Cass County, Indiana - Chapter 50: Miami Township, 1913

Boundaries - Topography - ^Pirst Settlement - Organization - Industries AND Mills - Horticulture - Schools - Churches - Cemeteries - Roads and Improvements - Doctors - Cassville - Lewisburg - HOOVERVILLE - ^NeW WaVERLY - MiSCELLANEOITS ITEMS - ACCIDENTS - Stolen Child - Shoot the Red Eye - Bloody Hollow - PouTics - Biographies.

Miami township was so named from the Miami tribe of Indians, who for a long period antedating the arrival of the white man in the west, had owned and occupied all northern Indiana, including Cass county. This division of the county forms part of township 27, north range 2 and 3 east of the congressional survey and is bounded as follows: On the north by Eel river, on the east by Miami county, on the south by the Wabash river and on the west by Eel township. With the exception of Eel, it is the smallest township in the county.

The outline of the township is very irregular owing to the meanderings of the rivers which form its boundaries on two sides. The surface is undulating and hilly, which in some localities is quite abrupt with deep ravines. In some places the hills rise to a height of one hundred feet or more, presenting a romantic boldness superior to any other locality in the county although Jefferson township in this respect is a close second. From the summits of the hills near Adamsboro on the north and Lewisburg on the south, magnificent views are presented of the noble rivers winding their courses through the hills with their banks fringed with green trees and the intervening valleys occupied by fertile fields.

The river bottom lands, the valleys and highland plateaus are very fertile, but there are some hilly portions and some sections in the southwest part of the township where the limestone outcrops that is not good farm land or equal in fertility to some other townships. The surface was originally covered with a heavy growth of timber, consisting of oak, ash, poplar, maple, walnut, beech, hickory and other native trees, but this has nearly all been cut oflF, leaving only isolated groves on the hillsides. The Wabash and Erie canal runs through the whole length of the township from east to west. This was opened up for traffic in 1838 and was a potent factor in inducing immigration, and the completion of the Wabash Railroad through the township in 1856 served as another stimulus to the devetopment of the country, of which agriculture is the chief industry.

Peter Berry was probably the first permanent settler in the township. In the spring of 1831 he moved from Logansport, where he had, the year previous, been working at his trade, that of a blacksmith. He located in section 20 about a mile west of Waverly, on what is knoWn as the Adam

Cart farm, and erected the first house in Miami township, and the first between Logansport and Peru. It stood midway between those two places and was known as the half-way house and many a passerby found its humble walls a resting place and a generous hospitality extended by its humble occupant. A building site was made in the midst of a dense forest that covered the land by felling the trees to give sufficient room upon which to erect a round log cabin with puncheon floor, stick and mud chimney and other corresponding pioneer fixtures and household accouterments of the crudest and simplest character. Mr. Berry, with the assistance of his sons, cleared off a patch of ground and in the spring of 1831 John H. Berry broke it up and was proud of the fact that he turned the first furrow in Miami township. Mr. Berry occupied this pioneer home for about ten years when he sold it and moved two miles to the west in section 24, where he continued to reside until his death in 1855. He was a native of Pennsylvania and was a man of more than ordinary energy and intelligence. His sons, Henry P., John H. and Samuel Berry, figured prominently in the development of Miami township. During the year 1831 the following persons came to the township : John Fiddler settled in section 29 ; William Conner in section 16 ; John Hoover in section 13. In 1832 Abraham Reed purchased a large tract of land in sections 23 and 26 and his descendants still occupy a part of this original purchase. Christian Casebeer and his sons Joseph and David settled in Richardsville Reserve, east of Lewisburg ; Nathaniel Williams in section 29 and became a leading citizen of the township. Lewis Bowyer located at Lewisburg and laid out the town. David IMiller settled in section 20 and was a prominent citizen until his death in 1885. Isaac Patton settled in section 24; Wm. P. Vandoren on the Wabash river, where he laid out the town of Cassville ; James Henry in section 19 and Jesse Fiddler in section 19.

The following persons were early settlers and became prominent in the later history of the township: Levi Burnett, Wm. Guard, Samuel McPherson, Wm. Rucker, George Rush, Thomas Craighead, Reuben Grimes, Peter Chidester, Stephen Clemens, John Pfouts, Andrew Martin, Henry Martin, David Miller, Archibald Forgy, Wm. Pearson, Jacob Loser, Anthony Hiller, Wm. Murphy, Solomon Hyer, Abraham Hyer, Thomas Black, Erastus Chidester, John P. Baker, Frank Kelly, William Kline and Hugh Pennell.

Miami township was organized January 3, 1831, and the first election was held some time later at the cabin of Peter Berry. At this election William Conner was chosen justice of the peace and the first board of trustees was composed of Peter Berry, Thomas Craighead and lijathaniel Williams. Other early trustees were Lewis Bowyer, Isaac Patton, Paul Burk, Joseph Cottrell, Henry Eidson, Peter Chidester, John H. Berry and T. F. Tyson.

The early justices of the peace were: Isaac Patton, Lewis Bowyei*, Henry M. Eidson, D. C. Jenkins, Samuel McCoy, Emanuel Rumels and Wesley DeMoss. Mr. Eidson held the office for more than twenty years.

Miami township lying between the two rivers was fortunate in having abundant water power and mills were early established on Eel river from which they received their motive power.

About 1834 David Miller erected the first mill in the township at HooverviUe^ now generally known as Adamsboro, Miami township. This was a sawmill, but he soon installed a corn cracker and distillery and operated them for a number of years. When Conrad Martin became owner of the mill property he built a two-story flouring mill and did an extensive business. The com cracker and distillery fell into decay. This mill did a large business and was patronized by farmers for many miles around for a number of years until about 1854 the entire structure was washed out by a June freshet and the mill site remained vacant until 1859, when S. L. and A. Kendall of Logansport built a large flouring miU at Adamsboro (Hooverville) and operated it until 1864, when they sold out to John Hoover, who with others, continued to run the miU until about 1888, when it ceased operations owing to the new processes of making flour and the centralization of business. This mill is still standing and belongs to Harry Gingrich, who uses it for storage purposes only.

About 1842 Peter Pfouts and John P. Baker erected a distillery south of Miller's mill at Hooverville. Their water supply was brought from springs in wooden pipes, which remained until recent years. The demand for wet goods among the pious people of Miami was not great and this distillery, like its predecessor, fell into disuse about 1853 and was later consumed by fire.

fitted for grinding both wheat and com. It was operated for some years, rather irregularly, owing to deficient water supply which came from the little branch upon which the mill stood. It ceased operations entirely in 1860 with George Spangler as the last miller.

