Elkhart County, Indiana - Chapter 17: Nappanee Town, 1916

Founded as a Railroad Town - Originally Locke Station - First Spelling, Napanee - Original Site, Huckleberry Swamp - Saw-Mill Preceped Town - Nappanee's First House and Industry - Origin of the Coppes Interests - Water Works and Electric Light Plant - The Telephone Service - The Public School System - Nappanee Banks - The Newspapers - Nappanee's Industries - The Churches of the Place - Secret and Benevolent Societies.

Located in the southwestern corner of Elkhart County, in the midst of a beautiful and a fertile country, Nappanee is likewise the center of a commercial territory which is not carved to her detriment by towns of greater population and aggressiveness in her immediate vicinity. She is surrounded by Elkhart and Goshen, Mishawaka, South Bend, Plymouth and Warsaw, but they are from seventeen to twenty-eight miles away, so that, to a certain extent, she enjoys a tributary trading territory. Nappanee is certainly a neat, thriving and substantial place, with growing industries, sanitary water works and other modern public utilities, good banking facilities, two newspapers and generous means provided to advance intellectually and religiously.

Nappanee is the youngest of the town corporations of Elkhart County. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad platted it in 1873, as one of the stations on its Chicago division. A number of its first settlers are, therefore, still living on its site, as prosperous citizens of a substantial and well-built town, whose grandchildren are usually young and of the last generation.

The Nappanee News, founded six years after the railroad town was laid out, has been owned since 1888 by Gordon N. Murray, of the family which has been so closely and prominently identified with the newspapers of the entire county. He is, therefore, a local pioneer, and speaks with special authority in regard to the founding and early progress of Nappanee. In a special edition of the News, published in 1905, Mr. Murray says: "There is considerable interest in the early history of Nappanee. The early settlers are here now, and with them their children and grandchildren.

"The inception of the town followed the construction of the Chicago division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad in 1873. The first station-house was that now occupied by the Unger millinery rooms and stood about where the stock-pens are now located. Our townsman, Henry Eby, was the first station agent, he and his brother George, residing at Locke. Mr. Eby also had the first goods on sale here, occupying room in the station-house which stood in the edge of the timber.

"The original town site was laid out on the farms of and by Messrs. Daniel Metzler, John Gulp, Jr., and Henry Stahly, Sr., about the middle of December, 1874, and lots offered for sale. The present Dietrich comer was laid out in a clearing or 'deadening' WMth tall timber standing here and there. This station was then called Locke Station.

"The railroad officials called the interested parties together to select a name. All the names suggested were not acceptable to the railroad people, as they were similar or alike to some other station on the line. George Eby was in the council and he suggested Napanee, an Indian name. This was rejected by those interested, though agreeable to the railroad people, who then said that it should remain Locke Station. When the town was surveyed and the proposition for a postoffice eventually came up, the name Nappanee was selected as previously suggested, there already being a Locke, and the railroad people at once adopted the new name.

"The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad seemed then to have been the only inducement for people to buy these lots, for there were no other natural advantages aside from the distance from other trading points. Notwithstanding that the town was laid out on the 'water shed' - the highest point of ground in this part of the country - the water on the north side of Market street finding its way into the Great Lakes and the water on the south side of Market street flowing on to the Gulf via the Kankakee, the early homeseeker found considerable water on 'the shed.' The town site was closely bordered by the forest on the southeast, and swamp ash prevailed along with willows and huckleberry bushes on portions of the town lots. There was an abundance of timber adjacent.

"In fact, Messrs. J. C. Mellinger and B. F. Myers located a saw-rnill here in 1873, prior to the time of laying out the town, the mill standing where the Methodist parsonage now is. However, these gentlemen resided in Locke, a then prosperous village 2>^ miles north and west, at the time the town was platted in 1874.

