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 7
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 7
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
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off toward the Wabash. Simison ran to his house to get his gun and give chase ; returned and followed the bear's trail to the river, and then saw Bruin on the other side of the Wabash, up stream, loping across country after some other settler's hogs who was not given to "posing."
COL. WILLIAM VANCE
In 1833-34, in addition to those mentioned, the following became permanent residents of the territory afterward incorporated as Adams County : Ezekiel Hooper, James Niblack, Benjamin F. Gorsline, John S. Rhea, Enos W. Butler, Samuel Smith, Marvin R. Gorsline, Benja- min Pillars, Eli Zimmerman and William Lewis.
Col. William Vance came in the Spring of 1885 and settled on section 18, Wabash Township. He was widely known in Eastern In- diana and served three terms in the General Assembly of the state as a representative of Adams, Wells, Huntington, Jay and Blackford. A child of Colonel Vanee died in the spring of 1835, soon after the family settled in Wabash Township, and this death was the first in the extreme southern part of the county. The Vanees, Simisons and Studabakers virtually monopolized that section of the county for several years.
THE MARTINS AND DEFFENBAUGHS ENTER THE LIMBERLOST REGION
Joseph Martin and John Deffenbaugh spent several weeks travel- ing from Piqua, Ohio, to Adams County. They finally found locations which were satisfactory along the Wabash River near what is now Hartford Township, and started for Fort Wayne on horseback to make their entries at the land office. On their homeward trip they went down the Maumee River by way of the old Indian traee as far as the juncture of the Auglaize, up that stream to Fort Findlay, Han- cock County, Ohio, and thenee to Upper Sandusky, then a Wyandotte Indian town. Garrett, a white man, had married an Indian girl at that point and kept a tavern there. The return trip of the Martin and Deffenbaugh families to the Limberlost region was made in thirteen days. Six horses and two wagons drew the families with their household effects and, besides the men of the families, two hired hands were employed in cutting the road free of underbrush and small trees when it was impossible otherwise to advanee through the country.
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FIRST DROWNING IN THE LIMBERLOST
Much difficulty was also experienced by those who entered the southern portions of the county for purposes of settlement on account of the numerous streams, many of which, at high water, were not fordable. The most common way of getting across them was to build a sort of pontoon bridge. A tree was selected near the bank and felled so that it reached the opposite bank; another was thrown across the stream not far away and as near parallel to the first as possible. The two trees were then covered with puncheons and pinned together, thus making quite a substantial bridge. Not a few of them, planned to be only temporary, were so well built as to last for years. Accidents sometimes happened in crossing them when the water was high. David Studabaker related an instance wherein a boy was drowned. The father and son had been to mill, a trip of that kind sometimes taking from four to six days. While they were away the water raised and the placid little Limberlost became a raging torrent, bearing swiftly in its current trees, logs and debris of every descriptiou. To reach the half submerged bridge, father and son were obliged to swim their horses. The man led, but had scarcely reached the center of the foam- ing stream when he heard a scream and, turning, saw both boy and horse carried under. Powerless to be of any assistance, the father struggled to the opposite shore, hurried to the residence of Peter Studabaker, who organized a squad of neighbors and, after the waters of the Limberlost had somewhat subsided, the men succeeded in find- ing the body of the unfortunate lad. The accident occurred July 4, 1834.
SQUIRE MARTIN PUTS, ON STYLE
When Martin and Deffenbaugh arrived at their entries they built a double half-faced camp and lived therein until each completed his cabin. The former built his mud and stiek chimney above the roof. This was unheard-of grandeur, the settlers seldom building them higher than six feet. Studabaker, Vance and the others who had as- sisted in the raising, when they realized what Martin had done insisted that he "must treat all 'round" for putting on so much style.
THE JUDAYS, MCDANIELS AND ELEYS
Henry S. Juday, who settled on the northwest quarter of section 28, Wabash Township, was of an old Virginia family, the members of
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which moved into Preble and Darke counties, Ohio, in the early part of the nineteenth century. Mr. Juday's father died in the latter county at the age of more than one hundred years. He himself resided on his Wabash Township farm until 1864, when he moved to Fulton County, Illinois, where he died in 1867. Andrew J. Jnday, a son, was born on the Indian homestead and became one of the early merchants of Geneva.
Perry MeDaniel settled in the woods in the eastern part of Blue Creek Township on the eighty acres which he entered at Fort Wayne. As he came with a family, he built a cabin before he did any clearing for a farm. Mr. MeDaniel remained in the county until his death in May, 1850. His son, by the same name, who lived for years upon his farm in the western part of the same township, was an infant of only a few months when the family first came from Greene County, Ohio.