About 1842 Peter Cowdry built a sawmill on a little creek near the southwest comer of section 19, south of the Burnett farm. It received its motive power from a spring branch and could not be operated regularly owing to deficient water supply. John P. Baker was the last party to run this little mill, which ceased operations about 1852.

In the early forties James Henry built a shop on the Levi Bumett farm (section 19). He had a turning lathe and other machinery and manufactured furniture and other woodwork.

William Meeks, of Lewisburg, was also engaged in the manufacture of furniture in the later forties, and Paul Burk operated a small furniture factory on the Cart farm in section 20 aild made coflSns, spinning wheels, reels and almost every wooden article found in the pioneer home. All these shops had turning lathes; that of Mr. Henry's was operated by an ingenious little water wheel he contrived, and the water supply came from the little spring branch running through the Bumett farm. The lathes in the other shops were tread machines run by the foot of the operator.

About 1846 John P. Baker erected an iron furnace and forge at the lock on the old canal four miles east of Logansport. There were six furnaces in this plant. Bog iron ore was used to supply the furnaces. The ore was shipped from the swamps of White county on the canal, and some was procured from near New Warverly and some from Clay township. Power to run the bellows and trip-hammer was obtained by two small water wheels propelled by water from the canal lock. Mr. Baker retired from the firm and Richard Green, Joseph Penrose and Samuel Panabaker became associated in the business which, however, was not a paying investment and ceased operations about 1855.

The southwest part of Miami township is underlaid with a good quality of limestone and outcrops for a mile or two along the old Forge road, which early led to the manufacture of lime, which was engaged in by different parties near the canal in section 26, and after the Wabash Railroad was finished in 1856 large quantities of lime was manufactured and shipped.

In 1868 David Keeport, of Pennsylvania, with Mr. Donaldson leased a tract of land near the former old kilns and put in new and improved kilns and manufactured lime extensively, shipping from one thousand to one thousand two hundred bushels daily.

Mr. Donaldson was killed while coupling cars, and after the death of David Keeport, his son, A. B. Keeport & Co. operated the kilns for many years, but they have finally ceased operations. A son of David Keeport was crushed to death while helping on a canal boat in the shipment of lime, and John Donaldson, the son of the above-named Donaldson, was also run down by a Wabash train and killed.

About 1908 parties from Huntington organized a company, purchased a large tract of the limestone lands where the defunct limekilns were located, and erected large stone crushers and are doing an extensive business and ship crushed stone for road building and other purposes all over the surrounding country.

During the operation of the iron mill charcoal was used in the reduction of the iron ore, as coke was then unknown in this western wilderness, and the work of making charcoal became quite an industry in Miami township, and many of the pioneers erected ovens in which to bum charcoal. It was doubly advantageous to them, as they were clearing their land, at the same time selling the charcoal to the operators of the iron furnace, but this industry went down with the iron forge.

A company of strangers about 1846 erected a building in HooverviUe and manufactured ''fanning mills." They turned out large numbers of first-class fanning mills which found a ready market among the farmers of that day. Their long wagons, made to carry six of these mills, were to be seen traveling through the country selling them to tiie farmers who needed such machines before the days of the modem threshing machine and separator.

Alexander Arnout was probably the second blacksmith. His shop was located north of Waverly. Soon after Vincent Patton conducted a blacksmith shop in section 26.

The farmers of Miami township, as those of the entire county, were engaged in general agriculture, grain, stock raising, etc., and but little attention was paid to horticulture until recent years they have turned their attention to this lucrative business. Among the first to engage in fruit growing was Peter A. Berry, about 1883. He began to grow strawberries for the city market and had the distinction of being the pioneer in this line of business in the township. Soon after A. E. Flory, D. M. Flory and C. A. Flory engaged extensively in the business of growing small fruits, and have become the most extensive fruit growers in the county, and also produce large quantities of orchard fruits as well. Others have recently engaged in the business, as the hills of Miami are especially adapted to horticulture and the township leads the county in :^it growing.

Miami township is credited with being the first in the county to set out orchards, and as soon as the pioneer had cleared off a patch of ground around his cabin we find him planting fruit trees. Among the firtt to plant orchards were Nathaniel Williams, James Rush, Peter Berry and William Conner.

The first nursery in the county was kept by John Fidler. His trees, however, were seedlings. About 1840 a stranger came into the township and started a nursery on the William H. Qard farm in section 17, and many of the orchards of the township were supplied from this nursery. A few of the old trees remain today to mark the nursery rows of seventy years ago.

The pioneers of Miami township were an intellectual class of people and appreciative of the value of an education, and no sooner were a few families located in a neighborhood until we find the temple of learning being raised. These were very primitive and crude buildings, however, and here, as elsewhere throughout the county, the round log schoolhouse made its appearance, every part of which was constructed of wood, not a hinge, latch or even a nail or any article of metal was used in its construction. Probably the first cabin schoolhouse erected in the township was in 1833 or 1834 on what was since Imown as the William Rucker farm near the northeast corner of section 20, and William Kelly was the first to wield the birch in this primitive schoolhouse in the midst of the forest, with just enough of the trees cut down and a spot cleared large enough for the house to stand upon, with the branches of the trees overhanging the clapboard roof and the squirrels and birds chattering and making music in these overhanging branches. In these unpretentious round log cabins were sown the seed that later developed into the sturdy, energetic and enlightened farmers and horticulturists of Miami township. There was a schoolhouse built on the southwest comer of the C. A. Flory farm, in section 23, perhaps as early as 1832, but this was never completed or occupied, but left to decay.

Certain it is that a log schoolhouse was erected on the Abraham Reed land in the northeast quarter of section 23 early in the thirties, and Mr. Sumwalt, who had previously taught in Clay towtship, was its first teacher. Other early teachers were John P. Baker, John H. Berry, John Truax, William Coons and George W. Coons. Mr. Coons taught the last school in this log house in 1856-57, when it gave way to a frame building, not plastered but ceiled inside throughout, making it a neat and comfortable building. The schoolhouse located here was a prominent meeting place for religious, political and other public gatherings, including the old-time singing school.

About 1846 a hewed log schoolhouse was built on the northeast comer of section 19, and about the same time a similar one was erected on the Eidson farm in section 22. About 1858 E. H. Conner taught school in a house on the Reed farm, in section 23, that had been built for a sheep fold and later was used for a cooper shop.

