USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 42
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Thomas Kemp was one of the early set- tlers of Jefferson township, and in his time was quite a character. He served a term as township trustee and in 1873 he was the township assessor and land appraiser. In politics he was a strong Democrat and in religious faith he was an ardent Universalist. Mr. Kemp died in August. 1880.
Rev. Hezekiah Maddox was another noted character in the early history of Jeffer- son township. He was a minister of the New Light Christian church and conducted a large number of funerals in the surround- ing country. He died in March, 1890.
For some years after the first settlement of the township. it was customary for the settlers occasionally to engage in a wolf or fox hunt, sometimes called a circle hunt. in which a certain territory would be sur- rounded and at a designated hour all would march to the center, the lines being under the charge of captains. All game that was driven in would be corralled in an open field and then the fun would begin. The last hunt of this kind in Jefferson township was on Saturday, February 8, 1873. When the lines came together near the center of the
township in a field, it was discovered that only one fox was in the enclosure and the fun was of short duration, as some one threw a club at the fox which struck it on the head and killed it instantly.
On Wednesday, February 1, 1854, some of the settlers residing in the southeastern part of Whitley county, in conjunction with those living in the adjoining parts of Hunt- ington and Allen counties, engaged in a wolf hunt which had a very sad ending. James M. Hatfield, now of Huntington, and who as a small boy was living near the ter- mination of the hunt at the time, wrote an interesting account of the incident on the fiftieth anniversary of its occurrence, which was published in the Huntington Herald of February 6, 1904. Through the kindness of Mr. Hatfield, I am permitted to copy the article, which is in part as follows:
Fifty years ago the pioneers of the north- eastern portion of Huntington county, the southeastern part of Whitley county and the adjoining parts of Allen county, engaged in a wolf drive in the hope of exterminating that pestiferous creature.
Considerably more than a township in area was surrounded by lines of sturdy backwoodsmen, each armed with a trusty rifle, who carefully advanced to the center of the encircled territory, making every ef- fort to drive in such game as then abounded in that thinly populated district. Late in the afternoon the lines of hunters concen- trated about a small tract of prairie and woodland some little distance south of the Wabash & Erie canal, not far from Aboite creek. Within the lines were seven or eight deer and a few wolves and foxes. Excite- ment became great as the opportunity offered
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to get a shot at the game thus enclosed, the deer seeming to attract the greatest interest. Men would shoot into the ring at the game without taking notice of the fact that scores of others were just beyond in the range of the bullet being fired, and the danger was increased by the fact that "buck ague" made poor shots of excellent marksmen, so great was the excitement prevailing. Occasion- ally a deer would fall and then a score of hunters would claim the honor of bringing it down. At one time knives were being drawn by some of the excited ones with the purpose of enforcing their claims in their assertions of ownership in a slaughtered deer, when nearby from the midst of a num- ber of friends there rang out the sharp report of a pistol and one of those friends sank to to the earth with a bullet in his brain. The deer was forgotten and all gave attention to the unfortunate man, but help was unavail- ing, as the spirit of Andrew Scott took its flight but a few hours later. The pistol was being examined by a friend of the owner, who could not use it on account of something being wrong with the mechanism, when, without warning, it was discharged with deadly effect. The unfortunate turn of mat- ters put an end to the wolf drive and it is not known that a single wolf was killed, but those driven in were permitted to escape.
Few of those pioneer hunters are left to tell the story of that day's sport and sad ending. So far as known Albert Hatfield, the C. & E. caller, is the only one of them living in this city. The next morning, on putting his hand in a side pocket of his coat, he brought out a flattened bullet which had struck some object and with spent force had fallen unobserved into the place where
found. Many of those present never forgot to the last hour of life the sensation pro- duced by whistling bullets coming all too close for comfort.
But a few rods away from the scene of the occurrence here related is the battle ground, on the banks of the Aboite river, where, years before, a band of Indians com- pletely exterminated an armed force of whites. Less than a mile from this place of carnage, just north of the traction line. stands the old brick mansion of Ben Ruffner, who was a king among his fellows half a century ago, and whose home was the won- der of the hardy backwoodsmen of that day. The artificial waterway which permitted well laden boats to sweep past his door-yard from spring until fall, has long since fallen into disuse and in its place the traction car flies at rapid speed, propelled by a power then unknown.
