Richland Township (part 1 of 2)

By Chester L. Cone Organization And Elections

Richland township as originally organized consisted of the congressional township 31 north, range 8 east, and contains thirty-six sections of land. Prior to 1838 Whitley count}- was joined to Huntington county for court purposes. Townships were organized by the county board, we might call them commissioners, but the record shows that while we were a part of Huntington county, the board consisted of justices of the peace. All the record they made of township organization was an order that such congressional township be organized and named as a civil township. They called an election for justice of the peace and perhaps made some orders concerning the roads. Cleveland and Smith townships were organized before Richland township. October. 15, 1837, the few scattering settlers in township 31 north, range 8 east, met at the cabin of William Rice, then a young bachelor, to join in a petition for township organizational^ select aname. There seemed to have been considerable preliminary talk about a name. They all thought they had the richest land and so expressed themselves. Finally Edwin Cone said that they already had a name and call it "Richland" and the name was adopted and placed on the petition. It is not known who signed the petition, but it is presumed that most of the voters in the township signed it. Therefore on November 6, 1837, the Huntington county board organized it as Richland township and ordered an election for justice of the peace at Ezra Thompson's house on the second Monday in December, 1837. At this first election in Richland township only five voted, namely : John Jones, William Rice, Zebulon Burch, William Cordill and Edwin Cone - just enough to form an election board. The first three were judges and the other two clerks. Edwin Cone received four votes and William Rice one vote. We do not know why Mr. Thompson did not vote. We do not know the date of Mr. Cone's commission as justice of the peace.

Thorncreek township was organized the same day as Richland township. Therefore there were four townships organized before the county. At its next session in December.

1837, and January, 1838, the general assembly ordered Whitley county to stand alone. Governor Wallace appointed Richard Baughan. of Thorncreek township, sheriff. It was his first duty to advertise and hold an election for county officers, and to designate places for holding said election. There was one place named for each organized township, making only four voting places in the county. Those who lived outside these townships voted where it was most convenient. The place in this township was at the house of Andrew Compton in section 21. where elections were held for several vears. The officers to he elected were one clerk and recorder, two associate judges and three commissioners. The election was held the first Monday in April.

I think it is not known how many voted at this election in the township, certainly not more than a dozen. It is safe to say that the "people's ticket" was elected unanimously. The commissioners elected were Otho W. Gandy, of Smith, Nathaniel Gradeless, of Thorncreek, and Joseph Parrett, of Cleveland township. At Parrett's, on Monday, May 7, 1838, Baughan canvassed the ballots formally, and declared the officers elected and the county organized. It seems that the commissioners met at this date, took the oath of office and proceeded to hold court. Mr. Gandy was elected chairman. Their first act was to appoint John Collins, treasurer; Henry Pence, assessor: (Mr. Pence had been previously appointed by the Huntington county board) Benjamin H. Cleveland, three per cent, fund commissioner, and Henry Swihart, county agent. Abraham Cuppy had been elected clerk and recorder, as had been Jacob A. Vanhouten and Benjamin F. Martin as associate judges. None of these officers were from this township except Abraham Cuppy. At the session of the commissioners' court in June, 1838, the county was divided into commissioners' districts ; range eight to form district one, range nine to form district two and range ten to form district three. These districts have never been changed.

