Blue Creek Township

Blue Creek Township

In 1820 Blue Creek township was the home of one of the first white residents of Adams county. His name was William Lowe, and his cabin was built at the east end of Thompson's prairie on what then was known as the Godfrey trace. This was an Indian trail from the Saint Mary's to the Wabash ana) Salamonie rivers. It connected the Godfrey reservation with the Rivare reservation just across the river from Pleasant Mills. Mr. Lowe remained in this part of the country until 1822, at which time his IKissessions went into the ownership of a Mr. Thompson, after whom the prairie was named. It is said that Mr. Thompson died in the winter of 1831 and was buried by some residents of Willshire. Ohio. That as ihere was no lumber 'at that time to make his coffin, a large ash tree was cut down, a -«g cut from it and split in halves; that a trough was made' for his coffin. It was placed upon a sled drawn by oxen to the place of burial. This township has one of the oldest public roads in the county, the Quaker trace, or the Fort Recovery road, as it is sometimes called. Several old residents state that they well remember seeing Indian families passing to and from their reservations along the Godfrey trace; that it was not unusual to see a squaw leading a pony well loaded with lodge poles, sheet-iron kettle, skins of animals and other trappings; that there were frequently several ponies passing along one after another at the same time; that some had as many as three or four children on one horse; that the Indian man seemed to have little to do but to follow along the trail with the dogs; that in the main these Indians were a very dirty, shaggy-looking set of people; some wore blankets and others were dressed partly in skins, with some white men's clothing; that some of the children and squaws had highly colored scarfs of vellow, red or blue cotton goods wrapped around their bodies over their clothing of skins; that the men all were armed with rifles, knives and tomahawks, and usually carried them wherever they went. Blue Creek is one of the smaller civil corporations and has but one town; that is the village of Salem, which was platted on the 14th day of November, 1867, by George W. Syphers. This town is located at the crossing of the Willshire and Fort Recovery roads in section 17, and has a blacksmith shop, a church, two general stores and some pretty good residence properties. This little town has the distinction of having the only Presbyterian church in the county south of Decatur. This was built here about 1850, was a log structure and has long since been torn away. A few years later the Methodist people erected a frame church building that served their purpose for about twenty years, at which time the present frame church building was put up. Jn east of Salem is the Union chapel, a United Brethren frame church building in section 10. Blue Creek township was organized in JS38, and is a part of what was originally Wabash and Saint Mary's township. Some of its other oldest residents were Denison Tinkam, Tunis Young, Michael Eley, T. D. Braddock, Elijah Gilpen and George Campbell. This township is within less than a mile of the town of Willshire, which was laid out in 1823, and as there were mills, stores and markets there at an early dr.y, and on the plank road, it was

The earliest school buildings in this township were the "Burdge" school house in section 32 ; the "Bryan" school house in section 21, which was also known as the election school house; the "Boyers" school house in section 5. These buildings were all made of logs and were built along in the forties. The first frame residence in this township was built by John Young in 1856. The only tile block school building in the county is in this township, and is known as the "Egypt" school house. This is situated in the northeast corner of the township and was built to take the place of a brick that was destroyed there by fire in 1905. The estimated population of Blue Creek township in 1907 is 1,475. ^he school enumeration is 386, and the number of votes 295.

The organization of Monroe township with thaf of the towns of Berne and Mondates from 1S40. It is a congressional town- roe, which might be examined in this conship which lies in the soinh half of the nection. Some of its earliest residents were county, and much of its history is connected Thomas Runle, Riesen Todd, Samuel Sack- ftt. Henry Martz, George Ray, John Hurtjge, John McLean, Lewis Mattax and fohn McConnell. On account of the line of low, wet prairies extending from east to west along Big Blue creek this and French township were settled later than some other parts of the county, from want of roads and drainage. The first steam saw mill built in the county, south of Decatur, was located at the west end of the Thompson prairie, in 1851, by John R. Burdge. This machinery was hauled by ox teams from Dayton, Ohio. The Martz school house and the Bolinger school house were the first erected in the township, though school was taught in an old log cabin by Judge William Stockham southeast of where Monroe is located before cither of these school houses were built. These were of logs and built in 1848 or 1850. The first frame school house in the township was the Mattax school house, located in section 26, was built in 1855 and finished with black walnut lumber as door and window casings. The first brick school house in this township was in section 17 and known as the Flora school. The first township teachers' institute ever held in the county was conducted by County Superintendent Daniel D. Heller on the 25th day of October, 1873, m the Center school district, which is located in section 15. That the present school teachers may have an idea of what the teachers of that time received -or their services we herewith give the scale <>f wages as adopted by the county board of education in 1869-70:

This township used the last log church building in the county. It was built at the east side of section 9 and was used as late as 1900 for church purposes. This church was of peculiar construction. It was built in the shape of a cross and had twelve corners. This went by the name of the "Twelve-Cornered church" and was built by the churchgoing people of several denominations, but perhaps had a majority of Methodists in its attendants. Some other church buildings in this township are the Baxto church, in section 25 ; the Quaker church and the Oak Grove church. Being in close proximity to the towns,-their churches are largely attended by many of the country people. Lewis Mattax, an early resident of this township, was county ditch commissioner along in the sixties, and the Thompson Prairie Ditching Association was organized and the Blue Creek prairies among other wet lands were drained to the west line of the township. One of the first ditches located was the Clymer ditch. Much land in this region belonged to poor people, who claimed that they were too poor to hire their ditches made and that they needed their labor to support themselves and families. Several suits were instituted against the owners of "speculator" lands before it became fully conceded that these ditches could be made at the expense of the land owners without their consent.

Along about 1870 the more progressive farmers and contractors strongly urged the construction of the large ditches throughout the county, and none have ever regretted them passing through Monroe township. What were once wet and worthless tracts are now the best corn farms. Monroe township has more vineyards and raises more grapes, perhaps, than any other township in the county. It is said to have started the first hedge fences ever introduced in the county. It has one other distinction that perhaps may be of some note. It once had a "corn juice" factory that did business on a small scale. It made "moonshine" whisky and was doing a "good, quiet business," when Uncle Sam's revenue officers swooped down onto the proprietor, J. M. Kelse, and carted him and his distillery fixtures to the state capital for an investigation. His buildings were so arranged that the front was used as a smoke house, with a rear department, in which his still was located. United States Marshal C. W. Starr made the arrest in April, 1873.

The estimated population of Monroe township in 1907, including the towns of Monroe and Berne, is 3,195. The school enumeration, exclusive of Berne, is 827 ; of Berne is 356. The number of voters, including Monroe and Berne, is 639.

When French township was organized in 1839 the greater part of its population lived in the south half of the township. That part southwest of the river was first settled. Some of the earliest permanent residents of the township were: George French. Roswell Horton, Samuel Fonts, John Augsperger, Abraham Ellenberger, Henry Soevine and Abraham blocker. At the northeast corner of this township was a neighborhood of French-speaking people. The northern section of this township was in the Blue Creek prairies, a very good kind of land, but almost worthless until it had been thoroughly drained. This drainage was begun in earnest in the latter part of the seventies, and this part of the county is now the home of many prosperous farmers. In this township perhaps more than in any other in the county the manufacture of cheese was quite an industry in former years. At the present lime French township has a large German population. However, there arc very few of the younger people who cannot speak the English language. The Fort Recovery road crosses the southwest corner of this township and extends along down the Wabash river to Bluffton. There are no towns in this .township nor at the present time any postpffices. There was once a postofnce on the Fort Recovery road at the residence of a Mr. Sheldon, which was situated in or near a large grove of linn trees. The postoffice took the name of Linn Grove, but after the town of Buena Vista was laid out the postofnce was taken to town. It is said that Mr. Alonzo Sheldon was one of the early postmasters at Linn Grove. The town of Vera Cruz is situated a short distance west of French township, on the Wabash river. This town was begun in 1848 and was one of the principal trading points for the first twenty years of French township's existence. This was also their nearest postoiHce. This township has less church buildings than any other township in the county, but two or three inexpensive frame structures meet their wants in this direction. We are informed that the churches at Vera Ciuz, Buena Vista and Berne are largely attended by residents of this township. One of the earliest school buildings in this township was known as the Sheldon school house and it was located in the southwest part of the township on the Fort Recovery road and built perhaps as early as 1846 or 1848. Others were the Slaughter school house, in section 27; the Marchaud school house, in the northeast corner of the township, and the Cottonwood, at the east center, and the Baumgartner school, at the southeast corner of the township. These were all frame buildings except the first mentioned, which was made of round logs.

The estimated population of French township in 1907 is 1,170. The school enumeration is 401, and the number of voters 234. The election inspectors and township trustees have been : John Stauffer, 1846; Roswell Haughton, 1847; Obediah Haughton, 1S52; Lot French, 1S53; Anthony Stockdell, 1858: Christian Bixler, i860: William Triplet, 1861 ; Christian Bixler, 1S62; Jacob Sarff, 1S63; Joshua Sarft, 1864; Solomon Shell, 1867; George Simison, 1870; Edwaid Ehle, 1876; Christ Ashbacher, 18S0; Samuel Hocker, 1S84; Jonas Neuenschwander, 1888; J. P. Steiner, 1 89 1 ; C. E. Stuckey, 1892;. Rudolph Schug, 1900; John C. Augspurger, 1904.