USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 52
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
mers, David Engle. Isaac Keirn, Peter Haynes and Joseph Waugh. There were eleven land entries made in 1835, the first by Richard and Nathan House, August 10. In 1836 there were one hundred and eleven entries, and most of the land was taken up in this and the following year. The last entry on record was by Henry Pomeroy in 1853. Henry L. Ellsworth on June 1, 1836. took up one thousand five hundred and twenty acres in sections 27, 29, 30 and 30 of this township. This was the largest nimm- ber of acres entered by any one person.
The first settlers in this new region made their way hither in wagons from their Ohio and other eastern. liomes. They 11s11- ally took up land where water for domestic purposes was abundant, generally springs, near which they built their cabin homes re- gardless of the location on the farm. Many of the old cabin sites are marked yet to- day by some old apple trees which were planted around it by the pioneers of the 'thirties and 'forties. Near these old trees can always be found an old spring or the evidences of one. There was no incentive in those days to clear away the forests and cultivate the soil except to supply the family needs, to pay the taxes and to support the little stock they had. With the good old trusty rifle, to be found above the door or fireplace of every pioneer home, they could supply themselves with meat from the abun- dant game in the forests, and from the lakes and streams a supply of fish could be had at any time. There were no game and fish laws then to violate. The few hogs they had could put on fat and bacon from the rich nuts and acorns which they gathered in the woods. It was true in those days that the
swine must either "root hog or die." The little corn the settlers raised they used for themselves in making corn bread and mush. There were no local markets then. The nearest market for these sturdy pioneers was Fort Wayne, and the only mode of trans- portation was by wagon over the Yellow River road. A source of income was the furs of the wild animals caught during the winter season.
The first impetus to agriculture was the building of the Pittsburg. Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad through Columbia City in 1856. The first engine, called the "Mad An- thony," arrived in Columbia from Fort Wayne 'on the 23d day of January. 1856; and on the Ist day of February the same year a regular train service began. The service was very primitive, but yet of ines- timable value to the citizens. This road opened a market for the lumber of the for- ests which had to be cleared away before the soil could be farmed. It was soon after the completion of this railroad that steam saw mills were built to convert the timber into lumber. With this improvement in transportation and the advent of better saw mills (the first being water-mills) the set- tlers increased and the uplands were gradu- ally cleared and prepared for cultivation. The crops grown were corn, wheat, rye. beans, buckwheat and potatoes. Flax was also grown to some extent and made into homespun clothing. The ground was pre- pared by what was known as a "jumping plow" or "side jumper.' usually drawn by a yoke of oxen. The grain was sown broad- cast and dragged in with a brush when a three-cornered or A-shaped harrow could not be afforded. The ripened grain was
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reaped by hand and threshed with a flail. As the cleared area became larger in extent im- proved machinery was introduced for the putting out and harvesting of the crops. Threshing machines, too, were then brought into this new country. As agricultural de- velopment progressed new and more mod- ern machinery has been introduced until to- day the few tools used by the pioneers are looked upon as interesting curiosities and sought for by the antiquarian.
Whitley county was organized as a sep- arate county in 1838, when one of the four voting places in the first county election was at the house of Richard Baughan, in Thorn- creek township, who was the first sheriff of the county and who held the office under appointment by Governor Wallace. This election was held on the first Monday in April, 1838. The convention of the citizens of the county for the selection of candidates to be voted for at this election was held at the house of Calvin Alexander on the south- west quarter of the northeast quarter of sec- tion 33 in Thorncreek township, the land being now owned by John Magley. one of the few remaining pioneers. It is stated that about twenty assembled at this caucus and nominated Abraham Cuppy for clerk and recorder, Jacob A. Vanhouten and Benja- min F. Martin for associate judges and Otho W. Gandy, Nathaniel Gradeless and Joseph Parrett, Jr., for county commissioners. These men became the respective officers for which they were nominated possibly with- out any opposition, for in pioneer days poli- tics were laid aside in the selection of men to fill the offices. The house of Richard Baughan was at the point on Blue river where the Yellow River road crosses it near
the present homes of E. A. Barney and Jo- siah Archer, and near where Mr. Barney's barn now stands. It was at this point 011 the south side of the river and at the foot of the hill that Mr. Baughan, about the year 1841, built a water-power mill in which to do saw- ing, and also grind corn, wheat and buck- wheat on a small scale. Mr. Baughan's house, it seems, was a prominent place, for it is said that here also the first courts of the county were held and justice dealt out.
