USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume I > Part 38
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house in which his father first lived after coming to Allen county, is now standing as a relic of by-gone days. Our subject was born here March 9, 1855. He received a good common school education. Janu- ary 1, 1880, he was united in marriage with Lucy J. Woods, born January 28, 1855, daughter of Albert and Nancy (Dunton) Woods. This union was blessed with three children, Arthur, Arlington Guy, and Nancy L. She is a member of the Universalist church. He was a member of the Independent Order of Red Men, during the lifetime of that order. He is a leading young farmer, and owns a half interest in 160 acres of land. In his possession is an old English reader, bought by his mother December 10, 1832, which is in a good state of preservation.
C. Luther Greenwell, a popular teacher in the public schools and ex-trustee of Eel River township, is a native of Ohio, born July 17, 1845. His father, George Greenwell, was born of Irish parentage March 14, 1810, at Hagerstown, Md. In 1830 he removed to Miami county, Ohio, and was there married in 1838, to Elizabeth Blickenstaff. They came with their children to Eel River township in 1846, and here he died November 10, 1878, and his widow July 8, 1868. They had five children. Luther Greenwell received a good common school education, beginning in the old log school-houses, and in 1865 he began teaching in Steuben county. He taught one term in a school of sixty pupils, and twenty-two older than he, and then returned to Allen county and began teaching in district No. 7, Eel River township, and taught in the winters of 1866-7-8-9 and 1870, and taught in Perry, district No. 5, in 1871, again in district No. 7, Eel River, in 1872-3, and in IS74 and '75 in dis- trict No. 8, Eel River township, '76 in No. 1, '77 and '78 in No. S. He was then elected trustee of his township on the democratic ticket, and served until 1882, when he again began teaching in 1883, at district No. 8, and '84, '85 and '86, No. I. He was again elected trustee in 1886, and assumed the office in the spring of '86, and served two years, and in the winter of '88 and '89 taught in district No. 6. In 1866 when he began teaching in the township there were eleven districts, and it so continued until 1878 when Mr. Greenwell as trustee vacated one district. He then renumbered the districts with the intention of making four sections constitute a school district, placing No. I in the northeast and ranging west. By the efforts of his successor it was rendered possible, upon Mr. Greenwell's second election, to vacate one more district, leav- ing nine. He built one brick school-house during his first term of office and three during the last, on the improved plan. November 7, 1872, he was united in marriage with Fannie J., daughter of Samuel and Alvira Mathews, born in March, 1852. Of their four children, Walter S. and Franklin W. are living, and Cora E. and an infant child are deceased.
Samuel Mathews, an early settler and prominent citizen of Eel River township, was born in Richland county, Ohio, June 24, 1826, son of . Jacob and Fannie (Smith) Mathews. He was taken by his parents to
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Huron county, Ohio, while quite young, and he there grew to manhood, and received his education in the pioneer school-house. When he was ten years old, the death of his father threw upon him the support of the family, in which there were four children besides himself. In 1846 he was united in marriage with Alvira Rice, born March 1, 1828, by whom he had eleven children, nine of whom are now living: Alfred, Fannie J., Mary E., Samuel J., Commodore P., Ellen A., Brittie, John W. and Norah. John W. has attended college at Ann Arbor and grad- uated in June, 1889. He is a member of the Church of God. Mr. Mathews came to Indiana in 1846 and settled on the farm where he now lives. At that time he was so poor that to pay a man for helping bring his effects here, he had to surrender the top from his wagon. He accu- mulated subsequently 415 acres of good land, and now lives on a farm of 295 acres. He is one of Allen's prominent citizens and well respected by all. The experience of a pioneer's wife was that of Mrs. Mathews. She took upon herself such tasks as going to the woods after the cows, digging sassafras from which to make tea, helping her husband to pile brush, etc. She would go with him to help neighbors butcher and work all day for some heads and feet, and would sew all day for a chicken, or whatever they would give.
