Wabash County, Indiana - Fikst White Settlers and Settlements, 1914

"IIeadquarteks for New Comers" - First Settler, Samuel ^Mc- (Jn-RE, Sr. - First ^Mercantile Establisii.ment - The ^NIcCll're We Know J:5est - The Fathers of Wabash Town - Kintner Bros., Saddle and Harness Makers - Land Surveys in the County - First Land Purchase - First Wagon Roads - Indian Mill, First Industry - Postmaster Burr and the Mails - Colonel Hugh IIanna - Pioneer Town ^Merchants - Three Brick Houses!! - The Three Popular Colonels - First Villace Tavern - CouxNty Organized Civilly - ^[ajor Stearns Fisher - The Grants and Grant Creek - Town of La Gro - The Keller Settlement - Laketon - First Town Om'SiDE of Wabash - C(jlonel Richard Helvy - James Abbott Comes - The Ogans and Ogan Creek - North Manchester Platted - James Abbott, Notable Character - Judge Comstock AND Liberty .Mills - Town of America - The Garrisons - Grant Plats Ashland - Colonel John Anderson - First Roads Along Eel River - A Great Little Corn Cracker - AValtz Township Last Settled - The First of Somerset - Mount Vi:rnon.

As the Pottawatomies had all left the State of Indiana by 1840, and the ^liamis had agreed to do so witliin five years from that time, the year. named marks tlie distinet beginning of tlie Wliite Plan's era in Wabash County. The fourteen years of settli'inciit prior to that time may be ealled tlic real Pioneer l^'l-iod ; for just as long as the Red Man remained upon the soil, and elaimetl any part of it as liis own, the times Were truly primitive.

Tlie first settlements in Wabasli County soon followed the tnvaty of Oetober, ]8'J6, and it was not long before the Treaty (irounds were reehristened "Headquarters for New Comers." When the eonunissioners and the Indians vacated, tlie buildings remained as phu'es of shelter and, as till' locality had bt'oii so wi-ll advertised, Itefoiv the Indian lands north of the Wahash in Waliash (.'ounty had been surveyed, sciuatters eomnieneed to oceUjiy tlleUl.

In January, 1827, Samuel McOlure, Sr., a native of North Carolina, who had livi-d for some years in Ohio, bi'ought his family to the lleadquai-ters for Xew Comei's. Witli the help of his son. Samuel .AleCluiv, Jr., then alxjut twenty yeai's of age, he built a log cabin for his household, cleared oi]' tifteen acres of ground near ihi' house and in tin- spring planted it to corn. Subseciueiitly ascertaining that the lield tlius im- [)ro\ed was included in the section of laml reserved l)y the treaty to Little (diarley, the .Miami chief, on the lUth of June, 1827, they eominenced to liuild another cabin on the north baidv of the Wabash about threi' miles l)elo\v the treaty grounds. This was the tii'st jiermanent settler's cabin erected in Wabash County, and the fannly livi-d therein sevei'al years i)iior to their going to Grant County. There the elder McChire died on the 22d of Se])teudjer, I8;^.s.

Before he had reached his nui.jority, Samuel IMeClure, Jr., became an employee of W. G. and G. AV. Ewing, the Fort Wayne Indian traders, and in their interest t'reeted a small trading house adjacent to his father's residence on the north bank of the Wabash below the treaty grounds in AVabash County. It has been stated ui)on apparently good authority that the young man openeil his store for the sale of goods to the Indians anil others on the 28th of August, 1827.

In 18;3o Samuel AlcClure, Jr., and his brother, Robert, cut out the fii'st state road that ran thro\igh Wabash County. This road coniuieneeJ at the " twent}--ndle stake" in AVabash County, running thence to AVabash and thence to Eel River, near North Alanchester. Their compensation was $7.58 per mile.

Among the first of those who stopped temporarily at the Headquarters for New Comei's, while secddng homes in tlu,' new countiy were PxMijamin Hurst and K'obei't Wilson, who arrived in Alay, 1827. Of these Mr. Wil-

The next arrival, also in the spi'ii'g of 1S27, \vas David lUirr. Ilis visit hecame a peiinaiient I'esideiice, and lu', with Col. Hugh llanna, afterward secured the site for the oi'igiiial Town of Wahasli, which tliey platted. Colonel iJui'r occupied the huildings I'eiiuiining on the treaty ui-onnds, and afterward opene(l a "kind of a"' hotel; so tiiat the locality htM'ame more than evei- Ileaihiuarters for Xew Comei's. On the 11th of Octolxr. l>:;i), Ik- ma<le the first land entry in Xohle Townshii), of the fractional southeast (piarter of Section 1, l.l.l.^l acres; the north fi'action of the southeast cjuarter of Section 12, 411.00 acres, and the fractional northwest nuarter of Section 12, ItJl.SO acres.

On the same day dohn Tipton, the Indian agent, entered the fractional southwest (piai'ter of Section 10, containing 42.2!) acres, and the north fi'action of St'ction 15, I'-kHV) acres.

It will lie reniemlxM-ed that Frederick K. Kintner was in command of of the company (jf soldii-rs which was sent from Fort Wayne to protect those engaged in the undoing of the lS2(i treaty. His brother, James 11., was \vith him, and the country pleasc-d tlu-m so much that they decided to stay and take up lands in the vicinity when they should hei'ome accessible. In the fall of 1N27 they there foi'e located on the north side of the Wahash Rivei' near the mouth of the snudl sti'eam since known as Kintner "s Creek, which joins the former in Section IS. There the l)rothers established themscdves in their business of nuiking .saddles and harnesses, chiefly for the Indian trad(\ In that line they were the undoubted pioneers of the ri)pei- Wabash country. They continued the mantifacture oftho.se articles until the transfer of the Indian agency from Fort Wayne to Logaiisport in INIarcli, 1828. when they r(docated at that point.

Comity, ;it tlic general election in August, 182!), was chosen the lirst sherill" and served as such during two successixc tei'uis. He afterward held till' i)Osition of school couiinissioner, and was foi- many years proiaincnt and popular both in Logansport and throughout the county.

