History of Whitley County, Indiana, Part 39

Author: Kaler, Samuel P. 1n; Maring, R. H. (Richard H.), 1859-, jt. auth
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 940

USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 39

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I remember well when Wise went over the country in a large balloon before the Civil war. He started at St. Louis and landed in Canada. He passed over Coesse about five o'clock in the afternoon and was so close to the ground that James Worden and Zebulon Park motioned to him and he responded. He crossed the county from the southwest to the northeast. Near South Whitley an old woman who saw him ran into the house crying, "Jesus is coming."

About the first of January, 1877, a large meteor crossed the county, making a belt of fire clear across the heavens and a thundering noise. It lighted the whole sky and seemed to go over the entire county.

Through Union township it was at an angle of about thirty degrees. One hundred and fifty miles north of here it seemed to be at about the angle of seventy-five degrees.

On Monday, May 14, 1883, a cyclone seemed to gather and start in the south central part of Columbia township, at about five o'clock in the afternoon. Clouds seemed to come from the northwest and southwest and to meet at that point. The first damage was near Compton church, section 19. Union township. It tore down the brick church, on the foundation of which the present one was built. leaving but a few brick in one corner. Shingles and debris were scattered for more than two hundred yards. It moved northeast to the corner of Union township where it seemed to let go its force and drop what it had gathered. Its path was more than a half mile wide and it took everything in its way, stripping forests, moving and tearing down buildings in its path. Simon Akers' barn was moved thirty feet off of its foundation and demol- ished and part of his house was torn down. The damage was frightful. Only one per- son was injured, Henry Schrader, who was hurt by a flying rail striking him on the head. He was reported dead, but soon re- covered and is living yet.

Before closing this article, I want to re- mark the difference in our schools. New branches are now taught and the course is more thorough, but they have stopped teach- ing courtesy and manners as we were taught in the old log schoolhouse. The children of the early day were courteous and respectful to older persons but Young America is in- dependent and lacking in refinement and manners.

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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

BY R. 11. MARING.

One of the best, if not the best township in Whitley county, is Washington, which is a regular government township of thirty-six sections and is the middle of the southern tier of three townships and is bounded on the north by Columbia township, on the east by Jefferson township, on the south by Clearcreek township in Huntington county, and on the west by Cleveland township. It was organized September 8, 1840, just in time to participate in the great presidential election of that year. The first election was held at the house of Abraham Leslie, Sr., and Daniel Leslie was inspector. At this election the following electors were pres- ent: George Rittenhouse, David Ritten- house, George D. Rittenhouse, Jr., Freder- ick Weybright, Adam Creager, John Oliver, Abraham Leslie, Daniel Lesley, William Leslie. Enos Miles, Jacob Ecker, Joseph Ecker, Samuel Braden, Reuben Long, Wil- liam Kates, Jesse Baugher and Henry Bay- ler. These men are now all dead except William Leslie, who lives at South Whitley, Indiana, in his ninetieth year. For several years the various elections were held at the house of Abraham Leslie, who was always ready to receive every one in a hospitable manner. In those days there was not much political antagonism at elections but a gen- eral good feeling prevailed. At the elec- tion held at the house of Daniel Leslie, on the first Monday in April, 1845, there were eighteen votes polled and at the presidential election on November 8, 1904, 349 voters exercised the right of franchise in the town- ship.

The township was named in honor of the father of our country, "Washington," but was nicknamed "Swamp township," as at the time of the first settlements and for many years after, a vast portion of the township was covered with almost impenetrable swamps, which to the prospector at that time did not seem possible ever to be worth anything. But now, after the lapse of near- ly three-quarters of a century, these swamps have practically all disappeared and thriving farms and beautiful homes have taken their places, and where once the muskrat and bullfrog held kingly sway, now seventy-five bushels of corn per acre are raised.

The first permanent settler of whom any authentic account can be given was Joseph N. Ecker, who settled on section 7, in the northwestern part of the township in the fall of 1836. He was the first man assessed in the township, the amount of his taxes be- ing twenty-four and one-half cents. The following is a partial list of those who set- tled in the township prior to 1845: Joseph N. Ecker, Reuben Long, John Oliver, Adam Creager, Samuel Braden, Frederick Wey- bright, William Sterling, Abraham Leslie, Daniel Leslie, William Leslie, Jonas Baker, Henry Emery, John Arnold, Henry Shank, John Wise, William Kates, Michael Sicka- foose, Martin Bechtel, George Rittenhouse, David Rittenhouse, Enos Miles, Henry Bay- lor, Philip Maring, Calvin Maring, Jacob L. Maring, Ira Jackson and David Jackson.

