Wabash County, Indiana - Pionekr Pictures, 1914 (part 1 of 2)

Pionekr Pictures

First Elkctiox - "Prairie IIkn" Spryer than "Indiana" - Good Old IIoHSE Abi'sed - First Wheat Sown ix the County - Jestice in I>EAR Meat - A J^aw Case Wihch Trcly Paid - Patriotic Dog and Pee Scuii' - Food Prices Then and X(j\v - Storage von Vegetables - Pr.Mi'KiN Leather - Preserved Fruits and ^Ieats - Cooking Arrangements - Johnny Cake, IIoe Cake, Ash Cake and Pone - DiUEi) l-'uriT AND .ATai'le Sugar - ]-]xhibits of Pioneer Utensils - AsiiEiuEs - Primitive Tanneiues - Old-Tlme Shoemakers - The Upper Wabash in a State of Xati're - I^eautieul April Picture - Wild h'liuns and Perries - Animated Pests - ^Iode of Hunting "Wolves - Snake "1>luffers"' - A Xight of Horrors - A S(^uirrel Invasion - Tiiad ]>utler Turned Down p,v John Ivory - A I^ival Hubs It L\ - On "(iRowiNi; Old'' - Colonel Hanna's Convenient Horse. - Cissna vs. Feri^'Y - AP\.ior Fisher's (^)uesti(jnable Act - Rattled Doctor and Preacher - Not an Ivory Head - (jarfield Lost Xo Votes on Him - Alanson P. Ferry Again - The Old Town OF AVabash - Judge Jons Comstock - The Father - Jntensity, a Youthful 'J'rait - Becomes a Land Owner - Starts for Wabash

A]tli(Mi-li the Old Settlers' Society is the niediuiii throuirh which has flowed the liij.;li tide of pioneer reiiiiiiiseeiices, it would he asking too much of the he;nt\- social men and women of the ohien times to confine their talks and their papers to that one agency. It is good for the present generation and the writei's of history that their nu'llow memories should overtiow into sjieeial eelehrations, lilce the l<\)urth of Jul\-; into the local and eount\- press, into county histories, and other mediums of exchange and comiiuLnication.

At the time tlie lirst eleetion was held l)y the jieople occupying the tei-ritfM'y afterward end>raeed in the boundaries of Wahash ('()unt\-, on the .-)th of Xoveinher. 1S;!2, for the choice of electoi-s for ])i',-sidcnt and \ice piv.sidmt of the Fnitcd States, the counties of 1 1 nut iiigton and Wahash constituted the Salanioiiie Precinct which was attached to (;i'ant <'ounty fni- general purposes. The eh'ction so held in this county was at the house (d' l>ewis lingers, the ferrynum - the brick I'esidciKH' built b.\- the (I'oxci'unieiit for ha Oro, the ]\Iiaini chief, within the ])resent town by that name. The whole iniHd»ei' of votes cast was twenty-six, of whi(di the Jaek'son electors I'cceivcd fourteen and the clcidors for Henry Clay, twelve.

The cordracts for the constiaiction of the AYabash & Frie Oanal wi're let at the Treaty <iroun<is on the 4th of May, 1S;U. lv\c..pt while the Ii-isli laborei's were busy with tr(iuble-nuddng, the work ])rogressed satisfactoril\- until its completion to Wabasli in the spring of ISMT. The water was tii'st let in to test the embankmeids and enable the nuinagers to ascertain and stoji leakages. Boats had bi'cn launched fai'ther up the line, and they only awaite(l the orders (d" the chi(d' engiui'er and his assistants to be put in motion and ])ass down the newly const I'ucted channel.

The tirst boat entered Wabasli on the 4th of duly, 1S37. It had been jn-eviously arranged that ('aptadn Dana CJobunbia, a jolly and burly old boatnmn. long after known along the line as Hail (Hale) (Columbia, with his boat, the Indiana, should be the lirst to luiter ; but Captain Ed Patchin, with his boat, the Prairie Hen, either by some ti'i* k or because his (4ii(4\en was lighter and moi'e licet than the other, got the start and was the first l)oat and crt-w to land at the ^vharf in ^Yabash.

"The event," says Mr. Ferry, "ended by a ball, and it has been wliispered that the potions on the occasion wei-e mixed with something stronger tlian wati'f. l)ut the known habits of boatmen of that pi'rioil bciny: to take th.'irs straifrht, throws discredit upon the statement. In view of what the canal did foi- the early prosi)erity of this ])art of the country, tli0S(? of our citi/cns who wciv here at the coiiiiiicnei'nirnt of the work, but while it was the only avenue thi'ouj^di which oui' eoiiuucn-ial and social cf)iiiinunion were cai-ried on with the outside world, f(dt no eoiunu^n re|,'ret when thry saw it permitted to <,'o out of I'epair and linally cease to bo us.'d. A feeling' erept ov<'r them, as tiiouj^di the canal had been a sensible entity: that it had been ill treated, like a ^^ood horse worn out by honest and faithful woi'k, turned out on tlu' commons in old a<;v to starve. Hut in this faster ap' no one has time for sentiment. The ditch is dry, as well as the eyes that could have wept over it."

Amonpr the early ju'oducts of the farms in AVal)ash County, that of wheat was not the most extensive, since corn was the jn-incipal crop, as well as the most lucrative. Indeed, for some years, an impression gained \er\- fi'eueral credi'uce that the soil of this locality was not es])ecially adapted to the j^rowth of wheat. Experience, howevi'i', soon dispelled the idea by establishing the fact that it could be raised successfully.

The lii'st wheat sown in the county and harvested was by Dexter F.rooks, in the fall of lS;5(i, after the county had become (piite extensively set lied, in oi-dei' to jjrocure the si'cd Air. Brooks went to Whitt' County witli a team ct)nsisting of three yoke of oxen, and uj)on arriving there foiuid it necessary to assist the fanner, of whom he was to gi>t it, in thi'eshing out the grain, which, of course, was the occasion of some detention. In that day the condition of the roads between that county and this was such that it \vas almost as miu-h of an undertaking to go that distance ami n-turn as it would be today to make a trip to ('alifornia.

».\s has bei-n .stated, wheat would no doubt have been raised lui'e at an eai'lier date than the exjX'i'imoit of AIi'. Brooks, but foi' the comnu)nl\- accepted opinion that it would not paN', considering the cpiality of the soil and the want of inducenu'ut to produce it. An additioiuil cause, for want of attention to the matter, was found iu the meagerness of the demand for tliat article of l)read stuffs, ami the al)sence of mills lU'ovided with the necessary nuichinery foi- bolting it. The lirst mill that put in a machine for separating the bi-an from the lloui' in this county \vas I'l'ected by I\ol)ert and Alichael English on the Salamoine Kivei-, a short distance above its mo\ith, in 1840. In this mill the bolt was I'liji l)y hand, the customer tuiaiijig the crank while his grist was being ''round.

On the afternoon of the next day Fncle Anthony Kelh'r, then living in a cabin on the pi'esent site of Kich \^illey, while standing in his door obsei'ved a black object ai)proaching uhich he aftei'wartl learned was no otliei- than a huge bear. The animal j)assed by him without changing hi.s course. As soon as the old genth'iuan coidd recall his scattered senses, lie Seized his ritle and started after the wayfari'i", intent on securing the game. Judge Keller and his two sons, living near by on the hill, atti"a<'ted l)y the excitement of the Occasion, soon joined him in the chase. Jonathan ]\eller was also one of the jtarty that jiarticipated in the enterprise and did his part to make the jnirsuit intei-esting.

The bear, it seeme(l, had ti-avidi'd under the jiressure of an active purs\iit f(M- twenty-four houi's, and from force of cireumstanees was tired and considerably demoralized, ^n that condition he \\as soon treed by tiie dogs. The tree in which he sought refuge from his pursuers was sitnated near by and a little west of the canal lock known as the ^Matlock Lock'. The i)ursuing party was not far l)ehind bruin when lie i'ea<died the ol)jeetive point. I'nele Anthony was not long in .securing a satisfactory positicm wliere he could see the fugitive distinctly, and in less time than it takes to describe it, a well-directed bullet from his rille brought his -ln'arsliip down fatally woundiMl. In this condition he was immediately surrounded by the dogs, but a stroke from his heavy paw sent them into a respi'ctful distance, wholly indisposed to renew the combat. The bear, however, was finally killed, and taken to Anthony Keller's residence, where it was dressed.

Not long after, a number of Indians approached on horseback, the same party who had the previous evening taken the animal's trail. They were followed by a pack of jaded dogs, whose condition (dearly indicated theii- interest in the chase. Fncle Anthony and 'his companions, being fully convinced that the Indians, having been the pursuing party, were entitled to a large share of the booty, if not the whole of it, propo.sed to make a complete sui-reiider of their rights; hut the Indians declined to tala,' all. Aftt-r a slioi't iiitiTvicw, in which the rights of all parties were canvassed, the deail bear was (.liviileJ eciually between the iiulians and the whites - all of whom being conscions that they had acted tiie honorable i)art toward I'ach other, soon departed for their respective homes, well pleased with l)oth the excitement of the chase and the division of the spoils.

Colonel AVilliam Steele tells this one, which he entith'd "Inherent Justice": In the spring of 1836, before the days of canal boats and railroad cars, or even stage coaches in AVabash County, a nuin from one of the Xew Kngland states passed through the village of Wabash and stopped in the neighborhood of Keller's Settlement, from necessity rather than choice. He had a wife and three or iour children, with a limited supply of household eft'ects in a wagon in which he was traveling. He was very poor and had hiretl a team and wagon to convey him to Lafayette, Indiana, where he claimed to have friends and relatives. The stipulated price for the faithful i)ei'formanee of the task had been paid in advance, and all went well until the party arrived at the i)oint mentioned. There the teamster became demoralizetl ami refused to go any further, claiming that he had already more than earned the monej' he luid received for the ti-ii). It was muddy, he said, his horses were jaded and he could go no further, and would not. Finally, he unloaded the goods on the banks of the Wabash, and turned his horses' heads in the direction of the rising sun.

The husband and wife pleaded for mercy, presenting their forlorn and helpless condition; they were there in the woods without money and without friends, strangers in a strange land. But the teamster was incorrigible, refusing to hear or grant their ])etitions, but turned his back upon them and left them to their fate. The i)Oor nuin, knowing no means of escape from the perils that surrounded him and his family, was in despair, though not entii-ely without hope. Looking about him for some time, he discovered a large canoe in the river, but it was fastened to the baidv. Fei'ling that his necessities justified the proct'cding, he broke the canoe from its moorings and putting his family ami goods into it he started down the stream, proposing to make the journey by water. Soon, however, he was overhauled by the owned of the craft, arrested and taken back l)efore a country squire.