The Wheeler hi-others, ^lilton and Isaac, came to the future Wabash town in 1S;52 and 18;U. Isaac Wheeler oj)ened a blacksmith slioj), the iirst in the county aside from the ( ioveriuiieiit establislmient at tlie Indian mill on Mill Cr.'ck.

About nndway of these yi/ars John Stewart, a bi'otlu'r-indaw of Samuel McClure, a plasterer by trade, settled and made himself at home with ]\Ir. McClure. The Levall\'eas also came about this time.

The survey of the lands lying between the AVabash and the Eel rivers was made in the early part of 1827, and of those north of Eel River in 1828.

For reasons already given, the first purchases of lands in what is now Wabash County were made in the immediate vicinity of the treaty grounds, on a part of which the City of Wabash is now situated. But before naming other pioneer landholders, it is not out of place to mention the i)rineiples under which sueh surveys have been always made by the (iovernment of the United States.

The pi'incijde on which the subdivision of land is based consists in the hi-st place of the accurate determination of certain base lines, at such intervals of distance as may be required. These lines are named from the direction they take, those running north and south being called principal meridians, and those running east and west, standard parallels. The parallels and meridians are nund)eri'd. The first pi-incijial m(>ridian forms the boundary line between the states of Ohio and Indiana, while the second divides the latter state nearly centrally. From these, meridians and parallel lines were run, six miles apart, those i)arallel to the meridians being termed Range lines and those running east and west Town lines. Tlie space included between tliese lines was called a township, or a congressioiud township, to distinguish it from civil townships, which ma\' and often do (Mubi'ace fractional pai-ts of the original surveyed townships.

Th( se sui'\'eyed townships ari' numbered by the dista':ce from the base lines. The township lying next east of the secouil principal meridian has the iirst range line for its eastern l)0undary, and consequently is said to bo in Range 1 east. In like manner tlie towns arc numbered northward from the standard parallel, AVabash County embracing parts of Ranges 5 and 8 and all of (J and 7, counting eastwai'd fi-oni the second principal meridian in townships 'iG, 27, 28, 21) and part of ."jO, counting from the soutli.

This mucli l)eing made ch'ar, it remains to explain the subdivision of the townships. The survey of the townships into sections was usually a subsequent matter, and the lines were run north from the south line of the townshi]) and \vest from the east line, beginning in eaeli case from section eorners previously established. As tiie surveys had to be nuide cheai)ly and expeditiously, if a variation of a few rods was made in I'unning a section line to the opposite side of the township it was left so. but in sul)divitling the next township a new start was nuule in the right ])lace. This will account for the "jogs" so often met with on the township and range lines. The sections were made "full'' as far as possible, and if a township lacks ten rods of half a mile in length from north to south, the deficiency will not be distributed but be found in the north tier only. In like manner, the deficiency, if any, is found on the western tier.

Tiie sections in a township, when the township is of full size, are thirty-six in number, each one being a mile square and containing 640 acres of land. They are numbered in regular order, beginning at the northeast corner which is always Section 1. The northwest corner is Section (3, the southwest and southeast being numbered lil and 36 respectively.

In the original surveys of Wabash County the section lines were marked through the woods ])y "blazes" on the trees, and at the corners the direction and distance to certain described trees were noted. A copy of these field notes was deposited in the office of the county recorder. Tlie temporary stakes set by the deputy surveyors for section corners were aftei'wai'ds replaced by stone monuments.

Aftei- the survey had been made the first purchase in the county was by Jei-emiah Cox, on Fel)ruary 8, 1827, of the north part of the northwest quarter of Section 2, Township 27, Kange 7, containing 67.85 acres. On the ',U\ of April of the same year Mi', ('ox entered the southwest fraction of Section '.I'l contaiiung 102.15 acres, and on the 1st of i\Iay following, fractional Section '64: containing 4.47 acres, the two last mentioned tracts being in Township 28, Range 7 east.

The road was loi-atcd ami cut out duriiig tlic (-arly fall of LS2(J, the contract for clcariii^' the I'oadway liaviii<,^ liccii awarded to Pctci' Oyaii and llrlvir <.^ Ivo;,n'is, and the woi'k coinpictcd hy tliciii accordiimly. It was first used foi- li'aiisportiu^' <,M)ods and other clTccts to and from the treaty. Another, said to l)e the second I'oad, was 0[)cned fi'om the vicinity of lliintin^'ton to the treaty grounds and was used for similar i)ur[)()se.

I'litil the lands were surveyed and hona fide settlers counncnccd to arrive and locate, the Indian mill was the oi\\y pernnnient iin])roveincnt in Waliasli ('ounty; and that was not a wliite man's improvement, as it was clearly inidei'stood that it was to he ahandoned when it ceased to he of value to tile Indians. AVhen .Ah". Wilson came as a setth_-r in 1S27. and was appointed soon aftci'ward the (Jovernment hlacksmith, the mill had iieen in opt i-ation foi- ahout seven years. The only white inhahitants of the tei'ritory iiiehuling what is now Wahash County during that period had heeii the millei's and the hlacksmiths and their families (if they had any). As elsewhere stated, the first miller was Lewis Dax'is, who remaiiird until duly. 1S26, whi'ii Gillis M(d)ean succeeded him. In Scptemhci', ISi'S. -lonathan Kellei- was placed in charg(> and remained tliei-e. so fai- as ai)pears, until the estal)lishment was ahandoned for the purposes contem])hited in its eriM-tion. This ^vas in IS:'!), wdien the Government judiivd that it had ceased to he of any value to the Indians.

