USA > Indiana > Wabash County > History of Wabash County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 11
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Frederick R. Kintner, after residing for a number of years at Logans- port, died on July 1, 1835. JJames HI., soon after the organization of Cass
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HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
County, at the general election in Angust, 1829, was chosen the first sheriff and served as such during two successive terms. Ile afterward held the position of school commissioner, and was for many years promi- nent and popular both in Logansport and throughout the county.
The Wheeler brothers, Milton and Isaac, came to the future Wabash town in 1832 and 1834. Isaac Wheeler opened a blacksmith shop, the first in the county aside from the Government establishment at the Indian mill on Mill Creek.
About midway of these years John Stewart, a brother-in-law of Sam- uel MeClure, a plasterer by trade, settled and made himself at home with Mr. MeClure. The Levallyeas also came about this time.
LAND SURVEYS IN THE COUNTY
The survey of the lands lying between the Wabash and the Eel rivers was made in the early part of 1827, and of those north of Eel River in 1828.
For reasons already given, the first purchases of lands in what is now Wabash County were made in the immediate vicinity of the treaty grounds, on a part of which the City of Wabash is now situated. But before naming other pioneer landholders, it is not out of place to mention the principles under which such surveys have been always made by the Government of the United States.
The principle on which the subdivision of land is based consists in the first place of the accurate determination of certain base lines, at such intervals of distance as may be required. These lines are named from the direction they take, those running north and south being called prinei- pal meridians, and those running east and west, standard parallels. The parallels and meridians are numbered. The first principal meridian forms the boundary line between the states of Ohio and Indiana, while the second divides the latter state nearly centrally. From these, meri- dians and parallel lines were run, six miles apart, those parallel to the meridians being termed Range lines and those running east and west Town lines. The space included between these lines was ealled a town- ship, or a congressional township, to distinguish it from eivil townships, which may and often do embrace fractional parts of the original surveyed townships.
These surveyed townships are numbered by the distance from the base lines. The township lying next east of the second principal meridian has the first range line for its eastern boundary, and consequently is said to be in Range 1 east. In like manner the towns are numbered northward from the standard parallel, Wabash County embracing parts of Ranges 5
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HISTORY OF WABASHI COUNTY
and 8 and all of 6 and 7, counting eastward from the second principal meridian in townships 26, 27, 28, 29 and part of 30, counting from the south.
This much being made clear, it remains to explain the subdivision of the townships. The survey of the townships into sections was usually a subsequent matter, and the lines were run north from the south line of the township and west from the east line, beginning in each case from section corners previously established. As the surveys had to be made cheaply and expeditionsly, if a variation of a few rods was made in run- ning a section line to the opposite side of the township it was left so, but in subdividing the next township a new start was made in the right place. This will account for the "jogs" so often met with on the township and range lines. The sections were made "full" as far as possible, and if a township laeks ten rods of half a mile in length from north to south, the deficiency will not be distributed but be found in the north tier only. In like manner, the deficiency, if any, is found on the western tier.
The sections in a township, when the township is of full size, are thirty-six in number, each one being a mile square and containing 640 acres of land. They are numbered in regular order, beginning at the northeast corner which is always Section 1. The northwest corner is Section 6, the southwest and southeast being numbered 31 and 36 respectively.
In the original surveys of Wabash County the section lines were marked through the woods by "blazes" on the trees, and at the corners the direction and distance to certain described trees were noted. A copy of these field notes was deposited in the office of the county recorder. The temporary stakes set by the deputy surveyors for sec- tion corners were afterwards replaced by stone monuments.
FIRST LAAND PURCHASE
After the survey had been made the first purchase in the county was by Jeremiah Cox, on February 8, 1827, of the north part of the north- west quarter of Section 2, Township 27, Range 7, containing 67.85 acres. On the 3d of April of the same year Mr. Cox entered the southwest frac- tion of Section 35 containing 102.15 acres, and on the 1st of May fol- lowing, fractional Section 34 containing 4.47 aeres, the two last men- tioned tracts being in Township 28, Range 7 east.
FIRST WAGON ROADS
The first wagon road laid out in what is now Wabash County was one running from Anderson, Madison County, to the treaty grounds.
