USA > Indiana > Marshall County > History of Indiana : containing a history of Indiana and biographical sketches of governors and other leading men. Also a statement of the growth and prosperity of Marshall County, together with a personal and family histry of many of its citizens, Vol. II > Part 5
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Bourbon Township No. 4 .- This township was organized Jan- uary 6, 1840. Prior to that time, it was a part of Center town- ship. In addition to the territory now embraced within its boundaries, it contained what is now Tippecanoe township. Its dimensions at that time were seven miles wide by fourteen in length. March 9, 1842, it was divided in the center east and west, and the southern half took the name of Tippecanoe town- ship. Bourbon township is now seven miles square, and con- tains about 31,460 acres of land, of which probably 20,000 acres are under cultivation. The petitioners for the organization of Bourbon township were James O. Parks, Grayson H. Parks, John F. Parks, Edward R. Parks, Thomas H. McKey, Peter Up- sell, W. H. Rockhill, Israel Beeber, William Taylor, John Greer, William Elder, John Henry, A. H. Buckman, Lyman Foote, Samuel Taylor, John F. Dukes, John Fuller, James Taylor, Will- iam Taylor, Jr., George Taylor and Samuel Rockhill.
Prior to the completion of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad, in 1856, which passes diagonally through the southern portion of the township, the land was mostly covered with a thick growth of oak, poplar, walnut and other timber. Upon the completion of the railroad, saw-mills sprang up all over the territory, and, until the last few years, the amount of lumber manufactured and shipped from that section was something mar- velous. Over one thousand car loads were shipped each year in 1864, 1865, 1866 and 1867, and half that many for several years before and since that time. The slaughter of the timber during these years was like the mowing down of an army in a terrific battle. But, as the timber disappeared, farms were opened, houses and barns were erected, and the places that a few years 4-B.
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ago were a wildnerness of timber and undergrowth are now some of the finest cultivated fields in the country. There is no better farming land anywhere than is found in this township. The growth of all kinds of grain, vegetables and fruit is fully, if not more, than the average. This township stands first in blooded stock of all kinds, and each year shows marked im- provements.
The north and south branches of Yellow river unite in the northwest corner of the township and form Yellow river proper. In the "bottoms " of the south branch, a distance of about two miles is low, flat land, and, during wet seasons, the land in this region is overflowed and rendered unfit for farming purposes. It is valuable for meadow and grazing purposes, and, with the system of ditches and underdraining recently inaugurated, this portion of the township is destined to become as valuable as any other portion of it.
In the township, educational interests are well provided for. It has eighteen public school buildings - the largest number of any township in the county except Center. Three of the build- ings are brick, and the remainder frame. Their value is stated to be $4,400, and the value of school apparatus, etc., $400- a total of $4,800.
The town of Bourbon will be found under its proper caption, and it is the only town or village in the township.
Tippecanoe Township No. 5 .- Tippecanoe township was organ- ized March 9, 1842, and was taken off the south part of what was then Bourbon township, and is seven miles long north and south, by five miles east and west, and lies in the southeast corner of the county. The petitioners for the organization of the township were A. H. Buckman, Thomas Irwin, William Wagner, Israel Baker, William Sprout, William H. Rockhill, Samuel Taylor, Joseph Taylor, William Taylor, George Taylor, Samuel Rock- hill, J. H. Clearer, T. H. McKey, James Turner, Jacob Raber, G. H. and J. O. Parks, William Elder, Robert Milleny, H. Blakely, Solomon Linn, John Greer, Moses Greer, I. Reed, A. J. Cruzan. The petition was presented to the board of commissioners by Andrew J. Cruzan, on behalf of himself and the other petitioners.
The first settlers of Tippecanoe township were A. H. Buckman and family, and a man by the name of James Welch and wife, who settled there in 1838. Welch committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor, and was buried on what is now the farm of A. D. Senour, and was the first white person buried in the township.
James Turner was one of the earliest and most prominent cit- izens of the township. He died some years since after having amassed quite a competency. He was a most highly esteemed citizen. The first school was taught in the summer of 1842, at
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what is now school-house No. 3, by Esther Birney, who taught there three successive terms. Among prominent early settlers were Thomas H. McKey, Samuel R. Koons, William Sprout, Thomas Ivens, Samuel Rockhill and Levi Holloway, none of whom now remain. The Pottawattomie chief, Benack, and many of his tribe, lived at this time on the banks of the Tippecanoe river, a short distance above Tippecanoe town, and continued to reside there until 1853-54, but have not now a representative in the township.