It appears from the "Old County History" that Edwin Cone was allowed two dollars June 25. 1838. for making returns of the first election in the township. We presume it was the election of April 2, 1838. and that he was one of the election officers. Tt also appears that at one of the first sessions of commissioners' court, Zebulon P. Burch was appointed road supervisor of this township, the whole township being in one district. The only road then being the Huntington and Goshen road, within the township, some seven miles long. At the same court Edwin Cone and Ezra Thompson were appointed overseers of the poor. In September, 1838, Ezra Thompson was selected as one of the grand jurors, to serve at the first term of circuit court, and Edwin Cone, David Hayden, John Jones and Zebulon P. Burch were summoned as petit jurors at the same court. Some time in the year 1840 Zebulon P. Burch was appointed three per cent, road fund commissioner and served till the office was abolished. Mr. Burch's services were in demand for offices of trust. The first general election held in the township (the two elections above mentioned were special elections), was on August 6, 1838, being the first Monday. It was held at the house of Andrew Compton. Eleven voters appeared, namely : Otto M. Webb, Zebulon Burch, Levi Curtis, Ezra Thompson, John Jones, Jackson Gunter, Abraham Cuppy, Jacob Kistler, John Thompson, David Hayden and Edwin Cone. In this case as in the election for justice, we do not know why Mr. Compton did not vote. The returns of this election showed that G. W. Ewjng received four votes for state senator. David Colerick three and Thomas Swinney one. For representative, J. F. Murrill received four votes and William Vance seven. For sheriff, Richard Collins received eleven votes. For county commissioner. Joseph Parrett received eleven votes. For probate judge. Jesse Cleveland had three votes and Joseph Pierce one. The next election, T think, was held on the first Monday in April, 1839, and was the regular township election. Here the first township officers were elected as follows : Otto M. Webb was chosen township trustee; Ezra Thompson, town treasurer; Andrew Compton, town clerk ; and David Payne, fence viewer. Each received fifteen votes. There is no mention made of constable or supervisor. It will be remembered that Henry Pence had been appointed county assessor, and that there was no township assessors till about 1852.

The "Old County History" says that Troy township was organized in May, 1839, by the board of commissioners. The first election was held July 4th following. It was a special election for justice of the peace. At this election the names of Jessie S. Perm, Price Goodrich, Timothy F. Devinney and Bela Goodrich appear, who were residents of what is now a part of Richland township. Price Goodrich was inspector and Jesse S. Perin was one of the judges and Timothy F. Devinney was one of the clerks. There were twelve votes cast. Nathan Chapman was elected justice of the peace by seven votes ; Price Goodrich receiving five votes.

The first presidential election held in the township was in 1840 at Andrew Compton's house on the 2d day of November ; the Harrison campaign, remembered as the "Log cabin and hard cider" campaign. The candidates were Harrison and Tyler for the Whigs and Van Buren and Johnson for the Democrats. Twenty-five votes were cast ; fourteen for Harrison and eleven for Van Buren. Those twenty-five votes were Daniel Cone, John Jones, William Rice. John Wright, Daniel Cullamore. Andrew Compton, Edwin Cone, Joshua Helms, John Anderson, Elijah Scott, Zebulon Burch, David Hayden, John Thompson. Reason Huston.

Levi Curtis, Charles Ditton, Samuel L. Andrews, Anderson D. Parrett, William D. Parrell, Joab McPherson, David Payne, George Ditton, David Payne, Jr., Ezra Thompson and Jacob Kistler, Jr. The judges were William D. Parrett, Ezra Thompson and Zebulon Burch. The clerks wereAndrew Compton and Edwin Cone. They were not so particular about the political complexion of the board then as they are now. The clerks were known as Whigs, Parrett and Thompson as Democrats and Burch's politics were not known. In the Troy addition of the township, at this same election there were eight votes cast by Jesse A. Perin. John Buck, James Buck, William Guy, James Grant, Bela, James and Price Goodrich. At least five voters were Democrats. The Troy elections were held at Joseph Tinkham's shop. Of these officers and voters, to which I have alluded, none was left on January 1, 1907. except John R. Anderson, who alone remains as the last voter of 1840. He is now past ninety.

Previous to 1869 the voters of the old townships of Troy and Richland had to go to the central school house of each township to vote. On December 5. 1868, there was held a meeting in Larwill and a petition gutten up to be presented to the county commissioners, praying for a new township to be named Larwill township and formed of a two-mile strip off the south side of Troy township and a two-mile strip off the north side <if Richland township. This was on Saturday evening and by Monday evening the petition had been circulated ever the win ile territory, and on Tuesday, I think, the petition was presented to the commissioners. It seems the commissioners granted the re- quest, but in the meantime the voters in South Richland petitioned for a two-mile strip off of the south side of Richland township to be annexed to Cleveland township. This petition was granted and the Larwill proposition was reconsidered, which resulted in the two-mile strip off the south side of Troy township being annexed to Richland township and the remainder of Troy and Etna township forming one township. The date of these proceedings was about December n, 1868. Since this time Larwill has been the place of holding the elections. The township was divided into two precincts in 1884. since which time there have been two voting places, and usually both in Larwill. In 1905 and since there have been special elections held in each road district to select a road supervisor.

