Columbia Township (part 2 of 6)

This class generally relied greatly on their experience - that is, they had taken during their lives an occasional dose of pink and senna, calomel and jalap, castor oil, had been bled, and blistered and had not forgotten the effects or why they had been given. Happily for the people "out west," there came an end to this kind of work. In our early years of malaria and' unsanitary condition many poor souls were ready to accept the services of any one calling himself doctor. Some of these doctors began business with self-constituted diplomas, resembling very much the one that may be found in the Comedy of Moliere entitled "Le Malade Imaginaire or the Hypochondriac." which reads thus:

A literal translation of this bastard Latin and French would seem to declare that the newly fledged doctor is fully empowered to dose, purge, bleed, cut and kill with impunity unto the ends of the earth.

In comparatively recent years there appeared in Columbia City an ignorant, shabby and filthy, long-haired German, who stvled himself as Dr. Schweitz. He came < m the first of April and rightly celebrated the day by hunting up the township assessor and listing about twelve thousand dollars of notes, accounts, books, surgical instruments, rights, franchises, choses in action and what not. This gave him standing as a capitalist, though he had not a thing but his shabby clothes, and long before tax paying time had come he had flown, to the disgust of man}' creditors. Did we say that he had nothing. He had a diploma, which he called a "bluma." He was always prating about it, but it was so sacred it was not put on exhibition, excent to some people, who did not knew what it was - except the doctor made them believe it was something sublime. In fact it was an old patent for a piece of land in Clark county, Ohio, and the seal was a green wafer with the impress of the United States land office. Doc had a case: he had several. Such characters always get them, but this was a case in which the man refused to pay the bill, because of the utter incapacity of the doctor. Schweitz secured the services of a lawyer, who still practices in Columbia City, and, together with a ci luple of witnesses, made the trip to a justice of the peace in the southern part of the county. The trial began with all solemnity, but the doctor fell flat. He did not even know how to take the temperature of a pa- tient. The lawsuit ended in a farce and ignominious defeat. Schweitz did not pay the livery bill, - but then he didn't pay anything else. Finally the lawyer said to him, "Doc, if you don't pay that bill, I will, for I am getting tired of being dunned for it." The reply was, "Well, well, I think that would be the best," and the lawyer paid it. When Schweitz had a case he would ascertain from the patient the seat of trouble, whether of the head, stomach, liver or other organ. Then he would go to Dr. Sandmeyer, the druggist, and ask for "five cents liver, or stomach, or throat," etc. AA nen these quacks encountered severe forms of disease, they were about as successful as the celebrated firm of Sangrado and Gil Bias, the latter remarking that when a malignant form of fever made its appearance in one of the cities of Spain under their treatment it was never necessary to visit the patient but once, for before time for the second he was either dead or moribund, and that they made more widows and orphans in six weeks than were made during the siege of Troy.

At Coesse during the building of the Pittsburg & Fort AA'ayne Railroad, a doctor was called to see a drunken man and he pronounced it Asiatic cholera and the scare went all over the country for miles around. A\ e must not forget the Indian doctor. Mainearly settlers thought that while a white doctor might do for ordinary ague, it t< » >k a regular untutored red man of the forest to deal with the intricate and severe diseases. probably on the theory that the fellow said, his dog was good for coon hunting because he did not know anything else, and even white men who had been with the Indians for awhile were supposed to have absorbed some of that superior intelligence. The Indian doctor, cutting a piece of poplar bark to plug a wound, rubbing a palsey, or dropsy with a twig or herb or punishing a stomach with a nasty decoction of weeds, was regarded as almost a superhuman being, endowed with special wisdom from on high. And who has not heard of witches, Hex, as our German friends styled them. Many neighborhoods in this county even until recent times were tinctured with the belief that many forms of disease was due to "witch riding" and many forms and ceremonies were gone over to rid the victim from the power of the witch. And the worst was that many of the witches were not only suspected, but really known and there was a case in Richland township late in the '40s in which a witch was ordered to leave the neighborhood, and she forthwith went, fearing threatened violence if she did not. And who has not heard of miraculous cures from laying on of hands, rubbing and blowing of breath, accompanied by some jargon of words. The power could be transmitted, but nut to one of the same sex. It must be the opposite. AA'hy. there is living today a man in Columbia City, a prominent business man. who when a buy was cured of consumption by having his hair cut close to his head, the hair burned to ashes and the ashes put into a hole bored in a living oak tree. When the hole healed over the patient was cured. Xot over twenty years ago a Columbia City family was sorely stricken with consumption. Several members of the family died and about a year after the father's death, a son was stricken. He was told tint if his father's beard was secured and Inline-! to ashes and drank bv him he would recover. A dark and uncanny night friends exhumed the father's body, secured the w hiskers, and re-interred the body. The si in drank the whiskers and died.

When ague, that omnipresent disease, that was always stealing hack when supposed to be cured, was invading every \\ hitley county home, the remedies tried could never be enumerated and if by chance the victim did not have a shake for some time after trying the remedy, he was sure that he had discovered an absolute specific and wras desirous of having it tried by all his fellow sufferers. We have heard of eating three lemons a day, eating a pound of raisins while the chill was on. roasting a toad and eating while the fever was on, walking three times around a circle, with the eyes fixed intently on the new moon at first appearance, bathing in a lake, river, or swamp at sunrise, but perhaps the most peculiar and farfetched remedy ever suggested was communicated in all confidence to Dr. D. G. Linvill. A man moved from Pennsylvania and located about a mile and a half south of Columbia City. The whole family had the shakes of course, but the venerable head had the worst case. Dr. Linvill would break it up. hut it returned, as the air was so thick with malaria that you could almost cut it with a knife. Finally the old man struck the remedy. He went in all soberness to the doctor, and told him that he had found a sure remedy, but said he, "If I were to tell yon, von would make fun of me." The doctor assured him that he would not, as he was anxious as anyone could be to know it. After a double assurance that he would not he laughed at, he told it with as much confidence and soberness as if it were a matter of life and death, which he really thought that it was. "I trimmed my finger nails, cooked the clippings in mush and fed the mush to the dog. The dog was not particularly affected, but when time for the chill came. I retched and vomited awfully, throwing up a large quanity of gall and bitterness, and my ague was cured." But it returned and, fully disgusted, he returned to Pennsylvania. The doctor held his mirth until away from the house, when he burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, that did not subside till he reached town; not so much at the remedy, but at the sincerity with which it was told.

Dr. Francis L. McHugh came to the county in 1840 and located on section 12. Richland township, from which place he moved to Columbia City in 185 1. He was smart, able, affable, courteous, and faithful. He had a rich Irish brogue. His range of medicine included eleven remedies only, digitalis, rhubarb, jalap, quinine, aloes, cayenne, calomel, myrrh, epsom salts, salt and antimony. He had a perfect knowledge of the properties and effect of these, and was a good practitioner for his day, riding all over Whitley and into the adjoining- counties. He was once called into consultation on a case in the north of Kosciusko county. The patient had been sick a long time, and was much reduced and almost bloodless. Dr. McHugh prescribed common salt, and told the people so. instead of hedging his remedy about in mystery. The man rapidly recovered, and then refused to pay because he was cured by salt instead of a lot of mysterious compounds. Whoever knew Dr. McHugh knew his failings. He would get drunk. hut when under the influence of liquor would never attempt to diagnose a case or give any medicine. People would sometimes come a great ways and get him while drunk. Arriving at the place, he would take a nap, then drink some milk, and assure himself that he was in proper condition before even seeing the patient. His appetite for liquor at times was uncontrollable. Dr. Linvill once came upon him as he was ready to begin a drunk and with a glass raised he said : "Doctor. I would drink that if I knew it would kill me in fifteen minutes." He had a noble brown mare that was faithful to him and seemed to know when he was drunk. She has been known to stand guard over her master for hours, in the stable or at the roadside, until he recovered from a drunk.

He moved to the south side of the square in Columbia City, where he lived and died, leaving considerable property. Near his residence, directly south of the courthouse, was a little building that served as postoffice. grocery, tailorshop and Dr. Linvill's office. Dr. Linvill had prepared some of Hall's solution of strychnine from some of Kepner's whiskey with the dog-leg tobacco leaves in it. Dr. McHugh came in, perceiving it was whiskey took a good swig. He then exclaimed, 'Strychnine, by G ,' and ran home and quickly dosed himself with a large quantity of calomel and jalap. When Dr. Linvill arrived, he already had slight convulsions, but by heroic treatment he was saved. When sober he never made a mistake. When drunk he never tried to prescribe.

