USA > Indiana > Adams County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 14
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 14
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At about the beginning of the eighteenth century the French Government fortified many of the trading posts and built stockades as a protection of their own traders and also their friendly Indian allies. In 1720, "Fort Chartres" at the trading post of Kaskaskia, was built and fortified. Father DeBeaubois, was stationed there as a parish mis- sionary priest. In 1730, post Vincennes was made a fortified French post. In 1717, Kekionga Village, known as Post Miamis, was the prin- cipal Indian town between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes. According to French records it contained "four hundred warriors well formed and tatooed," who were Miamis and Pottawatomies.
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FUR TRADERS AND MISSIONARIES
The fur trader, the missionary, and the adventurer, traversed these regions along the lakes and the navigable rivers first, as they were a means of transportation for their merchandise, and for better protection of themselves from the many dangers to which they were exposed. Jesuit priests filled with the novelty of adventure, and anxious to gratify such ambition and exhibit their devotion to the cause of Christianity, and a general civilization, made long inland journeys up and down the principal rivers going from village to village in pursuit of their mission. It is to them that the Saint Joseph and Saint Mary's rivers owe their names. At the headwaters of the Saint Mary's River, was a trading post known as Gerty's Town; it was so named after the noted renegade Indian scout and interpreter, who so ably helped the British in the Revolutionary war. Ile was also present at Saint Clair's defeat.
In 1791, at what subsequently became Fort Recovery in Ohio, between Gerty's Town-what is now known as Saint Mary's-and Post Miami was a trading post named Shayne's Crossing. It took its name from the Indian trader located there at the time Wayne's army, in 1794, crossed the river in its march into the Maumee country. Shayne was a half-breed Indian and Frenchman, who went west in 1832, with his people, at the request of the United States. A town was subsequently built at this trading post and named Shaynesville. Later its name was changed to Rockford.
Louis T. Bourie was a Frenchman, an Indian fur trader and gov- ernment interpreter, who came to reside in Fort Wayne in 1817. With him came his family, one member of which was a daughter, Caro- line, who was then three years old. She grew to womanhood and mar- ried Lucian P. Ferry, who was a Frenchman and an official of some prominence later in Fort Wayne's early history. When Mrs. Ferry was a mere child she attended school in one of the buildings within the stockades of the old fort; her teacher was a Baptist minister. She well remembers of supplies being carried on the Saint Mary's and Manmee rivers in long broad canoes they called pirogues. Subsequent to the death of her husband Mrs. Ferry lived for years in Decatur, with her daughter, the late Mrs. Dr. W. P. McMillen.
The French advance guards, as fur traders, or as missionaries, had far less trouble than some others who endeavored to educate and Christianize the Indians. Many of the early frontiermen had squaw wives, and their cabins in the clearing were the first evidence of French civilization. They, as pioneers, were hunters, little given to
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agricultural pursuits; neither very thrifty, nor wholly followers of Indian customs. They were the connecting links between the races then in possession ; they could speak several languages and were in- terpreters.
Much of the territory east of the Alleghanies, previous to the colo- nization by the whites, was occupied by the "Five Nations" or Iro- quois, who, subsequent to the French and Indian war in 1754, were allies of the English. They were forced back by the westward march of civilization and were soon at war with the Miamis and their allied tribes, west of the mountains, who were friends of the French. The English offered their Indian allies a cash price for each Frenchman's scalplock. The French authorities armed the Miamis with rifles and new dangers followed each other in close succession. No settlement was safe from plunder and murder; if it escaped one roving band of savages it was only to be destroyed by their enemies. Exploration was abandoned, the fur trade was much lessened, and frontier emigra- tion was retarded. It was not until the United States concluded the War of 1812 with Great Britain that a moderate degree of security on the frontier was secured.