"Up to January, 1875, a large number of lots had been sold, but nobody had attempted to erect a dwelling thereon or to enter the new town as a citizen. There was no road south of the public square then. It was anything but an inviting proposition. But, early in that January, C. D. Volkmann, our present local machinist and boilermaker, was looking for a location to begin anew the battle for this world's goods, having lost his dwelling in a New Paris fire. The only lots within his then financial reach, were lots 37 and 38 in the John Gulp, Jr., original plat. A now rusty document drawn by the late Robert H. Walbum, under date of January 11, 1875, in the form of a mortgage contract, shows that Mr. Volkmann came into possession of the two lots by paying $20 cash and an agreement to pay a balance of $6o. He obtained these lots on a promise to erect a house and move his family to the new town site. A few days after, found Mr. Volkmann erecting the first dwelling house ever built in Nappanee, assisted by his brotherin-law, Eli Holderman. The weather was below zero and they worked by a rail fire. On February 3, following, he moved his family into the little house, thus becoming the 'oldest inhabitant' of Nappanee by actual settlement on the then town site. In front of the house was a wheat field ; in the rear was a frog pond. In the meanwhile, he and his brother-in-law opened a blacksmith shop on one lot."

On the land where Mr. Volkmann built his little blacksmith shop, through the industry and energy of the proprietor and his family, there arose in not a few following years, quite a machine shop for the handling of engine repairs and general work, as well as a repair shop for automobiles and bicycles, and a garage, also. Mr. Volkmann owned the first car in Nappanee and called his later plant the Globe Iron Works.

"Another industry to enter the town was a planing mill owned by the late Joseph Strohm. This, together with the sawmill, was the early beginning of the large consolidated industry of the present, John D. and Frank Coppes as young men, beginning the sawmill work here on the Mellinger mill in 1873 and afterward becoming financially interested buying the Meyers' interest and finally absorbing the Strohm planing mill in 1879. Two years later Samuel D. Coppes, the present banker, joined hands with his brothers and their brother-in-law, Mr. Mellinger, who, in 1884, disposed of his interest, and the firm name became Coppes Bros. Later this firm name became Coppes Brothers & Zook, and continued success brought consolidation of growing interests and the present name of Coppes, Zook & Alutschler Company.

"In the meanwhile other industries followed, and mercantile interests expanded as the country became cleared up, and the town grew. After a short period of about fourteen years (short when compared with the experience of hundreds of towns), Nappanee outgrew her township garb and assumed afifairs municipal."

Xappanee became an incorporated town in i8S8 and, in common with other such bodies, came under the new state law of 1905 for the governing of cities and towns. Municipal improvement has kept pace with business and industrial development, and Ijoth the plants which furnish an abundance of wholesome water and fire protection, as well as electric light for public and domestic purposes, are owned and operated by the municipality. The water supply is pumped from a depth of 160 feet, and the standpipe, which insures adequate distribution and pressure, is nearly 120 feet in height. Until March, 1900, the water reservoir, which furnished the water under the highest pressure, consisted of a wooden tank; at that time, the latter was replaced by the steel tank now in use. The town is well illuminated by both arc lights and incandescent bulbs. The water works and electric light plant are practically under one roof and under the general supervision of the city clerk, with a special electrician and engineer in direct control.

Among the public utilities of greatest valu-e to Nappanee is the local telephone service. It was introduced by Claude R. Stoops in August, 1898, and his experiment consisted in the installation of fifty-two 'phones. Some four years afterward, having supplied the town fairly well, Mr. Stoops extended the local line into the adjacent country and soon brought Nappanee into social and business connection with a considerable territory. This was the commencement of the present service which embraces several hundred telephones and a large extent of country directly tributary to Nappanee.