Dr. James B. Simcoke came in 1842. He was fairly educated, but out of his element as a doctor. He was a politician and was elected sheriff. After his bad luck letting the Indians charged with murder get away from him, he left the place. Dr. J. T. Beebe came from Mount Gilead, Ohio, in 1845 and in 1846 Dr. A. H. Tyler, a cousin from the same place, joined him and the firm did considerable business. They were good practitioners and business men and made considerable money. They sold out in 1849 to Swayzee and Linvill, closed their accounts, with money where they could, and traded them for horses, cattle or anything they could get and drove it away. Beebe returned to Ohio, but we do not know what became of Tyler. We are unable to ascertain anything about Dr. Samuel Marshall, who came in 1846, except that his stay in the place was short and uneventful. Dr. William M. Martin came in 1848. He was a bachelor, not overstocked with medical knowledge or skill and not over chaste in his morals. He became involved in one or two domestic scandals. He went from here to Kendallville, became a morphine fiend, and died from its effects during the Civil war. While he was here he was once called upon to pull a tooth. Setting on the turnkey or rather cant-hook, he gave it a jerk with the most shocking expression ever coined in words.

Dr. Peter L. Cole came in 1846. He was a dandy - a veritable dude. Dark complexioned, frisky, clever and crafty. He was peculiar, but made some warm friends. He belonged to the class who "came west" to practice and soon moved on farther west.

Dr. Francis A. Rogers came in 1S48. He was a preacher and son of a Methodist preacher from Ohio. His medical knowledge was gained from "Watson's Practice." Like the fortune teller, he was a pretty good guesser and reader of character. He was smart and shrewd, preached a little, doctored a little, dabbled in politics, and loved the women. He was truly a mushroom doctor, and not being able to fool even a part of the people all the time, he soon folded his tent and, like the Arab, stole away.

Drs. William M. Swayzee and David G. Linvill came in the fall of 1849. The former graduated from the Western Reserve Medical College, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1848. and the latter in 1849. In addition to being thorough graduates, both had had a considerable successful practice at New Salem, Ohio, and were thoroughly equipped for the practice, and were men of excellent character. Dr. Swayzee's wife was the youngest sister of Dr. Linvill's mother. After years of success Dr. Swayzee, like many others, fell a victim to the wiles of a woman. He left his family and went west, with the redhaired woman, and they seemingly lived happy until his money ran out. She had no farther use for him. He came back and entered the practice at South Whitley, and from there went to Huntington, where he married a woman, who was faithful to him, but his sun had set. He died at Huntington. Dr. Linvill at once took front rank among the physicians of the county, and has never lost his place. When he is superseded as "Dean of the Faculty" it will be when he answers the last roll call. At eighty-six, although retired from active riding practice, he is in full possession of all his faculties and fully abreast of the times. It will never be said of David G. Linvill that he is superannuated, antedated or unfit to prescribe for any form of disease. His spirits are as youthful and buoyant as when he first rode the wilderness of Whitley county. At peace with God and man, when the hour arrives he will "Wrap the drapery of his couch about him and lie down to pleasant dreams." His son, Lewis M., became a physician, but died in early manhood. His son David S. is one of the active practitioners of the county and his son Ben is nearing the end of the most complete course of the profession ever taken by a young man in this count)'.

Dr. S. G. A. Reed, who came in 185 1, like some of his predecessors, was a doctor and yet not a doctor. He came here holding a commission from the state to survey the swamp lands of the county, and did survey part of them. He was also a schoolteacher, and knew much more of mathematics than medicine. He was a man of good character, prepossessing and educated. He took up the practice of medicine here with but slight previous preparation. He built the house and barn where F. H. Foust now lives, corner of Van Buren and Wayne. His wife's father hung himself in the Foust barn. " He was also something of a politician. He also "went west."

Dr. Myers came in 1852, and that is all we can learn of him. He certainly cut no figure or he would not have entirely been forgotten. Dr. William Morris, - yes. Bill Morris has not been forgotten. His claim to being a doctor was based on his mother being a midwife. He was a uruscopian. bought a book of receipts for fifty dollars and started up. He started up with a drug store on Tuttle's corner. He weighed about one hundred and eighty pounds, could talk glibly and smile blandly. A worthy German citizen sized him up correctly, when he

Dr. Henry Gregg came in 1853 ancl located first in Troy township. He was a graduate of medicine and also a teacher. He taught and practiced. Dr. Gregg was a good man and a good doctor, but an extremist and a spiritualist. He was elected county treasurer in war times and secured the enmity of his brethren by denouncing the practice of medicine as a farce and humbug. After his term of office he moved away, but returned and successfully practiced medicine at Coesse for some time. Dr. Charles Kinderman came in 1853. He was a German scholar and aristocrat. He was a good druggist and made but feeble attempt to practice medicine. He gave to the Masonic lodge the north half of the block extending from the Columbia City National Bank to the Lutheran church, expecting it to be used for the building of a school to educate orphans of Free Masons. His body lies in the Masonic cemetery, enclosed by the only iron railing to be found there. During the crusade in the early '50s against liquor he was visited by a delegation of ladies, who begged of him to desist from selling liquor as the saloon did. He was obdurate and insisted that he would not be ruled by petticoats. To all argument he simply plead "not guilty" of being ruled by petticoats. The last argument and appeal was : "Didn't Adam listen to Eve?" The doctor was dazed and did not see the good sister was arguing his side - but the rest saw the joke and quietly filed out.

Dr. Joseph Harper came in 1854. He was a "Thomsonian." He built the house on Line street, just north of Matthias Slessman's residence, now owned by Slessmans. He was dirt}-, slouchy, ignorant, repulsive and a poor conversationalist. He had hand bills put up over town headed with the words : "Calomel kills. Give no person calomel." Lobelia was his principal drug. One day in a crowd. Dr. Linvill said to him : "You say that calomel kills. Xow I propose to you, that I will take a teaspoonful of calomel and you take a like quantity of lobelia, and that we continue the dose every hour until one or both of us is dead." That cooked Dr. Harper and silenced his batteries. He soon after left town, presumably for "the west."

Dr. H. Otto Knause came in 1854 and connected himself with Dr. Kinderman. Mrs. John L. Korn, of the southeast part of the county, was very low for a long time and no one thought that she could live. Knause was called and she rapidly recovered. It was considered a miracle and Dr. Knause was at once on the crest of popularity and had a wonderful business, but he could not endure prosperity, and became an awful drunkard. He drifted over to Napoleon, Ohio, and his wife followed. He died over there of cholera.

Dr. John B. Firestone came in 1854 from Wooster, Ohio. He was a nephew of the celebrated Dr. Firestone who was of the faculty of Western Reserve College of Medicine and a noted surgeon, and was a student of Dr. Firestone. Dr. John B. Firestone was a thorough doctor and a successful practitioner up t<> within a short time of his death, when failing health drove him out of the practice. After a few years here he concluded Larwill was going" to be the leading town of the county, as it was a very active business point. He located there, and remained until his death, about 1883. Dr. Martin Ireland came in 1855. He was an eclectic, a regular graduate in medicine and a successful practitioner for many years, dying at his home on Main street four or five years ago. Dr. Purkey was a nephew of Dr. John B. Firestone, and came here in 1856. forming a partnership with his uncle. Dr. Purkey was a regular graduate, a thorough practitioner and gave promise of becoming" quite prominent, but when Dr. Firestone concluded to go to Larwill he returned to Ohio.

Dr. Stephen Major came from Defiance, Ohio, in 1856. He was more a druggist than a doctor. He located on Main street and practiced until age forced his retirement. He died about 1880. Dr. James Z. Gower came from Rome City, in 1856. He located here with a project, the building of a railroad from Rome City to Huntington. He surveyed the line himself. He was bright and shrewd, but not very stable. He gave himself out as a physician, but never distinguished himself in the profession. He soon went away, and we learn drifted into railroading. Dr. James Tollerton came in i860. He was the son of a uruscopian in Fort Wayne, but Jim was educated and a graduate in medicine. He made as much fun of his father's bunco system as anyone. He was not very successful, soon became discouraged and left.

He never entered into the regular practice, but often assisted in cases, with other doctors, and often prescribed for simple ailments. He went to Chicago in 1881 and died a couple of years later. Dr. William T. Ferguson located here in 1864. He had some arm}- practice and other preparation. He was quite successful, and a few years later located in Fort Wayne, where he still stands high in the profession. Dr. Henry Safford came in 1864, formerly from Ohio, but came here from Fort Wayne. His father had been Dr. Linvill's father's family physician at Zanesville, Ohio, many years ago. Dr. Safford was bright and a thorough graduate in medicine, but a confirmed drunkard, and soon left town.

Dr. Franklin McCoy came in 1865. He was a polished gentleman and had kissed the "Blarney stone." He was thoroughly versed in "mental therapeutics" and his personality was a large asset in his success. There was a case of hysteria in the community, that had tired -out most of the other doctors, and they thought that Dr. McCoy might help her. Her hallucination was that she had no one tp love her. Dr. McCoy fully posted, came into the room in raptures. How well he loved her, no one could know but himself. He called the sun, moon and stars, yea, the angels in heaven to witness this wondrous, rapturous love. "You are the man," she exclaimed; but the spell did not last, and soon lie said, "Dang if I can afford to love this woman for nothing." Dr. McCoy's character was above reproach, and no one thought that the treatment was at all improper. The lady was also of irreproachable private character.