The first marriage to take place in the township is said to have been that of Adam Creager and Susan Stoner, who were mar-

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ried on December 18, 1839, by Henry Swi- new ground the one side shovel plow was hart, justice of the peace; the second was that of Levi Creager to Margaret Fulk, De- cember 7, 1842, by Aaron M. Collins, justice of the peace, and the third was that of David Rittenhouse to Margaret Fullerton, April 14, 1843, by John Sickafoose, justice of the peace.

The first birth in Washington township occurred about 1843 and was that of Jacob Shank, who died in infancy. His was probably the first death of a white person in the township.

When the settlers began making the first improvements within the limits of what is now Washington township their methods of procedure and the tools with which they worked corresponded with the general order of things in that early day. In clearing the land of the timber, the ax' was about the only tool worth considering in felling the trees and in getting the logs ready to roll. A good chopper with a sharp ax could cut off a log or fell a tree in a less space of time than would seem possible to the present gen- eration. The only cross-cut saws in use were the old brier-tooth saws, the very re- membrance of which is enough to make an old settler have the backache. There were few men who would not rather chop off a log than to help saw it off with a saw of that description. A tree intended for saw logs was chopped down, butted off with the ax and chopped off at the top and the saw was only used to cut the body of the tree into sections. Sawing down trees was not known until many years later.

Oxen were used almost exclusively in squaring the logs ready for the log heaps. The plows were rude affairs. In plowing

generally used to scratch up the soil among- the roots. Corn was dropped by hand and covered with a hoe and in cultivating the shovel plow was used, but the hoe was more to be depended upon than the plow in keep- ing the weeds in check among the stumps. All grain was cut with sickles or cradles and bound by hand. Grass was cut with scythes, raked up by hand and the only use for horses in making hay was to haul it to the barn or stack.

Jacob L. Maring relates his experience in taking care of a field of wheat soon after becoming a resident of Washington town- ship in 1844. After the wheat had been cut and shocked he and his father, Philip Mar- ing, cut two poles about ten feet long and laid them on the ground about two feet apart, then put on two shocks of wheat at a time and carried them to the stack. They worked in this way until the wheat was all taken care of.

The first blind ditches were made of poles. After the ditch was dug two straight poles would be placed on each side of the bottom of the ditch and sometimes a third pole would be laid on top of the others and sometimes the bottom poles would be cov- ered with puncheons that were split out of oak timber. Later on planks in the shape of an inverted hog trough were used. These ditches answered the purpose very well for a few years until the timber gave out or the ditches became stopped up by the working of crawfish and other causes and they had to be taken out and reconstructed. The old timber ditches have long since served their time and now the soil of the township is un1- derlaid with miles and miles of tile that

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have done so much to make the county what it is to-day. Several county ditches have been constructed through the township, among which are Stony creek, Sugar creek, etc.

At first and for many years after the first settlements, the clearings and fields were fenced with rails that were split from the timber and many rails are still in use that were made fifty and sixty years ago ; but the rail fences are rapidly giving way to the modern woven wire fence, many miles of which have been erected in the township during the last few years.

In 1840, there were no permanent roads in the township but mere trails and wagon tracks that had been cut out around the swamps, but soon after a number of roads were surveyed and located on section lines as far as possible. "Work on the roads" often consisted in cutting brush and laying it across the mud holes, then covering the brush with dirt. Later. plowing and scrap- ing dirt into the roadways with the dump scoop was the mode of grading the roads and often more ingenuity was exhibited in trying to see how the time could be ex- hausted with the least work than there was in trying to give the roads any real benefit. Undoubtedly, enough time and work have been expended upon the roads of Washing- ton township to put every road in the entire district in first class condition, had it been properly done. Nevertheless, the roads are in good condition generally the greater part of the year and many of the principal ones have been graveled. Once where the only way to cross a stream was by fording or on a foot log now there is an arched bridge of concrete and stone.