NEGRO SLAVERY IN INDIANA
After the adoption of the Ordinance of 1787, eastern colonies formed land companies that opened large tracts on both sides of the Ohio River for settlement. Those on the north side were largely from the New England states, who were opposed to negro slavery. They also wished to seek a milder climate as homes for themselves and families. When Indiana was admitted as a state, there were large plantations in the southern part of the state. These were worked by negro slaves. An effort was made by some of the congressmen to have the conditions so changed that slavery should not be abolished ; they were unsuccessful and the slave owners either removed across the river into slave territory or sold their slaves and gave up their planta- tions. At the adoption of the state constitution there was a vigorous opposition to the plan of organizing and conducting the free schools. The free school idea had not yet taken sufficient root to bear fruits of any value.
OPINIONS OF FREE SCHOOLS
Gen. Arthur Saint Clair was one of the first governors of Indiana Territory, and he favored the continuation of slavery. He gave as his Vol. I-9
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reason that the United States Government, on accepting the French settlers as citizens, had guaranteed to them protection of life and property ; that slaves were a part of their property, and should be protected.
The slave owning element, and others, opposed the free schools and the common school system, claimed that it fostered discontent among the masses of the people, and made mean rebellious "niggers." That if education was wanted, it should be gotten at select schools and paid for by those who received it. That no valuable education could be acquired unless imparted along with religious instructions. That denominational, or church schools, were the only ones fit for the forma- tion of correct moral training of the youth. That a general education of all of the people would place the shopkeeper and the day laborer on an equality with those of wealth, and with the land owners, in particular, who by custom and the laws of the territory only were eligible to hold office, as bestowed by the Legislature.
As settlements grew, community church organizations had their own local schools. These schools combined the rudiments of general learning with religious instructions, and, as a rule, saw very little merit or good in any other doctrines than those advanced by their own church. To those of like religious faith, whose residence was in distant settlements and were willing to pay tuition, private tutors were sent.
EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS
The earliest settlements within the present State of Indiana, were made by the French Catholics. Their first church and school organ- izations were at Vincennes and date from 1749, with Father Meurin, the first local resident priest.
In Clark's grant, on the Ohio, at Charleston, the Baptists had their first church and schools in 1798. A few years earlier the great Meth- odist evangelist, George Whitfield, who favored slavery, shook the South with his logic and superior eloquence. Clarksville, in 1803, had its first Methodist organization and Sunday schools.
This church had its circulating Sunday school libraries, its camp meetings and its church paper, The Christian Advocate, which reached the remotest settlements. In 1806, the Presbyterians began a local church organization and schools at Vincennes. The next year, in 1807, the Friends, or Quakers, as they are commonly known, made settlements near Richmond, and had their church organization. They were bitterly opposed to negro slavery, and were active advocates of
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the common schools. About forty years later, in 1847, they began the Friend's Boarding School at Whitewater, near Richmond, which sub- sequently became Earlham College. Earlham is now well patronized, and is one of the accredited educational institutions of the state. It was not until 1825 that Fort Wayne had sufficient interest in the common schools to demand a seminary. The Methodist Episcopal ('o]- lege at Fort Wayne began in 1848. Liber College near Portland was opened for students in 1853, and was very pronounced in its views on slavery.
An Allen County historian tells us that: "As early as 1820, Rev. Isaac MeCoy, a missionary among the Indian tribes of this state appointed and sustained by the American Baptist Missionary Union, came to Fort Wayne and preached the gospel, as he had op- portunity, to all that he could reach, and taught such children as would come to a school that he opened, as well for white people as for Indians." This is doubtless the school taught in the old fort, as spoken of by the late Mrs. Caroline Ferry.
The first actually free school within the State of Indiana was be- gun about the year 1815 by what was then known as the New Har- mony Community. It was located at New Harmony, on the Wabash River, at the extreme southwestern part of the state. It offered equal advantages to boys and girls and advocated coeducation. It intro- duced the Pestalozzian system of education in the Northwest Territory. Its originators were Robert Owen and Francis Nicholas Neef. Mr. Neef was a student of Pestalozzi in Switzerland and his new ideas of education were finally utilized by many of the best teachers through- out the country. Many students who later became famous men and women, were pupils at this institution. Among them may be men- tioned Fanny Wright, a noted teacher, and Admiral Farragut, one of the successful fighters in the late Civil war.
