Jefferson Township (part 1 of 2)

Jefferson Township

Jefferson township, located in the southeast corner of Whitley count}', is the youngest township in the county in regard to both organization and settlement. It is a regular government township of thirty-six sections and is bounded on the north by Union township, on the east by Aboite township in Allen county, on the south by Jackson township in Huntington county and on the west by \\ ashington township.

It may seem strange to the present generation that the first settlements in the county were made among the hills of the northern part, while the beautiful level land in Washington and Jefferson townships were left; but this is accounted for from the fact that at the time of the first settlements this part of the county presented a very forbidding appearance, a great part of it being covered by swamps and swales and the balance or higher portions were covered with a heavy growth of timber. Also at that time a great deal of the best land was held by speculators. Lot S. Eayless, of Allen count}-, Samuel Hanna, of Fort Wayne, .and Charles Lewi'-. "I Huntington, were among the large land owners of the township. Another reason why settlers avoided this part of the count} was that the "ague." the terrible disease of that period, was not so severe in its ravages among the hills as it was around the swamps of Washington and Jefferson townships.

The first permanent settler was Moses Fairchild. who was born in Fairfield count}'. Ohio. July 19, 1811. When a young man. he worked by the month until he had accumulated one hundred dollars, and in 1837 he joined the tide of western emigration and in his travels visited this part of Indiana and, being pleased with the appearance of the country, entered the west half of the southeast quarter of section 18, in what was afterward Jefferson township. He immediately returned to Ohio, where he remained one year, making money with which to begin life in the wilderness of Indiana. T11 September. 1838. he came west with his Family, which consisted of his wife and one child, which he left at Lot Bavless's, who was living in Allen county, near the line, until he could build a cabin for their reception. In order to reach his land he follow ed a road cut by William Plummer, who was located in the southern part of Union township, and from Mr. 1'lummer's he cut his vvav south to his land. Here, with the help of three men, he erected a rude cabin, sixteen by eighteen feet, into which light was admitted through one small window made by cutting a section from one of the logs. Into this shelter, with no floor or fire-place, he moved his family, and shortly after added a puncheon flour, a fire-place with a stick chimney, and a table made of split boards and fastened to the side of the building". At this time, two dim Indian trails were the nearest approach to a road in the township, and soon after his settlement he cut a road about seven miles eastdirection and say, "That is the way to go," strike right out and soon it would be proven that he was right. Only two of his children are living at this writing and both are residents of Jefferson township. They are Mrs. Mary Jane Brock, wife of Samuel Brock, and Solomon Fairchild, who enjoys the distinction of being the oldest permanent resident of the township, having been a continuous resident since September, 1838.

Mr. Fairchild's wife. Eve, died August 13, 1850, leaving a family of six children, an infant dying soon after the mother's death and a daughter, Ann, dying some years later. The husband and father survived until June 3, 1879, when he died at the age of sixty-eight years ancfhis remains lie buried in Oak Grove cemetery, three miles southeast of Columbia City. Moses Fairchild was an eccentric character, with no book education, but was a shrewd business man. a successful farmer and acquired considerable property. He owned the first combined reaper and mowing machine in the vicinity. The writer well remembers seeing him on horseback, sowing oats broadcast, with a covering over his horse's head to keep the grain out of its ears. It was said that he could not be lost in the woods in the day time. When others became lost while in his company, he would point in a county line in section 24. on the farm now owned by Michael Oser. He erected a small cabin and cleared a few acres. If the meager accounts concerning him can be relied upon, he remained in the township only about one year. During his residence here, he lost a small child which was buried in Allen county and was perhaps the first death of a white person in the township.

Nathaniel Decker became a resident of Jefferson township abovrt the vear 1S40, and occupied the cabin vacated by Dunlap. He was a remarkable hunter and trapper and was known as "Hunter Decker," or "Blood}' Decker." When he killed a deer, he would throw it across his shoulder and carry it home; thus his clothes would nearly always be bloody, hence his name. "Bloody Decker." His rifle was an old-fashioned Hint lock, the barrel alone weighing" eighteen pounds, and one pound of lead made only twenty bullets for his gun. He was an expert bee hunter ami could look squarely at the sun and not wink an eye. He was a very tall man, and the stumps of the trees that he cut down were from twelve to sixteen inches higher than those cut by an ordinary man. He could stand erect and touch his knee-pans with the tips of his fingers. Air. Decker was a man of family and it is said that if a stranger approached his cabin in the summer time, the children would scatter to the woods like so many pheasants. Among the children were two girls named Alabama and Louisiana. Air. Decker and his family left Indiana in 1851. going to Illinois and afterward drifting to Missouri. It is said that during the war of the rebellion he and one son wore the gray, while two of his sons fought under the stars and stripes. Mr. Decker was an expert oarsman, and during the war he was hired to row some men across the Mississippi river. When he reached the opposite shore the wind was blowing so hard that he was afraid to undertake the return trip. He laid down in his boat to await the falling of the wind and being" very warm from rowing', took cold while asleep, which developed pneumonia from which he died.

While living in Jefferson township he and a brother, Levi Decker, who was staying with him at that time, cut down a large oak tree for bees. The tree in falling bent low n a hickory-elm tree until the top nearly touched the ground but it did not break it, and, becoming loose in swinging back, threw a large limb which struck Levi Decker" and killed him instantly. This happened in the winter time, when a big snow was on the ground, and Octavius Phelps hauled the body to the house on an ox sled. He was buried on a knoll somewhere on section 24, near the reserve line, but the place is now plowed over and no one knows the exact Spot where sleeps the unfortunate bee hunter.

The next on the list of Jefferson township pioneers is Patrick Clark, of Irish nativity, who settled on what was afterwards the Illinois road, in the spring of 1839. It is well known that since St. Patrick's Day frogs and snakes have been unknown in Ireland, and a little incident which this fact explains is related of Mr. Clark. When moving west after his arrival in this country, he passed a pond where a chorus of frogs were "singing," and he stopped to get "some of those young ducks," 'as he supposed them to be. He continued his efforts until a man came along and gave him a short lesson in natural history. A number of Mr. Clark's descendants still live in the vicinity where their ancestor first settled nearly seventy years ago.

It is to be regretted that the names and experiences of all of the old settlers cannot be given with greater accuracy and detail, but the following list contains the names, so far as obtainable, of those who settled in the township previous to its organization in the spring of 1845 : Moses Fairchild, Patrick Clark. Nathaniel Decker, Jonathan Chadeayne, Israel Poinsett, Anthony Poinsett, William Phelps, James Blee, Thomas Blee, William Blee, Latham Blee, Absalom Bayless, Thomas McGlaughlin, Robert Gage, Michael C. Crowel, Leonard S. Maring. Clement Deering, Henry C. Crowel. Chancy I Pulley, Benjamin F. Davis, John Chandler, John McTaggart. James Mc- Dorman, James Kincaid, Daniel Barcus, Hiram H. Clark and Robert S. Bell. As near as can be learned, the above named pioneers are now all dead, Henry C. Crowel being the la§t to pass over. Pie died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, January 14, 1906, in his ninetieth vear.

Jonathan Chadeayne was a blacksmith and erected the first forge in the township, which was located on section 34. Mr. Chadeayne afterward sold his property in the township and invested his all in a canal boat and a cargo of corn, but while on his way to Toledo with his load, the boat was sunk near that city and the corn lost. Soon after this, Mr. Chadeayne died in Toledo.

Anthony Poinsett was a noted hunter. He owned the northwest quarter of section 29, a portion of which he named the "Buck Patch." He had married in New Jersey, before coming to Indiana, but his wife had died and left a little daughter in the east. Mr. Poinsett made his home in Whitley county until the spring of 1884, when a niece came from the east and took him home with her.

William Phelps settled on the northeast quarter of section 25, in November, 1841. He emigrated from Franklin county, Ohio, ten miles north of Columbus, making the trip in a wagon in which he hauled his family and household goods and drove a number of cattle, hogs and sheep. Mr. Phelps afterward moved to Allen c ity, near Fort Wayne, where he diec He was the first road supervisor in Jeffe.son township and his district included the whole township. His son, Octavius Phelps, still resides in Jefferson township, on section 25, where he has lived continuously since 1841, except a short time that he resided in Allen county. He was born June 8, 1825, has taught school and been an honored and useful citizen.

1833. The brothers, James, John and William, lived for many years in a large brick house on their farm in section 2$. They never married and lived to be very old.