The New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad was constructed through the north- ern part of the township in 1881, and the In- dianapolis, Huntington, Columbia City & Northwestern Traction Company have sur- veyed a line through the central part of the township and have been voted a subsidy of seven thousand dollars and it is to be hoped that the road will speedily be built.

In early times, the malarial fever and ague were very prevalent among the settlers and there was scarcely a family in which one or more of the members were not sick. Dr. F. M. McHugh, of Columbia City, was said to be the first physician to practice his pro- fession in Washington township. He was an Irishman of much skill and learning. Doctor Banta located in the eastern part of the territory about 1843 and for several years was the principal physician and sur- geon in the community. Notwithstanding the sickness, there were few deaths and the settlers braved the discouragements. pushed on and made a country which their descend- ants are now enjoying. All honor to those brave and struggling souls who have done so much in the development of this fair land of ours.

Washington is strictly an agricultural township. With the exception of lumber. brick and tile, very little manufacturing has been done in the township. Grain, hay. fruit and vegetables have been produced in large quatities and considerable attention has been given to raising live stock. Some of the finest horses, cattle, hogs and sheep in the country can be found in this township. No large towns are located in the township. When the Nickel Plate Railroad was built in 1881. a station was located in the north-

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ern part of the township and named "Pea- body" in honor of S. J. Peabody, Whitley county's lumber king and soon after a post- office was established at the place and Amos E. Redman was the first postmaster. Mr. Redman also conducted a general store in connection with the postoffice. Henry J. U'mmel is conducting the business at the present time and is the present postmaster. A saw mill did an extensive business here for many years under the management of Lewis Gross, James B. Peabody, Cox & Sons, etc. George W. Irwin, Henry Lucke and Noah E. Hoops have also conducted stores here. Peabody is a good shipping point : large amounts of hay, grain, live stock and lumber have been shipped from this point.

The early settlers were at great incon- veniences for many years in regard to postal matters. Those living in the north part of the township were obliged to go to Colum- bia City or South Whitley for their mail. while those living in the southern part went to Huntington or Liberty Mills. What a contrast now when most of the residents have their mail delivered daily at their gates. June 27, 1855. the first postoffice was es- tablished in the township and was named "Washington Center," and Martin Bechtel was the postmaster and kept the office at his residence one mile south of the center of the township. He was succeeded by William Chamberlain but the office was discontinued many years ago.

A little town had sprung up in the west- eri part of the township in the Dunkard set- tlement and during Cleveland's first term as president a postoffice was established there and was named "Tunker." Tunker is an

old town in years, but time has never blessed it with a great population, yet it is proud to say that it is not on the decline. Frederick Weybright, who located here in 1839, was the first settler near the present site of the village. He was soon followed by John Wise and Phillip Holler, Sr.

The first store in the village was started about thiry-six years ago by Messrs. Prich- and Fisher, of South Whitley, in a resi- dence building now owned by Earl Hossler. They were followed by Joseph Holler, Henry Benner, William Ollinger and R. F. Gard- ner and in 1888 Henry K. Kitch erected a building on the northwest corner of the crossroads, opposite the Dunkard church, in which he placed a stock of general merchan- dise and did a thriving business, enlarging his store from time to time until June 18. 1903, at the hour of midnight, the fire fiend left his store in a heap of ashes. Early in 1889. Mr. Kitch had been appointed post- master and the office thrived until December, 1000. when a rural mail route from South Whitley was established through . the vil- lage, but the citizens were loth to give up the postoffice and it was not until after the fire in June, 1903, that the office was discon- tinted.

During this era. other enterprising in- dustries have been carried on in the village. John Benner and Philip Holler conducted saw mills about twenty-four years ago and Levi Connell operated a tile and saw mill until a few years ago when he moved his mill to Huntington county. At present Lew- is Holler is the proprietor of the saw mill. Henry K. Kitch operates a broom factory. Chester Snyder and M. F. Kemmel are the general store-keepersand Firmer Snyder con-

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ducts a butcher shop. At present the popu- lation of the village is about eighty.

