USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Steuben County, Indiana, together withbiographies of representative citizens > Part 54
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591
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
prised ten children-Priscilla, deceased, was the wife of James E. McElheny; Harriet, wife of Peter Buck; Andrew J .; Lavina, wife of M. L. Chandler; Elisha; Catherine, deceased; John, of Nebraska; Mary W., wife of A. M. Styles, of Minnesota; David B. and Wilson. David B. passed his early lite in Sandusky County, Ohio, in a manner common to farmers' boys. He remained with .his parents caring for them in their old age and inherited the homestead. He was married in 1863 to Susannah, daughter of John and Sarah (Brouse) McElheny, of Wayne County, Ohio, who settled in Steuben County in 1854. Mr. and Mrs. Teeters have eight children-Annetta, Rosette, Orpheus, Ada, Edith, Hattie, Lavina and Perla. Mr. Teeters is one of the energetic, public-spirited, enterprising citizens of Clear Lake Township. He has served his fellow townsmen as Assessor and Trustee several terms each, and has always performed his duties in a painstaking and satisfactory manner. Mrs. Teeters's parents are residents of Ray, Ind. They have had a family of twelve children-Thomas, of Williams County, Ohio; Susannah, now Mrs. Teeters; William J., of Missouri; Margaret J., wife of John Shock; Walter C., of Williams County, Ohio; Sabina S., deceased, wife of Charles Odell; John D., deceased; Maria, now Mrs. Simon Geedy; Ephraim, of Steuben County; Arklo W., of Missouri; Clara, wife of Charles Smith, and Ella, wife of Ray C. Stump.
Elisha Teeters is a native of Columbiana County, Ohio, a son of Wilson and Sophia (Smith) Teeters. He remained with his parents till manhood, coming with them to Steuben County. He was an industrious young man and labored assiduously till he had provided himself with a home. He is an upright, honorable citi- zen, and by his untiring energy and enterprise has made himself one of the well-to-do and influential men of the township. He was married in 1868 to Fidelia Oberst, daughter of John and Sarah (Florence) Oberst, the former a native of Germany, and the latter of New York. She is the eldest of a family of six children, the others being John, of Burt County, Neb .; Frank, of Steuben County; Olive, wife of John Briggs, of Cumming County, Neb .; Jennie, wife of Hal. Christy, of Dodge County, Neb., and Fred, of Washington County, Neb. Mr. and Mrs. Teeters have had two children-Frank and Harry, the former deceased.
L. I. C. Young, one of the prominent farmers of Clear Lake Township, was born in Sandusky County, Ohio, May 6, 1837, a son of Charles and Nancy (Scothorn) Young, his father a native of
592
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
Bedford County, Pa., born Feb. 28, 1788, and his mother of Rock- ingham County, Va., born Ang. 1, 1798. When young people they went to Ohio and were there married in 1818. They first settled in Pickaway County, and in 1824 moved to Sandusky County, where they were among the first settlers. They had a family of nine children eight of whom lived to have families of their own. Noah lives on the old homestead; Nathan is deceased; Rebecca, deceased, was the wife of James Hies, and died in Texas; Elizabeth is the wife of Mathew Hutchins, of Clyde, Ohio; Susan married Milton T. Brown and settled on a part of the R. H. God- dard farm in Scott Township, about the year 1848. They died in the prime of life, and with their two youngest children were buried in the Fremont cemetery. Their son Charles R. is a citizen of Chat- tanooga, Tenn. Mary married Hon. James Fowle, of Camden, Mich., and both are deceased. Their son, Elcho, is a student in San Joaquin Valley College, California. Nancy F., wife of James Rollins, of California; Lewis I. C., our subject; Elsie Ann, wife of Rev. E. H. Curtis, died in California. Mr. Young died in Sandusky County, Dec. 10, 1841. Mrs. Young subsequently married Itha- mar Brown and moved to Steuben County, where she died March 28, 1862. She was a member of the United Brethren church, and was beloved by all who knew her. L. I. C. Young received a liberal education, remaining on the farm with his mother till man- hood. April 10, 1858, he came to Steuben