In the fall of 1843. a company of emigrants left Richmond county, Ohio, with ox teams, with the intention of making homes in the western wilderness. Their first stopping place in Indiana was at Anderson, in Madison county, and a part of the company spent the following winter at Marion, Grant county. Leonard S. Maring and his brother, Calvin, and two brothers-inlaw. Ira Jackson and Robert S. Bell, pushed northward to Huntington, where they were induced by Charles Lewis to visit some land that he had for sale in the southern part of Whitley county. Mr. Lewis accompanied them on their prospecting tour, and after looking at several tracts of land, they returned to Huntington, not very well pleased with the looks of Whitley county. However, after some further prospecting, they returned to Whitley county and each purchased land in what is now Washington and Jefferson townships. Mrs. Leonard S. Maring drove the oxen and wagon, while her husband and companions cut the road through the woods to their land. Mr. Maring erected a log cabin on the piece of land purchased by him, being a part of the southeast quarter of section 24, in Washington township, and moved into the same, January 1, 1844, in the meantime, camping out. sleeping in the covered wagon and cooking by a log heap. The vicinity was known for mam" years after as the "Maring's settlement," and is located about one mile south of the village of Forest. Several other families soon located here and in 1847 ^e set- tlement had increased to quite a colony. Mr. Maring soon disposed of his land to his brother Jacob, and purchased the west half of the northeast quarter of section 18, in Jefferson township, which was ever after his home and where he died February 22, 1892. Up to this time the township had not been organized for the transaction of business and at the presidential election of 1844 a number of the residents went to Washington township to cast their votes. In the spring of 1845 a number of the residents of the territory petitioned the board of county commissioners to organize the township for civil purposes, and when the petition was being circulated several names were suggested. Some proposed "Raccoon," in honor of Raccoon Village in the southeast corner of the township on the Wabash & Erie Canal ; others favored "Polk." as James K. Polk was then the newly elected President of the United States; Moses Fairchild, the first permanent settler of the township and who was a native of Fairfield countv, Ohio, wanted the township named "Fairfield." Chancy Hadley was the last to sign the petition and after writing his name, he wrote the words "Jefferson Township" on the outside of the paper. He and his family had recently moved from Jefferson township, Richland county, Ohio, and in remembrance of his old home he desired that the new township be called "Jefferson." When the petition was presented to the board of commissioners the name "Jefferson" was adopted, and it was ordered that "the citizens of said township meet at the dwellinghouse of Michael C. Crowel, in said township, 'in the first Monday in April, 1845, then and there to open and close an election according to law, and elect a justice of the peace and all township officers that the law requires; that Michael C. Crowel be inspector of said election and that they do their civil business under the name and style of Jefferson township."

Pursuant to the above order, ten voters met at Mr. Crowd's on Monday, April 7. 1845, and set running the political machinery of the township. Mr. Crowd's residence was on the northwest quarter of section 8, on the Illinois road. The ten voters, as nearly as can be learned, were : Michael C. Crowel, Henry C. Crowel, Moses Fairchild, Patrick Clark, Jonathan Chadeayne. Leonard S. Maring, Latham Blee, James Blee, Chancy Hadley and Robert S. Bell. For justice of the peace, Leonard S. Maring received nine votes and Jonathan Chadeayne one vote. Latham Blee was elected one of the board of trustees, but the names of the other officers elected could not be learned. Mr. Maring soon after filed his bond with Michael C. Crowel and Moses Fairchild as sureties thereon, and qualified as the first justice of the peace of Jefferson township and held the office three years : he was also a member of the township board of trustees from 1848 to 1851.

In 1844 Benjamin F. Davis and his brother-in-law, John Chandler, settled on the farm now known as the Samuel Braden farm, which is the southeast quarter of section 23. They erected a double log cabin, Davis occupying one room and Chandler the other. Mr. Davis and his wife were well educated, and here in the spring of 1845. in the room occupied by the family, Mrs. 1 >avis taught the first school in Jefferson township. She was paid by subscrip- tion and had a school of about seventeen small scholars. Mr. Davis came from Camden, Jay county, Indiana, where he had an interest in a nursery and it is said that he propagated the celebrated "Ben Davis" apple. Mr. Davis soon left Indiana and it is said he went to Arkansas, where he died.

Robert S. Bell was a successful hunter and during the early days of the settlement killed many deer and it is said that he killed the last one seen in the vicinity. This was killed during the winter of 1865-66, in Moses Stewart's corn field on the farm now owned by Dr. S. R. White in Washington township. Once the people of Maring's settlement were out of meat and Mr. Bell undertook to supply their wants. In the evening he and a companion made their way to a pond nearly a mile away where the deer often gathered and soon the report of a rifle told of his success. Soon it became quite dark and there was danger of the hunters getting lost unless they had some guidance. This was given by Mrs. Philip Maring. who blew a conch shell until the men came, one carrying a deer and the other the gun. Mr. Bell is the hero of a wolf story that is worth relating here. He was roaming through the woods one day with his gun when he found a hollow log in which he discovered some young wolves. At the risk of an attack from the old wolves. Mr. Bell crawled into the log and secured the young ones. The county offering a reward for wolf scalps at that time, he took them to Columbia City but was told that he must kill them before he could collect the bounty. This he did, but they were such innocent looking little creatures that to kill them Mr. Bell declared was about the hardest work he ever did. Mr. Bell claimed to have killed four hundred and eighty- four deer ; some of them, however, were killed in Ohio before he came to Indiana. He raised a family of eight children and the game killed by his trusty rifle was a great help in supplying their wants. Mr. Bell's home was the southwest quarter of section 30. which was his home until his death. January 18. 1878.

Absalom Bayless, who died in August, 1843. was among the very first of the pioneers to pass away. His remains were buried in a lot on the southeast corner of section 24, which was made a family burial ground and some tall evergreen trees mark the spot to-day.

Y\ hen the township was first settled, Indians were quite numerous and were frequent callers at the settlers' cabins. One of their trails passed near the cabin of Mr. Fairchild, where they frequently called to beg a little meal or salt, or to borrow a kettle to do their cooking. He always treated them kindly and in return they would sometimes bring him a piece of venison or some fish, and they sometimes stored their hides at his house until they were sold. Leonard S. Maring' related that at one time he had killed a deer which he had hung up near his cabin. He had a large dog which he left to watch the deer. Soon an Indian approached and Mr. Maring" had hard work to keep the dog from attacking the Indian, who stood his ground and kept saying: "Good dog. good dog." He evidently admired a dog that was so faithful to his trust.

Patrick Clark was not so friendly with the Indians, and regarded them as a worthless, good-for-nothing set for whom he had no use. Tliev would roam over his land with their dogs, cut down trees for bees and coon, which became very annoying to Mr. Clark. At cue time a band of Indians had camped in a deserted cabin on Clark's land and he concluded that the best way to get clear of them would be to tear down the cabin. Accordingly, he took his axe and commenced to demolish the building when forty Indians came out and slunk away in the woods. Mr. Clark's son, Thomas, afterward, in relating the incident, declared that he would not have done what his father did for all of Jefferson township.

The Indians that were here when the first settlers came, generally were harmless and were rarely known to steal, although their begging proclivities were equal to those of our modern gypsies.

In the earl}- days of the settlement the roads or trails were so obscure that they were easily lost and many a belated traveler has been obliged to camp out and build a fire to keep the wolves away. Moses Fairchild and Patrick Clark once attended a convention at Columbia City, where the excitement and enthusiasm were so great that it was near sun-down when tbev started for home and darkness was on them before they had gone many miles. When they separated to take different trails, it was not long before the;\- both became lost. Mr. Fairchild finally tied ln's horse to a tree, built a fire and lay down to wait for coming day, with the wolves bowling all around him. When daylight arrived and revealed his situation, he found himself near the edge of his own clearing.

turkeys, squirrels and other game that was brought down with the trusty rifle. Wild honey was in abundance and added a luxury to the homely fare, while maple syrup and sugar were depended upon not only to sup-- ply the sweets, but to exchange for clothing and other supplies for the family.

Going to market and to mill was no pleasant task in those early days, as the roads were but wagon tracks through the dense woods and the streams all had to be forded. The women and children were often left alone for days while the husbands and fathers were gone. Most of the settlers went to Fort Wayne for their milling and other supplies, and would often have to wait a day or two for their turn at the mill, and in coming home would sometimes be obliged to camp out two or three days until the subsidence of the swollen streams would allow them to cross. Sometimes they would plunge through with cattle partly swimming and wagon and grist completely under water.

F.xcepting the ague, the settlers generally had good health, but sometimes the children sickened and the anxious parents worried in the rude cabins until relieved by returning health or by death. If the latter, a father would sometimes be compelled to dig a grave in the woods for the body of his own child. Who can describe the burial scene when the parents are the only mourners? But these scenes were not numerous: for although the neighbors were few and widely scattered, in time of sickness or death there were willing hands to assist.

Sometimes, perhaps, a sturdy pioneer would be laid low by the falling of a giant oak. or by the accidental discharge of a gun. and some spot must be selected in which to bury the dead. A number of such places were marked in Jefferson township in early days which, sad to say, are unknown to-day, and where once a mound of fresh earth designated the sacred spot, now grass and grain are growing unmolested.

Three permanent cemeteries are in use in Jefferson township at the present time, an account of the beginning of which will perhaps be of interest here.

About 1850, Samuel Braden, who lived at that time on the southeast quarter of section 23, lost a small child which was buried near the southeast corner of said section, and soon after Air. Braden deeded to the public for a burying-ground about one acre of ground. A child of William M. Gillespie was the next to be buried there, and Airs. David Aker was the first adult person to be interred in the new cemetery. There are perhaps between two or three hundred graves in the place to-day and it is known as the "Broxon Cemetery." A large monument marks the grave of Samuel Braden, the donator of the ground, and there is also a nice monument at the grave of Andrew Scott, who was accidentally killed at z wolf hunt on February 1, 1854, an account of which will be found at another place in this history.

