Adams County, Indiana - The whole text, 1907 (part 3 of 16)

Jake'S Belling

The south part of the county at one time had a number of persons who answered to the same name. The Nelsons had a number of Charleys and Jims and Johns, as Isaac's Jim, Charity's Jim and "Read-headed" Jim, and so on. The Bakers were legion in Wabash township at an early day, and had they not emigrated the south end of the county might now be about all Bakers. There was "Big Ike," "Old Ike," Jake's Ike and Sol's Ike, and it would take a good memory to recall them all. In the Baker neighborhood there was a certain bran-new widower by the name of Jake, who took a fancy to his brother's widow, whom we shall call "Betsy." This fancy soon budded and grew very rapidly 10 development. The near relation? of both remonstrated at the speedy consummation of affairs, but all to no avail. Jake informed his acquaintances that he could do his own "sparkin'," and would get married whenever he pleased. Instead of a line in fare feast the brothers sent word to the Fords, Nelsons. Lintons. Coles, Galloways, Buckinghams and Buckmasters that there would be "big doings" on the Wabash directly, to come prepared for an all night's job; that there would be plenty to eat and something to drink ; to come and help Jake enjoy himself. The wedding day came, so did the hellers. Their "musical" instruments consisted of horse fiddles, cow bells, shotguns and revolvers, a bier bass drum, a circular saw, carried on a crowbar on the shoulders of two men, while one of them played on it with a riveting hammer; a large dinner bell mounted en the hind truck of a wagon was bolted to a high standard in the bolster. Besides the instruments named there were some of more refined tones, as dinner horns and violins. On arriving the crowd selected two captains and chose up - one half ate and drank while the other half played the music. Jake was defiant, would not come to the door or even to the window. The house was closed up as tight as an oyster. However, you could see light shining through the blinded windows. The kitchen part had double sash windows, with six lights eight by ten glass. The middle glass below in the upper sash was out. The captains agreed that all music should cease and an invitation be extended to the bride and £>room to come to the door and receive the "grand salute" of the serenaders. This Jake absolutely refused to do. He was then prevailed upon to stand with his wife near the window that they be seen by the crowd. This he consented to do. But the crowd declared that he must put his head through the sash where the glass was out so they could get a better view of him. This he at first refused, but finally consented under the "solemn" promise that the music would cease and that the crowd disperse and go as soon as it had marched past the window and taken a good look at the bride and groom. The head was poked out of the window according to agreement, but the procession had hardly started when Lew Wolf, who was stationed just below the window, fired a horse pistol almost in Jake's face. This put Jake in action at once. The protruding head was speedily drawn in, as was the greater part of the upper window sash. Things in that kitchen were "blue" for an hour, Jake making all manner of threats and accusations. However, the music played just the same till the morning sun lit the east, when the serenaders departed, leaving the muchhonored couple to the enjoyment of the coming years.

Some Live Ghosts

Along in the sixties there lived a Switzer in the southern part of the county by the name of Johntry, who had his own ideas in regard to witches, spooks and tokens. He from all reports was an honest, industrious citizen. Who lived near Buena Vista. It is reported that he had much faith in the bent hazel sprout, when properly carried, as an indicator of a good water vein, the proper place to locale a well; also that witches called upon certain individuals to mete out punishment - or justice - to them, as the case might be, upon certain occasions in the nighttime ; that it was within the province of the favored few to successfully "charm" them away. The knowledge of this peculiarity of Mr. Johntry seemed to invite some of the resident young men of the neighborhood to attempt some fun at the expense of one of their party. Practical jokes were at that time much more common than at the present day. Within the party mentioned of remembrance, trie boys would say : "Oh, were: P. N. Collins, afterwards state repre- that Blewer, he's a nice feller. He come and sentative and count) surveyor; Harry Blow- £ee my Lanv. He's a nice feller, that Blewers, Abe Staudabaker, Thomas McHugh and some of the Vance beys, of whom there were several. It is said that Blowers, Collins and Studabaker vied with each other to determine who could most often out-trick the other. As the story goes, Mr. Johntry had gone to Conkle's mill at Alexander with a sack of com to have ground. He drove an ox team, hitched to the hind truck of a wagon. He was detained until evening before he started home. Several of the men mentioned talked to him in regard to his trip home in the night, and of his passing the graveyard, etc. One of the party told him that there would be no danger ; that sometimes a lot of mischievous boys had tried to scare people, but that no ghosts ever came along that road. That the thing to do, if anyone did try to make bother or trouble, was to g;ad them good with his ox whip. The boys had posted one of their number that everything and run.' Didn't you hear it expression: "Vot iz doze"? Veil. I \ ill virid home. In this party were William Henderyou oud alreaty." Witti ox gad in hand, son. John Hilton, Harry Blowers, Edward

Johntry proceeded to clear the way. A few and Levi Nelson among others. The Nelwell directed strokes were all that were re- sons had no fear of ghosts, and so expressed nothingness. It is said that Collins in par- not too old to change their minds; that certicuiar enjoyed this joke, it' a padding with tain persons whose word was perfectly rean ox whip is a joke. In after ;. .Mrs, by way liable had seen things between Barras's and er." As is often said, time will prove all accounts. This account was not only' proven, but, perhaps, squared when Collins built his frame barn. The workmen were not always prompt to start to meals when the horn blew. This annoyed Mr. Collins and he told them that "When the horn blows drop everything and run." Collins and Blowers were carrying loose shingles up the ladder for the barn roof. Blowers watched an opportunity and was near the top of the ladder and Collins just starting up behind him, The horn blew. Harry let all holds on the shingles go and they pelted Collins from head to foot. After picking up his straw hat and passing his hand over the bald, smooth place on his head, he exclaimed: "Why, sir! For what did you do that"? "Because," said Blowers, "you said that, 'when the horn blows drop the Aspy farm that they could not explain, just take my jack-knife and cut me a cane, and surely it was nothing else but the. work iest t get fceb]e before I get home. Just of ghosts. Levi Nelson, then about eighteen years old, was woiking near Mr. Aspy's farm and expected to return home by that road. His attention was held until most of the others of the party had started for home.

ahead of him, seemingly in the path, stood an object, the like of which he had never before seen. Cracking brush and muffled groans were again in evidence. He halted

Haw Patch Robbers

.(Mr. Paul G. Hooper once wrote a very creditable brief history of northern Adams county. If we are not mistaken, the following is from Mr. Hooper's pen :)

Tradition says that away back in the forties, when J. D. Nutman & Co. were operating a bank in what was then the little village cf Decatur (Decatur, by the way, was a very small place then) some two hundred and fifty or three hundred people constituted the sole population, but Mr. Nutman operated a dry p'ods store and in connection with the bank had grown wealthy. In those days there was a state law in effect that required every banker or bank to have on hand, on certain dates,' certain amounts of cash in proportion to their capital stock. It was in the days when cash was scarce and it was quite a burden on this bank to carry the amount ot cash required. Just across the river in a hewed log house, which has been torn down within the last decade, lived Eli Zimmerman, Sr., one of the pioneers of this county, who was a large land owner, very economical, a splendid financier, and even in those early days had accumulated a large amount of cash, but he did not have any use for banks and it was said that he rarely deposiced his money in banks at all, but kept it in nooks and comers of the house ; sometimes in a knothole, sometimes in a crack in the wall, in a discarded coffee po*., or any place that was handy. So it came to pass that during the years that this law was in effect Mr. Nutman was frequently called upon for a large amount of cash and he always had recourse to the coffee pot and stocking of Mr. Zimmerman. He would deposit securities with him when he would need cash for the bank and after the bank examiner had taken his departure the cash was returned and the securities taken up. There was nothing irregular about this transaction and it filled the letter of the law. But it happened at one time that Mr. Zimmerman had purchased a large tract of land and made other investments, therefore when the banker called upon him for the ready cash he did not have it, and Mr. Nutman was forced to look elsewhere for the accommodation. There was only one place available, and that was Fort Wayne. In those days a stage coach ran between Decatur and Fort Wayne twice a week. The road between the two towns was lined on both sides by dense forests, broken only here and there by a few clear fields of early settlers. In the northern part of the state was almost an impregnable swamp or wilderness known as the "Haw Patch." It was infested by a band of horsethieves, who had a thoroughfare from southern Ohio to that point and were supposed to have stations along the road where horses were secreted and kept for a few days at a time as they were sent from one part of the stiie to another. Decatur was supposed to contain several members of this gang, they were outlaws of the worst type, and did not hesitate to murder if it was necessary for them to carry out their aims. Word possibly passed to this gang that Mr. Nutman had gone to Fort Wayne for cash in anticipation of the visit from the bank examiner. At any rate the gang thought it would be profitable to hold up the stage coach between Decatur and Fort Wayne. The stage coach started from Fort Wayne about 9 o'clock in the morning on the day on which the attempted robbery took place. The roads were almost impassable and it was long after dark before they arrived. At a dark and gloomy portion of the road about two miles north of the village of Monmouth, as the driver was floundering through the mud of the creek bottom, and just as he pulled up on the corduroy bridge crossing a creek, a light was flashed in his face and he was ordered to hold up his hands. The command was emphasized with the cold muzzle of a long-barreled rifle thrust into his face. There were some five or six of the band who had surrounded the coach. There were some four or five passengers in the coach besides Mr. Nutman. All were made to climb out and hold up their hands while a thorough search was made of each individual. The only spoils secured by the robbers were two or three silver watches, a few dollars in silver and a little currency of small denominations. The fat roll that Mr. Nutman was supposed to have in his possession as a result of his visit to Fort Wayne was not found. After the search was made the parties were allowed to resume their seats in the coach and proceed on their way. No one knew where Mr. Nutman had secreted the money until the next day, when Mr.se Jinkinson was taken into the confidence of the banker and the ingenious hiding iitoce of the currency revealed. The search of the robbers had been very close. Every pocket of Mr. Nutman had been turned wrong side out - the lining- of his coat had been ripped open and he haa even been made to take off his shoes, but the robbeis overlooked the fact that the old gent wore a silk tile. If they had examined that they would have found several bills of large denomination carefully secreted in the lining of the hat. The robbers were never identified and therefore never brought to trial, although opinions were freeiy expressed as to their identity.