Politically, Washington township has always been strongly Democratic, the "Gib- raltar of Democracy" in Whitley county. At presidential elections it has always gone Democratic and since 1861 has invariably elected Democratic township officers. In 1860 Joseph Stilts, now of Huntington, was elected trustee on the Republican ticket, defeating Martin Bechtel, the Democratic candidate. Mr. Stults was re-elected in 1861, defeateing Enos Goble, but at the April election in 1862 Mr. Goble defeated Mr. Stults for trustee and held the office until the fall of 1874, when he was succeeded by William Chamberlin.

At the last presidential election, 1904, two hundred and tweny-three votes were cast for Parker and one hundred and five for Roosevelt, making a Democratic majority of one hundred and eighteen.

Since 1859 the following citizens have held the office of township trustee: Wil- liam E. Merriman, Joseph Stults, Enos Go- ble. William Chamberlin. Peter Creager, John Gross, John A. Snyder, Francis M. Smith, Joseph Creager, Charles D. Strick- ler and William A. Hauptmeyer.

Among those filling the office of town- ship assessor have been Jacob A. Baker, Lewis Gross, John Gross, Enos Goble, Peter Regg and Frank L. White.

Justice of the peace: George D. Ritten- house. Jacob Ecker, Adam Creager, Joseph Stults, John Alexander, Frederick Richard, .A. 17. Chavey, Francis M. McDonald. Charles W. Alexander, Charles D. Stickler, Henry M. Keel. Franklin B. Stalismith, D. V. White and George W. Kesley.

The following named citizens of Wash- ington township have been elected to a coun- ty office :

Clerk of the court: William E. Merri- man, 1858.

Treasurer: Jacob A. Baker, 1874, re- elected in 1876: Joshua P. Chamberlin, 1886, re-elected in 1888; John Gross, 1890. re-elected in 1892.

Commissioner: Adam Creager, Milton B. Emerson, Peter Creager and Noah Mul- lendore.

County councilman : Isaiah Lehman and Elisha Swan.

The pioneers of Washington township were God-fearing men and women and as soon as they were settled in their rude homes, they began to make efforts to establish reli- gious meetings. At first the ministers who occasionally visited the township held serv- ices in the settlers' cabins or in the log school houses and sometimes in the shady groves. The first church organization in the town- ship is said to have been of the Roman Catlı- olic faith, about the year 1845. This was in what was called the "Nix Settlement" in the southeastern part of the township. The society soon after built a church which some years later was destroyed by fire. The church was rebuilt and served the congrega- tion until 1899, when it was replaced by the present large brick building which is a cred- it to the congregation as well as to the com- munity at large. It is known as "St. Cath- arine's Church."

Like Pilgrims of old, the carly adher- ents of the Dunkard faith in Washington township met in the homes of the brethren and worshiped God in accordance with the dictates of their own consciences and in the

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year 1866 they erected a large brick church, forty by eighty, in what is now the village of Tunker, and is known as the "Sugar Creek Church." The house was erected at a cost of two thousand four hundred dollars and the present value of the property is about three thousand five hundred dollars. Rev. David Bear preached the sermon of dedication and David Shoemaker did the carpenter work on the building. About thirty-five years ago Rev. Kripe manufac- tured the seats with which the church is now furnished. He worked at the seats during the day and preached to the people at night.

At the time of the building of the church the members were: Messrs. and Mesdames Philip Holler, Sr., John Wise, Martin, Frederick, Lewis and Jacob Wey- bright, Solomon Kitch, Joseph Montz, Reu- ben Long, David Arnett, Jacob and Osias Metz. The church is now in a flourishing condition, having a membership of nearly one hundred. R. B. and Isaac Bolinger are the ministers and Henry Kitch is the in- structor in music. The church has pros- pered during all these years and has been a power for good in the community.

April 18, 1846, a Baptist church was or- ganized in the Bechtel neighborhood in the southern part of the township under the min- istrations of Elder George Sleeper. The church was organized in the old log cabin of Martin Bechtel and in 1869 the society erected a frame church which is still in use. Andrew Clark was the contractor and the building cost about one thousand four hun- dred dollars. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. David Scott. Among those who have ministered to this congrega- tion have been Revs. Fuller, Dunon, Collins,

Wilder. Price, Worth, Robinson, Gooden, Ward and Sanders. One of the charter mem- bers of this church was Bazaleel Tracy, who recently passed away at his home in Hunt- ington, Indiana, aged nearly ninety-one years.