The body of Mrs. Albert Hatfield, mother of James M. Hatfield, of Huntington, has lain in this old cemetery for more than forty years, and a few feet from her grave is the grave of her mother, Jane Dyer, who was born in Virginia in 1784, and a few feet further away lies Sarah Jeffries, a half sister of Mrs. Hatfield, who was born on the first day of the nineteenth century. Jane Dver had a brother, Robert Buckles, who was a soldier in the arm}' of General Anthony Wayne in his campaign in 1793-4 against the forces of Little Turtle, when that great Indian chieftain was defeated and routed, but the life of Robert Buckles, given up on the banks of the Maumee, was a part of the price paid for that victory.

Elza Roberts, one of the pupils at the old red schoolhouse near by. became a soldier in the war of the rebellion, but died in the service and his body was brought back and buried in this cemetery.

On Saturday, May 24. 1856. Flora Catharine Maring, daughter of Leonard S. Maring, died, aged eight years and one month. The parents decided to bury their child on the home farm for the present and perhaps in the future the remains could be removed to a more desirable spot. Accordinglv. after a funeral service at the old family residence, on a beautiful spring Sabbath morning, conducted by Rev. Keplinger, she was buried in what was then a corner of the woods. Jackson Ihrig dug the grave and this was the beginning of Evergreen cemetery on section 18. Soon after, James Dun fee and several others were buried there and it was decided to make the place a permanent burial ground, and Air. Maring and Minard Lefever each deeded to the public one-half acre of ground for that purpose. Some bodies were removed from other places and re-interred there and the city of the dead has steadily grown until it now contains several hundred graves.

Four soldiers of the war of 181 2 were buried in Evergreen cemetery. They are. John Ihrig. who died April 19. 1867, Zephaniah Bell, died March 29. 1876, Philip Maring, died September 17, 1879. and David

Many years ago, Anderson Smith laid off a plat of ground near the northwest corner of section 15, and donated it for a public cemetery. A child of Mr. Smith is said to have been the first person buried there, which was the beginning of what is known as Sand Bank cemetery. Among the pioneers buried there may be mentioned : James Broxon. Thomas Kemp, Rev. Hezekiah Maddox, John Saures, John Robinett, Henry Londt, Oliver Smith, etc.

Thomas Kemp was one of the early settlers of Jefferson township, and in his time was quite a character. He served a term as township trustee and in 1873 he was the township assessor and land appraiser. In politics he was a strong Democrat and in religious faith he was an ardent Universalist. Mr. Kemp died in August, 1880.

Rev. Hezekiah Maddox was another noted character in the early history of Jefferson township. He was a minister of the New Light Christian church and conducted a large number of funerals in the surrounding country. He died in March, 1890.

For some years after the first settlement of the township, it was customary for the settlers occasionally to engage in a wolf or fox hunt, sometimes called a circle hunt, in which a certain territory would be surrounded and at a designated hour all would march to the center, the lines being under the charge of captains. All game that was driven in would be corralled in an open field and then the fun would begin. The last hunt of this kind in Jefferson township was on Saturday. February 8, 1873. When the lines came together near the center of the township in a field, it was discovered that only one fox was in the enclosure and the fun was of short duration, as some one threw a club at the fox which struck it on the head and killed it instantly.

On Wednesday, February 1, 1854, some of the settlers residing in the southeastern part of Whitley county, in conjunction with those living in the adjoining parts of Huntington and Allen counties, engaged in a wolf hunt which had a very sad ending. James M. Hatfield, now of Huntington, and who as a small boy was living near the termination of the hunt at the time, wrote an interesting account of the incident on the fiftieth anniversary of its occurrence, which was published in the Huntington Herald of February 6, 1904. Through the kindness of Mr. Hatfield, I am permitted to copy the article, which is in part as follows :

Fifty years ago the pioneers of the northeastern portion of Huntington county, the southeastern part of Whitley county and the adjoining parts of Allen county, engaged in a wolf drive in the hope of exterminating that pestiferous creature.

Considerably more than a township in area was surrounded by lines of sturdy backwoodsmen, each armed with a trusty rifle, who carefully advanced to the center of the encircled territory, making every effort to drive in such game as then abounded in that thinly populated district. Late in the afternoon the lines of hunters concentrated about a small tract of prairie and woodland some little distance south of the Wabash & Erie canal, not far from Aboite creek. Within the lines were seven or eight deer and a few wolves and foxes. Excitement became great as the opportunity offered to get a shot at the game thus enclosed, the deer seeming to attract the greatest interest. Men would shoot into the ring at the game without taking notice of the fact that scores of others were just beyond in the range of the bullet being fired, and the danger was increased by the fact that "buck ague" made poor shots of excellent marksmen, so great was the excitement prevailing". Occasionally a deer would fall and then a score of hunters would claim the honor of bringing it down. At one time knives were being drawn by some of the excited ones with the purpose of enforcing their claims in their assertions of ownership in a slaughtered deer, when nearby from the midst of a number of friends there rang out the sharp report of a pistol and one of those friends sank to to the earth with a bullet in his brain. The deer was forgotten and all gave attention to the unfortunate man, but help was unavailing, as the spirit of Andrew Scott took its flight but a few hours later. The pistol was being examined by a friend of the owner, who could not use it on account of something being wrong with the mechanism, when, without warning, it was discharged with deadly effect. The unfortunate turn of matters put an end to the wolf drive and it is nut known that a single wolf was killed, but those driven in were permitted to escape. Few of those pioneer hunters are left to tell the story of that day's sport and sad ending. So far as known Albert Hatfield, the C. & E. caller, is the only one of them living in this city. The next morning, on putting his hand in a side pocket of his coat. he brought out a flattened bullet which had struck some object and with spent force had fallen unobserved into the place where found. Many of those present never forgot to the last hour of life the sensation produced by whistling bullets coming all too close for comfort.

But a few rods away from the scene of the occurrence here related is the battle ground, on the banks of the Aboite river, where, years before, a band of Indians completely exterminated an armed force of whites. Less than a mile from this place of carnage, just north of the traction line, stands the old brick mansion of Ben Ruffner, who was a king among his fellows half a century ago, and whose home was the wonder of the hardy backwoodsmen of that day. The artificial waterway which permitted well laden boats to sweep past his dour-yard from spring until fall, has long since fallen into disuse and in its place the traction car flies at rapid speed, propelled by a power then unknown.

The pioneer of fifty years ago conquered the forest and planted homes for succeeding generations in places seemingly for all time the abiding place of the wolf. His unerring rifle brought down the last of the fleet-footed deer, ami the generations are wondering whether the stories told of that animal's presence are based upon facts, or whether some wild dream has been taken for history. Ml honor to the few remaining sons of toil of those clays and their comrades who have fallen along the way. Those of us now living and our successors will long owe them a debt of gratitude not easily paid.

up, as Mr. Rea was living at that time and was doubtless very sensitive at any mention of the matter, although the shooting was purely accidental and he was wholly without fault in the matter. Mr. Rea is now dead and it is said that the accident cast a gloom over his life and for more than fifty years he was unable to forget the terrible tragedy. Mr. Scott and Mr. Rea were neighbors at the time, the former lived on the farm now owned by Joseph Maddox in section 14, and Mr. Rea on the farm now owned by Samuel Gipe in section 22.

The pistol was the property of James G. Dyer, who, being unable to make it work, had handed it to Mr. Rea who was examining it when it was discharged with such fatal effect. Mathew Custer, yet living, helped carry the wounded man to a nearby house and afterwards he was taken to the home of John Smith, Mr. Scott's father-inlaw, near the Broxon corners and he was buried in the cemetery near by. Mr. Scott's widow, now the wife of John \Y. Grace, is living at Andrews, Indiana.

Raccoon Village

Raccoon Village, which is prominently identified with the earlv history of Jefferson township, was located in the southeast corner of the township, on the north bank of the Wabash & Erie canal, and originally consisted of a brick house with two rooms and a number of log cabins, all erected by the government for the occupation of the Indians. The place was named in honor of the Chief Raccoon, who occupied the brick house referred to. After the advent of the white people, the land was sold, and the brick house passed into the hands of Jesse Vermilyea. By him it was rented to different parties, Thomas McGlaughlin being the occupant in 1843. It was built squarely on the count}- line, one room being in Whitley county and the other in Allen county. It is said that many years ago, a wedding took place in the brick house, the ceremony being performed by a justice of the peace by the name of Hamilton who held a commission in Allen county. During the progress of the ceremony, which was commenced in the west room, it was observed that the justice had no jurisdiction there, so the party adjourned to the east room, in Allen county, where the matrimonial knot was legally tied. When the canal was built, this place became a landing, to which the farmers hauled their produce for shipment, anil spring usually found immense piles of logs and w< i' >d here, ready for transportation. The place was also a favorite resort for idlers, and here, on a pleasant Sunday in summer, a crowd of men and boys would generally be found, smoking, discussing the topics of the day, watching the deer on the prairie t< 1 the south, or waiting for a packet boat to glide by. The last canal boat passed the place in 1879, the brick house was long since torn down and time has obliterated every trace of the historic village. In 1901 the Fort Wayne & Southwestern Traction Company completed an electric railway which occupies the site of the old canal. During the summer and fall of 1906. a gravel pit was opened on the site of Raccoon Village, which revealed the fact that Indians at one time used it as a burying ground, and a number of skeletons ami trinkets were found.