Michael Eley headed one of the pioneer families of Monroe Town- ship. His son, David Eley, became a law student at Decatur and in the early '80s represented Adams and Jay counties in the Legislature.
JOHN H. FUELLING
The Fuelling family, of which John H. was the eldest among the children, settled in a clearing around Seventeen-mile Pond in Root Township. The father had entered 120 acres of land at Fort Wayne and with John H. Fuelling, the youth of sixteen, set out to establish a homestead in that locality. While the home cabin was being built the family stopped with John HI. Wise, who was their nearest neighbor. There were no neighbors immediately north of them, but soon after their arrival immigrants commenced to locate around them. The father of the family died in Root Township in December, 1854, and the mother more than twenty years afterward. They were both earnest Lutherans. John II. Fuelling raised a large family in Root Township and beeame one of the most prosperous farmers of the county, owning and cultivating large farms both in Root and Jefferson townships.
Reuben Lord was also a settler of Root Township, and left nn- merous descendants.
Sampson Rice, still another Root Township pioneer, resided for twelve years in that part of the county. He died in January, 1848, and his son, Benjamin Rice, lived for many years on his farm in section 21 near the present site of Monmouth.
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THE ELZEYS OF ROOT TOWNSHIP
Elisha V. Elzey was a representative of one of those stanch Ohio families of southern blood which formed such a large portion of the pioneer element which started Adams County on the upward road. His father was a native of Delaware who was reared in Maryland, and his first wife was born in that state. Elisha was twenty-one years of age when he came to Adams County with his parents, three brothers and three sisters. The family came from Clinton County, Ohio, and the father proceeded to take possession of section 31, in the south- western corner of Root Township, which he had entered at the Gov- ernment land office at Fort Wayne in May, 1836. Four big wagons and nine horses brought the sizable Elzey family to Adams County. Its father eventually divided the seetion among his children, keeping 280 acres for himself. The son, Elisha V., soon had a log cabin com- pleted on his "eighty," and in the following winter returned to Ohio and married. In a short time he had started on his wedding trip through the Ohio and Indiana wilds to the little log house in Root Township. He lived at that locality for more than forty years, bring- ing three wives to the old homestead, which, as the years passed, was improved into a substantial estate and blessed with numerous children. Mr. Elzey moved to Decatur in 1880 and in that city he married his fourth wife, when he was sixty-seven years of age. When he came to the county with his father to occupy his "eighty" in section 31, Root Township. there was no Decatur. Its first house was built in the following October and a surveyor named Jacob Hoffer lived in it.
SETTLED NEAR AND AT DECATUR
Robert Drummond was a Pennsylvanian who was reared in Ohio and lived on his farm in Root Township until his death in 1874, a period of thirty-eight years. His son, William D., moved to Decatur where he engaged in the lumber business.
When Enos Mann settled in what is now Washington Township, in 1836, his son, Justin C., was fifteen years of age. A decade later the latter married the widow of John Reynolds, a farmer of Root Township, and not long afterward settled on a farm which was sub- sequently absorbed by the City of Decatur. In 1858 he removed to a farm in Washington Township, adjoining Deeatur, where he died in the spring of 1884.
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ANDREW DAUGHERTY AND IIIS $1.50 RESIDENCE
Andrew Daugherty was of Irish blood, his grandfather having been born in the Emerald Isle. The story runs that the latter and his three brothers were kidnapped from the coast of Ireland, in 1738, brought to America, and sold for their passage money. Mr. Daugherty's parents were both natives of Delaware. He himself was a West Virginian who was taken to Fairfield County, Ohio, when he was five years of age. In September, 1836, after he had been married a number of years and was the father of two children, he entered land in Root Township. Building a log house, 18 by 20 feet, he covered it with clapboards which he had chopped out of the logs himself, and laid a floor which was part puncheons and part boards. When the assessor first visited him and his residence, Mr. Daugherty was asked to place a value on the house-rather was asked how "much it cost." The builder who had done almost everything himself, truthfully replied "One dollar and fifty cents." Mr. Daughtery had six children by his first wife. Ile passed the last years of his life on his farm of 120 acres on sections 8 and 16, Root Township.