The Washington Center United Brethren church was organized at the house of Mar- tin Penn in 1866 by Rev. Fletcher Thomas. The charter members were: Martin Penn and wife, Peter R. Goble and wife, John Smith and wife, Peter Wagner and wife and Milton B. Emerson. In 1873 the society erected a large frame church at a cost of about two thousand dollars, which was dedi- cated by Rev. Cassel. The building com- mittee was composed of Peter Creager, Mil- ton B. Emerson, Levi Sickafoose, John Smith and S. P. Wagner. The contractors were Samuel Wolf and Samuel Sickafoose. In 1905 this church was replaced by a modern brick church building at a cost of three thousand one hundred and fifty dollars. and was dedicated on Sunday, December 31. 1905, by Rev. H. H. Fout, D. D., of Dayton, Ohio. Waterfall & Son, of Columbia City. were the contractors and William H. Water- fall was the architect.

Pastors of this church from 1873 to 1895 were: John B. Bash, William Simmons, E. F. Light, Andrew Wood, Abijah Cummins. John Eby, S. C. Norris, George T. Butler. John A. Farmer, J. T. Keasey, Frank Park- er. Charles Parker. C. M. Byerly and S. H. Yeager. Rev. C. A. Spitler is the present pastor. The church is in a flourishing con- dition and has a large membership.

About forty years ago ministers of the New Light Christian church began holding meetings at the school house in district No

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1. in Washington township, and afterward a church was organized which maintained sery- ices for many years and in 1888 the society, assisted by the community at large, erected a frame church building just across the road from the school house. A few years after the building of the church the society dis- banded and the property passed into the hands of the United Brethren denomination and a society of that faith was organized. This society remodeled the church and has since held regular services in the building which is known as "Maple Grove Church."

The third United Brethren church in the township is located in the eastern part, about one mile south of the village of Forest, and is known as 'Forest Chapel." This society was organized at the Maring's school house in Jefferson township and its history may be found in the history of that township.

In 1857 a Methodist class was formed in the vicinity of No. 9 school house in Washington township,. some of the early members being : Michael Holmn and wife, John Smith and wife and Levi Creager, At first the meetings were held in the log school house, but in 1869 a frame church was erect- ed at a cost of about $2,000, the building committee being Michael Holmn, Frederick Morrell and John Decker. Samuel Sicka- foose was the contractor, and the house was cledicated in October, 1869. by Rev. Mon- son, and was known as "East Bethel Meth- odist Episcopal church."

The church membership was never large and through deaths, removals and other causes it gradually dwindled until the church could no longer support regular preaching and the society disbanded. The last pro- tracted meeting was held in 1903 and in the

fall of 1904 the church was sold to a con- tractor in Huntington and the building was torn down and moved away. The lot upon which the church stood was sold to Charles Walker, the present owner of the Frederick Morrell farm, and thus the old East Bethel Methodist Episcopal church fades from the portals of action and the history of what it was and what it has done for religion and civilization is written.

Not many public cemeteries have been lo- cated in Washington township. In the years that have passed the people living in the eastern and northeastern part of the township went to Evergreen cemetery in Jefferson township to bury their dead, while some in the southeastern part went to the Lutheran cemetery in Huntington county. those in the northern part to the Eberhart cemetery in Columbia township and those in the western part to South Whitley.

In an early day a cemetery was com- menced where the Baptist church is located on section 28. The first burial here was a daughter of Walling Miller and the second was Grandma Alexander. This city of the dead has steadily grown and among the pioneers buried here are: Sylvester Alex- ander. Martin Bechtel, William Kates. James and Thomas Merriman, John Stall- smith. Elias Smith, etc. The place is kept in good repair and there have been a num- ber of handsome monuments erected to mark the burial place of some of the people sleep- ing here.

About the time the first Catholic church was built in the Nix Settlement a few graves were made near where the said church stood. which was some distance southwest of where the present church stands. When the sec-

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History of Whitley County, Indiana, Part 39

Author: Kaler, Samuel P. 1n; Maring, R. H. (Richard H.), 1859-, jt. auth Publication date: 1907 Publisher: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : B. F. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 940

Author: Kaler, Samuel P. 1n; Maring, R. H. (Richard H.), 1859-, jt. auth
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : B. F. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 940