First Settler

David Hayden was the first settler in Richland township. He landed here March 9. 1836. He brought his family consisting of his wife and two little boys, one aged three years and the other one year old. He also brought along a hired man named Henry Francis. They built a cabin of the primitive style, built of round logs and covered with clapboards, held on with weight poles, a puncheon floor, or perhaps no floor for awhile, arfd a door made of split stuff and pinned together and hung on wooden hinges, and the windows, well I don't know whether they bad any windows or chimneys till the next fall. The cabin was not larger <>r higher than was really necessary. It was all built perhaps with an ax. a froe, an auger and a drawing knife. It must be remembered that nails were not in use, except what were made by a blacksmith. The cabin stood between .the present house and the road, the north end near where the road now is. They cleared about four acres, where the barn now stands and southeast of it, planted it to corn and fenced it. They stayed till some time in June and then went back to Ohio. They came from Franklin county. The reason they went back was on account of not having all their goods. I think they had brought no stock, except a. team of horses. I do not know whether Mr. Francis ever came to Indiana again or not. Mr. Hayden came back again in September, 1836, and his brother-in-law, Edwin Cone, and family came with him. They landed here on September 30th. Mr. Cone's familv consisted of himself and wife and one little girl two years old. They came by Fort Wayne and then followed the Wabash canal to Huntington, and then the Huntington and Goshen road the rest of the way to within a mile of where Summit used to be. and then by a trail cut through the woods. The}- had. I think, a cow apiece, some calves and three horses. About the time they left the Huntington road it came night and they had to leave the wagon for the night and Mr. Hayden and the two women and three children rode through on the horses to the cabin, which was some two miles farther. Mr. Cone stayed with the wagon and cattle through the night, and T have been told a few wolves kept company with them. Mr. Hayden entered land in section (\. now owned by David Dill. Mr. Cone entered land in section 5, now owned by Henry Norn's. Tn about three weeks after Ezra Thompson settled in section 9 some two or three miles away. Charles Ditton and Zebulon Burch settled in section 22 some three miles from Mr. Thompson's and this was about as near as neighbors were. It -\vas a long way off to the nearest mill some thirty-five miles. Wyland's mill in Elkhart txninty, not far from Goshen, was the nearest perhaps, or that is where most of the first settlers went. There was a settlement there and corn could be bought. It took three days to make the trip if the roads were not too bad and were lucky in finding corn, but It sometimes took a week. An ax was always taken along, for some times there "would have to be a new track cut to get around bad places in the road.

The first settlers were friendly and accommodating and were glad to see a "newcomer," would help each other to build their cabins and roll logs and such things as a man would need help, and never keep any account of the time or expect any pay. The chief employment was clearing, and all the time that could be spared was put in with the ax. The clearings were hardly ever "cut off smooth." that is. all the timber cut down, but usually all under ten inches or a foot in diameter at the stump, and sometimes all the beech, sugar, lind, elm and buckeye. It looked like something had been doing to see the long rows of brush heaps, and the logs scattered in endless confusion. Again when the brush had dried three or four months, to see it set on fire, and watch the flame and smoke. Again to see two good teams of oxen and two gangs of men hauling and rolling the logs into heaps, and each gang striving to be ahead. These scenes were interesting, but they are gone forever. The trees left standing usually were deadened.

