History of St. Joseph county, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories, Part 25

Author:
Publication date: 1877
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts & co.
Number of Pages: 387


USA > Michigan > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph county, Michigan, with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 25


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of White Pigeon was organized June 19, 1865, by Rev. Henry Weigand, in a school-house two miles west of the village. Mr. Weigand remained as pastor of the church until 1872, and the desk was supplied as opportunity offered until May 10, 1874, when Rev. E. R. Willard, the present pastor, was settled over the church. Since Mr. Willard's settlement with this church, there have been thirty-five members received into its communion, the present membership being eighty. Their Sunday-school was organized Sep- tember 12, 1875, and numbers ninety scholars. The old Baptist church is occupied jointly with the Lutheran church by this society, they having pur- chased the same in 1867, the two societies alternating on succeding Sundays.


THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH


of White Pigeon was organized September 29, 1866, by Rev. P. Bergstresser.


The following were the constituent members: George Gortner, Evan C. Bittenbender, Mary Gorton, James S. Gortner, Mary E. Gortner, Elizabeth Antis, Christian Rosenhauer, Jacob Gentzer, T. H. Ocker and L. E. Ocker. Mr. Bergstresser was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. J. N. Barnett, in 1867, who in turn was succeeded March 1, 1874, by Rev. Alexander Mc- Laughlin, the present pastor.


The present number of members is thirty-eight. Since its organization one hundred and nineteen members have been received into the church, from which twenty-two were called away to form a church at Van Buren, and twelve or fifteen have gone to Constantine. A Sunday-school was organized by Mr. Mclaughlin, December, 1875, which now numbers eighty scholars. The society occupy, on alternate Sundays, the old Baptist church, which was purchased jointly with the German Reformed church, December 19, 1867.


THE CEMETERY


in the village was primarily laid out in 1830, by the original proprietors of the village, and has since been enlarged to its present area-ten acres. The ornamentation is that which has been done by private parties. The first interment was a child of Duncan or David Clark, and the second a child of John G. Cathcart, the latter in 1832. Mr. Cathcart's whole family, save himself and two children (the only survivors), are all buried in this plat. Many persons have been brought from long distances for sepul- ture in this cemetery, being either old settlers or their children. In the fall of 1830, a child of Dr. Loomis was buried here.


ASSOCIATIONS.


Among the pioneer societies of White Pigeon was a female benevolent society, which was in operation in 1834, and which held a fair in December of that year. The Statesman, in a very flattering notice of its exhibition, mentions the various articles exposed for sale in the ornamental and useful line, among which were "cuffs, socks, bosoms for gentlemen, handkerchiefs, mufflers," etc.


A lyceum was organized in 1836, and on December 9 met at the academy and discussed the momentous question whether or not Brutus was justifiable in killing Cæsar. The Constantine Republican, which announced the debate, did not state whether Brutus received absolution for the wound from which " great Cæsar's soul gushed out," and whose fall brought down the house of Marc Anthony and the Roman rabble with it.


In 1830 a lyceum was also in operation, and a more interesting question was discussed, which was, whether the then existing military system of the United States should not be abolished. A. R. Cutler, a non-commissioned officer in the Michigan militia, took the affirmative, and clinched his argu- ment by saying, if the system was abolished he, being an officer, would be personally a loser thereby; but, nevertheless, he was willing to sacrifice the chance of "seeking glory at the deadly, imminent breach," and forego the renown there might accrue in the Michigan militia for the general good of the country.


In 1838 the farmers of the surrounding country met at White Pigeon, on January 27, to consult relative to the formation of an agricultural society, and adjourned till February 7, to hear the report of their committee, but the report was never made public.


In February, 1835, there was a movement made for a manual-labor school, under Presbyterian auspices, and a committee was appointed to take the matter under advisement, but the school was never established.


A Young Men's Christian Association was formed that year in the village, and existed for some time, in connection with the churches, and afterwards with the University.


69


HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS.


White Pigeon lodge, No. 104, Accepted Free Masons, was instituted under dispensation November 11, 1857, and chartered the following January. Hon. J. Eastman Johnson was the master from 1857 to 1860, inclusive; George G. Depuy, 1861-6; Robert A. Greene, 1867-9; J. W. Mandigo, 1870; George K. Loring, 1871-2; George E. Salmon, 1873-5. Hon. J. Eastman Johnson was the D. G. M. of the State in 1862, and G. M. in 1863.