Stump Speakers

In the earlier days throughout the west the stump speaker, usually the politician, sought preferment at the hands of his constituent countrymen. The custom of canvassing for votes was to collect the settlers at some stated place and deliver a "stump speech" to convince them of the efficiency of the speaker to represent their interests in the political office to which the speaker aspired. To be more plainly understood and to be seen as well as heard, the prospective candidate would mount the stump of a tree and present his case and discuss the issues represented by his party, while his hearers would stand near him or sit upon the ground as his auditors. An incident is related of two contestants who wanted to be chosen as delegates to the convention to frame the state constitution of 185 1-2. This position carried with it about the same responsibilities and duties as are now required of a member of the state legislature. In this particular instance we will not give the true names, but the occurrence will serve the same. One candidate was- an honorable old resident whom we might call Mr. Hisey, who had a fund of good, hard common sense that was well seasoned with experience. The other a young man just from college, with a very high opinion of his own attainments, and who placed a very low estimate on the abilities of those who were less educationally favored than himself. This young man we shall call Mr. Cicero. The date and place for the canvass for votes was agreed upon and the time divided by agreement as to how long each speaker should talk. At the appointed hour the young man made his appearance with a number of papers and books presumably to make an outward show of what he thought he knew. He was dressed - in the latest style and the most "taking" fashion. His opponent, with a neat but homespun suit and heavy boots and soft wool hat, ambled into the crowd, shaking hands with Jones and joking with Johnson and making a general acquaintance as he came toward the "stump" from which the speaking was to be done. The committeeman announced that the time had arrived for the speaking to proceed and called upon the speakers to divide their time. Mr. Cicero spoke first. He told over and over arrain how well he was qualified to represent his countrymen in making a constitution that should stand as the basis of all subsequent laws of the "great and good state of Indiana." He quoted from the files of the papers he had with him and referred to his Latin Dictionary to prove that the pronunciations and quotations were faultless. Then in closing his polished remarks he demanded that his opponent should refute the statements he had made, or that if he did not do so, that then, in that event, his constituent? could easily discern that he was the most able and the best qualified to serve as their delegate in the constitutional convention. At the conclusion of his remarks Mr. Hizey, his opponent, as we shall know him, arose and without apology or explanation, stated : "Well, that speech was something wonderful, and he wants me to reply to what he said. Now, he spoke some things that you don't understand. lie said, among other things, 'Vox populi, vox dei,' and 'Verbatim et literatim.' Now, you don't understand what that means, but I do. It means the tighter you twist the lion's tail the louder he will roar; and coming nearer home, gentlemen. 'Verbatim et literatim,' well, that interests ever}- hunter here. It means the tighter the 'possum wraps his tail around the pawpaw limb the harder he is to shake loose. Now, is that the kind of language you want to be represented in? Send me to be your delegate. I can speak in the United States English. Then, there's that twisting the lion's tail. Didn't we twist it yet enough? Ain't old England ready to quit? What has that to do with the delegates to the state constitutional convention? I am at your service and can tell what you want." It is needless to say that Mr. Hisey was selected as the delegate in compliance with the "vox populi" of that district.

By an act of the Indiana general assembly of 1835 provisions were made to organize the newly acquired lands into counties. It provided that, "All the unorganized territory to which the Indian title has been extinguished in the state shall be laid out into a suitable number of counties, and for other purposes." By this act the counties of Jay, Adams, DeKalb, Steuben. Whitley, Kosciusko, Fulton, Marshall. Starke, Pulaski, Jasper, Newton am! Porter were laid out. But it was . not until January 23d, in 1836, that tin- organization was completed by the governor issuing a writ for the first election to be held on the firsi Monday in April following to choose officers to manage the county affairs. In 1852 the state adopted a new constitution and made many new laws. At this time, June 7, 1852, the following boundary lines were established for Adams county : "Beginning at the state line, where the line dividing townships twenty-eight and twenty-nine intersects the same, thence west to the northeast corner of section 5, in township twenty-eight north, range 13 east, thence south to the line dividing townships twenty-four and twenty-five, thence east with the north line of Jay county to the eastern boundarj- of the state, thence north with the state line to the place of beginning." thas making the county fourteen miles wide and twenty-four miles long. Adams countsis bounded on the east by Ohio and is the fourth county south of the Michigan line and contains about two hundred and fifteen thousand acres of land. The county is divided into twelve townships, four of which are congressional townships, six miles square; the center tier - Root, Washington, Monroe and Wabash - are the congressional townships. The others - Union, Preble, Kirkland, Saint Mary's, Blue Creek, French, Hartford and Jefferson - are but four miles wide and six miles long. The Ohio counties bordering Adams on the east are Van Wert and Mercer, each of which was organised on the 1st day of April, 1820. On the south is Jay county, on the west is Wells and on the north Allen county. From 1818 to 1823 what now is Adams county was a part of Randolph county, with the county seat at Winchester. From 1823 to 1836 Adams was a part of Allen county. Since 1836 Adams has enjoyed the adsantages of a separate and distinct county organization of its own. In the election held on the first Monu:;y in April, 1836, Joshua S. Rhea, Samuel Smith and William Heath, Jr., were chosen as the board of county commissioners; Samuel L. Rugg was elected county clerk and David McKnight was chosen sheriff. The local county government was then much as now, largely undr. the charge of the county commissioners, who at once set to work to complete the county organization by making ':'<-' appointment' of such officers as were re- -;i>!rtd and not included in the writ of elecn. The first meeting of the board was on die 9th day of May. 1836, at which time . cmiah Roe was appointed county ti easurer for the next ten months. The law then in force provided that, "The county treasurer shall collect taxes between October 15th and November 15th each year at the voting place at least one day and collect taxes from November 15th to the succeeding third Monday in March, and attend at his office at the seat of justice," David McKnight as county assessor, and John K. Evans, as collector of the state and county revenues for the year from the first Monday in May, 1836. John K. Evans was also appointed as seminary trustee and gave a bond of twentyfive dollars to insure the faithful performance of his duties.

The first order made after the appointments directed Sheriff McKnight to advertise that the organization of the official machinery of Adams county, Indiana, has been completed, as required by law. This notice was given by publication in the ''Fort Wayne Sentinel," then a weekly newspaper three years old. At the first meeting of the county board of commissioners the matter of selecting a county seat, or neat of justice, was considered. And on the 10th of May a commission of four members - William Stewart, J. H. McMaken, William G. Johnson and Robert Hood - were appointed to examine the various sites offered as county seats and to report in writing to the county board on May 18, 1836. The board adjourned to that date. Four locations were submitted for the commission's consideration. The board of county commissioners convened at the residence of Join Reynolds - about three miles northwest of the present city of Decatur - to receive the report. At that time there was no public buildings of any kind in the county. At the time and

"May 16th. The commissioners appointed to locate the county seat of ihe county of Adams agreeably to the provisions of an act of the genera! assembly of the state of Indiana, approved January 23, 1836, met at the house of John Reynolds in said county. Present : William Stewart, Joseph H. McMaken, Robert Hood and William G. Johnson, who being duly sworn, according to law, proceeded to examine the different sites offered for the county seat of said county, and after examining four sites, towit : The site of Thomas Johnson, R. L. Britton & Henry Work, Joseph Morgan & Thomas Prichard, and Samuel L. Rugg, the commissioners returned to the house of John Reynolds, as aforesaid, adjourned until tomorrow morning.