County, and settled on section 18, Clear Lake Township. He taught school in the winter and worked on his farm in the summer for several years. Aug. 26, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-ninth Indiana Infantry, and was soon after detailed recruiting officer. The following spring, April 11, he joined his command at Murfreesboro, Tenn. He was taken sick and in May, 1863, was sent to Louisville, where he was in the hospital till August, when he returned home on a sick leave. In the early part of winter he joined his regiment at Bridgeport, Ala., and served till October, 1865. Since his return home he has given his attention to agricultural pursuits. Heowns 119 acres of valuable land, on which he has erected large and com- modious buildings. He has been prominently identified with all the material interests of the county, and has held several local offices of trust. He was Justice of the Peace nine years. He has always taken an interest in educational matters and is a strong supporter of the free-school system. Mr. Young was married Jan. 28, 1862, to Elizabeth S. Potter, daughter of Merrit D. and Anna
593
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
M. (Fort) Potter, the former born Sept. 15, 1810, and the latter May 15, 1813. Mrs. Young is the only one of three children liv- ing. Charity E. and Henry J. are deceased. The latter was a member of the Seventy-second Ohio Infantry, and died from exposure and cruelty in Andersonville Prison. Her mother died Nov. 22, 1856, and in January, 1859, her father married Margaret Hanselman. Their only child, Merrit G., lives in Kent County, Mich. Her father died Jan. 22, 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Young have had eight children-Theressa M., born Jan. 17, 1863, died April 18, 1873; J. Orville, born Sept. 11, 1866, died July 29, 1867; Lulie E., born Sept. 26, 1868; Armina V., born Jan. 1, 1871; Ozro V., born Aug. 28, 1873; Eda Z., born Oct. 23, 1875; Amy P., born Dec. 28, 1882 died Jan. 3, 1883; Mattie G., born Jan. 28, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Young are members of the United Brethren church, of which he is a local preacher.
CHAPTER XVI.
YORK TOWNSHIP.
GEOGRAPHICAL .- DESCRIPTIVE .- FIRST LAND ENTRIES AND FIRST SETTLERS .- IMMIGRANTS PRIOR TO 1840 .- FIRST EVENTS .- FIRST SCHOOLS .- EARLY RELIGIOUS MEETINGS .- FIRST MILLS .- METZ. -BUSINESS FIRMS. - STATISTICS OF POPULATION AND AGRICULTU- RAL PRODUCTS .- PROPERTY AND TAXATION .- POLITICAL .- VOTE FOR PRESIDENT SINCE 1840 .- FULL VOTE IN 1884 .- TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS SINCE 1850 .- BIOGRAPHICAL.
York Township is situated in the eastern tier, on the Ohio line, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Fremont and Clear Lake townships; on the east by Williams County, Ohio; on the south by Richland and Otsego townships, and on the west by Scott. When first erected by the Board of Commissioners in November, 1837, the civil township was made to include con- gressional township 37 north, ranges 14 and 15 east. The follow- ing year two tiers of sections were taken from the west side and attached to Pleasant Township. In March, 1849, the township was divided, fractional township 37, range 15 retaining the origi- nal name. In March, 1850, a strip one mile in width was taken from Scott Township and added to York, making the township six miles in length by nearly three and three-fourths in width. The area is therefore about twenty two square miles, or 14,500 acres.
The surface of the land ie rolling, the soil generally a rich clay loam, specially adapted to grazing purposes. The land was origi- nally covered by a dense growth of timber, among which abounded black walnut, oak, whitewood, cherry and other valnable timber. This forest wealth has been almost destroyed by the necessary ravages of improvement, and the reckless waste of people who thought the supply exhaustless. The township is drained chiefly by Fish Creek and its branches, all flowing in a southerly direc- tion. The northern portion is on the divide between the waters flowing into lakes Michigan and Erie, a small portion of the town-
(594)
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
ship being drained by Pigeon Creek. There are no lakes in the township, and but a small portion of water land.
