Whitley County, Indiana - The whole text, 1907 (part 11 of 28)

Elza Roberts, one of the pupils at the old red schoolhouse near by. became a soldier in the war of the rebellion, but died in the service and his body was brought back and buried in this cemetery.

On Saturday, May 24. 1856. Flora Catharine Maring, daughter of Leonard S. Maring, died, aged eight years and one month. The parents decided to bury their child on the home farm for the present and perhaps in the future the remains could be removed to a more desirable spot. Accordinglv. after a funeral service at the old family residence, on a beautiful spring Sabbath morning, conducted by Rev. Keplinger, she was buried in what was then a corner of the woods. Jackson Ihrig dug the grave and this was the beginning of Evergreen cemetery on section 18. Soon after, James Dun fee and several others were buried there and it was decided to make the place a permanent burial ground, and Air. Maring and Minard Lefever each deeded to the public one-half acre of ground for that purpose. Some bodies were removed from other places and re-interred there and the city of the dead has steadily grown until it now contains several hundred graves.

Four soldiers of the war of 181 2 were buried in Evergreen cemetery. They are. John Ihrig. who died April 19. 1867, Zephaniah Bell, died March 29. 1876, Philip Maring, died September 17, 1879. and David

Many years ago, Anderson Smith laid off a plat of ground near the northwest corner of section 15, and donated it for a public cemetery. A child of Mr. Smith is said to have been the first person buried there, which was the beginning of what is known as Sand Bank cemetery. Among the pioneers buried there may be mentioned : James Broxon. Thomas Kemp, Rev. Hezekiah Maddox, John Saures, John Robinett, Henry Londt, Oliver Smith, etc.

Thomas Kemp was one of the early settlers of Jefferson township, and in his time was quite a character. He served a term as township trustee and in 1873 he was the township assessor and land appraiser. In politics he was a strong Democrat and in religious faith he was an ardent Universalist. Mr. Kemp died in August, 1880.

Rev. Hezekiah Maddox was another noted character in the early history of Jefferson township. He was a minister of the New Light Christian church and conducted a large number of funerals in the surrounding country. He died in March, 1890.

For some years after the first settlement of the township, it was customary for the settlers occasionally to engage in a wolf or fox hunt, sometimes called a circle hunt, in which a certain territory would be surrounded and at a designated hour all would march to the center, the lines being under the charge of captains. All game that was driven in would be corralled in an open field and then the fun would begin. The last hunt of this kind in Jefferson township was on Saturday. February 8, 1873. When the lines came together near the center of the township in a field, it was discovered that only one fox was in the enclosure and the fun was of short duration, as some one threw a club at the fox which struck it on the head and killed it instantly.

On Wednesday, February 1, 1854, some of the settlers residing in the southeastern part of Whitley county, in conjunction with those living in the adjoining parts of Huntington and Allen counties, engaged in a wolf hunt which had a very sad ending. James M. Hatfield, now of Huntington, and who as a small boy was living near the termination of the hunt at the time, wrote an interesting account of the incident on the fiftieth anniversary of its occurrence, which was published in the Huntington Herald of February 6, 1904. Through the kindness of Mr. Hatfield, I am permitted to copy the article, which is in part as follows :

Fifty years ago the pioneers of the northeastern portion of Huntington county, the southeastern part of Whitley county and the adjoining parts of Allen county, engaged in a wolf drive in the hope of exterminating that pestiferous creature.

Considerably more than a township in area was surrounded by lines of sturdy backwoodsmen, each armed with a trusty rifle, who carefully advanced to the center of the encircled territory, making every effort to drive in such game as then abounded in that thinly populated district. Late in the afternoon the lines of hunters concentrated about a small tract of prairie and woodland some little distance south of the Wabash & Erie canal, not far from Aboite creek. Within the lines were seven or eight deer and a few wolves and foxes. Excitement became great as the opportunity offered to get a shot at the game thus enclosed, the deer seeming to attract the greatest interest. Men would shoot into the ring at the game without taking notice of the fact that scores of others were just beyond in the range of the bullet being fired, and the danger was increased by the fact that "buck ague" made poor shots of excellent marksmen, so great was the excitement prevailing". Occasionally a deer would fall and then a score of hunters would claim the honor of bringing it down. At one time knives were being drawn by some of the excited ones with the purpose of enforcing their claims in their assertions of ownership in a slaughtered deer, when nearby from the midst of a number of friends there rang out the sharp report of a pistol and one of those friends sank to to the earth with a bullet in his brain. The deer was forgotten and all gave attention to the unfortunate man, but help was unavailing, as the spirit of Andrew Scott took its flight but a few hours later. The pistol was being examined by a friend of the owner, who could not use it on account of something being wrong with the mechanism, when, without warning, it was discharged with deadly effect. The unfortunate turn of matters put an end to the wolf drive and it is nut known that a single wolf was killed, but those driven in were permitted to escape. Few of those pioneer hunters are left to tell the story of that day's sport and sad ending. So far as known Albert Hatfield, the C. & E. caller, is the only one of them living in this city. The next morning, on putting his hand in a side pocket of his coat. he brought out a flattened bullet which had struck some object and with spent force had fallen unobserved into the place where found. Many of those present never forgot to the last hour of life the sensation produced by whistling bullets coming all too close for comfort.

But a few rods away from the scene of the occurrence here related is the battle ground, on the banks of the Aboite river, where, years before, a band of Indians completely exterminated an armed force of whites. Less than a mile from this place of carnage, just north of the traction line, stands the old brick mansion of Ben Ruffner, who was a king among his fellows half a century ago, and whose home was the wonder of the hardy backwoodsmen of that day. The artificial waterway which permitted well laden boats to sweep past his dour-yard from spring until fall, has long since fallen into disuse and in its place the traction car flies at rapid speed, propelled by a power then unknown.

The pioneer of fifty years ago conquered the forest and planted homes for succeeding generations in places seemingly for all time the abiding place of the wolf. His unerring rifle brought down the last of the fleet-footed deer, ami the generations are wondering whether the stories told of that animal's presence are based upon facts, or whether some wild dream has been taken for history. Ml honor to the few remaining sons of toil of those clays and their comrades who have fallen along the way. Those of us now living and our successors will long owe them a debt of gratitude not easily paid.

up, as Mr. Rea was living at that time and was doubtless very sensitive at any mention of the matter, although the shooting was purely accidental and he was wholly without fault in the matter. Mr. Rea is now dead and it is said that the accident cast a gloom over his life and for more than fifty years he was unable to forget the terrible tragedy. Mr. Scott and Mr. Rea were neighbors at the time, the former lived on the farm now owned by Joseph Maddox in section 14, and Mr. Rea on the farm now owned by Samuel Gipe in section 22.

The pistol was the property of James G. Dyer, who, being unable to make it work, had handed it to Mr. Rea who was examining it when it was discharged with such fatal effect. Mathew Custer, yet living, helped carry the wounded man to a nearby house and afterwards he was taken to the home of John Smith, Mr. Scott's father-inlaw, near the Broxon corners and he was buried in the cemetery near by. Mr. Scott's widow, now the wife of John \Y. Grace, is living at Andrews, Indiana.

Raccoon Village

Raccoon Village, which is prominently identified with the earlv history of Jefferson township, was located in the southeast corner of the township, on the north bank of the Wabash & Erie canal, and originally consisted of a brick house with two rooms and a number of log cabins, all erected by the government for the occupation of the Indians. The place was named in honor of the Chief Raccoon, who occupied the brick house referred to. After the advent of the white people, the land was sold, and the brick house passed into the hands of Jesse Vermilyea. By him it was rented to different parties, Thomas McGlaughlin being the occupant in 1843. It was built squarely on the count}- line, one room being in Whitley county and the other in Allen county. It is said that many years ago, a wedding took place in the brick house, the ceremony being performed by a justice of the peace by the name of Hamilton who held a commission in Allen county. During the progress of the ceremony, which was commenced in the west room, it was observed that the justice had no jurisdiction there, so the party adjourned to the east room, in Allen county, where the matrimonial knot was legally tied. When the canal was built, this place became a landing, to which the farmers hauled their produce for shipment, anil spring usually found immense piles of logs and w< i' >d here, ready for transportation. The place was also a favorite resort for idlers, and here, on a pleasant Sunday in summer, a crowd of men and boys would generally be found, smoking, discussing the topics of the day, watching the deer on the prairie t< 1 the south, or waiting for a packet boat to glide by. The last canal boat passed the place in 1879, the brick house was long since torn down and time has obliterated every trace of the historic village. In 1901 the Fort Wayne & Southwestern Traction Company completed an electric railway which occupies the site of the old canal. During the summer and fall of 1906. a gravel pit was opened on the site of Raccoon Village, which revealed the fact that Indians at one time used it as a burying ground, and a number of skeletons ami trinkets were found.

About 1840 Thomas Washburn and some of the early business men of Columbia City petitioned the legislature to build a state road from Columbia City to Raccoon Village, as that was the nearest point to reach the canal in going from Columbia City to Fort Wayne and other eastern points, and in shipping goods to stock their stores. Accordingly, the road was ordered built and Lot S. Bayless. was appointed commissioner, Richard Knisely, surveyor, and Octavius Phelps was one of the axmen. The road was completed in August, 1843. and extended in a northwesterly direction from Raccoon Village to Columbia City and was known as the "Raccoon Road." When the Pennsylvania Railroad was built, the Raccoon road gradually lost its usefulness and all that part which passed through Jefferson township has been vacated and the roads placed on the section lines. From a point in Union township, near the home of Adam Yagel, to Columbia City, the road is still in use.