"May 17th. The commissioners aforesaid now proceeded as far toward the center of said county as they deemed expedient and found it impracticable to establish the county seat of said county at the center, and after returning to the house of John Reynolds aforesaid organized themselves by appointing William Stewart president and Robert Hood as secretary and thereupon notified the proprietors of town sites to hand in their proposals. Whereupon Thomas Johnson handed in his proposal, marked "A," R. L. Britton and Henry Work handed in their proposal, marked "B": Samuel L. Rugg handed in his proposal, marked "C," and Joseph Morgan and Thomas Prichard handed in their proposal, marked "D." and the commissioners adjourned until tomorrow morn-

"May 1 8th. The commissioners aforesaid met pursuant to adjournment. Present the same members as yesterday. There being no further sites offered or proposals made, the commissioners aforesaid, after due deliberation, do select the site offered by Thomas Johnson as the most suitable, and thereupon permanently fix and establish the county seat of the county of Adams on the site, being part of the northeast quarter of section 3, township 2j north, range 14 east, and thereupon proceeded to the aforesaid town site and marked a white oak tree about two feet in diameter with two blazes on four sides, on each of which the commissioners individually subscribed their names: which tree is to be within the said town site. And the commissioners adjourned without day. "Willjam Stf.wart, "Joseph H. McMaken, "William G. Johnson, "Robert Hood." It is said that the site proposed by Samuel L. Rugg was what was recently the Tonnelier farm on the south side of the Saint Mary's river, adjoining what is now Decatur, extending west from where the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad crosses the Saint Mary's river. That the Morgan & Pritchard site included the present town of Monmouth and on west to the river. That the other town sites were the proposed town of Manheim, some distance below Monmouth, at what is known as Ball's run, on lands subbequently owned near Vaschal Ball's. south of the river. And the fourth is said to have been where the present town of Monroe is situated. v\ ithin the proposal as made by Thomas Johnson, if his town site be selected as the county seat of Adams county, were that lie give his individual notes to the county for the sum of three thousand one hundred dollars, five hundred dollars of which was payable in twelve months, and two thousand six hundred dollars in thirty-six months after date; that he plat the town site in lots and give a half acre for the public square, one acre for a county seminary (the seminary acre is just south of the water works park); that he donate one desirable town lot to each the Presbyterian, the Catholic, the Baptist and the Methodist church denominations for church purposes; that he would pay all expenses of the locating commissioners and furnish a building in which to hold court and transact the other county business until a courthouse could be erected. John S. Rhea donated twenty acres off of the west end of an eighty-acre tract (part of the southwest quarter of section 2- - the old county fair ground), and Samuel L. Rugg donated ten acres north of Marshall street and west of Third street, including the water works park. At the June session of the county board of commissioners - 1836 - Jeremiah Roe resigned as county treasurer and John Reynolds was appointed to fill the vacancy. At this session the county clerk was directed to advertise for proposals to build a county jail, to be completed by July 1, 1837. The first contract was given to Richard McKnight and William Lewis, but they secured the services of Bazil Browning. In September, 1837, twenty-five dollars was allowed James Wilson on order of William Lewis and David McKnight, contractors for building the jail; and later an order was drawn payable to Bazil Browning in the sum of three hundred dollars as payment for completion of the jail. Thus the first jail, a double-hewed log structure of two rooms above and two below, cost the sum of three hundred and twenty-five dollars. In 1 868 John W. Williams, who was put in for some misdemeanor, was released by someone boring off the two thicknesses of logs into his cell. Lafayette Riley was arrested and tried for aiding the prisoner to escape. The jail was never used much after that time. At the January session, 1836, of the court the following named persons were called upon to serve as jurymen for the spring term of court :

On the grand jury were : Abraham Elifritz, George Ague, Joseph Wise, Marvin Gorsline, James Niblick, Daniel Stevenson, Joshua Major, Levi Russell, Zachariah Smith, Sr., Jacob England, James M. Fuller, Ruel Risley. Thomas Ruple, Thercn Harper, William Heath, Jr., William Ball, Robert Simison and Jonathan Lewis - 18.

At the May, 1839, meeting of the board of county commissioners the contract was let to John Reynolds, then county treasurer, and Samuel L. Rugg, county clerk, for the building of a frame courthouse forty feet lonr and thirty feet wide and two stories high : that the boards next to the street shall be plained ; that the downstairs, or iirsr-floor. room be for court purposes and the second storv in several rooms as the county agent, who at that time was Enos XV. Butler, who shall oversee the construction of the work, may direct. The log" jail and the frame courthouse served their purpose for nearly forty years. The present courthouse was built in 1873 at a cost °^ about ninety thousand dollars. It is fairly modern in construction ; is three stories in height, including the basement ; is seventy by one hundred and twenty feet in dimensions, with a fine tower, that reaches about one hundred and seventy-five feet high. This structure stands in the center of the public square, is on the trolley line of the Springfield & Fort Wayne road, is a useful public improvement. However, if its builders had set its foundation six feet higher it would have shown up to a much better advantage. Its cornerstone, which was laid with Masonic and Odd Fellow ceremonies on the 4th of July, 1S72, on the north side, contains the following: ''George W. Luckey, Josiah Crawford, George Frank, county commissioners. Senior Worden, auditor. James R. Robo, attorney. J. C. Johnson, architect, Fremont, Ohio. Christian Boseker, contractor and builder." Originally the tower was not properly supported. It was massive and was in the center of the building, right over the large court-room, with no support directly under the center that reached the foundation on the ground. It was upon a bridge work that rested on the side walls of the building, and by the swaying back and forth by the wind storms be came dangeious and was taken clown in 1900 and removed. A new tower with suitable anchorage and supports was built at the front of the structure; is made of solid brick work sixty or seventy feet above the main building, which not only adds much to its appearance, but makes it a tasty and durable structure. The old frame courthouse stood at the corner of Madison and Third streets, to the west of the present building, and on the opposite side of the street. It was removed to Front street near Jefferson street and is now a lodging house, the property of Willard Steele. The old log jail stood in the southwest corner of the public square and was used until about 1870. Eight years later it was burned down. In 1886 the present new jail - -a large, commodious building of about a dozen and a half apartments, cells, etc., besides the sheriff's residence, was erected on the east side of Market street, the ground extending back to the river. This structure originally cost between twenty-five and thirty thousand dollars, but has been repaired and made more modern by electricity and city water and other conveniences, so that its present cost is not far from forty thousand dollars. It has large and roomy ground, is well located and is a model modern public building.

from the Ohio state line ten miles and called this division Root township, Adams county. All south and west of this was called Saint Mary's township, and its organization dates from May 9, 1836. On the 20th day of June, 1836, a part of Saint Mary's township was organized into Wabash township by a line running east and west from Wells county to the Ohio state line about three miles north of the present Wabash township line. In March, 1838, the township of Jefferson was organized by striking off a tract four miles wide and six miles long from the southeast corner of Wabash township. Blue Creek township was formed at the same session of the commissioners' court by taking a tract of Wabash township three miles wide and four miles long that lay directly north of Jefferson township and a like amount off of the southeast corner of Saint Mary's township. At this session Washington township was organized from a block from Saint Mary's township six miles square directly south of the west part of Root township. Preble township was organized at the next session of the commissioners' court within the same year from a part of Saint Mary's township that was four miles wide and six miles long, directly west of Root township. French township was organized in January, 1839, and was composed of a strip four miles long and three miles wide from the southwest corner of Saint Mary's \ township- and a like sized strip from the northwest corner of Wabash township. Monroe township was organized in March, 1840, being a tract six miles square taken, the one-half from Wabash and the other half from Saint Mary's townships. At the next session, the same year. Union township was set off from the east side of Root township, and on the Ohio state line, a township six miles long and four miles wide. In 1841-2 Kirkland and Hartford townships were organized; Kirkland from Saint Mary's, west of Washington, is four miles wide and six miles long; Hartford township, directly west of Wabash, four by six miles in size. For the first four years of the county's existence as a county Hartford was a part of Wabash. About as soon as a new township was organized an election was held to select the usual township officers, which at that time were justices of the peace, constables, inspectors of elections, the township trustee subsequently managed the duties of that office; supervisors of roads, two overseers of the poor, two fence viewers, later the township trustee's duty. As Root and Saint Mary's were the first townships and comprised then the limits of the present county, they held the first elections of township officers. The election of 1S36 in Root township honored the following named citizens with offices : Enos W. Butler, inspector of elections ; fence viewers, Jonas Pence and Bail W. Ball ; for road supervisors, Joel Roe and William Ball ; overseers of the poor, Vaschel Ball and John W. Wise. In Saint Mary's township, fall of 1836, Thomas Ruble, who lived east of where Berne is now situated, inspector of elections. Fence viewers were Zachariah Smith and Joel Roe ; overseers of the poor, William Heath, Sr., and Eli Zimmerman.