About 1840 Thomas Washburn and some of the early business men of Columbia City petitioned the legislature to build a state road from Columbia City to Raccoon Village, as that was the nearest point to reach the canal in going from Columbia City to Fort Wayne and other eastern points, and in shipping goods to stock their stores. Accordingly, the road was ordered built and Lot S. Bayless. was appointed commissioner, Richard Knisely, surveyor, and Octavius Phelps was one of the axmen. The road was completed in August, 1843. and extended in a northwesterly direction from Raccoon Village to Columbia City and was known as the "Raccoon Road." When the Pennsylvania Railroad was built, the Raccoon road gradually lost its usefulness and all that part which passed through Jefferson township has been vacated and the roads placed on the section lines. From a point in Union township, near the home of Adam Yagel, to Columbia City, the road is still in use.

Public Highways

Jefferson township is now pretty well supplied with public roads and, unlike many other townships, they are nearly all on the section lines, one of the principal exceptions being the eastern part of the Illinois road that passes through the northern part of the township. Another exception is the road that formerly extended along the north side of the canal through section 34. After the electric railway was built along the site of the canal, the wagon road was re-established a short distance north of the former site.

The main roads running east and west through the township are the "Illinois" n >ad. the "Liberty Mills" road and the "Fairchild" road. The latter extends through the middle of the township, and was first opened by Moses Fairchild as has been previously stated.

One of the main roads passing north and south through the township is the one running parallel with the west line of the township and one mile east of said line and is known as the "Columbia City and Roanoke" road.

About the only by-road still in use is the one that passes east and west through section 18. This road was opened in an early day by the first settlers on the section and has been kept up ever since and is at the present time nearly all graveled. For many years it was traveled almost as much as any main road, as nearly all the travel from the village of Forest and vicinity to Columbia City was over this road to the main road known as the Columbia City and Roanoke road, as the roads west and north through Washington township were through almost impenetrable swamps and at many times during the year were impassable. However, the road is not likely to be abandoned as there are three permanent farm residences and a church and cemetery situated thereon and United States Mail route No. 5. from Columbia City, passes over this road.

The legislature of 1881 changed the road law and created the office of road superintendent, said officer to have charge oi the roads in the entire township. At the April election, 1882, John W. McNabb was elected mad superintendent for Jefferson township. He served only one year when

Saw-Mills

In 1852 the first saw-mill in the township was built by Daniel German on the Illinois road. On the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, Mr. German entered the Union service, in which he lost an arm. Returning home, he settled on the northwest corner of section 9, on the farm now owned by James B. Crowel, and afterward served his township as assessor. He took a great interest in potato culture and originated a number of new varieties.

In the early days of the township, Lot Bayless's saw-mill in Allen county supplied most of the settlers with the little lumber required, but as time rolled on, the great wealth of the timber gave rise to numerous saw-mills. The German mill was after a' few years moved a short distance eastward and was purchased by Robbins & Frantz. In 1881 it was torn down and moved to the southern part of the township by the above named firm, where it was in operation many years.

The second saw-mill in the township was built by Bayless & Brother, in 1856, in the -eastern part of the township on the Liberty Mills road. This mill, with a "corn cracker" added, continued in operation until i860, when it was destroyed by fire. It was immediately rebuilt and again burned in 1869. It was again rebuilt and in 1S76 was removed to Michigan.

In 1868 a circular saw-mill was built by Martin L. Stevens on the Illinois road on section 6. This mill was afterwards purchased by Lewis Gross and after the building of the "Nickel Plate" Railroad, in 1881, was moved to the town of Peabody in Washington township.

In 1867 a shingle factory was built just south of the village of Forest, by Miller & Baker. In 1871 a stave machine was added which was sold in 1876 and the building enlarged to make room for planing machinery. The mill was afterward destroyed by fire but the shingle mill was rebuilt and operated for several years.

In 1873 Sowers & Morrolf erected a saw-mill on the southwest corner of section 16. The boiler in this mill was blown up on March 4, 1875, and some of the employes severely injured but no one killed. In the fall of 1875, Oliver J. Crowel purchased an interest in the mill and later secured the entire property, which he afterward sold to George W. Shipley, who operated the same until 1902, when he- sold out to Shoda «x Barger, who are the present owners of the mill, which is in operation only a part of the time. On April 16, 1894, the boiler in this mill was again blown up and Ami Hively was killed.

In 1876, Young & Metzler erected a sawmill at Forest at a cost of three thousand dollars. The next year a flouring mill was put in operation in connection with the sawmill, which was run for several years, but both mills ceased operation many years ag-o.

Soon after the building of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, a saw-mill was built at the town of Dun fee on the Allen county line, in section i. by William Walker, who soon after sold out to Pence & Hughes. The mill did an active business for several years.

In 1872 a saw-mill was erected on section 5, on the Columbia City and Roanoke road, by Boltz & France, which was operated for several years and in 1880 was moved about two miles north in Union township, where it remained several years and was then moved out of the county.

In 1884 Giddings, Knowlton & Bond purchased a large tract of land in the southeast part of the township and put up a large mill, and while the timber was being manufactured into lumber cjuite a village sprung up and a large number of men were employed. After the timber was consumed, the land was sold and the mills removed to other fields of usefulness.

In 1889 a saw-mill was established at Raber Station, on the Nickel Plate Railroad, which was operated by different firms for about twelve years.

About 1886 a saw-mill was established by Taylor Brothers on the "Nickel Plate" Railroad two miles east of the town of Raber, where it was in 'operation a year or two, then moved to the Taylor farm in section 10, but soon after was sold and moved out of the township.

A saw-mill and feed-grinder has been in operation for a number of years in the eastern part of the township by William Pressler, and several portable mills have operated in the township during the last fifteen years, and the greater part of the lumber that is

From the above brief history of the sawmills that have been in operation in the township since the first settlement, it will be seen that the timber that once stood in Jefferson township was of almost inestimable value, and it is freely asserted that the said timber would to-day be worth more than the land upon which it stood, with all the improvements, for besides the lumber manufactured by these mills, millions of feet of logs have been shipped out of the township to Columbia City, Fort Wayne, Huntington, Roanoke, etc., and to other mills in the' surrounding country outside of the township, and it must also be remembered that a great amount of valuable timber was made into fence rails and burned in log heaps.

Postal Affairs

In the early days of the settlement of Jefferson township, the postal facilities enjoyed by the settlers were in keeping with the existing order of things, the nearest postoffices being Fort Wayne and Roanoke and the postage on a letter was from fifteen to twenty-five cents. But as the settlers increased in numbers, they began to demand some improvement in this respect and after considerable agitation, their efforts were rewarded and two postoffices established in the township on the Liberty Mills road and a weekly mail service followed for many years.

the office at his farm residence. The other office was named "Laud." was established June 2j, 1855, and was located in the "Maring's settlement." Thomas Neal was the first postmaster and kept the office at his farm residence on the southwest corner of section 19, on the farm now owned by Frederi :k Brock. The mail was carried first from Fort Wayne to Liberty Mills, the carrier making' the trip on Friday of each week and returning on Saturday. Afterward the route was changed and started from Aboite .Station on the Wabash Railroad in Allen count}'.

Mr. Jeffries served as postmaster at Saturn for about three years and was followed by James T. Bayless, Eli Hatfield and James Broxon. Mr. Broxon held the office from 1867 until April 20, 1895. when he resigned and Marcus N. Aker was appointed and held the office until rural free delivery was established and the office was abolished November 15, 1900.

Mr. Neal served as postmaster at Laud until the election of Abraham Lincoln in i860, when he resigned. Being an ardent Democrat, he would not serve under Republican rule, so he was succeeded by Christian Bechtel. who moved the office to his residence across the road from the former location, in \\ ashington township, and in connection with the postoffice he conducted a harness and repair shop.

Thomas Xeal was quite a character in the early history of Jefferson township and besides his term as postmaster, he served as one- of the board of trustees and also a term as county commissioner for the third district.

and Marion G. Wright was appointed to succeed him. Mr. Wright moved the office to his drug store in the village of Forest, about one mile north of the original location. Mr. Wright served about one year when he resigned and sold his business to his brother-in-law, William Metzler, who. being a Democrat, was not eligible to be appointed postmaster at that time and the office was given to Mr. Metzler's clerk, Edward E. Phelps. Mr. Phelps held the office about one year when he resigned and James W. Burwell became postmaster. Mr. Burwell served the people faithfully and well until Grover Cleveland was elevated to the presidential chair, March 4, 1885, when the principle of "to the victors belong the spoils" was carried out, Mr. Burwell removed and the office given to Perry Long. Mr. Long served until the spring of 1888. when he sold his business to Messrs. Deems & Raber and Jacob C. Raber became postmaster. Mr. Raber served until the administration was reversed by the election of Harrison and L. L. Kimmel became postmaster in July, 1889. The office remained in Mr. Kimmel's charge until the summer of 1893, when, the Democratic party having again been restored to power, the office changed hands and J. C. Raber was again postmaster. Mr. Raber served until the return of Republican rule by the election of McKinley in rSq6. and the administration of the postoffice was again changed and Mr. Kimmel resumed charge for a second time and served until he sold his business in the spring of 1901, when he resigned the postoffice and ( ici irge W. Kelsey was appointed postmaster and served until the office was discontinued February 28. 1903.