The first township election or the one ordered held on the first Monday in Decem- ber, 1837, as previously mentioned, was held, it is said, at the house of Benjamin F. Mar- tin in section 12. As near as can be ascer- tained the voters at this first township elec- tion were John H. Alexander, Henry, Adam, Joseph and John Egolf, Martin Overly, Ben- jamin F. Martin, Peter Shriner, Jacob and Daniel Hively, Jacob Brumbaugh and Jacob Shearer. It was at this election that Adam Egolf was elected justice of the peace as be- fore mentioned.
The general assembly of the state of In- diana, on the 17th day of February, 1838, passed a law fixing the time of township elections and naming the offices to be filled thereat. The act provided as follows con- cerning elections :
Section 2. The qualified electors in each county are hereby authorized and required to ineet in their respective townships at the us- ual places of holding elections on the first Monday in April, annually, and proceed to elect three township trustees, a township treasurer and clerk, two overseers of the poor, two fence viewers and as many con- stables as there are justices of the peace in1 each township, and after the first election
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
under the provisions of this act, as many supervisors of roads and highways as there are road districts in the township.
Section 5 provided that the trustees were to meet on the first Mondays in March, June, September and November, annually, to tran- sact the business of the township, and at their first meeting to divide their townships into a suitable number of road districts and appoint a suitable person in each district as supervisor of highways.
The trustees had full charge of the town- ship affairs, a general superintendence of roads and highways, had to assess and di- rect the collection of township revenues to defray the necessary expenses of the town- ship. One of the constables was to be ap- pointed township collector. This law af- fected only certain counties, among which was Whitley. This law remained on the statutes for twenty-one years and one day.
On February 18, 1859, the general as- sembly of the state of Indiana enacted that one trustee should be elected instead of three, and his duties were :
First. To keep a true record of his offi- cial proceedings.
Second. To receive all monies belong- ing to the township, and pay the same out according to law.
Third. To divide his township into con- venient highway districts.
Fourth. To fill all vacancies that occur in the office of supervisor of highways in his township.
Fifth. To see to a proper application of all monies belonging to the township for road, school or other purposes, and perform all the duties heretofore required of the township trustees, clerk and treasurer.
Sixth. To have the care and manage- ment of all property belonging to the town- ship.
Seventh. To cause a record to be made accurately defining the boundaries and num- bers of each road district, and all alterations made in the boundaries in such district.
Eighth. Given power to administer all oaths where necessary in the discharge of his duties.
He was made inspector of elections, over- seer of the poor, and fence viewer. He was to levy a tax on the property of his town- ship for township purposes which was to be collected by the county treasurer. He could not change, vacate, or open any highway in his township, for this power was now vest- ed in the county commissioners. He was to receive one dollar and fifty cents per day for all the time necessarily employed in the performance of his duties. This law re- mained on the statutes until 1877, when, on March 3d the general assembly enacted that the election of township officers should take place on the first Monday of April, 1878, and every second year thereafter. And again on March 12, 1877, the general as- sembly enacted that any person holding the office of trustee of any township for two consecutive terms at the general election in October, 1878, shall not be eligible to the office for the next ensuing term, and can not hold the office more than four years in any six. On April 1, 1881. the state legis- lature again enacted that township officers should be elected on the first Monday of April, 1882, and every second year there- after; and on March 11, 1889, it was pro- vided by act of the legislature that an elec- tion should be held on the first Monday of
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
April. 1890, and every fourth year there- after for the purpose of electing township officers. At this time the township officers hold for four years.