The pioneer of fifty years ago conquered the forest and planted homes for succeeding generations in places seemingly for all time the abiding place of the wolf. His unerring rifle brought down the last of the fleet-footed deer, and the generations are wondering whether the stories told of that animal's presence are based upon facts, or whether some wild dream has been taken for history. All honor to the few remaining sons of toil of those days and their comrades who have fallen along the way. Those of us now living and our successors will long owe them a debt of gratitude not easily paid.
J. M. H.
J. W. Rea was the man holding the pistol when it was discharged. but his name was not mentioned by Mr. Hatfield in his write-
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up, as Mr. Rea was living at that time and was doubtless very sensitive at any mention of the matter, although the shooting was purely accidental and he was wholly without fault in the matter. Mr. Rea is now dead and it is said that the accident cast a gloom over his life and for more than fifty years he was unable to forget the terrible tragedy. Mr. Scott and Mr. Rea were neighbors at the time, the former lived on the farm now owned by Joseph Maddox in section 14, and Mr. Rea on the farm now owned by Samuel Gipe in section 22.
The pistol was the property of James G. Dyer, who, being unable to make it work, had handed it to Mr. Rea who was ex- amining it when it was discharged with such fatal effect. Mathew Custer, yet living, helped carry the wounded man to a nearby house and afterwards he was taken to the home of John Smith, Mr. Scott's father-in- law, near the Broxon corners and he was buried in the cemetery near by. Mr. Scott's widow, now the wife of John W. Grace, is living at Andrews, Indiana.
RACCOON VILLAGE.
Raccoon Village, which is prominently identified with the early history of Jefferson township, was located in the southeast corner of the township, on the north bank of the Wabash & Erie canal, and originally con- sisted of a brick house with two rooms and a number of log cabins, all erected by the government for the occupation of the In- dians. The place was named in honor of the Chief Raccoon, who occupied the brick house referred to. After the advent of the white people, the land was sold, and the
brick house passed into the hands of Jesse Vermilyea. By him it was rented to differ- ent parties, Thomas McGlaughlin being the occupant in 1843. It was built squarely on the county line, one room being in Whitley county and the other in Allen county. It is said that many years ago, a wedding took place in the brick house, the ceremony being performed by a justice of the peace by the name of Hamilton who held a commission in Allen county. During the progress of the ceremony, which was commenced in the west room, it was observed that the justice had no jurisdiction there, so the party ad- journed to the east room, in Allen county, where the matrimonial knot was legally tied.
When the canal was built, this place be- came a landing, to which the farmers hauled their produce for shipment, and spring usually found immense piles of logs and wood here, ready for transportation. The place was also a favorite resort for idlers, and here, on a pleasant Sunday in summer, a crowd of men and boys would generally be found, smoking, discussing the topics of the day, watching the deer on the prairie to the south, or waiting for a packet boat to glide by. The last canal boat passed the place in 1879, the brick house was long since torn down and time has obliterated every trace of the historic village. In 1901 the Fort Wayne & Southwestern Traction Company completed an electric railway which occupies the site of the old canal. During the summer and fall of 1906, a gravel pit was opened on the site of Raccoon Village, which revealed the fact that Indians at one time used it as a burying ground, and a number of skeletons and trinkets were found.
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About 1840 Thomas Washburn and some of the early business men of Columbia City petitioned the legislature to build a state road from Columbia City to Raccoon Village, as that was the nearest point to reach the canal in going from Columbia City to Fort Wayne and other eastern points, and in shipping goods to stock their stores. Accordingly, the road was ordered built and Lot S. Bayless, was appointed commissioner, Richard Knisely, surveyor, and Octavius Phelps was one of the axmen. The road was completed in August. 1843. and extended in a northwesterly direction from Raccoon Village to Columbia City and was known as the "Raccoon Road." When the Pennsylvania Railroad was built. the Raccoon road gradually lost its use- fulness and all that part which passed through Jefferson township has been va- cated and the roads placed on the section lines. From a point in Union township, near the home of Adam Yagel, to Colum- bia City, the road is still in use.