The first entry of land was made by Richard Peters, May 12, 1836, being all of fractional section 4. During the same month Royal B. Hix, George W. Johnson, Martin Eldridge and several other persons located lands in the township. The first white settler was Fayette Barron, who built his cabin on the site of the present village of Metz, in the summer of 1836. In 1837 Clark and Calvin Powers, who had visited the county the previous year and located land, arrived, also Stephen A. and Winn Powers, Augustus Woodworth and Jackson Cory. From that time to 1840 there came Jeremiah Dillingham and his sons, John Larne, Adam Dygert, Cowee Barns, Griswold and Alvah Phelps, Charles F. Hodges, George Jenks, who was a half brother of the Powers, Royal Hix, George W. Johnson, David K. Jones, John Croy and others. These pioneers and a large portion of those who followed in after years were from the State of New York.
Volney Powers, son of Stephen A. and Mary Ann Powers, was the first white child born in the township. Mowry Powers, son of William and Betsey Powers, died in 1838, which was the first death in the township. He was buried in what is now the Powers cemetery. The first marriage occurred in 1841, the contracting parties being Augustus W. Woodworth and Mary Johnson, Stephen A. Powers, Esq., officiating.
Thomas Parsons (deceased), was born near Harrisburg, Pa., in April, 1823. In early life he emigrated with his parents to Craw- ford County, Ohio, and settled near Leesville, where he was mar- ried Sept. 16, 1845, to Nancy M. Mc Claskey, who died Aug. 7, 1876. In October, 1845, he emigrated to Lagrange, Ind., where he resided about two years. He then removed to York Township, Steuben County, which was his home the remainder of his life. He died at Angola, July 9, 1880, aged fifty-seven years and three months. During the latter part of his life he suffered much from a nervous affliction which many times caused mental aberration, and was the cause of much anxiety to his friends and neighbors.
Calvin Powers (deceased), one of Yorks most esteemed citizens, was born in Ontario County, N. Y., March 5, 1808. From the Em- pire State he came to Indiana and settled in York Township, this county. in the early summer of 1837. He was one of the several brothers who settled in that neighborhood, which has always since that time borne their name. His energy, industry and care-
596
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
ful management contributed not only to his own prosperity, but to the welfare and advancement of the neighborhood and county in a marked degree. These characteristics, in connection with a very decided firmness, integrity and uprightness, rendered him a promi- nent and influential man, and gave him no inconspicuous place in the history of the county. The various positions of trust and re- sponsibility to which he was called were discharged with scrupu- lous regard for right and justice. He took great interest in the moral and educational advancements of the community, and la- bored with modest endeavor to forward the work of schools and churches. Mr. Powers is buried in the cemetery which bears his name, and near the place where he began life as a pioneer of the county, and where he passed so many years of an industrious life. He was twice married, his second wife surviving him. He also left six children-three sons and three daughters.
Joseph W. Thomas (deceased) was born in Bucks County, Pa., in 1823, and moved with his parents, Moses and Prudence Thomas, to Crawford County, Ohio, in 1835, and five years later to Will- iams County, in the northwest corner of the Buckeye State. He was the second of a family of eleven children. His early years were attended with the usual hardships known only to the pioneer, and developed in him a vigorous manhood. He settled in York Township, this county, soon after 1840, and during the first year of his residence here taught school with flattering suc- cess. He held various offices in his community, and satisfactorily discharged the duties of all. He died June 7, 1882, after a severe illness of months.
A REMINISCENCE OF PIONEER DAYS.
BY ANDREW CROY.