In 1867 the lodge, in conjunction with sister lodges of Sturgis, Constan- tine and other places, celebrated with eclat St. John's Day, Hon. S. C. Coffinberry being the orator. The ladies of the Presbyterian church realized a handsome sum from their refreshment stands.


The present officers are Robert A. Greene, W. M .; W. S. Dow, S. W. ; W. T. Bycroft, J. W. ; T. E. Clapp, treasurer ; George K. Loring, secretary ; D. C. Page, S. D. ; George Pike, J. D .; N. H. Lenhan, tiler. The craft number eighty workmen.


WHITE PIGEON CHAPTER NO. 62, ROYAL ARCH MASONS,


was instituted under dispensation in 1868, and chartered in 1869; Thomas A. Shanafelt was the first H. P. ; George G. Depuy, K. ; Jacob S. Fox, S. The office of H. P. has been filled as follows : Thomas A. Shanafelt, 1868- 70 ; R. A. Green, 1871-4 ; David A. Wilson, 1875-6. The present officers are: David A. Wilson, H. P .; George E. Salmon, K. ; Hughes Folwell, S. ; A. C. French, C. H. ; A. Tweedale, P. S .; E. R. Willard, R. A. C .; R. A. Greene, G. W. Pike and A. J. Webster, M. of V .; H. J. Davis, treasurer, and George G. Depuy, secretary. The craftsmen number one hundred and ten.


INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.


White Pigeon Lodge No. 78, was chartered in 1859, and has now ten members. The office of N. G. has been filled by the following gentlemen : T. E. Clapp and L. C. Laird, 1859 ; Chauncey Garber and G. W. Beisel, 1860; William H. Bock, 1861 ; N. H. Garter and J. B. Cook, 1862; David Johnson and J. W. Mandigo, 1863 ; J. M. Stott in 1864. George W. Beisel was the grand master of the State in 1865, and representative to the grand lodge of the United States. The present officers are John Murray, N. G. ; A. W. Murray, V. G .; David Johnson, R. S .; J. W. Mandigo, P. S., and John Hotchins, treasurer.


White Pigeon Eastern Star Lodge was organized in 1868 with Mrs. Wil- liam Hackenburg as president, but it soon ceased to work, and was suspended.


Good Templars' lodges and divisions of Sons of Temperance have arisen and flourished for a time, and died the usual deaths from non-support, and none are now in existence in the village.


PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.


White Pigeon Grange No. - , was organized in the fall of 1874, with Daniel Shurtz as the first master. The grange now has eighty members, and its present officers are Daniel Shurtz, master ; C. C. Newkirk, overseer ; F. E. Ferguson, secretary ; Thomas J. Hopkins, treasurer ; Mrs. Garter, Ceres, Miss Line, Pomona, and Miss Smith, Flora.


THE MUNICIPALITY.


The village of White Pigeon was first incorporated in March, 1837. On May 3 the election of trustees and officers was held, and resulted as follows : Neal McGaffey, president ; Melancthon Judson, recorder ; trustees : Elias S. Swan, Daniel Howell, W. N. Elliott, Otis Preston, Samuel Pratt and Joseph Skerrett. This corporation lapsed after two or three years, and the village was not again incorporated until April 4, 1865, when the following officers were elected : William O. Austin, president; George G. Depuy, re- recorder ; Joseph Yost, treasurer ; William Savier, John S. Hamilton, Charles Cooper, James W. Mandigo, George K. Loring and Oliver P. Arnold, trustees, and Leonard Tainter, marshal.


In 1866 Austin and Depuy were re-elected, and Depuy held the office of recorder until 1872, when G. W. Beisel was elected and is the present incumbent.


The position of president has been filled as follows: 1865-6, W. O. Aus- tin ; 1867, J. W. Mandigo ; 1868-71, W. N. Elliott; 1872, Edson Black- man. The present city officials are : J. W. Mandigo, president ; G. W. Beisel, recorder ; Theodore E. Clapp, treasurer; W. O. Austin, assessor; Thomas Cooper, marshal, Edson Blackman, John Hotchins, John Murray, Giles Markham, Robert F. Jarrett and Samuel Dreisbach, trustees. The States- man of July 19, 1834, says the village then contained five dry goods stores, two churches, one silversmith, three public houses, one shoe and leather store, one chair and two cabinet shops, one tailor and one harness-shop, one tin and one hatter's shop, three doctors and one lawyer, and that a good harvest had been gathered by the farmers by the aid of a little whiskey.