Township Trustees .- It has been impossible to obtain a cor- rect list of those who have served as trustees since the organiza- tion of the township. On the books and various instruments in the hands of the present trustees are found the following names as trustees in the early history of the township: A. H. Buckman, James Turner, C. Sarber, Thomas Grippis, David Jordan, Clay- ton Grant. Since the change of the law authorizing the election of only one trustee in each township, the following have served in the order named: Lewis Erwin, David James, James Turner, Daniel R. Wood, Calvin R. Wood, Daniel R. Bearss, Patrick S. Mulligan, Simeon Blue, William Yaiser, Robert Erwin and M. Dilley, the present incumbent.
Flouring and Woolen Mills .- "Tippecanoe river, which me- anders through this township, entering it on the eastern bound- ary, about the middle, running toward the center and veering off to the south, furnishes an excellent water-power at Tippecanoe town for milling purposes. The dam across the river at this point was originally built, it is said, by the original proprietors of the town. The flouring mill now in operation was built by N. B. and P. S. Alleman, of Plymouth, who operated it until within a few years past. During the war, the Messrs. Alleman, erected a woolen factory close by, which they operated in con- nection with others until 1878, when they disposed of it to J. F. Van Valkenburg, of Plymouth. On the night of October 25, 1878, the woolen mills were fired by an incendiary, and, before assistance could reach them, were entirely destroyed. An at- tempt was made to set fire to the grist-mill the same night, but a watchman being in the mill, the attempt was unsuccessful. De- tectives were put on track of the "fire fiend," and in course of time a young man in the neighborhood was arested on suspicion of having committed the deed. He was incarcerated in the county jail, and soon after gave intimation of an intention to con- fess his guilt, and turn state's evidence against other parties, who, he said, were implicated. Before the meeting of the grand jury, however, he succeeded in making his escape from the jail. He concealed himself for some time, but finally concluded to re- turn and give himself up to the authorities. This he did, and afterward appeared before the grand jury and confessed that he
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fired the property, describing minutely how the act was accom- plished. He also implicated a large number of old and respect- able citizens of the neighborhood as being particeps criminis in the transaction. He alleged that the object sought to be attained was the removal of the mill dam, which it was averred over- flowed a large section of country, produced stagnant water, caus- ing malaria, resulting in sickness and death. He stated that meetings of those in the neighborhood affected by the dam had been held at various times, at which the question was discussed as to the most expeditious and safest way to get rid of what they termed an "intolerable nuisance." According to his statement, it was finally determined that if the mills were out of the way, the dam would soon follow. He was selected, he stated, to do the work, the others agreeing to save him from arrest and pun- ishment. Several of the parties implicated were jointly indicted with him, and after many vexatious delays, the cases came on for trial. Asto all the parties but one, a nolle-prosequi was entered, and the case went to trial as to the remaining party, mainly on the evidence of the party who had confessed that he had been guilty of the burning. The trial lasted several days, creating much excitement and ill-feeling among neighbors and parties in- terested, and finally resulted in the jury failing to agree. The venue of the case was changed to another county, where it is still pending. The names of the parties to this unfortunate transaction are omitted for reasons which will be apparent to the reader."
The above paragraph is taken from the McDonald history of of the county, written ten years ago, as an interesting portion of the history of this township, but since that time the old flouring mill has run entirely down - has gotten into litigation - has been sold for taxes, and there are as many as three different parties claiming to be the legal owners of the property. Within the past few years the Nickel Plate railroad has been located through the township and a station laid off about three-fourths of a mile south of old Tippecanoe town, which was first called Tippecanoe Town Station, but is now named Ilion, has almost entirely taken the trade from the old place and the last dry-goods, grocery and notion store in the place owned by Yaiser & Alleman, has re- cently been moved to Ilion, and Old Tippecanoe Town, as far as business is concerned, is a thing of the past. The mill and all the other machinery that was formerly run by the water power at the old town having been destroyed or permitted to run down to a state of worthlessness, it seems that the dam should now be torn away, as it has been a great "bone of contention " among the good citizens of the community and is a great " eye-sore " to the township.
There are now four good iron bridges across the Tippecanoe
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river in this township, the farmers are reclaiming a large amount of their lands by drainage and their public roads are being opened and established on proper and permanent routes. These things taken in connection with the location of the railroad re- ferred to, has given Tippecanoe township a "boom " that has " come to stay.