Dr. John Foster came in 1865. He was a pretended Methodist preacher, and a medical quack. Was not of good appearance, and of very moderate tact and intelligence. He made no headway. Went from here to Warsaw and died. Dr. C. C. Sutton, who came in 1864, was more a farmer than doctor. He owned land in Washington township and in Thorncreek townshjp, on Blue river. Did not pretend to practice much and no one seemed advised of his ability. He was quick, sharp and a thorough business man. With the selling of his farms he left the place. Dr. Allen P. Mitten was born and raised at Huntington. As a boy he worked at the carpenter trade. Studied medicine with his brother-in-law. Dr. Lehman, and thoroughly equipped himself by education and practice for his profession. Came to Columbia City in 1867, and formed a partnership with Dr. Linvill. Dissolved in 1872. Mitten took post-graduate course at Bellevue, New York. Dr. Mitten was at the very head of the profession when. in 1885, he went to the Pacific coast, and. practically abandoning the practice, he has become a very successful business man and capitalist.

Dr. William Weber came from Huntington, in 1870, a thoroughly educated physician and gentleman. He practiced successfully until his death, about nine years ago. Dr. W. W. Walkup came in 1872. He was a cancer doctor. Yen- proficient in the use of words, but his life was strewn with wrecks of broken promises. He died here a very few years later.

many years of a highly successful career. Dr. Marshall was not only a thorough physician, but he was a man of many parts, and high intellectual attainments. He died, universally respected, about 1892. His only son. Thomas R. Marshall, remains one of our most successful and respected lawyers. Dr. Charles S. Williams came from New York in 1873 and enjoyed a good practice until his death in 1905. He was county coroner from 1882 till his death, except from 1894 to 1896. His daughter. Dr. Alice Williams, is now a successful practitioner in the city. Dr. John Maine came in 18^6 and with his son, Jefferson M. Maine, conducted a drug store. Dr. Maine was very old and never entered into active practice. He died in Fort Wayne. Dr. C. L Cass came in 1880, but after a short medical career went into the woolen-mill, business, which he closed out a little later and returned to Ohio.

Dr. S. D. Amerman, a homeopathist. came here from Pierceton, about 1881, and did a fair business for about ten years, when he moved to Florida, where he enjoyed a good business, but died in a few years after locating in that state. Dr. Frederick F. Fisher, a practicing physician, located at Collamer, died in 1885.

Dr. Daniel Kirkpatrick came from Ohio and located at Laud, sometime in the '50s. In i860 he located at Larwill and continued in the practice until failing health compelled his retirement. He died about three years ago. Dr. Christopher Souder was horn in Richland county. Ohio, in 1842. In 1846 the family located in Richland township, Whitley county. He served in the Fortyfourth Indiana Regiment from 1861 to 1864.

He studied medicine under Dr. Firestone and graduated from the Cincinnati Medical College in 1870. He practiced a short time at South Whitley, then went to Larwill, and practiced until his retirement on account of failing health. He died about eight years ago. He was elected county auditor in 1890, but never moved from Larwill and did not give up the practice, dividing his time between practice and office. His son, Carl Souder. is now a successful practitioner in Columbia City.

Dr. Melvin Lower, a native of Richland township, studied under Dr. Firestone at Larwill, graduated and located at North Manchester, where he is in successful practice.

Dr. Henry Swigart, a native of Thorncreek township, studied under Dr. Souder at Larwill, graduated and located at several places in Indiana, after which he went to Nebraska and became prominent in politics and in his profession. He is now retired. He was a soldier and enjoys a good pension.

Dr. Thomas A. Lancaster, a native of Richland township, studied under the tutelage of Dr. Souder, graduated and practiced a while at Larwill, then went to North Manchester, where he was very successful. He went to California some years ago.

Dr. Paige, "Old Doctor Paige," who located very early at Paige's Crossing, a mile and a half east of Columbia City, did some practice when he first came, but with the advent of more regular practitioners gave it up entirely. He had a very fair general knowledge of ordinary medical remedies. Dr. Joseph Hayes came from Dresden, Licking county, Ohio, to Millersburgh, Collamer, before there was any town, about 1838 to 1840. He had been Dr. Brown's hostler at Dresden for some years and had assisted him in mixing his compounds, tinctures and pills. There is a secret about his coming here, which was not to his discredit or dishonor, nevertheless would not be well now to unfold. The early settlers were familiar with it.

A little later came Joseph Hayes, brother to William, who from a driver of mules on the canal evoluted into a Whitley county doctor. There was a long drawn out malpractice suit against these brothers, brought by a Mr. Neible of near South Whitley. He lost his leg, as he alleged, because of their incompetency. This was one of the most celebrated cases of litigation in the county. Dr. Joseph Hayes died at Collamer and Dr. William Hayes went to Pierceton.

Dr. Caleb W. Edwards, a teacher, who had studied medicine and taken a one-year's course at Western Reserve College, came to South Whitley, in the early '40s. He practiced but a short time, and went into business with J. K. Combs and the firm was highly successful. He died at South Whitley about twelve years ago. Dr. Elijah Merriman, a native of Ohio, came to Whitley county in 1843. He was a teacher, student of medicine, and on graduation settled at South Whitley in 1853. He practiced successfully till his death about 1904.

Dr. Thomas J. Lafollette, a native of Ohio, graduated at Miami Medical College, Cincinnati, in 1873. He first located in Wells county and came to Columbia early in 1876. A very short time thereafter he located at South Whitley. He was in successful practice until 1893. On the World's Fair grounds in Chicago he was stricken with paralysis and lived for months a mental and physical wreck, dying at South Whitley. He was postmaster at South Whitley under the first Cleveland administration.

Dr. Goshorn, a sort of traveling physician, practiced in the south part of the county the year following the Civil war. He finally located at North Manchester and died some years ago. Dr. Alexander McHugh, son of Dr. Francis L. McHugh, took up his father's practice at his death. Alex was fitted for a business man, and not a physician. He soon cast off his plug hat and saddle bags and after a successful business career here went to Iowa, where he is eminently successful.

Dr. Stephen S. Austin, a native of New York, graduated from the Indiana Medical College in 1849 an& located at Wolf Lake. After two years he removed to Etna and was an eminently successful practitioner until his death in 1884.

Dr. William H. Coyle graduated in medicine soon after the war. Practiced at Etna many years and then moved to Columbia City, where he died about three years ago. Dr. David E. Webster, a native of Richland township, graduated in medicine at Ann Arbor, about 1879. Practiced in Larwill until Dr. Mitten left Columbia City. He then came here and practiced successfully until his death about eight years ago.

Dr. Eli Pierce, a graduate of Jefferson College, Philadelphia, settled in the northeast corner of Union township in 1844. He bought a laree tract of land and built a great mansion, known in later years as "Hazel Cot." His brother Joseph came a little later, settled near by on section I. Eli did not practice much, devoting his time mainly to his estate. He fell dead in Areola about 1872. Dr. Joseph Pierce practiced in the neighborhood for some years. Dr. John W. Miller died at Collamer in August, 1872. The funeral was preached in Emerson Grove, then called Harter woods, and he was buried in Collamer cemetery. Dr. Banks lived in the northwest corner of Washington township, on what is now the Swihart farm, from about 1858 up to and during the war, where he practiced, then moved to Fort Wayne and became a specialist. He died at Fort Wayne.

Dr. Noah R. Wenger practiced at Coesse some years, then removed to Fort Wayne, where he is now a specialist. Dr. Owen Gandy was born in West Virginia, in 181 2, and graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1851. Soon after graduation he settled at Heller's Corners, on the Eel river, in Eel River township. Allen county. After two years he moved onehalf mile east, just east of Eel river cemetery, and in about two years after, or in 1856, he moved to Smith township, and lived one year on the farm of Mrs. Daniel Miller; from this place he moved back to Eel River township, about a half mile east of Churubusco. In 1864 he moved to Churubusco, but shortly thereafter he moved north of Merriam, Noble count}-, and on a large farm. He lived at this place, practicing and superintending his large farm until his death in 1874. He is buried in the Christian Chapel cemetery, half a mile east of his farm. Dr. Gandy was the first to locate and practice in the township. He was a hard worker, a thoroughly educated gentleman and physician, successful as a practitioner anil a good financier. His first wife died before he came here and he brought with him his four children, Melissa, Luther, Oscar and Winfield S. He married Cynthia Ann Hire, a daughter of Absalom Hire, who was thesecond white settler in Smith township and to this union was born Freedom, John Wesley, 'William (deceased), Nora, Charles, Burton. Nora, wife of Judson Smith, lives in Columbia City, Freedom in Columbia City, and the others in Noble county. Dr. Gandy was an ardent Democrat, and while he did not affiliate with any church was a generous supporter to all and made many liberal donations.