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IHISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
The road was located and cut out during the early fall of 1826, the con- tract for clearing the roadway having been awarded to Peter Ogan and Helvie & Rogers, and the work completed by them accordingly. It was first used for transporting goods and other effects to and from the treaty. Another, said to be the second road, was opened from the vicinity of IIuntington to the treaty grounds and was used for similar purpose.
INDIAN MILL, FIRST INDUSTRY
Until the lands were surveyed and bona fide settlers commenced to arrive and locate, the Indian mill was the only permanent improvement in Wabash County; and that was not a white man's improvement, as it was clearly understood that it was to be abandoned when it ceased to be of value to the Indians. When Mr. Wilson came as a settler in 1827, and was appointed soon afterward the Government blacksmith, the mill had been in operation for about seven years. The only white inhabitants of the territory including what is now Wabash County dur- ing that period had been the millers and the blacksmiths and their fam- ilies (if they had any). As elsewhere stated, the first miller was Lewis Davis, who remained until July, 1826, when Gillis MeBean succeeded him. In September, 1828, Jonathan Keller was placed in charge and remained there, so far as appears, until the establishment was abandoned for the purposes contemplated in its erection. This was in 1830, when the Goverment judged that it had ceased to be of any value to the Indians.
POSTMASTER BURR AND THE MAILS
'It was evident from the first that Colonel David Burr was one of the coming men of the region. About the time he purchased land in various parcels, some of them in what is now the site of Wabash, a post- office was established at the former treaty grounds and he was appointed postmaster. The office-the first in the county-was (not by chance) at his house. At the same time a mail route was prescribed running from Marion, Grant County, to the treaty grounds, and Jonathan Keller was awarded the contract for carrying the mail weekly between these points. AAbout the same time another route was established running from Logansport to Fort Wayne, with the treaty ground as a half-way station. The contractors for carrying the mail over this latter route were Job B. Eldridge and Thomas JJ. Cummings of Logansport.
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IHISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
COLONEL HUGH HANNA
Colonel Hugh Hanna, who was to be Colonel Burr's partner in the founding of the town of Wabash, which was bound to develop somewhere near the treaty grounds and the headquarters for new comers, had lived in Fort Wayne for some years. He had east his business eye on the locality with favor ever since the treaty was concluded, and on the 3d of February, 1832, signified his intention of becoming a permanent resi- dent by purchasing the fractional southwest quarter of Section 11, Town- ship 27, Range 6, containing 118.60 acres, all of which was afterward covered by the town plat of Wabash. The traet immediately north of this was purchased February 27, 1834, by Alexander Worth, and con- tained 132.54 acres, a part of which was also afterward included in the town plat.
Col. David Burr had been appointed one of the commissioners for the construction of the canal, and, as we have seen, he and Colonel Hanna, still a resident of Fort Wayne, had bought up adjoining tracts of land at and adjacent to the old treaty grounds. In April, 1834, they laid out Wabash Town, adjacent to the Paradise Springs, on the line of the canal and nearly opposite the month of Treaty Creek. On the fourth of the following May the first public sale of lots was held.
PIONEER TOWN MERCHANTS 1
George Shepherd, a merchant, built the first house on the town site -a log cabin, on Lot No. 63, immediately west of the southwest corner of Allen and Market streets. A few days after moving into the cabin his first child was born-the pioneer arrival via Mother Nature within the original limits of the Town of Wabash.
Colonel Hanna came to town about October 1, 1834, and had his store completed about the same time as Mr. Shepherd's; but the Colonel is credited with having opened the first "dry goods store," leaving those of a later day to infer that the establishment thrown open by Mr. Shepherd was of a more general nature.
THREE BRICK HOUSES !!
Later in the season, Colonel Ilanna erected a brick residence and moved his family into it. It is undisputed that the brick which entered into its construction was made on the north side of square bounded by the canal and Allen, Huntington and Market streets, but Alpheus Black-
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IHISTORY OF WABASII COUNTY
man and Hannibal Purcell contend for the honor of superintending the kiln in which the brick was made.