As early as 1840 there was a log schoolhouse on the hill west of Lewisburg, near * * Cassville. " This was replaced by a log house at Lewisburg, and about 1850 it was replaced by a frame schoolhouse that stood on the hill at Lewisburg. Some of the early teachers at Lewisburg were Elizabeth Grimes, 1843; Cy. McPherson, 1844; Mr. Parker, 1845; Miss Phipps, 1846 ; Lizzie Berry, 1847 ; Frank Bowyer, 1848 ; Catherine Eaton, 1849.

In the later fifties, under the operation of the new constitution of 1852, a better system of schools began to be inaugurated and five new frame schoolhouses were erected and the log house became a thing of the past. When Waverly was laid out a school was established there about 1857, which was replaced by a two-story brick building about 1872, and in 1899 the present handsome brick school building was erected.

1, on the southwest quarter section 10; No. 2, in Waverly; No. 3, in the southwest comer of section 27 ; No. 4, on the southeast comer of section 19 ; No. 5, near the center of section 18, and No. 6, on the Plory farm, southeast quarter section 23.

Some years later the school districts were rearranged, and Miami now has six schoolhouses, two brick and four frame buildings, located .as follows: District No. 1, southwest quarter section 10; No. 2, at Waverly; No. 3, southwest comer section 28; No. 4, northeast corner section 19; No. 5, at Adamsboro, in section 13, and No. 6, near the center of section 26, in the southwest comer of the township. The Adamsboro school is a substantial brick structure containing two assembly rooms and was erected about twelve years ago. The total estimated value of the school property in the township is $18,000 ; the number of pupils of school age, 238, who are instructed by ten teachers. In 1910 the township established a high school at New Waverly and now has a complete system of graded schools up to and including the high school, which latter now has fifteen students taking the higher grades. The first class graduated from the high school was in 1911, and consisted of Dorris Graves, Otis Applegate and Maryi A. Robertson. Four teachers are employed in the New Waverly school, two at Adamsboro and one in each of the other four districts, and Miami is justly proud of her splendid system of graded schools that has been gradually developed from the old log cabin house with a fifty to sixty day term up to a one hundred and fifty day term, with all the higher grades equal to a college course in pioneer days.

The first religious service held in Miami township was conducted by Rev. William Reybum, at the cabin of Peter Berry, about 1832 or 1833. He was an itinerant Methodist preacher, and with others of this denomination held meetings, occasionally in the humble abodes of the pioneers for several years without organizing a class.

Rev. M. M. Post, of the Presbyterian faith, also conducted meetings at an early date, but no society of that denomination was ever organized in the township.

Prior to 1842 the Baptist residents of Miami and adjoining townships were members of the Logansport church. At that time, feeling themselves sufficiently strong to maintain an independent organization, they resolved, with the consent of the parent church, to constitute themselves an arm or branch of the Logansport church. Accordingly, on the twenty-fifth day of July, 1842, a business meeting was held in the schoolhouse situated in the northeast comer of section 23, to prepare for a council to be held the next day. The record reads: ** Agreeably to an understanding of the brethren and sisters of the Logansport Baptist church in the neighborhood of Union Mills, Miami township. Elder William Pratt was chosen moderator and John P. Baker clerk." After mutual consultation it was resolved that **we request the brethren that shall meet with us to constitute us a branch of the church at Logansport, to the end that we may have our regular monthly meetings and discipline the members within the bounds of this branch and transact suxih other business as may be local in its character." The council acted agreeable to the wishes of the brothers and sisters and the church commenced its work as a semi-independent organization July 26, 18^.

Meetings had been maintained, however, for a number of months previous to the organization, which were conducted by Rev. William Pratt, brother of Hon. D. D. Pratt. He was then a young man in his prime, and his preaching caused a great religious awakening. The people left their cabins, clearings and crops to attend divine services. During the summer, on special occasions, no building large enough to contain the congregation could be procured, and the meetings were held in the woods and every path and road seemed to lead to the meeting place.

Among the charter members we find the names of Ira S. and Nancy Sellers, Samuel and Rachel Coons, Paul Bush, Nathaniel Williams, Samuel Berry, William R. and Mary Coons, Mary Rush, H. P. Berry, Mary and Elizabeth Berry, A. L. Williams, Andrew Rush, Catharine Miller, Elias Williams, J. C. Moore, Stephen Chappel, Moses Coons, Martha Coons, Eliza Pfouts, Elizabeth Baker, John P. Baker, Sarah Ann Williams, Peter Berry, Jane Chidester.

On the day of organization a building committee was appointed to speedily arrange for the erection of a house of worship on land donated by Peter Berry, situated in the northwest corner of the northeast quarter section 24, Miami township.

In the meantime meetings were held in the schoolhouse until the fall of 1843, when a neat little frame church was completed and dedicated to the service of the triune God.

This building was remodeled and repaired in 1867-8, and served the congregation until 1879, when it was abandoned and a new brick church was erected at Hooverville, a mile to the northwest of the old church site, with an outlay of $2,000, and only the cemetery marks the place Where the first church was erected in Miami townsiiip. This church society increased in numbers and influence, and ere long the majority of the people in the community identified themselves with the congregation. The first trustees were : Nathaniel Williams, E. G. Chidester and William R. Coons. Ira S. Sellers was elected clerk in 1843, and E. G. Chidester and John Williams were ordained deacons. Rev. William J. Greenlief , the first regular pastor in 1843, became a Millerite and caused great excitement in the church, and finally some of the rougher element destroyed his charts during one of his lectures and broke up the meeting. He was later expelled from the church. A Sunday school was organized in 1848, and with some temporary suspensions has been maintained ever since. In recent years foreign and home missionary societies have been organized and successfully maintained. The church is prosperous and has at present a membership of 135, and officered as follows :

The history of Methodism in Miami township dates back to 1847 or before, at which time there were two small societies or classes. One of these was at Lewisburg and the other met for worship at the residence of Henry Voorhis, a fiSbort distance northeast of Waverly. The Lewisburg class met at the schoolhouse, with Lewis Bowyer as class leader. Among the early members of the Lewisburg class were : Lewis Bowyer, Malinda Bowyer, Virginia Bowyer, Eliza A. Bowyer, Naomi Bowyer, William Meeks, Harriet Meeks, Mrs. Blankenship, Rachel Fennel, Clarinda Casebeer, Maria Casebeer, Phebe Dayton, Catherine Eaton, C. R. Fields, Unity Fields, John Conkling, Mary Conkling and Elizabeth Crisman. The names of those meeting in the Voorhis schoolhouse were: H. M. and Louisa Voorhis, David S. and Jane Bennett, Horace and Panthea Bennett, Father and Mother McNama, H. M. Eidson, Henry Canfield and Nathaniel Williams. The same pastor, 4;he Rev. J. S. Donaldson, ministered to both societies, and at that time (1849) were on the old Peru circuit.