Doctors Spratt and Kelly formed a partnership and located in Churubusco in 1869 and lived in the hotel in which Jacob Kichler now keeps a grocery and bakery. They did a good business until 1871. Dr. Kelly decamped, leaving his partner, Dr. Spratt, financially embarrassed, and leaving also an unsavory record. Dr. Spratt remained a year or two but never recovering from his loss, retired to his son-in-law's farm (Henry Rich), where his wife died in 1876. Dr. Spratt lived in retirement till his death in 1 891.

Dr. George Keller came to Churubusco from Bucyrus, Ohio, in 1877, and remained aboul a year, returning again to his old home. He was a well educated man and a thorough practitioner, but did not care to enter active work. He lived with his mother and brother, I. N. Keller, at Churubusco. Dr. Maurice M. Modricker located in Columbia City in 1872, and went to Churubusco in 1876. He was a fine scholar, educated in Berlin, a fine linguist, and complete physician, who might have distinguished himself in the profession, but for his intemperate habits. He would practice with complete success for a time and then go oft" on a drunken spree until physically and financially exhausted, and finally left the county, keeping up his habits until his death.

Dr. P. H. Aldrich came from Stryker, Ohio, to Churubusco in 1877, He was a graduate in medicine, but a drunkard, and made no headway. A couple of years later he went to Defiance and from there to Sherwood, Ohio. Dr. William Burney located at Churubusco early in the '70s. He celebrated his departure by thrashing his wife, and then leaving' her destitute. He then went to Hannibal, Missouri.

Dr. John Ouincy Adams Banta located north of Laud, in Washington township, in 1843. Of his success or the time he remained we are not advised.

Dr. Straus located at Bloomfield in the early sixties and remained about four years. Then came Dr. Orvis to the same place (1869), but he soon went to Huntertown.

A perusal of the foregoing shows the necessity for some kind of legislation regarding the practice of medicine. The agitation by a long-suffering public as well as by regular educated physicians finally produced some action, though it was feeble at first. The legislature of 1881 provided as follows :

It shall be the duty of all physicans and accouchers in this state to register their names and postoffice address, with the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which they reside, and all such physicians and accouchers shall report to the secretary of the board of health of the town, city or county in which thev may occur, and within fifteen clays thereafter all deaths and births which may occur under their supervision, etc.

Any physician or accoucher failing or refusing to comply with the provisions of this section, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not less than five nor more than ten dollars.

The state board of health prepared a form for such book, which, in addition to the legal requirements, had a large space headed "Remarks." The word went all over the state to physicians to register, with their names and postoffice, the college from which they graduated, with date of diploma, etc. Those who were regular graduates of course availed themselves of this privilege, that the}- might set themselves right in a public record, and at the same time putquacks ami uneducated members of the profession in a "hole," as it was termed. This caused quite a commotion, especially in the profession, and every doctor's registration was made the subject of critical examination and discussion, and it was charged that many false entries were made. A number of doctors availed themselves of the provisions of the law and made no entries at all under the head of "Remarks." The following entries under the head of "Remarks" were actually made. "Third of a century practice in the county." "For further information call at office," "From the University of Ohio," "Came March, 1856," "Charity Hospital," "Pennsylvania College," etc.. etc. Some of these entries, of course, meant nothing at all. The celebrated Dr. Shweitz registered "Godlieb Frederick Joseph Shweitz, Yale College." It is not likely he could have told in what state Yale College was located. Graduates registered about this way: "Graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 1876." "Graduated from Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgerv.

The legislature of 1885 enacted a law that it should be unlawful for any person to practice medicine, surgery or obstetrics within the state of Indiana, without first obtaining a license so to do, under the penalty of being fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars for each offense. License to be procured from the clerk of court in county where the applicant desires to practice.

The requisites for a license were : First, when such applicant shall file with such clerk his or her affidavit stating that such applicant has regularly graduated in some reputable medical college, and shall exhibit to such clerk the diploma held by such applicant.

Second, or when such applicant shall file with such clerk his or her affidavit, and the affidavits of two reputable freeholders or householders of the county, stating that he or she has resided and practiced medicine, surgery and obstetrics in this state continuously for ten years immediately preceding the date of the taking effect of this act, stating particularly the locality or localities in which he or she has practiced during said period and the date and length of time in each locality.

This law actually barred from practice all persons who did not come within the provisions of one or the other of the two requisites, except mid-wives practicing obstetrics, who were expressly exempt from the provisions of the law. The licensees under this law in Whitley county were:

The legislature amended this law in 1 Si >-. that those in practice must within ninety days from the passage of the law. and others before beginning the practice, must obtain a certificate from the state board of health before being licensed by the county clerk. If such persons present to the state board of health a diploma from a college, whose standards said board shall approve, the certificate is issued on proper presentation of the diploma, but if the diploma is from a college which the state board does not recognize as maintaining a sufficiently high grade of standards the applicant may be examined by said board and if said examination is satisfactory, the certificate will issue. Persons who have practiced midwifery for ten years in the state were entitled to a certificate, which would authorize the county clerk to issue a license to continue the practice of midwifery. Violations of this law are punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more two hundred dollars.. The state board may revoke the license of any physician at any time for fraud in procuring said license, for being guilty of felon}- or gross immorality or addicted to the liquor or drug habit to such a degree as the board may think such person unfit to practice medicine or surgery. The registrations under this law have been :

The present medical society dates from [883, but the minutes show a previous organization, and say that, "Whereas, all the papers and records of the former Medical Society have been lost, and necessity exists for the organization of a new societv. therefore, we do organize by re-electing the former president, Dr. Stephen S. Austin, and former secretarv. Dr. Allen P. Mitten."

A long constitution and by-laws were adopted, a seal procured and the society given a corporate existence by having the constitution and by-laws recorded in the recorder's office of Whitley county, April 4, 1884, in Miscellaneous Record "B," pages 403 to 407. This was signed by the following- members :

The by-laws call for not less than two meetings a year on call. The society has had a rather spasmodic career since that time, but at present is in excellent condition and its meetings are productive of great good. Many peculiar and obstinate cases are fully discussed and patients are often brought before the society that all may examine and the attending physician have the benefit of the combined counsel of the society. Its work is almost wholly confined to this business and to the cultivation of a spirit of helpfulness and good feeling in the profession. Nearly all the physicians in the county are members. Dr. O. V. Schuman is president and Dr. F. G. Grisier, secretary at this time.

Physicians At Laud

This was a term almost synonymous with Whitley county for some years before the Civil war, reaching its height of degeneracy during the war period, and even yet is regarded as a term of reproach. Forty or fifty years ago, mention of this fearful place was enough to scare any boy of fifteen, under the bed.

Its fame extended not only all over northern Indiana but into other states. The exact location of the place was not understood, but the swamps, heavy timber and thickets of south-west Columbia township and extending into Richland, were supposed to be alive with thieves and marauders.

were organized and incorporated under the laws of Indiana, for the purpose of cleaning out the Half Acre, one in Richland township, one in Cleveland township, and one in Troy township. Each member was, by the authorities, vested with the rights of a constable, to make arrests, and it was generally understood that if he abused the legal right of an officer and overstepped his duty, he would in no way be brought to book for it. They were supposed to be a secret, oathbound organization, and the weird story of what they were doing was overestimated as much as were the fanciful stories of what the denizens of the place themselves were doing.

The place was really located on the spot of the Indian village in section 20, Columbia township, and began to be notorious about the time the Indian history was dying out, some few straggling Indians being still about the place to add to its mysterious horrors.

George Helms moved on the north-west quarter of section 20, early in the '40s. the farm now owned by the Korts. Harrison Dowell lived a mile south. They were always quarreling and always involved in law suits. Helms was regarded as a very desperate character. He was vulgar and profane to the extreme, was very insulting to women and was charged with several very serious offences. He would go away for weeks at a time, and return with a lot of money. Every crime in the catalogue was imputed to him. Others might commit any crime from murder to counterfeiting and on down to petit larceny, and George Helms get the credit.

time to time as to the origin of the expression, when and how it came to be called Hell's Half Acre. The exact fact is this : In the early winter of 1849, Sanford Mosher came to Ben Beeson's blacksmithshop on Main street, on the bank of Blue river. Helms and Dowell had a lawsuit that day in Columbia, which was the general topic of conversation. The late Harmon Beeson was also at the blacksmithshop and began twitting Mosher about his quarrelsome neighbors and finally said : "There is a place down in Kentucky they call 'Hell's Half Acre,' they must have moved it up here." The expression raised a great laugh among the bystanders, which Mosher appreciated as much as any one, and the neighborhood received a name from which nearly sixty years has not divested it. Though the family name of Helms was very intimately associated with the Half Acre they were by no means the only ones, but it was left to Howard, son of George Helms, and his cousin, Sam Helms, to give the place a reputation for reckless daring and public, open and notorious defiance of law and law officers. George Helms' two sons, George and Howard, were not regarded as worse boys than their neighbors. Indeed, in contradistinction to their father, they were generally called good boys, and their natures chafed seriously under the tyrannical domination of their father. Early in the Civil war, they both enlisted and entered the service, and had they not come home on a furlough their history might have been different, but they came home with the full intention of returning. The father did all in his power to prevent their returning to the service. They took' counsel from Orrin Mosher and others.

who urged them to return to duty and observe their oath of allegiance, but the very atmosphere was surcharged with excitement engendered by war, and a spirit of hostility to the cause was everywhere apparent. There was something tempting to persons with hereditary criminal natures, about being deserters, and the boys chose the wrong course and became at once fugitives and outlaws.