The first regular county and state election held after the organization of Root and Saint Mary's townships in Adams countsshowed the following votes polled, as shown by the records : General election of October, 1836. For VanBuren electors. Root township, 21 votes; for William H. Harrison electors, 45 voles. In Saint Mary's township, VanBuren, 7 votes; Harrison, 2~j votes; making a total of 100 votes polled in the presidential election, William H. Harrison's plurality being 44 votes. In this election William Vance, the first state representative, received 14 votes in Saint Mary's and 26 votes in Root township, making 40 votes. His opponent. John Burke, received 3 votes and his opponent, Joel Grover, received 6 votes. Vance's plurality over his opponents was 31 votes. The next election, October, 1837. Mr. Vance received 29 votes and his opponent, George A. Tate, received 10 votes; Vance's majority, 19 votes. The task of the first election inspectors was certainly nominal. The fence viewers' duties, as well as those of the road supervisors, were soon to demand more attention, as the lines of farms were all to locate, and to fence a farm often meant to change the traveled road. The law of 1S52 provided for three township trustees and placed upon them the duties of inspector of elections, fence viewers and overseers of the poor among other duties. A portion of the road law then in force was: "Any person may have swinging gates put on such township highway on his own land, under such regulations as such trustees shall prescribe, but in such case he shall keep the same in condition to be opened by persons on horseback; and any person " leaving any such gate open for every such \offense shall be liable to a fine of one dollar, to be recovered before a justice of the peace."

From 1845 to 1855 it was not uncommon to see land buyers going on horseback, in bunches of from three to six or eight or more, conducted by some resident citizen. These men were in pari what were then termed "speculators." who were looking for investment of their funds in "western" lands. Frequently land was bought up in large tracts and retailed out to smaller purchasers, who came as settlers from the older states. In 1850. as shown by the records, the following were some of the largest tracts of land and their owners in Adams county :

M. F. Burkhead, 1,080 acres; Eli Zimmerman, 1,000 acres; Denison Tinkham, 530 acres ; Morgan Smith, 465 acres ; Samuel Acker, 410 acres; Bazil Hendricks, 400 acres ; Henry Fueling, 400 acres ; Peter Mover. 400 acres; Peter Moser. 375 acres ; John Watson, 360 acres ; John Hartman, 360 acres : Josiah Crawford. 360 acres ; John Everhart, 360 acres ; J. Buffenbarger, 360 acres; Reuben Lord, 355 acres;. Alexander Fleming, 352 acres ; Thomas Fisher, 346 acres ; Daniel Ball, 330 acres ; George A. Dent, 329 acres ; James Glendening, 325 acres ; Thomas Watson, 320 acres ; Peter Lhaman, 320 acres ; Samuel Agit. 320 acres ; Henry Galbreath, 320 acres ; John H. Blakey, 320 acres; John K. Evans, 310 acres; Adam Faey, 310 acres; John Stephens, 2S0 acres; Isaac Falb, 275 acres; William McDonald, 275 acres.

The management of the roads and schools was materially changed by the adoption of the second constitution of the state in 1852,. and the power of taxation was removed from the majority vote of the residents and placed in the hands of a board of three school and township trustees. Then the era of school house building was begun with some system and regularity. The report of 1850 shows that there were twenty-eight school districts in Adams comity; that five were in Root township, tour in Washington township, three in Wabash township, three in Hartford township, two in Saint Mary's township, two in Kirkland township, two in French township, two in Union township, two in Monroe township, one in Blue Creek township, one in Preble township, and one in Jefferson township; that these had no reference to the private or subscription schools as then frequently conducted by individuals who "boarded" with the patrons and charged tuition by the week or month, but these were regularly organized districts that received from the county authorities their share of the interest provided from the congressional and other school funds of the state. These schools were commonly small in numbers of attendance from the sparseness of the inhabitants. One serious hindrance to the early development and settlement of the county was the lack of means of travel, the great distances to mill. The milling part soon received the attention of the settlers, who built small horse mills and water mills on the larger creeks. Riley's mill at Wiltshire was built in 1822 and was the nearest milling point for the residents of the county for years. Muldoon's first mill at Williamsport, on the Saint Mary's river, between Decatur and Fort Wayne, was built along about 1841 or 1842, and was one of the early mills. Bond's mill at Camden, once known as Pennville, was built about 1836 or 1837. Arnett's mill at New Corydon and the Nederhouser mill at what is now Buena Vista was built about 1S57 - the last two named are on the Wabash river. E. A. Godard in 1834 built a saw mill at what was later Pleasant Mills in perhaps 1840, put in a buhr for grinding com, etc., built a grist mill perhaps about 1843 or 1844 for general grinding of wheat. The

Saint Mary's river, though much shorter than the Wabash, carries three times as much water. At an earlier day the water was much deeper in these streams than at the present time and could be forded at only certain places. It is said that flour was carried in canoes from New Corydon to Peru while the Indians still held their reservations there as a tribe. As late as 1866 Caleb Penock and Aaron Brown rafted walnut lumber from Brown's mill at Alexander down the Limberlost to Huntington to market. About the same time a man by the name of Melshheimer rafted oil barrel staves to Bluffton down the Wabash river. Along in the forties a carding machine and woolen mill was built on the Wabash below New Corydon near the "Daugherty eddy" by a man whose name was Jones. lie operated a woolen mill, bought and traded for wool, beeswax, maple sugar and furs. He traded cloth and yarns for these products. Made frequent trips down the river to market his produce and manufactured goods. Further down the Wabash, but just across the county line in Wells county, was a woolen mill built about 1S65 at New Villc - later known as Vera Cruz - by A. Daelhousen, who had about one hundred and seventy-five spindles for the manufacture of woolen goods. It is said that he often used the river as a conveyance and traded his manufactures for furs, wool and other marketable articles. The residents of Shanesvilie, Willshire and Decatur often carried their merchandise down the Saint Mary's river to Fort Wayne in large canoes and flatboats. E. A. Goddard and George Heath, in 1846, changed the machinery of their first mill at Pleasant Mills into a new building and put in turning lathes and a carding machine and woolen mill; did a good business for a number of years and a greater part of their shipping to market was by boats until the plank road was completed in 1853. In June, 1S69, D. O. Jackson and T. L. Wilson rafted thirty-two thousand oil barrel staves and a large lot of oil barrel heading to the Fort Wayne market from Decatur.

Commonly the smaller water saw mills made little more lumber than was needed for home use. In 1843 tne Wabash & Erie canal was completeed from Toledo, Ohio, to below Lafayette, on the Wabash river. And in 1851 the Ohio & Indiana (now known as the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad Company) began its organization; in 1853 was put in operation and in 1856 was consolidated and put under one management. These new modes of transportation were the means of bringing a new and different class of investors into the country, known as "speculators." The first roads used by the white people through the country followed the higher grounds and were known as "by roads," or those indicated by blazed trees. It is said that the road from Decatur to Stockham's store at Monroe in 1850 was just about the shape of a snake track in the dust. Then and at that time even township roads were allowed to be fenced over. Trustees were required to have guideposts placed at the forks or the crossings of ail public roads as then located. The law of 1852 was: "Every supervisor shall erect and keep up at the forks of every highway and at every crossing of roads within his district, guideposts ami boards with proper inscriptions and devices thereon, the expense thereof to be paid out of the township treasury." It was years after the location of the Piqua and the Winchester roads before the traveler was limited to their roadbeds. When the adjoining fields were to be fenced then a demand was made of the fence viewers and surveyors to locate the lines. The early surveyors, however, were more fortunate then in locating the corners, as there were witness trees and the land boundaries were more easily marked and the road as time wore on took a permanent location and was marked by the new rail fence, a very convenient and handy assistant in the "corduroy" and "chuck-hole" period of the development of the county. As the speculator element took up a certain part of the land, it set to work to secure better roads that their properties be more accessible to the prospective purchasers. The national government had provided that from three to five per cent, of the funds derived from the sale of government lands within the states of Ohio and Indiana shall be applied on the improvement of the public roads. The Piqua and Winchester roads were cut out and improved by the use of this fund. In July, 1837, Esaias Daily was appointed county road commissioner and in . 1S39-40 expended between six hundred and seven hundred dollars on removing- the lojrs from and ditching the principal public roads, then in use. Within the next ten years tollroad companies were organized all over the state. In this part of the state there seemed to be a scarcity of gravel with which to construct the roads. But as the finest oak timber was in abundance, the plank road companies were organized. The legislature of 1844 passed some enactments that greatly encouraged the plank road ideas. In the spring of 1848 the Fort Wayne & Piqua Plank Road Company was organized, with Samuel Hanna as president and O. W. Jef- fers as secretary. The Fort Wayne & Bluffton Plank Road Company was organized in 1S50, with Thomas Sweney as president and P. P. Bailey as secretary. The contract for both of these roads was let to S. and \V. S. Edsall, of Fort Wayne, at one thousand six hundred dollars a mile. The charter for this road was granted by the legislature of 1849 and certain laws regulating tolls, etc., were enacted. Some of the provisions were:

"When three consecutive miles of plank or gravel road shall have been completed, or if the whole of said road shall be less than three miles in length, then in such case, when the whole of such road shall be completed, the directors of such company may erect toll gates at such points and at such distances from each other a& they may deem it proper and exact toll from persons traveling on the road; but on any uncompleted road of less than five miles toll shall be charged one year only. The tariff of tolls shall not exceed the following rate: For any sled, sleigh, carriage or vehicle drawn by one animal, one and one-half cents a mile. For every animal in addition thereto, one-half cent a mile. For every horse and rider or led horse, one cent a mile. For every score of sheep or swine, two cents a mile. For every score of neat cattle and mules, five cents a mile. Persons going to and from funerals and soldiers of the United States, while in active service, shall be exempt from tolls." What is known as the Piqua road followed the Wayne trace and was regularly surveyed, widened and cut out about 1830 by Benjamin Lytle. In 1 850-1 the roadway was ditched and graded, preparatory to the Fort Wayne & Piqua plank road that followed the Piqua road from Fort Wayne to directly north of Decatur at what is known as the

Pillars farm, then came south through Decatur and passed to the southeast up the river to Pleasant Mills and on to Willshire and Shanesville and Saint Mary's, Ohio. Before 1853 Pleasant Mills and Monmouth were towns of much greater commercial importance than Decatur because Decatur was across the river south of the main traveled road from Piqua to Fort Wayne. The Saint Mary's river then had no bridges and when the water was up the fords were impassable. One ford was above Decatur two miles, near Yellow creek; Smith's ford and the other Ball's, or Reynolds's ford, about three miles below Decatur. The plank road was kept in good repair through Decatur for ten or twelve years and is said to have been a good investment and a wonderful convenience to the traveler. When repairs were discontinued travel decreased and the road soon went into the hands of a receiver, and was sold to J. D. Nutman, then a resident of Decatur. The traveling public refused to pay tolls, the toll houses were burned and the toll gates torn down. While this road was at its best the stage coaches were a great convenience to the traveler. A stage line ran from Saint Mary's to Fort Wayne and return, and from Decatur to Monroeville, and for a time from Decatur to Newville and to Bluffton. Among the stage line owners may be named William Blackburn, George Fettick, Frank Crum. Simeon Hein and Garret Welsch. These stages could conveniently earn- from six to eight passengers and went through on the trot with four-horse teams, changing horses every ten or twelve miles. They carried the mails and some light articles of freight or express. The stage business after 1S60 was very laborious and really unprofitable on account of the bad conditions of the roads. It was continued, however, until the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad began its operations in 1872. Along the line of travel from Decatur to Fort Wayne were the famous "Oakland" and "Ashland" taverns just below Monmouth on the old Piqua road. The "Oakland" was a large, two-story, hewedlog building, with a frame addition in front ; was built in 1838 by Andrew Wise, who brought the glass, nails, window sash and doors direct with him from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He descended the Ohio river to Cincinnati, then went by canal to Piqua and by team to Adams county. This tavern had many subsequent landlords after 1845, at which time Mr. Wise went to Fort Wayne to educate his children. During the plank road era James K. Blackburn was its landlord.

The Ashland was another favorite stopping place for the traveler. It was between the Oakland tavern and Monmouth, perhaps a mile beyond Alonmouth. It was built by Ezekiel Hooper perhaps about 1837; was a two-story hewed-log building, with large brick fireplaces and a barn attachment large enough for a small regiment of horses. At times the barnyard was crowded with covered wagons of movers from the east. Monmouth also had its hostelries. It is said that Ziba Dorwin at one time owned three tavern buildings in the village. That there were a long list of tavern-keepers, among whom we may mention Jonathan Fleming, Samuel Randall. Chester Burt, who later came to Decatur, bought out the Joseph Crabbs tavern and built some additions and started the Burt House about 1856, and Ziba Dorwin himself, who is spoken of as one of the pioneer tavern-keepers. It is said that he was a medium-sized man, with a very bushy head of white hair - he was sixty years old in 1S50. The Ayres and Daily taverns were further east on the Piqua road. On the Fort Recovery and Pluntington road were but two or three taverns of especial note. The one was Plum's tavern, on the north bank of the Limberlost creek at Alexander, and the taverns of Joshua Johntry, at what is now Buena Vista, and the George French tavern, three or four miles further down the river. All these taverns kept whisky at about three drinks for a dime, or twenty cents a gallon. At that time liquors were pure and free from adulterations that create a thirst for more, and there was very little drunkenness throughout the country. As the lowland was infested by many snakes, large and small, it was a very common thing to keep a little spirits on hand for "snake bites" and "stomach trouble," which were the only dreadful things that the early settler made especial preparation for.