*It was evident from the ilrst that Colonel David l>urr was one of the eomiiig mi'ii (tf the I'egion. Ahout the time he purchased land in \-arious parcels, some of them in what is now the sitt' of Wahash, a postoflice was cstahlislied at the f\)rm<'i' treaty grounds and he was appointed postuKistei'. Th'- office - the Trst in the county - was (not hy chance) at his hou^jc. At the same time a mail route was ])rescril)ed I'uiniing from .Marion, (li-ant County, to the treat\- grounds, and Jonathan Ivellei- was awai'de(| the conti'act foi' carrying the mail weekly betwt'eii these points. Ahout the same time another i-oute was cstahlislied running from Logansjiort to fort Wa\'ne, with the treat\' gi'oinid as a half-way station. The contractors for cari'yiin^- the mail over this latter route were Joh P.. KIdiidge and Thomas J. Cumnnngs of Logansport.

("(tloiicl Ihinh llai!ii;i, who was to Itc Colonel I'.iii'i''.s partner in the fouiidiii.L;' of the town of \Val)ash, which was hound to (levelop somewhere near the tivaty "-|-,,iin(ls and the headqnartei's i'oi' new comers, had lived in Fort Wayne for some yeai's. He had cast his husiness eye on the lo('ality with favor ever since the tri'at\- was conchnh'd, and on the .'id uf Fehruary, 1s:!j!, siynilied his inlention of hecomin^- a pei-iiiaiient resident by purchasing the fractional southwest (luai'tei' (jf Section ]], Township L'7, JJanye (i, containing- IIS.UO acres, all of which was afterward covered Ijy the town jdat of AVahash. The tract immediately norlli of this was purchased Fehnia.iy 27. \s:>A, hy Alexandei- Worth, and contained l.VI.oi aci'cs, a part of which was also afterward included in the town jjlat.

Col. David Burr had h^en appointed one of the eommissionei's for the construction of the canal, and, as we have seen, he and ('olomd Ilanna, still a i-esitlent of Fort Wayne, !iad lionght nj) ad.ioining tracts of land at and atljacent to the old treaty grounds. In April, L^;U, they laid out Wahash Town, ad.iacciit to the Paradise Springs, on the line of the canal and nearly opposite the mouth of Treaty I'reek. On the fourth of the following Mny the lirst i)ulilic sale of lots was held.

(I'eorge Shepherd, a mei'diaiit, huilt the lirst house on the town site - a log cabin, on Lot Xo. (i:), immediately west of the southwest corner of Allen anil .Market streets. A few (lays after moving into tlie cabin his first child was born - the i)ioneer arrival \ia ^ilothei- Nature within the original limits of the Town of Wabash.

('(d^jiiel II anna came to town aliout October 1, 1S;U, and had his store completed about the same time as Mr. Shepherd's; but the Colonel is credited with having opened the lii-st "dry goods store," leaving tliose of a latei- day to infer that the estal)lishment thi'owu open by ^^Ir. Sliei)herd was of a more general nature.

Later in tin/ season. Colonel Ilaiuia erected a In-ick residence and inovod his famil\- into it. It is undisputed that the bi'ick which entered into its construction was made on the north side of square bounded by the canal and Allen. Huntington and ^larket streets, but Alplieus Black-

The bnek re«idenees of Colonel William Steele and Dr. Jsaae Fiuley were finished about the same time, on lots 'I'l and 54, re.speetivel}' - all from the same kiln of brick; naturally, as it was then the only establishment of its kind in Wabash County. Colonel Steele's house occupied the corner of Huntington antl Canal streets and, for some reason which (k)cs not appear jjhiin, moiv details are accessil)le as to his house than the other two brick residences, it ai)i)ears that William Johnson was tlie contractor and erected it at a cost of $300; that tlie huuber used in its finishing was manufactured from timber tioated down the river by Jacob D. Cassatt and others, sawed by McClure's mill on the stream.

Now, to the introduction of Colonel Steele, one of the strong characters of Wabash Cotmty. A lawyer l)y profession, he came to Wabash from Wayne County, and for many years shared with the other two colonels a variety of jjublic honors and unchecked popularity.

Soon after the erection of the brick houses of tlie three colonels, Colonel Steele, although a lawyer, opened a i)rovision store, the first of the kind in town. Wlmtever should betide as to the emoluments of his profession, he did not intend to starve.

in June, 1834, Colonel Steele got another boost by being elected the first justice of the peace in the jurisdiction, which was then a part of Grant County.

Wabasli County was created in January, 1835, and on the third ]\Ionday of the following ^lay the connuissioners to locate the seat of justice met at tlie house of Colonel Burr, one of the buildings erected nine years before for treaty purposes. \n the same hou.se, on the Ilth of June, 1835, these first county officers met to take their oaths of office : William Steele, clerk and recorder; Josiah L. Wynes, sheriff; Daniel Jackson and Daniel

Major Stearns Fisher had come to Wabash County in 1833, and for a iiuitiher of yi'ai's was an engineer o^i the AVabasli & Erie Canal. He was an active, wide-awake, sti-aight-forward citizen, and did much to deveh)]) tlie county, botli in a material and a civic sense.

The county officers named above adjourned to the more ari.stocratie brii-k house of Colonel Steele, in tlie Town of Wabash, where tlie necessary oatiis were administered and the proper Ijonds taken. Four days later another met'tinj,' was hehl at Colonel Burr's house - the first of the county board - and later, at a session hekl at the home of Connnissioiier IMaekman, llui^li llanna was ai)j>ointed <'Ounty treasurer, Isaac Thomas, county agent, and Isaac Fowler, county assessor.

The year liefore the creation and organization of the county, settlers had coiiuiienced to locate both in the southern and northern parts of tlie county, near La l^'ontaine and North Manchester. Grant Creek, which flows thi-ough the southern f)ortion of Liberty Township into the ]\Iississinewa, skirting La Fontaine on its way, commemorates the first settlers of this part of the county. It was in the autumn of 183-t that AVilliam, Daniel and Smith (irant, with tlieir families, settled in the woods along that stream. William located at the eastern line of the Indian Reserve, and in September, 1S34, is said to have built the first house in Liberty Township, on the north bank of Grant Creek near the jn-eseiit Town of La Fontaine. Mahlon Pearson arrived in the followin'g month, although as early as ^larch, 1832, he had made an entry of land for the east ludf of the northeast ([uarter of Section 23 (this township). The Grant location was the northwest quarter of the northwest ([uarter of the same section.