Now began an era of crime beside which all former exploits of the Acre were tame. Howard Helms was captain, his brother George an able lieutenant and the}- had plenty of followers and assistants. Withal, there was something about Howard that attracted men to him, perhaps his reckless daring and fidelityr to his friends. He always said he had as close friends among the vigilance committees as he had inveterate enemies, and that they always gave him warning of an attempt to get him, either by direct word or by some sign, and said that he would once have been caught unawares but for the signal of two shots as near together as a pistol could be made to fire. For several years he defied federal officers with warrants in their pockets when they knew where he was and he frequently went from the fastnesses of the Acre to Columbia City and other towns. The old criminal docket of Whitley county is burdened with causes against him and his associates, and constables and sheriffs had their pockets full of warrants, which thev made but feeble attempt to pretend to serve and thus crime went on in defiance of all law. Indictments for larceiw, resisting officers, assault, riot, etc., were but idle mockery.

George Deer, Joseph, George and Mathias Slessman, from Columbia City, once undertook to arrest Howard. They had learned to a certainity that he was at Lawrence Manier's house, section 20, farm now owned by Jules Romey. The Eel River Railroad now runs directly where the house stood. It was torn down on building the railroad, He saw them when within a few paces of the house and struck off south-east toward Harrison Dowell's ; they rode out the lane and turned south toward him. They called, halt! but he moved on. Then one of the party shot to scare. He was more than twenty rods from them and deliberately took aim and shot to kill. The bullet whizzed past Joe George's head. They ran out of the road to see the dust raise from the second shot on the spot where they had stood, and the expedition ended. The provost marshal made one attempt to arrest him. With a large posse of mounted men and with the knowledge that he was at Harrison Dowell's house, they started in high glee. As they neared the house Dowell came rushing in exclaiming: "My God, Howard, the lane is full of men on horses! For God's sake, Howard, go!" He walked right out with a big navy revolver, his finger on the trigger, and the weapon across his arm. and when the}' came within a rod- or two of him he said calmly. "Gentlemen, what do vim want ?" The marshal said : "We are looking for Jake Long." Harrison retorted: "I ran the Jake Long you are looking for." The marshal said again : "No, no. we want Jake Long." Howard then coolly said : "Gentlemen, turn round and go back. I am not guilty of murder and don't want to be. but will shoot dead the first man in your party who attempts to draw a gun. I have no ill will against you, but you'll not take

Early one morning as Hiram Mosher went tu the field to work he heard a voice calling him. He looked around and saw Howard Helms sitting cm the fence stark naked. "What is the matter," said the boy. "Oh, the regulators were after me last night. I heard the signal of two shots from one of the party and got out of the house into the woods. They "soon swarmed all around me and I just had to crawl into an old elm tree uprooted. 1 crawled into it and had to lay in mud and water, up to my face. John Anderson, one of my worst enemies, was so near me twice that I could have caught him by the leg, and it seemed so funny I had a notion to do it. I am now waiting for my clothes to dry, but some of them may yet be prowling around and as I am not in good shape to defend myself I guess I'll get off the fence and squat by that log." He had not thus concealed himself three minutes until Erastus Rollins rode up and accosting the boy said: "When did you see Howard Helms?" "Yesterday," said the boy, which was true. "If I ever get sight of him I'll sin nit him on the spot," and then he moved lift". Howard said laughingly, "I had a notion to come out naked as I was, with a stickin my hand and point it at him and scare him white-headed, but I was afraid there might be a lot more of them around and 1 am nut just now hunting trouble."

The store of Combs & Edwards, at South Whitley, was rubbed, but not a window was opened or door unlocked or broken in. Some one who knew all about the place. conducted the thieves under the floor and up through an opening. George Williams.

who was said to be a "Hawpatch horse thief and counterfeiter," was supposed to belong to the gang. He was taken from a sick bed to the "red brush" schoolhouse in Richland township, a rope was put about his neck and threatened with death if he did not tell all. The best they could get out of him was, "I feel sick enough to die anyhow and you can just finish up the job if you want to," but they didn't and they learned nothing.

A few davs after, as Orrin and Sanford Mosher were striking a bee-line below Taylor's station or Wynkoop, in section 30. thev heard noises in the swamp and listening, distinguished who they were, and that they were quarreling over a coat and other things. Howard and the fellow the regulators didn't hang were two of them. Orrin went quickly to Peter Snyder's and had him go tc Combs & Edwards at South Whitley and tell then to meet Orrin and San Mosher at Eliakim Mosher's. just after dark, and they would conduct them to the place of the stolen goods. Nobody came, perhaps Combs and Edwards were afraid of some trap, as they went instead to their lawyer. Three days after, Howard Helms appeared at Sanford Mosher's and brandishing a revolver, said : "Some Mosher has told on us, and if I can find out which one it was I will blow his brains out."

Anderson Grimes had a fine set of double harness stolen, and the regulators offered ten dollars for their recovery. Soon after, Sanford Mosher, out hunting, saw a man carry ing a set of harness, but he soon disappeared in the thicket. The next day, taking Orrin with him, they found the harness concealed in a hollow tree. Thev sent for

These are but a very few of the incidents the terrible years when "Hell's Half Acre" held mad riot in the center of Whitley county ; but with the coming of more settlers and the strengthening of the power of the law, the clearing of the swamps and hiding places the on-rushing tide of progress must necessarily clean out such festering places.

No one knew this better than the Helms boys. George left some time before Howard and went to Ohio. Howard went from here to La Otto. Dekalb county, in 1867 or 1868, and married there, George going there, too.

There began a new era of depredation. They gathered about them other thieves and tribute was levied by night on the country for anything that could be hauled to Fort Wayne and turned into cash, or could be used by the gang at home ; but the fame of Helms traveled thither and the ravishing of that neighborhood was not of very long duration.

One night as Howard was out scouting, as he termed; crossing a road he found himself in the midst of a troop of horsemen. They asked him if he knew Howard Helms. To say he did not would be to arouse suspicion, for his terrible name was on the lips of all the settlers. Yes, he had heard a great deal of him, but never saw him. "Well," said the leader, "he is at the house below the cross-roads two miles down and we are going to get him tonight." He could easily save himself, but all thought was of his brother George, whom he knew was sleeping in that house. Quick as thought, he said : "I want to go along and help take him."

"We want all the help we can get," the leader said, "but you have no horse and we are in a hurry and it is nearly two miles down there." "If you don"t ride too fast I will keep up," said Howard, and he never made two miles so quick in his life. Arriving at the place, the captain caused the men to surround the house some thirty rods from it and then move cautiously to the center. Howard stayed near the captain, whom ha took for a coward, and he felt if he were out of the way the others would flee in terror. He thought the time had come to kill his man. When about ten rods from the house he gave the double shot, to warn George and wound the captain and not kill him unless further events necessitated it. Two shots, frantic yells, and the captain wounded in the leg and all was confusion and excitement, terror took the place of discipline. Just then George, fleeing from the house ran right up to Howard, and before the frenzied crowd knew what had happened, the brothers were out of their reach and made their way to Michigan. Howard, later, came after his wife and they made their home in Michigan.

After he had gone to Michigan, three Whitley county regulators, armed with a belated warrant and stimulated by the promise of a reward, undertook to capture him. He was at his uncle Dowell's. Just after dark, one evening, Dowell came in and said: "Howard, there are three men from Indiana. regulators, right here." Howard immediately jumped out of the back window and stood there with his navy revolver ready for fire. They filed in the house, two within range of his gun. His first impulse was to shoot all three, so enraged was he that they should follow him for the reward and after all deserters had been freed, and he waited till all would come within range so he might despatch them. Nothing happened, they stood seemingly amazed and he stood with cocked gun until he got tired and walked away. One of these men still lives in Whitley county.

Both the boys settled down and became good, respectable citizens. George was elected sheriff of Lake county, Michigan, a few years ago and made a good officer. He still lives in that county. Howard, after several years' respectable residence in Michigan, moved to Wisconsin, where he still lives. By an accident, while out hunting a few years ago, he lost a leg.

Hell's Half Acre of a half century ago with its swamp, morass and wilderness has become a beautifully cultivated country of elegant farms and pretty homes, good, intelligent and law-abiding citizens, and life and property are as secure as anywhere in the world, not a cabin or landmark by which to remember the days of Indian sloth and drunkenness, nor yet of the sterner days when Helms was a name to be feared and dreaded.

The laws relating to county roads, when \\ hitley county was organized, were substantially the same as today. Upon proper petition and notice, the board of commissioners sent out three viewers. If the viewers' report was favorable and no remonstrances or objections were filed, the road was located.

