Greenfield Township

Greenfield Township

Next to Lima Township, Ihis is the wealthiest, perhaps, in the county. It contains Pretty and English Prairies, and is, taken altogether, a fine farming lownship. although there ait a few marshes .training into Fawn R ivci on ihe northeast, and Pigeon River on the southwest. The township contains ihc Village of Lcxinglon, laid out about 1B3S by Abraham Brower nud anion named Bull, The first sctllei in the lownship was William Miller, who located on section 25, range 10. in I8a0- John Anderson mid three sons and Samuel Bradford settled in 1830. Jacob Millet and 'seven sons settled in ihe Spring nf 1831. Isaac Francis came lo the county aboul 1S36, and spenks of hauling wheat to Fort Wayne, While Pigeon, Hillsdale and Toledo - the Latter trip lokiiig ten days - ond selling it at from 50 to Oaji ccnls per bushel. The first couple married were Samuel Gawihrop and Ellen Wolgnmoil. some lime io 1S30. The first death was that of Mrs. Gawihrop. A |iosl.olTkc was established about 1S36 at Lexington, and kept in a store put up the year before, by Abraham P. rower and Peter Ilisel. The first postoffice in the county was probably kepi by one Vance, on a farm now owned by Elijah Anderson, about 1832. Il was soon removed 10 the farm now owned by C. G, Nichols, and kept by Fphraini Seeley for some lime, and was finally removed to Mongoquinong, or Union Mills, in Springfield Township, where it has since been kept up. The first election in the township was held in 1831. La Grange County was at lhat liinc a part of Elkhart County, and men were called on to go away to Goshen and act as jurymen, but laws were different then, and nobody ever went.

On the second Tuesday in October, 1831. an election was held for slate legislators, which was Ihc first election held in the counly. The issue was ovci Ihc route of the Wabash and Erie Canal; one route being surveyed through this county and on west, by way of Goshen, through to Lake Michigan, and another by way of Fort Wayne southwest along Ihe Wabash River. The candidates were 011c Manna of Fori Wayne, and Crawford of Goshen, and on the one elected depended the canal rome. This was before the land in Ihis county had been surveyed (which was not done till 183^, the hind coming into market the Fall of Ihe same year), and the settlers were fearful that if the canal went through on the north route il would pul the price of land beyond their means of paying for il. and so everybody voted for Manila who, of course, was elected, and the canal was dug on the Wabash route.