Public Highways

Jefferson township is now pretty well supplied with public roads and, unlike many other townships, they are nearly all on the section lines, one of the principal exceptions being the eastern part of the Illinois road that passes through the northern part of the township. Another exception is the road that formerly extended along the north side of the canal through section 34. After the electric railway was built along the site of the canal, the wagon road was re-established a short distance north of the former site.

The main roads running east and west through the township are the "Illinois" n >ad. the "Liberty Mills" road and the "Fairchild" road. The latter extends through the middle of the township, and was first opened by Moses Fairchild as has been previously stated.

One of the main roads passing north and south through the township is the one running parallel with the west line of the township and one mile east of said line and is known as the "Columbia City and Roanoke" road.

About the only by-road still in use is the one that passes east and west through section 18. This road was opened in an early day by the first settlers on the section and has been kept up ever since and is at the present time nearly all graveled. For many years it was traveled almost as much as any main road, as nearly all the travel from the village of Forest and vicinity to Columbia City was over this road to the main road known as the Columbia City and Roanoke road, as the roads west and north through Washington township were through almost impenetrable swamps and at many times during the year were impassable. However, the road is not likely to be abandoned as there are three permanent farm residences and a church and cemetery situated thereon and United States Mail route No. 5. from Columbia City, passes over this road.

The legislature of 1881 changed the road law and created the office of road superintendent, said officer to have charge oi the roads in the entire township. At the April election, 1882, John W. McNabb was elected mad superintendent for Jefferson township. He served only one year when

Saw-Mills

In 1852 the first saw-mill in the township was built by Daniel German on the Illinois road. On the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, Mr. German entered the Union service, in which he lost an arm. Returning home, he settled on the northwest corner of section 9, on the farm now owned by James B. Crowel, and afterward served his township as assessor. He took a great interest in potato culture and originated a number of new varieties.

In the early days of the township, Lot Bayless's saw-mill in Allen county supplied most of the settlers with the little lumber required, but as time rolled on, the great wealth of the timber gave rise to numerous saw-mills. The German mill was after a' few years moved a short distance eastward and was purchased by Robbins & Frantz. In 1881 it was torn down and moved to the southern part of the township by the above named firm, where it was in operation many years.

The second saw-mill in the township was built by Bayless & Brother, in 1856, in the -eastern part of the township on the Liberty Mills road. This mill, with a "corn cracker" added, continued in operation until i860, when it was destroyed by fire. It was immediately rebuilt and again burned in 1869. It was again rebuilt and in 1S76 was removed to Michigan.

In 1868 a circular saw-mill was built by Martin L. Stevens on the Illinois road on section 6. This mill was afterwards purchased by Lewis Gross and after the building of the "Nickel Plate" Railroad, in 1881, was moved to the town of Peabody in Washington township.

In 1867 a shingle factory was built just south of the village of Forest, by Miller & Baker. In 1871 a stave machine was added which was sold in 1876 and the building enlarged to make room for planing machinery. The mill was afterward destroyed by fire but the shingle mill was rebuilt and operated for several years.

In 1873 Sowers & Morrolf erected a saw-mill on the southwest corner of section 16. The boiler in this mill was blown up on March 4, 1875, and some of the employes severely injured but no one killed. In the fall of 1875, Oliver J. Crowel purchased an interest in the mill and later secured the entire property, which he afterward sold to George W. Shipley, who operated the same until 1902, when he- sold out to Shoda «x Barger, who are the present owners of the mill, which is in operation only a part of the time. On April 16, 1894, the boiler in this mill was again blown up and Ami Hively was killed.

In 1876, Young & Metzler erected a sawmill at Forest at a cost of three thousand dollars. The next year a flouring mill was put in operation in connection with the sawmill, which was run for several years, but both mills ceased operation many years ag-o.

Soon after the building of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, a saw-mill was built at the town of Dun fee on the Allen county line, in section i. by William Walker, who soon after sold out to Pence & Hughes. The mill did an active business for several years.

In 1872 a saw-mill was erected on section 5, on the Columbia City and Roanoke road, by Boltz & France, which was operated for several years and in 1880 was moved about two miles north in Union township, where it remained several years and was then moved out of the county.

In 1884 Giddings, Knowlton & Bond purchased a large tract of land in the southeast part of the township and put up a large mill, and while the timber was being manufactured into lumber cjuite a village sprung up and a large number of men were employed. After the timber was consumed, the land was sold and the mills removed to other fields of usefulness.

In 1889 a saw-mill was established at Raber Station, on the Nickel Plate Railroad, which was operated by different firms for about twelve years.

About 1886 a saw-mill was established by Taylor Brothers on the "Nickel Plate" Railroad two miles east of the town of Raber, where it was in 'operation a year or two, then moved to the Taylor farm in section 10, but soon after was sold and moved out of the township.

A saw-mill and feed-grinder has been in operation for a number of years in the eastern part of the township by William Pressler, and several portable mills have operated in the township during the last fifteen years, and the greater part of the lumber that is

From the above brief history of the sawmills that have been in operation in the township since the first settlement, it will be seen that the timber that once stood in Jefferson township was of almost inestimable value, and it is freely asserted that the said timber would to-day be worth more than the land upon which it stood, with all the improvements, for besides the lumber manufactured by these mills, millions of feet of logs have been shipped out of the township to Columbia City, Fort Wayne, Huntington, Roanoke, etc., and to other mills in the' surrounding country outside of the township, and it must also be remembered that a great amount of valuable timber was made into fence rails and burned in log heaps.

Postal Affairs

In the early days of the settlement of Jefferson township, the postal facilities enjoyed by the settlers were in keeping with the existing order of things, the nearest postoffices being Fort Wayne and Roanoke and the postage on a letter was from fifteen to twenty-five cents. But as the settlers increased in numbers, they began to demand some improvement in this respect and after considerable agitation, their efforts were rewarded and two postoffices established in the township on the Liberty Mills road and a weekly mail service followed for many years.

the office at his farm residence. The other office was named "Laud." was established June 2j, 1855, and was located in the "Maring's settlement." Thomas Neal was the first postmaster and kept the office at his farm residence on the southwest corner of section 19, on the farm now owned by Frederi :k Brock. The mail was carried first from Fort Wayne to Liberty Mills, the carrier making' the trip on Friday of each week and returning on Saturday. Afterward the route was changed and started from Aboite .Station on the Wabash Railroad in Allen count}'.

Mr. Jeffries served as postmaster at Saturn for about three years and was followed by James T. Bayless, Eli Hatfield and James Broxon. Mr. Broxon held the office from 1867 until April 20, 1895. when he resigned and Marcus N. Aker was appointed and held the office until rural free delivery was established and the office was abolished November 15, 1900.

Mr. Neal served as postmaster at Laud until the election of Abraham Lincoln in i860, when he resigned. Being an ardent Democrat, he would not serve under Republican rule, so he was succeeded by Christian Bechtel. who moved the office to his residence across the road from the former location, in \\ ashington township, and in connection with the postoffice he conducted a harness and repair shop.

Thomas Xeal was quite a character in the early history of Jefferson township and besides his term as postmaster, he served as one- of the board of trustees and also a term as county commissioner for the third district.

and Marion G. Wright was appointed to succeed him. Mr. Wright moved the office to his drug store in the village of Forest, about one mile north of the original location. Mr. Wright served about one year when he resigned and sold his business to his brother-in-law, William Metzler, who. being a Democrat, was not eligible to be appointed postmaster at that time and the office was given to Mr. Metzler's clerk, Edward E. Phelps. Mr. Phelps held the office about one year when he resigned and James W. Burwell became postmaster. Mr. Burwell served the people faithfully and well until Grover Cleveland was elevated to the presidential chair, March 4, 1885, when the principle of "to the victors belong the spoils" was carried out, Mr. Burwell removed and the office given to Perry Long. Mr. Long served until the spring of 1888. when he sold his business to Messrs. Deems & Raber and Jacob C. Raber became postmaster. Mr. Raber served until the administration was reversed by the election of Harrison and L. L. Kimmel became postmaster in July, 1889. The office remained in Mr. Kimmel's charge until the summer of 1893, when, the Democratic party having again been restored to power, the office changed hands and J. C. Raber was again postmaster. Mr. Raber served until the return of Republican rule by the election of McKinley in rSq6. and the administration of the postoffice was again changed and Mr. Kimmel resumed charge for a second time and served until he sold his business in the spring of 1901, when he resigned the postoffice and ( ici irge W. Kelsey was appointed postmaster and served until the office was discontinued February 28. 1903.

The mail was carried to Laud first from Fort Wayne and afterward from Aboite Station until 1879, when a tri-weekly route was established from Columbia City and Joseph Yontz was the carrier. This continued until the "Nickel Plate" Railroad was built. The Columbia City route was discontinued in 1883 and a daily mail was established from Peabody Station. In 1890, this was changed and the mail was carried from Raber Station until the establishment 1 if rural route No. 6, from Columbia City, March 1, 1902.