Brinton Webster was appointed pastor in 1850, and after him came Henry Bradley, who was instrumental in erecting a house of worship at Lewisburg. A hewed log church was built in 1851 on lot No. 4 in the town of Lewisburg, donated by Lewis Bowyer, he conveying said lot to the trustees of the church December 29, 1854, several years after the erection of the church edifice.

This log church was dedicated in 1851 by Rev. W. L. Huffman. Meetings continued to be held north of the prairie in private residences and schoolhouses until 1857, when the organization was moved to the town of Waverly, which had been laid out on the Wabash Railroad a few yeai:s before.

The Lewisburg class continued to decrease, owing to Waverly attracting the trade and the people from Lewisburg, and the societies were finally merged into one.

A reorganization of the two societies was effected in the spring of 1858, with the following members : Dr. C. R. Quick, Lucinda Quick, M. H. Voorhis, Louisa Voorhis, A. Voorhis, John Passage, Mary Passage, H. M. Eidson and wife, D. L. Bennett, Panthea Bennett, H. Bennett, Indiana Bennett, Mr. Fox and wife, Josiah Fox and wife, Hannah Fox, Hezekiah Fox, Julia A. Fox, A. J. Huffman, Huldah Huffman, Clarinda Casebeer, Maria Smith, Henry Lattourette, Maria Lattourette, Frances Place, Augusta Williams, and possibly others whose names could not be learned.

The log church at Lewisburg was abandoned and the new reorganized congregation held their meetings in the Waverly schoolhouse until 1866, when a commodious church edifice was erected in New Waverly and dedicated in January, 1867, by Revs. .V. M. Beamer and H. N. Barnes, and Rev. F. T. Simpson became the first pastor in the new church.

A Sunday school was organized in 1857 by Dr^ C. R. Quick, who became its first superintendent. This same church building, with some minor improvements, is still occupied by the congregation. This congregation is not an independent charge, but united with Hoovers, Onward and Nead, under the charge of the same pastor.

First steward, A. C. Walliek; chairman of board of trustees, 0. M. Patton; class leader, A. H. Voorhis; Sunday school superintendent, Mrs. Grace Castle.

This denomination is now known as the '* Church of the Brethren." This congregation had its beginning about 1880, when a few of the faithful of this denomination held meetings at the residence of David Flory (now deceased). These services were conducted by Elder Jacob Barnhart, of Mexico, Miami county, to which this territory belonged. About 1881-2 an organization was perfected under the care and direction of the Mexico church, and the following were among the charter members :

During the year 1882-3 a commodious frame church edifice, 40x60 feet, was erected near Hoover ville (Adamsboro), Miami township. This society was under the directorate of the Mexico church until 1894 (April 12) , when a separate and independent organization was effected with a membership of forty, and seemed to prosper for a few years, but deaths and removals caused a falling off in membership, which was reduced to thirteen and ceased to exist as an independent organizatioiL in 1900, and was again attached to the parent church at Mexico. A few years later the Hooverville church was transferred from the Mexico charge to Logansport, and is now managed by the latter organization, and services are held occasionally by elders from the Logansport church.

This church was organized in the "Waverly schoolhouse in the year 1890 by the Rev. Samuel McNeely, of Tiosa, Indiana, with the following charter members:

A. L. and Emma West, Peter and Catherine Richardson, Minnie Bowyer, Laura Williams, William, Lucinda, Sadie and Lowie Alspaugh, Mary Dean, Malinda Fiddler, Kate Anderson, John and Sarah Julian, MoUie Richeson, Sallie Williams, Riley Bowman, India Bowman, Kate Bowman, John and Emma Rush, Allie Williams, Marian and Mary Young, Allie Fiddler, Amelia Hogentogler, Carrie Ferguson, Kate Runnels, Anna Harsk, Jacob and Jennie Ludders.

The schoolhouse continued to be the meeting place of the congregation until 1894, when the present handsome brick church was erected in the east part of Waverly, at an outlay of ^2,500. A Sunday school was instituted in 1903 and has been a potent factor in building up the church, which has been uniformly prosperous, and its membership now numbers nearly one hundred.

This is the oldest burial ground in Miami township. The land was donated by Nathaniel Williams in 1831 or 1832, but he never executed a deed for the same, and his heirs by John Williams, on March 5, 1877, conveyed to the trustees of Williams cemetery of Cass county, to-wit: G. V. Patton, S. B. Williams and B. G. Miller, one and thirty-nine-onehundredths acres in the northwest comer of section 29, Miami township. This is quite a large cemetery, finely located on rolling and sloping ground, and fairly well kept. The earliest interments:

On March 18, 1887, David Keeport deeded to the trustees of the German Baptist church at Hooverville, Indiana, to-wit: David Flory, Abram Hyers and David Keeport, several acres of land in the northwest quarter section 24, Miami township. Prior to this, on January 26, 1885, David Keeport platted six and one-half acres, being the abovedescribed tract for a cemetery. There are not a great many graves on these grounds. We copy the earliest inscriptions:

This is the second largest burial ground in the township. The ground was donated by Peter Berry about 1833, but like the majority of early cemeteries no deeds were made for years.

May 5, 1853, John H. Berry (son of Peter Berry) conveyed by deed two acres in the northwest corner of the northeast quarter, section 24, Miami township, to the trustees of Miami Baptist church for church and burial purposes. A church was built in 1843, but abandoned and removed in 1880.

The old part of the grounds is not platted, but after the church was removed the trustees, George W. Coons, Israel J. Berry and George E. Stoughton, made a plat of the north part of the original tract, December 7, 1891.

Soldiers in Miami Baptist Cemetery : William Kline, War of 1812, died 1855; William R. Coons, War of 1812, died 1864; Peter Berry, War of 1812, died 1855 ; Joseph C. Moore, Mexican war, died 1879 ; William Mitchell, Company B, Thirteenth Indiana; David Dale, Sixteenth Indiana Battery; William Incledon, Pennsylvania regiment; William Loser, Company F, One Hundred and Fifty-first, died 1892 ; Alex Leonhard, Fourteenth Ohio, died 1905 ; Andrew Stanley, Company G, Fortyseventh Indiana, died 1886 ; Hiram Armstrong, Company G, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Indiana, died 1889; Samuel Myers, Company D, Eighty-fourth Indiana, died 1906; James Carter, Company E, One Hundred and Seventh Illinois, died 1866 ; Franklin Pfouts, Company B, Forty-sixth Indiana, died 1867.