George V. Kell, of Eel River township, was born in Perry township, February 3, 1846, and grew to manhood on the old homestead of his parents, Jacob and Catharine Kell. He received a good common school education and attended Perry Center seminary about five years, study- ing the higher branches. On October 1, 1867, he was united in mar- riage with Alice, daughter of N. V. and Abigail Hatch, born December 8, 1846, and they have had seven children: Gertrude, Louie A., Jessie, Beatrice, Robert, Frank and Dollie. In 1867 he and family made a trip by wagons to Iowa, where they remained six years. While there he was engaged in agricultural pursuits, and in 1871 he was elected trustee of his township and served two years. In 1873 he returned to Indiana, and settled on the farm where he now lives, which was then nearly all in timber, but now well improved. Mr. Kell makes a specialty of breeding the trotting stock of horses, and has recently purchased a valuable Hambletonian horse for $1,000. He served four years as justice of the peace of Eel River township, and is now secretary and a director of the Farmers' Mutual Fire association. He has 100 acres of good land of his own, and 177 acres belonging to his father he has full control of and will eventually own. He is one of the leading citi- zens of his township, and in politics is prominent as a democrat.
Michael Miller, one of the worthy old settlers of Indiana, was born in Pennsylvania, May 1, 1818. He came to Ohio with his parents when only nine years of age, and nine years later removed to DeKalb county, Ind., in the woods, where wolves were so plentiful that they would run the dogs under the cabin. In 1841 he married Elizabeth Trussle, and they had six children, four of whom are now living, Amos, Rebecca J., Martha and Lucy Ann. Mrs. Miller was born in 1823, and died
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February 19, 1882. While in DeKalb county he served as constable one year, and after removing to Allen county in 1849, he was elected trustee about 1851; served three years as one of the board, and was assessor in 1856. He has often declined to run for office. He now owns 105 acres of good land, and is one of the leading citizens. His parents, Henry and Elizabeth Ann (Sheets) Miller, natives of Germany, emigrated to America in 1805, without any money, understanding that they would have to work out their passage after their arrival. The captain of the vessel sold their work to the highest bidder; they were both bought by the same man, who was a very hard master, and as Mr. Miller demanded better treatment, they were sold a second time, and this time fell into good hands. They thus worked three years to pay for their passage. With such a beginning, Mr. Miller came to own 310 acres of land in Eel River and two sections of land in Texas, and has given to his chil- dren about $5,000, and to churches and benevolent institutions about $6,000. He has been a devoted friend of his church and generous to it.
John W. Holmes, of Eel river township, was born in Wayne town- ship, March 31, 1853, son of Joshua and Mary M. (Fountain) Holmes. In May, 1884, he removed to Washington township, remained until De- cember, and then came to Eel river township and settled on the farm where he now lives. He received a good common school education, and attended the Methodist Episcopal college at Fort Wayne about five terms. In 1873 he was united in marriage with Sarah J., daughter of James and Elizabeth Cartwright, born May 21, 1850, and they have six children: Clara, Florence, Lizzie, Edith, John R., and Eddie. He and wife are both members of the Missionary Baptist church. Mr. Holmes is the present trustee of his township. Though a republican in a township where there was a democratic majority of fifty, he was elected in 1888 by eight majority. He has a beautiful farm of 160 acres, handsomely improved. He is a leading citizen and universally respected.
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
Charles Weeks and William Caswell, who removed to this part of the county of Allen in 1830, were the first settlers and for three years had undisputed sway in its forests. They were famous hunters, and spent much time in the pursuit of deer and smaller game, by which their larders were supplied. Both were also men of industry and cleared farms, but Caswell, a hardy Canadian, of great strength and endurance, was the more energetic and enterprising, and became prominent in the early history. At his house the first election was held in October, 1835, and he was elected one of the justices. At his friend Weeks' house, in 1836, the postoffice was first established, and for two or three years Mr. Weeks was the postmaster. The next comers were Thomas Dunten and his nephew, Horace F. Dunten, who came from Jefferson county, N. Y., and were joined in the fall of the same year, 1833, by Ephraim H.,