AMUSEMENTS.


The first observance of the Fourth of July in White Pigeon was in the year 1829, which was an informal affair, and consisted simply of a social gather- ing of about forty persons at Savery's for a dinner. There were no orations, toasts, music, burnt gunpowder, or the other usual accompaniments of the glorious day, but a simple gathering of the pioneers for a visit and friendly chat. In 1832 there was a regularly appointed celebration of the day, to which Coldwater, Niles, Jonesville and other places sent delegations, the former sending also the music. Colonel Selden Martin was the president of the day, and there were about one hundred persons present.


The Fourth was commemorated in fine style in 1835; Robert Clark, Jr., was the president of the day, Henry Gilbert, editor of the Statesman, vice- president ; Colonel Martin and Major S. P. Williams, marshals ; W. Loomis, orator; David Clark, reader ; Reverend P. W. Warriner, chaplain ; and Charles Kellogg, chorister. The procession moved through the streets to the academy for the oration, and thence to Rowley's-formerly Savery's-for dinner, where toasts and songs were in order after the bill of fare was discussed.


In 1837 the White Pigeons celebrated again with Neal McGaffey in the chair, and Dr. Thomas B. Kerr, orator. In 1834 John D. Defrees, at the time editor of the Statesman, was the orator of the day, and John W. An- derson, marshal.


On the 22d of February, 1838, there was a grand fox-hunt at Lima, to which place a large sleigh-ride was organized.


INCIDENTS.


During the summer of 1829 Samuel Pratt and P. H. Paine explored Not- tawa prairie, not meeting a white man in the two days' expedition, nor an Indian, of whom they could get anything to eat. Their rations were a little corn bread and three or four pounds of smoked shoulder. The nearest mill then was at Fort Defiance, and Paine went that summer with two yoke of oxen to that mill, and bought a load of corn meal and flour and sold it out among the settlers. But, though provisions were scarce, no families were " allowed to suffer for necessaries-dainties, of course, were out of the question. Venison hams could be bought at almost any time of the Indians for twenty- five cents, and fish were plenty in the streams and lakes, and were easily caught.


Temptation was as potent in bringing men into disgrace in the pioneer days as now, as will be seen by the following incident: Breadstuffs becoming scarce in 1829, the neighbors on the prairie clubbed together and made up a load of grists, and sent a hired man of Orrin Rhoades' to Niles to get them ground. He arrived safely, but alas! for the weakness of poor human nature and the sin of idleness, the man got to drinking whisky ; getting drunk, he kept up his debauch until the proceeds of the load of grists were nearly consumed ; then he returned to the settlement with the pitiful rem- nant, which was not enough to go around among the senders thereof, and ten days having passed, the meal-chest of the community was emptied, and while a new cargo was being transported and returned, Cutler's pepper-mill was kept in constant use.


Mr. Rhoades was a pioneer in Michigan, in 1795, in Monroe, or French- town, as it was then called. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and with a brother-in-law fought through the war. Lewis Rhoades, his son, now re- siding in the village, was born in Monroe in 1820. When Rhoades came to White Pigeon, he brought along two very fine black-walnut boards, with which he made the door to his cabin, and with a shake roof, puncheon floor, mud chinks and brick chimney, he had quite an aristocratic home.


The Kellogg family consisted of five brothers, Edwin, Hosmer, Charles, Albert and George, and were noted for all good and public works. Charles was drowned on the little steamer that was built in Union City, and which ran on the lower St. Joseph, an account of which may be found elsewhere. Edwin went to Kansas, and in the famine caused by the grasshoppers he was in the direst distress; no shoes, his feet on the ground, except such protection as an old boot leg-could afford. In this extremity his White Pigeon friends sent him money and stores for relief, and he came with an ox-team to Topeka to get the money, and defeated an outrageous attempt to rob him by pre- senting a determined front,-the trip occupying three weeks.