GEORGE A. AND BYRON H. DENT
Byron H. Dent was only about seven months old when he was brought by his parents from Lieking County, Ohio, and commenced his infant life on the farm in section 35, Washington Township, upon which he was to pass most of his existence. At the time the Dent fam- ily settled in that locality Jeremiah Roe lived half a mile northwest, and Zachariah Smith four miles southeast. Mr. Huffer resided on the west side of the river at the point where it is now spanned by the bridge. The father, George A. Dent, entered his farm from the Gov- ernment at the usual $1.25 per acre ; years afterward his son, Byron II., was offered $150 per acre for the same property. There was a log cabin on the place built by Jonathan Roe the spring before the Dent family came. Mr. Roe had also a claim on forty acres of the tract which was purchased by Mr. Dent. George A. Dent lived in that cabin, with his family, until 1844, when he was elected county auditor and moved to Decatur. He was the first to hold that office in Adams County and served four years. Mr. Dent then returned to his farm and resided on it until it was cleared and otherwise improved, after which he returned to Decatur, where he died in February, 1878. The son, Byron H. Dent, succeeded to the ownership of the old farm. He became quite a democratic leader, and served as county clerk, clerk of the Circuit Court and mayor of Decatur.
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FIRST TOWN OF ADAMS COUNTY
The Town of Monmouth was the first village in the county to be platted and was the only one laid out previous to the organization of the county in May, 1836. The organic act was approved by the gov- ernor in January, the first county officers were elected on the first Monday in April and the first meeting of the board of county eom- missioners was held May 9th. The county was not considered fully organized until its official board had met and become duly qualified to sit. The Town of Monmouth was platted in section 21, Root Township, and, although the plat was not dated, it was recorded on January 26, 1836, three days after the governor had approved the aet organizing the County of Adams.
THE BONDS THAT BIND THE HOOSIERS
Indiana as a state has always maintained a reputation among her sister commonwealths of the old Northwest for a certain hearty affec- tion tending to bind her sons and daughters to her soil and the scenes of the old days. Adams County shares the reputation of the state as a whole in that regard and the meetings of the old settlers which have been held at Fourth of July celebrations, and at other stated times, the "home comings" of a later day organized by various sec- tions of the county, and even less formal gatherings of the pioneers, have tended to closely cement the generations of her residents.
EARLY FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS
The first celebration which could have come to the attention of any resident of Adams County was the Fourth of July observed at Willshire, just over the Ohio line in Van Wert County, for the year 1825. Thompson, of Thompson's Prairie, was the only one of the three or four settlers within "hailing distance" who remained within its limits. Douglas and Ayres were in the far northern wilds of Root Township, outside the pale of all such civilization as Fourth of July celebrations. There is no positive evidence that even Mr. Thompson was in attendance, but that is possible. Captain Riley's words which describe the celebration are: "An arbor was erected under some oak trees on the river bank just north of the mill, and a very long table of boards was formed. The meats were bear, venison, roast pig, turkey and chicken pie baked in tin milk basins in old New England style. (A meaty day, truly !- Editor.) The speaker's stand faced the east
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and was between two large trees. A salute was fired by charging the hole in a blacksmith's anvil, which made a loud report. The oration being ended, the people, to the number of about seventy-five, took their places at the table, which had been loaded with all the luxuries that the country afforded. Mr. Golden Gree, of Shane's Crossing, asked the blessing, and those who were skilled commenced to do the carving. After-dinner toasts were drunk, using what we called metheglin, made from honey, very delicious but not intoxicating. I only remember my father's toast, which was: 'The State of Ohio, the first born of the Ordinance of 1787. May she lead the van in the cause of freedom and equity.' My Uncle Roswell sung some comic songs ; also, 'Perry's Vietory' and 'Hull's Surrender.' A plank floor had been laid upon scantling on the ground, and a dance by moonlight wound up the first celebration of Fourth of July in Van Wert County."
