honest old bachelor, who went through life with few, if any, enemies. Charles H. Lewis, brother of John Lewis, settled in Section 5 about the year 1839, and another brother, Tomkins D. Lewis, entered several tracts of land and be- came a resident of the township in an early day, also. Murray, Richard, Hugh and Stephen Freel made homes in the southern part of the township many years ago, and as early as 1838 or 1839, Joseph Seibert, William Whitestine, James Whitestine and Alfred Harris settled in the northern part of the township, the first named locating in Section 5, the Whitestines a short distance south of the river, and Harris near the Wabash & Erie Canal. James Thompson and a Mr. Branstrater entered land and moved to the township in an early day, as did also many others, among whom were a man by the name of Barnes, Benja- min Brown and Rufus Sanders.
After the completion of the Wabash & Erie Canal, a large tract of land lying between Wabash and Little Rivers, was purchased by speculators, in consequence of which, no perma- nent settlements were attempted in that part of the township, until after the year 1842 or '43. " The dense forests were left undisturbed, and afforded an excellent hunting ground, and as
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provisions were sometimes scarce, the settlers not unfrequently resorted to this means of replenishing their stores." These lands, with other parts of the township, were purchased and im- proved from time to time, and among the later settlers may be mentioned the following persons: Aaron Hill, Benjamin Hill, Daniel Feighner, John S. Young, Alexander Smith, Samuel Kline, John Kline, Adam Smith, Jesse R. Haney, Henry Kline, John Anson, Austin T. Smith, Aaron Smith, John C. Guthrie, John Silver, Martin Call, John Heron, Daniel M. Shank, William O. Jones, Seth Smith, Atchison Smith, and Samuel Hayes.
Miscellaneous Items .- The first road in the township is the one leading from Fort Wayne to Lafayette, which was cut out from Tippecanoe to Fort Meigs many years before any settle- ments were attempted in Huntington County. It was first used by the United States Troops in passing between those two points, and although considerably changed in later years, is still an extensively traveled highway.
The early houses of the pioneers were the conventional round log cabins, common to all newly settled countries, and it was not until the lapse of several years that improved struc- tures took the place of these rude and homely habitations. Some of the settlers early became great experts in this primi- tive kind of architecture, and it is related of one man that he made a considerable sum of money, building cabins at $50 a piece. The first hewed log houses in the township, were erected by Joel Seeley and Mr. Barnhart, and among the earliest frame houses was the one built by Mr. Branstrater. John Lewis, in 1835, set out the first orchard in the township, with trees which he brought from Long Island, New York; many of these trees are still standing, and although more than a half century old, bear fruit nearly every year.
The first death in the Township is said to have been that of Charles Prime, a colored man, who accompanied Mr. Lewis from the City of New York. He died in the year 1837, and lies buried on what is known as the Silver's place. A man by the name of Wolf died in an early day, as did also Mr. Barnhart, and the wife of Tomkins D. Lewis, the last two of whom departed this life some time in the forties. On the 8th day of August, 1836, occurred the first birth in Union, that of Oscar L., son of John and Miriam Lewis. John Barnes; son of one of the earliest settlers on the Little River, was born soon after the family came to the country. Emaline A., sister of Oscar L. Lewis, was born November 27, 1838, and on the 9th day of October, 1841, was born to the same parents another son, Theodore Lewis. Perhaps the first marriage in the township was that of Cyrus Adams, to Jane, daughter of Joel Seeley, solemnized within a short time after the groom moved to the county.
About the year 1840, occurred a distressing accident resulting in the instant death of a stranger, who was working at the time for Mr. Lewis. He was cutting down a tree which in its descent
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split a considerable distance up the trunk, and twisting around suddenly a part of it struck him in the head crushing his skull into a perfect jelly.
A man by the name of Allerton, a workman on the Wabash road, was accidently killed about the time the road was being cut through the county. It appears that he was assisting in digging out a large tree, and in order to make it fall a certain direction he was ordered to clinch it and fasten a rope to one of the limbs. No sooner had he reached the limb than the tree came to the ground crushing him to death in the fall.
William Whitestine, while assisting in raising a log stable, about the year 1865, missed his footing on the building and with the log which he was attempting to adjust fell to the ground, the fall killing him almost instantly.
The accidental death of John Silver, one of the substantial citizens of the township, in 1872, was an event that cast a shade of gloom over the entire community. He, with a man, was re- pairing his well, and while near the bottom, a part of the pump which was being drawn up slipped from the chain, falling upon him with such force as to cause his immediate death.
