Franklin Township

Franklin Township

Franklin forms the southwest corner of the county and is bounded on the north by Harrison, the east by Seward Township, south by Fulton and Wabash counties and west by Fulton County. It contains thirtysix square miles, and was organized in March, 1838, at which time only eight white families were residents of her territory. Without doubt Benj. Blue was the first man to eftect a settlement, and his location was made inside the corporate limits of Mentone, on section 2. Mr. Blue moved his family into a bark shanty built by the Indians, and fires had to be kept burning at night to keep the hungry wolves from the door. Benjamin West came in the autumn of 1838 and located on section 7. Dr. I. H. Jennings, Jesse Myers, Richard A. Lee, James Garvin, John Dunnuck and Prosper Nichols became residents of the township the same year.

Id tlie spring of 1838, David Peterson became a resident of the township and the iirst election was held at his honse in August of that year. There were not more than ten voters in the township at the time and the Iirst trustees, James Ciarvin, John W. Dunnuek and Solomon i^ichols were elected, also Hichard X. Lee, the first justice t)f the peace. David Peterson was inspector of that election.

Dr. Jennings, from the date of his location, practiced medicine in this county, and was perhaps (he second physician to prescribe for patients in Kosciusko. He made a large purchase of land and superintended the improvement when professionally engaged.

Jesse Myers settled on the farm now owned by Rudolph Hire in 1838, and remained until 1840, disposing of his land to Mr. Hire, who is the oldest living settler of the township.

Prosper Xiehols one of the wealthiest of the early settlers, brought the first wagon to the township, and his daughter Anna was married to Hugh Bryant in 1840, the first wedding in Franklin.

The Logansport and Mishawaka wagon road was surveyed through the township in 1836, and two years later the Logansport and AVarsaw road was opened up. This gave the people some communication with the outside world, as prior to this time no roads existed.

George Sarber was an early comer and his location was made on section 2 in 1841. From him sprung a generation of men who rank highly in this county. Prosper Nichols donated a lot on section 85 for a public burying ground in 1843, and a child of Samuel and Mrs. Shields was interred the same year, the first burial in the township.

lot for similar j)urposes, and both are still used as cemeteries. Manj' of the pioneers were buried in those grave-yards, as attested Ijy monuments sacred to their memory.

In a rough log cabin erected on the farm of Solomon Nichols, a subscription school was taught in 1842 by Jeremiah Burns. The first public school was taught in 1846, and this township has been the home of some of the most highly educated and prosperous men of this county. Educational interests have always been carefully considered and the schools of Franklin rank high, both in number of scholars and grade of pupils. There are nine school districts with an enrollment of 582 pupils.

Li July, 1844, a postofficc was established at the house of Samuel Rickel with that gentleman as postmaster. The office was given the name of -'Beaver Dam" by Miss Julia Burns. Mr. Rickel served as postmaster Viutil the Republican administration in 1860, when tliat time honored Democrat was shelved and Jonathan Weaver was appointed.

Dr. Richard A. Lee opened a small stock of general merchandise on his farm on section 1 in 1842. Benjamin Blue erected a small tannery on his land the same year and operated it successfully for several years. It stood on the bank of Yellow Creek, neai' the present village of Mentone. In 1848 David Preston erected a blacksmith shop on the farm of Solomon Nichols, and the same year Charles Garwood opened the second store in the town ship on his farm, on section 29. Edwin C. Gordon erected the first steam saw-mill, to which was attached corn burrs in 1849. The original mill can hardly be said to remain, so many times has it been remodeled. It occupies the same site, however, and is one of the " landmarks " of pioneer enterprise.

Sevastopol

Juhn Tucker was the original proprietor of Sevastopol. It was platted in 1855, and two years later A. J. Wliittenberger and his brother Thomas opened a stock of genei'al merchandise. William Dunlap, the present postmas;er, owned a farm adjoining the villag;e plat, and at his house a postoiSce was established in 1857. He served as postmaster until the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, after which the office was removed to the Whittenberger's store and A.J. Whittenberger was appointed postmaster.

After the latter removed to Claypool. I.)r. A. M. Towlwas appointed and served several 3-ears, having the office located in his drug store, the first enterprise in that line in the village. The doctor located and began practice in 1856, and for thirty consecutive years was the leading physician in this part of the county, and he may be said to be the father of the eclectic practice in this county. His death occurred November 27, 1886. His death was unexpected and he died deeply regretted. He occupied an enviable position in the profession, and was a gentleman in every sense of the term.

William Dunlap has the principal store in the village, although there are two other firms doing business. kSevastopol was for several years a very prosperous village and her merchants had a large trade.