that is, a ring chopped around each tree, and left standing. These old trees were a continual bother. Nearly every windstorm the limbs and bark would fall and frequently some of the trees, and each year there would be a lot of extra clearing and fixing fences. These rail fences that used to be of so much service are about all gone. A man called it a day's work to chop and plit two hundred rails. But if a man had his choice, he would pick trees that would make three or four cuts each and from twenty-four to forty rails to the cut. To build forty rods of rail fence, eight rails high, was a good day's work. It was worth about as much to clear the land as it was worth before it was cleared. It is said that William Rice sold forty acres of land each to Henry Payne and Nathan Biddlecome with the understanding that thev would pay the most of it in clearing. The first crops sometimes, if wheat, was sown on the leaves and harrowed in, and if corn, the ground would be furrowed out with a "jumping" shovel plow and then planted. The squirrels and 'coon used to eat a good deal of the corn, and corn that stood in the shock over winter would not have much corn in them in the spring. There were no rats in this country till about 1855. Rats and ragweed came about the same time. Wheat was not raised very extensively at first on account of the' work to harvest and thresh it, and the market was poor, from twenty-five to fifty cents per bushel. Wheat and rye were cut with a hand sickle almost entirely till 1850 or later, when cradles were used principally till 1865 or 1870, then reapers were used mostly till about 1885. and since that binders. It will be remembered that most of the people were poor and some very poor. All the household goods could be put on a wagon and then room for more. The goods perhaps consisted of one or two beds, a home-made table, a half dozen stools, some cooking utensils to use around a fireplace, a very few dishes, a tub, a split or homemade broom, an ax and a gun. The bedvsteads were part of the house were made by placing one post as far from the walls as the length and width of the bed, then inserting small poles in auger holes in this post and in the logs in either wall, to make the bedstead, then by placing clapboards on one of these and into a crack between two of the logs would complete it.

There is a story showing how destitute some were. Robert Moyston settled in section 8 about 1843. There were five girls and two boys, the older boy William was nearly grown. In the summer of that year the meal had been sifted the last time, which meant the bran was eaten. There were no new potatoes or green corn, for it was too early in the season. The elder Moyston busied himself with the work he thought should be done and sent William in search of something to eat. I think it was two days the family were without food, when William brought in a sheaf of wheat he had taken from a field without asking. They threshed this out on the floor and saved every kernel, boiled it and ate it. One of the daughters. Mary Philips, told me this. She said. "It was pitiful to hear my little sister cry, who was only about two years old." Mr. Moyston offered to pay the man something for the sheaf, but of course he would take nothing.

When Richland township was first settled ii was covered with a dense forest of beech, oak, sugar-maple, ash, walnut, poplar, elm, lind, hickory, wild-cherry, butternut and smaller varieties of timber. Therewere several swamps and a few small wet prairies. There are five or six small lakes within its borders. Spring creek, with itstwo branches in the eastern part and Cleark creek (sometimes called "Little Spring creek") in the western part carry off most of the surplus .water. The face of the country is somewhat hilly, but nearly all of it can be farmed. The make-up of the the soil is generally good as the name of the township implies, a good depth of soil underlaid with clay or gravelly subsoil. The lowlands for somepurposes are better than the highlands. The soil of these lowlands is underlaid in some places with clay and other places withmuck or peat to considerable depth, and' marl is found in a few places. There is plenty of gravel for road and building purposes. Some parts of the township are somewhat stony, especially the -western part. They are of the boulder variety, many of these stones have been used to good account for building purposes. A great deal of the lowland has been ditched and brought into cultivation. There are a good many springs, but since the country has been drained, the springs have grown weaker, and now most of the water for house use is obtained from wells, and for the past fifteen years, there has been man)' tubular wells put down, ranging from forty to two hundred feet deep, and in many places wind power pumps adorn the landscape. There were several Indian trails crossing the township in various directions. TheSquawbuck trail was ' the most noted. It crossed the northeast corner of the township. It was named for an Indian by the name of Bill Squawbuck, a Miami, I believe, and a leader of a gang or faction. It is said there was a trail from the Asa Shoemaker place in the northwest corner of Columbia township through in a western direction past where Larwill now stands and on west by Hayden's to Kosciusko county. There was another crossed this somewhere about where Summit was, in a northeast and southwest direction. It crossed sections five and six, but in the other direction I am not certain where it ran, but I suppose to the Squawbuck trail. I think these trails ran by springs. The Indians changed camping places frequently on account of hunting. There was a camp in section 6, in the southeast part. There was plenty of water in springs nearby and here Bill "Wois-see" or "Wa-wa-es-see" (with the accent on the third syllable) and an old squaw named Mem-shaw, and some younger Indians camped. They also camped sometimes on the Perin place, in section 32 and on the Lancaster place in section 8 or in section 17. These two I have named were not transported with the other Indians. The squaw was supposed to be ninety years old and was know as "Granny Meem-shaw." There were in some places a great many maple trees, and the Indians were great lovers of sweets, and they used to make sugar (sis-ko-quet-see they called it) where the maple trees were most plentiful. I never saw an Indian sugar trough or an ax that the Indians used to tap the trees. I think the troughs were made of broad pieces of elm bark, about ten inches or more wide and about two feet long. The ends were gathered together and tied tight enough so it would hold water. The tree was tapped with a hatchet or tomahawk, by cutting a sloping gash in the wood. I suppose they used split-spiles. I have seen many of the trees with their scars on. They boiled the water in their little camp kettles. They were also great lovers of whiskey, "Good-neytosh." It has been said that whiskey was better in those days than now, that it would not make a man crazy at it does now. But it worked differently on the Indian, he would g'et just like the drunken man of today.