On February 19, 1877, the Odd Fellows lodge. No. 434, of New Waverly, purchased two acres of ground of Elizabeth C. Chidester for the sum of $200, and she conveyed the same to the trustees of the lodge, C. P. Forgy, Joseph Hogentogler and S. C. Williams.

This cemetery is situated one-half mile north of New Waverly, in the north part of the southeast quarter section 21, Miami township. On January 26, 1882, the trustees made a plat of the above-described grounds.

This is a comparatively new burial ground, but is well located on a sloping hillside and has some good monuments. We copy some of the earliest inscriptions :

Soldiers: Samuel L. Pennel, Company B, Forty-sixth Indiana, died 1898; Jacob Voorhis, Company I, Eighteenth Indiana and War of 1812; William Daniels, One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Ohio; Joseph Wingler; David Jenkins, Company F, Forty-sixth Indiana; A. J. Hooks, Fifth Indiana Cavalry; David Tucker; Henry Beese; William Saunders, minute man.

This ground, once sacred to the dead, lies on the west side of the road, a short distance south of Hooverville, in the northeast fractional quartr ^ section 23, Miami township. In an early day Abraham Reed owned and lived on this tract of land, which belonged to his son, Rev. Madison Reed (now deceased).

Before churchyards were laid out in this township death entered the Reed cabin and Mrs. Nancy Reed was laid to rest on this little knoll under the forest trees in 1835, and later her husband, Abraham Reed. In the thirties and forties the father of Dr. Passage, of Peru, and several of his children were-buried here, also members of the Kauffman, Moore and other families and several laborers who were digging the canal and building the railroad in the southern part of the township. There were markers to a number of these graves. The Reeds were removed to the Baptist cemetery, a mile to the east, but the others lie in their original graves, unless some of them may have been disturbed when the road which now occupies part of this burial place was improved. In digging down the hill human bones fell from the excavations, we are informed.

Situated in the southeast corner of fractional section 9, on the Qallahan farm, Miami township, on the north side of the road in the woods, is a burial lot, sixteen feet square, enclosed by a board fence, within which are several pine trees and three graves marked by marble headstones inscribed as follows:

We are informed that this family all died but one son, who became discouraged and disgusted with the country and went east to relartives, but later moved to a western state and about ten years ago returned and rebuilt the fence around the graves of his parents, who succumbed to the deadly malaria and hardships of pioneer life.

William Masters, while working in the forge or iron mill which was operated on the old canal in the later forties, was overheated and died suddenly, and some report that he was accidentally killed in the mill, about 1850. He was working for Mr. Green and was buried on his farm, which is now owned by John G. Mick. His grave, unmarked except by a sunken place about a foot deep over the grave which is plainly visible at this writing (1907), is situated fifty rods west of the southeast comer of fractional section 22, ** Nancy Burnett's Reservation" of Miami township, and three rods north of this section line and three or four rods south of the present Adamsboro road, south of Eel river, in a flatiron piece of ground cut off of the southeast corner of section 22 by the wagon road. Here in this unmarked and lonely grave has rested the remains of this unfortunate man for seventy years, and only known and remembered by one or two old pioneers. This is a beautiful and elevated place, and Mr. Green expected to locate a church and burial ground here, but his expectations never materialized. The iron mill was not a success and only this sunken grave remains to mark the site of the city that Mr. Green had pictured in his mind and that will soon be lost and forgotten to the world.

ground on the north part of his farm in the above-named section, and during the fifties several members of his family, including Solomon Hyers himself and probably some others. The Hyers were removed to the Williams cemetery and the burial ground abandoned and no traces of it are to be found today.

Many years ago this burial ground was established by the Voorhis and Grimes families on their lands near the center of section 22, about one mile east of the Odd Fellows cemetery. Here were interred members of the Voorhis and Grimes families, and gravestones were erected, but after the establishment of the Odd Fellows cemetery to the west, in 1877, removals were made to the latter place and the new road which extended east occupies the ground of this old family graveyard.

In the old orchard on the Kidd farm in the southeast quarter of section 12, south of Eel river, just opposite the Old Town Indian village, was an extensive Indian burial ground. When this land was brought into a state of cultivation, large numbers of skulls and other human bones were turned out by the plow. After the lapse of a century these have crumbled until now only small fragments may be found, but the Indians that once vitalized these bones are in their happy hunting grounds oblivious to the tread of the plowman.

The first road in Miami township was opened up before any permanent settlement was made in the township, probably in 1828 or 1829. Soon after the organization of the county, the county commissioners, with some aid from the state, opened up a road through Miami township, from Logansport to Peru, then called ''Miamisport." This road has since been known as the Forge road, running east and west through the southern part of the township.

The hills of Miami township contain an inexhaustible supply of gravel and the outcropping limestone at Adamsboro and in the southwest part of the township, where are now located large stone crushers, furnish an abundance of the best road-making material, easy of access, and all the principal roads are graveled, and the past two or three years stone roads are being constructed at Waverly and the Forge road in the southwest and from Lewisburg east to the county line the road is now being graded and graveled. The roads which originally followed Indian trails and wound around hills regardless of lines, are now straightened and placed on section lines, the hills cut down to a uniform grade, and graveled or macadamized until every part of the township can be reached over smooth and solid roads. A drive through Miami will not only show good roads, but also well improved farms with many modern farm houses, neatly painted, surrounded by orchards and gardens, indicating thrift and prosperity on every side.

In 1838 the Wabash and Erie canal was completed and opened to traffic, and was a great advantage to the farmers, giving them a ready market for their surplus products which up to that time had no outlet except by ox-cart or pack-saddle. The canal did duty until the Wabash Railroad was completed in 1856, when the canal gradually fell into disuse and was entirely closed about 1874, but the railroad greatly stimulated trade and was a great convenience to the farmers.

In 1905 the interurban line from Fort Wayne to Lafayette was completed, the road occupying the towpath of the old canal and having a station at every crossroad, which is highly appreciated by the farmers along the line.