A general demand being made by the voters throughout the state to change the time of holding the township elections, the general assembly by an act approved March 2. 1893, changed the time of the election of township officers from the first Monday of April to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 1894, and every four years thereafter; and. again on February 25. 1897, the time of election of township officers was changed from 1898 to the gen- eral election of 1900. The last change up to the present time ( 1906) is that the town- ship trustees and assessors elected in No- vember, 1904, shall begin their terms of of- fice on the first day of January, 1905: and those elected at succeeding elections shall be- gin their terms on the first day of January succeeding their election. Thus, briefly told. is the history of the law governing the elections of the township officers since the organization of this county. Since the year 1877 the township election law and the law affecting township officers has been manipu- lated and changed so often for purposes best known to the politician.
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.
The manufacturing interests of the town- ship have always been limited to saw mills which converted the valuable timber of the woodlands into lumber for the pioneer homes. Many of the houses and barns of this township in use at the present time were constructed from lumber sawed at these
mills. Mr. Baughan's mill has been men- tioned previously as being the first one in the township. Another saw mill, and a card- ing machine in connection with it, was erect- ed on the south bank of Round lake in 1846 by Solomon Anspaugh, who then sold it to Wesley Hyre, Sr .. in 1849. It was but a small affair, and Mr. Hyre rebuilt the saw mill which he operated until 1860, when he sold it to his son Joseph. The mill was run by water power, obtained through a race, from Round lake. During this time, or about 1850, another saw mill was built about a mile and a half south of the Hyre mill, on Thorn creek, which received the water that operated the machinery in Hyre's mill. This same water was used to operate this second mill. Joseph Hyre sold his mill to his brother Leonard in 1865 : and in 1867 Leonard sold it to Frederick Magley, who owned it until it became only a ruin. The third saw mill. or the one on Thorn creek, south of the Hyre mill. was built by Chris- tian Knaga. After Mr. Knaga's death, which occurred soon after he built the mill. it was rented to Frederick Humbarger for five years. Afterward it was operated by Cyrus Knaga, a son of Christian Knaga .. for about nine years, then it was sold to Sam- tiel Coverstone, who operated it until it, too. became a ruin. The dam constructed near Round lake to raise the water at the upper mill was removed some years ago and noth- ing now remains of these two old pioneer mills except some willow trees growing along the old mill race which mark their lo- cation. Likewise nothing now remains of the mill on Blue river. which was erected by Mr. Baughan except an old relic owned by E. A. Barney.
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
Soon after Joseph Hyre had sold his mill at Round lake he built another one near the half section corner of sections 20 and 29. which he operated by steam power for a few years. He then sold this mill and it was moved away. He then built another steam saw mill and grist mill combined at the same place, which he operated until about 1879. at which time he sold both-the saw mill being moved into Noble county near Big lake. and the grist mill taken to Land. in Whitley county. This was Mr. Hyre's last venture in the mill business.
Another steam saw mill was erected on the Roley farm about the year 1862 by Mr. Simonson for Harris & Green. These par- ties sold it to John Null in 1864. This mill was built on the west half of the northeast quarter of section 33. Henry Guise and John Magley operated it in 1863 and Mr. Null in 1864-65. Dr. D. G. - Linvill had an interest in this mill for many years, and during this time it was run by Mr. Maxwell. It was aft- erward owned and operated by James W. Yontz, who subsequenly moved it to his fa- ther's farm about a mile south of its first lo- cation. In all probability this mill sawed a greater amount of lumber than any other two of the pioneer mills of the township. It was a heavy and powerful mill and the largest logs were handled with ease by it.
A steam saw mill was built on the Samuel Miller farm about a half mile north of the center of the township. This also sawed up a lot of valuable timber into lunumber.
Robert Smith, Sr., about 1866, built a saw mill near Catfish lake, which was after- ward removed and rebuilt about one-half mile west and was for many years owned
and operated by John E. Smith, a son of Robert Smith, Sr. Many of the present citizens will remember seeing Smith's mule teams hauling logs to the mill and lumber from it to the market in Columbia City.