There was plenty of game in the woods and every man was supposed to own a gun. I believe that game became more plentiful atfer the Indians were taken away. There were many good riflemen. The old flintlock gun was all they had which sometimes would flash in the pan and was not quite as sure as the cap-lock gun. A good many had their old guns changed into cap-locks. In the winter of 185 5and 1856 there came a deep snow and then a crust, and a deer would break through the crust and a dog' would not break through so much. It is said that the Grimes and Norris boys and Newton Compton killed eleven deer with Anderson Grimes's dog, "Old Range," that winter. I believe the dog killed the most of them. Andrew Compton killed the first bear in the township, in company with Zebu- Ion Burch, Charles and George Ditton and John Anderson. Edwin Cone treed two young bears, but had no gun at the time. He went away and got David Hayden and a Mr. Bennet, and Mr. Bennet shot the cubs. The last wild bear, that I have any knowledge of, was seen in the fall of 1862. It was in the woods belonging to John Steel and Thompsons. The alarm was given, but it was about dark and the ,beast s'ot into a brush swamp, it scratched some of the dogs and they would not follow it, so it was lost. Zebulon Burch killed two wolves, the first of which we have any account. The last wolves seen, of which I remember, was in the summer of 1855. They were in the woods now belonging to George Steel. It was about dark and nobody followed them. There was an abundance of game in the woods at one time, such as deer, wild turkeys, gray squirrels and black squirrels and wild pigeons, but they have passed away with the forests. There was a great deal of sickness in those early times, mostly of the bilious or malarial nature. Sometimes whole families would have the ague. The ague was of two or three different kinds. I believe the kind most common was the "everyother-day" ague. It would commence with a hard chill, usually making the victim shake for about an hour, and then would be followed by a fever for four or five hours, when the sweat would start and the patient would get better and the next day would feel quite well, only a little weak. But the next day again and about the same time of day, usually in the afternoon, the same ordeal would have to be passed again, and so on from August to cold weather. Some would have the ague every day, commencing usually in the afternoon, with a chill, but not so hard a chill as the other kind. The person did not shake so much, but the fever was generally higher and would last well into the night. The next day it would be repeated. A few would have the "third day ague." Everything bitter, or nearly so, was used as a remedy, some with good results and some without, but usually whether the remedies were taken with faith or without faith the ague would take hold again in a week or so. It will be remembered that quinine was not in general use until after 1850. Mrs. McLallen writes of the ague to her daughter:

"My Dear - We have all had a few shakes, more or less, of the ague. I think you would have smiled a little to see me shake last Saturday for one and one-half to two hours and again on Monday. But the fever was less than usual and I think I have broken it up now, as I have had none since

"Last Wednesday Gibson received a letter- from a friend in Fort Wayne apprising him of a good situation in waiting for him. He started with Mr. Rice the next morning for Columbia, where he intended to take the hack for Forf Wayne. At Columbia he found Peter Simonson sick of a fever and unattended. He stayed with him and waited on him about two hours, when Peter requested him to take his horse and ride into Fort Wayne and send George (Peter's brother) out to take care of him. He felt pretty well and started. About half way there he was taken with a chill, was obliged to dismount and lie down in a corner of the fence and 'shake it out' there. Poor fellow! ^ nile lying- there he saw Duftie passing with Peter's wagon, which he knew, and hailed him. Duftie said he was going to Columbia for Peter to go back to Fort Wayne and take care of George, who was very sick of a fever. So there thev were, all in a row.