The mail was carried to Laud first from Fort Wayne and afterward from Aboite Station until 1879, when a tri-weekly route was established from Columbia City and Joseph Yontz was the carrier. This continued until the "Nickel Plate" Railroad was built. The Columbia City route was discontinued in 1883 and a daily mail was established from Peabody Station. In 1890, this was changed and the mail was carried from Raber Station until the establishment 1 if rural route No. 6, from Columbia City, March 1, 1902.

In the spring of 1883, a petition was circulated asking for the establishment of a postoffice at Raber Station on the "Nickel Plate" Railroad. The petition was granted the office was established and Samuel Clark was appointed the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Thomas J- Berry, who served until his death, July 30, 1901, when William Bogner was appointed as his successor and conducted the office until it was discontinued, March 31, 1902.

Soon after the building of the Xew York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad a postoffice was established at Dunfee Station on the count}' line, five miles east of Raber postoffice, and George M. Singer was appointed postmaster and served until he was murdered by unknown persons on the night of September 16. 1895. Perry Gaff was temporarily deputized to take charge of the postoffice, and settled up the Singer estate as administrator, and on November 21. 1895, William McWhirter was appointed postmaster and is holding the office at the present time, and "Dunfee" is the only postoffice in Jefferson township to-day.

well served by rural free delivery, there being three routes from Columbia Citv and two from Roanoke that cover territory in the township, besides a route from Fort Wayne that covers a portion of the county line road on the east side of the township.

Political Matters

Jefferson township has always been pretty evenly divided politically. At the first presidential election after the organization of the Republican party, in 1856, the Democrats carried the township by a majority of eleven votes, while four vears later, in i860, Lincoln had a plurality of nine votes over Douglas, but there were twelve votes cast for Breckenridge, Southern Democrat, at this election. Of the thirteen presidential elections from 1856 to 1904, the Democrats have carried eight, at an average plurality of fifteen, while the Republicans have carried the township five times, at an average plurality of ten votes. The largest Democratic plurality was in 1864, of thirty-eight, and the largest Republican plurality was in 1872, when Grant had a plurality of twentyfive votes over Greeley, but at this election there were four votes cast for O'Connor, straight-out Democrat. At the last presidential election, in 1904, Roosevelt had thirteen more votes than Parker; in 1888, Cleveland had two more votes than Harrison and in 1802. Harrison had six more votes than Cleveland: in 1900. McKinley had one more vote than Bryan in the ti iwnship.

When the township was first organized, in 1845, the law provided for a board of three trustees and from that date to 1859 a number of citizens of the township served in that capacity, among whom may be mentioned : Latham Blee, Leonard S. Maring, Chancy Hadley, Thomas Neal, Samuel Braden, William M. Gillespie, Abram J. Gillespie, William Callison, etc. When the new law, providing for one trustee, became operative in 1859, David Allen Quick was elected trustee on the first Monday in April of that year and served one year. He was succeeded by Chancy Hadley, who was elected in i860 and re-elected in 1861, but he resigned in March, 1862, and Abbott Green was appointed to fill the vacancy. Mr. Green was elected in April, 1862, and served one year. Thomas Kemp was elected trustee in 1863 and re-elected in 1864, 1865 and 1866, serving in all four years. George Jeffries was elected in 1867 and served one year and was succeeded by Otho Clark, who was selected at the April election in 1868, but the law was changed, fixing the term of the township trustee at two years and providing that the election of township officers should be at the regular state election in October. At the election of the second Tuesday in October, 1870, William Bell was elected trustee, defeating Otho Clark, who was a candidate fof re-election, by a majority of one vote. Mr. Bell served two years and was succeeded by Frederick Brock, who was re-elected in 1874 and served four years. Henry Vogely was selected trustee in October. 187O, but the law was again changed and provided for the election of township officers on the first Monday in April. Mr. Vogely was re-elected in April. 1878. and served four years lacking six months. At the April election in 1880, James Jeffries was elected trustee and served about one year when he resigned and John L. Mc- Laughlin was appointed and after serving about one year was succeeded by Levi Ebersole. Mr. Ebersole served two years and was succeeded by Joseph B. Plnmmer, who held the office two years when he turned it over to James W. Burwell. Air. Burwell was succeeded by Albert Bush, who held the office two years and four months. Harvey Beard was elected trustee on the first Monday in April, 1890, but there had been another change in the law which provided that the township trustee should hold his office four years, beginning on the first Monday in August following his election in April. Mr. Beard held the office until the spring of 1894. when he resigned and William Schoenauer was appointed to fill the vacancy. At this time the law was changed again and provided for the election of township officers at the regular state election in November. William G. Bowman was elected trustee on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 1894, and took charge of the township business on the first Monday in August. 1895. Mr. Bowman resigned his office in 1899, and Thomas J. Smith was appointed as his successor. About this time another change in the law provided that the township trustees and assessors should hold over until the general election in November, 1900. Owing to ill health, Mr. Smith resigned as trustee early in 1900 and Oliver J. Crowel was appointed as his successor. At the regular election in November, 1900, Louis W. Dunfee was elected trustee and held the office four years and was succeeded by Oliver J. Crowel. who was elected in November, 1904, and is the trustee of the township at this writing and is the twenty-first trustee of Jefferson township since the spring of 1859, when the law providing for one trustee for each township was adopted.

Of the assessors that have served the township during the past forty years, the following is believed to be a correct list : William McLaughlin. Daniel German, Levi W. Bell, Thomas Kemp, Joseph Clark, John McLaughlin, Samuel Kaufman, Henry Vogely, Arthur Gillespie, James L. B. Ferrell. Jacob H. Ihrig. James M. Sbroyer and W. S. Howenstine.

Of the persons who have held the office of justice of the peace of Jefferson township may be mentioned : Leonard S. Maring, Octavius Phelps. William Bell, James Broxon, Isaac C. Dickerson, Robert L. Pence, Israel Biers, Jacob H. Ihrig, Jacob Bowman, Harvey F. Connor, Roland P. Jackson, Thomas D. Watson and Anderson L. Hasty. The township is entitled to two justices of the peace, but for several years there has only been one as it is difficult to get any one to serve the people in that capacity. A number of persons have been elected justice of the peace for the township but have failed to qualify.

The following citizens of Jefferson township have been elected to a county office: County commissioner, Thomas Neal ; county recorder, David A. Quick, 1866; R. Frank Raber, 1898; John Richards, coroner, 1874; Joseph Clark, treasurer. 1878; Manford D. Yontz. auditor, 1882; John W. McNabb, sheriff, 1890; Richard H. Maring, clerk of the court, 1894; Morton A. Gillespie, surveyor, 1896; Oscar T. Shinbecker, surveyor. 1900; Newton F. Watson, joint representative, 1904. and Robert Connor, member of the county advisory board, 1906.

Educational Facilities

Sixty years ago, when the people of Whitley count}- were struggling to clear up their farms and at the same time keep the wolf from the door, the educational advantages enjoyed by the children were few and meager. The education the}- did secure was principally acquired during a two or three months' winter term of school in a house that corresponded in ever)- way to the order of things in that early day, and in the case of the stronger minded youth was often dug out at home by the light of hickory bark or tallow candle. Yet these disadvantages were largely balanced by the strength of mind and self-reliance that they tended to impart, and it was under such circumstances that a large number of eminent men of the country acquired their early educatii in.

as the settlements demanded, the work being done largely by the settlers without compensation. Very little public money was to be had and usually the teachers were employed by subscription. After the township became more generally settled, it became necessary to rearrange the location of the schoolhouses, and finally the township was divided into ten school districts and a schoolhouse located about every two miles. This caused a great deal of opposition and strife, as it sometimes became necessary to abandon a schoolhouse and some families who were used to having a schoolhouse near them were obliged to send their children from one to two miles to school.

On the first Saturday night in October, each year, the school patrons were expected to elect a director to look after the wants of the school and receive applications from teachers who were desirous of a position, and usually, after a number of applications were received a "school meeting" would be called and the patrons would vote by ballot for their choice for teacher, and the one having the largest number of votes would be declared elected and would be recommended to the trustee as the choice of the district for teacher and accordingly would be hired by the trustee at the lowest possible figure.

Some hard electioneering was done by the candidates and their friends before the school meetings, and it was said that on one occasion at a school meeting where there were several candidates present, some one suggested that the applicants write their names on the blackboard and each voter mark for his choice and the one receiving the most marks be declared the winner.

This was done and after the names had been placed on the board, it was some time before any one had courage to cast the first vote. Finally an old man marched forward, took the chalk and marked for his favorite, and every other patron present followed suit and marked for the same applicant, much to the embarrassment of the other applicants present.