The brick residences of Colonel William Steele and Dr. Isaac Finley were finished about the same time, on lots 22 and 54, respectively-all from the same kih of brick; naturally, as it was then the only estab- lishment of its kind in Wabash County. Colonel Steele's house occupied the corner of Huntington and Canal streets and, for some reason which does not appear plain, more details are accessible as to his house than the other two brick residences. It appears that William Johnson was the contractor and erected it at a cost of $300; that the lumber used in its finishing was manufactured from timber floated down the river by Jacob D. Cassatt and others, sawed by MeClure's mill on the stream.
THE THREE POPULAR COLONELS
Now, to the introduction of Colonel Steele, one of the strong char- acters of Wabash County. A lawyer by profession, he came to Wabash from Wayne County, and for many years shared with the other two colonels a variety of public honors and unchecked popularity.
Wabash Town became the county seat of the new county on May 20, 1835, which added further to its importance and growth.
Soon after the erection of the brick houses of the three colonels, Colonel Steele, although a lawyer, opened a provision store, the first of the kind in town. Whatever should betide as to the emoluments of his profession, he did not intend to starve.
FIRST VILLAGE TAVERN
In the summer of 1834 Andrew Murphy opened the first tavern in the new village.
"Then, in June, 1834, Colonel Steele got another boost by being eleeted the first justice of the peace in the jurisdiction, which was then a part of Grant County.
COUNTY ORGANIZED CIVILLY
Wabash County was created in January, 1835, and on the third Mon- day of the following May the commissioners to locate the seat of justice met at the house of Colonel Burr, one of the buildings erected nine years before for treaty purposes. In the same house, on the 11th of June, 1835, these first county officers met to take their oaths of office : William Steele, clerk and recorder; Josiah L. Wynes, sheriff ; Daniel Jackson and Daniel
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HISTORY OF WABASHI COUNTY
Ballinger, associate judges; Stearns Fisher, Alphens Blackman and Levi Bean, county commissioners.
MAJOR STEARNS FISHER
Major Stearns Fisher had come to Wabash County in 1833, and for a number of years was an engineer on the Wabash & Erie Canal. Ile was an active, wide-awake, straight-forward citizen, and did much to develop the county, both in a material and a civic sense.
The county officers named above adjourned to the more aristocratic brick house of Colonel Steele, in the Town of Wabash, where the neces- sary oaths were administered and the proper bonds taken. Four days later another meeting was held at Colonel Burr's honse-the first of the county board-and later, at a session held at the home of Commis- sioner Blackman, Hugh Hanna was appointed county treasurer, Isaac Thomas, county agent, and Isaac Fowler, county assessor.
THE GRANTS AND GRANT CREEK
The year before the creation and organization of the county, set- tlers had commenced to locate both in the southern and northern parts of the county, near La Fontaine and North Manchester. Grant Creek, which flows through the southern portion of Liberty Township into the Mississinewa, skirting La Fontaine on its way, commemorates the first settlers of this part of the county. It was in the autumn of 1834 that William, Daniel and Smith Grant, with their families, settled in the woods along that stream. William located at the eastern line of the Indian Reserve, and in September, 1834, is said to have built the first house in Liberty Township, on the north bank of Grant Creek near the present Town of La Fontaine. Mahlon Pearson arrived in the fol- lowinig month, although as early as March, 1832, he had made an entry of land for the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 23 (this town- ship). The Grant location was the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of the same section.
TOWN OF LA GRO
The old Indian town of La Gro, opposite the month of the Salamonie River, on the north bank of the Wabash, became also the nucleus of a white settlement, especially after operations on the Wabash & Erie Canal were commenced in 1834.
Daniel Sayer came to La Gro in March, 1832. He afterward moved
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HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
to Wabash and was postmaster of the city for many years. There he died July 18. 1597, aged eighty-two years.
In 1832 Gen. John Tipton had been willed three sections of land by the old chief, included in his reservation, and this traet had been leased by Lewis Rogers. Mr. Rogers had a ferry boat which he operated across the Wabash River, connecting with the trail which led from Marion to the mouth of the Salamonie. At that time there was quite a tide of travel toward Northern Indiana and especially the Elkhart country ; so that the ferry was fairly prosperous. It is said to have been started some little time before, by Joseph and Champion Helvy.