The first dance in the township was at Otto M. Webb's, April, 1841. Grover Webb was the "fiddler." People in those days enjoyed dancing as well as nowadays, and many a "hoe-down" came off in the cabins where there was room and a suitable floor. It was generally conceded that a puncheon floor was not quite as good as a floor of sawed lumber. Joel Philips was an expert dancer. The cabin joists would interfere with his head sometimes. Biddlecomes and Comptons also were experts in the art.

Log rollings and house raisings were the chief gatherings. A man with a good yoke of oxen would put in about as many days away from home as at home in the spring of the year. The price for man and team was about seventy-five cents per day. At raisings it was necessary to have four expert cornermen - men with sharp axes - who could notch down the logs to fit. It was no snap to be a cornerman. The tools necessary at these raisings were axes, hand spikes and forks. These forks, if good ones, were usually kept for future raisings, meantime serving as poles for chickens to roost on in somebody's log stable. Joel Philips and Nathan Biddlecome, E. S. Scott and J. R. Anderson and Joshua Carder and Arthur Black were all considered good cornermen, each pair in a separate neighborhood. The women's gatherings were quiltings and wool pickings. The women were experts in these two callings, as well as spinning and knitting. Sheep shearing was done as early as possible so as to get the wool picked and off to the "carding machine" and get the "rolls" as nearly first as possible, and then the merry song of the "Old Spinning Wheel" would be heard from June to November, but not so merry to the ones with the ague. There were several looms in the country. I cannot say who had the first. Cloth was woven. "Linsey, flannel and jeans" were the principal kinds. Some of these cloths were taken to Monoquet, in Kosciusko county, to a fulling mill, where it was colored, sheared and fulled and made nice enough cloth for any one to wear.

It might be well here to say that about 1838 David Hayden went to Ohio, near Dayton, and bought a lot of sheep, which he brought to this township and sold to the settlers. We suppose that others may have brought sheep with them. I have learned that some of the hogs were bought at some of the settlements in Kosciusko county. A letter from Mr. John Galbreath, who used to live in Kosciusko county, states that in early times there were some traders who came out from Fort Wayne and brought articles to sell, among which were leather and salt. It had been arranged previously that they would buy stock or whatever was for sale. A pen was built of rails made from timber which grew on the ground near Hayden's lake, also near the Columbia and Warsaw road. Some hogs were driven here and sold. Each hog was caught and weighed separately. They had a heavy net of harness leather and a large pair of steelyards which thev used to do the weighing;. He mentions that his father sold a tubful of honey to these men. They drove their hogs to Fort Wayne. Hogs were weighed in the way mentioned above by dealers generally. Hog buyers sometimes had a pair of hog tongs to catch the hogs with. They were caught by a hind leg and drawn to the fence. It was not always safe to go into a pen and catch a hog.

The first marriage in the township (I here copy from the old county history) : "This is no doubt the first marriage in the township, and probably in the county: Charles Dilton and Eveline, daughter of Zebulon P. Burch, were married at Z. P. Burch's, December 15. 1836. Mr. Dilton went to Goshen for his license, and the preacher came from near Elkhart to perform the ceremony."