The old Indian town of La Gro, opposite the mo\ith of the Salamonie River, on the north bank of the Wabash, l)ecame also the nucleus of a white settlement, especially after operations on the Wabash & Erie Canal were commenced in 1834.

In ]S;;2 Kichard Ilelvy occui)ied the La Ci'O l)rick huildin.o' which had hecu civet. mI liy the (lovernmeiit for the old dii.d'. .Mr. llelvy was an Indian trader on a small scale, and in iSiJo iuovihI to the ueighhorliood of North Manchester, where he opened aiKjtlier .store.

At that lime riii'istian Keller, hrotlier of -Judge Jonathan Keller, was located on the " rp])er La (jvo sectioii," under a lease from Chief IJiidiaidville, into whose hands that section had i)asse(l fi-om Oenei-al Tipton. Keller was clearing land there and farming, under a ten-year lease, having all he could make during that period for clearing and ini'losing twenty aei-es. On the ;!d of (Jctohei- of this year (1832), Jonathan Keller pre|)ared the way for the Keller Settlement, in the western ]»art of Xohle Townshij), by juircliasing the east half of tlie northeast ((uarter of Section 14 and the whole of the southeast (juai'ter of the same section. As stated, this particular loealit\- was known in the early days of its liistory as the Kellei- St'ttlemeiit, as various memhers of the Keller family were of the first to settle tliei-eahouts. For many years subsequent to the date of their coming, howe\-ei', iieitlu'r the settlement nor Kelli'r's Station showed much expansion. The region around the treaty grounds l)ostoffice, on the other hand, evinced continuous signs of life and growth.

After the settlements at ^Valiash Town and La (iro, the earliest centers of population in AVabasli County were fixed at what are now Laketon, Pleasant Township, and North Mamdiester and Liberty .Mills. Chester Township.

Col. Hugh Ilanna had andiitions outside of Waba.sh Town. The latter seemed to be on the mo\'e, and in looking toward the north whither mueli of the migration of the late 'oOs was moving he eoneeived the i)lan of lV)im(liii<: a cciiti-al point ior tlic ])i-oiiioti()ii of poiJiilatioii and lousiness in the fertile valley of the Kel Kiver. The site for siieli a center was founil on a level and l»eautiful i)lat l)et\veen two eonsidei'able^ lakes just north of the river.

The colonel assoeiated himself with Isaac Thoiuas and J. 1). Cassatt in this enterj)rise, and in September, 183lJ, platted the \^illage of Laketon. It was located upon Sections 10 and 15, Pleasant Township, northwest of Eel River hetwei-n l^ong and Round lakes. There were ninety lots lying near Eel River on the north side, and the streets wei'e Pottawatomie. 8i)ring, iMain, Mill, Tanuirack, Eel, Wabash, Lake and Wayne. This plaee -was the first town platted away from the Wal)ash River. Several additions were afterward made to the origiiud plat ; but although Laketon was jilanted and sprouted it failed to mature into anything striking, and what ambition it retained a qiuirter of a eentury afterward was completely crushed when tlie railroad was built south of the river and an "addition" to I^aketon was platted on its line, with the river and a mile of solid country lietween. The railroad ''addition" showed more life than the original town and secured Ijamsville Fostoftice. lUit neither Tjamsville Postoftice, nor South Laketon, has ever attracted much notice, although the i)rescnt Laketon is a pretty country town with becoming as])irations toward a summer resort.

The Miami Lulian lands south of the Eel River passed to the general Oovernment by the treaty of 1826, and most of the surveys were couil)leted by 1S28. Put real settlei's did not commence to occupy them until ^:^:]4. \n ^larch of that >ear Col. Richard IIelvy, a \"irginian, Mho had early located in Indiana, and aljout 18;]2 located in La Gro Township. There he engaged in farming until he renun'ed to his farm of one hundred acres on the banks of the Im-I River about a mile north- <nist of the ])i'esent sitt' of North Manchester.

Til Se])tend)er of the same year ( 18:34) James Abbott, a neighbor in La Cro To\vnsliip, joined tlie solitary settler of Chester, ami located his homestead on the same sti'cam about two miles above the present site of Liberty IMills. In that jx'i'iod of sparsely settled country, these few

Before the elose of the year 1884 John and Peter Ogan, with their families, loeatinl on the Eel I\iver. John settled on the south side of Eel River and erected a rude eoi-n mill on the bank's of the ci-eek whieh Hows into that stream and whieh still bears his name - at least for a portion of its coiii'sc. It is known as O.Lian's Creek for several Tuiles from its mouth, I'ony ( 'I'eek being recognized as its correct name from that point to its source.

Peter Ogan settled witliin the limits of the present North .Mancliester. He erected a Houring and saw mill on the l)ank of Eel River; in 1837, with William Net'l, platted the town, and for a nundjcr of years, or during his residence in the place, was a strong hgure in its progress.

In the meantime a similar colonization, led by James Abbott, was taking place two miles up the river. His was a character worthy of special note. A native of South Carolina, he was left an orphan when quite young and was bound out to a slavediolder, from whom he iied on account of cruel treatment and escaped to North Carolina. About 18U0 he movctl to Ohio, where he served under General Wayne in a number of Indian cam]jaigns. As he was born in the 3'ear of American Independence, he was then in his early manhood, and when lie came to Chester Township in 1834 had reached late middle-age. Notwithstanding, as stated, he entered a tract of land on Eel River and sturdily set to work to improve it. He cleared and improved a large farm, to which he gave his attention for many years, dying on his homestead in 18G7 at tlie age of ninety-one.

Not long after locating, .Mr. Abbott sold a portion of his land to a Mr. McBride upon the stipulation that the purchaser should erect a grist mill thereon. As ^Ir. McBride was unwilling or unable to do tins, in 1836 he transferred the land and the obligation to John Comstock who had just located.