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father of Horace. This family was quite prominent; Horace erected the first hewn-log house in 1834, and soon afterward Ephraim H., jr., who settled in 1834, put up a frame store room on what is now a lot of Hun- tertown. He purchased his goods in Toledo, and had them shipped by way of the canal, and from Fort Wayne by wagons. The store pros- pered and was continued many years by his sons. In 1835 the Lima road was opened to the rich prairie region of LaGrange county, and it became a great highway for travelers and freight. Upon this highway in the vicinity of Huntertown, Ephraim H. Dunten, jr., opened a tavern, and being a genial host, had as many guests as he could accommodate. Several years later he built a more commodious house. He also, about the same time, opened a brick kiln, which, however, was not profitable. At a later period he was in business at Fort Wayne, but returned to Perry township and died of cholera in 1854. Other settlers in 1833, were Albert Wood, whose daughter Mary was the first white native, and Nathaniel Fitch, who married Miss Sarah De Long in 1836, that being the first wedding of the township. Fitch was the first blacksmith, opening his shop in 1837, in which same year James Vandergrift, in another part of the township, also engaged in the manufacture of plow points and steel traps. Benjamin and Amaziah Parker came from Jef- ferson county, N. Y., in 1834, and became leading citizens. In the same year came Jason Hatch from Pennsylvania, and settled on Cedar Creek, and erected a saw-mill. He became quite popular and prominent; with him came his wife, Joanna, and their son, Newman V., born in 1815, who married Abigail Parker in 1839, raised a family of seven children, and is still a resident of the township. Philemon Rundels, a settler of the same year, was also a man of ability. In 1836, George Simon came to the farm which was his home thereafter, and James Vandolah and family began their residence; Schuyler Wheeler, a well-educated man, who was elected to the legislature in 1858, also came in 1836. In 1837 there were several notable arrivals. William T. Hunter came and pur- chased the tract of land including the site of Huntertown; he did much for the advancement of the township. George, Samuel, Henry and John Bowser were others. Some of those who settled after 1837 are Thomas Tucker, James Thompson, Isaac Benward, Rapin Andrews, Jacob Hil- legass, Vachel Metcalf, George Gloyd, L. Gloyd, James Tucker, Dr. E. G. Wheelock, August Martin and Samuel Shryock, but the settlers became so numerous that it is impossible to detail their names. The pioneer mill was that of Blair & Hines on Cedar creek, three miles from Huntertown. It was a saw-mill with a corn-cracker attachment, by which corn was hardly ground, but simply cracked, and was of, little value. The establishment was sold to Samuel Shryock in 1836, and he put in a run of buhrs, and founded a grist-mill. About 1852 John Stoner became the proprietor, and the mill is now generally known as the Stoner mill. It is still operated, at present by Price West. In 1848 or 1849 the Lima road was made a plank road, and a considerable amount of toll annually came to its projectors. A line of stage coaches
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was established to Kendallville, and there was a large timber commerce over the road. But after the railroads were built, the business was mostly destroyed, and the planks went to decay and were finally removed.
Huntertown .- After the completion of the Lima road, a number of settlers built their homes upon what promised to be a great highway, and William T. Hunter, one of the most prominent of these, purchased the tract of land embracing the site of the present town which bears his name. No plat was made nor town lots sold until December, 1869. The Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad takes the place of the old wagon thoroughfare as an avenue of commerce with the north. Among the early settlers were the Duntens, Nathaniel Fitch, Jacob Hillegass, John Hippenhamer, N. V. Hatch, A. I. Ketchum, Elbridge Burke, T. M. Andrews, Danford and Omri Parker, Solomon Simons. The first school near the town was taught by Eliza Parker in 1835, in a log cabin on section 6. She was a teacher surpassing the ordinary instructors of her day, and with the financial aid of the settlers did valuable work. Matthew Montgomery established a school in 1837 on section 8; he was an able young man, and in 1846 was nominated for representative by the whigs against Peter Kiser. The village now has a commodious two- story school building, with two teachers. The early business of the town has already been mentioned. There are now general stores kept by J. C. Hunter, who is the postmaster, J. E. Ballou and James New- man; hardware and groceries by Reuben Cone, hotel by William Clut- ter, notions and groceries by J. C. Gay. E. J. Scott deals in grain and agricultural implements, and N. C. Glazier conducts a wagon shop. A feed grinding establishment and flour exchange is kept by A. Snyder. The population in 1880 was 226.
A prominent fraternal organization at one time was Henry King lodge, F. & A. M., for which a dispensation was granted March 28, 1868. The petition for the establishment of the lodge bore the names of T. M. Andrews, S. A. Thornton, J. O. Beardsley, Ira A. Wert, F. C. Wert, H. F. Boynton, Thomas Vandolah, Henry King, James W. Flem- ing, Corwin Phelps, David McQuiston, F. C. Bacon, John Anderson, William Ross and William Anderson. The first officers were installed by Sol D. Bayless, June 24, 1869.
William T. Hunter, the prominent citizen whose name is perpetuated in that of the town, is mentioned in connection with his son in another chapter.