Peter Beisel and his family, consisting of his wife and five children, trav- eled from 'Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in a wagon with five horses, being six weeks on the road, in the spring of 1831. He came the year before and selected his location, and afterwards opened a large farm in Kalamazoo county, which his son, George W., now a prominent citizen of White Pigeon, man- aged for him, after trying his hand at harness-making at four dollars per month and board himself. Mr. Beisel, Dr. Elliott and A. T. Drake married three sisters, daughters of James McKinney, a former citizen of Sturgis, who.


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70


HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


came with his family of six daughters to that village in 1836, from Bing- hamton, New York. He died in 1838.


J. Eastman Johnson, while in White Pigeon, compiled an Analytical Abridgment of Kent's Commentaries on American Law, which has run through several editions from the press of New York. Chancellor Kent commended it very highly, as also did Daniel D. Barnard, an eminent jurist of that city. Judge Johnson was one of the regents of the University of Michigan from 1858 to 1870.


In 1828-9 Governor Cass passed through the settlement on his way to Chi- cago to treat with the Indians for their lands, and stopped over night with Cutler. The governor accepted the luxury of a bed, but his suite camped under the trees. The Indians used to pass through the settlement by hun- dreds from the west on their way to Malden to receive their annuities from the British government.


Peter Klinger built a large log house near his mill, and the fire-place therein was so huge he used to draw the back-logs into it with his oxen, they standing on the side of the house opposite the door, and the chain run- ning through the house.


THE MILITARY RECORD


of White Pigeon began to be early written; in the very infancy of the colony it achieved a renown quite equal to any community in the State. Colonel Stewart, Colonel Martin, Colonel McGaffey, Major Williams, and a dozen more were a constellation of stars of no inconsiderable magnitude in the military history of the territory. Colonel Stewart was the commander of the forces sent against Black Hawk in 1832, but did not leave the State, or territory, more properly speaking. He commanded the regiment known as "the Eleventh," and was then elected brigadier of the 6th brigade. Augustus Chapin was the major of the 11th in 1835. The details of the Black Hawk war, and the part borne by the township of White Pigeon, are related else- where.


In the war of the rebellion White Pigeon responded to the whole extent 'of her duty, and filled her quotas with alacrity, paying twenty thousand dol- lars to encourage enlistments. The 11th infantry, the St. Joseph county regiment, was recruited at White Pigeon, the old Branch building being used as barracks.


We give a brief list of the citizens of White Pigeon who shouldered the musket, or drew their swords in defense of the national government against the assaults of the traitors in arms.


SECOND MICHIGAN INFANTRY.


Private John Dale, Company F; missing in action.


Private Henry C. Myers, Company F ; mustered-out.


Private Thomas G. Olmstead, Company I; died of wounds, in Wilder- ness, May 6, 1864. FOURTH INFANTRY.


Charles McCollister, quarter-master's sergeant ; discharged for disability. Private William Blanchard, Company C; discharged, expiration service. Private James S. Greene, Company C; discharged, expiration service. Private Richard Sage, Company C; discharged, expiration service. Chaplain John Sage; resigned.


SIXTH INFANTRY.


Private Chauncey Miller, Company B; mustered out.


SEVENTH INFANTRY.


Private Martin Eighmig, Company K; died June 3, 1862, of wounds re- ceived at Fair Oaks. ELEVENTH INFANTRY.


Colonel William J. May ; resigned April 1, 1862.


Surgeon W. N. Elliott; mustered-out with regiment.


Quarter-master's sergeant John Underwood; first lieutenant and quarter- master, and mustered-out.


Musician Henry H. Hackenburg; mustered out August 22, 1862.


Musician Henry F. Cliffell ; mustered-out August 22, 1862.


Private Martin V. B. Clark, Company A; discharged, expiration service. Private James F. Bicklin, Company C; discharged, expiration service. Private Charles E. Barnes, Company C; died at Chattanooga, December, 1863.


Private Warren F. Barnes, Company C; discharged, expiration service. Private John Fisher, Company C; killed at Stone River, December, 1862. Private Lorenzo H. Griffith, Company C; discharged, expiration service. Private Perry Letson, Company C; discharged for disability. Sergeant William Robinson, Company D; discharged.