Thomas N. Hughes built a saw mill about 1873, in the eastern part of the town- ship. about three miles north of the south- east corner. In 1881 it was removed to Taylor's station on the Vandalia Railroad.
These mills converted much of the valu- able walnut, poplar and ash timber into the finest lumber, and much of it can yet be seen in the older dwellings and barns of this township. The products of these mills, like the mills themselves. are fast going to de- cay, and in a few years more nothing of either will remain. They were an important factor in the development of the township. Before they were built the timber was burned, and only log cabins were con- structed, but after the mills appeared this good timber was sawed into boards, some of which were used in the houses and barns. and the surplus sold to dealers in Columbia City, and often hauled to Fort Wayne, by ox teams, over the rough roads through the woods and there marketed.
Several tile mills were operated in past years. One on the Cotterly farm manu- factured drain tile for several years, until 1905, when it was sold and removed to Columbia City. This mill was operated by John, Benjamin and Ernest Cotterly and John Pontzius at various times, and the tile made were of the best quality. Another tile mill was operated northwest from this one about two miles by John Judd and John Fry at different times, where also tile of fine quality were manufactured.
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
There are at present two stationary saw mills-one owned by Christopher Judd and the other by Emanuel Harshbarger, and three portable mills in the township. These mills do what little sawing there is yet to be done.
The township has one general store which is in the northern part. This store is of great convenience to the residents in that part. The business was started by Edmund E. Hoffer on the corner of his father's farm. He sold it to John Cotterly, who moved it to his farm, a half mile east and a half mile north of where Mr. Hoffer had it. Mr. Cotterly subsequently moved it a half mile south. A postoffice, known as Cresco, Indiana, was established at this store and maintained until rural free delivery was brought about, and it was then abandoned.
AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS.
While Thorncreek township does not rank with the best of the townships of Whit- ley county in the totals of its agricultural wealth, yet its farming interests are very im- portant and hold the only place among its people. A pleasing feature of its economic conditions is the comparatively equal distri- bution of wealth among its farmers. As a general rule each farmer owns the land he cultivates, and has secured on his farm the necessary buildings, implements, stock and all things required for a comfortable living. The barns and outbuildings are not too large or expensive, but are constructed and built suitable to the needs of the farm. The dwellings are, as a rule, all comfortable frame buildings, there being only seven brick dwellings in the township. Many
new houses have been erected within the last decade. A few log cabins of the early set- tlers may yet be seen in different parts of the township; and in some of the earlier substantial frame dwellings may yet be seen the old-fashioned fire place with its old fire dogs and crane. Many of us will readily recall the cheerful glow of the fire in these dear old fireplaces; of the family sitting in sweet repose around them; of mother and grandmother spinning yarn and flax for our clothing; and of father making spiles from alder bushes to be used during the maple . sugar season in the spring. The present conditions of agriculture are fixed, and naturally favor a system of general farming and, in connection therewith, the raising of cattle, sheep and swine. Interspersed throughout the township are small areas of muck land. Owing to the nature and posi- tion of these muck land it is reasonable to suppose that they are old lake beds and ponds which have gradually become filled with decaying organic matter. These muck patches were covered with swamp grass. huckleberry bushes, cranberry vines, wil- lows and occasionally larger trees. Drain- age is necessary before this muck can be cul- tivated. When it is drained it becomes an ideal soil for the raising of onions and cel- ery. Many onions are being raised in the township on these lands at the present time.
LAKES.
Thorncreek township has as beautiful and interesting a lot of lakes as can be found anywhere in the state of Indiana in an area of the same extent. They are all located in the northern one-third part of the township.
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
Of these the state geologist, in the seven- teenth report, made in 1891, says: "Shrin- er's and Cedar, in sections 2, II and 12, Thorncreek, are as pretty a pair of twin lakes as one can wish to see. They occupy two narrow parallel valleys, separated by a ridge scarcely a quarter of a mile wide. Shriner's, the smaller and prettier of the two, is a mile and a quarter long by a quar- ter of a mile wide. Its level was lowered several feet about forty years ago by a ditch cut through the ridge between it and Round lake. The beach thus left dry is several rods wide and' covered with grass. The present shores are remarkably clean, bor- dered by only a thin belt of sedges and rushes. Outside of that the water deepens rapidly, and varies from forty-five feet to over seventy at the upper end. The water is very clear and furnishes excellent fishing grounds. Moderately high bluffs on either side, covered to a large extent with forest of magnificent beeches, maples and lindens, form a fit setting for this charming picture.