Tippecanoe Town is located on the Tippecanoe river in the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section 18, town- ship 32, north of range 4 east, which is very nearly the center of the township north and south, and one mile west of the center east and west. The original proprietors of the place were Joseph Hall, Daniel C. Martin and Joseph Serls. The town was platted and laid off into thirty lots December 12, 1850. As stated above, Old Tippecanoe Town's glory has faded and it is a village of the past. This is evidenced by the fact that even P. S. (Schuyl) Alleman has with his partner in business, Mr. William Yaiser, moved their store across the river to the now village of Ilion.
Tippecanoe Town Station, now Ilion, is located in the west central part of section 19, township 32, north of range 4 east. W. " Wilson " Burkett, John Kramer, John T. Hardesty, Eliza- beth Lewallen and E. J. Martindale, were the original proprie- tors and the plat was subscribed and sworn to February 8, 1882. The lots numbered from one to sixty-two, and on the first of No- vember, 1882, John Kramer, John T. Hardesty and David Lew- allen laid off and caused to be platted an addition to the original town of Tippecanoe Station, the lots in the addition numbering from sixty-three to ninety, inclusive. Both the original plat and the addition were laid off by J. M. Klinger, then county sur- veyor.
At the December term, 1886, of the board of commissioners, on the petition of G. W. Roberts and others, the name of " Tippe- canoe Town Station" was changed to Ilion, to the great relief and convenience of " all parties concerned," and yet, and although the name of the place has been changed and shortened, it will, in fact, be the village of Tippecanoe township for probably all time to come.
German Township was organized May 11th, 1838, in its pres- ent form, and the following is the order of the board of commis- sioners, made and spread of record, concerning the organization, bounding and naming of said township:
"Ordered by the board aforesaid, that all the territory lying and being in the North-East corner of said county and bounded as follows, to-wit: Commencing at the North-East corner of said county, thence west on the county line dividing the counties of St. Joseph and Marshall to the center of Township 33 North, Range 3 East, thence south on a "strait" (straight) line to the
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
line dividing North and Center Townships, thence East to the line dividing the counties of Marshall and Kosciusko, thence north on said line to the beginning, for one civil Township, for Judicial purposes: And be it further ordered that said Town- ship be known by the name of German Township."
The above description and bounding of German township is really deficient, vague and incorrect. The true boundary of German township at the time of its organization was as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of Marshall county and running west on the line between Marshall and St. Joseph coun- ties, a distance of nine miles, or to the northwest corner of sec- tion 19, township 35, north of range 3 east; thence south to the line then dividing "North" and "Center" townships, as then or- ganized, which was a distance of seven miles; thence due east to the line dividing the counties of Marshall and Kosciusko, and then due north on said county line to the place of beginning. This made the area of German township nine miles east and west by seven miles north and south. At the March term, 1853, of the board of commissioners, Franklin township was organized by tak- ing three miles off of the east end of German township, as above described, but, in January, 1855, the name and organization of Franklin township was revoked and rescinded, and the territory became again a part of German township, and it so remains at this time. Subsequent to the order made by the board of commis- sioners throwing Franklin back into German township, upon pe- tition of citizens interested, sections 19 and 20, in township 34, north of range 3 east, were taken out of the southwest corner of German township and attached to Center township.
Clayton .- Clayton was the name of the first town site located in German township. This was August 21, 1837. The proprie- tors were Lathrop M. Taylor and Henry Augustine, of South Bend. Mr. Taylor was at that time clerk of St. Joseph county. The location was about three miles east of the present town of Bremen. Its form was a diagonal, cut up into gorgeous streets and avenues. But the center of gravity did not seem to be in that region, and the project of building a town there was aban- doned, and the lots have all been vacated.
German is the largest township in the county, containing an area of sixty-one square miles or sections. It is also one of the best townships for agricultural purposes. It originally had a great growth of the finest of timber, but it is now nearly all taken off and a large portion of the lands are at present under a good state of cultivation. Many of the citizens have grown wealthy in the saw-mill and lumber business. The citizens of the township are, as the name suggests, largely German and of German extrac- tion. They are honest, frugal and industrious. They are the most prompt taxpayers in the county and their own local, or
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township taxes, are a less rate than any other in the county. The thriving town of Bremen, the only one in the township, will be treated of in another chapter of this work, under its proper heading.