The law in relation to state roads was practically the same, except that where it was desired a state road should be located, which meant a road running through more than one county, a petition was filed with the state legislature and they appointed a commissioner, usually more than one, to locate and lay out the same if he or they deemed ii practical or advisable. If there occurred a vacancy in this board of viewers, the commissioners nf the county where the vacancy occurred, supplied the vacancy. The report of such commissioner or board of commissioners must be filed and recorded in each county, and any objections or remonstrances were passed upon and adjudicated by the county commissioners in each county just as county roads were adjudicated.

There was also a township road law, applicable only to the counties of Carrol, Delaware. Clay, Madison, Warren, Clinton, Adams, Jay, Wells, Huntington, Whitley. Allen and Hancock.

It will be seen that while this law was giiod in Whitley, and in our neighbors to the south and east, it did not apply to Kosc iwsko on the west or Noble on the north.

ships, such person or persons, before any road can be thus established or changed, shall give notice of such application, at least twenty days preceding such application to the board of township trustees, by setting up advertisements in at least three of the most public places in the township in which such road is proposed to be located or changed, and shall also present to said board of trustees a petition signed by at least twelve householders of the neighborhood through which the same may run, setting forth their reasons for such location or change. And on receiving the petition the board, if they deem it expedient, shall proceed to examine the route thus proposed, and on the view and examination of the proposed road they shall, if they conceive that the public good require it, establish the same and make a record of the proceedings in the book in which the records of the township are kept, and when so recorded, shall be deemed a public highway and shall be opened and kept in repair as other roads and highways in the township are."

Thus county, state and township roads were worked alike, that is, by a regular township levy as at present and by requiring all male persons not exempt, between the ag'es of twenty-one and fifty years to work two days annually. The law regarding cartways was as follows :

"Any person for his convenience may have a cartway, not exceeding eighteen feet in breadth, laid out from or to any plantation, dwelling-house or public highway, on petitioning to the proper board (having advertised his intentions as required by this act), which board shall cause the same to be publicly read, and if they think proper, order a view of the same. Said cartway shall, at the discretion of said board, be recorded and declared a common cartway for the use and convenience of the public, and shall be opened by the persons petitioning therefor. If the said cartway be laid out through any person's land objecting thereto, the damages shall be assessed as provided in case of objection to public roads and highways, which being paid by the persons ap-> plying for such way, he may proceed to open the same agreeably to the order of said board. If the owner or owners of any land through which such cartway passes, be desirous of improving the same, he, she or they may be permitted to turn the same, on as good ground, not increasing the distance more than one twentieth, on application to said board. Any person may be permitted by said board to hang swinging gates on said cartway, but shall keep the said gate or gates in good order and repair, under the penalty of one dollar for every offense, to be recovered before a justice of the peace of the proper count}-, by any person prosecuting for the same, one moiety to the prosecutor and the other toward keeping said way in repair."

It was provided that any person who shall be found horse-racing along or across any state, county or other public highway or 1 'ridge, or be found shooting at a mark along or across any such highway, shall. upon conviction before a justice of the peace, be fined in any sum not exceeding three dollars.

The statutes of 1843 did not in any material way make any change in the foregoing laws relating to state and county roads, but thev stvled what had been known as cart- ways, private roads, and ordered the record to be made in the county instead of the township. But one private road was ever located under this law and that was by Peter Haynes, in Thorncreek township, and the description is so indefinite that it could not be now located.

By a perusal of the foregoing-, it will be seen that the law creating township roads was a special enactment, applying to only thirteen counties, among which was Whitley. The laws of 1843 repealed this township road law. The year following, that is. 1844, four township roads were recorded in the commissioners' records of the county. There were cases began before the repeal of the township law, the proceedings being had before the township trustees and record then being made in the county as township roads.

Under the new constitution, the statutes of 1852 did not consider roads running in more than one county state roads, and did not provide for viewers appointed by the state legislature. It also slightly amended and changed the county road law and enacted a new township road law operative all 1 iver the state.

In case of roads running in more than one county, it provided that if twenty-four or more freeholders of any county should petition for a road running in more than one county, the petition should first be filed in that county and the auditor should forward a copy to the auditor of each and every county through which said road was to pass, and these auditors must place this before the commissioners at their next session. If the commissioners of the county where filed found that the law had been complied with as to notice, etc., they shall appoint one commissioner and notify the other counties of the time and place to begin the work, and the commissioners of each county should appoint one commissioner or viewer. Substantially the same proceedings were then had as to laying off county roads, and when the road was established each county took care of its own part and each paid its share of the location expenses.

The changes in the law regarding roads in one county were only as to the manner of legal procedure and did not differ much from, the former law.

The township law provided that any person may have a highway laid out or a change of a highway in any township, on the petition therefor of twelve freeholders residing in said township, six of whom must reside in the immediate neighborhood of such proposed highway or change. The petition must go to the three township trustees, and notice must have been given for twenty days by posting up notices at three or more public places in the vicinity. The trustees after passing on the sufficiency of the petition and notice, and finding them according to law, appointed three viewers, and did not view the road themselves as under the former law. These viewers must be disinterested residents of the township. The township clerk issued his precept to said viewers as the auditor in county roads and they must be notified by a constable, as viewers in county mads are notified by the sheriff. When said viewers made their report to the trustees, if a majority of the persons affected remonstrate, the petition must be dismissed; but if only one person remonstrated a new set of viewers must be appointed.

to the action by county boards, but' any person aggrieved at the final adjudication might appeal to the county commissioners, when the case became a county one. This statute also provided that viewers should stare the width of road, but in no case should a township road be less than twenty-five feet or a county road less than thirty feet. This statute also provided that if a road laid out should not be opened up and used within six years, it should cease to be a road, and that all public highways which had been or might hereafter be used as such, should be deemed highways. The changes in the laws since 1852 have not been fundamental, except that as township business became more and more simplified until but one trustee did all the township business ; the township road law was years ago repealed.

About the same provisions were incorporated in the township road law of 1852 as were in the former one, as to swinging gates and penalty for not keeping them in proper order.

The Indiana Legislature in 1836 entered upon an extravagant era of internal improvements under the caption of "An act for a general system of interna! improvements," and authorized the governor to approve a board of six persons to carry out the work. The White Water Canal. The Central Canal to commence at some point on the Wabash Erie Canal between Fort Wayne and Logansport and run to Muncie. An extension of the Wabash Erie Canal from the mouth of the Tippecanoe river to Terre Haute. A railroad from Madison through Columbus, Indianapolis and Crawfordsville to Lafayette. A macadamized turnpike from New Albany through Greenville, Paoli and Mount Pleasant to Vincennes. A canal if practicable, and if not, a railroad from Fort Wayne by way of Goshen, South Bend and La Porte to Michigan City. Had these things all been carried out, the state would have been bankrupted. But a small part of the work was ever built. Three surveys of the Fort Wayne-Michigan City route were made, all three through Whitley count)-, but the meager record left does not allow us to state with any certainit}" just where the lines ran. However, one was substantially along the Goshen and Fort Wayne road, through present Churubusco ; one ran near the present town of Collins, and the other nearer Columbia City. Two of them crossed Thorncreek township. Had this canal or railroad been built, the history of AAdiitley county might have been entirely different. The state roads through the county were the Fort Wayne and Goshen, through Churubusco. The next was the Fort Wayne and Yellow River and from Columbia City east is practically the Columbia City and Fort Wayne road east on Van Buren street. Yellow River, the western objective point, was in Elkhart county. The next was the Goshen and Huntington Road practically as it runs today through the county. The next was called Fort Wayne and La Gro road, but is substantially the Fort Wayne, Columbia City and Warsaw road of today. The next was the Logansport and Sparta road; but little of it was built anil it cannot be traced to-day. Then the Lima and Huntington road, which is practically the Columbia City Line Street road to Huntington, and lastly was the Fort Wayne and Oswego state road, practically the northwest road from Columbia City to Etna.

These state roads were not so important as we might think, as may be seen by the foregoing narrative. They were only roads in more than one county. An attempt to follow the location and changes of the county and township roads of the county would only lead to tiresome confusion.

The soil of Whitley county, with its early swamps and streams, made the road problem a great difficulty. It is often said that the first forty years of road-work went for naught and that the highways were no better in 1878 than in 1838. True it is that for forty years the difficulties were great, corduroying swampy places, draining highways and cutting hills so vehicles could get over the roads at all, and we were a long time getting roads. Our people became quite restless over the road situation in the seventies. Huntington county had built two gravel roads from the city of Huntington to the Whitley county line.