John Croy, his son Andrew, and Elmus Barron, being of rather reckless dispositions, resolved to go on a hunting expedition. This was in the year 1841, and at that time the forests abounded with wild animals, such as bears, wolves, wildcats, etc. Being packed for the chase with blankets, provisions, dog and guns, these three men started out for near Mud Lake, North West Township, Will- iams Co., Ohio, and after experiencing much difficulty, they finally reached the land of their hopes. After erecting their camp as quickly as possible, to protect them from the rain, Croy and Barron thought they would steal out that afternoon, and perchance capture a bruin, leaving Andrew to keep camp and get supper
597
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
ready. It being dark and rainy, they lost their way, and Andrew fearing that such must be the case, used his lungs with all power and energy, pounded on old trees, and felled a large tree, hoping thereby, to guide them back, but all to no effect. When the wan- derers found that they were lost theyasked themselves, " What shall we do to be saved," and the answer was "fix shelter for the night, without supper, and make a life struggle in the morning for it." At night, while meditating over the past, devising some plan to retrace their wanderings, they thought to escape by following their back tracks, which they did some time the next afternoon, by the ground and leaves being so wet and soft. But lo! on reaching their camp, Andrew, dog, provisions and blankets were gone. An- drew, after staying there till the following day, had given up all hope of their return and started for home, arriving there a little before night had set in, Croy and Barron soon after reached home, having had nothing to eat except a squirrel since leaving camp. They came to the conclusion that civilization was not so bad after all.
AN INCIDENT OF EARLY TIMES.
BY ELMUS BARRON.
David K. Jones, one of the noted pioneers of York Township, came with his mother from New Hampshire in the spring of 1835, and settled on the banks of Wall Lake, west of Orland, in what was known in those days as the Vermont settlement. In 1836 he en- tered land in York and Richland for himself, his mother, and other parties. In the spring of 1838 he and his mother settled on the south half of the northeast quarter of section 32, and in 1840 built themselves a cabin. When Jones was living on section 32, wild animals abounded in the forests, and he experienced much trouble with bears trying to steal his pigs, and Mr. Jones not being much of a hunter, was generally unprepared for their night attacks. One night Bruin made his way to the pig-pen of Mr. Jones, which was about three rods from the cabin, when after securing his prey he started for the woods with the pig in his arms. The pig's cries soon brought Mr. Jones out of his bed, and grabbing the poker, he started for the chase. The bear, after going about six rods from the peu, came to a brush fence which bothered him to get over with his burden, and at this place Mr. Jones came up to him and struck a blow, which, owing to the darkness and excitement, missed the bear and struck the pig. After following close to the bear's heels for about forty rods, he came to a creek, and Mr. Jones not caring 38
598
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
to go farther over brush fences and through nettles three feet high made his way back as best he conld. The next day several of the neighbors went out to hunt the bear. They found the re- mains of the pig a short distance from where Mr. Jones had left them the night before, but the bear was not to be found.
FIRST EVENTS.
The first school was taught in the winter of 1838, by Winn Pow- ers, in a log cabin located near where the Powers school-house was afterward built. This was the only school in the township until 1844, when a frame house was erected on the land of Stephen A. Powers near the center of the township. This house was long known as the York school-house. Stephen A. Powers taught the first school here. The same year a rough log school-house was erected near Hathaway's corners, in which Martin Eldredge com- menced teaching, but after two weeks the school was discontinued, not through any fault of the teacher, but for want of scholars, the entire enumeration of the district not exceeding ten children.
About the year 1840, the Methodists organized a class near the center of the township. They met in private houses, and later in the school-houses. They were occasionally cheered and revived by visits from the circuit preachers. In 1850 a church was fully or- ganized at Hathaway's corners, the membership of which became quite numerous, and in 1853 they erected a meeting-house at that point, which is still standing. Very early in the history of the county the Free-Will Baptists had an organization, and met for worship at the houses of Adam Dygert, Cowee Barns, and at other places. Their ministers were Elder J. H. Miner, Silas Headley and occasionally others. In 1842, a few Disciples, who had re- cently emigrated from Bedford, Ohio, organized a church of which Burdett B. Goodale was made pastor. This formed the nucleus for the present flourishing church at Metz, which now numbers about 150 members, and has a pleasant and commodious house of worship. Through the efforts of the Powers family a free church building was erected a few years since on section 29, on land do- nated by Clark Powers. It was called by its founders the Free church, but is now and probably will always be called the Powers church.