Thomas Dunten (deceased), one of the earliest settlers of Allen county, was born in Vermont in 1787. He removed to Jefferson county, N. Y., while quite young, and remained until the early part of 1833, when he came west in search of wild land, which he found in abundance in this region. He purchased about 400 acres in this county and returned for his family, which he brought to the new home in Perry township. He had been married in 1813, to Margaret Mattoon, also a native of Vermont, born July 31, 1789, and this union was blessed with seven children: Francis, Franklin (died 1886,) James A., Clarinda, Lucinda, Sally (died 1871,)
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and Thomas J. Of this well known pioneer family, Lucinda is the only representative in Perry township. He was a man in good circumstances before he came west, and left a beautiful home in New York state, and 100 acres of land, to seek his fortune in a new country, and as is characteristic of the man, his ambition was to make homes for his children, suffering all the hardships of a pioneer life to gain this end. He was a generous and self-sacrificing man, and he was one of the first in his township to take his cattle and go to the northern part of this state and haul corn for himself and neighbors, to keep them from perish- ing from hunger in the winter. This was a trip which required some six or seven days to make, and the country through which he traveled was so thinly settled, that he was compelled to sleep in the forest where night would overtake him. Mr. Dunten endeavored to give his children as good an education as could be obtained at that time, and they were naturally above the average in intelligence, and were quick to learn. Miss Lucinda became one of the early and successful instructors in the schools of Allen county, an occupation which she successfully followed for over twenty years. She was a pupil in the first school in Perry township, taught by Eb. Ayres. Mr. Dunten was a leading citizen during his life, and his death, which occurred August 20, 1858, was widely mourned.
Horace F. Dunten, the oldest living settler of Perry township, was born in New York, January 28, 1813, son of Ephraim H. and Abigail (Ball) Dunten, who with their family, came to Indiana in August, 1833. Ephraim was a soldier in the war of 1812. Horace Dunten entered forty acres the first year, and continued to accumulate land as fast as he earned the money, at $16 per month while working on the canal, and $to per month at other work. Horace F. and Thomas Dunten in 1833, selected the site of the cemetery near Huntertown. In 1837 he was united in marriage with Almena, daughter of Henry and Anna (Broughton) Timmerman, who came to Indiana in 1834. To this union were born ten children: Granville S., Marville N., Orville A., died at the age of twenty-eight; Milton B., Alexander B., Winfield S., Friend B., Henry Clay, Mary Helen and Charles J. Four of the sons served in the war of the rebellion: Orville A., a year and a half; Milton B., three years; Alexander a short time, and Winfield, one year. Eight of the ten were successful school teachers. Mrs. Dunten was born July 22, 1816. She has been a member of the Universalist church since its organization at Huntertown. Mr. Dunten though a leading citizen, never desired office of any kind, and held his only office, that of constable, but about one year, when he resigned, and went with the tide of emigration to the gold fields of California, where he remained about a year and a half. He has succeeded well in life, and owns 200 acres of fine farming land which is under a good state of cultivation, with substantial buildings.
Albert Wood (deceased), an early settler, was a native of Jefferson county, N. Y., born in 1810. He was raised in his native state until 1833, when he emigrated and settled in Allen county. In the same year
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he was united in marriage with Nancy, daughter ot Ephraim and Abi- gail (Ball) Dunten, and this union was blessed with twelve children, seven of whom are now living: Mary J., who is the first white child born in Perry township; John W., Richard F., Oscar D., Commodore, William and Lucy. Mr. Wood departed this life in February, 1878. Mrs. Wood, who was born in Jefferson county, N. Y., in ISI7, is still enjoying the comforts of a peaceful life. She is a member of the Uni- versalist church. Mr. Wood was not a member of any church, but was a friend and supporter of such organizations. Though beginning mar- ried life with little, he left his family II0 acres of fine farming land in Perry township, which was well improved. He was a leading citizen of his day and was highly respected.