North Township No. 7 .- North township was one of the orig- inal townships. When it was first organized, it comprised, in addition to its present limits, the territory now embraced in Polk and German townships. German township was taken off May II, 1838, and Polk, March 4, 1845. When Polk was cut off from the west part of North, it was a time when political excitement was the order of the day. Polk township having been named in honor of the newly-elected president, some of the democratic voters conceived the idea that it would be just the thing to change the name of North and call it Dallas, in honor of the vice president. March 1, 1845, the following petition was presented to the board of commissioners: "To the Board of Commissioners: We, the undersigned petitioners of North township, ask for the name of said township to be altered from North to Dallas. Signed, S. N. Champlin, James Palmer, Adam Snider, James Sherland, Warren Burch, John Kilgore, Charles A. Stilson, John Morris, N. Parmer, Hiram Baker, John Trowbridge, John P. Grover, John Irwin, George Nitcher, Alex M. Vinnedge, George Vinnedge, John Snider, Seymour Stilson, John S. Baker, Abraham Baker, Joseph Trowbridge, Josiah White, A. Burch, Daniel Nitcher, Orrin Palmer, John Wildey, George W. Ferguson, Calvin Burch, J. E. Emerson, W. S. Braum, P. P. Robinson, Sol. Stevens, and H. R. Pershing." The board ordered the change to be made as indi- cated in the petition.
At the June term following, the following petition was pre- sented, by Robert Johnson on behalf of himself and others:
"We, the undersigned citizens of now Dallas township, re- spectfully request your honorable body to change the name of Dallas township to that of North township. Signed, Robert Schroeder, Jesse Schroeder, Robert Johnson, Sr., Seymour Stil- son, G. W. Ferguson, C. A. Stilson, Warren Burch, Sol. Snyder, James Parmer, D. Cummins, George Murphy, D. Vinnedge, M. Hard, Daniel Nitcher, James Sherland, Sol. Snyder, Wash. Mor- ris, George Vinnedge, A. M. Vinnedge, D. Conger, John Schroe- der, Simon Snyder, M. Robert, B. Gerrard, J. C. Jones, A. Snyder, D. Murphy, Sr., R. Johnson, Jr., J. Snyder, W. S. Brown, H. M. Greer, James Murphy, C. Sherland, J. Johnson, Thomas Packard, J. P. Grover, G. Nitcher, J. Wilder, J. Kilgore, D. Murphy, C. Burch, J. Lampheer, Pleasant Ferguson." The prayer of the petitioners was granted, and the distinguished honor accorded to the vice president was obliterated by one fell swoop of the magic pen of the board of commissioners.
Old Settlers .- Among the early settlers of North township,
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prior to and including the year 1840, and which also at that time comprised the territory now known as Polk township, are:
Thomas Bentley, William S. Brown, John P. Benson, Designy S. Conger, David Cummins, George Clark, John Caldwell, Con- sider Cushman, William Clark, Simeon Eels, John Emerson, Joseph E. Emerson, Joseph Evans, Jonas Fulmer, Pleasant Fer- guson, Reuben Farnsworth, Henry M. Geer, John Green, Preston Green, Jacob Hopkins, John Hopkins, Abraham Johnson, John Jones, Robert Johnson, Sr., John Johnson, Robert Johnson, Jr., David Knott, John Kilgore, James Kelly, George Murphy, David Murphy, Jr., Orrin McCumber, William Montgomery, Harvey Norris, Garrison B. Packard, Thomas A. Packard, Sheldon P. Phillips, Nathaniel Palmer, Orrin W. Palmer, James Palmer, Thomas Peterson, Jesse Peterson, Jesse Schroeder, Robert Schroeder, Adam Snyder, Simon Snyder, Peter Schroeder, James Sherland, Nathaniel Sherland, Seymour Stilson, Charles Sherland, Stephen Singleton, John Snyder, Edward Smith, Lyman Stilson, Thomas Singleton, Isaac Thomas, John Underwood, David Vin- nedge, George Vinnedge, Alfred Vinnedge, William Williams, Johnson E. Woodward, John L. Woodward.
Linksville is a small "country place," whose residents have mostly engaged in the lumber and timber business. It makes no pretensions as a city, having no railroad, telegraph or express office, but has a postoffice only.
Walnut Hill, near the residence of Eb. Shirland, deceased, on the Michigan road, prior to the completion of the railroad through La Paz, was a postoffice and stopping place for the stage line between Plymouth and South Bend, at which the peo- ple of the neighborhood received their mail. But, upon the completion of the railroad, the postoffice was removed to La Paz, since which time its identity has become entirely lost.