FREE SCHOOL SYSTEM ENFORCED
It was not until Indiana had its second constitution, or Novem- ber 1, 1851, that its free school ideas could be utilized and enforced to any great extent. Before this time property owners only were legal voters; township and town trustees had no power to levy and collect taxes without the consent of a majority of the resident citizens of the school township in which the funds so collected were to be ex- pended. There was no state superintendent of publie instruction to enforce the collection of sequestered fines and funds withheld by town- ship, county and state officials. There were comparatively few sem-
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inaries, and these chiefly derived the benefits from the school fund interest. There were pitifully few country district schools that made any pretense of being exclusively free public schools. The trustees hired the teacher as cheaply as possible. He boarded "around" among his school patrons, and finished the term frequently, with an additional month or so for which the pupils paid him tuition.
SCHOOL PROPERTY
Before the new constitution of 1852 went into effect the township trustees were limited to the sum of $50 for each school district, with which to build and equip a schoolhouse. The provisions of the law were that: "Every able bodied male person of the age of twenty-one years, and upward, residing within the boundaries of such school dis- triet, shall be liable to work one day in each work, until such building may be completed, or pay the sum of thirty-seven and one half cents for every day he may so fail to work." That "in all cases such schoolhouse shall be eight feet between the floors, and at least one foot from the surface of the ground, to the first floor, and finished in a manner calculated to render comfortable the teacher and pupils, with a suitable number of seats, tables, and everything necessary for the convenience of such school, which shall be forever open for the education of all children, within the district without distinction." "Provided, that the school trustees shall always be bound to receive at cash price, in lieu of any such labor or money, as aforesaid, any plank, nails, glass, or other materials, which may be needed about the said building."
These schoolhouses were commonly made of logs, and had puncheon floors, and stone or stick chimneys, with large fireplaces, four or five feet in width, with plastered jams and inside walls.
The seats were usually puncheon benches without backs. The windows were mere openings in the side walls and had greased paper, or small glass windows to let in the light and keep out the wind and cold. When the house was finished it was numbered and named, and subsequent repairs were made when needed. From about 1855 to 1860 the first set of frame schoolhouses were built. Commonly they were sealed inside with green lumber and as a result there was no lack of fresh air. These houses were equipped with big box stoves that would burn three foot wood in chunks as large as one could lift.
The "Mud Pike" Road, south from Decatur, was one of the first of the "cut-out" roads south through the county. On this road, as you go south to the Limberlost at Buffalo, were the "Coffee School
FIRST LOG SCHOOLHOUSE IN THE COUNTY
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House," "the Ray School House," the "Mattax School House," the "Meyers School House," the "Baker School House," and the "Brad- ford School House." As none of these districts were located at the one or the three-mile distances from the township lines there are now none to show that the Mud Pike Road was a principal educational thoroughfare through the county.
From the state superintendent's report of 1853 we learn that there were then but seven schoolhouses in Adams County, and only 3,300 schoolhouses within the limits of Indiana.
In 1872, the first brick schoolhouse in Adams County was built. It was located in the "Dent District," which is just east of the Bel- mont Stock Farm, now owned and operated by Col. Fred Reppert. This schoolhouse was built by Township Trustees John Christen, Sr., and his report shows that it cost the Township of Root the sum of $500. At this time there were thirteen log schoolhouses in Adams County, five of which were in Jefferson Township.
ROADS, FARMS AND PIONEERS
There was a mail route through Adams County from Winchester to Fort Wayne some fifty years ago. Jesse Conner was one of the first mail carriers.
This distance of some sixty miles required a five-day trip to go and return. He touched postoffices then along his route, at Poe, Mon- mouth, Decatur, Monroe Centre, Canoper, Limber Lost, Bloomfield, Portland, etc. In this whole line of travel possibly he would not see a half dozen frame buildings outside of the villages.