PUBLIC HIGHWAYS.
Jefferson township is now pretty well supplied with public roads and, unlike many other townships, they are nearly all on the section lines, one of the principal exceptions being the eastern part of the Illinois road that passes through the northern part of the township. Another exception is the road that formerly extended along the north side of the canal through section 34. After the electric railway was built along the site of the canal, the wagon road was re-estab- lished a short distance north of the former site.
The main roads running east and west through the township are the "Illinois" road, the "Liberty Mills" road and the "Fairchild" road. The latter extends through the mid- dle of the township, and was first opened by Moses Fairchild as has been previously stated.
One of the main roads passing north and south through the township is the one run- ning parallel with the west line of the town- ship and one mile east of said line and is known as the "Columbia City and Roanoke" road.
About the only by-road still in use is the one that passes east and west through sec- tion 18. This road was opened in an early day by the first settlers on the section and has been kept up ever since and is at the present time nearly all graveled. For many years it was traveled almost as much as any main road, as nearly all the travel from the village of Forest and vicinity to Columbia City was over this road to the main road known as the Columbia City and Roanoke road, as the roads west and north through Washington township were through almost impenetrable swamps and at many times during the year were impassable. However, the road is not likely to be abandoned as there are three permanent farm residences and a church and cemetery situated thereon and United States Mail route No. 5. from Columbia City, passes over this road.
The legislature of 1881 changed the road law and created the office of road su- perintendent, said officer to have charge of the roads in the entire township. At the April election, 1882, John W. McNabb was elected road superintendent for Jefferson township. He served only one year when
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the law was changed back to the old system of district supervisors.
SAW-MILLS.
In 1852 the first saw-mill in the town- ship was built by Daniel German on the Illinois road. On the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, Mr. German entered the Union service, in which he lost an arm. Returning home, he settled on the northwest corner of section 9, on the farm now owned by James B. Crowel, and afterward served his township as assessor. He took a great interest in potato culture and originated a number of new varieties.
In the early days of the township, Lot Bayless's saw-mill in Allen county supplied most of the settlers with the little lumber required, but as time rolled on. the great wealth of the timber gave rise to nu- merous saw-mills. The German mill was after a few years moved a short distance eastward and was purchased by Robbins & Frantz. In 1881 it was torn down and moved to the southern part of the township by the above named firm, where it was in operation many years.
The second saw-mill in the township was built by Bayless & Brother, in 1856, in the eastern part of the township on the Liberty Mills road. This mill, with a "corn crack- er" added, continued in operation until 1860, when it was destroyed by fire. It was im- mediately rebuilt and again burned in 1869. It was again rebuilt and in 1876 was re- moved to Michigan.
In 1866 a saw-mill was built on the southwest corner of section 27, by Black, Dustman & Company. It was erected at a
cost of five thousand five hundred dollars, was the first circular saw-mill in the town- ship and did an extensive business for many years.
In 1868 a circular saw-mill was built by Martin L. Stevens on the Illinois road on section 6. This mill was afterwards pur- chased by Lewis Gross and after the build- ing of the "Nickel Plate" Railroad, in 1881, was moved to the town of Peabody in Wash- ington township.
In 1867 a shingle factory was built just south of the village of Forest, by Miller & Baker. In 1871 a stave machine was added which was sold in 1876 and the building enlarged to make room for planing ma- chinery. The mill was afterward destroyed by fire but the shingle mill was rebuilt and operated for several years.
In 1873 Sowers & Morrolf erected a saw-mill on the southwest corner of section 16. The boiler in this mill was blown up on March 4, 1875, and some of the employes severely injured but no one killed. In the fall of 1875, Oliver J. Crowel purchased an interest in the mill and later secured the entire property, which he afterward sold to George W. Shipley, who operated the same until 1902, when he sold out to Shoda & Barger, who are the present owners of the mill, which is in operation only a part of the time. On April 16, 1894, the boiler in this mill was again blown up and Ami Hively was killed.