Nappanee has been fortunate in having at the head of its public school system such men as B. F. Deahl, Professors S. W. Baer and Charles F. Miller. The high school was organized in September, 1895, the beginning of Professor Baer's superintendency, a four years course, consisting of work in English, mathematics, history, science, and one foreign language, either Latin or German. In 1898 the school was given its first commission from the state. The commission was renewed in 1902 and again in 1905. This commission authorizes the superintendent of schools to certify pupils for admission to the various state colleges. In 1904 the high school was put upon the diploma list for the University of Michigan, Northwestern University, the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio. Besides the state colleges and the above named universities, the graduates of the Nappanee high school are admitted without examination to De Pauw University, Franklin College, Wabash College, Butler University, Earlham College, in fact all the higher institutions of learning both state and denominational in the State of Indiana.

continued as such. At the present time there are 130 pupils enrolled in the high school, and 430 in the grades ; the teaching force comprises sixteen and the value of the school property is about $40,000. The Board of Education: W. A. Price, president; H. E. Zook, secretary, and C. R. Stoops, treasurer.

the kind at Nappanee. The bank was founded by Daniel Bechtel, a pioneer and substantial farmer of Harrison township, and his sons, Samuel and Henry, both soldiers and leading citizens; the year of its establishment was 1884. In 1887, Samuel Bechtel died; two years afterward Bechtel & Son, as the firm was then known, erected the present bank building, and in May, 1891, after the death of the father and senior member, Samuel D. Coppes and his son, Harvey E., purchased the business. The elder Mr. Coppes had himself become a townsman in 1881. Without going into details, it is sufficient to state that from that time to the present the Coppes family has been the controlling force of the bank. Early in its history H. B. Greene became identified with the bank as book- keeper and for some time has been its acting president, and Frank Coppes, son of the founder and long identified with the milHng interests of Coppes Brothers & Zook, is cashier. The capital of the Farmers & Traders Bank is $80,000.

The First National Bank was organized in June, 1907, with the following officers: J. S. Walters, president; Jesse Ringenberg, vice president, and Floyd Slabaugh, cashier. There has been no change in this management, except in the cashiership, which is now held by Paul A. Heiermann. The capital stock of the bank is $40,000; surplus, $20,000; average deposits, $240,000.

The local press is represented by the Nappanee News and the Nappanee Advance. The News may be called a product of the Murray family. It was founded in 1879; Gordon N. Alurray, also postmaster of Nappanee, came into possession in 1888, and, with his son, John R. Murray, is still its owner. The latter has had an interest since January, 19 14. The News is published weekly.

The largest business and manufacturing interests of Napanee are, of course, controlled by Coppes Brothers (Frank and John D.) and Zook (Harold E.). In 1902 the old interests of the Coppes and Zook families and the Nappanee Furniture Company were consolidated. The latter company was engaged exclusively in the manufacture of tables and kitchen cabinets ; the first named, in the saw-mill business, lumber manufacture and planing, the making of boxes, the manufacture of flour and dealing in grain and building materials. The present firm operate flour and sawmills, a furniture factory and a large garage.

One of the leading houses of Nappanee, which conducts both a large industry and an extensive business, is styled George Freese's Sons. They are manufacturers of separator butter, and dealers in eggs, poultry and produce. They manufacture from six to ten thousand pounds of butter daily, and also have establishments at Fostoria and Fort Wayne, with creamery separator stations at

Milford, Wakarusa, Oak Grove, Burketville, Cromwell, Jonesville and other points. The business itself is a product of Elkhart County, first being established in Elkhart by the late George Freese in 1857, who came from Germany to America in 1850, and soon afterward to this county. The business was afterward moved to Goshen, where these sons were all born, with the exception of Bennett, who is a native of New Jersey. At the county seat, the founder of this industry not only laid the foundation of the business, which he brought to Nappanee in 1881, but established himself in the hearts of the people there, who made him mayor of the city. He employed his sons in the business from boyhood up, each in turn, and they inculcated the energy, knowledge of the business and frugality of its founder. Mr. Freese died at Nappanee, on August 23, 1890. and his four sons then associated with him, J. Frederick, George, Bennett and Edward Freese, continued the business.