The houses were log cabins of one or two rooms; the barns, where there were any, were poles and logs. The fences were brush, poles, or rails. The fields were small, from five to ten acres each : these were full of stumps and deadened trees. The roads, which now are straight lines of travel, were then snake tracks of crookedness, in order to pass around the wet prairies and ponds that lay in the route. Then game was plentiful, and everybody had his dogs and rifle.
Log rollings and house raisings were of frequent occurrence. Every citizen-settler considered it his duty and pleasure to attend these neighborhood gatherings. The work commonly began at sunrise and pleasant rivalry enlivened the occasion. When the work was done, the rest of the day was used in such amusements as foot-racing, jumping contests, wrestling, matches, boxing, and among those so inclined, the "fisti-cuff" to determine "who is the best man" were engaged in. It is a mistake to imagine that the pioneers did not enjoy themselves,
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though they were all poor. Though deprived of many of the con- veniences that came later, sociability and hospitality were everywhere to be found. It matters little which district was first to have a school- house, as they were all on practically the same plan. The Gorsline School in Root Township and the MeHugh School in Wabash Town- ship were both built about 1839.
Decatur's first schoolhouse was log, and stood on inlot 270, just east of the new traction station on North Second Street. It was built about 1840 and for the next decade of years was used for church, town and school purposes.
What a wonderful change in development in the last three-score of years in Adams County! The forests are gone and the stumps have been cleared away. The log cabin has disappeared and the big red barn shows where the crops are housed away. The stumpy little fields have given place to the meadow lands with their herds of fine cat- tle and fat horses. There now seems to be but one little hindrance to the best future results. That is an "itis" of some kind or other, that may be incurable. Everything now travels at a great rate of speed under the late and new schedules. With over 600 miles of stoned road and about 2,000 automobiles in Adams County in 1918, the country folks, as well, have become educated to like the looks of the city street lights in the evening. They come long distances to town, and return home wiser than when they come. The farmer's family may have all the advantages of city life and yet live in the country.
PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS
There are but three church organizations, at the present time, in Adams County, that conduct parochial schools in connection with their churches. They are the Amish Christian Church, in the western part of Monroe Township; the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has three church schools in Preble Township, one in Root Township, one in Union Township and one in the city of Decatur; and the Cath- olie Church schools which are located in Decatur and are known as the St. Joseph's Parochial schools.
These operate under a course of study, embracing among other subjects, the rudimentary studies, as reading, writing, spelling, arith- metie, etc., and also instructions in church history and catechism, and in those of graded students-drawing, mnsie, bookkeeping, etc. It has been stated that, in general, these schools are under the immediate supervision of the pastor in charge. That he stimulates the attend-
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ance by his efforts, and if he is not the teacher in charge, he uses his efforts to assist him in discipline, and the observance of church rules and regulations by the school children in attendance.
The Amish Christian Church school, in Monroe Township, has been conducted for about ten years. It is located in section 17, about equal distance from Berne and Monroe towns. Some of the influential members of this church school at its organization were Jacob J. Schwartz, Peter H. Habegger, David Mazlin, Peter Stuckey and Victor Garber. Its present enumeration is forty-five school children. Its teacher is Jacob J. Schwartz.
The Decatur Lutheran schools were begun in 1902, soon after the completion of the church building on Eleventh Street in Decatur. The school building is a convenient frame, and the school was first taught by Henry Lankenau, who was largely instrumental in its be- ginning here. The enrollment at the present time is seventeen pupils, three of whom live outside of Decatur. The teacher now in charge is the Rev. A. W. Henz, who is also pastor of the church here.
The St. Paul Lutheran Church School is located in southern Preble Township. It has ample school accommodations, and its organization is of more recent date than some others of this denomination within the county. It has an enrollment of forty-two pupils, and William F. Goede is its teacher.
The Zion Lutheran Church school is located in the northern part of Preble Township. This school has quite a large attendance, and is one of the oldest schools of the kind in the county. Its organ- ization dates back to the log schoolhouse days, and its attendance is still large. Just who its first teacher really was is not stated. However, a Mr. Christopher Kirsch was one of the earliest ones. Its present school enrollment is seventy-one pupils, twelve of whom are from Allen County, and its teacher is Edward Schuricht.