Private Thomas R. Hodgkins, Company D; killed near Dallas, Georgia. Private Charles H. Dalton, Company E; mustered out.


Private William E. Raymond, Company E; promoted and mustered out, 1864.


Private Christ. Welgamwood, Company E; mustered out. Private Peter O. Dowd, Company G ; discharged, expiration service.


TWELFTH INFANTRY.


Private Henry Heightsman, Company F; mustered out.


Private William R. Kinkead, Company F; mustered out.


Private Orlando Mack, Company F; mustered out.


Private John Ralphsnider, Company F; mustered out.


Private George Schotters, Company F; discharged for disability.


Private Samuel Winslow, Company F; mustered out.


Private Joseph Nichols, Company H; mustered out.


SIXTEENTH INFANTRY. Private Charles Wygant, Company C; died at Alexandria.


SEVENTEENTH INFANTRY.


Private Fayette Olmstead, Company H; died November 2, 1863, of wounds received at Campbell's Station, Virginia.


Private Delavan Smith, Company H ; mustered out.


NINETEENTH INFANTRY.


Private William Eastwood, Company D; mustered out.


Private Thomas Franklin, Company D; mustered out.


Private George Hudson, Company D; mustered out.


Corporal William Haines, Company E; mustered out. Private George W. Antis, Company E; discharged. Private William Bachman, Company E; mustered out.


Private Adam Bear, Company E; died at Columbia, Tennessee, March


24, 1863, of wounds received at Thompson's Station. Private Mathew Daniels, Company E; mustered out. Private Charles L. Ellis, Company E; mustered out. Private James Griffith, Company E; discharged.


Private Isaac Green, Company E; died at Columbia, Tennessee, March


24, 1863, of wounds received at Thompson's Station. Private Burnett B. Harris, Company E; discharged. Private Henry Holderman, Company E; died at Atlanta, Georgia.


Private Lewis A. Labadie, Company E; promoted to first-lieutenant and mustered out.


Private John Pratt, Company E; mustered out.


Private James A. Prouty, Company E; mustered out.


Private John H. Peirce, Company E; mustered out.


Private William Snooks, Company E; mustered out.


Private Sol. B. Stephenson, Company E; mustered out.


Private George Shultice, Company E; discharged. Private Moses B. Tice, Company E; discharged for disability.


Private George Willander, Company E; discharged.


Private William F. Whitcomb, Company E; mustered out.


Private George Wagner, Company E; mustered out.


TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY.


Private John G. Greene, Company F ; veteran reserve corps.


TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY.


Private W. M. Kane, Company G.


TWENTY-EIGHTH INFANTRY.


Private Theodore Yost, Company H ; mustered out. SECOND CAVALRY.


Private Timothy Cloonan, Company B; mustered out.


Private Charles Gardiner, Company D; mustered out.


Private Adam Heightsman, Company D; killed at Lyonsville, Tennessee,


December, 1864. THIRD CAVALRY.


Private Daniel J. Weston, Company D; mustered out.


Private Richard Weston, Company D; mustered out.


Private John Jarrett, Company I; mustered out.


Private William Jarrett, Company I ; mustered out.


FOURTH CAVALRY.


Private Adam Kline, Company F; at capture of Jeff. Davis, and mus- tered out. EIGHTH CAVALRY.


Private Josiah Flumerfelt, Company E; mustered out.


Private Samuel McGaffey, Company H; mustered out. Private John M. Van Vleet, Company H; enlisted at Camp Nelson, Ken- tucky, January 8, 1863.


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C


STURGIS UNION SCHOOL BUILDING AND ST JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


GROUNDS,


71


HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


Private J. M. Weatherwax, Company H; mustered out. Private Delos B. Freeman, Company L; mustered out. Private Silas Billmeyer, Company A; mustered out.


NINTH CAVALRY.


Private William R. Gillett, Company E; discharged for disability. Private Philo H. Drake, Company E; mustered out.


Private James Isabel, Company L; mustered out. Private Albert E. Ellis, Company L; died at Camp Nelson. Private Alexander Philips, Company E; discharged for disability. TENTH CAVALRY. Private James H. Davis, Company G; mustered out.


ELEVENTH CAVALRY.


Private Stephen J. Myres, Company I; mustered out.


FIRST LIGHT ARTILLERY.