In the spring of 1883, a petition was circulated asking for the establishment of a postoffice at Raber Station on the "Nickel Plate" Railroad. The petition was granted the office was established and Samuel Clark was appointed the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Thomas J- Berry, who served until his death, July 30, 1901, when William Bogner was appointed as his successor and conducted the office until it was discontinued, March 31, 1902.

Soon after the building of the Xew York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad a postoffice was established at Dunfee Station on the count}' line, five miles east of Raber postoffice, and George M. Singer was appointed postmaster and served until he was murdered by unknown persons on the night of September 16. 1895. Perry Gaff was temporarily deputized to take charge of the postoffice, and settled up the Singer estate as administrator, and on November 21. 1895, William McWhirter was appointed postmaster and is holding the office at the present time, and "Dunfee" is the only postoffice in Jefferson township to-day.

well served by rural free delivery, there being three routes from Columbia Citv and two from Roanoke that cover territory in the township, besides a route from Fort Wayne that covers a portion of the county line road on the east side of the township.

Political Matters

Jefferson township has always been pretty evenly divided politically. At the first presidential election after the organization of the Republican party, in 1856, the Democrats carried the township by a majority of eleven votes, while four vears later, in i860, Lincoln had a plurality of nine votes over Douglas, but there were twelve votes cast for Breckenridge, Southern Democrat, at this election. Of the thirteen presidential elections from 1856 to 1904, the Democrats have carried eight, at an average plurality of fifteen, while the Republicans have carried the township five times, at an average plurality of ten votes. The largest Democratic plurality was in 1864, of thirty-eight, and the largest Republican plurality was in 1872, when Grant had a plurality of twentyfive votes over Greeley, but at this election there were four votes cast for O'Connor, straight-out Democrat. At the last presidential election, in 1904, Roosevelt had thirteen more votes than Parker; in 1888, Cleveland had two more votes than Harrison and in 1802. Harrison had six more votes than Cleveland: in 1900. McKinley had one more vote than Bryan in the ti iwnship.

When the township was first organized, in 1845, the law provided for a board of three trustees and from that date to 1859 a number of citizens of the township served in that capacity, among whom may be mentioned : Latham Blee, Leonard S. Maring, Chancy Hadley, Thomas Neal, Samuel Braden, William M. Gillespie, Abram J. Gillespie, William Callison, etc. When the new law, providing for one trustee, became operative in 1859, David Allen Quick was elected trustee on the first Monday in April of that year and served one year. He was succeeded by Chancy Hadley, who was elected in i860 and re-elected in 1861, but he resigned in March, 1862, and Abbott Green was appointed to fill the vacancy. Mr. Green was elected in April, 1862, and served one year. Thomas Kemp was elected trustee in 1863 and re-elected in 1864, 1865 and 1866, serving in all four years. George Jeffries was elected in 1867 and served one year and was succeeded by Otho Clark, who was selected at the April election in 1868, but the law was changed, fixing the term of the township trustee at two years and providing that the election of township officers should be at the regular state election in October. At the election of the second Tuesday in October, 1870, William Bell was elected trustee, defeating Otho Clark, who was a candidate fof re-election, by a majority of one vote. Mr. Bell served two years and was succeeded by Frederick Brock, who was re-elected in 1874 and served four years. Henry Vogely was selected trustee in October. 187O, but the law was again changed and provided for the election of township officers on the first Monday in April. Mr. Vogely was re-elected in April. 1878. and served four years lacking six months. At the April election in 1880, James Jeffries was elected trustee and served about one year when he resigned and John L. Mc- Laughlin was appointed and after serving about one year was succeeded by Levi Ebersole. Mr. Ebersole served two years and was succeeded by Joseph B. Plnmmer, who held the office two years when he turned it over to James W. Burwell. Air. Burwell was succeeded by Albert Bush, who held the office two years and four months. Harvey Beard was elected trustee on the first Monday in April, 1890, but there had been another change in the law which provided that the township trustee should hold his office four years, beginning on the first Monday in August following his election in April. Mr. Beard held the office until the spring of 1894. when he resigned and William Schoenauer was appointed to fill the vacancy. At this time the law was changed again and provided for the election of township officers at the regular state election in November. William G. Bowman was elected trustee on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 1894, and took charge of the township business on the first Monday in August. 1895. Mr. Bowman resigned his office in 1899, and Thomas J. Smith was appointed as his successor. About this time another change in the law provided that the township trustees and assessors should hold over until the general election in November, 1900. Owing to ill health, Mr. Smith resigned as trustee early in 1900 and Oliver J. Crowel was appointed as his successor. At the regular election in November, 1900, Louis W. Dunfee was elected trustee and held the office four years and was succeeded by Oliver J. Crowel. who was elected in November, 1904, and is the trustee of the township at this writing and is the twenty-first trustee of Jefferson township since the spring of 1859, when the law providing for one trustee for each township was adopted.

Of the assessors that have served the township during the past forty years, the following is believed to be a correct list : William McLaughlin. Daniel German, Levi W. Bell, Thomas Kemp, Joseph Clark, John McLaughlin, Samuel Kaufman, Henry Vogely, Arthur Gillespie, James L. B. Ferrell. Jacob H. Ihrig. James M. Sbroyer and W. S. Howenstine.

Of the persons who have held the office of justice of the peace of Jefferson township may be mentioned : Leonard S. Maring, Octavius Phelps. William Bell, James Broxon, Isaac C. Dickerson, Robert L. Pence, Israel Biers, Jacob H. Ihrig, Jacob Bowman, Harvey F. Connor, Roland P. Jackson, Thomas D. Watson and Anderson L. Hasty. The township is entitled to two justices of the peace, but for several years there has only been one as it is difficult to get any one to serve the people in that capacity. A number of persons have been elected justice of the peace for the township but have failed to qualify.

The following citizens of Jefferson township have been elected to a county office: County commissioner, Thomas Neal ; county recorder, David A. Quick, 1866; R. Frank Raber, 1898; John Richards, coroner, 1874; Joseph Clark, treasurer. 1878; Manford D. Yontz. auditor, 1882; John W. McNabb, sheriff, 1890; Richard H. Maring, clerk of the court, 1894; Morton A. Gillespie, surveyor, 1896; Oscar T. Shinbecker, surveyor. 1900; Newton F. Watson, joint representative, 1904. and Robert Connor, member of the county advisory board, 1906.

Educational Facilities

Sixty years ago, when the people of Whitley count}- were struggling to clear up their farms and at the same time keep the wolf from the door, the educational advantages enjoyed by the children were few and meager. The education the}- did secure was principally acquired during a two or three months' winter term of school in a house that corresponded in ever)- way to the order of things in that early day, and in the case of the stronger minded youth was often dug out at home by the light of hickory bark or tallow candle. Yet these disadvantages were largely balanced by the strength of mind and self-reliance that they tended to impart, and it was under such circumstances that a large number of eminent men of the country acquired their early educatii in.

as the settlements demanded, the work being done largely by the settlers without compensation. Very little public money was to be had and usually the teachers were employed by subscription. After the township became more generally settled, it became necessary to rearrange the location of the schoolhouses, and finally the township was divided into ten school districts and a schoolhouse located about every two miles. This caused a great deal of opposition and strife, as it sometimes became necessary to abandon a schoolhouse and some families who were used to having a schoolhouse near them were obliged to send their children from one to two miles to school.

On the first Saturday night in October, each year, the school patrons were expected to elect a director to look after the wants of the school and receive applications from teachers who were desirous of a position, and usually, after a number of applications were received a "school meeting" would be called and the patrons would vote by ballot for their choice for teacher, and the one having the largest number of votes would be declared elected and would be recommended to the trustee as the choice of the district for teacher and accordingly would be hired by the trustee at the lowest possible figure.

Some hard electioneering was done by the candidates and their friends before the school meetings, and it was said that on one occasion at a school meeting where there were several candidates present, some one suggested that the applicants write their names on the blackboard and each voter mark for his choice and the one receiving the most marks be declared the winner.

This was done and after the names had been placed on the board, it was some time before any one had courage to cast the first vote. Finally an old man marched forward, took the chalk and marked for his favorite, and every other patron present followed suit and marked for the same applicant, much to the embarrassment of the other applicants present.

On another occasion, a young man was so anxious to secure the position as teacher of a certain school in the township that he offered to teach two weeks free if he was given the school. Always ready to receive something for nothing, the patrons elected him as their teacher for the winter and he made his word good, teaching two weeks longer than his contract called for. But the young man was perhaps well repaid for his extra labor, as during his term of school at that place he became acquainted with -a young lady in the community who afterward became his wife.