Mills Axd Milling

gotten and were a great convenience. The first mills that supplied the early residents ui the county were located at Richmond, Willshire, Ohio, and Rudsils and Muldoon's mills in Allen county. From the history of Van Wert county we take the following incident in relation to the erection of the first mill north of Dayton, which was built in 1822 at the present town of Willshire. Ohio : "Captain James W. Riley settled at Willshire in January, 182 1, and in that year built a cabin residence on the east bank of the Saint Mary's river. Within the same year timber was cut and prepared for the erection of a' mill. All of the nails, bolts and iron work, as well as the mill stones, were hauled from Dayton, Ohio; some of the wagons were drawn by four yokes of oxen. When all was ready invitations were sent out to Fort Wayne, Saint Mary's and Fort Recovery for help to raise the mill. Great preparations were made for their entertainment by the hunters, to whom were delegated the work of supplying the meats. Plenty of wild honey, maple sugar and molasses - not omitting a supply of egg-nog and whisky, without which no frontier crowd could be gotten together. On. the appointed day there were people in attendance from Fort Wayne, Fort Recovery, Saint Mary's and Piqua, Ohio, to the number of about fifty, 'besides the millwrights and Purveyors. A good many who came were not used to raising such heavybuildings. Some of the bents were up when one got the start of the pike men and came to the ground with a crash. It was at once agreed to suspend all proceedings until tomorrow. Puncheon tables had been provided with benches for seats and an abundance of provisions to supply the tables. W ooden plates and tincups met all the requirements of the table. After supper it was decided to have a dance by torchlight. Hickory bark was collected and soon bright blazing fagots made the scene a merry one. A fiddler by the name of Freshour, from near Fort Recovery, played the fiddle. As there were no girls or women to engage in the dance, men wore handkerchiefs over their heads as "ladies." The dances were Scotch reels, Irish jigs, Old Virginia reels and "hoe downs." The dancers' actions were accelerated by frequent tincups of egg-nog. One man named James Corbus, a surveyor, who complained of rheumatism, sprang to his feet and danced a jig. They then called him ''Limber Jim." (He was subsequently lost in south of Alexander oil what is now known as Limberlost creek, near old Buffalo.) The Riley mill was a water mill and was put in operation in 1823. Bond's mill, on the Salamonie, at Pennville, and Depler's mill, later Muldoon's, between Decatur and Fort Wayne, were each built about 1840. Perhaps the first grist mill put in operation in Adams county was the Godard mill on the west side of the river at what was later Pleasant Mills. It dates from 183S and was a water mill. The next grist mill and subsequently the first steam grist mill in the county, was the Jacob Barks mill, a water mill in 1S40, but later, in perhaps 1848, sold to Calvin D. Hart and converted into a steam grist mill. It was subsequently destroyed by fire. In about the year 1865 Godard & Heath changed the machinery from their grist mill at Pleasant Mills and enlarged the capacity, used the former building for turning lathes and subsequently put in a woolen mill, which was discontinued about 1873. The Godard grist mill has been in operation nearly continuously since its erec- tion, but has at various times been overhauled, and new machinery has taken the place of the old ; is now the property of J. C. Cowan and W. J. Smith. The Barks mill, or the Hart mill, as it was later called, was destroyed by fire along in the sixties. It stood on Number's creek, insection 2S, Root township. In 1857 Emanuel Neaderhouser biult the first grist mill in southern Adams county. It was located at the present town of Buena Vista and was successfully operated as a water mill for about twenty years. Then steam power took the place of water power. In 1894 the mill was remodeled and overhauled by Neaderhouser & Kizer and called the Hoosier Mills and changed to a modern roller mill. The second steam grist mill in the county was the first "Fornax'' mill, built in Decatur, near where the Place ice cream factory is located, along the Saint Mary's river. This mill was built in 1852 by Samuel L. Rugg and was operated for about fifteen years and had a distillery attached for a year or two and was abandoned for the "New Fornax" mill that was erected about 1868 by Emanuel "Woods, John Rout and Thomas Mickle. This mill was subsequently owned by H. H. Bremerkamp and was burned down in 1905. Its place has been filled by the erection of a new and modern roller mill by the last owner of the New Fornax. The first steam grist mill in the southern part of the county was erected at Ceylon in 1S73 by Dr. B. B. Snow; was successfully operated for several years, sold and removed to Portland by its owners, D. L. Proper and S. H. Adams. The first grist mill in the north part of Decatur, now owned -J by Charles Heckman, was a water mill built in 1S43 by Rudolph Schearer and Fred Gerkey. It lias been remodeled from time to time and was changed from water to steam power more than thirty years ago ; is now a large roller mill, doing a good business. Some other grist mills in Decatur were the "City mills," built by Jacob S. Hart, and operated for ten or twelve years on Monroe street, near Seventh, and was destroyed by fire in 1896. The "Oak roller mills," put in operation by Anson Vancamp in 1895, is doing an extensive business on First near Madison street. In 1884 the "Hoosier roller mills," of Berne, were started; it ran successfully for five or six years and was destroyed by fire and was never rebuilt. The "White Loaf mills," at Berne, was built in 1889 and is still in successful operation. In 1891 Emanuel Woods & Co. built the mill now owned and operated by the Geneva Milling Company. This mill has changed hands a number of times, but has kept up with the demands of the times by installing new and modem machinery as new processes were introduced in the milling business. Besides the steam mills now in use there were corn and feed mills in various parts of the county that were largely patronized by the earlier settlers. William Lewis and Fred Gerkey, in Root township, each had corn mills that were operated by horse power. Lewis's mill was in Monmouth and stood near where Wilder's brick residence is located. Gerkey's mill was located in the southeast corner of section 2, in Root township. George French, in section 33, French township, had a corn-grinding horse-power mill; also built a water grist mill, but when the race was begun found that the ledge of limestone came so near the top of the ground that he could not get down for the race to supply the water. It is said that the mill was taken down and removed at the cost of nearly two thousand dollars to the owner. Jacob dinger, in section 36, in Wabash township, . perated a horse-power corn grinder for a time and Tilmon Rawley, of section 1, in the same township, erected and operated a hnrse-power mill with a fanning mill and "threshing floor" attachment. At this mill the fanner could bring his buckwheat or other grain in the sheaf, tramp it out, use the fanning mill to separate the chaff from the grain, have the grain ground and return home ready for the bran-new buckwheat cakes to be made from his grinding. At that time grain was all flailed out, or threshed by tramping by cattle or horses. It was not until 1 85 1 that there was steam power used in any of the mills in the county. There were several small water mills that did some sawing and a few of them had corn and buckwheat buhrs. These had "up-and-down" saws, and were called "muley" mills. Among this kind of mills we find the James Niblick mill, the Aaron Chapman mill, each of which was built on Numbers creek, in sections 28 and 33, in Root township ; the Appleman mill, in section 5, in Washington township; William Conrad's mill, in section 10, Preble township; the Robert Evans mill, on Evans creek, section 20, Root township; the Reuben Lord mill, on Seventeen-Mile creek, section 22, Root township; the J. A. Fonner mill, on Seventeen-Mile creek, section 21, Root township; the Christian Burghalter mill, on Dismal creek, section 20, Wabash township; the Jacob Baker mill, on Canoper creek, in section 15, in Wabash township; the E. A. Goddard mill, on east side of Saint Mary's river, at Pleasant Mills ; die Rudolf Scherer's mill at the present site of Patterson & Pillar's mill ; the James Mc- Dowel mill that preceded the first Neaderhouser bill at Buena Vista. Besides these water saw and corn-grinding mills there were two carding or woolen mills that were operated by water power; one, the Jones mill, in section 36, Wabash tonship, and the Goddard & Heath mill at Pleasant Mills. Later there were two woolen mills operated in Decatur; the one by August Albers, on North Second street, near Jackson, and the other on Front street and Jefferson, by the Myers brothers - William J. and David. Among the early steam saw mills we find that Samuel L. Rugg in 1851 located the first steam saw mill in southeast Decatur, just north of the present Scheimann & Co. packing house. That the first steam circular saw mill was brought to the county by Sylvester Campbell, of section 16, in Blue Creek township. That in 1852 John R. Burdge built the first steam saw mill in the south part of the county. This mill was within a few years removed to Alexander, where it was operated until 186S, and was blown up while the property of Ransom Mullinix.

The first and perhaps the only large bandsaw mill was built in west Decatur in 18S3 by Perry Robison and Amos Gillie, was destroyed by fire in 1890. Some other large steam saw mills for their time were: William Dehl mill, in section 33, in Kirkland township. This mill was built in 1S56; the machinery was hauled from Dayton, Ohio, by ox teams. It is said that Mr. Dehl furnished a number of the residents of Decatur with poplar lumber with which to weatherboard their first set of buildings here at the sum of five dollars a thousand, delivered. Another heavy mill of considerable interest in the early period of the county was the Buuck & Hockmier mill, in section 10, in

Preble township. This mill was a muley and was built about 1856, and furnished - some of the lumber for the first frame buildings in Decatur. The first circular saw mill in the south part of the county was built at Buena Vista in 1867 by Emanuel Neaderhouser. This mill has quite a history that will be related further on in this description. The next steam circular saw mill was located at Alexander in 1868 by Aaron Brown and George Wilson. It rafted some of its lumber down the Limberlost and Wabash river to Eluffton market.

After the Grand Rapids & Indiana Rail- Toad was built through the county there were many mills put in operation. It is said that Michael Kroner, of Jefferson township, brought in the first portable saw mill. Some of the larger heavy mills at that day were the Colgrove & Miller mill in the north part of the county and the B. B. Snow mill on the Wabash east of Ceylon and subsequently removed to the railroad at Ceylon. This mill was built in 1870 and had a capacity of fifty thousand feet of lumber a week. It furnished over ten miles of the railroad bridge timber for the new railroad, besides many thousands of railroad ties and other timbers. Some of the ether mills that operated succussfully throughout the county were the mills of Vincent D. Bell, of French township; C. W. Hooker, of Monroe township; J. R. Hockenbcry, of Jefferson township; Hamel & Barnhart. of Blue Creek township; David Worling, of Preble township; Woods & Winnes, of Washington township; Colter '& Smith, of Knot and Saint Mary's townships: Eicher & Co.. Saint Mary's township: Fruchte & Peck, in Preble township. At present the small portable mills are finishing up what is left of the once magnificent forests of oak, ash, poplar and walnut timber. The only mills of much capacity now ready for operation are the Adams County Lumber Company's mills at Berne and Decatur. Much of their timber is hauled long distances or shipped in by railroad for use. The early mills were not without their casualties, both serious and humorous. The Neaderhouser saw mill at Buena Vista was the first steam circular saw mill in the southern part of the county. Not like some others in the county, its start was of the hair-raising variety, and of the most dangerous kind. The mill building was a two-story frame, with the saws and carriages on the second floor. Before the sawing had proceeded far the machinery became unmanageable and in gigging back the log carriage was shot with terrific force out of the upper story of the mill; the engine ran off, burst the fifteen-hundred-pound balance wheel in a thousand pieces, which flew through the roof of the engine house like grapeshot from a cannon. The building was completely shattered, but fortunately no one was seriously hurt. The mill was repaired and until recently was operated in the manufacture of lumber. Hammil's mill in northern Blue Creek township burst its large belt wheel and severely injured several men. It was what then was known as a "direct action" and the engine fairly flew. Such occurrences would naturally make an impression on those who had never heard a steam whistle - and until 1872 they were scarce in Adams county. An incident is related by Martin V. B. Simcoke, usually known as "Van Simcoke," as to the fun and excitement gotten out of starting the first steam saw mill in Decatur in 1851. He tells us that : "The first steam works in Adams county was a steam saw mill, brought to Decatur by Samuel L. Rugg, the founder of Decatur, to saw planks for the plank road to be built from Fort Wayne to Saint Mary's, Ohio, through Decatur. The mill was located on the Saint Mary's river southeast of [lie court house, where Si Hamel's mill is located, and near the C. & E. Railroad bridge. There was one Johnson, a millwright by trade, came along to finish the mill, and he lold the people of the many accidents and blow-ups which were caused by steam power that caused all the people to fear the business. The children were all warned to keep away. There were no visitors to bother the workmen on account of the danger. At last the mill was ready to start up ; the log yard was jammed full of fine oak logs ; the building was up and all the steam works to their proper places. Mr. Rugg concluded to have a jubilee and invited the people far and near to come and witness the greatest curiosity of their lives, assuring the people of no danger.