In 1832 Richard Helvy ocenpied the La Gro brick building which had been erected by the Goverment for the old chief. Mr. Helyy was an Indian trader on a small scale, and in 1833 moved to the neighbor- hood of North Manchester, where he opened another store.
THE KELLER SETTLEMENT
At that time Christian Keller, brother of Judge Jonathan Keller, was located on the "Upper La Gro section," under a lease from Chief Richardville, into whose hands that section had passed from General Tipton. Keller was clearing land there and farming, under a ten-year lease, having all he could make during that period for clearing and inelosing twenty acres. On the 3d of October of this year (1832), Jona- than Keller prepared the way for the Keller Settlement, in the western part of Noble Township, by purchasing the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 14 and the whole of the southeast quarter of the same section. As stated, this particular locality was known in the early days of its history as the Keller Settlement, as various members of the Keller family were of the first to settle thereabouts. For many years subsequent to the date of their coming, however, neither the settlement nor Keller's Station showed much expansion. The region around the treaty grounds postoffice, on the other hand, evinced continuons signs of life and growth.
LAKETON
After the settlements at Wabash Town and La Gro, the earliest cen- ters of population in Wabash County were fixed at what are now Lake- ton, Pleasant Township, and North Manchester and Liberty Mills, Chester Township.
Col. Ilugh Hanna had ambitions outside of Wabash Town. The latter seemed to be on the move, and in looking toward the north whither much of the migration of the late '30s was moving he conceived the plan
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HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
of founding a central point for the promotion of population and busi- ness in the fertile valley of the Eel River. The site for such a center was found on a level and beautiful plat between two considerable lakes just north of the river.
FIRST TOWN OUTSIDE OF WABASH
The colonel associated himself with Isaac Thomas and J. D. Cassatt in this enterprise, and in September, 1836, platted the Village of Laketon. It was located upon Sections 10 and 15, Pleasant Township, northwest of Eel River between Long and Round lakes. There were ninety lots lying near Eel River on the north side, and the streets were Pottawatomie. Spring, Main, Mill, Tamarack, Eel, Wabash, Lake and Wayne. This place - was the first town platted away from the Wabash River. Several additions were afterward made to the original plat; but al- though Laketon was planted and sprouted it failed to mature into any. thing striking, and what ambition it retained a quarter of a century afterward was completely crushed when the railroad was built south of the river and an "addition" to Laketon was platted on its line, with the river and a mile of solid country between. The railroad "addition" showed more life than the original town and seenred Ijamsville Post- office. But neither Ijamsville Postoffice, nor South Laketon, has ever attracted much notice, although the present Laketon is a pretty country town with becoming aspirations toward a summer resort.
COL. RICHARD HIELVY
The Miami Indian lands south of the Eel River passed to the general Government by the treaty of 1826, and most of the surveys were com- pleted by 1828. But real settlers did not commence to occupy them until 1834. In March of that year Col. Richard Helvy, a Virginian, who had early located in Indiana, and about 1832 located in La Gro Township. There he engaged in farming until he removed to his farm of one hundred acres on the banks of the Eel River about a mile north- east of the present site of North Manchester.
JAMES ABBOTT COMES
In September of the same year (1834) James Abbott, a neighbor in La Gro Township, joined the solitary settler of Chester, and located his homestead on the same stream about two miles above the present site of Liberty Mills. In that period of sparsely settled country, these few Vol. I --- 6
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HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
intervening miles were little considered, and the Helvys and Abbotts were intimate friends as well as "near neighbors."
THE OGANS AND OGAN CREEK
Before the close of the year 1834 John and Peter Ogan, with their families, located on the Eel River. John settled on the south side of Eel River and erected a rude corn mill on the banks of the creek which flows into that stream and which still bears his name-at least for a portion of its course. It is known as Ogan's Creek for several miles from its mouth, Pony Creek being recognized as its correct name from that point to its source.
NORTH MANCHESTER PLATTED
Peter Ogan settled within the limits of the present North Manchester. He erected a flouring and saw mill on the bank of Eel River; in 1837, with William Neff, platted the town, and for a number of years, or during his residence in the place, was a strong figure in its progress.