On another occasion, a young man was so anxious to secure the position as teacher of a certain school in the township that he offered to teach two weeks free if he was given the school. Always ready to receive something for nothing, the patrons elected him as their teacher for the winter and he made his word good, teaching two weeks longer than his contract called for. But the young man was perhaps well repaid for his extra labor, as during his term of school at that place he became acquainted with -a young lady in the community who afterward became his wife.

In the fall of 1845 the first schoolhouse in Jefferson township was erected on the banks of Big Indian creek, on the Liberty Mills road, about one quarter of a mile east of the Broxon corners. It was a rude log affair, about eighteen by twenty feet, with a large fire-place and stick chimney, and. like all of the country schoolhouses of that day, had slab benches with no backs. One large horizontal window on each side admitted the light and here, the following winter, James T. Bayless taught the first school in the building. He was followed by Mary Phelps, Frederick Fulk, George W. Lawrence, Frederick Young, Orrin Rogers, etc. The Indian Creek schoolhouse was used for about eleven years, when it was abandoned for school purposes and a frame schoolhouse was erected at the Broxon corners, on the southwest corner of section 24, on the land of William Jeffries, and was known as the "Red Schoolhouse." It was built in 1S56, by James T. Bayless, contractor, and Octavius Phelps was the first teacher and held forth in the new building during" the winter of 1856-57. In the spring of 1857, a subscription school of three months was taught there by Miss Mary Bowman. Henry C. Crowel was employed to teach the school during the winter term of 1857-58, but after a trial of five or six weeks, he resigned.

After Mr. Crowel resigned Henry Zents came into the neighborhood and held what he called a geography school, holding night sessions, teaching geography by singing the names of states, cities, rivers, etc., as locations would be pointed out on wall maps. Mr. Zents was employed to teach the remainder of the winter term and has as successors Mr. Brown, of Roanoke, Amos Shoaff, Octavius Phelps, George Jeffries, Lucinda Christy, John McCampbell, Ruth Jeffries and Nancy Jeffries.

In the summer of 1866, a schoolhouse was built one mile south, and the next summer another was built one mile north of the Red Schoolhouse, and about the same time another was erected one mile east, just across the line in Allen county, which was known as the "College Hill Schoolhouse." These three schoolhouses so divided the former school district that the Red Schoolhouse was vacated for school purposes.

Jeffries, trustee, John Hiler being the contractor. William Rickey taught the first term of school in the building during the winter of 1867-68, and the house was used for school purposes until the night of December 3, 1873, when it was destroyed by fire. An old log house that stood on the farm of William M. Gillespie was fitted up and the term of school was completed in this primitive building.

During the summer of 1874, a frame schoolhouse was built at Brimstone Corners by Frederick Brock, trustee, and the house is still standing on the original location and is used by the Free Methodist congregation for a house of worship. James E. McDonald taught the first term of school in the new schoolhouse during the winter of 1874-75, and was followed by John A. Price, John P. Hornaday, Alonzo B. Goble, Barbara E. Howenstine, R. H. Maring, Arthur M. Gillespie, Althea M. Dunfee, J. Monroe Baker, Horace S. Kaufman and others.

I am told that while the old Red Schoolhouse was in use by the district, one mile south of the present location, the pupils of that school were never defeated in the spelling contests that were so popular in those days, and the good work was continued in the new location, the school seldom, if ever, being "spelled down" by pupils from other districts.

In the fall of 1847, a log schoolhouse, similar to the one on Indian creek, was built in the Maring's settlement, in the western part of the township on the northwest corner of section 30, and William Bell was in- stalled as the first teacher and taught a school of twenty-five pupils the mysteries of the three R's, having but one scholar who advanced to the study of geography and grammar. Mr. Bell was followed by Jane Wilier, John Alexander, Milton B. Emerson, etc. After serving its purpose for about ten years, the old log schoolhouse was torn down and replaced by a neat frame building which was used for school purposes for about twenty-five years. William Andrews was the contractor. Some of the teachers who held forth in this building may be mentioned : Lewis Deems, Mr. Searls, Reuben Houser, Mr. Trembly, Joseph F. McNear, Thomas Austin, Miss Sadie Cobaugh, James C. Knisely, D. V. White, John A. Metzler, Miss Nora Jackson, Joseph Bowers, John W. Brock, Hattie Holt, Solon A. Howenstine, John Barsh, etc. The building was abandoned for school pm-poses in 1881.

In the fall of 1881 a two-story brick schoolhouse was erected in the village of Forest, about one mile north of the location of the old schoolhouse. John L. McLaughlin was trustee of the township at that time and Benjamin Haurand was the contractor. The first term of school in the new building began on Monday, January 16, 1882, with R. H. Maring, principal, and Miss Mary Raber. primary. The school was conducted as a graded school until the new graded school building was erected at Jefferson Ceuter in 1901, when the upper room was abandoned and since which time school has been conducted in the lower room only. Ami >ng the teachers who have taught in this building may be named: D. V. White, W. E. Murray, Miss Hnldah Hatfield, Louis W. Dun fee, Miss Minnie Howenstine. Miss

Jennie Raber, J. J. Kyler, Charles O. Broxon, O. E. Grant. H. L. Plummer, J. E. North, Miss Allie Cass, Clarence Ihrig, Orton L. Dunfee, M. A. Grimes, etc. The school district is known as number ten.

Some time in the early '50s, a schoolhouse was built about one-half mile north of the present schoolhouse in district number four, in Jefferson township. The building stood on the land of Jonathan Dunfee, in section 17, on the east side of the public highway, was a frame structure and stood with the side to the public road with the door in the south end. Three windows were placed in each side and two in the north end, with a blackboard between the. two end windows. It was a frame structure about twenty by thirty, and the room was furnished with rude desks made of poplar lumber. The building was erected by William Andrews, contractor, who also taught the first term of school. He was followed by William Bell, Rufus King, Rebecca Swain, Reuben Priest, Philander Ginger, Mary S. Truman, Henry C. Crowel, Zenhaniah Hadley, Levi W. Bell, Elizabeth Shriner, Nancy Crissinger, Francis M. Ihrig, Elisha Swan, Miss Allie Austin and Miss Sarah Brown.

In early days this building was used for religious meetings and the society known as the Evergreen Bethel Church of God was organized here in 1857, by Rev. David Keplinger. The old schoolhouse served its purpose until in February. 1871. when it was destroved by fire. William Worden had been unmercifully whipped by the teacher the previous winter for tearing up one of the desks, and for revenge he set the house on fire. As the fire occurred during the night, all the books and furniture were destroyed. Had he kept his own counsel, Worden would perhaps never have been found out, but the joke was too good to keep and he told some of his boy friends which led to his being arrested and lodged in the old jail in Columbia City. He was indicted by the grand jury but managed to make his escape, and Sheriff Miller found him cutting corn for a farmer in the western part of Ohio and brought him back to Columbia City. Worden had his hearing before Judge Lowry at the next term of court and after a good lecture by the judge, he was given his liberty.

When a new schoolhouse to take the place of the one destroyed was to be built, some question was raised as to the location, but the majority prevailed and the trustee, Mr. William Bell, located the house upon the site of the old one and awarded the contract to D. C. and S. G. Robbins, who put up a substantial frame building quite similar to the old one except it was larger and stood with the end to the road. Mr. Lewis Bridge taught the first term in the new building during the winter of 1871-72, and Miss Sarah Maring taught the following summer. Miss Rilla Haley was employed to teach the term of the winter of 1872-73 but the school was destined to meet with another misfortune ; on the evening of Monday, December 23, 1872, the building was destroyed by fire.

As the trustee began to make preparations to build another schoolhouse, the question of location was again raised and those favoring the location at the cross-roads gaining a number of recruits by parties being enumerated at this school who had formerly sent to other schools, and being further enforced by the trustee, Frederick Brock, favoring the cross-roads location, made a strong fight and succeeded at an election held to decide the question by popular vote in carrying the day.

But the other side would not give up so easily and appealed the case to the county superintendent. Prof. A. J. Douglas. Mr. Douglas called a meeting of the patrons of the school and after hearing the evidence and arguments of counsel. Col. I. B. McDonald, who had been employed by the parties favoring the cross-roads location, decided that the house should be built on the old location, which ended the matter for the time, but as a compromise it was agreed to build the house on the hill a few rods south of the old location. The contract was awarded to W. H. Jackson for four hundred and fifty dollars, and a frame structure similar to the last one destroyed by fire was erected in the fall of 1873. By volunteer work by the parties favoring that location, a stone wall was placed under the building and some shade trees planted. The building is still in existence and was afterward purchased by Jacob Tschantz and moved to his farm near by and is now used for a store house and shop.

Lewis Bridge again taught the first term of school in the new building and was followed by Mrs. Maggie Bolts, Pret Swan, Edwin Dickerson. Miss Lou Gregg. George Livenspargar, R. H. Maring, Barbara Howenstine, Mattie Dunfee. May VanUrder. Levi Bridge, Althea Dunfee, Etta Chaney. Orange Ihrig\ Anna Eversole, Jacob C. Raber, Jesse Kyler. Amanda Livenspargar and Clara Braden.