Usually doctors have something to do with the beginning and ending of man's existence on earth, and often all along the journey of life he more or less comes in contact with the people, so that the history of a community is not complete without mention of the physicians. We will, therefore, give a brief notice of the twenty or more doctors who have lived in Miami township since the coming of Peter Berry, the first settler, eighty-two years ago.

Dr. F. 0. Miller was probably the first physician to locate in Miami township. He came to Lewisburg about 1842 or 1843, and boarded with W. W. Haney, About 1846 he moved to Logansport and there married Maria Westlake, an aunt of Mrs. W. T. Wilson. He was a surgeon in the Mexican war, county physician in 1846-7, receiving the munificent sum of $35.00 for a year's salary. His wife died and about 1860 he became mentally deranged and his relatives from New York, where he was bom and educated, took him there, where he soon after died.

Dr. James D. Loder was associated with Dr. Adrian from 1856 to 1867, and lived at Circleville on the south side of the Wabash opposite Lewisburg, and was a well-known practitioner in Miami township. He moved to Chili, Miami county, about 1868, and while out driving with his wife in a thunder storm was struck by lightning and killed, but his wife, who sat behind him, was unhurt. She was Mary Haines, of Lewisburg.

Dr. Lorenzo Dow Hogle was a native of Ohio, practiced at Lewisburg from 1847 to 1865, and in the latter year moved to Tennessee, where he died. He was a surgeon in the United States army, and in 1862 had charge of the smallpox hospital at Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Hogle was a partner of Dr. Adrian for a time. He was married and had three sons, one of whom was kille<^ in the battle of Stone river. Dr. Hogle was a sociable and kind-hearted man, and built up an extensive practice around Lewisburg.

Dr. G. W. Hubbard located at Lewisburg about 1859, and formed a partnership with Dr. Adrian. He married a daughter of John Miller, who lived east of Lewisburg, but soon left for greener fields.

Dr. William McAllister, born in Pennsylvania in 1838, graduated from Michigan University in 1862, and located at Lewisburg about 1864. On December 6, 1866, while crossing the Wabash river at Lewisburg in a skiflf, he and E. G. Chidester were drowned by the boat upsetting when the river was high. Allen Bowyer and Stephen Williams were in the boat at the time, but swam ashore. Dr. McAllister was a brother of A. U. McAllister, a prominent machinist of Logansport, who died some years ago.

Dr. C. R. Quick, born in Virginia, 1812, settled in Waverly in 1856, and erected the second house in that town. For twenty years Dr. Quick was not only a prominent physician, but a leading citizen of New Waverly and was interested in the moral and spiritual welfare of the community and often filled the pulpit of the Methodist church, of which he was an influential member. He was married to Miss Lucinda Sloan, of Ohio, to which union six children were born, two sons, Drs. L. L. and R. H. Quick, having taken up their father's profession.

Dr. L. L. Quick, son of the above-mentioned, was bom in Ohio in 1846, came to New Waverly with his parents in 1856, where he has lived ever since. He graduated from the Indiana Medical College in 1879, and has been in active practice in Waverly since that date- He served his country during the Civil war in the Sixteenth Indiana Battery, and has been a member of the United States pension board for years. He was married in 1868 to Nancy Fox, and they have two children, only one of whom is living.

The doctor is a natural artist, and although he never took any lessons, yet he has made scores of wood carvings of portraits, animals, birds, mythological figures, mantles, etc., and is deserving of a placer in the gallery of artists of Cass county.

Dr. R. H. Quick, son of Dr. C. R. Quick, is a native of Ohio, where he was bom in 1852, came with his parents to New Waverly in 1856, and graduated from Indiana Medical College in 1881, and practiced in Waverly until 1906, when he moved to Peru. He was married to Leonora Loomis, of Peru, in 1879, and has one child.

Dr. R. J. B. Peters and his son, Dr. J. B. Peters, were located in New Waverly about 1869. They were migratory physicians and were located in diflferent places in Cass county and finally in Macy, Indiana, where the elder Peters died. Dr. J. B. Peters was born in Virginia and began practice there with his uncle. Dr. C. H. Peters, whom Governor Wise, of Virginia, appointed as one of the board of physicians at the execution of John Brown.

Dr. Ira S. Sellers was located at Lewisburg about 1840, and was engaged in practice for eight or ten years and moved to Iowa. He married a Miss Williams, of Miami township.

Dr. Frank T. Jackson and Dr. Cal. Conner, his brother-in-law, located in Hooverville about 1866, and remained two years only. Dr. Jackson moved to eastern Indiana, where he was killed by the railroad a few years later.

Dr. James C. Orr, about 1870, came to Hooverville, where he remained for three or four years. In 1888 he moved to California. His wife was Laura B. Campbell.

Dr. Andrew Black studied medicine with Dr. J. C. Waite, but never attended lectures. He practiced in Hooverville about 1875-6. The law of 1881 cut him out and he engaged in other pursuits and is now in Bay City, Michigan.

Dr. J. D. Gross, another migratory doctor, located in Hooverville about 1865. He evidently was of the weary Willie kind and soon sought greener pastures.

Dr. Arthur E. Graves has been in active practice in New Waverly since 1886. He was born in Bunker Hill, Indiana, in 1856, graduated from Rush Medical College in 1884. He served as trustee of Miami township from 1900 to 1904. He was united in marriage to Almira Adkins, January 7, 1885, and they have three children.

Dr. Paul Burk, it is reported, many years ago started out to practice medicine, being located in section 20, Miami township. He had one case, which did not terminate to his liking, and he quit the profession before he began.

Dr. J. A. Adrian, born in New York in 1824, moved to Lewisburg in 1851, received the degree of M. D. from Bellevue Medical College in 1866, practiced in Lewisburg until 1873, when he moved to Logansport, was county commissioner in 1870, and died in a hospital in New York City in 1886, and is buried in Mt. Hope cemetery. Dr. Adrian was tall, of commanding appearance, and a ready speaker. He was a bachelor.

This town was located on the north bank of the Wabash river, a short distance west of Lewisburg. It was laid out August 29, 1835, by William G. Vandom, with Abner E. Van Ness as civil engineer. The original plat consisted of forty-two lots with six streets. Main and Bridge streets running east and west. Mill, Market, Walnut and Washington streets north and south.

Mr. Vandom erected the first and about the only building ever constructed in Cassville. This was quite a large frame structure, where he kept a small stock of general merchandise to accommodate the hands that were digging the canal, and also opened a ** tavern'' to entertain occasional travelers or prospectors. At one time there were several small shanties in the town occupied by the canal hands. With the growth of Lewisburg, a short distance to the east, Cassville fell into decay, the townsite was converted into a field, and nothing remains today to mark this would-be city.