In the fall of 1845 the first schoolhouse in Jefferson township was erected on the banks of Big Indian creek, on the Liberty Mills road, about one quarter of a mile east of the Broxon corners. It was a rude log affair, about eighteen by twenty feet, with a large fire-place and stick chimney, and. like all of the country schoolhouses of that day, had slab benches with no backs. One large horizontal window on each side admitted the light and here, the following winter, James T. Bayless taught the first school in the building. He was followed by Mary Phelps, Frederick Fulk, George W. Lawrence, Frederick Young, Orrin Rogers, etc. The Indian Creek schoolhouse was used for about eleven years, when it was abandoned for school purposes and a frame schoolhouse was erected at the Broxon corners, on the southwest corner of section 24, on the land of William Jeffries, and was known as the "Red Schoolhouse." It was built in 1S56, by James T. Bayless, contractor, and Octavius Phelps was the first teacher and held forth in the new building during" the winter of 1856-57. In the spring of 1857, a subscription school of three months was taught there by Miss Mary Bowman. Henry C. Crowel was employed to teach the school during the winter term of 1857-58, but after a trial of five or six weeks, he resigned.

After Mr. Crowel resigned Henry Zents came into the neighborhood and held what he called a geography school, holding night sessions, teaching geography by singing the names of states, cities, rivers, etc., as locations would be pointed out on wall maps. Mr. Zents was employed to teach the remainder of the winter term and has as successors Mr. Brown, of Roanoke, Amos Shoaff, Octavius Phelps, George Jeffries, Lucinda Christy, John McCampbell, Ruth Jeffries and Nancy Jeffries.

In the summer of 1866, a schoolhouse was built one mile south, and the next summer another was built one mile north of the Red Schoolhouse, and about the same time another was erected one mile east, just across the line in Allen county, which was known as the "College Hill Schoolhouse." These three schoolhouses so divided the former school district that the Red Schoolhouse was vacated for school purposes.

Jeffries, trustee, John Hiler being the contractor. William Rickey taught the first term of school in the building during the winter of 1867-68, and the house was used for school purposes until the night of December 3, 1873, when it was destroyed by fire. An old log house that stood on the farm of William M. Gillespie was fitted up and the term of school was completed in this primitive building.

During the summer of 1874, a frame schoolhouse was built at Brimstone Corners by Frederick Brock, trustee, and the house is still standing on the original location and is used by the Free Methodist congregation for a house of worship. James E. McDonald taught the first term of school in the new schoolhouse during the winter of 1874-75, and was followed by John A. Price, John P. Hornaday, Alonzo B. Goble, Barbara E. Howenstine, R. H. Maring, Arthur M. Gillespie, Althea M. Dunfee, J. Monroe Baker, Horace S. Kaufman and others.

I am told that while the old Red Schoolhouse was in use by the district, one mile south of the present location, the pupils of that school were never defeated in the spelling contests that were so popular in those days, and the good work was continued in the new location, the school seldom, if ever, being "spelled down" by pupils from other districts.

In the fall of 1847, a log schoolhouse, similar to the one on Indian creek, was built in the Maring's settlement, in the western part of the township on the northwest corner of section 30, and William Bell was in- stalled as the first teacher and taught a school of twenty-five pupils the mysteries of the three R's, having but one scholar who advanced to the study of geography and grammar. Mr. Bell was followed by Jane Wilier, John Alexander, Milton B. Emerson, etc. After serving its purpose for about ten years, the old log schoolhouse was torn down and replaced by a neat frame building which was used for school purposes for about twenty-five years. William Andrews was the contractor. Some of the teachers who held forth in this building may be mentioned : Lewis Deems, Mr. Searls, Reuben Houser, Mr. Trembly, Joseph F. McNear, Thomas Austin, Miss Sadie Cobaugh, James C. Knisely, D. V. White, John A. Metzler, Miss Nora Jackson, Joseph Bowers, John W. Brock, Hattie Holt, Solon A. Howenstine, John Barsh, etc. The building was abandoned for school pm-poses in 1881.

In the fall of 1881 a two-story brick schoolhouse was erected in the village of Forest, about one mile north of the location of the old schoolhouse. John L. McLaughlin was trustee of the township at that time and Benjamin Haurand was the contractor. The first term of school in the new building began on Monday, January 16, 1882, with R. H. Maring, principal, and Miss Mary Raber. primary. The school was conducted as a graded school until the new graded school building was erected at Jefferson Ceuter in 1901, when the upper room was abandoned and since which time school has been conducted in the lower room only. Ami >ng the teachers who have taught in this building may be named: D. V. White, W. E. Murray, Miss Hnldah Hatfield, Louis W. Dun fee, Miss Minnie Howenstine. Miss

Jennie Raber, J. J. Kyler, Charles O. Broxon, O. E. Grant. H. L. Plummer, J. E. North, Miss Allie Cass, Clarence Ihrig, Orton L. Dunfee, M. A. Grimes, etc. The school district is known as number ten.

Some time in the early '50s, a schoolhouse was built about one-half mile north of the present schoolhouse in district number four, in Jefferson township. The building stood on the land of Jonathan Dunfee, in section 17, on the east side of the public highway, was a frame structure and stood with the side to the public road with the door in the south end. Three windows were placed in each side and two in the north end, with a blackboard between the. two end windows. It was a frame structure about twenty by thirty, and the room was furnished with rude desks made of poplar lumber. The building was erected by William Andrews, contractor, who also taught the first term of school. He was followed by William Bell, Rufus King, Rebecca Swain, Reuben Priest, Philander Ginger, Mary S. Truman, Henry C. Crowel, Zenhaniah Hadley, Levi W. Bell, Elizabeth Shriner, Nancy Crissinger, Francis M. Ihrig, Elisha Swan, Miss Allie Austin and Miss Sarah Brown.

In early days this building was used for religious meetings and the society known as the Evergreen Bethel Church of God was organized here in 1857, by Rev. David Keplinger. The old schoolhouse served its purpose until in February. 1871. when it was destroved by fire. William Worden had been unmercifully whipped by the teacher the previous winter for tearing up one of the desks, and for revenge he set the house on fire. As the fire occurred during the night, all the books and furniture were destroyed. Had he kept his own counsel, Worden would perhaps never have been found out, but the joke was too good to keep and he told some of his boy friends which led to his being arrested and lodged in the old jail in Columbia City. He was indicted by the grand jury but managed to make his escape, and Sheriff Miller found him cutting corn for a farmer in the western part of Ohio and brought him back to Columbia City. Worden had his hearing before Judge Lowry at the next term of court and after a good lecture by the judge, he was given his liberty.

When a new schoolhouse to take the place of the one destroyed was to be built, some question was raised as to the location, but the majority prevailed and the trustee, Mr. William Bell, located the house upon the site of the old one and awarded the contract to D. C. and S. G. Robbins, who put up a substantial frame building quite similar to the old one except it was larger and stood with the end to the road. Mr. Lewis Bridge taught the first term in the new building during the winter of 1871-72, and Miss Sarah Maring taught the following summer. Miss Rilla Haley was employed to teach the term of the winter of 1872-73 but the school was destined to meet with another misfortune ; on the evening of Monday, December 23, 1872, the building was destroyed by fire.

As the trustee began to make preparations to build another schoolhouse, the question of location was again raised and those favoring the location at the cross-roads gaining a number of recruits by parties being enumerated at this school who had formerly sent to other schools, and being further enforced by the trustee, Frederick Brock, favoring the cross-roads location, made a strong fight and succeeded at an election held to decide the question by popular vote in carrying the day.

But the other side would not give up so easily and appealed the case to the county superintendent. Prof. A. J. Douglas. Mr. Douglas called a meeting of the patrons of the school and after hearing the evidence and arguments of counsel. Col. I. B. McDonald, who had been employed by the parties favoring the cross-roads location, decided that the house should be built on the old location, which ended the matter for the time, but as a compromise it was agreed to build the house on the hill a few rods south of the old location. The contract was awarded to W. H. Jackson for four hundred and fifty dollars, and a frame structure similar to the last one destroyed by fire was erected in the fall of 1873. By volunteer work by the parties favoring that location, a stone wall was placed under the building and some shade trees planted. The building is still in existence and was afterward purchased by Jacob Tschantz and moved to his farm near by and is now used for a store house and shop.

Lewis Bridge again taught the first term of school in the new building and was followed by Mrs. Maggie Bolts, Pret Swan, Edwin Dickerson. Miss Lou Gregg. George Livenspargar, R. H. Maring, Barbara Howenstine, Mattie Dunfee. May VanUrder. Levi Bridge, Althea Dunfee, Etta Chaney. Orange Ihrig\ Anna Eversole, Jacob C. Raber, Jesse Kyler. Amanda Livenspargar and Clara Braden.

The schoolhouse in the district was originally known as the Brandenburg schoolhouse, as Eliphalet Brandenburg lived near by, and was one of the principal patrons of the school. The district is number four in Jefferson township, and is now known as the Grace schoolhouse.

During the summer of 1888, the present brick structure in the district was erected by Albert Bush, trustee, and John Bennet, contractor, and the' conditions of the district had so changed with the passing of the years that little opposition was met in locating the house at the cross-roads. Lewis W. Dunfee taught the first term of school in the building during the winter of 1888-89, an^ has been followed by a large number of competent and worthy teachers, Emmett Bridge holding the fort there at the present time.