Within about a month of ten years from the time Decatur was platted as a town the first Fourth of July celebration within the actual bounds of the county was held at the seat of government. At that time there were enough people abroad to make a very respectable crowd. The anvil was "fired" at sunrise and at intervals through the forenoon, the powder being provided by J. D. Nutman, the banker. and some of his clerks. The martial music was provided by Samuel Linton and John Walker, who brought a drum and fife from the Wa- bash ; by Messrs. Fleming and King, of Decatur, and by some Fort Wayne patriots who provided two drums and a fife. Snow in his "History of Adams County," gives an interesting picture of this Fourth of July gathering, which, more than seventy years ago, had, as its most notable features, two venerable men of that time and generation. The account notes: "After the dinner hour a procession was formed on Second Street-the militia in the lead, the oldest men in the crowd coming next, then the general public-and marched to the courthouse square, dodging stumps in the street as they went, where a platform and bower had been erected for the speaker's stand. Flags and decorations made the tenth anniversary of Decatur Town one of the events in history. The oldest residents, with others, were seated on the speaker's stand, where it was more shady and comfortable. The Declaration of Independence was read by Samuel L. Rugg, and short speeches were made and reminiscences related by some of the older men, who recited the many trials and troubles the Nation and its people had passed through on its journey to the present time. The occasion was made more real by the presence of the military company that marched in the procession and gave some drill exercises in the
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court yard. Some members of the company had flintlock muskets, and others were provided with small staffs cut from the growing grubs that lined the streets in several places. Though these were not guns, they answered for drill purposes on this occasion. Some of the members of this company were Samuel Patterson, John Reed, Joseph Miller, George Steele, J. M. Nutman and Samuel S. Mickle. The of- ficer in command was Mr. Mickle. This celebration did not call out a great crowd of people, but it was thoroughly patriotic.
THE TRUE VETERANS OF ADAMS COUNTY
"In the audience was a white-haired old man, perhaps a soldier of the War of 1812. He sat close to one of the speakers who is said to have been one of the local circuit rider preachers invited to participate in the exercises of the day. At the elose of his remarks he made an eloquent reference to the national stars and stripes as they waved near him in the breeze. Then turning round he placed both hands upon the old man's head and said in substance: 'Here is a long- haired, gray-headed brother who spent his youthful years to save his nation's colors from traitors' hands. God bless his old gray head !' The minister's name was Jesse Sparks. The old man was William Nottingham, who then claimed to be one hundred and three years old. At that time he resided in what is now Kirkland Township, and was perhaps the oldest person who ever lived in Adams County."
The census of 1850 showed that in the year named the following persons were residing in Adams County who were more than sixty years of age : William Nottingham, 107 years old; Ephraim Robinson, 98; Daniel Baumgartner, 86; Solomon Fuller, 85: John Yost, 80; Charles Selby, 75; Christian Kieffer, 75; Elisha Leisure, 75; John Smith, 74; Robert Truesdale, 72; Christian Young, 70; William Brown, 70; Daniel Harmon, 69; Joseph Ross, 69; Jonathan Ray, 68; John Buckingham, 68; John Angspurger, 68; Andrew Lucky, 68; Jacob Schroll, 66; Jonathan Elzey, 65; John Johnson, 78; Tunis Young, 76; Leonard Schatzer, 75; Roger Barton, 75; John Gessinger, 74; Abraham Baughman, 71; John Cowan, 70; George T. Baker, 70; Samuel Allen, 69; Joseph Stoops, 68; Jacob Abnett, 68; Jacob Cook, 68; Holman Reynolds, 68; Jacob Schulte, 66; William Elzey, 66; Nicholas Ramey, 63; Elisha Gulich, 65; John Holmes, 64; Alvan Randal, 63; William Shepherd, 62; Wade Lufborough, 62; Nicholas Stuckey, 60; John Cox, 60; Alexander Stuart, 60; John Fonner, 60; Jacob Rush, 65; John Pine, 64; David S. Bennett, 62; Simon Yutter,
[ Through the Courtesy of John F. Snow]
THE McGRIFF TWINS
Richard
John
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62; Christian Mersman, 61; William Hill, 62; William Syphers, 60; George 1Ioffle, 60; John Hart, 60.
PATRIOTIC GATHERINGS
After the return of the Civil war soldiers to their homes, reunions commenced to be held which, as the years went by, developed into old settlers' meetings of a peculiarly interesting nature. With the forma- tion of G. A. R. posts and the institution of Decoration Day the eele- brations naturally assumed a patriotie, as well as a social nature, and largely took the place of the old-fashioned Fourth of July celebra- tions. The first gathering of the ex-boys in blue in Adams County was held in Fonner's Grove near Monmouth, and a later one, in the fall of 1865, at the grove in the old county fairgrounds southeast of Decatur. In the latter, the Eleventh Indiana Cavalry, Forty-seventh Indiana and the Eighty-ninth Indiana regiments were the principal participants.