Another casualty was the drowning of William Cramer, in Little River, in 1884. It appears that he had just shot a duck and in attempting to wade to it got in water beyond his depth.
As is well known Union Township is pre-eminently an agri- cultural district, and but few manufacturing enterprises have been attempted within its borders. The near proximity to saw- mills on the Wabash and Little Rivers in adjoining townships afforded the early settlers means of obtaining lumber, and it was not until within a comparatively recent date that steam saw- mills were brought to the township. The first mill of any kind was built by Andrew Branstrater on Flat Creek, near the eastern boundary of the township, about the year 1847. It was operated quite successfully in an early day and manufactured much of the lumber used by the pioneers of Union and other townships. It finally fell into disuse, nothing having been done with it after 1868. John W. Bunnell was the last proprietor. John Sowers, about the year 1856, built a steam saw-mill near the central part of the township, which was subsequently moved near the Hunt- ington Township line, where the old building still stands. It was a good mill and is said to have done a prosperous business. It was last operated by a Mr. Nave. There are at this time several portable saw-mills in different parts of the township, besides two tile factories operated by Walker & McCoy and George Bailey. Spencer Wheeler has a large lime-kiln, with which he is doing a prosperous business. The last Board of Trustees under the old law was composed of James Thompson, John Heron and Daniel M. Shank. The following gentlemen have held the office since the law providing for a single trustee went into effect, to-wit: Austin L. Smith, Mr. Dumbauld, Alexander Smith, Urias Dum- bauld, E. T. Lee, and the present incumbent, Anthony Weber.
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Religious .- The pioneers of Union, in their rugged toil of clearing the forests and making homes in the wilderness, were not unmindful of their spiritual welfare, and as early as 1837 we learn that religious meetings were regularly held in a little cabin near the canal, Rev. Mr. Stevens doing the preaching. In this same building, which was nothing more than a deserted shanty, Mr. Stevens taught one of the first schools in the north- ern part of Huntington County. Rev. Mr. Ball, traveling minister of the Methodist Church, early visited the settlement, and con- ducted public worship at the residence of Mr. Barcus. The first church building, Mt. Zion, in the eastern part of the township, in Section 1, was erected late in the sixties by the Albright Denom- ination, a society of which was organized a few years previous. This organization is reputed in good condition and is ministered to at this time by Rev. Mr. Smith. In 1870 the Union Church building, near the central part of the township, was built for the use of all denominations, the citizens of the neighborhood contributing tow- ard ,its erection. The Wine brenarians, or Church of God, have a society which meets at regular intervals in the building, while worship is also conducted irregularly by ministers of different denominations.
Aside from Union Station, on the Wabash & Pacific Railroad, and Roche Station, on the C. & A., there is no town or village in the township, the population being composed almost entirely of agriculturalists, noted for their industry, intelligence and thrift. Union Station was established in 1879, and Mardenis Postoffice at the same place a few years later. There is one grocery store at the station, kept by John Anson.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
FREDERICK P. ARMSTRONG, a native of Duchess County, N. Y., and son of Ira and Mary A. Armstrong, was born on the 8th day of March, 1837. His ancestors were English people, and came to America prior to the War of the Revolution, in which struggle his great-grandparents participated. His grandfather, on the father's side, served with distinction in the War of 1812. Ira Armstrong, the father of our subject, was born in New York, February 11, 1803. He was by trade a shoemaker, and in 1827, April 30, married Mary A. Johnston, a native of New Jersey, but at that time a resident of New York City. Mr. Armstrong worked at his trade at Poughkepsie, N. Y., until 1850, at which time he moved to Huntington County, Ind., and settled on land for which he had previously traded, on the Wabash River about six miles east of the City of Huntington. Here he worked at his trade and superintended the clearing of his farm, and in time be- came the possessor of quite a valuable property, accumulating sufficient land to furnish each of his children a good farm. He was an enterprising and public spirited man, was an Elector on
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the Free-Soil ticket in 1844, and later was appointed one of the Commissioners to assess damages for the right-of-way of the Wabash Railroad. He died September, 1859. His wife survived him several years, dying on the 19th of March, 1864. Frederick P. Armstrong was reared in his native State until his fourteenth year, at which time he accompanied his parents to Hunting- ton County, Ind., where, with the exception of the time spent in the army, he has since resided. He attended school for only a limited period, and at the age of eight began learning the shoe- maker's trade, which he followed for about eighteen years. He then abandoned the bench for the plow, and has followed agri- cultural pursuits ever since, being at this time one of the leading farmers of Union Township. He entered the army September, 1864, joining Company D, Fifty-First Regiment, with which he served until honorably discharged, June, 1865. On leaving the army he returned home and has since that time devoted his at- tention exclusively to his farming interests, owning at the pres- ent time three good farms in Union Township. He has been an earnest supporter of the Republican party, but now believes in the principles of Prohibition, having always been a strong tem- perance man. He was married October, 1861, to Miss Angeline Herron, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, June 10, 1842, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Herron. The following are the names of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, viz .: Anna, born January 28, 1863; Ira, born May 7, 1866; Elizabeth, born January 23, 1871, and Lucy, born September 13, 1874.