About the year 1856, the settlers living in the vicinity of what is now school district number one, in Jefferson township, desiring that their children should have some opportunity to acquire an education, the proper steps were taken to secure a building in which school could be kept. Accordingly a small frame building was erected about eighty rods west of the location of the present school building in the district, on the south side of the public road on the land of James Clark. The first teacher to hold forth in the new building was Margaret Rhodes, who was followed by Esther Oman, Mary Hartzel, Lucy Manning, James Bayless, Miss White, Miss Bechtel, William Rickey, Caroline Oliver, Cynthia Allen, James M. Hatfield, etc. The old schoolhouse served its purpose until 1869, when a new frame building was erected at the cross-roads on the southeast corner of section 2, where the present school building in the district stands. Otho Clark was the trustee and the contract was let to George Hupp for six hundred and fifty dollars.

The next teacher to follow Mr. Rickey, during the winter of 1870-71, was Albert Smith, of Roanoke, who taught only three weeks, when he was taken sick and died. William Corey, of Allen county, was employed to complete the term of school and owing to the delay caused by the sickness and death of Mr. Smith and securing a new teacher the term did not close until Saturday, April 1, 1 87 1. Some of the teachers to follow Mr. Corey in after years at that place were Frank P. Emerson, Edwin Dickerson, James R. Simon, Minnie Howenstine, Estella Ihrig, etc.

In 1886, James W. Burwell, trustee, built the present brick schoolhouse in the district, Benjamin Haurand being the contractor. D. V. White taught the first term of school in the new building and was followed by Sherman Byall, M. L. Stephens, Mattie Kyler, Annie Kreig, etc. The old house was moved to the back part of the lot and for a number of years was used for a woodhouse for the school.

The history of the schoolhouse in district number two in Jefferson township begins with the erection of a log schoolhouse about seventy rods west of the present schoolhouse in the district, in 1855. The people of the community volunteered most of the work and Minerod Shinbeckler and Samuel Barger received thirty dollars for the carpenter work. Thomas Neal was trustee at that time and Henry C. Crowel taught the first term of school in the building during the winter of 1855-56. This primitive school building" was used for school purposes for about seven years and besides Mr. Crowel, Rebecca Swain, Margaret Lawrence and several others conducted terms of school there.

In 1861, a frame schoolhouse was erected at the cross-roads, on the southeast corner of section 4. Chancy Hadley was trustee at that time and also the contractor who erected the building, having had it bid off by a man by the name of Miller, over several competitors. Gerosha Page, Matilda Page, Ann Smith, Belle Steel, Joseph Clark, Philip Treichler, John Haley, Crawford L. Cotton, Arthur C. Fast, Charles McDonald and Albert Bush were among the teachers who wielded the birch over the youths in the said building from 1862 to 1879. Albert Bush taught the last term in the building during the winter of 1878-79. After the house was abandoned for school purposes, it was sold to Isaac Kime, who moved it to his farm and it is still in use as a dwellinghouse.

In 1879, the present brick schoolhouse in the district was built by Messrs. Leitizer & Hildebrand, contractors, Leitizer doing the brick work and Hildebrand the carpenter work. Henry Vogeley was trustee. The patrons of the district hauled the brick gratuitously, and the building did not cost the township over one thousand dollars. Albert Bush taught the first term of school in the new building during the winter of 1879- 80, and was followed by Daniel Haley, Newton F. Watson, Jacob C. Raber, etc.

In writing the history of the school in district number eight, in Jefferson township, commonly known as the "Fair Oak School," it must be stated that the first effort to provide for the education of the children in the community was the erection of a frame building for school purposes, one mile south of the present location, just across the line in Huntington county, which was known as the Huffman schoolhouse. The building was erected in the summer of 1861, William Truax being the contractor and Sarah Jeffries taught the first term of school in the building. After being used for school purposes for about ten years, it was vacated and is now used as a dwelling-house by John Hart, having been moved some distance west and north of the original location. Of the teachers who followed Miss Jeffries may be mentioned Julia Morrison, M. L. Stephens, Lewis Bridge, etc.

In the summer of 1871, a frame schoolhouse was built one mile north of the Huffman schoolhouse, on the southwest corner of section 27, by William Bell, trustee, and William Truax, contractor. This school became district number eight, and the building was christened "Fair Oak," presumably because it was located in a forest of magnificent oak trees. Miss Emma Corkins taught the first term of school in the new building during the winter of 1871-72, and she was followed by Theodore Aker, Levi Bridge, William McKinley, A. I. Montz, W. E. Callison and others. In 1887, the old frame schoolhouse was abandoned for school purposes, was moved some distance north and is used as a dwelling-house. The same year the present brick schoolhouse in the district was built by James W. Burwell, trustee, and J. C. Cheney, contractor, since which time a large number of teachers have held forth in the building, Fred Dunfee being the efficient and popular instructor there at the present writing.

building was erected about thirty rods south of the cross roads where the schoolhouse in district number three, in Jefferson township, now stands. The building stood on the west side of the public road on Henry C. Crowd's land and was intended for a schoolhouse but for some reason was never so used, the few children in the vicinity going either to the Brandenburg school, about one and one-half miles south, or one and three-fourths miles east to the Riser school. A few years after the building of the log house, a frame schoolhouse was erected on the southeast corner of section 6 and was known as "Crowel's Schoolhouse," Henry C. Crowel being the first teacher. During the summer and fall of 1877, the present brick schoolhouse in the district was built by Henry Vogely, trustee. The old schoolhouse was sold to Henry C. Crowel and is still in use as a dwelling-house. The first schoolhouse at Jefferson Center, in district number five, was a small frame budding erected about 1858. This building was known as the "Town House." and here the elections for the township were held. In 1874, this old house was abandoned for school purposes and was sold to Jacob Berry, who moved it across the road and for many years it was used as a dwelling-house. It is still in existence and is used by Eston Gilliam for a shop, summer kitchen, etc. The same year, 1874, a frame schoolhouse was erected by Frederick Brock, trustee. It was a large and substantial building, the best school-building in the township at that time. During the winter of 1888-89, this house was destroyed by fire, and during the summer of 1889, a substantial brick schoolhouse was built for the district by Albert Bush, trustee, which served its purpose until it was torn down to give place to the present high-school building, which was erected in the summer and fall of 1901, by Lewis W. Dun fee, trustee.

Elections were held at Jefferson Center schoolhouse until 1882, when the township was divided into two election precincts, which are known as East and West Jefferson precincts. Elections in the east precinct have always been held at the schoolhouse in district number six, and in the west precinct they were held at the schoolhouse in the village of Forest until 1890, after which they were held at the schoolhouse in district number four until 1898, since which time they have been held at the schoolhouse in the village again.

In the year 1862, the people living in the vicinity of what is now school district number nine, petitioned the township trustees to erect a schoolhouse for their accommodation. Accordingly, the trustee put up a frame building on the southeast corner of section 29, on the land of Jacob Y. Goodyear, one mile east of the location of the present schoolhouse in the district. After a few years some of the patrons of the school living in the vicinity of the cross-roads, one mile west of the schoolhouse, circulated a petition asking that the house be moved to the said cross-roads. These patrons by quietly and secretly presenting their petition to persons only who favored the move, succeeded in getting the desired order and proceeded to move the building before those who were opposed to die house being moved knew "where they were at." Henry Swan was teaching there at the time and the house was placed on rollers and started on its journey westward while the school was in session. The cunningness with which the movers proceeded and the further fact that the work of moving the house was commenced on the 2d day of February, gave the school a name that has clung to it to the present day and it has ever since been known as "Ground Hog Schoolhouse." The schoolhouse remained in the new location, serving its purpose until 1878, when it was replaced by the present brick building. The old house was sold to James Tumbleson. who moved it some rods north of the crossroads and used it for a dwelling-house in which capacity it is used to-day by Charles White.

The beginning of the history of the school in district number seven, in Jefferson township, was the erection of a hewed-log building for school purposes, on the northeast corner of the Hine farm in section 34, in the year 1856. The building was about twenty-four by twenty-six covered with hand-made shingles and furnished with the proverbial slab benches with no backs. The house was known as the "Swamp Schoolhouse," so named because there were so many swamps in the vicinity.

In the year 1866. this old house was abandoned for school purposes and the same year a neat frame schoolhouse was erected on "the southeast corner of section 26. one mile south of the Saturn postoffice and one mile east and one and one-half miles north of the old log schoolhouse. William Mc- Laughlin taught the first term of school in the new building and it is said that he named the house the "Fenian Schoolhouse," on account of its being located in an Irish settlement and man)- of the patrons took a deep interest in the "Fenian" movement at that time.

In 1862. a frame schoolhouse was built at the southwest corner of Jefferson township, just across the line in Huntington county. This school was established for the accommodation of a number of families living in the vicinity; four townships were represented and it was known as the "County Line School." Among the families represented were those of John Lyons, upon whose land the building stood, John Richert, Christian Shepper, Baltzer Koontz, Jacob Van Dorsen and others.

The school became one of the most advanced of the country schools of that day, having a number of pupils in studies not then included in common school work, including algebra, physiology, United States history, etc. About fifteen years ago the house was abandoned for school purposes, was sold to Roscoe A. Kaufman and moved to his farm near by and is used for a dwelling-house.

Previous to the building of this schoolhouse, Samuel Clark had taught a term of school in an old log house that stood on the northeast corner of the cross-roads at that place, in Jefferson township. Mr. Clark also taught a term of school in a log house that stood on the land of Otho Clark, about three-fourths of a mile south of the said cross-roads, in Huntington count}.