The Novelty Works of Lamb Brothers & Greene were established by George L. Lamb, who had been engaged in the same line at Goshen. The plant turns out, as specialties, mission and piano lamps.

Besides the industries mentioned somewhat in detail, there are wagon and machine shops, a plant engaged in the manufacture of cement blocks, a silo factory and perhaps others which might be classed as manufactories.

That the people of Nappanee and its immediate neighborhood are well supplied with the means to satisfy their religious cravings should be evident when it is learned that the ]\Iethodists, the LInited Brethren, the Evangelical Association, the German Lutherans, the First Brethren (Progressive Dunkards) and the various branches of the Mennonite Church, are all represented by established organizations.

The Amish IMennonite Church appears to have obtained the first foothold in the Nappanee region. There had been at least two organizations of that sect before the town was platted. The first society was organized in 1857. with Samuel Yoder as bishop and John Ringenberg as minister. John Yoder and Samuel Hoch- stetler also had charge of the society until it was disbanded in 1871. Many of its members had moved onto farms further west, thus weakening the church. It was reorganized in 1875 and a house of worship erected in 1878. Jacob Blilie was the next ordained minister. In July, 1888, James H. McGowen was ordained to the ministry and has served to the present time; Levi W. Yoder was ordained in 1912. The church has a membership of 140 and supports two schools.

In 1874, the year in which Xappanee was platted, the Methodist and the United Brethren Churches were formed. They have both flourished. The present pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church is Rev. Sherman Powell; of the United Brethren Church, Rev. W. F. Pellett.

The Presbyterian Church was organized on September 28, 1899, by Rev. H. B. Townsend, assisted by Rev. Frank W. Weatherwax. The charter members were S. W. Craige, Amy Craige, Charles C. Craige, James \V. Carpenter, Eunata H. Carpenter, Alice Lists, George \V. Curtis, Prudence Curtis and Alverta Curtis. The successive pastors have been as follows : Rev. Frank W. Weatherwax, Rev. Robert H. Hooke, Rev. Campbell L. MacKay, Rev. Mark G. Clayton, Rev. Burt S. Gifford, Rev. Alex. R. Evans and Rev. D. W. Parks. The church edifice was begun in 1905 and dedicated September 30, 1906. Present membership, 103.

There are also the First Brethren, or Progressive Dunkards, of which Rev. C. H. Ashman is pastor, founded in 1888; the Church of the Brethren, Rev. Daniel Wysong, pastor; the German Lutheran, founded in 1901, Rev. J. W. Wesner, pastor, and the Church of God, established at Nappanee in 1912, Rev. Fred Fletcher, pastor.

Nappanee Lodge No. 566, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized under a dispensation granted by the Grand Master of Indiana, of date, January 30, 1882, with the following appointed officers to act under dispensation : William A. Flickinger, worshipful master; Jacob S. Walters, senior warden; William H. Young, junior warden. The following were then appointed to the several offices by the acting worshipful master: Levi Price, treasurer; Joseph K. Julien, secretary ; Jasper J. Price, senior deacon ; Joseph Strohm, junior deacon, and Jacob Mann Tyler. The first meeting U. D. was held February 2, 1882. At this time, if all members were present, they had the offices filled and an audience of one.

The present officers of this lodge are: Charles A. Baker, worshipful master ; Samuel A. Frevert, senior warden ; William F. Stose, junior warden; James D. Arvine, treasurer; Perry A. Early, secretary; John Rhoads, tyler; Edward T. Playne, senior deacon, and Walter Miller, junior deacon. The affiliated membership is seventy-six.

Both the Knights and Ladies of the ^Maccabees have organizations at Nappanee. The former, Nappanee Tent No. 81, was organized in June, 1894. The first past commander was J. F. Freese; the present, W. B. Rensberger. Present membership of the tent, seventy-five.