Concord Township

Concord Township

In the southeastern portion of DeKalb county is the township of Concord. This township is bounded on the north by Wilmington township, on the east by Newville township, on the south by Spencer township, and on the west by Jackson township. The St. Joseph river flows in a meandering direction from the northeast to the southwest, and Bear creek, entering in the northwest corner, flows toward the center. In the early day many good mills were situated along these rivers. A saw mill was constructed near the center of the township on Bear creek many years ago, and also one on the stream known as the "Twenty-six IMile creek." In land, the township is well favored. The river bottom lands are excellent for the production of grain, and at one time extra good timber covered portions of the township. This growth has been largely cleared off at this day. Spencer township has recently been made, on June 7, 1909, frorn a part of Concord, so that the latter is now the upper half only of the original bounds designated as Concord.

Organization

The first name given to the township was DeKalb, in the fall of 1837. It included at that time the territory embraced in Stafford and Newville townships, but in March following Stafford was detached and temporarily added to Wilmington, while the name Concord was substituted for DeKalb. An election was held on the first Monday of April following, at the home of Jared Ball, and Cornelius Woodcox was appointed inspector of elections. At this election Washington Robinson was chosen justice of the peace. New- ville was also made a separate township shortly afterward, leaving Concord, which was again divided in halves, making Spencer township of the southern half.

"This day personally appeared before me, Washington Robinson, a justice of the peace in and for the township aforesaid, Lyman Benton and William Rhodes; being found guilty of an afifray by the information of Thomas L. Yates, Judge of the Circuit Court, and confessed themselves guilty, and the cause being heard and inspected, it is therefore considered that the said Lyman Benton and William Rhodes stand convicted in the sum of one dollar fine for each one, making two dollars and fifty cents their cost.

First Settlements

In the year 1835 nine families out of the ten settled in the county of DeKalb were in the limits of Concord township. The St. Joseph of the Maumee at an early day was a main channel for all commercial trafific, and on the banks of this river were found the earliest settlements of the county. From 1835 to 1839 many settled along the river, namely: Homer Blake, David Butler, John Mathews, Thomas L. Yates, John T. Rhodes, Jerry Rhodes, Daniel Rhodes, Brandt Rood, Cramwell Rood, William Mathews, Mr. Lytle, Jared Ball and several others. In the spring of 1834 Washington Robinson entered a tract of land across the river from the present site of Orangeville, built a small cabin, and settled in January, 1837. In the month of November, 1837, he platted a portion of section 12, and named the tract Orangeville. In the spring of 1837 Platter and others opened the first store in the county. Other early settlers who came later and at this time were: Gavin Hamilton, Lott Herrick, who was the first probate judge of DeKalb county ; George Barney, once treasurer of the county ; James Hadsell, Cornelius Woodcox, R. J. Dawson, John Blair and sons, William Burley, Charles Wilbur, Joseph Ludwick, Judge Walden, Samuel Widney, John P. Widney, Rev. Benjamin Alton and Dr. Babcock. James Hadsell became one of the most important of the early pioneers, serving as minister of the Disciples

Nelson Ulm, of the band of early settlers, moved here in 1834, and settled on the present site of Spencerville. His account of his early experiences tells of how he helped drive from Fort Wayne in the fall of 1834 the first hogs and cows ever brought to Spencerville, eight hogs and one cow for David Butler, and two cows for Dan Rhodes. Dan Yates, then living at Spencerville, was the first white settler there, for whom Mr. Ulm worked during the fall of 1834 and subsequent winter. During the same winter Mr. Yates sent Mr. Ulm to Fort Wayne to mill, a hazardous proceeding in that day. He took two bushels of corn on a hand sled, making the distance in two days, camping on the bank of the river, near where the Feeder dam later was located, drawing the sled on the ice, the river being the only highway at that time.

In the fall of 1835 he had a big tramp after Yates' and Rhodes' horses, which were allowed to roam the woods in search of something to eat. The horses failing to put in an appearance at the usual time, he started to bring' them in, striking their trail on Bear Creek, followed them up the river where Newville later stood, crossed the river, left the trail and returned to Daniel Rhodes', where he stayed all night. Early the following morning he struck the trail and followed the same all day without any success, camping that night near the Maumee river. Awakening in the night he found that the horses in their wanderings came up to where he was then camping. He got up, bridled two of the horses and hitched them to some saplings and then retired. The next morning he started home, leading one horse, carrying gun and knapsack, and striking the St. Joseph river near where Hurch's mills later stood. In consequence of riding bareback, with heavy load, and it raining all the time, the horse's back became sore and in time all the hair came off.

Starting for Houlton's mill on Fish creek in the fall of 1834, after a raft of lumber, Mr. Ulm arrived at the mill, and with the assistance of Mr. Houlton succeeded in getting back without accident. Stopping near the mouth of Buck creek he found the skeletons of two deer, their horns so interlocked that it was impossible to separate them. He supposed that they had been fighting and had become so entangled that separation was impossible, and had so died. From this incident, Mr. Ulm gave the creek the name of Buck creek, and the name still exists.

Following is a list of the early pioneers of Concord township: 1833, Samuel Wasson and David Butler; 1834, Nelson Ulm, Mrs. Polly Rhodes, Jeremiah Rhodes and wife; 1835, Samuel Draggoo, Cynthia Engle, William

First Officers

Some of the first justices of the peace were : John Blair, Ebenezer Coturn, George Barney, Jeremiah Rhodes, John Bates, Asher Coburn, James Draggoo, Moses Perry, Lorenzo Dawson and Robert Culbertson. Among the early constables were: Gardner Mellindy, W. Munroe, Uriah Miller, Henry Fales, Eben Smith, D. Harrington. James Smith, J. Z. Henderson, Samuel Flint, Moses Boyles, John Smith, D. Andrews, Michael Knight, W. R. Drake. Among the first trustees were: Samuel Widney, John Blair, Ebenezer Coburn, Asher Coburn, J. P. Widney, William Henderson, Solomon Shilling, Joshua Nichols, James Hadsell, Asa Fletcher, John F. Coburn, W^illiam Munroe, Michael Silberg, John Helmick, Moses Perry, Jonathan Boyles, Bushrod Catlin, Romeo Catlin, W. Horner, James Draggoo, John Shutt and Jacob Dills. Jeremiah Rhodes and John A. Chillis were early assessors.

In 1880 Concord township had a population of one thousand six hundred and twenty-three; in 1890, one thousand nine hundred and twelve; in 1900, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one; and in 1910, nine hundred and fifty-seven.

Town Of St. Joe

Located on the Baltimore & Ohio and Wabash railroads, the little town of St. Joe is enjoying an ever increasing prosperity. There are three hundred and fifty people in this town, and proportionately, the town is equal to any in the middle west in beauty, civic pride, and commercial prosperity. St. Joe was laid out by John and Jacob D. Leighty, on April 20, i87'5, being a part of the southwest quarter of section 15, township 33 north, range 142. Since then several additions have been made to the site.

In December, 1898, St. Joe petitioned for incorporation as a town, and on January 11, 1899, the election was held to determine the matter of incorporation. The result was incorporation, and since, then, by reason of this wise move, the town has sprung into modern existence, and threatens to grow even larger and better. The present trustees of the town are: William Curie, Henry Hathaway, and William Randall; Thomas Rickett is marshal and street commissioner; Dr. B. E. Shefl^er is clerk, and Marsh Andrews is treasurer.