Manv years ago a schoolhouse was built on the west side of the county line road in Jefferson township, about two miles south of the present town of Dunfee, in the Kelsey neighborhood. The house was used for school purposes for a number of years and anions' the teachers who taueht there was

George Jeffries and Abbott Green, both of whom afterward served as township trustee. On the re-arrangement of the school districts in the township, this schoolhouse was vacated for school purposes, but the building is still in existence as a dwelling-house.

Early Preachers

Following in the wake of the tide of emigration came the early circuit riders and ministers of nearly every religious denomination, who sought out and united in spirit the scattered members and friends of their churches wherever they could be found and held services at the settlers' cabins, in the log schoolhouses or often assembled their congregations in one of "God's first temples." Probably the first preaching in the township was in 1846, by Zachariah Garrison, who held services at Zephaniah Bell's 'in the Maring settlement and also at William Davenport's on the farm now owned by William Yohe in section 5. Part of the time he was assisted in his labors by Rev. Mr. Worth. At that time Mr. Garrison was a Methodist minister, but he afterward severed his connection with that church and became a minister of the Church of God. He was a very forcible speaker and when he warmed to his subject it was impossible for any of the congregation to go to sleep. Zephaniah Bell also preached some about this time. He was a minister of the Wesleyan Methodist church.

Milton Haun, a Methodist minister, commenced preaching at the log schoolhouse on Indian creek in the spring of 1849. The following summer a class was organized, which was probably the first religious organization in the township. Daniel Berry, who is still living in the township, was the first class-leader, which position he retained for nearly fifty- years. In the fall of 1849, Haun was succeeded in the work by James Elrod, who held services there monthly for one year. He also preached in the Maring settlement, where soon after a class was organized, but it disbanded after a few years.

For some reason, Elrod named the place "Sodom," and the name clung to the community for many years. The Methodists have had three or four organizations in the township, but at the present time they have only one. For many years they held services at the Jefferson Center schoolhouse and in the summer of 1895 they erected a neat brick church at Sand Bank cemetery, one mile north of the center of the township. This church is known as "Jefferson Chapel" and was erected at a cost of about one thousand five hundred dollars. Some of the ministers who have served the congregation since the building of the church, are Revs. Barton, Calkins, Hollipeter, Woodruff, etc.

The first church building in Jefferson township was what was known as the "Albright Church," on the county line on the southeast corner of section 32. This church is a frame building, thirty-eight by fifty, and was built in 1867. The society had been organized a number of years before the building of the church by Rev. Fisher, an Evangelical or Albright minister, at the residence of Jacob Myers, in Huntington county. The following named persons were among the charter members : Jacob Myers and wife, William Cormany and wife, Benjamin Rupert and wife, Jonathan Dustman, Hiram Dustman, William Smith, etc., all of Huntington count}-. After being used by the Evangelical denomination for a number of years, the church building passed into the hands of the United Brethren denomination and is now used by the Radical wing of that church. Rev. Migrant was their last regular minister.

The first Catholic services in the township were held at Mr. Hine's, in an early day, by Father Fowler, of Fort Wayne, and -chapel exercises were held monthly for many years at Mr. Blee's in the southeastern part of the township. Of those who succeeded Father Fowler, were Fathers Fox, Shaffey and Harkman.

For a number of years before the organization of the Church of God in the township, David Keplinger, of that denomination, preached irregularly at Maring settlement and other places in the township and in 1857 "he organized a church of twenty members at Brandenburg's schoolhouse, in school district number four. He was followed by Revs. Komp, Slyter, Thomas, Andrews, Sands, Bryan, Shock, Garrison, Croy and others. In 1868, the organization, assisted by the community at large, completed the Evergreen Bethel church, at the cemetery on section 18, which is still standing and was tbe second church building erected in the township.

About the time of the organization of the Church of God at the Brandenburg -schoolhouse, a church of that denomination was organized at the residence of William B. Calhson, on section 32, by Elder Frederick Komp. Of the charter members of this society the following are remembered : William B. Callison and wife, William W. Callison and wife, Robert L. Pence and wife, Michael Roney and wife and John Callison.

Of the ministers who served the society in its infancy may be mentioned : David Keplinger, George Thomas, Zachariah Garrison, Henry A. Croy and others. After the building of what was known as the Callison schoolhouse on the southeast corner of section 29,- in 1862, the society held their meetings there. In the summer of 1874, the society erected a frame church building, twenty-eight by thirty-eight, three-fourths of a mile west of the location of the said schoolhouse, at a cost of nine hundred dollars. The house was named "Sugar Grove Church." After being used by the Church of God for about thirty years, the society disbanded and sold the building to the Free Methodists, who repaired the house, erected a belfry and re-dedicated the church. Rev. Mathews is their minister at the present time.

The Free Methodists also have an organization in the eastern part of the township and in 1890 they purchased the old schoolhouse at district number six, which they have since used as a house of worship. Revs. Cottrell, Loring, Galloway and others have served the society.

The Christians, or Disciples, desiring to be known only as Churches of Christ, have two prosperous organizations in Jefferson township with good buildings. The first preaching by ministers of this church in the township was by G. B. Mullis, of Logansport, Indiana, on the first Sunday in June, twenty-two members was instituted at the "Red Schoolhouse," in the Broxon neighborhood by William Dowling. The first officers were, elders, Samuel Braden and Tames Broxon ; deacons, William Jeffries and Daniel Swisher. In 1874, the church building in the eastern part of the township was built at a cost of one thousand five hundred dollars. It has since been repaired and is known as the "Saturn Christian Church." Since its organization there have been at least two hundred and thirty members enrolled and at present there is an enrollment of sixty members. Of those who have ministered to the congregation the following is a partial list : George W. Chapman. James Hadsel, William Dowling, Z. W. Shepherd, B. W. Hendryx. Aaron Walker, Charles B. Austin. T. H. McCormack, T. M. Barnau, P. Hasty, O. A. Newton, J. W. Hunt. H. M. Lambert, William Dunkleberger, Daniel Dunkleberger, J. H. Lacv, S. C. Hummel. J. M. Pyle. John W. Hayes, John H. Clark and A. M. Gillespie.

In 1858 William Dowling began preaching at the Maring schoolhouse in the western part of the township and during the same year organized a church of twenty members at that place. Regular services were maintained there until 1878, when the frame building in present use in the village of Forest was completed at a cost of three thousand dollars. The first officers of the church were, elders : John P. Alexander and Lewis Deems : deacons : John Ihrig and Xehemiah Gaskill. At present the church has a membership of about sixty.

This denomination also has an organization at Walnut Grove schoolhouse in I nion township, which was organized in June, 1903. with twentyrfive charter members. The first officers were, elders, Charles Shaw and Charles Beeching; deacons, Samuel Harshbarger and D. Spangle. The United Brethren held services at Maring's schoolhouse at an early day and also organized a church there. Regular services were maintained and in the summer of 1875 they built a substantial frame church a few rods north of the site of the old schoolhouse, in Washington township. Among the early ministers who served this church may be mentioned : Revs. Thomas,. Seathman. Wood, Clark, Martin, Cummins, etc. Rew Spitler is the pastor of the church at the present time.

The Christian ( New Light) church at Dunfee in Jefferson township, was first organized in a log schoolhouse on the land of Daniel W. Holt, in Union township, October 29, 1854. The charter members were: Daniel W. Holt and wife, Samuel Whistler and wife, William C. Morse and wife, David S. Morse and wife, Polly Foster, Eliza Lake and Nancy Tousley. Rev. Peter Winebrenner was the first pastor and was followed by James Atchison, Philip Ziegler. William Manville, C. V. Strickland and others. In 1872, this society erected a frame church one and one-half miles south of Coesse, in Union township. In 1892, this church was torn down and moved to the town of Dunfee and re-built on the west side of the county line road in Jefferson township. The church is in a prosperous condition and maintains regular preaching.

In early times, the strife between the different religious denominations was almost equal to their combined efforts against the bulwarks of sin. This opposition finally culminated in an oral debate on the subject of water baptism, between Rew Hugh Wells, of the English Lutheran church, and Rev. Aamn Walker, of the Disciple church, which was held in Edward Beckley's barn. The exact date of the debate could not be learned but it was sometime in the '50s.

The Barkdall Murder

One of the events that attracted the attention of the people of Whitley county a generation ago was the Barkdall murder, that occurred in Jefferson township in 1871. Henry Barkdall, Sr., was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, October 15, 1805; was married there and in the year 1839. he emigrated to America. He first settled in Stark county, Ohio, three miles east of Canal Fulton, where he remained about ten years as a renter on a small farm. He then moved to Indiana and first settled in Marshall county. In 1865 he came to Whitley county and settled in the southeast part of Jefferson township, in section 26. At the time of the murder the family consisted of Mr. Barkdall, his wife, who had been blind in both eyes for a number of years, a married son, Henry Barkdall, Jr., and his wife, Charlotte; two married daughters resided in Ohio.