The next is not mentioned in the old history. Horace Hunt and Mar)-, the daughter of John Jones, were married some time in 1837. The relatives of this couple have been questioned concerning the dates of this marriage, but were unable to give them. We think the license was procured at Huntington. Mr. Hunt and his wife went to northern Ohio soon after they were married and died there and their children still reside there. The following is from the county history :

'Be it remembered that on the 1st day of September, 1838, a license was issued by the clerk of Whitley circuit court, authorizing the marriage of Jacob Kistler and Sophia Payne.' And the following certificate of its solemnization :

'To all persons to whom these presents may come - greeting : Know ye, that on the 2d day of September. 1838, the subscriber, a justice of the peace in and for Whitley county, joined in the holy bonds of matrimony Jacob Keistler and Sophia Payne, both of same county. Given under my hand this 8th day of September, 1838. 'Edwin Cone, J. P.' " The above, though not the first marriage in the county nor in Richland township, is yet the first in the county after its organization. On November 11, 1838, Edwin Cone married Isaac Collins and Nancy Cuppy. On January 17, 1839, Edwin Cone married John Thomson and Emily Perin. July 4, 1839, married William Rice and Harriet U. Jones; February II, 1840, Charles Ditton and Sarah A. Calhoun; March, 1840, Levi Curtis and Eunice Andrews; July 30, 1840, H. Swihart, justice of the peace, married A. D. Parrett and Susan Perkins.

The first born white child in the township was Orella, daughter of Edwin and Salima Cone. The family record is as follows: "Orella Cone, born January 30, 1837, was married to Frank Inlow, April 29, 1858, died, November 15, A. D. 1881. Frank Inlow, the husband of Orella Cone, died August 12, 1892." They moved to Missouri in February, 1865. She died at Blue Springs. Missouri, and he at Kansas City. Their children live in New Mexico. The second birth was Charles W., the son of David and Alma Hayden, who was born August 12, 1837. He grew to manhood in this township. He was married to Ann Hoover, in January of 1858. She was a daughter of Alfred Hoover, of Kosciusko county. He moved to Missouri and tried his fortune there for several years with varying .success, his health failed and he returned to this state and now resides near Warsaw. He and his wife now enjoy pretty fair health.

The third birth was Eveline, the daughter of Charles and Eveline Ditton, who was born in September, 1837. In a few years the family went to Lagro. Miss Eveline married a Mr. Smith, who lived but a short time. She married second, a Mr. Todd. They resided several years at Lagro. He died there and a few years ago the remainder the family moved to Kansas, where Mrs. Todd died.

The next birth we have any information -of was Appleton W., the son of Edwin and Salima Cone, who was born March 14, 1839. He grew to manhood in this township, was in the war of the Rebellion. He was married to Martha Hoover, of Kosciusko county, February 26, 1868. He was a carpenter by trade and moved away from this county several years ago and worked at his trade in several different cities and towns in this state and Michigan. He was never very successful in gaining property. His health failed a few years ago, and he and his wife now live with their daughter. Mrs. Cleveland, at Dayton, Ohio. They have a son, Clyde C. Cone, whose home is at Winamac, Indiana, but is employed as a job printer at Chicago.

The first death among the first settlers was Samuel, the son of John Jones and wife, who died in February, 1837. He died at the house of Ezra Thompson, where the family were stopping whilst a cabin was made ready to receive them. The young man died from exposure, having caught the measles while moving to the country. He was buried in the woods on the land owned by his father and now owned by Alexander S. McNagny. This was the start of the Summit cemetery. A few years later- Mr. Jones made the coffin of Mrs. Andrews, his own sister, who died about 1841 or later. Mr. Samuel L. Andrews moved to this township in the fall of 1839, and owned land in, section 4, next west of the McNagny farm, known as the John Steel farm. The second death was that of Eveline, the wife of Charles Ditton. She was the first bride of the township, of which mention has already been made. She died about October 1, 1837, leaving a little girl about two weeks old." John Thompson and other neighbors made for her a coffin from the boards of a wagon box, and the few neighbors there were in a range of a half-dozen miles gathered to lay her at rest." She was buried in section 22, on the land owned by her husband, and known as the "old Norris place" and now owned by Mrs. George Miller.