Nathaniel Fitch (deceased), one of the old settlers of Allen county, was a native of Pennsylvania, born July 9, 1806, son of Nathaniel and Sarah Fitch. In 1832 he became a settler in Allen county. He was a black- smith, gunsmith and locksmith, having learned the trade without instruc- tion. This he followed in Pennsylvania and continued the work after arriving here. He made all the iron for the canal locks from the Wabash to Fort Wayne. Circumstances denied him educational privileges, but he was intelligent and shrewd. June 4, 1840, he was united in marriage with Sarah, daughter of George and Elizabeth De Long. Her grandfather, George Statler, was a soldier of 1812. This union was blessed with fifteen children, of whom thirteen are now living: Perry, Matthias, Jane, Charles, Amos, Francelia, Fidelia, Harvey, Sarah E., Allen, Ida A., Emeline and David. Mrs. Fitch though born in 18IS, is still enjoying life. She is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Fitch, being very poor, had only 15 cents in his pocket when he started from Pennsylvania to Indiana, and consequently made the journey on foot. Beginning under such circumstances, his success was very re- markable. He came to own 2,300 acres of land, and raised a large family in comfortable circumstances. As might be expected, his life was full of adventures. At one time, while at work in his shop, he was compelled to put off an Indian who had a gun to mend, which so enraged the red- skin that he sprang at him with drawn knife, and probably would have been hurt with the shovel Mr. Fitch was sharpening had not Chief Chopine interfered. Before he came to Indiana he had been accident- ally shot in the leg while on a wolf hunt. Again, while crossing Lake Erie on a side-wheel steamer, they were caught in a gale, and the shaft becoming disabled, they were fast going to ruin, and were only saved by breaking one of the shafts. David N. Fitch, the youngest son of Nathaniel Fitch, now lives on the old homestead farm with his aged mother. He received a good common school education and attended college at Fort Wayne two years. In 1887 he was united in marriage with Emma B., daughter of James C. and Nancy (Kidd) Stirlen. They have one child, James B., born January 26, 1888. Mrs. Fitch was born November 2, 1866. She is a member of the Lutheran church. Mr.
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Fitch is a member of the Regulators of Allen county. As a young man he stands high in the estimation of all who know him.
Perry Fitch was born January 6, 1842, in the old log house built by his father in an early day, where he grew to manhood. He received a common school education. In 1864 he was united in marriage with Sarah E., daughter of George B. and Magdalena Gloyd. This union was blessed with twelve children, eight now living: William S., Oliver J., George B., Bert C., Kelsie D., Frank E., Claude P. and Pearl M. Mrs. Fitch was born April 9, 1846. She is a member of the old school Baptist church. Mr. Fitch is a resident of DeKalb county, having removed there in 1864, where he has served his township twelve years as justice of the peace. He has a valuable farm of 140 acres, where he lives, with a two-story brick dwelling and a good barn, and eighty acres in Union township, DeKalb county. He is one of the lead- ing citizens of his county, and respected by all. Mr. Fitch is a member of the Masonic order.
Matthias Fitch, the second son of Nathaniel, was born January 16, 1843. December 1, 1867, he was united in marriage with Frances, daughter of James and Rebecca Vandolah, and this union gave them nine children, six of whom are living: Schuyler, John B., Walter, Bes- sie, Altha and Beatrice. Mrs. Fitch was born February 19, 1843. He is a member of the Regulators, and was once a member of the F. & A. M. He makes a specialty of raising sheep. He has 240 acres of good land in Perry township, improved, and 200 acres in Iowa. In con- nection with farming he also runs a water-power saw-mill built by his father.
Amos Fitch, of DeKalb county, was born at the old homestead, June II, 1849, and there grew to manhood, receiving a good common school education. In 1878 he was united in marriage with Nancy E., daughter of William T. and Jane Hunter, and they have two children ; Gladys, born October 15, 1881, and Roland, born September 12, 1884. Mrs. Fitch was born January 22, 1849. She is a member of the Uni- versalist church. He was a member of the Good Templars while that lodge was in existence at Huntertown. He possesses 160 acres of land given to him by his father, and upon which he has erected a two-story brick dwelling. He remained in Perry township on the old home place until 1878, when he returned to DeKalb county and settled on the farm where he now lives. Harvey Fitch, eighth child of Nathaniel and Sarah Fitch, was married in 1880 to Etta P. Parker, daughter of Danford and Parmelia Parker, and they have had four children, three now living: Andra, Nina and Parker. He owns 160 acres of fine farming land.
George B. Gloyd is a name conspicuous in the annals of the early settlement of Allen county. He was born in Virginia in 1812, and when nineteen years old emigrated to Ohio, whence he removed in 1832 to Indiana, entering 240 acres of land. He was a man of considerable ex- ecutive ability, and devoted much of his time to the construction of pub- lic works. His first engagement of that kind in this county was as
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