I^pon his representation of the case, Col. AVilliam Steele, the only attorney in the vicinity, volunteered to defend him. The lawyiT recited the circumstances of the case, his forlorn condition, his abandonment ill tiu- woods by the man Ik; liad paid, ref,^ardlcss of the consequences; Ids h)ve for his family and his desire to i)rot(;(tt them from impeiidiiif,' (hinj,'cr and remove them to a plaee of safety, even tliounh it were (h)iie in teehnieal violation (d" the law, no eriminaj intent beiiij,' siiown. When the facts had Ix'eii fully set forth and the merits of the case clearly presented, the symi)atliies of the court and the spectators present, were thoroughly enlisted in behalf of the prisoner, and lie was accordingly released from custotly, the papers withdrawn and no record of the proceedings entered.

Colonel Steele, ever after, in sjieaking of the case, declared the outcome to lie one of the most satisfactory experiences of his life, one of his greatest legal victories; for, although he received no money consideration, he was more than paid by manifest gratitude of his client and the sanction of his conscience that inherent justice had been done.

iMichigan, Illinois and even Indiana were cursed by "wild cat" currency, t)ut it was reserved for the Hoosier State alone to issue the wild Dog and Pup scrip. One of the old settlers who knew describes the Dog and Pup ])eriod of 1840 as follow^s: During the year 1840 the w^ork on the Wabash & Erie Canal progressed very slowly, since there was no money to pay contractors except such as arose from the sale of canal lands, an amount equaling about tw^enty-five per cent of the work done. On a settlement with the contractors, the chief engineer, Jesse L. Williams, issued the drafts to the holders of claims, one on red pajx-r for 2") ])er cent to be paid on i)resentation to the fund commissioner, which was called Red Dog, and another for the unpaid balance of 7.') ])i'r cent on white paper, which was called White Dog, to be pai^l by the fund commissioners as the land sold should furnish the means. But these AVhite Dog scrips, j\[r. Williams wanted the state to ])rovide for tlie payment of. at an eai'lier date than that prescribed. The state, however, failed to do anything in the way of relief, whereupon ]\Ir. AYilliams, to bi'tter protect the holders by giving drafts to them on more durable paper, procured a plate engraved like a bank bill, and had a quantity of bills struck on white paper, which retained the nameof White Dog and the value of which was low ; hence this Dog also became the subject of vast speculation in the hands of parties having the means and opportunity to do so. It bore interest, however, from the date of issue and was received in payment for canal lands.

louvd the of .All-. Williams. This issue was on pajtcf of a hluu tiiij.;-!'; hence its name, Hliie 1 )o^-. It was receivable also foi' canal lands, and the suh.jeet of much s|)eculation.

r.lue I'u]) was anothei- cunvncy issued in small hills hy conti-actors foi- work, material and necessities, and payable in Jihie l)o<r when i)resented at the i)ro].er oftice in sums of ^7). This. ^Mvin.i,' ehai'acti'r to issues of this class, oii,L;inated fi'om the AViKl Cat money which, in the \-ear 1>:J(J, was so jdeiitiful in Michi^-an ami pi-o\'ed so woi'thless. A dojr hei)iH- considered a vahudess thinii'. the woi'd was applied to thecanal land scrip, and the lied Don-, ]Jlue Dol.' and lihu' ]'up went into use in the .Mauiiice and Wahash valleys at accommodating' rates.

These issues of scrip, with unpaid count\- oi'ders, or more valueless city orders and the issues of suspended banks, constituted the circulating medium, in the localities where they were i-eeoeni/.ed at all, during' the ])erio(l from 1841) foi'ward, until that sjx'cies of paper went into disuse from force of circumstances.

To the man who pays from 20 cents to 'A') cents a pound for his fresh meats the thought that there was ever a time when be(d' sold for so low a ])i'ice as 2'/^. cents a pound seems incre(lil)le. I'.ut the statement has t)een Well verilied that in lSd2 hind quarters of beef sold for 2l/o cents a pound and fore (piarters for 1 - ^ cents a i)OUiid, autl the ruling price at that time for a \vhole mutton was only 50 cents. Deer saddles, composed of the hind quarters of a lU'er sold for T)!) cents. The great supply of wild game was one reason why meats were so cheap. Meat prices advanced during the Oivil \Yar until the best grades of be(d" comnumdcd as much as 15 cents a ])oun(l, but thereafter there was a notable decrease in price. It is inconceivable, in the pi'esent density of i)Oindation and vanishing of lai'ge I'anches whei'c cattle wei-e f(ji'mei-ly raised in hirge luimbers at comparatively snndl expense, that there will be a time in the future' when i)i-iees for nu'ats shall become relatividy as low as they were ill 1842.

in tlu'se days of towei-ing prices meat, even at the price prevalent fifty or twenty years ago - steaks and roasts have more than douhk'd iu that time - would be welcomed by tiie iiouseholder of today as' a gift, lie is rather skeptical of ever seeing that time again. Economic conditions support him in his gloom. His only hope for a reasonable decline in prices lies in the intensive stO(d<ing of all the world's ranges, together with an elimination of the ai-tificial factors that conti'ol the ])ric(\s of meats and other foodstulVs.

The cai'ly pioiU'iT did not luivc ccllai's uiuKt their raliins, ])ut when convenient a eave was made in a hank near the lionse and when protected hy a (h)uhh' door of shd)s at the entrance proved of great convenience in keeping fruits and vep-tahh's from freezing during the winter. Tn the absence of such a cave, cal)hage, jiotatoes. turnips, heets, I'adislies, onions and apph's when they came, were preserved hy i)iling them on the ground and covei'ing tlieiii With straw and hoai'ds, and all tliis with a lieavy coat of dii't in which a hole had heen made thi'(»ugh wliich they could he reached and tak^n out as needed, the hole hcing well ^irotected and covered with snow when a supply had lieeii taken out.

Pumpkins were dried hy two methods: One was to cut them in nari'ow I'ings and after removing the rind, these were hung on a neatly di'essed i)ole which was hung overhead in front of the fireplace, and kept there until thoroughly di-ied. The other nu-thod was to stew the pumpkin and when well dried out* in the kettle in which it was cooked, it was spread out on a hoard pi'ejjai'ed for that purpose and set u}) against something in front of the lire on the heai'th, and kept there until by turinng it over, it was dried out and juit away fov read\' use. This was called "pumpkin leather" and was very con\'enient to nibble at and take to school. The children called this their tobacco.

AVild cherrii-s, t-urrants, gooseberries, dew berries, blacklierries and rasi)berries wei'e dried and thus kept for use in cooking. Wild plums, grapes and crab-;ii)i)lcs were abiuidant and free from woi'ms and in.sects. All went into the bill of fare at the table of the pioneer. Wild deer, bear ami turkey furnished the iu'int-i[)a] sources of meat.

Sipiiri'els and wild i)igcons were i^lentiful and a i)erson used to the gun could get a mess for breakfast without going out of sight of the liouse. The deer meat would be sliced in long, small pieces and after being salted, would be sti'ung \\]) over the hearth in front of the fireplace where it would soon dry. This nuule the most toothsome and delicious dried meat, and it has been said that a jierson could not eat enough to make him sick, it was called "jerk." In smumer when too hot for fire in the tire])lace to dry the meat and a deer was killed, a ti'euch was nuuh^ in the ground and a wood tire built and when burnetl to coals the meat would be Iniuy; over tlii.s until it was thorouslily di'v. This saved salting llu' inrat and it was iiuudi better when dried than .salt(.'d.

The eookin^ was mostly done in the oj)en tireplaee w-hieh was made by futtinj:: a hole in one end of the cabin and building the lireplaee and ehiiuiiey with still' mud mixed with straw oi' grass, which was rolled out into what \\as called "cats." Tlu^ sticks whi(-h were nai'row strips i'i\-ed for that jjurpose, were covei'cd with this mortei'; and this made the stick and clay chimney of log cabin days. There was not much <langer of hre l>op])ing out anel setting the house on tire, as the floor was gciiei'ally made of dirt. liefore the crane came into use a pohi was placed in the chimney above the tire, on which were chains or hooks, and the kettles wei-c hung on thest' when cooking or heating water.

The bi-ead was made in the following manner: The corn was grated a grater and mi.xed into a dough which wa.s spread in cakes on a wide boartl which was leaneil up in front of the Are until it was cooked a brown, then turneil over and the other side cooked the same way. This was called "Jolinu}- cake."

Some who had it would take a hoe without the handle and afte)- -cleaning it well and greasing it with bear's grease, would spread the dough on this and bake it the same way. This was called "hoe cake."

S(jmetimes the dough would be rolleil in caltbage leaves or shucks of roasting ears, laid in the hot ashes and covert'd up with coals and hot ashes until thoi'oughly cookeil. This was called an "ash cake."

The best l)read, however, was nuule in the "dutch oven," or largt^ skillet which stood on three legs and had a large lu-avy iron lid. After the dough was properly mixed and seasoned with salt and lard cracklins, it was put in the oven, or skillet, and set on a bed of coals and the lid c'ovi'red with coals and hot ashes, until it was well cooked. This w^as the good old sweet jjone which our grandmothers used to bake and was most delicious.

apples in a few years. And such apples as they W(,'re ; no worms or insects in the iVuit at that eai'l}' date! Apples and iJeaches W(,'re dried by ixM'ling and (juartering them, then Ix-ing strung with needh- and thread \vere hung up over liead until dry.

Those who had sugai- eamjjs on tlieir fai'ms, tapiX'd the trees in the spring and made mola.sses and sugar for family use. The spiles were generally made ont of elder bushes and the sugar troughs, by cutting a poi)lar some eighteen inches in diameter and three feet long, which was si)lit in the center. l>y leaving the ends the center was hewn out and this was nsed to catch the water as it came from the s])iles which were ])laced in an auger hole in the tree just above. Tlie store trough was made out of a large poplar log some twenty feet long which was hewn out, lea\ing only a sliell whieh would hold several barrels of sugar water, whieli was boiled down to syrup in a furnace of two or more kettles in the sugar camp.

Some of this was kept in molasses, some when ready to grain was poured into dishes or crocks and make into cakes, and some was stirred into fine sugar which had lumps in it. And oh, how sweet they were!

Some of these i)rimitive utensils and metliods of preserving food stutfs, as also the flax break, hackle, scut<;hing knife and tlax wheel (by which the tlax was converted into threads ready for the loom) ; and the spinning wheel, re(d, winding blailes and the loom with the warping bars by means of which wool was nmde into cloth that furnished most of the clothing for the ])ioneers in early days - and even the trundle bed in which the kids slept, may be set-n at the log cabin in the City Park at AVabash.