Corporal Josiah Flumerfelt, Battery D; discharged, expiration service. Private Peter H. Stitzell, Battery D; mustered out. Private William Conner, Battery D; mustered out. Private Jacob Mosier, Battery D; mustered out. Private Daniel Saunter, Battery D; mustered out. Private John W. Swartz, Battery D ; mustered out. Private Benjamin Winslow, Battery D; mustered out. Junior First-Lieutenant Norman S. Andrews, Battery F; mustered out. Sergeant George W. Nash, Battery F; mustered out. Corporal Charles A. Sweet, Battery F; re-enlisted and mustered out. Private John Miller, Battery F; re-enlisted and mustered out. Private L. S. Ellis, Battery F; mustered out. Private Charles Stevenson, Battery F; mustered out. Corporal Adam V. Thompson, Battery G; mustered out. Corporal James McElroy, Battery G; re-enlisted in regular army. Private George W. Brown, Battery G ; mustered out. Private John Kietlin, Battery G ; mustered out.


Private Fred. Kleifish, Battery G; mustered out.


Private John Myer, Battery G; mustered out.


Private James Cloonan, Battery G; mustered out.


Private John Huff, Battery G ; mustered out. Private Peter Snook, Battery G; mustered out. Private Charles Swan, Battery F; died of disease.


FOURTEENTH BATTERY.


Private Charles Ackerman ; mustered-out.


Private Lorenzo C. Cooper ; mustered-out.


Private Henry M. Ellis; mustered-out.


Private Henry Fitch ; mustered-out.


Private John Hill ; mustered-out.


Private Daniel Swartz ; mustered-out.


Private George A. Shoefelter ; mustered-out.


Private John G. Bronson, 78th New York infantry ; veteran reserve corps.


TWENTY-THIRD ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS.


Private Samuel Dickey, Company B; mustered-out.


Private John Bisbey, Company B; mustered-out; four years in service.


Private Robert Foster, Company B; mustered-out.


Private Peter Smith, Company B; killed at Kernstown, Virginia.


Private - - Conger, Company B; killed at Opaquin Creek, Virginia.


Private Martin Simmons, Company B; mustered-out.


Private - - Wade, Company B; mustered-out.


Private - - Carter, Company B; mustered-out.


All of the above squad in Company B, 23d Illinois, were with Mulligan, at Lexington, Missouri.


We are under obligations, and tender our acknowledgments therefor, to Dr. W. N. Elliott, George W. Beisel, Dr. J. W. Mandigo, Lewis Rhoades, W. O. Austin, Rev. L. M. Gilliland, Rev. Mr. Hendricks, P. O. Bronson, George G. Depuy and Lewis A. Labadie, for information received and assistance rendered in the compilation of the foregoing history of White Pigeon.


STURGIS.


AMID the unexcelled natural beauty of St. Joseph county, Sturgis prairie stands pre-eminent. Nearly or quite oval in shape, it is, for the greater part of its area, level, although in some portions it is slightly undulating. The original area contained about three thousand acres, a portion of which is now included in the townships of Sherman and Fawn River. The township was originally included in the township of Sherman, and was not set off there- from into a distinct sovereignty until 1845, being the last constituted in the county. The township was named from the prairie which is mostly included within its limits, and which received its name from the first settler thereon, Judge John Sturgis. Its area is but a trifle in excess of half a government township, and contains thirteen thousand three hundred and ninety-seven acres of land, and about twenty-five acres of water surface. Its soil is the same fertile, sandy loam common to the St. Joseph valley, and produces abundantly the cereals, fruits and vegetables also common thereto. It is situated high and dry, and is as healthily located as any point in the county, and much more so than some. It is watered but slightly, Fawn river coming in near the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section twenty-four, and bending like a bow through the northwest quarter of the same section and the northeast and northwest quarters of section 20, retires into In- diana for a new advance into the county further west, in White Pigeon. A little creek rises near the east line of the southwest quarter of section thir- teen, and runs westerly, entering the Fawn on the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 21. Green Lake lies on the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 3, and the southern extremity of Johnson's lake hangs over the verge of the township line on the north, with just hard land enough between it and Green lake to make a highway. On the gov- ernment surveys the township is described as "township eight, south of range ten, west of the principal meridian."




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