]\lr. (Joni.st()<-k was a man of great broad ability and complete trustworthine.ss. June 24, ]s:]7, lie hiid out tlie Town of Liberty Mills ui)on the proi)crty wliieh liad piuwhascd of Mr. M.dJride. The same year he erected a sawmill, with which to {)repare the tiiidier for the tloiirinfj: mill, which he completed in ls;^s. In lb:i!) he built a distillery, the same year a tannery, and in 1S41 a woolen or cardiny: mill.

Soon after jjlattiny; the Town of Liberty .Mills, its pi'oprietor opened a lai'iie geiiei-al store and engaged in mercantile pursuits until \S6l. lie gave his personal attention to all these enterprisc-s ; was president of the Xortii .Manchester and La Giro Plaidv Koad, and interested in other j)ublic im])rovemctits throughout the county. About the year ISoo he introduced the first herd of shoi't horn cattb' into the county, and in the years wdiich followed was actively engaged in the breeding of live stock.

Judge C'omstock, as he was usually called, served on the probate bench of AValiasli County in 1840-52, and in the late '50s represented it in the lower house of the Legislature. He was honored with other public positions, which he tilled with characteristic faithfulness and ability. AVhatever he undertook was well done and fruitful of the best results. He was successful in the best sense of the word, and his death September 30, 187!), endt'd a life which, in luunerous and noteworthy ways, had given imjictus and inspiration to t!ie citizens of the county.

A few months after the founding of Liberty ]\Iills by Judge Coinstock, another town was platted in Liberty Township, in the southeastern pai't of the count}-. The settlement of the (J rant family along the creek by that name drew quite a lunnbcr to that locality. ^Moreover the headwaters of that stream were in the line of a i)Opular route of travel from Central to Northern Indiana and the foot of Lake IMichigan.

The state road from ^Marion to La Gro was opened in 1835. This was afterward made into a plank road, largely through the eflforts of Judge Comstock. This thoroughfare drew to the Lakes region a large graiif trade from a region as far south as Anderson, Marion and ]\Iuncie, and it is no wonder that the settlers about the headwaters of Grant Creek and along this booming thoroughfare had strong hopes for a big town whei'cver they should plat it.

Consequently, Elihu Garrison and Jesse D. Scott platted the Town of America in Section 23 of Liberty Township. Both the proprietors were early pioneers of the White AVater Valley, who migrated to Wabash County about 1834. Although partners in America, tliey were of opposite politics, and were rival candidates for associate judge. Keverend

Eliliu (iari'isoii was a soldier in the I'laek Hawk wai' of 1832 and a welhkiiown citizen. William d'arfison, his hi'other, luiilt the lirst house on the site of Amei'iea, Oetohei' 10, 1837, six days before the town ])lat was i-eeoinled. lie opened a stoi'e and served also as justice of the j)eaee. Other men followed, business, industrial and i)rofessional, and America became (juite a bustliny; ])laee, inasmucji as it was nothing unusual for 100 tea'ms passing over the Marion and La (Jro road to .stop there dui'ing a single day. Many teams would i-each there at night, go to La Oro the next day, unload Avhatever farm iiroduets or goods they carried on the banks of the canal, and return to Anu'rica where tlu'\' would put \\[) for another night. The road was level and a faii'ly good one, and \vhen the planks were laid the thoroughfare ])eeame more ])opular than evei'. AVhatevei' lu-fell, as long as the Marion & La Oi'O roatl was in active service, America got much of the bencHt of the travel, both going and coming.

At one time America boasted four stores, two hotels, three blacksmith sliojis and otlu'r places of business and a consideral)le ninuber of dwellings, some of the buildings - especially one of the taverns - being tpiite elegant for those eai'ly days.

Then Daniel Grant hinged for some of this tide of i)rosperity and in 184.") platted Ashland in Section 27. This was the nucleus of La h'ontain<«, as a later ])eriod will ilevelop. And the life of Ashland and l^a Fontaine, which largely spi-ung from sul)seriiient railroad conuuunication, was the death of America.

One "Colonel" John Anderson - and there seems to have been as many colonels in AVnbash County as in any region of Di.xie Land - was the i)ioneei- of the ])resent I'aw Paw Township. In fact, he seems to have l)een the ranking settle)- of the region which nuiy be roughl.\' designated as Northwest AVabash County. Sometime in 1 S.il he built a I'ude shack bai'elv within the borders of the townshii) and the county.

The facts coiiceriiinu' the life and movements of John Anderson are few and nnsatisfaetory. The most concise, as well as complete account was published forty years ago in Paul's Atlas of Wabash County, and is quoted: '"Pleasant Township was the dwelling-place of the nol)le red man until the spring of 18:^'). It was at this time that John Anderson, foi'merly from Ohio, but moi-e recently from somewhere near Logaiisi)()i-t, together with his wife, two sons and two daugliters, came up on the north side of Eel Piver and sittlcd on Squirrel Creek about a mile above the jireseiit town of Stockdalc. .r ,,, re;u. , , ,i . .,

"Xear the site of that town there was at that time an Indian village called Scpiirrcltowii, after old Captain S(iuirrel. the chief, after whom the ci'cck was also named. His Indian name was Nicouza, that being the Pottawatoiide woi'd for scjuiri'el. Xiconza iiostoftice, just within the limits of .Miami ('ouiity, is jiamcd in honor of the old chieftain, who is said to have been a model I'cd man. jn-rsiding over his village with an amount of wisdom and disci-etion unnsual in his raci-. He dietl at a vei'y advanced agi'. The \-illage occupied a cleared si)ace of ground just east of Stockdalc, and the Imrying grouiui was situated at the corner of the road east of there.