Those who visited the World's Fair at St. Louis in 1903 and noticed tlfe Phili]i]dne exhibit met with nmny remembrances of early pioneer life in tliis c(mntr\-, and which lead one to believe that they as a people are more tlum one liuiuli'ed years Ixdiind oui- civilization.

Anothei- source of income was concentrated lye, made by burning timber, leaching the ashes and boiling this down to a solid su))Stance, called potash, as lilack as tar and veiy ))i'ittle, wliicli sold readily and was used f(jr making soa}). There was an ashei-y at Ashland in Liberty

Township, also one west of Pioiu-ci- coiiducTfd hy iH-ntlcy. The small crt'(-k whieh runs \\irvr took its name from thr fact that tliis ashery was located on its l>anks and is called the Asheiw hranch to this day.

This liark was strippetl off of the tiiuher when the sap was \ip and was about four feet long, which was corded uj) and sold to those who were running tanneries, by the cord. The bark was grouutl up by breaking it in small pieces over the v<}gc of an iron hopper in which it was ground. The hopper was fastened in a frame and was covered \vith a circular roof. A beam was jdaced in the ui)right piece and a hoi'se hitched to this, and it turned the ho|)per l)y going round and round.

The vats were nuule in the gi'ountl sonu' six feet deej), and the bottom and sides were made of plank, water tigiit. ^Vllen the hair had been removed from the hitles that were to lie tanned, they were spread in till' vats and a quantity of the gi'ound tan l)ark placed between them until the vat was tilled. Then this was kept covered with water and the ooze from the bark did the if kv\)t there the proper length of time. An ajipreiitice learning the tanner's tra<le would have to serve seven years, and then some of them were not very good tanners.

Eliliu Weesner conducted a tannery in early days at Somerset, David Painter one near Ked Bridge, Iliram Pickering one at New Holland, Chris. Brininger one at La Gro, Jacob Ritlenour one in \Val)ash and Chris Ciei'lach one at Laketon, John Comstock at Liberty ^lills. Doubtless there were others in the county. ^Vhen the clearing was pi'actically all done and the rails made tan bark became scarce, and the tanneries went out of business.

There were shoemakers in almost every neighborhood, who made the shoes, sometimes l)y taking his tools and stoi)ping at the house of his customers until he had tittetl out the entire fanuly. Jonas Lee, Charles Votaw and Jacob Staley were shoenudo'i's in Waltz Township in an early day. The i)eople furnished their own matei'ial and they did not like to send it away from home for fear they would not get their own material in their boots and shoes, and it might be used by other parties, luit when it was worked up in their presence they felt safe. Shoe pegs were ma<lG out of good sugar timber.

"It was the month of Ai)ril when I iirst saw the AVahash River. Its green hanks wt're lined with the riclu'st verdure. AVihl flowers intermingled with the tall grass that nodded in the passing hi'eeze. Nature seemed clothed in hi'r lu'iiJal rohe. Blossoms of the wild plum, hawthorn and red-hud made the air redolent. The notes of the hlaekhird and hlue-jay nnngled with the shrill cry of the king-tisher, river-gull and spei-kled loon. On the points of the ishuuls, cranes and lierons were cai'i-yiiig on piscatorial adventures among the unwary niinnies that had ventured into the coves that indented the islands. Large tiocks of Avild geesi', hrants and ducks occasionally passed overhead, or would light down into the hayou.s and hold a gi'Ueral carnival. It was rare sport for the young Ximrods of the neighliorhood to fix up their 'lilinds' around those duck ponds and hag more game than they covdd carry home at a load. Schools of fishes - salmon, hass, red-horse and pike - swam close along till' shore, catching at the hlossoms of the red-bud and plum that floati'd on the surface of the water, which was so clear that myriads of the tinny ti'ihe could be seen dai'ting hither and thither amidst the limpid element, turning u\) their silvery sides as they sped out into deeper water.

" Oooseberries and strawbei'i'ies were the hi'st gatliei'ed by the early settlei's. They were,' soon succeeded by tlie blackberries, deul)eri'ies and raspljcrrit's. whieh grew thickly in the fence corners, in the woods and in the viciinty of cleai'ings and fallen timber. In nu:»re sterile and sandy regions were to be found the hucklel)erry and whortleberry, and ill wet and mai'shy ilistricts ci'anberries grew in great abundance.

"lilack walmits, butteriuits, hickory and hazel nuts grew in great profusion throughout the AVabash country. A few persimmon bushes and ajjple trees, i)lanted no <loul)t l»y the French and Indians, were found growing near the old Indian town on the north side of the AVea Praii'ie above the mouth of Indian Creek.

"The gopher and the prairie-liawk, the wolf and the i-attlesnake, with many other ilrawbacks that surrounded and annoyi'd our early settlei-s, should be advei-ted to. Black, gray and prairie wolves were quite numerous, and in nuiny localities it was next to impossible to raise sheep and pigs until they had been hunted out. The Legislature enacted laws gi'anting a bounty on wolf scalps sufficient to stinndate a more active and thorough extermination of these noisy serenaders, who would often approach within a few rods of the cal)in and nmke night hideous with their jn-olonged howling.

"AVolf hunts were then common, in which the inhal)itants of several neighborhoods, and sometiuu-s of a whole county, took part. They were usually conducted in the following nuumei': Tlie teri'itoi'y to be hunted over was circumscribed l)y four lines, suf'liciently distant from each other to enclose tlie projxi- area. To eacli line was assigned a captain, with his subaltei-n oflieers. \\hose duty it was to propei'ly station his men along the line and at the hour agreed upon to cause them to advance in order toward the center of the arena. The lines all charged simultaneously toward the center on horseback, with dogs, guns and clubs, thus coiiipl<-te]y invest ill",' wiiatcwr f,nime was within tin; lines, and searing it from the advancing lines toward the center, where tiie excitement of the chase was greatly heightened ami the greatest eariiag.' ensued. Ofter from two to ten wolves and as man\- deer were taken in a day at these - hunts, and wild cats, foxes ami catamounts in al)uiKlance. Horses and dogs soon became fond of the sport, and seemed to enter into it with a zest suipassing that of their mastei's.

"There was another subtle and dangerous enemy to the early inhabitants the legislative enactments could not reach, and the most cautious vigilance of the settler could not guard against. The 'snakes in the grass' in all their fearful vai-ieties were excedingl^- numerous in the country. Besides the rattlesnake, viper, adder and blood-snake, there were a great many large blue and green snakes in the prairie districts, quite saucy and pugnacious, that delighted to give chase to new comers and frighten them by their hostile attitudes and convolutions. If you woidd retreat, they would chase you like a regular black racer; but if you would turn and give them battle, they v.'ould immediately retreat with all possible speed, glide otf into the grass and wait for a 'greener customer' to pass along, Avhen they would again dart out at him as if they were boa-con- h strictors determined to take their prey. These snakes were harmless, but served to put people upon their guard for their more dangerous and venomous relatives, whose i)oisonous fangs were greatly dreaded by all.

"On the night of the 12th of November, 1833, the heavens were literally tilled with Iilazing meteors darting about in every direction from the zenith to the horizon, resem})ling falling stars and presenting a sublime and terribly grand spectacle. ]\lany thought the Day of Judgment had come and that the stai's were Hying from before the face of the angel that was desc«Miding to place one foot upon the sea and the other upon the land and swear tliat 'TiuK^ can lie no longer.' Serious coiise(iuences residted to many on account of tiiis l^rilliant display of aei'ial iire-\vorks. Some fainted and fell to the earth faccording to accounts gi\cn in the newspapers), others became insane, and a few sickly and nervous individuals died of the friglit produced by tliis supernal illumination.

On Scjiteuiher 7. lIHo, Wal>ash eelehrated its diamond anniversary as the e(.uiit\- seat and a real town, as well as Old Settlers' day, and it was a ' ' (h)uhledieader " " truly. The pajjer of the day was read hy Thad hutler, the old-time editor, for years at the head of the Huntington .Moi-ning Times. lie eame to AVahash as a youth in war times. The eity was then a place of -_'.()()() people, and he relates how he got into trouhle at oiH-e hy not knowing all ahout its importance.

was aftei- dark when the train piilled in from the East, and I got off the wrong sitle of the ears. A hoy with a one-horse dray was uidt)ading some hoxes from a freight ear on an adjoining track. 1 asked him the (luestion "Which way is town.'" The tone of contempt and the reply were a sliod';. Pointing to the west he answered: 'That way. Any damn fool .ouizht to know that!' That lad was -John Ivory, a loyalhearted Irish hoy with whom I heeame hetter accpiainted later."

.Mr. r.utler's introductory reiimrks to his "Recollections" are well worth (pioting. "The hrst notification that I was to spetdv here today." he says, "came to me thi-ough the columns of my moi'c or less esteemed contem])orai'y. the Huntington Democrat, and the talented aggregation of discourteous liMihes who control that ]Mihlieatioii lined it out as follows:

" AVahash, a suhurh to the west of Huntington and a little farther west than La Oro, will ohsei've its sev.'nty-tifth annivei'sary on Seiitemher 7th in the park at that place. Wahash, in the good old days past cut some ice. and a special efl'oi-t will he nuide to induce nuuiy former residents to spend at least one day in the l)urg on the occasion of the anniversai-y celehi-ation. Thad I'utlei-, who was a power in the good old canal days, is scheduled to give an address on "Early Recollections of AVal)ash.'' They will have singing, geogi'a])hy and old-fashioned spelling, and the da\- will no douht [trove (»f much int<'rest to those who used to do things sevent\-Hve years ago.'

\vi' e;in afford to ignore the ill-inaiiiiei'eil di-ive, for, after all, '(ii'owiiig Old" is not such a heinous eriiiie, if we do it I'ight ; and all W'ahashians can l)e expected to do that.

"Your eyes may fail and your limbs grow weak, and the blood in your veins run cold; deei) lines may furrow your shrunken cheek, and your lieai't that was strong and bold may do its work with a feel)le beat; the road may weai-y you?- stumbling feet, you nuiy sigh foi' friends that you'll no more meet - but that isn't growing old.

" 'The yeai's nmy nundier foui'-score oi- more that over your head have rolled; you iiuiy hear the wash on the otiier shores of the waves that are dark and cold ; \\hile yoiu' bi'ain is keen and your soul is sti'ong. and your heart is full of a ho])eful song, you still are one of the youthful throng, and years will not nuda^ you old.