GEORGE BAILEY, the subject of this sketch, the eighth son of Jacob and Mary B. (Rubright) Bailey, was born in Trumbull, now Mahoning County, Ohio, on the 28th day of January, 1830. He was reared to manhood on his father's farm, received a lim- ited education in such schools as the country afforded, and having early manifested a decided taste for mechanical pursuits, took up the carpenter's trade at the age of eighteen, and worked at the same at intervals until attaining his majority. He then began contracting and building, in which he met with encouraging suc- cess, working at the same in his own State until the spring of 1851. At that time he visited Huntington County, Ind., and the fall of the following year purchased a tract of timber land in Wells County, to which he moved in the fall of 1853, being at that time an unmarried man. During the summer of 1854 he worked at his trade, and until his marriage lived with his brother. He moved to his land in 1854, went to work with a will, and in due time cleared a good farm, upon which he lived until 1866, when he abandoned agricultural pursuits and engaged in the mercan- tile business at the town of Markle. He was thus engaged until 1869, at which time he disposed of his mercantile business and for some time thereafter was interested in a patent right, which did not prove successful. Losing by the last venture, he again took up the carpenter's trade, which he followed with good suc-
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cess until 1873, when he purchased his present farm in Union Township, where he has since resided. His place is under a high state of cultivation, supplied with good buildings, and is one of the best farms in Union. Mr. Bailey is a public spirited citizen, alive to everything that pertains to the good of the township, and has the esteem and confidence of all who know him. He has been twice married, the first time, October 19, 1852, to Miss Nancy J. Hersey, of Zanesville, Ohio, daughter of William and Emily (Linn) Hersey. Mrs. Bailey was born September 30, 1835, and was the mother of ten children, five of whom are now living, viz .: George H., James M., Sarah R., wife of William Pasco, Lottie J., and Martha E. Mrs. Bailey died April 3, 1881. December 29, 1881, Mr. Bailey's second marriage was solemnized with Miss Lonna Mit- ten, daughter of James and Sarah (Price) Mitten, parents respect- ively of England and Ohio. Mrs. Bailey was born in the town of Warren, Huntington Co., Ind., July 7, 1849. Mr. Bailey is a Dem- ocrat in politics, and a worthy member of the Lutheran Church. Mrs. Bailey is a member of the Baptist Church.
L. C. CHANEY, the gentleman whose biographical sketch is herewith presented, was born in Putnam County, Ohio, January 19, 1847. On the father's side he is descended from the Scotch, his grandfather, Thomas J. Chaney, having been born in Scot- land. Thomas Chaney left his native country in an early day, immigrating to the United States and settling in Ohio. He came to Huntington County, Ind., when the country was new and lo- cated in Jackson Township, having been one of the early pioneers of that section. He raised a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters, and died a number of years ago at an ad- vanced age. William C. Chaney, father of subject, was born January 17, 1820, and grew to manhood in Putnam County, Ohio. He married in early life Catherine McGee, and in 1847, with his wife and three children, moved to Huntington County, and set- tled in Jackson Township, a short distance south of the town of Roanoke, where he cleared a good farm. He served in the late war as member of Company C, Thirty-Fourth Indiana Infantry, enlisting in 1861 for the three years' service, having earned the reputation of a brave and gallant soldier. He died March 14, 1864. Mrs. Chaney died April 13, 1860. L. C. Chaney was but a child when his parents moved to Huntington County, and from that time until the present he has been one of its most estimable citizens. He was raised on a farm in Jackson Town- ship, and after his mother's death was bound out to one William Jones, with whom he lived until his nineteenth year, attending the common schools at intervals in the meantime. He subse- quently worked as a farm laborer, and by industry and economy, succeeded in saving enough out of his hard earnings to purchase, in 1872, fifty-three acres of his present farm. He now owns eighty acres of good land, and is in the enjoyment of a comfort- able home, the result of his own untiring industry. He married
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May 12, 1872, Mary E., daughter of Artis and Nancy (Branstrater) Campbell, parents natives respectively of New Jersey and Ohio. Mrs. Chaney was born in Union Township, July 14, 1852, and is the mother of two children, Effie E., born May 22, 1873, and Otis C., born July 6, 1882. Mr. Chaney is a Democrat in pol- itics, and an active member of the Masonic order.