In 1876, Young & Metzler erected a saw- mill at Forest at a cost of three thousand dollars. The next year a flouring mill was put in operation in connection with the saw- mill, which was run for several years, but both mills ceased operation many years ago.
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
Soon after the building of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, a saw-mill was built at the town of Dunfee on the Allen county line, in section I, by William Walker, who soon after sold out to Pence & Hughes. The mill did an active busi- ness for several years.
In 1872 a saw-mill was erected on sec- tion 5, on the Columbia City and Roanoke road, by Boltz & France, which was operated for several years and in 1880 was moved about two miles north in Union township, where it remained several years and was then moved out of the county.
In 1884 Giddings, Knowlton & Bond purchased a large tract of land in the south- east part of the township and put up a large mill, and while the timber was being manu- factured into lumber quite a village sprung up and a large number of men were em- ployed. After the timber was consumed, the land was sold and the mills removed to other fields of usefulness.
In 1889 a saw-mill was established at Raber Station, on the Nickel Plate Railroad, which was operated by different firms for about twelve years.
About 1886 a saw-mill was established by Taylor Brothers on the "Nickel Plate" Railroad two miles east of the town of Raber, where it was in operation a year or two, then moved to the Taylor farm in sec- tion 10, but soon after was sold and moved out of the township.
A saw-mill and feed-grinder has been in operation for a number of years in the east- ern part of the township by William Press- ler, and several portable mills have operated in the township during the last fifteen years, and the greater part of the lumber that is
sawed at the present time is done by this kind of mills.
From the above brief history of the saw- mills that have been in operation in the township since the first settlement, it will be seen that the timber that once stood in Jefferson township was of almost inestimable value, and it is freely asserted that the said timber would to-day be worth more than the land upon which it stood, with all the im- provements, for besides the lumber manu- factured by these mills, millions of feet of logs have been shipped out of the township to Columbia City, Fort Wayne, Huntington, Roanoke, etc., and to other mills in the sur- rounding country outside of the township. and it must also be remembered that a great amount of valuable timber was made into fence rails and burned in log heaps.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
In the early days of the settlement of Jefferson township, the postal facilities en- joyed by the settlers were in keeping with the existing order of things, the nearest postoffices being Fort Wayne and Roanoke and the postage on a letter was from fifteen to twenty-five cents. But as the settlers in- creased in numbers, they began to demand some improvement in this respect and after considerable agitation, their efforts were re- warded and two postoffices established in the township on the Liberty Mills road and a weekly mail service followed for many years.
The office in the eastern part of the town- ship was established January 21, 1857, was named "Saturn" and William T. Jeffries was appointed the first postmaster and kept
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the office at his farm residence. The other office was named "Land." was established June 27. 1855, and was located in the "Maring's settlement." Thomas Neal was the first postmaster and kept the office at his farm residence on the southwest corner of section 19, on the farm now owned by Fred- erick Brock. The mail was carried first from Fort Wayne to Liberty Mills, the car- rier making the trip on Friday of each week and returning on Saturday. Afterward the route was changed and started from Aboite .Station on the Wabash Railroad in Allen county.
Mr. Jeffries served as postmaster at Sat- urn for about three years and was followed by James T. Bayless, Eli Hatfield and James Broxon. Mr. Broxon held the office from 1867 until April 20, 1895. when he resigned and Marcus N. Aker was appointed and held the office until rural free delivery was established and the office was abolished No- vember 15, 1900.
Mr. Neal served as postmaster at Land until the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, when he resigned. Being an ardent Democrat, he would not serve under Repub- lican rule, so he was succeeded by Chris- tian Bechtel, who moved the office to his residence across the road from the former location, in Washington township, and in connection with the postoffice he conducted a harness and repair shop.
Thomas Neal was quite a character in the early history of Jefferson township and besides his term as postmaster. he served as one of the board of trustees and also a term as county commissioner for the third district.