Cedar lake is much like Shriner's, but more irregular. The lower fourth is separat- ed from the main body by narrows and an island. Its level was raised by a dam at the same time that Shriner's was lowered, and the shallow space thus gained is entirely oc- cupied by aquatic vegetation. These two lakes furnish an illustration of the law that lowering a lake leaves clean shores and raising it results in the formation of a marshy border. The depth of Cedar lake varies from forty-five to seventy-nine feet in the upper basin.
Round lake, one hundred and sixty acres, lies at the same level as Cedar, with which it is connected by a strait, scarcely
navigable on account of vegetation. Its axis is at right angles with that of Cedar, and its depth from thirty-five to sixty feet. These lakes are drained through Thorncreek into Blue river.
Separated from the west end of Cedar by a divide a quarter of a mile across and twenty-five or thirty feet high is Crooked lake, which empties westward into the Tip- pecanoe river. Its axis continues the gen- eral direction of Shriner's and Cedar, south- east and northwest, but is nearly as large as the other two and much more irregular in outline and bottom. The upper basin is small and partially separated from the cen- tral by a narrow gravel ridge. The central basin is a half mile in diameter, and near its center was found the deepest sounding ever made by the writer in an Indiana lake, one hundred and seven feet. *
* The * shores are clean and gravelly and the hills on either side probably form the highest ground in Whitley county. The group of lakes comprising Shriner's, Round, Cedar and Crooked furnish five or six miles of boating and offer attractions for the camper, sportsman and artist, such as are equaled by few places in the state."
From this it can be seen what the state geogolist thought of our beautiful lakes at that time. The dam spoken of as being con- structed to raise the level of Cedar lake also raised Round lake. This dam has been re- moved and the shallow space spoken of as being covered by aquatic vegetation is now more or less dry and covered by grass and weeds where not cultivated. The dam was constructed to furnish water power for the saw mill built by Solomon Auspaugh, in 1846, and it was removed some years ago
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WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA.
when the mill at that place became a ruin. By doing this some fine soil for cultivation on the adjacent farms was reclaimed. Where the island and narrows were in Ce- dar lake a fill has been made and the small intervening space of water has been bridged over, and it looks now more like two lakes than one.
There is another small but nevertheless an interesting lake known as Catfish lake near the upper end of Shriner lake lying in the same valley and perhaps not more than thirty-six rods distant and separated from it by a low stretch of valley between the hills on either side. This little gem of water is nestled at the foot of the largest hill in the township and is entirely surrounded by aquatic plants and can be entered upon only at one place and only upon its eastern shore. It is almost round, and is beautiful to look upon when viewed from the top of the hill surrounding it on its northern and western borders. Part of Loon lake lies in this township, and it is on its southern shore in this township that is located the Loon lake summer resort. There is also a fine summer resort at Shriner lake. All of these lakes are ideal places for campers during the summer season, and a great boon to the sportsmen of Whitley county. Picnics and family gatherings are held in the beautiful groves at these resorts where all can enjoy a day of pleasure and recreation.
EDUCATION.
The first efforts at education in the town- ship are said to have been made by William 11. Widup, who taught in a private house in the Egolf neighborhood. The first school- house was built on the northwest corner of the
southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 14, then owned by Jacob Hum- barger. This house was of logs, and about 1856 it was superseded by a frame building built upon the southeast corner of the south- west quarter of section II. About 1865 or 1866 this was abandoned and another frame building built upon the northwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 14. These last two were known as the Hively school, and about 1882 or 1883 this last one was abandoned and a brick building was built on the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 14. This is known as the Hoops' school or district number six. Two of the early teachers in this school district were Harrison Crabill and Nathan Gradeless.
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