The schoolhouse in the district was originally known as the Brandenburg schoolhouse, as Eliphalet Brandenburg lived near by, and was one of the principal patrons of the school. The district is number four in Jefferson township, and is now known as the Grace schoolhouse.

During the summer of 1888, the present brick structure in the district was erected by Albert Bush, trustee, and John Bennet, contractor, and the' conditions of the district had so changed with the passing of the years that little opposition was met in locating the house at the cross-roads. Lewis W. Dunfee taught the first term of school in the building during the winter of 1888-89, an^ has been followed by a large number of competent and worthy teachers, Emmett Bridge holding the fort there at the present time.

About the year 1856, the settlers living in the vicinity of what is now school district number one, in Jefferson township, desiring that their children should have some opportunity to acquire an education, the proper steps were taken to secure a building in which school could be kept. Accordingly a small frame building was erected about eighty rods west of the location of the present school building in the district, on the south side of the public road on the land of James Clark. The first teacher to hold forth in the new building was Margaret Rhodes, who was followed by Esther Oman, Mary Hartzel, Lucy Manning, James Bayless, Miss White, Miss Bechtel, William Rickey, Caroline Oliver, Cynthia Allen, James M. Hatfield, etc. The old schoolhouse served its purpose until 1869, when a new frame building was erected at the cross-roads on the southeast corner of section 2, where the present school building in the district stands. Otho Clark was the trustee and the contract was let to George Hupp for six hundred and fifty dollars.

The next teacher to follow Mr. Rickey, during the winter of 1870-71, was Albert Smith, of Roanoke, who taught only three weeks, when he was taken sick and died. William Corey, of Allen county, was employed to complete the term of school and owing to the delay caused by the sickness and death of Mr. Smith and securing a new teacher the term did not close until Saturday, April 1, 1 87 1. Some of the teachers to follow Mr. Corey in after years at that place were Frank P. Emerson, Edwin Dickerson, James R. Simon, Minnie Howenstine, Estella Ihrig, etc.

In 1886, James W. Burwell, trustee, built the present brick schoolhouse in the district, Benjamin Haurand being the contractor. D. V. White taught the first term of school in the new building and was followed by Sherman Byall, M. L. Stephens, Mattie Kyler, Annie Kreig, etc. The old house was moved to the back part of the lot and for a number of years was used for a woodhouse for the school.

The history of the schoolhouse in district number two in Jefferson township begins with the erection of a log schoolhouse about seventy rods west of the present schoolhouse in the district, in 1855. The people of the community volunteered most of the work and Minerod Shinbeckler and Samuel Barger received thirty dollars for the carpenter work. Thomas Neal was trustee at that time and Henry C. Crowel taught the first term of school in the building during the winter of 1855-56. This primitive school building" was used for school purposes for about seven years and besides Mr. Crowel, Rebecca Swain, Margaret Lawrence and several others conducted terms of school there.

In 1861, a frame schoolhouse was erected at the cross-roads, on the southeast corner of section 4. Chancy Hadley was trustee at that time and also the contractor who erected the building, having had it bid off by a man by the name of Miller, over several competitors. Gerosha Page, Matilda Page, Ann Smith, Belle Steel, Joseph Clark, Philip Treichler, John Haley, Crawford L. Cotton, Arthur C. Fast, Charles McDonald and Albert Bush were among the teachers who wielded the birch over the youths in the said building from 1862 to 1879. Albert Bush taught the last term in the building during the winter of 1878-79. After the house was abandoned for school purposes, it was sold to Isaac Kime, who moved it to his farm and it is still in use as a dwellinghouse.

In 1879, the present brick schoolhouse in the district was built by Messrs. Leitizer & Hildebrand, contractors, Leitizer doing the brick work and Hildebrand the carpenter work. Henry Vogeley was trustee. The patrons of the district hauled the brick gratuitously, and the building did not cost the township over one thousand dollars. Albert Bush taught the first term of school in the new building during the winter of 1879- 80, and was followed by Daniel Haley, Newton F. Watson, Jacob C. Raber, etc.

In writing the history of the school in district number eight, in Jefferson township, commonly known as the "Fair Oak School," it must be stated that the first effort to provide for the education of the children in the community was the erection of a frame building for school purposes, one mile south of the present location, just across the line in Huntington county, which was known as the Huffman schoolhouse. The building was erected in the summer of 1861, William Truax being the contractor and Sarah Jeffries taught the first term of school in the building. After being used for school purposes for about ten years, it was vacated and is now used as a dwelling-house by John Hart, having been moved some distance west and north of the original location. Of the teachers who followed Miss Jeffries may be mentioned Julia Morrison, M. L. Stephens, Lewis Bridge, etc.

In the summer of 1871, a frame schoolhouse was built one mile north of the Huffman schoolhouse, on the southwest corner of section 27, by William Bell, trustee, and William Truax, contractor. This school became district number eight, and the building was christened "Fair Oak," presumably because it was located in a forest of magnificent oak trees. Miss Emma Corkins taught the first term of school in the new building during the winter of 1871-72, and she was followed by Theodore Aker, Levi Bridge, William McKinley, A. I. Montz, W. E. Callison and others. In 1887, the old frame schoolhouse was abandoned for school purposes, was moved some distance north and is used as a dwelling-house. The same year the present brick schoolhouse in the district was built by James W. Burwell, trustee, and J. C. Cheney, contractor, since which time a large number of teachers have held forth in the building, Fred Dunfee being the efficient and popular instructor there at the present writing.

building was erected about thirty rods south of the cross roads where the schoolhouse in district number three, in Jefferson township, now stands. The building stood on the west side of the public road on Henry C. Crowd's land and was intended for a schoolhouse but for some reason was never so used, the few children in the vicinity going either to the Brandenburg school, about one and one-half miles south, or one and three-fourths miles east to the Riser school. A few years after the building of the log house, a frame schoolhouse was erected on the southeast corner of section 6 and was known as "Crowel's Schoolhouse," Henry C. Crowel being the first teacher. During the summer and fall of 1877, the present brick schoolhouse in the district was built by Henry Vogely, trustee. The old schoolhouse was sold to Henry C. Crowel and is still in use as a dwelling-house. The first schoolhouse at Jefferson Center, in district number five, was a small frame budding erected about 1858. This building was known as the "Town House." and here the elections for the township were held. In 1874, this old house was abandoned for school purposes and was sold to Jacob Berry, who moved it across the road and for many years it was used as a dwelling-house. It is still in existence and is used by Eston Gilliam for a shop, summer kitchen, etc. The same year, 1874, a frame schoolhouse was erected by Frederick Brock, trustee. It was a large and substantial building, the best school-building in the township at that time. During the winter of 1888-89, this house was destroyed by fire, and during the summer of 1889, a substantial brick schoolhouse was built for the district by Albert Bush, trustee, which served its purpose until it was torn down to give place to the present high-school building, which was erected in the summer and fall of 1901, by Lewis W. Dun fee, trustee.

Elections were held at Jefferson Center schoolhouse until 1882, when the township was divided into two election precincts, which are known as East and West Jefferson precincts. Elections in the east precinct have always been held at the schoolhouse in district number six, and in the west precinct they were held at the schoolhouse in the village of Forest until 1890, after which they were held at the schoolhouse in district number four until 1898, since which time they have been held at the schoolhouse in the village again.

In the year 1862, the people living in the vicinity of what is now school district number nine, petitioned the township trustees to erect a schoolhouse for their accommodation. Accordingly, the trustee put up a frame building on the southeast corner of section 29, on the land of Jacob Y. Goodyear, one mile east of the location of the present schoolhouse in the district. After a few years some of the patrons of the school living in the vicinity of the cross-roads, one mile west of the schoolhouse, circulated a petition asking that the house be moved to the said cross-roads. These patrons by quietly and secretly presenting their petition to persons only who favored the move, succeeded in getting the desired order and proceeded to move the building before those who were opposed to die house being moved knew "where they were at." Henry Swan was teaching there at the time and the house was placed on rollers and started on its journey westward while the school was in session. The cunningness with which the movers proceeded and the further fact that the work of moving the house was commenced on the 2d day of February, gave the school a name that has clung to it to the present day and it has ever since been known as "Ground Hog Schoolhouse." The schoolhouse remained in the new location, serving its purpose until 1878, when it was replaced by the present brick building. The old house was sold to James Tumbleson. who moved it some rods north of the crossroads and used it for a dwelling-house in which capacity it is used to-day by Charles White.

The beginning of the history of the school in district number seven, in Jefferson township, was the erection of a hewed-log building for school purposes, on the northeast corner of the Hine farm in section 34, in the year 1856. The building was about twenty-four by twenty-six covered with hand-made shingles and furnished with the proverbial slab benches with no backs. The house was known as the "Swamp Schoolhouse," so named because there were so many swamps in the vicinity.

In the year 1866. this old house was abandoned for school purposes and the same year a neat frame schoolhouse was erected on "the southeast corner of section 26. one mile south of the Saturn postoffice and one mile east and one and one-half miles north of the old log schoolhouse. William Mc- Laughlin taught the first term of school in the new building and it is said that he named the house the "Fenian Schoolhouse," on account of its being located in an Irish settlement and man)- of the patrons took a deep interest in the "Fenian" movement at that time.