" 'When your voice is harsh and your words ai'e mean, as you sit by the fire and scold, and your mind is fat and your heart is lean, aiul your thoughts are blue with mold; when you bring to the bi'easts of the children fears, and bring to the eyes of the women tears, it is not needful to count your yeai's - all know you are growing old.' "

AVhile Thad Hutler was gracefully growing old in Wabash he was thrown in with all of its leading citizens; the early ones he knew as a boy, the latter ones as a man. bet him desei'il)e some of those he met and loved them. To this end, he says: "1 was a boy and had little intinmey with C'ohuiel llainia and liobert (.'issna, two of the mighty men of the early ilays of Wabash, but 1 I'eeollect the ("oloiu 1 as a benevolent kindly old gentleman whom we all i-espected aiul loved. i\nd these were times when the rising generation did mo.st provoking stunts with his old drivi^ig horse. The horse would be left standing, hitched to the family carriage, while the Colonel enjoyed a visit or naj) with old neighbors or friends in the stores. To (iiuetly take possession, drive away and take the girls out for a ride, was an every-day occurrance. The Colonel hit upon the expedient of taking the lines off the bridle and carrying them into the store. It inade no difference, however; the horse was gentle, strings were substituted for the lines, and the joy rides went on just the same, whetlier the Colonel visited or napped.

".Mr. Cissim was an old-time abolitioinst and A. P. Ferry, the e<litor of the Plain Dealei-, was also a ran!; republican, but they would disagree s()iiHliiii..s and it was wui'tli more than the price of a trip to Nevada wlien they joined issues and yot into a pcjlitieal serap - although their quarrels Jiever led to anything' more serious than tiie use of adjectives.

''There was another of these gi'aiid ohl })ioneers who was one of the hest fi-ieiids of m\- youth, .Major Stearns h'isher. His name is not to he spoken except with revei-enee. I never km-w of hut one (piestionahle act of his life. The Major was caught in a rain stoi-m down town without an >nnt)j'clla. rncle Dan Sayre, another of the migiity men of the period, came hy cari-ying a rain-stick. 'Why, Dan, you have my umbrella!' N(jbo(ly ever thought of questioning ^Nlajor Fisher's veracity, and Uncle Dan i)romptly turned the und)rella over with the renuirk 'Well, ^lajor, 1 knew it wasn't mine, but I didn't know it was yours.' The j\Iajor went home in the dry triumphantly, and after the storm was over returned the umbrella to ^Ir. Sayre with his compliments.

"And there was Dr. James Ford, the pioneer physician, thoroughly versed in medicine but sometimes absent-minded. The Doctor chased me to a drug store one day to have a prescription compounded, but he got the fee and the dose mi.xed and the prescription read: 'Take one (hillar I'very two hours.'

"Uncle David Thompson, preacher and miller, furnislied me with a fine theme for a newspaper joke. The milling form was D. Thompson is: Son, and Uncle David filed wdth the county clerk his certificate of a marriage he had solemnized duly signed 'D. Thompson & Son, otficiating clel-gyman.'

"No more genial and witty representative of the Ould Sod was to l)e found in the AVabash \'alley than its first and, for many years, its only drayman, Pat Ivory. Quick of repartee, he was always ready for any emergency. Pat was poor, his family was large and his domicile was not noted for lu.xuries. lie carrii'd no watch and one day a local wag asked: 'Pat, what time is it T Slapping his hand on his side, the answer came prom])tly '^Motlier of Saints, Oscar, but I've left me watch home on the pianer !'

"I would not be true to my.self were I to pa.ss tiie name of Alanson 1*. Ferry, the lirst assoeiate I had in business. Mr. Ferry was a man of t)rains, heart and conscience, and one of tlie ablest political editors I ever knew. His humor was spontaneous and clean, his logic strong, his 1-higlish forcible. He was not a publie .speakej-, but as a reader of either lirose or poetry had few etiuals. The last time I heard him was at a l''ourth of July dinner given under the trees at the old liomestead of -Mr. and Mrs. Sivey, at which the Sivey family wei-e all present and ]\Ir. and ^Irs. Ferry the guests of honor. .My wife- l)rought him a coi)y of the Declaration of Hidependence, and he read it gloriously. It was his last ])ubiic reading, as he died the next year. I still own and use the editorial arm-chair inade for him by the Wabash School Furniture Coml)any. and these lines (about Growing Old?) were penciled on its shelf. It is a constant remembrance of a nuin who lived an unseltish and cheerful life, harboring no nuilice against any citizen in the community.

"These are the nanu'S of a few of the men whose careei's alikt- honored themselves and the city. They had their faults, 'even as you and I,' but yuii may tiu-n baek the worUl on its axle of Hame and you will not liifd a Ijetter citi/.eiishii). A stui'dy, steady and cheerfid generation worthy of our honuige and renii'iiiliranee. they met and overcame the obstacles of streiuious years with maginficent courage and fortitude.

"Do you remember the Old Town - the court house that burned dowm in April, 1870; the old ^Methodist Church, where the conference was held presided over by the famous Bi.shop Simpson; the Union Ilall where l)ublic meetings were held, where we had borne entertainments and danced to the music of Hull & Arnold's orchestra, of Constantine, i\Iicliigan? Do you recollect the streets from the hill to the l)usiness district - recollU HISTORY OP WABASH COUNTY now hjeated, \vher(; the boats tied np foi' iinhjadinji; and where J)eaeon Whiteside once stopju'd a tight and picking up l)otli conil)atants threw them hodily into tli(' canals Jxeiiieinher the volunteer tire eoiui)any, with the old liand engine that did sucli effective \vork' at the lii'es and won so many prizes at the tournanunits .' liemember tlie old City I>and that attracted fully as mudi attention on account of tiie respectability of its lui'iubership as it did liecaiise of its nmsic, although most of us stand ready iaday to declare it the peer of Sousa's oi- any other band organization that e\'er t-ame down tlie pike following a drum major/ If you i'emeiid)er these eailx' da\'s ycni haven't forgotten the two Presbyterian chui'ches (afterward united in unv congregation and now so many years under the pastorate of Kev. Chai'les l^ittle), the Old School and the New, the i)astoi's of which were Kev. Browne and Ivev. Essick. Nor the girls who sang in tlieii- cliorus -

'And where Coronation exaltingly flows " 'Tried to reach the high notes on the tips of tlieir toes. " 'All. tile sweet hunum jisalms of the old-fasldoned choir " 'The (fii'l tliat sang alto, tin- (iirl that sang air!' " ..'rnv

In some respects the pei'sonality of Hon. John Comstock, originally ideiitilied witli the deve]oi)ment of Liberty .Mills, was one of the broadest and strongest of any whicli has conserved tlie well-being of AVabash County. We thertd'ore here take the occasion to dwell upon it in detail the main fai-ts of the nari'ative which di-aw i)i«'tnres of so many early phases of pioneei- life in the Waliash \'a!!ey being taken from the "History of Wabash Coinity" ])ublislied in lScS4, to which we are much indel)ted for other infoi'mation concerning these times.

The European origin of the Comstock family was Austrian. In the United States vai'ious members planted themselves as stanch New P]nglandei's, and the speidal branch from which John Comstock budded was early I'ooted in Kliode Island. He was born in that statt', at (Greenwich, February 21, 1S()2. His fathei-, also John, served in the Khode Island Legislature, and was evidently a man of consequence in the little state. AVhen John, Jr., was two years of age the family moved to Dutchess

County, N. Y., whtTL' the father invested heavily in a cotton factory. He was mined liy the rascality of partners, his wife died and his large family of children was scattered. The three younger sons were bound out to service, but John. Jr., ran away from his master and located iu the town of Lockj^ort, New York.

Tlie youth was now sixteen, weighed IGO pounds and was eager to pit himself against the world. His legal freedom having been obtained, he chopped wood, did chores around the farm, milked the cow, ate frozen lunches, went around thinly clad, fiercely economized, and, while he saved money, nearly ruined his health. Then he commenced to fight for an education with the same dogged persistency. He returned to Dutchess County and, while attending school as a preparatory step toward teaching, acted as an all-around man for one Deacon "Whiting. Having mastered the common ])raiu'hes, he attended a high school at .some distance from liome. But ineessant study, coupled with intense i)hysical work, bi'ought liim low - almost to tlie status of an invalid in body and mind. But his vitality was naturally so great that he finally recovered sufficiently to venture upon a \Yestern trip.

In the fall of 1822 John Comstock started afoot from Loekport, New York, and when he reached Bristol, Ohio, had three shillings in his pocket. This eapital he laid out in the purchase of a penknife and other essentials for teaching school, and was at once employed at a salary of -^S per month and "board 'round." He taught in that vicinity until 1828, having married two years before.

But John Comstock was an instinctive landsman, and in the winter of lfS2r)-2(] bought a quarter section of land adjoining the one on which stood tlu' sehoolho\ise wherein he taught, l^veting a cabin, he next commenced to clear his land. He chopped away moi'ning, noon and night, when not teacliing, married his wife on New Year's Day of 182G, raised a good crop of potatoes, l)0Ught more land, and so on. In the spring of 1831. in company with his bi'other AVilliam, he opened a store at Bristol, and from that time on. his career was outside tlie walls of a selioolhouse.

at less figures, he bought tlie fractional eigiity aeivs just west of the site of Lil)('i-ty ^lills, paying for the same, "in the grec^i woods," 'flO pel- acre. Next, with the enthusiastie eooperatioii of his wife, he sold all his Ohio i)roperties and in the spring of 18;;G loaded his big wagon with household goods. To this he hitched two yoke of oxen. His faithful young nuire, Kate, he hitched to a single covered wagon, into which he loaded his wife and six children. ]\Irs. Conistock, with a sixmonth babe in her ai'uis, di'ove the family rig, while tlic future .judge manag.-d tlie big wagon and the oxen. A lured man was also of the I»art\- ; he dro\-e the six cows, and did such work as clearing out roads, lifting the vehicles out of tile mutl, foraging for fuel, and other camp duties.

Twenty-seven days were consiuneil on the trij), as the party was only able to mnkv four or live miles jier day while i)assing across tlie l^lack Swam)). They reached the west bank of Eel River on June 26, ISIJG, but uj)on their arrival were disappointed to find that the house i\Ir. Comstoek had expected to Occupy was located upon the land of another and alreatly oceiiided. Thereupon he iiitched his tent beside an untinishetl cabin already eight logs in height, and, with the help of four miui, soon shaped it to accommodate the family. They threw Innish over one corner for covering and chimney. A poi'tion of the floor was laitl with puncheons. Bedsteads or bunks were fixed in the corners of the room. For the inner post to each, a stout sapling was driven into a large hole made in the floor, while in lieu of the other posts holes were bored into the logs of the wall, poles being used for bed and side rails. For a window an aperture was made through the logs at the side, and a blanket was hung for the door. Fire was then kindled upon the ground in the corner beneath the brush opening, and the family moved in. A patch of'potatoes was next planted, which yielded a heavy crop in the fall.