E. DUMBAULD, a successful farmer and stock raiser, is a na- tive of Perry County, Ohio, and the eldest of a family of ten children (six sons and four daughters), born to Samuel and Salo- mia Dumbauld. The father was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, of German-Irish parentage. He was by occupation a farmer and distiller, both of which vocations he followed in his native State. In 1836, he moved to Perry County, Ohio, where in 1838, he married Salomia Wimer. September, 1854, he moved to Huntington County, Indiana, and settled on a piece of land which he had previously purchased and upon which he lived until his death, in 1870. He served as Trustee of Union Township several terms, and was a man of prominence in the community where he resided. Mrs. Dumbauld was born in Perry County, Ohio, March 4, 1822, and is still living, having reached the ripe old age of sixty-five years. E. Dumbauld was born December 5, 1839, and was but a youth when the family moved to this township. He enjoyed the advantages of a common school education, and on attaining his majority began life for himself, choosing for his vocation agriculture which he has since followed with the most gratifying success. April 13, 1862. he was united in marriage with Miss Rebecca Crist, of Perry County, Ohio, daughter of Philip and C. (Ream) Crist. This union has been blessed with the birth of three children, viz .: William H., born November 25, 1863; Philip M., born August 23, 1867, and James M., born April 25, 1875. Mr. Dumbauld, after his marriage, rented a farm in this township, and the following year purchased forty acres of forest land upon which he made his first improve- ments. He subsequently located upon his present place where in addition to farming he has given a great deal of attention to stock raising, being at this time one of the most successful hog raisers in the county. He is a man of intelligence, fully alive to all the interests of the public and for thirteen years held the office of Township Trustee. He has stock in all the leading en- terprises of the county and takes an active interest in all that tends to the internal improvement of the country. He and wife are members of the Lutheran Church.
JOHN C. GUTHRIE, farmer and stock raiser, is a native of Warren County, Ohio, born March 2, 1829. His paternal ances- tors were natives of Ireland, his grandfather emigrated from that country to America, prior to the War of the Revolution in which struggle he took an active part, serving in the American Army for a period of seven years. William Guthrie, our subject's
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father, was born near the City of Baltimore, Md., in 1789. He subsequently moved to Virginia, and in 1811 to Warren County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming and where for some years he lived the life of a pioneer. He served in the War of 1812, and shortly after leaving the army, married Miss Mary Cowgill, who was born in Virginia about the year 1795. Mr. Guthrie was a man of sterling qualities, highly esteemed by all who knew him, and died the year 1875. His wife preceded him to the grave, depart- ing this life in 1870. They were the parents of five sons, John C., being the youngest member of the family. The subject grew to : anhood in his native county, and until the age of seven- teen, worked on the home farm, obtaining a limited education in the meantime by attending the country schools, the nearest school house being two miles distant from the father's residence. In his eighteenth year he was apprenticed to learn the cabinet maker's trade, and after becoming proficient in the same, worked in different States for a period of nine years, abandoning it at the end of that time and engaging in agricultural pursuits in his native county. He remained in Ohio until the fall of 1864, at which time he disposed of his interests there and pur- chased the farm upon which he now lives, in Union Township, Huntington Co., Ind., moving to the same in October of the above year. He found a place only partially improved, but by perse- vering industry, he has since made it one of the best farms in the township, his buildings and other improvements comparing favorably with those of any other place in the community. His has been a very active and industrious life, throughout which his actions and conduct have been such as to win the confidence and respect of his fellow men. He is liberal in his political views, independent in local affairs, but voting the Democratic ticket in national elections. April 21, 1851, he married Martha Hunter, a native of Warren County, Ohio, where she was born April 26, 1834. Her parents were Thomas and Phoebe (Lallar) Hunter, the former born in Kentucky in the year 1798, and the latter in Warren County, Ohio, July, 1806. Their respective deaths occurred in 1875 and 1850, both having been active mem- bers of the Christian Church, and very religious people. Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie are the parents of the following children, viz .: Annis, Harold, Arabella, wife of Finley Anson, Dennis (de- ceased), Frank, Mary, wife of Melville McPherson, Olive, Clem- mie, Lucy, Grace, and infant (deceased), unnamed.
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