Xew towns springing up on every side deprived it of a large share of business and it is now slowly l)ut surely fading away. John Vandeniark conducts a neat hotel, and the saw-mill is still operated.

Sevastopol Lodge, No. 403, L O. O. F. was organized in this village in July, 1872, but in 1885 was removed to Meutone. The Baijtiat church was organized at the schoolhouse in this village in 1858, by Rev. Andrew Babc.ick. The church was erected in I860.

The best business town in Northern Indiana, containing 700 inhabitants, is Mentone. It has been erected since 1882, and the plat was surveyed in May of that year by Albert Tucker. The site occupies a part of section 1 in Franklin and a part of section 34 in Harrison Township. The location is an excellent one, the grounds being slightly undulating, and Yellow Creek passing across the southeastern boundary gives excellent drainage. The growth of Mentone has been rapid, the population increasing in four years from one family of four ]iersons to more than 700 inhabitants. Situated in one of the largest stock producing regions of the county, there has been a larger shipment of stock of all kinds from Mentone in the last three years than from any other station in Kosciusko County.

Albert Tucker was the original founder of the village, but later deeded one-third interest to each of the following named gentlemen: George W. Myers and William E. Ilackedorn, of Ohio.

Building was commenced in the autumn of 1882, William Kintzel being the first pioneer to erect a residence on the new town plat. His house was begun October 1st and was occupied by his family, consisting of Mrs. Mary E. Kintzel, her daughter, Clara, and grandson. Willie B. Shafi'er, November 5, 1882. Two days later Artemus Man waring with his family moved in with William and Mrs. Kintzel until tlie business house erected by Mr. Manwaring could be completed.

The postoffice was removed from Oak Kidge January 1, 1883, and Esquire Johnstone acted as postmaster until the ajjpointment of Artemus Manwaring, wlio was subsequently succeeded by C. PI Doane. The latter gentleman remained postmaster until the ajipointment of L. S. -Clayton.

Henry Dammann erected a building and opened a meat market .January 1, 1883. He is still in business at the old stand and is prospering iinely.

Dr. Josepli A. Cliandler was the first physician to locate in the village. In connection with his practice he carried a stock of drugs. He left Mentone in the spring of 1886, and we might appropriately state that his place was filled by John Heffly, M. D., a physician and surgeon of acknowledged repute in this county. Dr. Heffly was the first pliysician to locate in Burkett.

The fine flouring-mill erected in 1884 by A. C. Manwaring and Samuel C. Mentzer lias been of much benefit to Mentone. Tliis mill began operations October 1, 1884, with a capacity of lUO barrels per day, and half of the time from its completion to date it has run day and night.

Mentone has an opera house that is a credit to her enterprising people. It seats comfortably 500 persons, and was erected in 1885 by William Mullenliour. The stage appointments are quite elaborate and the accoustic properties are declared excellent.

There are numerous business enterprises in Mentone which brings a large trade to the village. Messrs. Foulks & Jetiries have an extensive machine shop and planing-mill; Albert Tucker owns and operates a large grain elevator, also deals in coal, wood, lime, etc.

The^VCethodist Episcopal church that stands in the vilhige was erected in 1880, before the town of jMentone was dreamed of. The Protestant Methodist church was erected in the autumn of 1886, and dedicated October 31 of that year. The Baptist church will be completed this year, and is the finest in its appointments of any church in the village.

Mentone has at present only one secret society, Sevastopol Lodge, No. 403, whicli was moved from Sevastopol to this village January 1, 1885. This lodge was organized July 5, 1872, with Abraham J. Whittenberger, Noble Grand; John I. Cox, Vice-Grand; Harvey Riner, Secretary; David Neif, Treasurer; Henry Riner, Conductor; Charles 11. Ketchuin, Outside Guard. The present olficers are: J. W. Christian, Noble Grand; .1. W. Lee, Vice-Grand; Harry Griffis, Recording Secretary; Henry Dammann, Treasurer; S. Arnsperger, Conductor; Dan Tipton, Inside Guard; Permanent Secretary, N. N. Lattinier.

The village was incorporated in Feljruar}^ 1886. Richard C. Railsback, Sol Arnsberger and John Yentes were elected members of the villajre board, and the former was elected

Many elegant residences adorn the village, The finest is the handsome brick erected by Mr. C. E. Doane in the autumn of 1886. There is no finer class of residences in any town in the county, and residents of Mentone may well feel proud of tlieir new village.

Mentone is partly in Franklin and partly Harrison Township, Main Street forming the dividing line. Both townships feel proud of the efforts put forth to build up the village, the residence portion of which is largely conlined to the Harrison side.