Stephen A. Powers was the first Justice of the Peace. Peter Klock was the first blacksmith. A grist-mill was built in 1844, on Fish Creek, by Andrew Ferrier. This mill was built of hewn
G
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
logs; the bolt for some time was turned by hand, the elevator was a tin pail, and all the appliances were extremely cheap and rude. It was long known as the Pepper Mill, and it was facetiously said that it cracked two grains of corn into three pieces. In 1845 Clark Powers built a saw-mill on Fish Creek, on section 19, and in 1846 George Peters built a steam saw-mill on section 4. Both these mills were burned many years ago. The first frame house was built by Bela Dillingham on section 30. It is still in use as a part of Myron Powers' horse-barn. The first frame barn was built by Griswold Phelps on section 17.
METZ.
The village plat of Metz covers portions of sections 5 and 6 of Richland Township, and of sections 31 and 32 of York. The first settler of this village was Fayette Barron, who came here in the fall of 1836. His home was made in the limits of York Town- ship, being the pioneer settler of that township. This was years before any thought of a village here was entertained. The next settler was Joseph Bennett. One half a mile south a store was started in 1841 by Henry Letcher.
The first mill in this vicinity was a primitive log structure about twenty feet square, built in 1844, by David Ferrier. The rude mill contained one rudely made set of stones; the bolting was done by hand. It was generally called " The Pepper Mill," and was one mile east of Metz. It was operated twelve years or more. A steam flouring mill owned by Shaffer & Shenhour, now stands near its site.
The first goods in Metz were opened by Justice Barron in 1851, who was in trade about three years, when he sold to Oscar Swift. The first blacksmith was Joel Wilson, who opened a shop in 1851. The first hotel was opened on the present hotel site in 1851, by Dr. E. Pattee who was a resident physician of Metz. In 1854 Edward Sargeant opened a hotel on the site now occupied by the residence of Dr. Wood.
The postoffice was established in 1850, and named Metz by re- quest of Adam Simon, who was instrumental in securing a mail route from Toledo to Lagrange Centre. Joseph Bennett was the first Postmaster. Nathaniel Petitt started a wagon shop in 1854. The plat of the York side of Metz was made in 1855, Jerry Graves, E. L. & J. Barron proprietors. The plat of the Richland side was
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
made a little later by W. W. Ferrier. James Shepard succeeded Win. Swift in trade.
The schools of Metz are in flourishing condition, for which the village deserves great credit; in efficiency and in work accomplished will compare favorably with any village in the county.
Mt. Pleasant Lodge, No. 239, I. O. O. F., was instituted.May 15, 1865, by P. L. Huffman, Deputy Grand Master, assisted by Dis- trict Deputy W. I. Howard. The charter members were H. D. Wood, J. O. Rose, W. A. Wood, S. M. LaRue and C. P. Powers. The present membership in good standing is thirty. The leading officers are: J. N. Snyder, N. G .; Ford Norris, V. G .; J. F. Mus:er, Sec .; J. W. Williams, Treas .; G. W. Powers, D. D.
The business firms of the village are: J. W. Goodale, furniture and undertaking; Goodale & Stevens, dry-goods; Culver & Norris, dry-goods; C. S. Myers & Co., drugs; Bowsier & Porter, hardware; Samuel D. Porter, postoffice; Caleb Rakestraw, hotel; Job Williams, blacksmith; William Austin, blacksmith; Alonzo Williams, blacksmith; B. Burch, wagon and repair shop; J. B. Shaffer, flouring mill; William Reek, saw-mill; Henry Rapp, shoemaker; El. Barron, gunsmith; Mrs. Culver, millinery. The physicians are: Drs. F. F. Wood, C. W. Goodale, E. F. Stauffer and H. M. Byall.