The day arrived and with it the people from afar. They came in every conceivable way to get there. The building was a large two-story frame, with four by four girders around the entire building about four feet from the ground. The siding was not nailed on yet, consequently the girders were fine seats for men .and boys, which were filled all around. Ladies and gentlemen with their children and the elderly people occupied the log yard, as they feared to venture close. Everybody awaited anxiously to see the thing go. Steam was up, fizzing and fretting; occasionally the engineer would touch a small steam gauge, when there would be a scream from some woman, perhaps a dozen or more. A thought struck the engineer that there was fun ahead and he took the poker and raised the safety valve and let her off. There never was such a stampede in our time as was exhibited there. Women fainted and some screamed, ran and fell over everything. Men did not wait to see if anybody was killed. The girders were empty in a jiffy. Clothing was left upon the stumps, logs and bushes. Horses ran away, causing havoc among the natives. All I can remember of it was that infernal blast. I found myself about two hundred yards from the blow-off and seeing old man Elefritz whiz past me like a meteor and likely he is running yet. I had crossed a creek near by and after I came to I was a walking mud boy. One Hobart Scott, a young man then, jumped into the river and dived down and across the river, a dozen following. My mother tore her fine 'calico dress in fragments getting away, and father lost his fine plug hat. At intervals the engineer would cause a blast from the cussed thing. There was not a female soul within a half mile of it. People talked of killing the engineer, but better heads persuaded the people to drop it, as he meant onlv fun."

Fairs And Entertainments

The early settlers cared less for an exhi- make the fleetest time, the boy or man who bition of fine cattle, fat hogs, high-priced could run the fastest or jump the farthest. sheep than they did for the horse that could As a result the women and girls were horse- women and could drive and ride as well as their brothers or fathers. The horse race, the foot race, the wrestling match and jumping contest were much in favor and became a feature of even- meeting. Though in its infancy as a civil corporation, its communities upheld their codes of "honor" even to the exclusion from their "crowd" such as would disregard the accepted regulations of the neighborhood. The fellow who would take a "dare" to attempt some feat of strength as a wrestle, a race or a fight was soon marked for retirement.

To make the attempt and lose was no enduring disgrace, but the defeated stood next in favor to the winner. To be called a liar or some other names on that line and not resent it or fight was to merit the disgrace of all who knew of the occurrence. Any one was then at liberty to bespatter the unfortunate with derision, vulgarity and abuse if he wished, for then cowards had no standing in the "court" of public sentiment. The entertainments were varied in their nature; the wood chopping or com husking, with a dance at night ; the quilting party or wool picking or later the apple cutting and the sugar stirring, were very common forms of entertainment for the first residents of the county. Religious services were held at private houses, as were also singing schools, in which the younger members of the community would ride miles on horseback to attend. Now the young man may drive to church or singing school in his buggy ; then he took his best girl on the horse behind him and both rode the same horse. In those days the girls seemed to have a better hold on their fellows than at the present time. Perhaps because they were both going the same way at the same time. As schoolhouses were erected they were used for church, singing school and most other public gatherings ; these were attended by old and young alike. The spelling match and debates were much in favor. Sled-loads would drive for miles to meet competing localities in discussion or to contest the "grounds" in who could spell the longest and the most difficult words. The whole neighborhood would be interested in the result and in some instances a "licking" match or series of fights would end the contest. Particularly this was true in regard to the outcome of debates. Some of the subjects of discussion such as, "Is Sprinkling Baptism"? "Have Niggers Souls to Save"? and "Is a Country Boy Greener in Town Than a Town Girl Is in the Country?" have been decided by a majority of the judges in the house - one way - and outside of the house in another. As the farmers began to have better advantages for exhibition of their products the public fair idea gained some favor. The first fairs were under criticism by those who had no new breed of stock or fancy vegetables to exhibit, but many of them went anyhow just to see the others "show off" or out of a spirit of curiosity. The first county fair of any consequence was held at Decatur in 1S53. It was held in what is now courthouse square. The stalls and pens were around the lot and the vegetables, fancy work, etc., were placed inside the old courthouse, to which an admission fee of two shillings was charged. At that time there was an effort made to introduce a better grade of cattle and hogs than the then common woods stock known as "elm-peeler hogs" and "pennyroyal cattle." Some of the early dealers in Durham cattle, Magee hogs and Merino sheep were josiah and John Crawford in cattle; Semour Worden, John McConnell, William Aspy, Pendleton Rice, Lot French and some others were interested in improved stocks of hogs. Morgan Smith, Tilmon Rawley and the Daileys, of which there were several, in a better grade of sheep. Lewis Mattax, P. N. Collins and Samuel Steele were especially interested in orchard products. Through the efforts of those most interested the first Adams County Agricultural Society was organized under the recent state law that placed the society under the indirect control of the state board of agriculure. The Adams County Agricultural Society was organized at Decatur on the 28th day of December, 1852, with the following named board of directors and officers : Lewis Mattix, Lot French, C. S. Dorwin, Samuel Steele, Josiah Crawford, Josephus Martin, Richard Winans, Andrew Scoles, Joseph Crabbs, David Erwin, Abraham Sommers, Thomas Luffborrow.

The executive officers chosen by the board of directors were : Samuel S. Mickle, president ; George A. Dent, vice president ; David Studabaker, secretary; John McConnell, treasurer; William G. Spencer, librarian.

For the first year's expenses the members of the association each contributed a fee of one dollar. This entitled the association to make a requisition on the county treasurer for a like amount if it was then in his hands as license fees collected from traveling circuses and like shows. The numbers and interest increased for four or five years. Then the Civil war excitement and other influences reduced the interest and the county fairs were discontinued altogether, until 1875. at which time the twenty-acre tract in the southeast part of Decatur was leased by the county commissioners for a period of years to Emanuel Woods and others, who built a race track, fenced the grounds, put down a driven well and erected the necessary buildings to conduct a county fair. At the time of the first fair the public square had a jail and sheriff's residence on the southwest corner, a one-story brick building sixteen by thirty-two feet in size, in the southeast corner, which was used as the county auditor's and treasurer's offices ; in the northeast corner, where the '"Whittier's Barefoot Boy" fountain stands, stood a brick building similar to the one at the southeast corner, which was used as the county clerk's and recorder's offices. The old courthouse, which was a two-story frame, the lower story all in one room, stood west of the public square on inlots 93 and 94, at the corner of Third and Madison streets. The cattle and some other stock were exhibited in the public square, which then was inclosed by an ordinary board fence to keep the cows of the town from browsing in the gardens of the county officers. One feature cf the stock exhibit was very unusual for that day in this locality. It was a Magee hog that is said to have weighed seven hundred pounds, and was exhibited by William Aspy, then a resident of Wabash township.. One man in his description of this hog said that it was as big as his cow and as long as a fence rail.