In August of the same year, while ]\lr. Comstoek was two miles distant from home making marsh hay, some drunken Indians of the Pottawatomie tribe, in war-paint and heads decorated with feathers, came galloping along on their ponies, causing the woods to ring with their savage yells. Indian Bill, of this party, stopped at the cabin, dismounted and entered, when casting around and seeing some l)ottles of medicine upon a shelf, he demanded of -Mrs. Comstoek some "goodentosh." Being refused, he drew his knife and brandished his tomahawk over her head, swearing lie would kill her if she did not <^i\v him "goodeiitosh. " Then she coolly told him tliat unit ss he behaved she would call "white man," and went to the door ealliiij,' loudly for .John. Tliis had the desii'cl (/Ifeet, for alt!ion«.,di John was two miles distant Indian Jiill mounted his pony and was soon lost in tlie woods. These Indians were on their way to the burial of one of their tribe who luul tieen killed in an affray about two and a half miles northeast of I.iberty Mills while they wer(' retunnng from an annuit\- pa\'ment at ]<\)i't Wayne.

Tiu' following year (1837) :\Ir. Comstoek erected a double-hewed log "" cabin, with j)orch between, the north end being used as a store room. During the same year he bought the forty acres of .Mr. :\rcBride, a portion ' of which he laid off into town lots. Then came his ventur(> into the live '' stock business.

He tirst bought a drove, of iiogs which he sold to "neighbors'' rang- ' ing as far away as thirty miles; the second drove he sold in ^Michigan ' City. This was all in 1887. In the following year he and his iK'pliew, ' Christopiier Watkins, bought and drove out a herd of cows and heifers, ^ and after supplying his neighbors found a market for the balance at -' ^Michigan City. ' **

]\rr. Coinstoek built his fir.st saw mill in the winter of 1837-38, but it had luirdly been completed before it M'as burned to the ground. But it was quickly rel)uilt and in the following winttn- he erected a grist mill. His tannery, under the supervision of a .Air. Collins, was put in operation in 1839, and in that year he also moved his store into town. In the spring of 1841 he started his carding machine, or woolen mill, its location being about five rods below the present river bridge. In the fall of the same year he erected a distillery. Quantities of corn and rye were used in this factory, and a large number of cattle and hogs were fattened from the slops.

About this time Mr. Comstoek brought from the East a large tiock of sheep, ])ut the wolves were so plentiful he was obliged to watch them day and night, although enclosed in a yard protected by a twelve-foot picket fence. As he found the pi'oject on a large scale unprofitable, he sold out his flock.

into tlie Ijusiik'ss. In ]840-r)U lie built liis new grist mill of four run of buhrs. lie tlu'ii movnd liis carding machine into his old mill building, to whic-h he addfd another carding nuichine, as well as one for dressing and fulling cloth, and this was continued in successful op(!ration until destroyed by lire in 18G6.

In the opening and construction of public highways, Mr. Comstock was always foremost. Kequiring himself a large amount of transportation, he repeatedly tried to orgainze a joint-stock i)lank road company to connect La (jro with Liberty ^Mills, the same to fork four and a quarter miles south of the last named place and run to North Manchester. But in this he failed for want of co-operation. He then made a proposition to the leading citizens of Huntington looking to the Iniilding of a plaidv road fi'om that town to Liberty j\Iills. This proi)osition being accepted in 1851, the I'oad was completed in 1854. At that time, La Cro was handling more gi'ain tlian either Wabash or Huntington. In 1852 he held the position of vice president of the Eel Kiver \^alley Railroad, but withdrew from all connection witii the enterprise and publicly exposed the corruption practiced l)y some of its managers. Nearly twenty years later (1871) he became a director of the latter enterprise, which was conipleted.

In 1851 there existed an organization of horse thieves, burglars and counterfeiters, extending from Ohio across Northern Indiana into the ]Mormon district of Illinois. ^Members of this gang plotted at various times to intercept Mi'. Comstock, AVilliam Thorne and other prosperous business men who traveled lonely routes with large sums of money on their persons. Although ]\lr. Comstock escaped personal molestation, his stoi'e was tiiudly robbed of $1,000 worth of goods, and he and his friends and relatives decided to act. Their first stej) was to organize a private detective service, tlie members of which were jNIr. Comstock, William and Isaac Thorne, John J. Shaubert (!\Ir. Comstock 's son-inlaw) and his three sons, Thomas, Henry and William Shaubert. In less than one year this self-constituted detective committee learned the names of more than two hundred of that band of evildoers, several of whom Avere well known characters living in this vicinity. In a short time the Wabash County force sent to state's prison a neighbor's son for breaking into Mr. Comstock 's store, a professed minister who planned tlu' l)urglary, two liorscthicvcs and a countt-riViti-r. Two other noted characters bai-ely escaped i)risoii walls - the one by forfeiting his bond, the other by a fatal accident, just before the time set for his trial. After a few other anvsts had been made, quite a number of men of former good rei)ute in the conniuinity settled their affairs and left hurriedly for parts unknown. The Comstoek-Thorne-Shauliert Detective Agency was a gi'cat success.

At one tiuK' Judge Comstock (as he was usually known) was the owner of more than 1,000 acres of land, l)Ut sold from time to time until oidy (iOO of -it reuuiined. In July, ISd!), he sold his mills and watcr-i)0wer privileges to C. T. Danks & Company, giving thereafter increased attention to his live stock interests.

Jn politics a whig, up to the organization of the ri'i)ublican party, he \vas ever eaiiiest and active in suppoi-t of the party of his choice, and ti'ansferred hi.s faithful allegiance to the latter body. In politics, as in all other affairs in which he participated, Judge Comstock 's natural leadership came promptly to the surface. In Ajjril, 1834, while residing in \Va\-ne County, Ohio, he was elected a justice of tiie peace in a township which was largely democratic. This position he resigned at leaving tlie state, and for several years after coming to Indiana served as i)0stmaster. In June, llS4(i, he was ai)i)ointe(l couunissioner for the Northern District of AVabash County to hll out the unexpired term of iVilliam Johnson. In the fall of that year he was elected probate judge, serving tiius until the ol'lice was al)olished in August, 1852, thus ac(iuii'iiig the legitimate title of judge.

In isr)8-51) Judge Comstock served his county as representative in the state legislature. Dui'ing tlu' dark earlier days of the Civil war he gave evidt'uce of his loyalty in many Avays, being among those well-todo i)a1 riots who turned o\-er to tlie ( lovemmt-nt, at tlie solicitation of Oliver P. ^lorton, the war governor, all his available ])rivate fortune in su])port of the I'nion, in order to add to the fund necessary to carry on the state govei'inneiit and to arm and equip its soldiers for the field. At that stage of the war, there was no assurance tluit any money loaned to state or nation would ever be returned, as the results of the coullict were extremely doubtful.

Judge Comstock was a pioneer in agri(-ultural matters in Wabash County, and did more tiian any other man to improve its stock of tine cattle. lie was one of tlie organizers of the Wabasli County Fair, tilling for several years the oftiee of director, and from its first session ill ]S52 - then located between the Wabasii River and the canal - he largrly patronized this institution hy exhihitions of his line stock. About 184::! he bought of Jacob Stevt-n.s, living four mil.-.s noi'th of Liberty Willis, tive liead of thorouglibred short-hoi'iis. But they proved frail. shortJived creatures and for a time disappointed his li()j)es of improving his hei'd. The summer of 1854 was very dry, cutting short the pasturage, wlh/n he drove 120 head of native steers to Toledo, thence siiipping them by rail to New York City, lie there sold them at $27 i)er head" paying out of that sum a commission of .+2 per head for selling. He said: "1 eould have stood this better, had I not .seen a Dutchman in one corm-r of the stock-yard surrounded by Jews, who wei'e trying to buy his old barren short-horn cow for less than .tiJO, whicii they finally paid him." This was one of the first steps in the establishment of the meat trade of the "West," which for a generation has Ix-eii planted in the IMississippi Valley, instead of in the Valley of the Wabash.

Soon after his return from the East, Judge Comstock l)ought a number of short-horns in the southern part of Indiana, and a cow each from lion. James D. Conner of Wabash and Judge Stuart of Logansport. lie afterward added to his stock from such herds as those of Jerry Duncan, J. A. Golf, Van Meter, Geoi-ge W. Bedford and William Warfield, of Kentucky ; Ira S. Adams, of New York, and M. H. Cochran, of Compton, Canada. He not only aided the people of his own county and state in the improvement of their stock, but helped to enrich the ^ blood of many herds throughout the Union. In time he became one of the leading dealers of fine cattle in the country, and his annual sales were largely attended by buyers of blooded cattle from all sections of the United States.

By reason of his large and varied interests, Judge Comstock was compelled to employ a large number of laborers. From about 1840 to 18G0 (especially up to 1850) numy farmers each fall come in to husk corn and do other work by which to o])tain winter outfits for themselves and families. To Judge Comstock this class never applied in vain. Indeed, the needy of both town and country, when desiring woi-k from him at any .sca.soii of the year, were given eniployiiient at fair eash wages. Xo one has jirohaMy ever lived in the eoiiiit>- who lias heen ]Hlj)fnl to so many of its j)eo])le in so many ways as .iudgc (.'(jiiistoi-k. When tile energetic, lieli)ful, kindly and generous citizen was therefore iii'st stricken with paral\sis, in the spring of 1871), it sei-ined like an impending misfortune which would overshadow hundreds of homes. It was inconeeivahle that any one could take his iilaee, either as a guarantor of the necessities of life or as a good and trustv friend.

Judge Comstock rallied from the slight paralytic stroke of the si)ring and seemed to enjoy better health during the coming summer than for sevei'al i)revious years. But on the uuu'uing of Septemiier 80, 1871), he complained of a i)aiu in his shotdder, at the same time objecting to the api)lication of any liniment, fearing that the trouble might be thereby driven to his heart. Finally, however, he allowed it to be applied, was quite cheerful during the day, walked out among his stock, read his I5ible and talked freely with his daughter Anna who was then visiting him. At 4 o'clock, while sitting in his old arm chair conversing, his premonition of the morning was verified and the pains of the earlier day clutched his heart. In a moment he was unconscious, and ht^ expired while being borne to a settee in the arms of his daughter Sarah and his grandson, Harry t'omstock. On the 3d of Octol>er his honored remains were laid in Greenwood Cemetei'v - a beautiful plat of ground taken from his own estate west of Liberty ^lills - his wife lying upon one side and his son John on the other.