In 1862. a frame schoolhouse was built at the southwest corner of Jefferson township, just across the line in Huntington county. This school was established for the accommodation of a number of families living in the vicinity; four townships were represented and it was known as the "County Line School." Among the families represented were those of John Lyons, upon whose land the building stood, John Richert, Christian Shepper, Baltzer Koontz, Jacob Van Dorsen and others.

The school became one of the most advanced of the country schools of that day, having a number of pupils in studies not then included in common school work, including algebra, physiology, United States history, etc. About fifteen years ago the house was abandoned for school purposes, was sold to Roscoe A. Kaufman and moved to his farm near by and is used for a dwelling-house.

Previous to the building of this schoolhouse, Samuel Clark had taught a term of school in an old log house that stood on the northeast corner of the cross-roads at that place, in Jefferson township. Mr. Clark also taught a term of school in a log house that stood on the land of Otho Clark, about three-fourths of a mile south of the said cross-roads, in Huntington count}.

Manv years ago a schoolhouse was built on the west side of the county line road in Jefferson township, about two miles south of the present town of Dunfee, in the Kelsey neighborhood. The house was used for school purposes for a number of years and anions' the teachers who taueht there was

George Jeffries and Abbott Green, both of whom afterward served as township trustee. On the re-arrangement of the school districts in the township, this schoolhouse was vacated for school purposes, but the building is still in existence as a dwelling-house.

Early Preachers

Following in the wake of the tide of emigration came the early circuit riders and ministers of nearly every religious denomination, who sought out and united in spirit the scattered members and friends of their churches wherever they could be found and held services at the settlers' cabins, in the log schoolhouses or often assembled their congregations in one of "God's first temples." Probably the first preaching in the township was in 1846, by Zachariah Garrison, who held services at Zephaniah Bell's 'in the Maring settlement and also at William Davenport's on the farm now owned by William Yohe in section 5. Part of the time he was assisted in his labors by Rev. Mr. Worth. At that time Mr. Garrison was a Methodist minister, but he afterward severed his connection with that church and became a minister of the Church of God. He was a very forcible speaker and when he warmed to his subject it was impossible for any of the congregation to go to sleep. Zephaniah Bell also preached some about this time. He was a minister of the Wesleyan Methodist church.

Milton Haun, a Methodist minister, commenced preaching at the log schoolhouse on Indian creek in the spring of 1849. The following summer a class was organized, which was probably the first religious organization in the township. Daniel Berry, who is still living in the township, was the first class-leader, which position he retained for nearly fifty- years. In the fall of 1849, Haun was succeeded in the work by James Elrod, who held services there monthly for one year. He also preached in the Maring settlement, where soon after a class was organized, but it disbanded after a few years.

For some reason, Elrod named the place "Sodom," and the name clung to the community for many years. The Methodists have had three or four organizations in the township, but at the present time they have only one. For many years they held services at the Jefferson Center schoolhouse and in the summer of 1895 they erected a neat brick church at Sand Bank cemetery, one mile north of the center of the township. This church is known as "Jefferson Chapel" and was erected at a cost of about one thousand five hundred dollars. Some of the ministers who have served the congregation since the building of the church, are Revs. Barton, Calkins, Hollipeter, Woodruff, etc.

The first church building in Jefferson township was what was known as the "Albright Church," on the county line on the southeast corner of section 32. This church is a frame building, thirty-eight by fifty, and was built in 1867. The society had been organized a number of years before the building of the church by Rev. Fisher, an Evangelical or Albright minister, at the residence of Jacob Myers, in Huntington county. The following named persons were among the charter members : Jacob Myers and wife, William Cormany and wife, Benjamin Rupert and wife, Jonathan Dustman, Hiram Dustman, William Smith, etc., all of Huntington count}-. After being used by the Evangelical denomination for a number of years, the church building passed into the hands of the United Brethren denomination and is now used by the Radical wing of that church. Rev. Migrant was their last regular minister.

The first Catholic services in the township were held at Mr. Hine's, in an early day, by Father Fowler, of Fort Wayne, and -chapel exercises were held monthly for many years at Mr. Blee's in the southeastern part of the township. Of those who succeeded Father Fowler, were Fathers Fox, Shaffey and Harkman.

For a number of years before the organization of the Church of God in the township, David Keplinger, of that denomination, preached irregularly at Maring settlement and other places in the township and in 1857 "he organized a church of twenty members at Brandenburg's schoolhouse, in school district number four. He was followed by Revs. Komp, Slyter, Thomas, Andrews, Sands, Bryan, Shock, Garrison, Croy and others. In 1868, the organization, assisted by the community at large, completed the Evergreen Bethel church, at the cemetery on section 18, which is still standing and was tbe second church building erected in the township.

About the time of the organization of the Church of God at the Brandenburg -schoolhouse, a church of that denomination was organized at the residence of William B. Calhson, on section 32, by Elder Frederick Komp. Of the charter members of this society the following are remembered : William B. Callison and wife, William W. Callison and wife, Robert L. Pence and wife, Michael Roney and wife and John Callison.

Of the ministers who served the society in its infancy may be mentioned : David Keplinger, George Thomas, Zachariah Garrison, Henry A. Croy and others. After the building of what was known as the Callison schoolhouse on the southeast corner of section 29,- in 1862, the society held their meetings there. In the summer of 1874, the society erected a frame church building, twenty-eight by thirty-eight, three-fourths of a mile west of the location of the said schoolhouse, at a cost of nine hundred dollars. The house was named "Sugar Grove Church." After being used by the Church of God for about thirty years, the society disbanded and sold the building to the Free Methodists, who repaired the house, erected a belfry and re-dedicated the church. Rev. Mathews is their minister at the present time.

The Free Methodists also have an organization in the eastern part of the township and in 1890 they purchased the old schoolhouse at district number six, which they have since used as a house of worship. Revs. Cottrell, Loring, Galloway and others have served the society.

The Christians, or Disciples, desiring to be known only as Churches of Christ, have two prosperous organizations in Jefferson township with good buildings. The first preaching by ministers of this church in the township was by G. B. Mullis, of Logansport, Indiana, on the first Sunday in June, twenty-two members was instituted at the "Red Schoolhouse," in the Broxon neighborhood by William Dowling. The first officers were, elders, Samuel Braden and Tames Broxon ; deacons, William Jeffries and Daniel Swisher. In 1874, the church building in the eastern part of the township was built at a cost of one thousand five hundred dollars. It has since been repaired and is known as the "Saturn Christian Church." Since its organization there have been at least two hundred and thirty members enrolled and at present there is an enrollment of sixty members. Of those who have ministered to the congregation the following is a partial list : George W. Chapman. James Hadsel, William Dowling, Z. W. Shepherd, B. W. Hendryx. Aaron Walker, Charles B. Austin. T. H. McCormack, T. M. Barnau, P. Hasty, O. A. Newton, J. W. Hunt. H. M. Lambert, William Dunkleberger, Daniel Dunkleberger, J. H. Lacv, S. C. Hummel. J. M. Pyle. John W. Hayes, John H. Clark and A. M. Gillespie.

In 1858 William Dowling began preaching at the Maring schoolhouse in the western part of the township and during the same year organized a church of twenty members at that place. Regular services were maintained there until 1878, when the frame building in present use in the village of Forest was completed at a cost of three thousand dollars. The first officers of the church were, elders : John P. Alexander and Lewis Deems : deacons : John Ihrig and Xehemiah Gaskill. At present the church has a membership of about sixty.

This denomination also has an organization at Walnut Grove schoolhouse in I nion township, which was organized in June, 1903. with twentyrfive charter members. The first officers were, elders, Charles Shaw and Charles Beeching; deacons, Samuel Harshbarger and D. Spangle. The United Brethren held services at Maring's schoolhouse at an early day and also organized a church there. Regular services were maintained and in the summer of 1875 they built a substantial frame church a few rods north of the site of the old schoolhouse, in Washington township. Among the early ministers who served this church may be mentioned : Revs. Thomas,. Seathman. Wood, Clark, Martin, Cummins, etc. Rew Spitler is the pastor of the church at the present time.

The Christian ( New Light) church at Dunfee in Jefferson township, was first organized in a log schoolhouse on the land of Daniel W. Holt, in Union township, October 29, 1854. The charter members were: Daniel W. Holt and wife, Samuel Whistler and wife, William C. Morse and wife, David S. Morse and wife, Polly Foster, Eliza Lake and Nancy Tousley. Rev. Peter Winebrenner was the first pastor and was followed by James Atchison, Philip Ziegler. William Manville, C. V. Strickland and others. In 1872, this society erected a frame church one and one-half miles south of Coesse, in Union township. In 1892, this church was torn down and moved to the town of Dunfee and re-built on the west side of the county line road in Jefferson township. The church is in a prosperous condition and maintains regular preaching.

In early times, the strife between the different religious denominations was almost equal to their combined efforts against the bulwarks of sin. This opposition finally culminated in an oral debate on the subject of water baptism, between Rew Hugh Wells, of the English Lutheran church, and Rev. Aamn Walker, of the Disciple church, which was held in Edward Beckley's barn. The exact date of the debate could not be learned but it was sometime in the '50s.