The only event of importance connected with this town is that the once noted Irish-American orator, lawyer and soldier, Barney Daley, was born in Cassville.

Lewisburg was a town laid out on the old Wabash and Erie canal, on the north bank of the Wabash river nine miles east of Logansport. It derives its name from Lewis Bowyer, who platted the town, lajing out twenty-four lots in the northeast quarter of section 32, Miami township, September, 1835. When the canal was completed in 1838 Lewisburg became an important trading point, and the pioneers for miles around brought their grain and other farm products here to exchange for goods shipped in on the canal from Toledo. The first merchant in the village was Alpheus Cole, who kept a miscellaneous stock of goods. About the time the canal was opened W. W. Haney, father of W. E. Haney, now of Logansport, opened a general store, and a warehouse, and bought and shipped grain.

Later Peter Chidester engaged in the mercantile business, and Daniel Miller erected a warehouse which was operated under different managements.

Byrd Chestnut was the first cooper in the town, followed by Benjamin Williams. William Meeks was the first cabinetmaker, and Jonathan Pauley and John Wilson the first blacksmiths, and Dr. Sellers (mentioned above) was the first physician, about 1840.

Lewisburg continued to flourish until the Wabash Railroad was constructed and the canal declined, and when the latter ceased operations Lewisburg fell rapidly into decay, and only a few dilapidated buildings mark the place of this once flourishing town on the raging canal. Since the building of the interurban line through the place, however, there are some signs of recuperation and renewed life. The old covered bridge across the Wabash at Lewisburg was built in 1871, and carried out by the great flood of March 25, 1913. The county has recently made an appropriation to rebuild this bridge, which will doubtless be done within the next year.

A postoflSce was early established at Lewisburg, but was discontinued about 1856 or 1857, when the New Waverly oflSce was established on the railroad. The postmasters were W. W. Haney, Jonathan Pauley, Hugh Pennel and Peter Chidester. The latter was postmaster for many years prior to its discontinuance.

This little village, now generally known as Adamsboro, its rival on the other side of Eel river, was named from John Hoover, at one time the proprietor of the mill which has been located here since pioneer days. In early times this mill was known far and wide as Union or Martin's Mill, and guideboards at crossroads would indicate so many miles to Martin's Mill and the mill was the potent factor in the development of the village, which was never regularly platted or laid out. These mills have been noticed elsewhere.

The first merchant in the town was Parker A. Fair, who started a small country store in 1863, and, encouraged by his success, he later erected a two-story building and carried a larger stock and continued the business for some years, when he sold out his stock, but is still an honored resident of the village. The business has been carried on by N. B. Scott, I. J. Berry, J. S. Dubois, Harmon & Wilson, J. M. Maxwell, Samuel McCoy, E. Loser, Amos Fortney, T. J. Herring and others. The present grocer is J. G. Rhodes. M. J. Morgan operated the store for some years, but when the Eel River Railroad wasi built he moved, in 1890, to Adamsboro, Clay township, on the opposite side of Eel river.

The Hooverville postoflSce was usually kept by the village storekeeper, until the oflSce was abandoned and Adamsboro postoflSce established about 1890. This oflSce was discontinued in 1903, and the village is now served by rural route No. 11, from Logansport.

The village blacksmith and repair shop has been conducted at different times by Joshua Reed, Jacob Sherer, Samuel McCoy, Peter Armentrout, George Friend, Mr. Woods, Charles Douglass, W. H. Bennett and Mr. Akerly.

- This flourishing village, located in the eastern part of Miami township on the Wabash Railroad, was laid out in December, 1855, by John A. Forgy. The original plat consisted of seventy-one lots on the north side of the railroad. Soon after the laying out of the town, Mr. Forgy erected the first building and opened the first store in the town, and Dr. C. R. Quick built the second residence. A few years later Mr. Forgy erected a large two-story building, carried on an extensive business and conducted a hotel. This building was completely destroyed by fire in 1867, together with several adjoining structures.

After the death of John A. Forgy his stepsons, C. P. and R. J. Forgy, carried on the business until recent years. R. J. Forgy moved to Logansport, where he died in 1909, and C. P. Forgy, owing to infirmities of age, has retired from business, but is still an honored resident of the town in which he has been a prominent figure for more than a half century. Among others who have engaged in business from time to time may - be mentioned George Arnott, Wilson Reed, Hugh Pennel, J. B. Wallick, Hiram Parsons, Eaton Forgy, Samuel McCoy, James Wilson, R. N. Floyd, D. C. Jenkins.

The first industry in the town was a steam sawmill erected by George Bennett and this mill has been operated by different parties, the last of whom was W. L. Femald, but it is now closed for want of material, there being little or no timber left in the surrounding country.

The firat school in the town was held in the Forgy hotel in the winter of 1856, taught by Mr. McSherry, and the first schoolhouse was erected in 1857, which was replaced by a brick structure in 1872, and the present high school was erected in 1899.

The elevator is operated by E. P. McFadden, who annually handles sixty thousand bushels of grain. He also deals in lumber, cement and all kinds of building materials, and co^l. Meat market kept by A. L. Williams; barber shops by Willard Anderson, Alfred Nipple and Conrad Bros. ; blacksmith and repair shop by Peter W. Castle and son.

Mr. Castle was one of the pioneers of Harrison township, coming to Cass county in 1837, and to Waverly in 1863. He is a brother of Thomas and Noah Castle, deceased, and is now eighty-four years of age, but able to hammer iron as of yore.

The New Waverly postoffice was established in 1857 and Hugh Pennel was the first postmaster. Fred D. Barnett, son of Dr. Barnett, of Lincoln, is the present postmaster, and one rural route, No. 19, established in 1903, carries daily mail to the farmers of the community.

The Home Telephone Company of Logansport has an exchange in Waverly, established in 1903, and the majority of the farmers, as well as the business and professional men of the town, are connected by telephone with Logansport and the entire county.

Two physicians, Drs. L. L. Quick and A. E. Graves, look after the physical heall^h of the town, and two churches with two resident preachers (Revs. Parker and McCoy) administer to the spiritual health of the community.

The present membership is fifty-six and the officers are: J. K. Castle, W. M.; A. N. Nipple, S. W.; John Frailing, J. W.; Dr. L. L. Quick, secretary.