There were seven children in the Comstock family. Three of the four sons died before their father, two of them having entered the miuistj-y. The mother died about a year l)efore hei- husband, on August 18, 1S78.

Origixal ("rkative Act - I'xii'xdakik.s Corimx'tkd - Lkcisf^ative Attacii- Mi:xT - (;i\Kx lxi>Ei'i:xr)KXT C'niL lionv - First Corx'i'v Uittckr.s - J^-rAiii.i>iiiX(; TIM-: Si-:ai' ok .Ir.-Tici-: - I'i^h-ositiox from Colonels iJiiiii AXi) IIaxxa - Kiiis'i' -AIketlxg of the Cofxtv Board - Wabash, TiJE Cofnty Seat - La (Iro axd Noble Towxshifs Formed - The Old (.'ofrt House - Historic Lixcolx Calendar - Court House of Today - The Old County Jail - Fre--ext -Jail and Sheriff's Resi-

ToR> - Sheriffs - Survevors - Recorders - Coroners (for the Past TiHRTV-Fi\E Years) - Board of County Commissioners - Present County Officers.

Tlie tivatiL'S with the I'ottawatouiit'S and ]Miamis siyned October 16 and 23, 182)1, indicated tht' willin^iies.s of the Indians who still claimed laiul in AValjasii County to make way for the civil ovih'i- of tlie whites^ and, within a few years tliei-eafter this willingness had develoix'd into eagerness. The red man was doomed to he displaced liy the stroiig(n* race and he longed to leave Ijcliiiul him all his hiuuiliations, altiiough his migration to the far western wilds carried with it the grief of parting from Ins old-time haunts along the beautiful valley of tlie A'abash aiul its tributary streams. P>y the early '30s, although all the Indian titles had not been cleared, the end was so ])lain that civil government approached "Wabash County and the white settlers continually increased in nund.)er, with or without titles to the land upon wliicli tliey located.

The father of the ])olitieal ])ody known as AVabash County was the legislative act approved February 2, 1832, "Estal)lishing the counties of Huntington, AVabash and ^liami." The provision which most closely concerns us is Section 2, as follows: '"That all tliat district of country included in the i'ollowiiij^' houinlai'ifS shall fcjrni and constitute a new county to be known liercaftci- by llic name of the county of Wabash, to-\vit : l)eu-iniiin^' at the southeast coi'iier of Section o, in Township iMj north, in K'ange S east, on the noi'thern lioundai-\- of (ii'ant Countythence west sixteen miles; theiuM' noi'tli twent\--foui' miles with the western boundary of JIuntington County; thence east witli tlie township line to the noi'tlieast corner of Section ."), in Towiishij) 2I» north; thence south tweiity-foui- miles to the i»laee of beuinniny. " The tei'ritory formini: Wabash and Miami counties was taken from Huntington, to which county they renmiiied attached for legislative and judicial purposes.

Shortly after the passage of the act, the Indiana legislators found that the boundaries of the new counties had bet'u so indetinitely defined that another measure had to be i)assed correcting the defect. So on January ;](>, is:]'.], they ti'ied again. So far as Waba.sli County is concerned the second and tinal act read as follows: "Section I. Jie it eiuieted by the Genei'al .Vssembly of the State of Indiana, That the boundaries of the county of Wabash be and they are hereby changed and established as follows, to-wit : ])eg-inni]ig at tlu- northeast corner of Section 5 in Townshii) '2') north, in Kange 8 east, on the northern boinidary of the county of (Jrant, being tlu^ southwest corner of Huntington CJounty, running thence west sixteen miles; thence noi-th twenty-four )niles; thence east with the tf)wnship line bi'tween Townships 2!) and 'M) noi'th sixteen miles, to the northwest coi-ner of Huntington County; thence south twenty-four miles with the ^\-estern boundary of said cou)ity to the place of beginning."

Several weeks before the boundaries had been thus corrected - Januai-y 7, 18)33 - -AVabash County was attached to the Eighth Judicial Circuit, and by an act approved on the following day l)ecame a part of the Sixth Congressiomd District. The latter includ(Ml the counties of liartholomew, Johnson, Shelby, Hancock, Hamilton, Mai'ion, ^Moi'gan, l>oone, Heiidi'icks, AFoin'Oe, iMadison, Cass, ]^Iiami an<I AVabash. }iy the act of Januaiy 2, 1834, for st-natorial puri)oses Wabash County was attached to the <listrict composed of the counties of Allen, Huntington, Elkhart, La Grange, St. Josi'ph ami La Porte.

"Section 1. Be it enacted by the (ieiiei'al AssiMubly of the State of Indiana, That from and after the 1st day of -March next the county of Wabash shall enjoy all tlie riy:hts and jurisdiction which to separate and indeiK'udent counties do or may pi'operly belong'.

"Section 2. That Ciles Smith of Crant County, Daniel Worth of Randolph County, Jesse Carter of Clinton County, liai'tholomew Applegate of Johnson County, and Thouuis Watson of Tii)pccanoe County, be and they are hereby ai)pointed conuiiissioners for the purpose of fixing the pernuiuent seat of justice of the said county of Wabash, agreeably to the provisions of 'an act to estal)lish the seats of justice in the new counties,' approved January 21, 1821. The connnissioners above named, or a nuijority of them, shall convene at the house of David liurr, in said county, on the third day of May next, or so soon thereafter as a majority of them shall agree upon.

"Section 3. It shall be the duty of the sheriff of Huntington County to notify tlie commissioners al)ove named, either in person or in writing, of their appointment and the place appointed for them to convene; and the board doing county business shall allow a reasoimble compensation for services out of the moneys in the treasuiy of the said county of Wabash.

"Section 1. Circuit and other courts of said county shall be held at the house of David liurr, or at any other j)lace in said county wlun-e said courts may adjourn, until suitable accounnodatious can be furnished at the seat of justice thereof, after which the' courts shall be held at the county seat.

"Section 5. The agent who shall be appointed to superint(.'nd the sale of lots at the county seat of said county of Wabash shall reserve lU per cent out of all donations to said county, and shall pay the same over to such ])erson or persons as shall Ix; authorized to receive the same for the use of a county librai-y for said county.

"Section G. The board doing county business of said county, when elected and qualitied, nuiy hold si)ecial sessions not exceeding three the first year after the organization of said county, and shall appoint a lister and make all other necessary appointments, and do and perfoi'in all other business which might have been necessary to be jx-rformed at any

"Sfction 7. Tlie county of Wabash shall be attached to the Eiglith Judicial Circuit of the State for Judicial i)ui'poses,. to the county of Huntington for J\epresentative pur])oses, and be included in the Fifth Congressional District. This act to take effeet and be in force from and after its publieation iu the Indiana fJoui-nal. Tlie county boundarii-s heretofore established Ijy the aiueinlatory act of January 'SO, 1833, were recognized as prescribing the correct liuuts of Wabasli County, tliough not in tlie final act expressly mentioned."

As the Legislatui'e had proclaimed that after ]Marcli 1, 1835, the county of AVabasli should enjoy all the rights common to other counties its citizens at once proceeded to elect officers. The result of the vote was the choice of the following: Daniel Jackson and Daniel Ballinger, associate judges of the AVahash Circuit Court; AVilliam Steele, clerk; Stearns Fisher, Levi Bean and Alpheus Blackmail, county commissioners. William Johnson, the acting sheriff, had l)een previously commissioned by the governor to hold that office until his successor should be chosen at the general election in the following August.

To carry out Section 2 of the organic act, the commissioners named to locate the county seat met at tlie house of David Burr, on I\Iay 18. 1836. After tliey had organized they proceeded to Imsiness under these provisions of tlie 1824 act for establishing "seats of justice in new coiinties": "It shall be the duty of said commissioners, or any three or more of them, to convene at sueh time and place in sucli new county as the General Assembly shall appoint, and being first sworn to discharge the duties assigned them by this act, they shall proceed to fix on the most eligible and convenient place for the permanent seat of justice of such new county, taking into view the extent thereof, the quality of the land and the prospect of future, as well as present population, together with the probability of future divisions; and it shall be the further duty of the said commissioners to receive donations in land from any person or persons owning land in such county and oifering donations for the use of the same - and to hx on such place for the seat of justice in such new county as near as may be to that position whi<'h is likely to be central and permanent, after future divisions, as may best sub-

Serve the iiitei'e.st.s of sueli ec)iint\'. The said eouiiiiissioiiei's shall inquire aiid aseei'tain whether any land on wliieh they may be inclined to fix the Seat of justice can be ol)tained by donation or l)y purchase at a suitable i»rice, sullici/'nt in quantity and suital)le in ({ualit}^ and situation for the site of a town; antl if such (luantity of land cainiot be obtairicd hy donation or by pui-chase at a reasonable ])rire, tlieii they shall lix on the next most elinibl,. phiee wlieiv sueh hiiid can be pi'ocui'cd as aforesaid ; and tlie said eommissioiiers shall take a l)oiid or bonds of any person or ])ersoiis jii-oposin^' {o give or sell any smdi land, pa\-able to the IJoaru of County ( 'onnuissioners and their successors in office, and conditioned for the eon\eyance of such tract or tracts of land so given or sold, to sueh j)ersons as the county connuissioners shall appoint as agent to reeei\-e the same, which bond oi' bonds the said couuuissioners shall deliver to the county commissionci's together with a {dan and correct report of their proceedings, containing a particular descrii)tion of the land so selected. Avhich shall be considered the i)ernuinent seat of justice for such county."

Al)0ut a year previous to this meeting of the county seat commissioners Colonel P)urr and Colonel IIanna had laid out the Town of AVabash, and jiow submitted the following i)roposition, which ajtpeared to have been the only one seriously considered:

'-\Vi', the undersigned, David lUirr and Hugh Hanna, of the county of Wabash, in the State of Indiana, for and in consideration of the seat of justice of the county aforesaid being established in the town of AVabash, in said county, hereby covenant and agree to build and erect a suitable bi'ick courthouse in the public s(iuare of said town, forty feel S(iuare, furnished throughout in good, plain, workuumlike numner, with l)ench and bar for court and jury, steeple, ball and spire ; the building to be completed, except plastering, within four years from and after the 1st of November next, and be of value not less than three thousand dollars; to give, also, for a co\uity library, the sum of three hundred dollars, payable in ainiual instaliuents of one hundred dollars each, the first instal meiit to be jtaid on the 1st day of .March, 1837; also one and a half acres of land in some suitable place for a graveyard on II, on which the town of Waba.sh stands, to be selected by said liurr and IIanna: also two lots in the town plat for seminary jjurposes; and also two other lots to be granted, one to each of any two religious denominations which shall within three yi'ars erect a frame or bi'ick building on the sanu> of not less dimensions than thirty by twenty feet; also the accompanying subscript ion for the saiiic piicposc. aiiioimt iii^' 1(j $r)4r), is ollVi-fd in addition to our i)roi)o.sal, which will be .snllicicnt to complete the public buildings.