In October. 1S78, a meeting was called at the Whitley county courthouse to consider the graveling of the road from Columbia City to meet the Huntington gravel road at the county line. The estimated cost seemed appalling and taxpayers shrank from it. and old residents declared there was no gravel in the county with which to build roads and the purpose of the meeting went for naught, but the agitation went on. The legislature at its January session, 1881, changed the old method of working out property road tax. and the two days by each poll, into paying all in cash. Instead of working two or more days each person liable to poll tax wis required to pay two dollars in cash, rind all road tax must be paid in cash. The supervisor system was abolished

The law went into effect June 1, 1881, but superintendents were not elected until the first Monday in April, 1882. The change caused a balling up of road matters, and the superintendents having no road poll work and but little money, could do but little work. The winter of 1881 and 1882 was an open one, and the roads became for several months practically impassable. Travel was almost abandoned, and when spring came the highways, full of holes and washouts, got but little repair from the superintendents and a spirit of utter disgust was everywhere apparent. The legislature at its session in January, 1883, quickly repealed the road superintendent and cash payment law. going back to the old system of working out poll and property tax under direction of supervisors, and the township trustees had a good big cash fund, in addition to the work in 18S3. They now began work on the roads as it had never been done before.

At the June term. 1883, of the commissioners' court, two petitions were filed for the building of turnpikes or gravel roads, both in Cleveland township, and practically from South Whitley to the Huntington county line. One the old Goshen and Huntington state road and the other the Claysville mad. For the Claysville road, William H. Lancaster, George Kaler and Alvin H. King nf Richland township, were appointed viewers and made their report at the September term, 1883. Total length of road five and seven hundred and seventy-five five thousand two hundred and eightieths (775-5280) miles; width of road twentv-four feet; width of gravel twelve feet, average depth of gravel ten inches ; estimated cost fifteen thousand three hundred and fortyfive dollars and eighty cents. The report was accepted and on the 29th day of September, the contract was let to Matter & Mc- Donald for eleven thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars. It was completed and accepted September 29, 1 884.

James H. Shaw, Frederick Nei and Richard M. Paige were appointed viewers for the Goshen road, and they reported at the September term, 1883. Length of road, five and three thousand one hundre five thousand two hundred and eightieths (5 3100- 5280) miles. Same roadbed as the Claysville road, and an estimated cost of sixteen thousand one hundred and twenty-seven dollars and fifty cents. The contract was let to Wilson T. Taylor and Jeremiah Stiver for twelve thousand five hundred dollars, and was completed and accepted September 2^, 1S84. An allowance was also made for extra work of six hundred and sixty-four

It was now proven that there was plenty of gravel in Cleveland township and in almost all other parts of the county. These were the only roads ever built in the county under the free turnpike law. They were pretty expensive to the people along the line, but they got good roads quickly and the county is bound to keep them up for all time to come, by a levy over the entire county for the purpose.

The work has gone steadily and rapidly on, until to-day nearly, if not all the main roads are graveled, and side ones are rapidly catching up. The question of poor roads in Whtley county is about solved, which wlli be a relief to the citizens.

By George

The history of education in Whitley county is the story of a struggling people rising from infancy to approaching manhood. Most of it is the common story of the hardships of the pioneers. But long before the county was organized, before the actual appearance of the "log cabin," the "puncheon floor" and the "oiled-paper window," the county came into an inheritance that has proven its educational wealth. Whether the fathers "builded wiser than thev knew" or were p'ifted with the vision of the Prophets it remains true that while yet the Red Man roved unmolested through the forests wise men in Indiana were agitating the question of schools and colleges, and statesmen were laying deep the foundations of one of the greatest school systems in the world. Education in Indiana was early felt to be one of the corner-stones of a republican form of government.

was passed to which we trace the origin of our school system. It provided that the territory should be divided into townships six miles square, each towns-hip to be subdivided into thirty-six sections one mile square. It also provided that section sixteen in each township be set apart for the maintenance of the public schools. In 1816 when Indiana was admitted to the Union as a state the provision for the section of land in each township was reaffirmed and the constitution declaring its faith in "Knowledge and learning, generally diffused through a community, being essential to the preservation of a free government." further provided for the establishment of a system of schools consisting of a gradation of common schools, county seminaries and a state university.

When on the seventh day of May, 1838, Whitley became a separate county it at once entered into a rich inheritance of school office's. In 1 818 the general assembly of Indiana enacted a law making it the duty of the Governor to appoint a seminary trustee whose duty it was to accumulate and invest funds arising from exemption moneys and fines and looking to the establishment of a seminar_\r in each count}- that should receive pupils from the common school and admit them to tlie university. In May, 1830- the county commissioners appointed Henry Swihart seminary trustee, who thus became the first school official in the county. In 1840 he was reappointed and summoned to appear before the commissioners and file a sworn statement of the condition of the school funds of the county. The report shows that he had received the sum of $15,121/ from Abraham Clark, who had previously been appointed for Huntington County, a permanent fund to remain inviolate for school purposes. Later Richard Collins became the seminary trustee; and when in 1852 the legislature ordered the sale of all county seminaries "with all their properties, real and personal," the funds became a part of the common school fund of the state. Whitley county never established a seminary under the provisions of the law.

In 1833 a law was enacted providing for a county commissioner of education, three township trustees and three trustees for each school district. It became the duty of the school commissioner to take charge of the congressional township funds in his county, to make sales of the lands belonging thereto, and to hold in trust the funds of the local corporations. His duties were entirely financial in their nature and he was not concerned about the actual problems of teaching. In August. 1839, Andrew Compton was elected the first school commissioner in Whitley county. On November 19, 1841. he made the first sale of school lands. An eighty-acre tract belonging to the sixteenth section in Union township was sold to James Pringle at $3.75 per acre. During this and the few succeeding years the school lauds were rapidly sold. In August, 1845, James B. Edwards was elected to the office and served one term. Henry Hanna succeeding him in 1847. Mr. Hanna served until 1850, when the office was abolished and its duties transferred to the county auditor. November 19, 1853, exactly twelve years after the first sale, the last quarter section of school lands was sold from the sixteenth section in Smith township to Berlin Myers for the consideration of $4.00 an acre. The total sales of all these lands amounted to $17,258.60, or a trifle less than three dollars per acre. This congressional fund still remains the same, - a part of the perpetual common school fund "which may be increased, but shall never be diminished." The value of these lands at present leads one to speculate upon what the congressii mal township funds might have been had the lands remained unsold to the present day ; but it is gratifying to reflect that our fathers gave us a foundation for our public school in a fund, though small when compared with the millions in educational endowments today. yet permanent and untainted by dishonesty and the odor of Standard Oil.

Naturally the first schools of the county were conducted in the most primitive way. In this educational beginning when it was said, "Let there be light," the creative process was not instantaneous. Where the first struggling settlements appeared there slowly rose the "little log cabin" where the true "brisk wielder of the birch and rule" taught the elements of "reading, writing and ciphering." The story is familiar to all. The wall of the log hut lifting its roof barely high enough to admit the master rod and all, the puncheon floor and seat, the holes cut into the logs for window and door, the widemouthed fireplace with stick-and-mud chimney, the slab upheld by pegs that made the writing desk against the wall, forms a picture that often before has been painted and is yet vivid in the reader's mind.

Such a cabin was erected in the fall of 1837 on the north bank of Eel river just below the place where the State street bridge now spans the river in the town of South Whitlev, and there David Parrett the following winter taught the first school in the county. Ten pupils made up the enrollment and the term lasted probably four months, tuition paid entirely by subscription. He was succeeded by Miss Elma Thompson, who in her turn gave place to Sarah Sluves. The following year the early pioneers elsewhere in the count}- made their first feeble but heroic efforts to have school. John Strain taught school in Smith township in Ins own log house, and Stephen Martin also taught a few months in his own house in Troy township. The first house in this township was built at Grant's Corners and Miss Clarissa Blanchard taug'ht in it the first term. The same year Rufus D. Kinney taught the first school in Etna township in a house built for that purpose. In 1839 the first school in Union township was opened two miles northeast of the center, and Mrs. Cornelia Bonestel, a widow who had come west from Xew York, taught for several terms. In 1841 William W'idup taught a school in Thorncreek township in the Egolf district, and Charles Hughes the same year opened a school at Bethel. The following year Jesse Case taught the first school in Washington Township south of the center : and when in 1845 Mrs. B. F. Davis became the first teacher in Jefferson township near the place commonly known as Saturn settlements dotted the valleys of the county everywhere and the little schoolhouse where teacher and preacher held forth followed hard upon the trail of the pioneer. In 1847 the first brick schoolhouse in the county was built in Columbia City on lot 3, block 25, original plat.

of their duties the circuit court was authorized to appoint annually three examiners whose duty it should be "to certify the branches of learning each applicant was qualified to teach." During the next decade no changes were made in the school system when in 1847 Caleb Mills of Wabash College, the greatest educational statesman Indiana has produced, published in the "Indiana School Journal" his famous message addressed to the general assembly and signed "One of the People." He gave his views freely and forcibly, criticising the governor and other officials of the state for their want of interest in educational matters, and pointed out the need of efficient state and county supervision of schools. As a consequence a law was enacted in 1849 that abolished the office of school commissioner, retained the three examiners in each county and the three township trustees, but substituted one trustee in each district instead of three.

