Richland Township

Richland Township

Richland township is located centrally in the western tier of the townships of DeKalb county: is bounded on the north by Fairfield township, on the east by Union and Grant, on the south by Keyser, and on the west by Allen township, Noble county. Little Cedar runs diagonally from the northwest comer across the township, also several other tributaries to this stream and Cedar, besides a few small lakes. This provides sufficient drainage and water suppl)' for the land in the township. The township is not the best in the county for agriculture : the land being very hilly, and with sandy and clayey upper soil. The clay is of excellent composition for the manufacture of bricks and various kinds of tile. Beech, maple, ash, oak, and poplar, with a little walnut, were the prevailing woods of this township, but these have been largely cleared off. The Lake Sliore & Michigan Southern traverses the northern border of the county, stopping at the towns of Corunna and Sedan.

Organization

supervisor. At the first election held, but six votes were cast, and William Shovifers was elected justice. On the formation of Keyser township, in June, 1876, twelve sections were taken from its southern side, reducing the township to twenty- four sections.

Early Settlement

The first settler in Richland township was Joseph Miller, who came in August, 1836, having cut his way in from the home of his father in Jackson township. Previous to moving in, he cut the logs for his house in one day; made the clapboards in the next, having to chop off the timber two clapboards length, not having a saw, then split them into bolts and chop them in two before riving. He and two others put up the house without any further assistance, on the third day. He, and Mr. Vansickle. and Obadiah Whitmore also put up a house for Jacob Weirick, without any other help. Jacob Weirick and Joshua Feigler moved in in October, 1836. Calvin Calkins set out in the fall of 1839, from Sandusky county, Ohio, with his provisions in a knapsack, and arriving in this township, selected a quarter section, lying on the present road south of Corunna. He learned that another land hunter had chosen part of the same lands, and made the best time possible to the land office at Fort Wayne, and was scarcely half an hour in advance of his competitor. His family moved in during the fall of 1840. The neighbors were well scattered at this time; Peter Kronkite, who had come the previous fall, had a cabin in the woods ; and Peter Moody had located on his clearing about a mile east of Corunna. In the northeast part of the township was the Showers settlement. Solomon Showers, the pioneer, was the ho.st to many a settler who moved into the locality to set up a home. His cabin was small, but room was always found for the incomer. Lyman Green, for whom the corners south of Sedan were named, Daniel Webber, William Beck, William Showers and Daniel Showers were other men who soon established themselves in the neighborhood. Japhet Ingraham came in a short time later, and then Peter Treesh made the first clearing of the Amos Britton farm. Thomas Dailey moved in from Michigan, and located in the western part of the township, and Dimick Harding came from Lima, Indiana, and chose a tract. Other early settlers were: the Moodys, Peter, John and Harvey; the Connellys, Ezra. William and John ; Samuel Haynes, James Blake, Heman Bangs and James McCrum. Henry Willis, afterward sheriff, and who subsequently went to Waterloo, came very early and settled in the northeastern portion of the township. He located on a sugar-timbered tract, and manufactured sugar, trading the commodity for breadstuff s, wliich transaction often necessitated a three days' journey. This trading system was common among the early settlers, and, in fact, meant subsistence for many of them.

First Officers

Some of the early justices were: William Showers, James Blake, D. Shaw and L. D. Britton. Constables were : Lyman Green, John Clay, Robert Williams, Leeman Fulson, J. Simons, D. Mallery, A. P. Bristol, John Palmer, L. Thomas, B. Sanders, David Swander and C. B. Kagey. Trustees were: Peter Treesh, Joshua Brubaker, David Lawrence, A. J. Hunt, Jacob Palmer, Jeft'erson Wallace, Christian Frezt, Solomon Showers, H. Willis, W. Connelly, J. C. Mead, Japhet Ingraham, James Blake, Lyman Green, W. Showers, L. D. Britton, H. Sherlock, H. Knapp and L Kanaga. Assessors were: William Welker, C. Knapp, John Shaw, and Henry Sherlock.

At present Corunna has a population of three hundred and eighteen people, and is a progressive little town, situated on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern. There are three schools, two lodges, a bank, telephone system, public lighting plant, two mills, one flour mill and one saw mill, and a hotel.

Sedan is another small town located on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, about four miles east of Corunna. The population is very small, and business is in proportion to the population.