In the spring of 1875 an Adams County Agricultural Association was organized with Emanuel Woods president, John W. Rout secretary and Daniel Wekly as treasurer, and John Rupright, Henry Fuelling, A. J. Teeple, Timothy Coffee and Richard Winans as directors. The twenty-acre tract in southeast Decatur, known as "the old fair grounds," was leased by the association and Emanuel Woods given the contract to re- move the brush and timber, put down a driven well, build a half-mile race track, properly fence the grounds and put up the necessary buildings for a county fair to be held. In September of the same year the first fair was held on those grounds. The succeeding fairs for four or five years were well patronized, but dissensions arose in the management and the control was turned over to some non-residents, who had a circuit of fairs and a string of race horses that were credited as being "stake sweepers," and the residents somewhat lost interest in the other features of what is required to make a successful exhibit of the county's resources. About 18S9 the last fair was held in the old fair grounds. Since that time the county commissioners have rented this ground as a pasture field. In the spring of 1900 the Decatur Driving Association was organized for the purpose of encouraging the fanciers of trotting, pacing and running horses to attend the Decatur races. Grounds were leased at what is now Steele's Park, a race track made and some suitable buildings erected for stabling horses. In October of the next year a three days' horse fair was held at the park. It was successful beyond the expectations of its managers. The next effort toward the organization of an agricultural society in Adams county was at the meeting of the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association in Monroe on the 23d day of October, 1901. At this meeting a committee consisting of Jonathan Fleming, George W. Gladden and Lemuel Headington was appointed to draft articles of association and report the same at the next November meeting. The committee in its report suggested that family tickets be sold and donations be solicited to secure the funds necessary to erect the suitable buildings for a county fair. That the county commissioners be petitioned to sell the old fair ground and the funds be appropriated toward the erection of buildings upon grounds that may be leased for the purpose of holding a series of fairs. The action of the commissioners was adverse to the sale of the old fair grounds and it was agreed by the promoters of the fair project that coupon ballots be sent out with the Decatur Democrat, then published by Norval Blackburn, and a vote be expressed as to the selection of officers of a fair to be held at Decatur the next year. In this balloting contest there were four hundred and fiftysix ballots sent in and the following named persons were chosen to fill the various offices : For directors: Frank Berger, Frank Gideon, Lewis Fruchte, Joshua Bright, Michael Miller, George Tricker, David Dailey, J. S. Beatty, Peter Ashbaucher, Jonas Neuenschwander, L. O. Bears, Martin M. Herr and Peter Kinney. In July, 1903, Willard Steele made a proposition to the directors of the Adams County Fair Association to lease them his one-hundred-and-fifteen-acre farm just east of the city for the use of a county fair; that under certain conditions he would erect all of .the necessary buildings to conduct the same. In September, 1903, "The4 Farmers' Fair" was held near Steele, in Blue Creek township. In 1904 the Farmers' Fair was again conducted as the year before and met with good patronage. In June of 1904 the horse fair, or Adams County Horsemen's Association, was organized with the following named directors :

Dan Beery, David Eckrote, John S. Peterson, S. W. Hale and J. B. Rice. The purpose of this association, as stated in their bylaws, was to encourage the breeding, training and use of trotting, pacing and running horses. Its executive officers were Abe A. Boch, president; Elmer Johnson, secretary; Dr. J. M. Miller, treasurer; board of managers: J. B. Rice, S. W. Hale, Willard Steele, Dan Beery, J. S. Peterson. Throughout the summer and fall of 1904 and 1905 the association had races at stated times with good interest and attendance. In the fall of 190.0 the directors of the Adams County Fair Association met at Decatur and elected officers for the ensuing year and considered favorably the proposition of Willard Steele to lease his farm for fair purposes, erection of buildings, etc., for the use of the association. The officers then chosen were: George H. Martz, president; Andrew Gottschalk, vice president; Charles True, treasurer, and Henry Krick, secretary. It was agreed at this meeting that if sufficient donations by subscription could be secured that Mr. Steele's proposition be accepted. Committees were appointed and directed to report at the next county farmers' institute, which convened near the end of the year. The reports were so encouraging that arrangements were begun and the time set for the first county fair to be held at Steele's Park, as it was then named. The first fair was held in the fall of 1901, though the buildings were insufficient and some of them unfinished. This fair was well attended and gave general satisfaction. At the next meeting of the board of directors there was a change of officers. In 1902 the officers were Geor-e Tricker, president; Martin L. Smith. vice president ; Thomas H. Harris, secretary, and Rudolph R. Schugg was chosen treasurer. All of these officers served two years. This year the name of the association was changed to the "Great Northern Indiana Fair," and is so called at this time. In 1904 the officers selected were John D. Neidlinger, president; William Farlow, vice president; John Brown, treasurer, and Cal D. Kunkle as secretary. These officers served until 1906, at which time the present officers were chosen. The executive officers are: George Tricker, president; Martin L. Smith, vice president; John Brown, treasurer, and Cal D. Kunkle, secretary. The following are the directors serving in 1907 : Thomas S. Perkins, J. B. Corson, John P. Steiner, William Farlow, James M. Duff, J. R. Graber, Louis Fruchte, Michael Miller, Malcom A. Ripley, Sylvester Pontius, W. T. Waggoner, J. W. Brodbeck, J. D. Neidlinger, Philip Baker and Simeon J. Bowers. Within the last few years Steele's Park has been much improved and beautified with drives, flowers, artificial lake of several acres. It now has city water, electric lights, graveled drives through the groves and a good race track. Aside from the county fairs the poultry loving people have held three fairs- in Decatur within the last three years. The first in the Wooward & Ball vacated furniture store room on Second street; the next in the Morrison building at Court and Second streets, and the third and last one on the 8th, 9th. TOth and 1 ith days of January, 1907, in Meiber's Hall on Second street. "The Adams County Poultry and Pet Stock Association" was organized in December, 1904. The executive officers of this association in 1907 are : W. A. Fonner, president: Charles E. Magley. secretary; Mrs. Fannie Christen, treasurer.

At these shows a small entrance fee is charged and all the fowls are scored by a non-resident judge, who makes the awards, not knowing to whom the birds belong. The management has awarded prizes for certain exhibits and a lively interest has been shown in all these fairs so far held.

Perhaps one of the most beneficial and instructive meetings held in the interest of the agricultural element of the county are the farmers' institutes. These have been conducted annually for the last ten years. The system of management provides for an able non-resident instructor, who works from an outline program, showing the subjects upon which instruction is given. Queries and questions submitted by the members of the institute raise many questions of interest to the farmer. Aside from the work of the special instructor, local talent is expected to assist in discussion of subjects under consideration. Recitations, essays and addresses are also announced and given as a part of the program. The interest and attendance at these meetings have steadily increased from year to year. The large courtroom in Decatur, that once was rarely filled in front at these institutes, is now hardly sufficiently large to accommodate the audiences. Among the numerous exercises and addresses given at these meetings from time to time we here refer you to one entitled, "Nature's Nobleman," delivered by the author hereof, J. F. Snow, at the meeting December 2, 1903, in Decatur :

"Friends and Farmers - Can we ever forget that inviting country residence in summer? How many successful business men of today can testify to the happiest time of their lives in the country at the old homestead? What a fund of satisfaction in the memory of that rustic simplicity, that picturesque scenery of natural grandeur, which surrounds the country home. Friends, it was my good fortune to enjoy the freedom of a country home in my youtth. It was there in the stern school of experience that I learned to know that the progressive workman must each day give some good account of himself. That the honest toiler is worthy of his hire, and that by his skill and industry this beautiful land of protected freedom is made to blossom as the rose in her season ; that by his incessant labor the lands have been cleared and drained; that from his fields and flocks cities are fed and clothed; that without the farmer no nation can long exist in complete thrift and contentment. As a crumbling monument of feudal ages in Europe we learn of social rank and titled people, known as dukes and dudes and lords and earls. A few of them have been induced to come to free American soil long enough to bargain for some millionaire's 'left-over' daughter with a million for boot money thrown in. In this vast, fertile region we have but one special nobleman, and he that honest workman who is willing to labor with brain and brawn at what his hands findcth to do in earnest, honest effort to improve his condition and add to his nation's honor and power. He isn't afraid of work in time of peace, nor is he afraid of war when fighters are wanted in the defense of his country's honor. He is a jolly, jovial gentleman at home and a useful factor in a nation's councils. The finest and fleetest horses are bred in the country, so are the nation's most sturdy sons. While Europe may croak and boast of her noblemen, titles and all, we can with pride point to Nature's nobleman - the American farmer - who feeds them all. In all the walks of human endeavor there are none in which successful effort is so general as among the fanners. The professions are abandoned for the farm ; the mechanic quits his trade and returns to the quiet home on the farm. The merchant, the financier or the statesman all want a home in the country. Fewer failures occur among farmers than other lines of employment of men. Fewer defalcations and no twenty cents on the dollar values in stock.