The new constitution of 1852 incorporated this law, and under this simplified machinery the supervision of schools in Whitley county practically began. Prior to the adoption of the new constitution the primitive conditions in the county made the appointment of school examiners unnecessary.

Early in the summer of 1852 Joseph Stultz, who was then justice of the peace in Cleveland township, having made up his mind to teach school within the year, discovered after some investigation that a teacher who expects remuneration out of the public funds should be leg'ally licensed by a properly appointed examiner. He came to Columbia City, and upon failure to find such an official made his wants known to the board of county commissioners, who thereupon temporarily appointed I. B. Mc- Donald, school examiner for Whitley county. After a brief oral examination Mr. Stultz was placed in possession of the first teacher's license issued in the county. Later in the same year Mr. McDonald was regularly appointed examiner and for two years he served in that official capacity alone. In 1854 S. G. A. Reed and A. A. Bainbridge were appointed his associates for one year, and the following year C. W. Edwards and A. A. Bainbridge were chosen; but these gentlemen looked to McDonald for the execution of the duties of the office and it was under his management that the teaching body of the county began to assume form. For the succeeding five years the appointments to the office of examiner were as follows: In 1856, P. H. Hardesty, William Bell, A. A. Bainbridge; 1857, J. H. Alexander, Henry- McLallen, Josiah Brown; 1858, A. J. Douglas, Josiah Brown, J. H. Alexander; 1859, Isaac Van Houton, A. J. Compton, A. W. Myers; i860, Isaac Van Houton, A. J. Compton, A. W. Myers.

In 1854 Reverend Jacob Wolf, believing in the efficiency of learning beyond merely the rudiments, undertook the establishment of a colleg-e in the county. Whether the early activity in educational matters of the people of Union Township helped him in the selection of the site is not known, but he decided upon a place at the center of this township and there erected a building as the nucleus of W^artberg College. He brought to this place A. J. Douglas, an intelligent and enthusiastic young man, and the two assumed the work of a faculty. A number of young men took up their residence here.

and others found homes among the farmers in the immediate vicinity, and for two years the school seemed to prosper with a fair attendance. The day, however, was too early and the "call of the wild" too strong for the awakening of interest in Latin and Geometry, and in 1856 the school was disbanded and the property willed to Wittenberg College, at Springfield. Ohio. Mr. Douglas came to Columbia City, and assisted I. B. McDonald in a public school which he had opened above the old Baptist church where now stands the Town Hall.

In 1 86 1 the legislature enacted a law providing- for the appointment by the county commissioners of but one school examiner for each county to serve for a term of three years, and H. D. Wilson was at once appointed. He was a man of considerable ability and served the people in a creditable manner during the years of the Civil WTar holding the first county institute in 1863. In 1864 I. B. McDonald returned from his service at the front with the title of Colonel and was promptly elected examiner. He held the office for two terms and entered vigorously into the spirit of the work. His large problem was the establishment of school districts and the location of schoolhouses. The early pioneers had built log cabins for schools and had naturally located them at the best convenience of communities regardless of geographic lines. To reduce these promiscuous schools into the system contemplated by the state of having one school regularly located at the center of four sections of land was a problem that involved no end of rivalry and even bitter feeling. It must be said to the credit of Colonel McDonald that in all this he acquitted himself with honesty, good judgment and dignity. Time has proven that as long as the little district schools remain their location in the county was judiciously determined.

Teachers' examinations then were informal. The examiner held an institute for a week or two at which such topics as the "reduction of complex fractions," "punctuation," or the "parsing of the noun" were taught, and at the close he held an oral examination under whose searching fire of questions the prospective teacher sat in fear and trembling. But there were splendid young people in those days who aspired to teach and whose heroism in facing privations and hardships was a lesson and a worth}- example itself. The following names are taken from the record of licensed teachers : Hugh L. Finley, Rose Nickey, Mary Mag-ers. Joseph P. Anderson. John C. Cheyney, William H. Knisely, W. H. Liggett, Ruth McNear. H. C. Widup, William Mc- Laughlin, Mattie Best, Nellie M. Coutz, L. D. Bevington, Malissa Bechtol, James A. Campbell, Zilpha E. Hurd, G. W. North, H. W. Spangler, Jeremiah Summers, Lizzie Widup, Joseph E. Stoner, B. F. Stultz, Fannie Thompson, Hannah Holm, Jennie A. Park, Louise Gregg, Chester L. Cone, Augusta Cleveland, Millard F. Anderson, Charles D. Moe, Frank B. Moe, Valorous Brown, T. A. Lancaster, Alexander Snvder, Jennie Daniels, Maggie Daniels, John Fetro. Lizzie McCoy, George W. Reasor, William H. Swan, W. C. Barnhart, Samuel D. Miller. A. J. Douglas. J. W. Adair, L. D. Thoman, W. H. Coyle. Christopher Souder. Jacob Herr, John H. Reider, George D. Trembly. W. C. Rickey, J. D. Allerton,

One day in July, 1867, a young man with all his earthly possessions in a satchel walked into the Ritter House in Columbia City and registered under the name of W. C. Bamhart. He was a teacher from Ohio and came to this county with the intention of teaching a private school. After a talk with Examiner McDonald he walked the next day through the woods to South Whitley. There he met Dr. E. Merriman, Dr. C. W. Edwards, and S. A. Sheibley, trustees of an organization that had joined the township trustee in erecting a schoolhouse, and contracted with these gentlemen to establish a school to be known as Springfield Academy : the one other condition in the contract being that the school should have a primary department sustained by the township and that this department should be taught by Mrs. Nellie Couts.

In August Mr. Bamhart opened his school in what is now a part of the building occupied by the Atoz Printing Company, and fiir two years with the assistance of M. S. Tracy, L. D. Bevington, J. M. Fraze, and G. W. Reaser, as teachers, he conducted a prosperous institution. Most of the work thai known as the "higher branches" was taught by Mr. Barnhart himself; and during" the life of the school two hundred thirtyseven pupils attended the majority of whom registered in his department. After the second year, finding that hard work and Eel River ague were laying their hands roughly upon him and, according to his own statement, that the mutations of local politics were proving equally unkind and disastrous, he left the school and went to Larwill. Here he taught a short term, and before its close was elected superintendent of schools in Defiance, Ohio. Meanwhile the growing movement toward the high-school idea all over Indiana made the local private school more and more difficult, and Springfield Academy was absorbed by the public school system.

At the regular election in 1870 Colonel McDonald was elected a member of the state legislature and in June, 1871, he resigned the office of examiner and A. J. Douglas was appointed in his place. Mr. Douglas served the unexpired term following the policy of his predecessor but making use of written examinations upon questions provided by the state department. In 1872 State Superintendent Hopkins and other leading educators of the state recommended that the office of school examiner be abolished and that of county superintendent be created. As a result the general assembly in 1873 enacted a law providing for a county superintendent to be appointed by the township trustees for a term of two years. It did not create a new office but changed the name of the old one enlarging its powers and increasing the function of supervision. A. J. Douglas was elected for four successive terms ; and in addition he performed the duties of super- intendent of city schools of Columbia City from 1869 to 1879. During his administration the history of the schools was marked by a slow but steady growth in efficiency. Brick houses and improved desks were taking the place of the log structures and hewn benches and some attention was being given to a uniform course of study. School meetings were common, and the "big dinner" at which the genial county superintendent did the honors, and where conviviality and the school spirit were happily commingled, kept parents, children and teachers close together.

In 1873 Hon. A. Y. Hooper, a gentleman of public spirit and some financial means, established Green Hill Academy. He built on North Line street in Columbia City a small frame building designed for school purposes and placed in charge Misses Louisa C. Kinney and Sarah A. Nichols. These ladies were teachers whose culture and refinement appealed to many of the best families in the city and here they conducted a subscription school with thirty or forty children. In 1880 the teachers went west, and the building was converted into a dwellinghouse which stands as a memorial "even unto this day."

In 1879 the growing responsibilities of the city schools induced the board of education to relieve Mr. Douglas of their care and oversight and Augustus C. Mills was chosen the first superintendent of city schools with distinct duties. The high school was commissioned under his charge in 1880. While serving his second year the educational waters became somewhat troubled and he resigned, W. C. Barnhart being chosen to fill his place. H

In June, 1881, the administration of school affairs in the county passed into the hands of Joseph W. Adair who served two terms. Mr. Adair was a man whose intuitions were strong and accurate, his sympathies were generous, and his heart big enough to feel that every boy and girl in the county was his own. He had been a successful teacher and as a lawyer had proven his ability at the bar. Normal schools were still in their infancy, and the tide of school literature of which now there is a flood had not yet begun to rise. Every year he conducted a training school for teachers at the county seat continuing for several weeks and the progressive teachers depended upon it for their advancement and inspiration. Township institutes were organized, and the "big dinner" feature began to give place to the discussion of school questions. Questions for the examination of teachers were provided by the state board of education and imported talent began to be used in the county institutes. Text books were adopted by the township trustees under the advice of the superintendent.