The population of the township was in 1870, 857; and in 1880, 1,099-an increase of 242. This indicates a population of fifty per square mile.
The following leading crop statistics are for the last census year -1880: Acres of wheat sown, 1,543; average yield per acre, 17 bushels; total crop, 26,231; acres of corn, 1,253; average yield, upland, 32 bushels per acre; bottom, 30 bushels per acre; total crop, 39,736 bushels; acres of oats, 571; average yield per acre, 29 bushels; total yield, 16,559 bushels; acres of meadow, 857; average yield of hay, one and a half tous; total crop, 1,285 tons; acres of potatoes, 103; average yield per acre, 581 bushels; total yield, 5,974 bushels.
In 1884 the number of acres of land assessed was 14,476.90; value of same, $143,445; value of improvements, $36, 715; value of personal property, $47,170; total valuation, $227,330; number of polls, 164; number of dogs, 77; total taxes levied, $4,757.94. As property is assessed on a basis of one-third, this would indicate a total wealth of $681,990.
Politically, the township has been Republican since the organi-
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
601
zation of that party; before that it was Democratic in all presi- dential years except 1848, when the Whig ticket carried by sixteen Votes. Following is the vote cast at each presidential election:
1840-Martin Van Buren 8
2
1864-Abraham Lincoln .... 128
62
William H. Harrison. .6
George B. McClellan. .. 66
1844-James K. Polk. 34
5 1868-Ulysses S. Grant ...... 139 73 Henry Clay .. 29
Horatio Sevmour ..
.66
James G. Birney
1
1872-Ulysses S. Grant.
.140
106
1848-Zachary Taylor 40
16
Lewis Cass .. 24
Mar.in Van Buren 23
6
Peter Cooper .. 17
John P. Hale. 8
66
James Buchanan. 42
Millard Fillmore. 3
1860-Abraham Lincoln ..... 125
98
Stephen A. Douglas .... 27
Benjamin F. Butler. .
.. . 4
The vote in 1884 on State and county officers was as follows:
Governor.
William H. Calkins. 174
123
Isaac P. Gray. 51
Hiram Z. Leonard.
.12
Robert S. Dwiggins
4
Congressman.
Theron P. Keator
173
Robert Lowry
.51
Jesse M. Gale ..
12
George F. Hartsuck.
4
Commissioners.
Herman C. Shutts ..
.174
123
Adam Failing.
.51
Thomas McClue
16
Daniel P. Rummel.
177
128
Alva Carpenter.
49
John Dygert.
15
John M. Sewell.
51
51
Sheriff.
Allen Fast ..
176
126
Charles Squires.
.50
Thomas R. Moffett ..
16
Treasurer.
Clay Lemmon.
174
123
Edwin Jackson
.51
Martin V. Garn.
16
Senator.
Nicholas Ensley.
174
Lafayette J. Miller
55
119
Robert G. Morley
171
105
Moses J. Parsell.
66
Coroner.
Doak R. Best .
174
108
T. Ray Morrison.
174
107
William W. Wyrick.
.66
Edward B. Simmons.
.67
The following names are of those elected to fill the different township offices since 1850, and the years given are those in which they were respectively chosen:
Assessors-1850, John Woodward; 1851, Alonzo Dunham; 1852, John Woodward; 1854, Burdett B. Goodale; 1856, Francis Macart- ney; 1858, same; 1860, H. P. Hathaway; 1862, T. J. Warner; 1864, D. C. Hanselman; 1866, D. H. Hanselman; 1868, Henry Eldridge; 1870, John B. Knisely; 1872, Berton Hubbell; 1874, David B.
122
Prosecutor.
Henry C. Peterson
.171
Frank M. Powers.
.57
114
Representative.
Horace Greeley ..
34
1876-Rutherford B. Hayes. . 173
127
Samuel J. Tilden ... . .46
1852-Franklin Pierce.
42
Winfield Scott.
36
1880-James A Garfield
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