Mr. Barkdall was a man of very violent temper and on the evening of Tuesday, May 16, 1 87 1, he came in from milking the cows and in straining the milk, he spilled some on the floor. Flying into a violent rage, he kicked the table over and broke some of the dishes. He then ordered his wife to pick up the pieces. Being blind, she got down on her knee and began feeling around on the floor, which seemed to increase the old man's rage and he began to kick and beat her in a most brutal manner, continuing un she died from the effects. The daughter-inlaw being present, was a witness to the at fair and Barkdall afterward told her that if she would not tell that he had abused his wife, he would get her something nice. The son had gone to a neighbor's, Mr. Price's, to get some cabbage plants and when he came home his father told him that his mother was dead and his wife had gone to inform the neighbors. It is said that when some of the neighbors arrived they found the old man reading his German Bible, some of whom he told that the old woman had had one of her spells again and that it had taken her off this time. To others he said that she had fallen down stairs.

Dr. John B. Firestone, of Larwill, was county coroner at that time and a coroner's jury was impaneled and sat on the case. After investigating the case, the jury brought in a verdict finding that Catharine Barkdall had met her death by injuries received at the hands of the said Henry Barkdall, Sr., and that the said Henry Barkdall was guilty of murder in the first degree. Dr. D. G. Linvill. of Columbia City, and Dr. F. M. Ihrig, of Coesse, a young physician just beginning to practice, held a post mortem examination which clearly showed that the deceased had come to her death by violence.

Mr. Barkdall was at once arrested and placed in the old jail in Columbia City to await the action of the grand jury. Jacob W. Miller was sheriff at that time. When the grand jury met in November, they promptly indicted Mr. Barkdall for the murder of his wife and he was tried at the November. 1871, term of the Whitley circuit court, before Hon. Robert Lowry, judge. The jury was composed of the following named citizens of the county : Levi Adams, whi 1 was foreman. Jacob Nickey. John Hosack, Charles Ruch, Jacob Cramer. William H. Widup. William A. Clark. Isaac Cox,

Hon. Joseph S. Daily, district attorney at that time, assisted by Hon. A. Y. Hooper and Hon. C. B. Tully, prosecuted the case, while Hon. John Colerick, Col. I. B. Mc- Donald and Louis Newberger defended Mr. Barkdall. The trial began on Saturday morning, November 11, 1871. and lasted four days. The jury, after being out about one hour, returned a verdict finding Barkdall guilty of murder in the second degree and fixing his punishment at imprisonment for life. It seemed that the coroner's jury believed him guilty of murder in the first while the petit jury could only make it second.

Mr. Barkdall was taken to Michigan City by Sheriff Miller on Friday, November 17, 1 87 1, where he lived only a few years. It is said that he was trusty while at prison, was let come and go at will and one morning he was found dead in his cell, lying on his back with his hands folded across his breast.

The Singer Murder

One of the most sensational murders that ever occurred in northern Indiana was that of George M. Singer, who was found murdered on the morning of September 17, 1895, at his residence at Dunfee, Indiana, a little village on the line between Whitley and Allen counties, on the Nickel Plate Rail- Toad, ten miles west of Fort Wayne.

Mr. Singer came to Dunfee some time in 1882, soon after the completion of the railroad, and conducted a general store in which he also kept the postoffice. He was rather an eccentric character and at the time of the murder was living alone, sleeping in a room above his store. He had been married but was divorced from his wife. Two daughters, Mrs. Nora Northop and Lilllie Singer, lived in Paulding county, Ohio.

Mr. Singer was a very active member of the organization known as the "A. P. A.," and was very outspoken in the advocacy of the peculiar doctrines of that order. But notwithstanding his eccentricities, Mr. Singer was held in high esteem generally by the people of the community in which he lived and did business. At the time of his death he was about seventy-three years of age.

On the morning of Tuesday, September 17, 1895, A. D. Whitman, the night operator at Dunfee, noticed a ladder leaning against the building below the window of the room in which Mr. Singer slept, and upon investigation, Mr. Singer was found dead, lying upon his bed, his hands and feet securely tied, and a strip which had been torn from a bed sheet was twisted around his neck. Indications were that he had been knocked senseless, as the murderers supposed, with a heavy hickory club, and had been tied so that he could not give the alarm when he revived. But the blow had been harder evidently than was intended and death had resulted. The club was found on the bed and was afterward exhibited at the trial. Evidently robbery had been the object, but no evidence was found that more than a small amount of money had been taken, though there were some who alwavs believed that Mr. Singer had more money in his possession than was at first supposed. The murderer or murderers had entered the old man's room through the window by means of the ladder above mentioned, and had descended to the room below by means of a stairway. The old ladder was a very rickety affair and had been brought from a slaughter-house nearly a mile away. It was afterward on exhibition at G. B. Widdifield's jewelry store in Columbia City, and also figured in the trial. Witnesses who had seen the ladder on the morning of the discovery of the murder, swore that it had been cut off so that it would be of proper length to reach the window, but it had evidently been "doctored" as the ladder exhibited at the trial did not bear out the testimony.

Excitement ran high in Dunfee and vicinity upon the discovery of the murder and if the guilty persons could have been captured at once it is quite likely that Whitley county would have been saved the expense of a costly and useless trial.

Dr. N. I. Kithcart, county coroner, was notified, and with the assistance of Dr. Mc- Googan, of Areola, held an inquest and postmortem which clearly revealed that Mr. Singer had been foully murdered by some person or persons unknown. The building in which the murder was committed stands on the west side of the county line road in Whitley county.

The grand jury was in session at the time of the murder and an investigation was at once commenced, but no indictments were found at that time. On Saturday, October 12th, James Cunningham and William Thompson, who were suspected of being the murderers of Mr. Singer, were arrested at Fort Wayne, and on Saturday, October 19th, they were brought to Columbia City and had a hearing before Benjamin F. Menaugh, justice of the peace, who bound them over to the circuit court.

When the grand jury met in November, they again took up the case and a great many witnesses were called. The grand jury was composed of the following named citizens of the county : William H. Hughes, who was foreman, Samuel Kaufman, Levi Garrison, Lewis Richard, Joseph Myers and Adelbert Barney. After thoroughly investigating the case, the grand jury indicted the said Cunningham and Thompson for the murder of George M. Singer, and an adjourned term of the Whitley circuit court was called, mainly for the purpose of trying the said Cunningham and Thompson for the said murder.

The prisoners demanding a separate trial, Cunningham was placed on trial first. Ivers W. Leonard, deputy prosecuting attorney, assisted by Hon. W. F. McNagny, prosecuted the case, while Hon. James M. Robinson and Hon. A. A. Adams defended Mr. Cunningham. A special venire of jurors had been called and the following named men were accepted and sworn to try the case: Appleton R. Jackson, who was foreman, Clinton Wilcox, Nicholas DePoy, David S. Bechtel, George Belch, William E. Meyers, Bayless Lower, Lewis H. Mowery, John Born, Cyrus Keiser, John S. Norris and Melvin Blain. Wilcox and DePoy were the only members of the regular panel who were retained.

crowds of people. The trial lasted nearly two weeks, the arguments of counsel concluding on' Saturday afternoon, December 14th. Mr. Robinson's speech defending Cunningham was a masterpiece of oratory. He said that it was the first time he had ever known a witness to leave the witness stand and refuse to answer any more questions and the first time he had ever known a case where the prosecuting attorney was sworn as a witness.

About nine o'clock on Saturday night it was reported that the jury had reached a verdict, and Judge Adair was notified and proceeded to call court. Again a large crowd gathered in the court room and when the judge read the verdict of the jury, "Not Guilty," a mighty cheer was given and many people shook hands with Mr. Cunningham and congratulated him upon his release. Cunningham shook hands with kis attorneys and the jury and seemed' to be the happiest man in the court room at the time. Upon motion of the prosecuting attorney, the case against Thompson was dismissed and thus ended all prospects of bringing the murderers of old man Singer to justice. It was pretty generally believed that Cunningham was guilty and it is said that it took four ballots for the jury to reach their verdict, three voting "guilty" on the first ballot, but the doubt was so strong that he was given the benefit of the doubt. The old adage, "Murder will out," seems to be slow in proving itself true in this case, but if we take the case of Eugene Aram and other noted criminal cases for precedents, there is still time for vindication.

Interesting Incidents

A colored man, whose name is not now remembered, resided in the southern part r>i Jefferson township for a short time in 1870. The following incident is related in connection with this fact : At the township election in October, 1870, Otho Clark, who was the township trustee, was a candidate for reelection on the Democratic ticket. John Crowell, although a strong Democrat, was opposed to the election of Mr. Clark and as the Republicans had made no nominations for township officers, on the morning of the election Mr. Crowell went to William Bell and urged him to be a candidate for trustee, assuring him of his support and influence. Mr. Bell consented to the use of his name and when the ballots were counted it was learned that he was elected by a majority of one vote and as the colored man had voted, he was credited with Mr. Bell's election.

William Bell was one of the best educated men of the early pioneers of this part of Whitley county. He had taught school in Ohio and after coming to Indiana he continued teaching for a number of years. Besides his term as trustee, he also served two terms as justice of the peace, and as administrator he settled a number of estates. He settled in Jefferson township in 1845 and resided there until his death. March 19, 1 89 1, aged nearly eighty years.