"John Andei'son the first man to cut a I'oad from AVeasau Creek uj) Pel Pivci- into AVabash Count.\'. Sawmills being a convenience of ci\ilization not yi't introduced, and the neccssai'y nund)er of nuui to cai'ry on a log-raising not to ])v had within a i-adius of ti'U or fifteen mih-s. his tii'st habitation was necessarily I'ather ])rimitive. He is described as having settled himself with his back against a large poplar log. witli a roof of split clapboards over him, supported Ity crotches and I)oles. Such was the lirst cabin built by a white nuui in Pleasant (now Paw Paw I Townshi]).

man named Palston had settled on the other side of Eel Pivcr. further down in Miami County the winter before, and made a snudl cleai'ing. In the summer of IS:!.") a part.\' of three followed an Indian trail from North Mam-hester to S([uirrcl villag.' and to John Anderson's cabin a mile above it. Their names wi-re Jesse Moyer, Ja^ol) Cill and Mathias Lukens - who was at that tinu; a bov of si.\tccii. At North

Manchester the road from La Oro to Turkey Creek prairie crossed Eel River; and these three were the first white men to cut a road from that point down. At the time of tht-ir coming there were about sixty ]\Iiamis and Pottawatomies encamped on tlie l)ank of the river across from Nortli Maneiicster. The land did not (;ome into market until tlie ensuing September, when it was bought up quite rapidly.

"At the time of Colonel Ander.son's settlement and until the ensuing fall, no provisions could be obtained short of AVea prairie near Lafayette. The nearest mill was at Logansport, to which point the settlers made their trips in a pirogue (canoe hollowed out of a tree). This journey occupied several da}-s, the task of returning up stream being slow and tedious."

A corn-cracker was built on ?]el River at an early day by James Cox. It was situated a little below where Laketon now stands and, although extremely cnide, saved many a long river ti'ip. The "i)lant'' consisted of little besides the rude machinery and the ruder l)urrs, the latter being dressed out of a couple of bowlders, or "niggerheads," as they were called. The roof, supported by poles, was over the hopper. The mill did good work, however, and in course of time ground wheat also.

Waltz Township was the last section of Wabash County to be settled, as its 30,000 acres of land were all included in the Big Miami Reserve, the surveys of which did not conunence until 1839. The tribal title to the lands was extinguished in the following year, but various individual reserves were held out of the public market, such as the Richardville and ^leshingomesia tracts of 1,280 and 1,680 acres, respectively. With the exception of the latter reservation, iiowever, most of the lands reserved for the ]Miami chiefs, or their l)ands, were transferred to white settlers soon after the Government commenced to issue patents therefor in February, 1847. Outside of these reservations settlers had been planting themselves, to some extent, since 1840.

These early settlers grouped themselves near Twin Springs, a halfway point on the road between Marion, Grant County, and Peru, Miami County. Even before they came, a log tavern is said to have stood there ke{)t by a Frenchman named Krutzan and his Indian wife. The property was afterward included in the Richardville Reserve, or estate, and

In December, 1843, the above named tract on the Twin Springs Section of the Riehardville lands, and a short distance east of the mouth of Ten Mile Creek, was surveyed by David P. Alder, and the plat of Twin Spring was tiled on the following 14th of January by Stephen Steenberger, its proprietor. A few years afterward the name was ehanged to Somerset. ., - ,

Mount Vernon, a short distance east of Somerset, was surveyed in July, 1847, and the plat filed by its proprietor, William Dayton, in the following October. Although a postoffice was located there at an early day, the place never outgrew the dimensions of a small settlement.

\V;il);isli County is identified witli sevei'al remarknhle and interestingeases in which whiti's wei'e eaptureil and adopted Ijy the Indians. When white captives were not lulled, they were adopted by the tril)e, assumed their di'css and iudhts, interniariTed and, it' they a^ain came in contaet with the civilization of their kindred, iisuallx- refused to return to it or to them.

^'he most remarkable case is that of Fi-anees Sloeum. who, personally is more directly identitied ^vith .Miami than with Wabash Oount\'. She lived and died ill AVabash County, wluM'e a monument has lieen erected at her ^rave and a pieture of the same is found in this histoiy. Several of her descendants have homes in Wabash County in theliig ^liami Reserve of »)4(> acres west of La Fontaine in AValtz Township. Captured in her Pennsylvania home when a little girl five years of age, she remained with the Miamis nearly sixty years befoi'e she again met her kindred, ha\ing become the mother of a lialf-bree<l family and an Indian in ever\-thing liut name. With thesi' geiiei-il faets in mind the reader should be told the remarkable story in order.

The mother, howex'ei', could not he pei'suaded, and four years lat(.'r various meiidiers of the Slocum fannly sjx'Ut se\-ei'al months in tlu' West amon.u' the Indian a^'ents aiul tradei's. puhliely offering' .^oOlJ to anyone who would furnish iid'oi'uiation as to the fate of Frances. l)Ut their effoi-ts were without I'csiilts, as were those of four of the l)rothers who undertook a sinnlar expedition in 171)7.

]\Irs. Slocum continued an unceasing search foi' her daughter until her death in 1S()7, at which her sons promised to u.se evei'y elfort to learn what had hecoiiie of their sister ahdueted nearly thirty years h(d'oi-e. Tlie\- faithfn.lly carided out this ])ledge, and in lS2(i made a long and expensive joui'uey to ri)i)er Saiulusky to see a wouuiii, living among the Indians, whose appearance was said to point to white origin. Again disapi)oiiited, they abandoned the seai'ch as hoix'less.

in all of tlie ^liami tongues, was benightea near an Indian town on the ]\Iississint'\va Kiver, known as Deaf .Man's Villagt-, near the pi'i-sent City of Pcoi'ia. He ajjplied for lodging and was hospitably n-ccivcd at a rcsjH'ctablc dwelling. IK' was fatignrd and unwell and, after eating, lay down ujion some skins in the eorner of the room. The household consisted of an old woman and a number of children, all of whom treated her with the givatest of deference and who departed to their own sleeping quarters.

As Colonel Ewing lay upon his j^allet lie watched the old lady moving about, and noted particularly the color of her skin and hair. The result of the scrutiny convineed him that she was a white woman and he opened a conversation with her. She admitted that his suspicions were correct. She said that she was stolen by the Indians when a small child and iiad carefully concealed that fact from those of her own race whom she met for fear that her relatives would claim her. But she was old now and felt that she woulil not live much longei', and if any one of her relatives or friends were living she would be glad to see them. She distinctly remembered the name of her father, but could not recall her own.