The fii'st meeting of the Board of County Conunissionei'S was held at Colonel liurr's house, Juiie 15, 183.5. The couunissioners were sworn in by the special sheritf, William Johnson - Stearns Fisher, for the three-\eai- term ; Levi iiean, two years, and Alpheus Blackman, one year. Sheritf Johnson also preseiited his conunission from the governor. William Steele a]>peare(l before tlie boai'd and i)resented his commission as clerk of the Circuit ('ourt of Wabash County for the term of seven years from ^lay 2S. 1835; also his bond, with sureties, with a cei-titicate showing that it had l)een approved by the associate judges and that he had been duly sworn into otiice June 11 th.

Tile board thm api)ointed Isaac Thomas county agent, and Hugh ITanfia treasurei' of Waljash (.'ounty, and acce{ited the I'cport of the county-seat conunission of May 23d tixiug the seat of justice at the Town of Wabash in accord with the proposals submitted by Colonel Burr and Colonel Ilaniui.

A second session of tlie Board of County Couunissioners was held in the afternoon of June 15tli, at tlie house of Connnissioner Jilacknuui, Stearns J^'isher presiding. The county was dividi^l into three commissioners' districts and into the townships of i^a Cro and Noble, the latter being named in honor of "James Nolile, late senator of the United

States." The division was the raiifi:e line clivi(lin<,' Ranges 6 and 7, all of the county east being La Gro Townsliij) and that lying west, Noble Township.

La Gro Township - Constables, Robert Hurley and James Wiley; overseers of the poor, J. Galahan and A. II. Keller ; inspector of elections, A. II. Keller; fence viewers, William U. Cadwell and Jolm Ilarter ; supei'- visoi's, flames Dai'row (District No. 1) and Daniel Hallinger (No. 2). An election was directed to be held at the house of Jacob Shappell, July 8, IH'Ai), for two justices of the peace, Sheriff Johnson to give the necessary notice.

Noble Township - Constables, Thomas Burton and Vincent Ilooten; insix'ctor of elections, Daniel Jackson ; overseers of the poor, D. Burr and II. Ilanna; supervisors, S. F. ,McLane (District No. 3) and James 11. Keller (No. 4) ; fence viewers, Joiu\s Carter and Bradley Williams. An election was ordered to be held in Noble Town.ship, at the house of David Burr, on the 8th of July, 1885, for the purpose of electing three justices of the peace - two for Noble Township and one for the Town of Wabash.

Colonels Burr and Ilanna lived up to their contract with the Board of County Commissioners and the brick courthouse, as proposed by tliem to the county seat commissioners, was substantially ready for occupancy in the fall of 1839. The ui)per story was appropriated to the use of a court rootn. At first the lower story was divided into rooms for the comity offices, but were afterward abandoned for a time and remodeled. The old courthouse was occupied until April 14, 1870, when it was destroyed by fire. This was five years after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The courts were afterward held in the Presbyterian Church on the opposite side of the street, east of the PulJic Square.

On Saturday morning April 15, 1865, as Elijah Ilackleman, then clerk of the AVabash Circuit Court, was changing the card in his calendar hanging on the wall, a caller made the startling announcement that Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated the day before. Mr. Ilackleman was just in the act of taking from its place the card bearing the date April 14th, but the announcement was so appalling that the card dropped from liis trembliug fiiifrcrs back into place, and the cali-ndar was left unchanged, bearing on its face, "Friday, April 14, 1865." l^pon recovering from the shock Mr. llacklemaii mentally di'tennined that the calendar should renuiin a.s a momeiito of that dire historic event, lie therefore imnu'diately procured another for the oftice, and made the followiiiLT note upon the calendar which had. in a way, become sacred: ("April - Saturtlay, 15, 18G5, 0:30 A. ill.) I have just this moment received the news that President Lincoln was shot last night at AYashington, and dii'(l this inorning. "

Tlie oKl calendar remained as ]Mr. Ilackleman had left it on the sorrowful morning until April 14, 1S70, when the court house was destroyed by tire. The precious calendar was given u]) for lost, but was found in tlif ruins intact. Sand to tlie di-pth of a foot had been jilaced on the .second floor, as a safeguard from tire, but the tiames had burned oft' the ends of the sleepers that sui)ported the sanded Hoor, and the whole mass had been precipitated into a common ruin. The calendar, however, had been buried and protected by the sand, and there was scarcely a mark of fire upon it.

When the present court house was completed, the notable calendar was Jilaced in position on the south side of the midtlle door of clerk's oflice, the first object likely to attract the eye upon entering it from the east. This calendar commemorates the two important events.

The decade after the Civil war was a period of hard times for AVabash County, and it was not until 1877 that its citizens really took a decisive step in the nuitter. A. P. Ferry, editor of the Plain Dealer, well descril)ed the situation leading up to the building of the new courthouse and the difficulties attending its completion in his Fourth of July address of 18T9, after the Rubicon had been crossed. He put it thus: "After the county had paid her war and railroad delits, it was thought best by some that the tax-payers should have a rest, although the need of a courthouse was universally acknowledged. This reasoning commended itself to Avell to the judgment of our County Board that the initiatory steps were postponed from time to time until a special meeting of the board held in April, 1877, although the inconvenience of the old offices and court room, and above all the danger of the destruction of valuable records, made the cpiestion of action or non-action one of gi'eat gravity. On one side was some ti)uincial exhaustion and alleged but ovei'(;stiimited j)vd)lic distress; on, the other hand, the danger of lo.ss to the owners of real estate, which, if sustained, could scarcely be repaired. Finally, the coiiuiiissioiifr.s became eoiiviiieed tliat loiioer delay involved a possible loss greater than the exi)ense of a eoui-thonse. and they decided to build one. Jt soon became ajjpaivnt that it was the i)id)lic wisli that, while a very e\])ensive Imilding would not be tolerated, a lionse should be built of respectable appearance and ami)le dimensions, cond)ining all the nujdern imi)ro\ements and conveniences; one that would do no diseivdit to a comity confessedly as wealthy and intelligi'jit as ours.

'-The county board is entitled to great credit for the eareful attention, i)atient labor and deliberation bestowed njion this important matter. Some i)ei-sons Were for a ccnisidei'able time unable to see any merit in the plan adopted. Hut it is characteristic of American citizens to subndt to what they cannot legally change, and soon there was very genei'al acquiescence. Thei-e were s(jme, however, inclined to make general war, and the conunissioiiers wei'e foi' a time nuide tlie subject of censijrious remai'k and satirical criticism. The architecture was made the tlu'iiu' of more than one merry jibe and the wliole structure was ealletl a Sweat Jiox. Hut the board and the arehiteet seemed content to biile their time, and long before tlie comi)letion of the work the solid and substantial eliaracter of the material, the excellent taste numifested more and more as new members were added to the structure, and their adaptai)ility to eaeli other and to the use intended, soon disarmed all opposition and put an ciul to unfriendly comment. From being a subject of merriment ami editoi'ial sarcasm, if any fault could be found with the substance of po{)ular renuirk the praise was too fulsome ; for, though the building is a beautiful one and creditable as a work of art, it does not, as some seem to believe, stand at the head of architectural excellence; yet, dviubth'ss, few courthouses condnning so much that is Ijcautiful and useful have been built anywliere for so little mone}'. "

The courthouse, the merits of which luive been so fairly described by .Mr. Ft-rrs', is still in use, and serves its purposes well, it was not entii'ely completed until in the summer of 1880. The contractors, .Messrs. L. 6: (iahlc, linished the Ijuilding at the specitied price of $75,400, its general dimensions on the ground being 94 by 111 feet. The superintending architects were 15. V. Fnos & Son. "When the bills of the architci'ls, pluiidicrs, furniture men, tixture firms ami those engaged in the impi'()Vcmt-nt of the grounds were added to the lirst cost, they brought the total up to nearly $95,000.

As is custoiiuir\- in every new comnninity - and perhaps in every old - provision had to be nuule for the conhnement of offenders against the law before accommodations could be pi'ovided for their trial in an official t)uilding called a courthouse. At a meeting of the County Board hehl July 8, 1835, notice was given calling for proposals to construct a county jail. This was to be of logs, with a foundation stone wall three feet thick three feet high, one foot above the ground, "that portion al)OVe the surface to l)e hammer-dressed." The plan also i)rovided for two stories, the one itnniediately above the foundation to be of timber squaring one foot, the corners dovetailed; the upper story also to l)e of timber one foot thick and twelve inches wide or over, making one room eighteen feet square inside, with ceiling of timl)er of the same dimensions as the outer walls.

The order reciuired that the work be connnenced on the 20th of August, 1835, ami completed on or before the 20th of December of the same year. On these conditions the contract was let to Samnel McClure, tlu'u of (ii'ant County, Colonel Hugh ITanna, county agent, acting as siiperintendL'iit of construction. Both the Colonel ami Mr. IMcClure sawthat the jail was completed according to coiUract, and it "held tight" until ISol. when it was destroyed by tire. An insani- man started the blaze, and came very near being consumed in it, as while the Hanies were lapping it up he was raging around inside, striking his lists together and swearing he would thrash any man who said he did not start the fire.

A second jail was built in 1853, which served its purposes for over a quarter of a century, when the citizens con.sidered the time had come that tile sheriff should reside at his official headquarters. Toward the close of 1879 the County Board prepared plans for a combined jail and sheriff's residence and invited proposals for the construction of such a building. On the 27th of January, 1880, the contract was awarded to L. S. Wilson, his bid being $18,415. This sura included the material of the old jail, valued at $218.50. As in the ease of the courthouse, the preparation for construction was immediately commenced, building material procured, and the foundation laid on the site selected opposite the courthouse on the south side of the street. The jail is of stone, "with interior finish of iron," and the adjoining sheriff's residence of substantial Ijrick. Total cost, $20,486.

The provisions for the care of the poor of AVa])ash County are commensurate with the intelligence and advancement of its citizens. In the earlier years such matters were mainly managed by overseers of the poor, t+ie Board of County Connnissioners appointing two for each township. Various state statutes, notably those passed by the Legislatures of 1831, 1843 and 1852, defined their duties. They were to keei) records of tho.se to their respective townships who were unable to care for themselves and were worthy subjects of relief. They were further authorized to apprentice all poor children whose parents were dead or unable to support them. ^lales could be thus "bound out" to the age of twenty-one, females until they reached the age of eighteen.