Christian Bechtel served as postmaster until the spring of 1880. when he resigned
and Marion G. Wright was appointed to suc- ceed him. MIr. Wright moved the office to his drug store in the village of Forest. about one mile north of the original loca- tion. Mr. Wright served about one year when he resigned and sold his business to his brother-in-law. 'William Metzler, who, being a Democrat, was not eligible to be appointed postmaster at that time and the office was given to Mr. Metzler's clerk. Ed- ward E. Phelps. Mr. Phelps held the office about one year when he resigned and James W. Burwell became postmaster. Mr. Bur- well served the people faithfully and well until Grover Cleveland was elevated to the presidential chair, March 4, 1885, when the principle of "to the victors belong the spoils" was carried out, Mr. Burwell re- moved and the office given to Perry Long. Mr. Long served until the spring of 1888. when he sold his business to Messrs. Deems & Raber and Jacob C. Raber became post- master. Mr. Raber served until the admin- istration was reversed by the election of Har- rison and L. L. Kimmel became postmaster in July. 1889. The office remained in Mr. Kimmel's charge until the summer of 1893, when, the Democratic party having again been restored to power, the office changed hands and J. C. Raber was again postmaster. Mr. Raber served until the return of Repub- lican rule by the election of Mckinley in 1896. and the administration of the post- office was again changed and Mr. Kimmel resumed charge for a second time and served until he sold his business in the spring of 1901. when he resigned the postoffice and George W. Kelsey was appointed postmas- ter and served until the office was discon- tinned February 28, 1903.
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The mail was carried to Land first from Fort Wayne and afterward from Aboite Sta- tion until 1879, when a tri-weekly route was established from Columbia City and Joseph Yontz was the carrier. This continued until the "Nickel Plate" Railroad was built. The Columbia City route was discontinued in 1883 and a daily mail was established from Peabody Station. In 1890, this was changed and the mail was carried from Raber Station until the establishment of rural route No. 6, from Columbia City. March 1, 1902.
In the spring of 1883, a petition was cir- culated asking for the establishment of a postoffice at Raber Station on the "Nickel Plate" Railroad. The petition was granted the office was established and Samuel Clark was appointed the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Thomas J. Berry, who served until his death. July 30, 1901, when Wil- liam Bogner was appointed as his successor and conducted the office until it was dis- continued, March 31. 1902.
Soon after the building of the New York. Chicago & St. Louis Railroad a postoffice was established at Dunfee Station on the county line, five miles east of Raber post- office, and George M. Singer was appointed postmaster and served until he was murdered by unknown persons on the night of Sep- tember 16, 1895. Perry Gaff was tempo- rarily deputized to take charge of the post- office, and settled up the Singer estate as administrator, and on November 21. 1895. William McWhirter was appointed post- master and is holding the office at the present time, and "Dunfee" is the only postoffice in Jefferson township to-day.
The people of the township are pretty
well served by rural free delivery, there being three routes from Columbia City and two from Roanoke that cover territory in the township, besides a route from Fort Wayne that covers a portion of the county line road on the east side of the township.
POLITICAL MATTERS.
Jefferson township has always been pretty evenly divided politically. At the first presidential election after the organiza- tion of the Republican party. in 1856, the Democrats carried the township by a ma- jority of eleven votes, while four years later. in 1860, Lincoln had a plurality of nine votes over Douglas, but there were twelve votes cast for Breckenridge, Southern Democrat, at this election. Of the thirteen presiden- tial elections from 1856 to 1904, the Demo- crats have carried eight, at an average plu- rality of fifteen, while the Republicans have carried the township five times, at an average plurality of ten votes. The largest Demo- cratic plurality was in 1864, of thirty-eight. and the largest Republican plurality was in 1872. when Grant had a plurality of twenty- five votes over Greeley. but at this election there were four votes cast for O'Connor. straight-out Democrat. At the last presi- dential election. in 1904. Roosevelt had thirteen more votes than Parker; in 1888. Cleveland had two more votes than Har- rison and in 1892. Harrison liad six more votes than Cleveland: in 1900, Mckinley had one more vote than Bryan in the township.
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