Colonel Ewing was so impressed with her narrative that he addressed a long letter, giving the particulars, to the postmaster at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The colonel had never heard of the Slocums, but he judged from certain answers nuide l>y the old lady that In-r home was somewhere in that state.

The letter reached its destination, but when tht^ postmaster read it he concluded that it was a hoax, and flung it among some waste papers, where it lay for two years. At the end of that time, the postmaster died and his widow, in overhauling his effects, came upon Colonel Ewing 's letter. She had never heard the name of Sloeum either, but thinking there was something in the story she sent the letter to the Lancaster Intelligencer. A copy of that paper, which contained the text of Colonel Ewing's letter, fell into the hands of th(> Rev. Samuel Bowman, who was intinuitely acquainted with the Sloeum family and

Tlie reception of the letter, with i\rr. Bowman's communication, threw tiie Penns3-lvania community into general excitement; Imt as two years bad passed since the letter was written, which stated that the old lady was even then under a premonition of deatii, an iiKpiii-y was addressed to Colonel E\ving hy John J. Slocum, the nephew of Frances.

A prompt reply, dated Logansport, came to hand saying that the woman was alive and woidd be glad to see any of the Slocums. The letter also contained nnnute directions as to the course they were to take to reach her. Arrangements were at onee made for the journey. Isaac Sloeum and Mrs. IMary Town, brother and sister of Frances, resided in Ohio, but not in the same neighborhood. Joseph Sloeum, of AVilkesbarre, another brother, started in his carriage, taking his sister, while Isaac went in advance, it being agreed that they should meet in Deaf Plan's Village.

Isaac reached that place ahead of the others and, accompanied by an interpreter, made a call upon the lady, who received them pleasantly but evidently with suspicion. The brother found her to all appearances a typical Indian, Imt he had fixed his mind on an unerring test of her identity. Previous to being carried away more than fifty-nine years before* her brother Ebenezer had crushed the forefinger' of her left hand with a hammer. Taking hold of her hand and raising it, he saw the disfigurement. "What caused that?" he asked. "My brother struck it with a hammer a long time ago," was the answer.

The two remained some time in conversation, but the woman did not seem at ease, and Isaac Sloeum returned to the Village of Peru to await the arrival of his Ijrother and sister. When they came, the three made another visit to the woman. She treated them with the same kindness she had shown before, but was stoical and unmoved, and when she

.saw tears in tlicii- cyrs she hccaiiic soiiiewliat ill at case. The only time slic rvinecd any stronj^^ emotion was wlieii she was asked her name. She re])lie(l that she had forg-otten.

The visit was pi'olon^cd foi' .several (hiys, and .some months later was rej)eated, several of tlie nieees and nei)hews ,)oiinn<;- the i)arty.

P'rom these visits of the different relatives it developed that when Frances was eaptnivd as a child of live years, the Indians carried her rapidly tlirou.u'h tln' woods until near the Oenesee River they made their lii'st permanent encampment. In the I'olhiwin^ sprinj^' she was taken to Sandusky, Ohio, where she rem;iined iuitil autumn, when her Indian fri.Muls moveil \a Xia<:ai'a. where she lived f(.r a \-ear. Thus she became a jiart of the miy'ratory tribe; was l)oi'n af.;-aiu as an Tn<lian, and soon her jireatest dread was lest she be discovered by lu'r relatives and returne(l to civilization.

l-'rances was adopted into the tribe as ^lah-cones-(piab, or Young l>ear. She married She-pah-can-nah, known as Deaf Man, who was head of a villau'e under the princip;d war chief, Francis (Jodfrey. Four childi'en Were- born of their union, which gave lu'r high i)osition with the ti-ibe. She became wealthy and was hehl in g'l'eat veneration by her <lesj-endants and all the nu'mbei's of the tribe. At the time she met Colonel lowing her husband liad been dead about two years.

Slu' herself continued to I'cside at Deaf I\ran's Village until her death March !), 1847. Four da>s afterward her daughter Ke-ke-nakush-wa died, agt'd forty-seven; she was the wife of Capt. John B. Brouilette. The name of her other daughter was 0-zah-wah-shing-quah, who married twic( - lii'st, Tah-<'o-nah and secondly, AVah-pah-pe-tah (Peter Dondy). By the lattei- she had several chiblren, and died in January, 1.S77, the last of the dii-ed issue of P'rances Slocum.

Dr. Perry G. IMoore, of AVabash, was one of the Slocum family friends, and owns one of its long-prized heirlooms. It is valuable historically and remarkable as a work of art - a rich blanket of the finest broadcloth, worn for years by Frances Slocum and more than a century in age. Its border is worked by hand in beautiful colored ribbons and decorated with silver tips or buttons. The l)lanket is four feet square, well preserved, every stitch put into it is by hand, and the entire work shows both remarkable skill and unusual taste. It was presented to the Doctor by William Peconga, an Indian, who married a granddaughter of Mrs. Slocum.

The enptivity of the little daughter of Moses Thorpe is not dissiiiiilar to tliat of Franei's Siocuiii, although the scene of her adventures was in the Wabash Valley and the closing chapter of her story is written in the county itself. According to Mr. Ilackelinaii: "Moses Thorpe lived somewhere in the valley of the White Water Eiver, probably within the then limits of Wayne County, during the war with Great Britain (1812). Several times in the early part of the war, the Indians on the ^lississinewa and White Water rivers made incursions into the White Water country. At one time (]\Iareh 18, 181;}) two young men on Salt Creek were killed by the Indians while working in a clearing, and on the same night another was killed at his sugar camp further up the White Water Kivtr.