The general provisions governing the duties of these overseers were as follows: "It shall be the duty of the overseers of the poor, every year, to cause all poor persons who have been or shall become a pultlic charge, to be farmed out on contracts to be made on the first Monday

"Provided, nothing herein eontainetl shall i)rohibit any overseers of tlie poor from receiving and accepting proi)ositions at any time for the keeping of such poor and others who may at any time thereafter become a county charge.

"Provided, however, that the Board of County Commissioners of the several counties in this State may, in their discretion, allow and pay to poor persons who may become chargeable as paupers, who are of mature years and of sound mind and who, from their general character will probably be benefitted thereby, such annual allowance as will be equal to the charge of their maintenance, by employing the lowest bidder to keep them, the said commissioners taking the usual amount of charges in like cases, as the rule in making such allowance.

' ' Provided, however, that the overseers of the poor, in no case, shall farm out any pauper under the age of twenty-one years, if a male, or, if a female, under the age of eighteen years, if such overseers of the poor can possibly bind out as apprentices any such paupers."

For many years succeeding the organization of the county the farming-out system was generally adopted by the commissioners of Wabash County. Eventually, tliis necessitated tl)e purchase of a county farm and the enction of buildings thereon.

The farm selected for this purpose, being the southeast quarter of Section 3G, Township 28 North and of Range 6 east, containing 152 acres, was leased in 1853 for five years. At the expiration of the lease, August 3d, 1858, it was purcliased from George E. Gordon. Both the farm and bmldings have been enlarged to keep pace with the increasing demands. Since 1853 the Asylum for the Poor has been under the management of superintendents, a list of whom is as follows: George A. Wellman, John Enyeart, John L. Gamble, AVilliam Asher Gray, William A. Riclia:-ds, Joseph 11. Bantham and Erwin Thomp.son.

As the population of AVabash County has not increased more than two thousand in tlie last thirty years, it is but natural that the cost of maintaining its poor has varied but little. In 1879 the expenditures on that account amounted to $5,771 and in 1881 to $5,254. The report of the county auditor for 1913 shows the following items: Township poor expense, $3,405.93; superintendent poor farm, salary and maintenance, $3,682.97. Total $7,088.90. For 1913, the poor farm receipts

The townships of Wabash County are offshoots or divisions of the original Nohle and La Gro, created as we have seen, at th(; second session of the first meeting of the Board of County Commissioners, June 15, 1835. From Noble were created Pleasant, AValtz and Paw Paw, and from La Gro, Chester and Liberty.

Pleasant Township was formed in :\Iay, 1836, by the Board of County Commissioners who struck off from the north end of Noljle Township a tract of country nine miles north and south, and eight miles east and west. Township officers were appointed and in the following June a justice of the peace elected. Thus Pleasant Township perfected its civil organization.

In ^lay, 1841, the board ordered that another block of territory, eight miles east and west by six north and south, should be lopped from the south end of Noble. To this was given the name of Waltz, in memory of the gallant soldier, Lieut. Frederick Waltz, who was killed at the battle of the ]\Iississinewa, just over the line, in 1812.

But Noble Township was still considered much too large and Pleasant Township somewhat bulky. Consequently at the December term of the Board of County Conunissioners in 1872, the three southern tiers of sections were talvcn from Pleasant Township and the three northern, from Noble Township, to form Paw Paw. The township thus created was eiglit miles long east and west, and six miles wide, north and south. But this decision did not satisfy the Southerners, and in June, 1873, the southern tier of sections comprising eight square miles was reunited to Nol;le, leaving Paw Paw to consist of forty square miles, the smallest towiLship in the county.

With this readjustment, Nol)le Township also assumed its present area - nine miles north and south and eight east and west, or seventytwo square miles; besides about twelve sections over the line between Ranges 6 and 7, south of the Wabash.

The final movement of 1872 by which Paw Paw Township was created was the tardy outcome of a proposition advanced as early as 1856. At the December term of the board in that year a petition was presented by Elihu Garrison and others for a new township to be taken from Pleasant and Noble. But so many petitions for the creation of new townships came in at about the same time that the county commissioners

The various changes through which the eastern part of the county, comprising the townships of La Gro, Chester and Liberty, assumed their present forms, is thus explained : In June, 1835, when the county was divided into Noble and La Gro townships, the latter had a straight eastern line twentv-four miles in length. The corner now shown as having l)een taken out of the northeastern part of Chester Township was so taken after the creation of Wabash County. It belongs (two square )niles) to AVhitley County and, it is to be presumed, was added to the latter at its formation, which took place after the erecting of Chester Townsliip in 1830.

Ill May, \H''>iJ, Chester Townsliip was created by taking a northern traet fi'om La Gro Townshij), eight miles square, and Liberty was formed from a southern block of the same area, leaving La Gro eleven nules from north to south and eight miles from east to west.

At the June term, 1846, the County Board directed that the line of Libei'ty and La Gro townsliips should be the line between townships 26 and 27, thus cutting off two miles from the north of Liberty and attaehing them to La Gro. Thereby, Liberty Township assumed its j)resent foi'm - eight miles, east and west, atul six miles, north and south.

Later, the line between Noble and La (iro townships was changed, to the advantage of the foniiei", and a mile was sliced from Northern La Gro and attached to Southern Chester. Still later, Noble S(.'cured another portion of La (Jro's territory, making between twelve and thirteen sections altogetlier.

La Gro is thus left witli about eighty-live sections, containing not fai" fi'om the same area as Noble and nineteen sections more than Chester.

The (h'tailed history'of the townshi[)s, political and otherwise, will be found in succeetling ehai)ters, the present purpose being to show the oi'der and manner of theii- creation as civil units of the county.

SlierilTs: William -lohnston (ai>pointed by the governor to assist in oi-gaiiizatioii of the county), served until general election, August, 1835; Jusiah L. Wynes elected, but ivsigiied and Jacob D. Cassatt appointed to till vacancy; .Air. Cassatt eleeted in 1836, but resigned and Alphi-us Blaekman appointed; Jonatluin R. Cox, elected in 1837 - left the eounty, and AVilliam Dickerson appointed; .Air. Dickerson, 1839-41; William Steele, Jr.. 1841-45; AVilliam Caldwell, 1845, died in office, and Oliver P. Murphy appointed; Hugh M. Stephenson, 1848-51; Benjamin Pauling; 1851-55; Aloses Scott, 1855-59; Mason I. Thomas, 1859-63; James M. Furrow, 1863-67; Capt. John M. McKahan, 1867-71; George J. Stephenson, 1871-75; Harvey F. AV^oods, 1875-79; Asa S. Ross, 1879-83; Bossier AValter, 1883-87; Howard Squires, 1887-91; AVilliam T. Williams, 1891-95; Daniel V>. McKahan, 1895-99; Charles E. Stewart, 1899-04; Sanford C. .Martin, 1904-07; George AV. Freenum, 1908-11 ; John Niccnm, 1912-13; AVilliam II. Coble, 1914 -

History Op Avaba8I1 County 167

Coiiiity OlTiccrs: Hon. Alfrtnl II. IMuiiuiifr, Jud-^'e Wabasii Circuit Court, \Va))asli ; Aaron Man(,h'll)auni, prosecuting attorney, Wabasli ; L. A. Baljer, joint senator, Wabash and Fulton counties, Roanu; Joliu Isenl)arger, repi-esentative, North ^lanehester; Daniel Showalter, auditor, Wabash; James Showalter, deputy auditor, Wabash; N. P. Laveiigood, treasui'er, Wabash; Elsie Oberg, deputy treasurer, Wal)ash ; Ellis Bloomer, clerk, Wabash; William Zeller, dei)uty clerk, Wabash; William Coble, slierilf, Wabash; Allen Swihart, deputy sherilf, Wal)ash ; Alvah A, Garber, recorder, Wabash; j\Iona Edwards, deputy recorder, Wabash; Robert K. Devricks, superintendent of schools, Wabash ; William. Gochenour, surveyor, Wabash; John W. Wilson, coroner, Laketon; Homer Iloovei-, tleputy coroner, Wa]>ash ; A. N. Mc(."racken, county attorney, Wabash; Joe Cowgill, county assessor, Wabash; Ceo. A. Yopst, court reporter, Wabash ; Jesse Parke, custodian of courthouse, AVabash ; Ervin Thompson, suix-rintendent poor farm, Wabash ; Dr. G. M. LaSelle, health connnissioner, Wabash; Isaac Hoover, county road superintendent, North ]\Iancliester.

TiiRKsiHXG ^LvciiLXE - FiRsT IIav 1'ress - Early Kaising of Hogs - ^Markets axd Prices - Other Live Stock, Pew - IIard Journeys ro -Mill - Canal Brixgs Farmer Better Days - -The Useful Ellsworths - DlLVWHACKS to SETTLING THE Ul'FER WaBASH StATUS OF

LocK'AL 'I'hex - Farmers of Wabash Cocnty Organize - First Fair, with Outcome - Lmfrovements Noted in 1854 - Wabash as A Packixc; Cexter - Cokx axd AVheat ix 18,37 - Progress of the Society - Pi;esext Stati's - Corn, Oats and Wheat (1!)14) - Fora(;e Crops - Livi; Stock - ]'\\rms and Laxds Classifh:!) - Tax Pavers AXD Theik' Property - Some ( 'ompaiusoxs from the Past - Popul^ATlOX OF COLXTV BY DecADES.

hi tile lii-st chapter of this histoi-y, wliich ch-als with the physical features of the county, it lias been shown how the soil of the Upper Wal)asli \'alley is well adaptecUto tlie raisiii;^' of grains and, especially tiiis section of it, adiiiii-ahly fitted for the i-aisiuf^' of live stoek. Hut when the settlers from the l<'.ast had t)vereoiiie tlieir [)i'eeoneeived notion that prairie soils were weak and valueless, as compared to tliose which Ijoi't' hca\'y j^rowths of timjjer, tlu- gi'ead tide of iui}.;ration eonunenced to flow into such states as Illinois, Iowa and Xi'braska. The result has been that within the inemoi-y of the later generation of residents, the nuunifaetures of Wahash County have developcMl with nnieh more rapidity than the agricultural or the pastoi-al. hut, although its interests connected with the i-aising of coriL wheat and oats, or horses and cattle, are no longer of national niomt'iit, the\' are still impoi'tant soui-ces of revenue and decided soui'ces of satisfaction to the home communities.

For many years in the early times Indiana was the banner state in the raising of eorn, the poor man's crop, but Illinois now raises twice as many bushels. Its crop of that cereal is still enormous, and of its 200,000,000 bushels aniuudly drawn from the soil Wabash County contributes about two million bushels.