Plank Road .- Some twenty-five or thirty years ago the South Bend & Plymouth Plank Road company put down an inferior plank road through this township and most of the way along the Michigan road to South Bend. It was quite a relief as compared with the mud and sand for some time after it was made, but the boards soon became broken and warped so that it became almost impassable, and after a few years, was entirely abandoned, and the boards removed. Drainage has done as much for North as any other township in the county in the last ten years.
La Paz and Additions .- La Paz is the only village in this township of much note. It was laid off by Archalaus Hunt, upon the completion of the " Baltimore & Ohio & Chicago rail- road," in the year 1873.
The following is the description of the location and platting of said town, filed in the recorder's office of Marshall county, August 6th, 1873:
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" Archelaus Hunt being desirous of laying out a town in Mar- shall county and state of Indiana, to be known and designated as ' La Paz,' has caused the same to be surveyed and platted, and said town so surveyed and platted is situated on the north half of the northeast fraction, east of the Michigan road, of section number five (5) of Michigan road lands (except a strip forty-six feet in width across the south end thereof), and across the east end of the north half of the northwest fraction, west of the Michi- gan road of section number five (5) Michigan road lands (except a strip forty-six feet in width on the south line of said tract). The starting point for the platting of said town, is a 'Maple Tree,' about one foot in diameter, situated on the west line of the Michigan road, designated on the plat as 'Michigan street,' which said tree is the established southeast corner of what is known as the 'Center Lot,' and from this, as a starting point, said town of 'La Paz' is platted and laid out in parallel and right angle lines with the east and west lines of the Michigan road, and is laid out into lots, streets and alleys, as to numbers, depth and width as set forth and designated on the above plat, to which reference is hereto made for greater certainty.
" In witness whereof, the said Archalaus Hunt, has hereunto set his hand and seal this 5th day of August, A. D. 1873.
" ARCHELAUS HUNT. [Seal.]
" STATE OF INDIANA, (. ยท SS.
" Marshall county. S
" Before me, the recorder, in and for said county, personally appeared Archelaus Hunt, to me well known, and acknowledged the execution of the above plat and certificate, for the uses and purposes therein expressed.
" JOHN W. HOUGHTON, R. M. Co."
The above and original plat referred to, contains 127 lots of different sizes, and also, are the streets and alleys of various widths, and the plat will have to be consulted to ascertain accu- rate information.
On the 23rd day of September, 1875, Edson Spencer laid out an addition to the town, called "Spencer's Addition to La Paz," containing eighteen lots, which are 40X120 feet. The streets are forty and the alleys fourteen feet wide.
Moses Thayer's Addition to La Paz .-- On the 27th day of De- cember, 1881, Moses Thayer laid off and caused to be platted the above named addition to La Paz, containing thirty-five lots besides blocks 2, 4 and 5 that were not subdivided. The streets are forty feet wide. This addition lies south of Spencer's addition.
On the 10th day of June, 1884, the above named Moses Thayer filed his plat of " Thayer's Addition to La Paz, Ind., Con- tinued," containing eleven lots and lying west of the said Thay- er's first or original addition.
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
April Ist, 1885, Leonard Logan and Gideon Logan laid out "Logan's Addition to La Paz," which contains sixty-four lots of varied length and breadth. This addition lies in the southeast part of the town.
The above is the original La Paz with all its additions, and it will readily be seen that the various proprietors of the addi- tions have made ample provisions for the town to spread. It is situated in the midst of a fertile section of country and is a very good trading point, there being two good dry goods, grocery and notion stores, two drug stores, a large stave factory, two saloons, three doctors, a postoffice, telegraph office, church and school building.
East La Paz is about three-fourths of a mile east of the origi- nal La Paz at the junction of the Baltimore & Ohio & Chicago railroad, and the Logansport & Terre Haute railroad, and is described as follows, by Walter Kimble, the proprietor, his plat being filed for record, February 14, 1855: "East La Paz is situ- ated in southeast quarter of northeast quarter of Section Twenty-eight (28), Township Thirty- (35) five north, Range Two (2) east, at the crossing of the Baltimore & Ohio & Van- dalia railroad, is bounded on the east by Vandalia railroad, on the south, west and north by the boundary line of said SE 14 of NE14, etc. There are but few houses in the place as yet, and the ground being very low and unfavorable to building it will probably never be much of a trading or business point. Besides the railroad station house there is a postoffice in the place.
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