His widow, Sarah (Alexander) Bell, died July 19, 1906, aged ninety-one years, seven months and eighteen days. She was born in Waldo county, Maine, and was the

William M. Gillespie says that a man by the name of Frank DnPee was one of the early pioneers of Jefferson township. He was half Indian and half French and when the Indians were sent west by the government from Raccoon Village, DnPee hid in the woods until the excitement was over as he desired to live with the white people. Afterward, DuPee married a daughter of Jonathan Chadeon and lived in a log cabin on the land afterward owned by William Jeffries in section 24. In 1851 he loaded his goods on a wagon and started west, saying that he was going to Marshall county and that was the last seen or heard of" him by Mr. Gillespie. When William Jeffries first settled in the township, he and his family occupied the cabin vacated by DuPee.

A number of fatal accidents have taken place in Jefferson township, some of which may be mentioned here. In clearing the land and felling the large trees, it is not surprising that a number of men lost their lives. Mention has already been made of Levi Decker, who was killed by a rebounding limb when falling a bee tree, and his death was one of the first to occur in the township. In the fall of 1880, a young man by the name of Withrow was killed by the falling of a lodged limb while sawing logs with David Geiger. Withrow was buried in Evergreen cemetery and his faithful dog guarded the grave for several days after the burial. On April 4, 1881, John Blake was killed by a falling limb and in the summer of 1884 Louis Jerome was killed by a falling snag while hauling logs.

killed on a saw-mill on the Illinois road and at the raising of Frederick Schoenauer's barn in May, 18S1, Jacob Berry was killed and Isaac Dickerson badly injured by the falling of a large plate.

October 6, 1879, D. C. Robbins was instantly killed by falling from a building in the village of Forest and in the autumn of 1885, Christian Bixler was killed by beingthrown from a wagon by the horses running away while returning from Fort Wayne.

The Village Of Forest

The history of the village of Forest begins with the erection of a saw-mill in 1854, by Miller Brothers. This mill was quite a large building, the frame being composed of massive timbers that were hewn by hand. It stood on the west side of the public road in Washington township and after being operated several years by the Millers it was sold to Beckley Brothers who conducted the same until 1864, when they sold to Charles Livenspargar, who, with various partners, operated the mill for man}- years. The building was destroyed by fire in February, 1 89 1, and was never rebuilt.

The site of the village was originally owned by William Bell, who sold to Calvin Maring. In 1854 Allen Quick purchased one-fourth of an acre of land of William Bell and built a residence which is still standing and is a part of the house occupied by Charles Livenspargar. Mr. Quick also built a house on the corner where Samuel Brock now resides and from 1859 to i860 he was the first trustee of Jefferson township under the new law. In 1866 he was elected county recorder and filled that office four years. He died in Columbia City, May 13, 1903. Meanwhile Calvin Maring laid out several lots and in 1866 Myers Brothers built a blacksmithshop on the corner opposite where Dr. White's office now is and Henry Myers erected a dwelling-house on the same lot. Soon after a wagon and carriage shop was erected in connection with the blacksmithshop, but both buildings were destroyed by fire in the autumn of 1870.

In the spring of 1867, Elwood Nichols erected a large building on the lot now owned by Mrs. J. C. Raber and soon after sold the lot and building to James S. Baker, who put in a stock of dry goods and groceries valued at one thousand dollars. Mr. Baker conducted the business for about three years and although he was a leader in the church and superintendent of the Sundayschool, tradition says that he kept a barrel on tap in the back room that contained something stronger than cider. This store building, together with a dwelling-house adjoining, was destroyed by fire, February 27, 1875. At that time Marshal Wright was conducting a general store in the building. In the fall of 1870, Dr. Richards erected a building in which for many years a drug store was conducted and is still standing, being occupied now by Daniel Redman for a harness and repair shop. Other improvements slowly followed and during all these years the place had been known as "Sodom,"

"Lickskillet," etc., and now some of the citizens began to think the place should have a proper name. Accordingly when Dr. Richards' building was completed, a meeting was called for the purpose of naming the town. An oyster supper was a feature of the gathering and the question before the meeting was settled by ballot. Several names were proposed. Charles Livenspargar was desirous of having the place named "Canton," in remembrance of his native town in Ohio, but "Forest" won the day and as Forest the place has since been known. When Laud postoffice was moved to the town in 1880, the question came up of changing the name of the town so that the name of the town and the postoffice should be the same. The postoffice department refused to recognize the name "Forest" as there was already a postoffice in the state by that name. Another meeting was called and another ballot taken with the same result. The people refused to give up the name of "Forest" and so the name of the postoffice remained "Laud" and the name of the town remained "Forest." When the postoffice was discontinued in 1903, it was supposed that the name "Laud" would never more be heard, but not so, as the town is called "Laud" about as often as it is called "Forest."

In 1878 G. M. Bainbridge, of Columbia City, erected a large frame building in the south part of the town in which he placed a large stock of general merchandise in charge of Manford D. Yontz, who conducted the same until 1882, when he was elected county auditor, when Mr. Bainbridge sold the building and a two-thirds interest in the goods to Leonard S. Maring, and

Simon Bennet became the manager of the business. In the spring of 1884, Mr. Bainbridge sold his entire interest in the store to Mr. Maring and at Mr. Maring's death, in 1892, Mr. Bennet came into possession of the store and is still conducting the business.

In 1880 D. V. White put up a building in which Edwards & Anderson, of Columbia City, put in a stock of hardware. They soon after sold to James W. Burwell, who conducted a successful business for several years. In 1885 L. L. Kimmel purchased a lot of Lewis Deems on the west side of the street upon which he erected a building in which for several years he conducted a general hardware business, having purchased the stock of Mr. Burwell.

The first drug store in the village was started in the autumn of 1870, in the building erected by Dr. Richards, by Blount & Hoover, of Huntington, and was conducted by a man by the name of McGovney ; the store afterward passed into the hands of Marshall Wright, then to M. G. Wright, William Metzler, Perry Long, Deems & Raber and is to-day conducted by Warren J. Deems as a drug and general store.

At one time James G. Dyer conducted a small grocery store, as also did Newton Boles, Lewis Deems & Son, George W. Irwin and George W. Baugher. George W. Kelsey is conducting a grocery store in the town at the present time. Brock & Coolman, Samuel D. Raber and William Schoenauer have been engaged in the hardware business in the town. Edward C. Schoenauer conducted the only hardware business in the village for several years and recently sold to Daniel Tachantz & Company.

The town has not been without a blacksmithshop since Myers Brothers started their shop in 1866, since which time the village "smithy" has been operated by Erastus Witham, Richard White, Louis Lavine, Victor Vincent, John Bitner, Frank Zellers, C. E. Rothmel, etc.

In 1883 William Tschantz purchased a lot of Charles Livenspargar and put up a building for a saloon. After the building was completed, Mr. Tschantz obtained a license and started his business of retailing spirits in less quantities than a quart to the thirsty citizens of Forest. He was not a very shrewd business man, evidently, for there were soon so many indictments returned against him by the grand jury for violating the liquor law, that he could not get his license renewed and the business went into other hands. William H. Pence conducted the business for several years and it is said that he run the saloon as nearly according to law as such a business can be run. Afterward John Runier became manager of the place and soon the saloon became such a nuisance that the people began to discuss various plans to get rid of it. About this time Mr. Runier sold out to a man by the name of Hamilton, of North Manchester, who sent a notorious character, who called himself a "cow boy," to take charge of the business.

The women of the town and community organized for the purpose of fighting the saloon and held many meetings. Upon two or three occasions they went in a body to the saloon to prevail upon Mr. Hamilton to give up the business. On one of these occasions the "cow boy" made some great boasts and told the ladies that he had been employed to run a saloon in Forest and he proposed to do it if it took blood.

Soon after this some one entered the saloon at the dead of night, when the manager was temporarily absent from the village, and opened every barrel, cask and bottle in the room and let the contents run out. It was said that the slop was ankle deep on the floor the next morning. Soon after this calamity, Mr. Hamilton moved his furniture from the building and the town and that was the last of the saloon. The building in which the saloon was conducted is now occupied by Warren J. Deems as a drug and general store, and is owned by the 1. O. O. F. Lodge.

Dr. John Quincy Adams Banta settled on the farm now owned by Dr. S. R. White, about 1843, and was the first physician in the community, where he practiced his profession for several years. Since 1863 Dr. John Richards has practiced medicine here and he is one of the pioneer physicians of Whitley county. Dr. S. R. White has been a resident of Forest for thirty-six years and during the past twenty-five years he has been a practicing physician and surgeon and has had a large and successful practice. He was the first physician in Whitley county to purchase an automobile which has been used in his business for several years and is considered indispensable by him.

Dr. James Richards, a brother of Dr. John Richards, was located in Forest for several years and Drs. Hammond, Koontz, Putt. Gregg, Kemp, and others have been located here at different times.

Forest lodge. No. 546, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized May 5, 1877, with the following charter members: Marshall Wright, Francis M. McDonald, Edward B. North. Moses T. Simon and James F. Johnson. The lodge is still in existence and at the present time is in a flourishing condition.

The Knights of the Maccabees lodge was organized in the spring of 1895 and flourished for several years but finally disbanded, some of the members transferring their membership to the lodge in Columbia City.

Forest Grange was organized in 1874 at the Kaufman schoolhouse in Washington township and in 1892, they built their present hall in the village, which was dedicated July 2$, 1892, Hon. Aaron Jones, of South Bend, delivering an oration.