OLD SETTLERS' MEETINGS REVIVED
In 1894 the Old Settlers' meetings were revived, irrespective of Civil war experience. On the 23d of August of that year the surviv- ing pioneers had a reunion at Shaffer's Grove, Town of Rivare, in St. Mary's Township. It is said fully 2,500 people were in attendance, and they were of all ages, although the old people had the seats of honor and were the special guests of the occasion. The home-coming feature of the gathering was very prominent and many were present who had been away from Adams County for many years. Music, speech-making and reminiscences, formal and informal, occupied most of the day, and among the "old-timers" who made the program pos- sible, both by their management and participation, were the following : Samuel Schafer, of St. Mary's Township, proprietor of the grove where the reunion was held; David Studabaker, Washington Town- ship: Norval Blackburn, and Jacob S. Hart, Decatur; Joshna Bright, Kirkland Township; John Woy and Jonathan Fleming, Root Town- ship; Norman Acker, William Comer, William Jackson, Joseph W. Smith and John E. Teeple, St. Mary's, and J. T. Archbold and Jerry Archbold, Decatur and Root townships, respectively. Alva Miller, of Union Township, and Dr. J. Q. Neptune, of Decatur, sang pioneer songs. Rev. B. F. Kohn and his church choir of Willshire, the Meth- odist choir of Rivare (Bobo) and Reverend Freeland of Monroe Cir- enit, aided in the oratorical and musical portions of the program.
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At the revival of the old settlers' meetings in 1894 David Studa- baker was chosen president, Samuel A. Schafer, vice president, and Norval Blackburn, secretary and treasurer. The last old settlers' meeting of consequence occurred on September 1, 1898, at Chris- tainer's Grove, about a mile west of Decatur.
The oldest person present at the latter meeting was I'nele Johnny Reed, of Root Township, whose ninety-ninth birthday had occurred in April, 1897, and who therefore laeked a few months of being one hundred years of age.
THE OLDEST TWINS IN THE UNITED STATES
Unele Johnny MeGriff, one of the MeGriff twins, at that time re- sided with his son, Mike McGriff, at Geneva, and sent his regrets at not being able to be present at the meeting. On the 31st of August. 1804, John and Richard MeGriff were born in what is now Darke County, Ohio, near Greenville. They were reared to manhood in Ohio and later came to reside in Indiana. Until the 10th of March, 1899, the MeGriff brothers hore the distinction of being the oldest twins in the United States. John MeGriff outlived his brother, his death oe- eurring August 29, 1900, his life stretching over ninety-six years within two days.
Vol. I-4
CHAPTER V
COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTIONS
FIRST GATHERING OF COUNTY OFFICIALS-MORE OFFICIALS NAMED- THREE COMMISSIONERS' DISTRICTS-TWO ROAD DISTRICTS-IN- SPECTORS OF ELECTIONS AND FENCE VIEWERS-GRAND AND PETIT JURORS-JOHNSON SITE SELECTED AS COUNTY SEAT-DONATIONS AT THE COUNTY SEAT-THE OTHER SITES OFFERED-ORGANIZATION FURTHER PERFECTED-COUNTY FINANCES AND JAIL-FIRST ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN COUNTY-LICENSES, VARIOUS AND SUNDRY- THROWN INTO DEBT THE FIRST YEAR-FIRST COUNTY JAIL-CREA- TION AND ORGANIZATION OF MORE TOWNSHIPS-THE COUNTY SEAL -THE OLD FRAME COURTHOUSE-CONTEST OF 1850-THE COURT- HOUSE OF 1873-IMPROVED IN DURABILITY AND APPEARANCE-THE COUNTY INFIRMARY-TYPICAL PIONEER AND COUNTY OFFICIAL- FOUNDER OF DECATUR-ROSTER OF COUNTY OFFICIALS.
The Root Township, Allen County, of 1833, became Adams County by the legislative act which was approved by the governor in January, 1836. The new county was divided into Root and St. Mary's town- ships, the former constituting a strip six miles wide from north to sonth and ten miles from east to west. St. Mary's Township was the southern and Root, the northern division.
FIRST GATHERING OF COUNTY OFFICIALS
The early civil history of Adams County is epitomized in the official report of the first meeting of the Board of County Commis- sioners, held May 9, 1836, which is as follows : " After the passage of the act organizing the County of Adams, which was approved January 23, 1836, the Governor, in conformity to law, issued a writ of election for the election of the necessary county officers on the first Monday in April, 1836, at which time Jehu S. Rhea, Samuel Smith and William Heath, Sr., were elected county commissioners in and for said county.
"Present, Jehu S. Rhea, who presented his certificate of election from the sheriff of Adams County that he was elected county com-
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