"About the same time when these oecurrences took place, or from my recollection of tlie story it was the same night, the little daughter of ]\Ioses Thorpe was carried off l)y the Indians. I remember hearing my father say that part of his company, or the company to W'hich he belonged, captured from the Indians near Strawtown, or White River, some of the goods and the tent which were recognized as the property of one of the murdered men. The little daughter of Mr. Thorpe, however, was never recaptured. He spent several years in hunting for her, but his etforts were unsuccessful. The girl grew up to womanhood and married Captain Dixon, a ]\Iiami Indian living on the Mississinewa River near the old Josina village in AVabash County.

"What became of Mr. Thorpe and his wife, I am not advised. 1 have however seen it stated that they spent the decline of life in the Upi)er Wabash Valley, and that they finally discovered and recognized their daughter some time after her marriage with Captain Dixon.

"]\Iiss Thorpe and Captain Dixon raised a family of several children and although she was deprived of an English education, she manifested a desire to have her children educated and persuaded her husband to patronize the neighboring schools. I think it was in the winter of 1845-46 that Hon. Jacob L. Sailors taught a school a mile or so west of Ashland, and Captain Dixon sent his son Charley to Mr. Sailor's school,

"Now this Captain Dixon, like most of his race, was a lover of drink, and s})eiit most of ids time at such places as he could procure whiskey - sometimes winding u]) with a tight. Finally about the year 1S50. in one of tliose drunken fights with a Pottawatomie Indian he receivL'd a blow on the head with a hoe that happened to be near by, cutting his head open. The wound was dressctl by Dr. iNlauzy of Asliland, th(,' light having taken place in that town; and though it was a ti-ridble wound the dor-tor exjjressed his opinion that if the patient could be kept perfectly still there would be a chance for his recovery. The Indians then in town wanted to take him home the same evening, but Dr. -Mau/.y told them that In- woidd die before reaching town, although the distance was only about two miles.

"Tlie next morning, however, the Indians came in great numbers and demanded that he should be taken immediately. Of course no resistance was iiuuh', and Captain Dixon was put on a sled and was last seen going at a pretty lively gait over the rough muddy road. The journey was acomi)lished in good time, but upon reaching the wigwam of the captain it was found that he was stiff and cold in death, and his ])lood and brains were bespattered all over the sled. Yet so far as public sentiment was concerned, even among the Indians, there was but little loss.

"About the same time ]\Iiss Thorpe, the wife of the captain, in a fit of despondency left her Indian home and walked down to the Alississinewa River, half a mile distant, to a place called Hog Back. This romantic spot is caused by a long detour of the river inclosing several hunch-ed acres of land, then coming round with a long sweep, and, in connection with Grant Creek, is within 100 feet of its waters above. Above these two parts of the river is a rugged hill, probably about eighty feet high and the same thickness and running several hundred feet. Here j\Iiss Thorpe, the captive Indian white woman, paused a few moments and then deliberately plunged into the blue waters of the Mississinewa River and was seen no more alive."

Gradcway liiuuly (Indian name) - was a(lo])t(Ml into a trilje of ^lianiis al)OUt ]S4(). The account of this adoption, talccn luaiidy from the ivminiscciicrs of .Jacoh 1). Cassatt, is as follows: Jt lias always been a custom among the ^Jiamis, as among othci- Indian uations, ui)on the (h^ath or loss of children which threatens the extinction of the family to adopt another into the household. Now Allolah, the iilack Raccoon, without childi-eii of his own, married a s(piaw who was the mother of a son hy a formei- marriage. According to the usages of the tribe, a man man'ying an Jndian wonuni with a child or chihlren accepted the latter as his own, entitled to all the rights of descendants l)y blood. Hut in the coui-se of time tUi.s adopted .son and heir of his own race met a violent death, and Allolah was again left childless.

A proper time having elapsed after that event, a selection was made as a sul)stitute for the deceased in the person of Bondie, Bondy or lUindy. as the case may he.

When ('hief Allolah had decided that the time had come to have this selection fornudly approved, he gave notice of his inirpose to the head nmn of the tribe in the viciinty. Then iireparation began on an extensive scale. A Ijcef from the woods was kilh'd weighing 1,800 pounds, and after it was dressed, it was cut into large; pieces, ]nit into great kettles and boiled. Afti-rward the meat was cut into snuUl piec(^s ami piled on blaid^ets si)read ujion the ground for the purpose, prei)aratory to th(^ coming feast.

At the ai)pointed hour a distant rund)ling was heard in every direction, as of many hoi'ses in rapid tiight. The sounds came nearer and. with their distinctness, became moi'e fearful. Finally, at about 10 o'clock at inght a fierce yell resounded from every point of the com pass, when, as if they had come by previous concert, hulians on horseback dashed in, meeting at a desigimted si)Ot.

Soon after these numerous ai'rivals were announced, a suitable plateau was selected and the festival was inaugui-ated by tin* commencement of a gi'and dance at a late lioui' in the evening, h'irst two young squaws entered the I'ing dressed for the danci'. Tln'u came two young braves who at once joined in the movement. The dance was contiiuu'd, the nund)er of participants increasing from time to time. .Meantime a council of the head men of the tribe was in ju-ogress in the wigwam of the chief, Allolah, and at short intervals messengers were sent to inform the dancers of the progress nuide in the ])roceedings. These announcements were usually accompanietl by an eloquent speech from the bearer of the tidings, gi-eeted by acclamations of satisfaction and approval.

decision of tlie (.'Oiuic-il, upon lUciture clclilx^'ratiou, that the proposed adoption had been satisfactorily consuinmated. This announcement, especially, was luatle with a solemn tiourish, and reci-ived with extraordinajw demonstrations of joyous satisfaction l)y two of the festive throng. AVhile tlicse things were in progi'css and whenever the denuinds of appetite nuidc it necessary, the hungered ones repaired to the commissariat where the hounteous sui)ply of |)iec('S of bee)' had been piled away on the l)laidvets, and partook to their satisfaction of the luscious viands.

'IMie adoption ceremoines being completed, the congregated iiost tiled otr and depai'ted for their several liomes, well satislietl with what had taken place. Kver afterwai'd, Peter Bundy was acknowledged as the son and lieir of the great chief Allolah.