New Waverly Post, No. 19, G. A. R., was organized about 1880, and at one time had a membership of sixty-five, but the old soldiers have nearly all answered their last tattoo, and not enough remain to officer the post, and they disbanded in 1908.

The first store in the township was kept by David Miller, in a little log house that stood a short distance east of Cass station, near the \V abash Railroad. The house was a Rouble log cabin and the store was kept in one side and the other occupied as a residence.

The first automobile in the township was purchased by Dr. L. L. Quick, in 1903. Three other machines were purchased at the same time by other parties.

About 1850 a son of John Haines, of Lewisburg, while skating on the canal broke through the ice and was drowned. About this time a young man by the name of Sidney, while skating fell and struck his head on the ice and died of concussion of the brain. A few years later John Haines, named above, while crossing Pipe creek in a skiff during high water, was swept over the falls and drowned. In June, 1868, Fielding Miller, while crossing the Wabash in a canoe during high water, fell into the river and was drowned.

On December 6, 1866, Dr. William McAllister and Erasmus G. Chidester were drowned while crossing the Wabash river in a canoe when the water was high. Allen Bowyer and Stephen Williarfis were in the boat w^th them, but they clung to the boat and were rescued some distance down the river by Augustus Snyder. Several years prior to the above event a man by the name of Miller was accidentally drowned in the Wabash.

Sol. D. Brandt, a prominent citizen of Logansport, while engaged on Cedar island, which he then owned, was drowned in the spring of 1904, and his body w^as found down the river near Georgetown. He was alone and no one knows the circumstances surrounding his death, but the water was high and it was supposed his boat became unmanageable and was swept down by the angry current.

The accidental death many years ago of Samuel Smoot, caused by his falling backward from a wagon, cast a shadow of gloom over the entire community.

Some years ago a strange man was run over and killed by a train on the Wabash Railroad near the Burnett farm. In June, 1902, the night passenger train on the Wabash Railroad was wrecked by the washout of a culvert in the west part of the township, and the entire train was ditched, killing one trainman and about thirteen Italian immigrants, and seriously injuring many more.

About the same time W. C. Gallahan, a prosperous farmer in the northeast part of the township, in a state of mental depression committed suicide by hanging himself to a tree. On May 14, 1913, Judson Reed, son of Rev. Madison Reed, living near Hooverville, having been in pool" health and melancholic, shot himself in the head with a revolver and died instantly. He was an estimable man and left a wife and one child.

Joseph, the five-year-old son of Thomas Black, of Miami township, in March, 1837, was stolen by a band of Pottawottamie Indians and taken west and brought up by them and trained in their methods of doctoring. Nothing was ever heard from the boy, although diligent search was made, until about 1866, when he returned to his people in Miami township and remained there for several months and practiced his methods of Indian doctoring. There was some doubt about him being the son of Thomas Black that was stolen, yet he claimed to have proof that he was stolen from Miami township, and his relatives have recently told the writer that they believed that he was the lost boy. After some months' sojourn with his people he became dissatisfied and returned to his Indian friends in the West, preferring the wild, roving life of the Indians, which seemed so natural to him, instead of civilized life of his own people, showing how habit and environment shape our destiny. While discussing the merits of this stolen child with a relative, a strange coincidence of dates and death of a cousin of the stolen child was related as follows : Ner Black, a cousin of Joseph Black, the stolen child, who now resides in Peru, Indiana, but formerly lived in Miami township, was seventy-six years old on March 6, 1913. His son was forty-six on that day, and died on this the anniversary of his own and his father's birthday, thus coupling the numbers 6 - 46 - 76 in a unique manner.

C. P. Forgy relates a funny incident in connection with the saloon business in the early history of New Waverly. About 1857 one Azro Smith, over the protest of the citizens of the village, was arranging to open a saloon and had shipped a barrel of whiskey to the little town, but the temperance forces were on the lookout for wet goods, and one day the long-expected barrel of **red eye'* was unloaded at the station, only a short distance from the Forgy residence. R. J. Forgy, now deceased, being a good marksman, quietly proceeded to the upper story of his house with rifle in hand, and through an open window shot a hole into the whiskey barrel and the **fire water'* escaped, and for many

The remedy was effectual and the saloon was not opened, and ever after when the boys wanted a drink they would ask for a **shot of red eye.''

In 1791 General Wilkinson, with a detachment of five hundred and twenty-five United States troops, passed through Miami township on his way to Old Town Indian village, on the north bank of Eel river, mention of which is elsewhere made.

A detachment of Wilkinson's troops are supposed to have camped on '*Bald Hill" west of Lewisburg, and were attacked by the Indians, but they were beaten back into the ravine and several of them killed, hence the name ** Bloody Hollow." This was the only battle, if it could be called a battle, that ever occurred in the township, and the second in the county.

There was evidently artillery carried by these troops, for a sixpound cannon-ball was plowed up in this hollow some years ago and presented to the Cass County Historical Society by C. P. Forgy.

Another story is related to account for the name '* Bloody Hollow." One Pat Shinn kept a grocery about the year 1837, a mile west of Lewisburg, sold whiskey and kept a rowdy house. During the excavation for the construction of the Wabash Railroad human skulls were found and it was said that Pat Shinn had murdered people for their money and buried his victims in this ravine, hence the name ** Bloody Hollow."

Hezekiah Harvey was an interesting octogenarian, yes, a nonogenarian, who died in Waverly in 1912, aged 96 years. He was born in Ohio, but when a young man came to the wilds of the Wabash and has seen the gradual development of Cass county and the Wabash valley from its primitive state, when the Indian and wild animals held undisputed sway of the virgin forests, through the various stages up to the present state of perfection.

Before the days of the old canal, and before roads were fully opened, he carried the United States mail from Fort Wayne to Lafayette on horseback, and many exciting tales he relates of his experiences with the Indians and wild beasts on his trips up and down the Wabash. He worked on the construction of the old canal and when it was completed he became ** chief engineer" to a canal boat and guided the motive power, a trio of mules on the tow-path of the "raging canal." For some years prior to his death he made his home with his daughter who is still living in Waverly. His remains repose in Williams cemetery.

In politics Miami has always been a ** doubtful state" the parties being so evenly divided. In 1848 this township furnished two candidates for county commissioner in the persons of Thomas Craighead, Whig, and Moses Barnett, Democrat, the latter being elected. In 1848 Cyrus McPherson of Miami township was elected county treasurer defeating Capt. A. M. Higgins of Logansport. Many years later John H. Berry was elected to the office of county assessor.