JAMES ABBOTT, NOTABLE CHARACTER
In the meantime a similar colonization, led by James Abbott, was taking place two miles up the river. Ilis was a character worthy of special note. A native of South Carolina, he was left an orphan when quite young and was bound out to a slave-holder, from whom he fled on account of cruel treatment and escaped to North Carolina. About 1800 he moved to Ohio, where he served under General Wayne in a number of Indian campaigns. As he was born in the year of American Inde- pendence, he was then in his early manhood, and when he came to Chester Township in 1834 had reached late middle-age. Notwithstanding, as stated, he entered a tract of land on Eel River and sturdily set to work to improve it. He eleared and improved a large farm, to which he gave his attention for many years, dying on his homestead in 1867 at the age of ninety-one.
JUDGE COMSTOCK AND LIBERTY MILLS
Not long after locating, Mr. Abbott sold a portion of his land to a Mr. MeBride upon the stipulation that the purchaser should erect a grist mill thereon. As Mr. McBride was unwilling or unable to do this, in 1836 he transferred the land and the obligation to John Comstock who had just located.
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HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
Mr. Comstock was a man of great enterprise, broad ability and com- plete trustworthiness. June 24, 1837, he laid out the Town of Liberty Mills upon the property which he had purchased of Mr. McBride. The same year he erected a sawmill, with which to prepare the timber for the flouring mill, which he completed in 1838. In 1839 he built a distillery, the same year a tannery, and in 1841 a woolen or carding mill.
Soon after platting the Town of Liberty Mills, its proprietor opened a large general store and engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1861. HIe gave his personal attention to all these enterprises; was president of the North Manchester and La Gro Plank Road, and interested in other publie improvements throughout the county. About the year 1855 he in- troduced the first herd of short horn cattle into the county, and in the years which followed was actively engaged in the breeding of live stock.
Judge Comstock, as he was usually called, served on the probate bench of Wabash County in 1846-52, and in the late '50s represented it in the lower house of the Legislature. He was honored with other pub- lic positions, which he filled with characteristic faithfulness and ability. Whatever he undertook was well done and fruitful of the best results. He was successful in the best sense of the word, and his death Septem- ber 30, 1879, ended a life which, in numerous and noteworthy ways, had given impetus and inspiration to the citizens of the county.
A few months after the founding of Liberty Mills by Judge Com- stock, another town was platted in Liberty Township, in the southeastern part of the county. The settlement of the Grant family along the creek by that name drew quite a number to that locality. Moreover the head- waters of that stream were in the line of a popular route of travel from Central to Northern Indiana and the foot of Lake Michigan.
The state road from Marion to La Gro was opened in 1835. This was afterward made into a plank road, largely through the efforts of Judge Comstock. This thoroughfare drew to the Lakes region a large grant trade from a region as far south as Anderson, Marion and Muncie, and it is no wonder that the settlers about the headwaters of Grant Creek and along this booming thoroughfare had strong hopes for a big town wherever they should plat it.
TOWN OF AMERICA
Consequently, Elihu Garrison and Jesse D. Scott platted the Town of America in Section 23 of Liberty Township. Both the proprietors were early pioneers of the White Water Valley, who migrated to Wabash County about 1834. Although partners in America, they were of oppo- site polities, and were rival candidates for associate judge. Reverend
-
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HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
Scott, for he was a clergyman, as well as a democrat, was successful and filled the office well.
THE GARRISONS
Elihn Garrison was a soldier in the Black Hawk war of 1832 and a well-known citizen. William Garrison, his brother, built the first house on the site of America, October 10, 1837, six days before the town plat was recorded. He opened a store and served also as justice of the peace. Other men followed, business, industrial and professional, and America became quite a bustling place, inasmuch as it was nothing unusual for 100 teams passing over the Marion and La Gro road to stop there during a single day. Many teams would reach there at night, go to La Gro the next day, unload whatever farm products or goods they carried on the banks of the canal, and return to America where they would put up for another night. The road was level and a fairly good one, and when the planks were laid the thoroughfare became more popular than ever. Whatever hefell, as long as the Marion & La Gro road was in active service, America got much of the benefit of the travel, both going and coming.
At one time America boasted four stores, two hotels, three black- smith shops and other places of business and a considerable number of dwellings, some of the buildings-especially one of the taverns- being quite elegant for those early days.
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