The St. Peter's Lutheran Church school is located in northern Root Township, in what is sometimes known as the Fuelling neigh- borhood, from some of the influential citizens who at an early date began a settlement there. The school building here is a fine large brick edifice, modern in construction. In this school there is an en- rollment of fifty-five school children, eleven of whom live in Allen County. Paul W. Dorn is the teacher here at this time.
The Emanuel Lutheran Church school is situated in the northwest part of Union Township, and had its beginning in about 1850. Some of the earliest members of the church, in this locality, were John H. Bleeke, and Christian F. Blakey, who came to Adams County in about 1839 or 1840. For a number of years the church membership
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was small and missionary ministers would come to the Blakey neigh- borhood, and hold meetings in the residences of members. Rev. Fred- erick Wyneken was one of these first ministers; he came in 1845. Later, Andrew Fritze came as a minister and teacher and remained as a resident instructor for a number of years. After the present church building was erected, the old buikling was used for school purposes. The present new brick schoolhouse was erected in 1915, at a cost of about $8,500. It is modern in construction and thoroughly equipped with modern appliances. At the present, all the children of this school reside in Adams County, and the number enrolled is forty- four. Walter Gotsch is the teacher in charge.
The Saint Joseph Parochial schools are located in the City of De- eatur, and are taught by the Sisters of Saint Agnes, with the local pastor as superintendent. The present system of management was begun in 1882, with the completion of the first brick schoolhouse, erected by the congregation of the Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Decatur. While there was no church building here, missionary priests came from Fort Wayne, and other points, to say mass and attend the sick. The first permanently located pastor at Fort Wayne was Rev. Lonis Mueller. He began there in 1836, and Decatur was a part of the mission work assigned to him. In 1838, the first mass was said at the residence of George Fettich. Later religions instructions were given in the Closs Tavern and the old courthouse. In 1840 Rev. J. Benoit succeeded Reverend Mueller, and came to Decatur to say mass and preach in English and French. At that time there were not a dozen Catholic families in the neighborhood of Decatur.
In 1848 the first church building was ready for use; and at that time regular instructions in school subjects were begun.
In 1852 the first priest's house was built, and thereafter there was a local teacher as well as pastor here, to conduct the sehools.
The brick church building was erected in 1872, and the old frame church building was used for school purposes. In 1880, Rev. H. Theodore Wilken came, as the resident priest, and remained here as such for the next succeeding number of years. In 1895, two more school rooms were added, and a sister's house was built. In 1907 several school rooms were added and other valuable improvements made. There are now seven school rooms, and four musie rooms in use. In these schools at the present, are taught the eight grades, religious instructions, and one school year in music, and a two years' commercial course. The enrollment for 1918 is 273 children, of which number seventy-nine reside outside the city of Decatur.
For about the two years last past, the management of the church
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affairs and the St. Joseph schools have been under the guidance of Rev. J. A. Seimetz, a man in his prime, of strong, vigorous mind and body, who is capable of doing much good in his parish and community.
It is said that he has introduced several modifications of the school's previous management, which places its teaching in the line of more modern methods of instruction.
GRADED SCHOOLS
When the term "graded" was first applied to a school, or schools, in Indiana, it had more reference to the school with two or more teachers than to the separation of pupils of the school, as regards their advancement, in the subjects of study. With the first schools, classifi- cation even was difficult. There was no uniformity of text books and gradation was impossible. At the present time, all of the common schools are classified, and are working under a course of study with grades from one to eight. A test of completion of the eighth grade is made by the county diploma examinations held from printed lists of questions sent ont by the State Board of Education. The county dip- loma admits its holder to the district and commissioned high schools without entrance examinations. The graded school course of study comprises the first year, or more, of the Commissioned High School course of study. The certificate of graduation from the Commissioned Iligh School admits the holder to credits in the State Normal School and the Indiana University.
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