Another death but perhaps not the third, was that of James Perkins, who died September 14. 1839. He died from injuries received by a wagon overturning and breaking several of his ribs. He, too, was buried in a coffin made from the lumber of a wagon box, and buried near where Mrs. Ditton was buried, but I think the remains were removed to the Oak Grace cemetery. Mr. Perkins moved to this township in the fall of 1837. and settled on land he entered in section 22, on Spring' creek, and near the Graham bridge. The widow, whose maiden name was Susan McCoy, was afterward married to Rev. Anderson D. Parrett. She has been dead several years. Mr. Perkins left two little girls. Nancy, who was born in August, 1836, married John Graham and is still living on the land her father entered. Percilla was born in this township, married Rev.- Henry Rupley, has been dead several years. The Indians wanted to buy these children when small. The postoffice business was very uncertain and high-priced. Letters were as much expected and as eagerly sought after as now. A good many times letters were sent to persons in this county by some one who was coming to the county on a visit. The address would be the name of the person for whom the letter was intended and Whitley county. I have some old letters in my possession, written to mv father of this sort. Letters would come to Spring-field or Columbia and any one in the neighborhood would bring them to the owner, if the postage was paid. It will be remembered that postage was not always prepaid and the postmaster would not send out letters till the postage was paid. The postage was from six and one-fourth cents to forty cents according to distance. From Ohio it was about eighteen and threefourths cents, from western New York twenty-five cents and farther east thirty-one and one-fourth cents and from the Pacific coast forty cents. I do not known how they made the change for a quarter of a cent. It was said of the late William Rice that once he rolled logs all day with his oxen1 and received seventy-five cents for his work, and when lie came home in the evening, one of his neighbors had been to Columbia and had brought him three letters, for which the neighbor had paid the postage, at the rate nf twenty-five cents each. But the rates are lower now. The first stamped envelopes.

and stamps also, I saw in 1853. The letter posage was three cents. The first postoffice in the township was at the house of A. S. McNagny, and Mr. McNagny was the first postmaster, and is perhaps the oldest ex-postmaster in the county. The date of his commission was March 10, 1847. He held the office from 1847 to 1854. A mail route was established about this time. John Envin, an old settler living in Kosciusko county, was the contractor, and his son Andrew was mail carrier. The mail was carried each way once a week. Andrew carried it on horseback. He went to Iowa over fifty years ago and I think is living yet. A few years later a "hack line" was established from Fort Wayne to Warsaw and perhaps farther. It carried the mail and passengers, too. I remember what an interest was taken in seeing the hack and hearing the hack horn blown. Mrs. McLallen writes about it thus : "August 20, 1854.

"We have a mail now three times a week. There is a hack running from Warsaw to Fort Wayne carrying the mail. Leaves Warsaw" Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Leaves Fort Wayne Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays."

But the hack days came to> an end when the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad was put through in the latter part of 1856. I mentioned that the first milling was done at the Wyland mill in Elkhart county. In 1839 there was a mill put up at Monuquet on the Tippecanoe river in Kosciusko county, and the same year one built at Liberty Mills on the F.el river in Wabash county. The mills at Collamer and South Whitley were built a few years later.

what hogs were fattened to sell, had to be butchered and hauled to Fort Wayne. This was from thirty to thirty-five miles, and the weather had to be cold enough so the meat would keen several days without salting. I think Reason Huston used to buy hogs and drive them to Fort Wayne. The surplus wheat was marketed the same way. Store goods were shipped to' Fort Wayne on the canal and hauled on wagons to where they were sold. There were some who were thoughtful brought along a supply of apple and peach seeds, and it was not many years till there was some fruit. The trees were seedlings, but the fruit was better than no fruit. Jesse S. Perin and William Rice learned to graft and it was not many years till there was a pretty good variety of apples. People used to do a good many things to make a living. Hunting and trapping and selling the fur, selling maple sugar, tan bark, woolen yarn, home made cloth, dried apples, ginseng and ashes. (There was an ashery at Springfield.) These were some of the things sold or traded. The supply of books was not very large and books were borrowed and read by a good many, and some books showed the usage.

Some Of The Useful Occupations

It has always been a convenient thing to have baskets and measures. About 1840 or somewhere near that time a man named Adam Phillips moved into the township. He was a basket maker, also a manufacturer of half-bushel and smaller measures. His bas- kets were made of round splits and of the best of oak timber. The half-bushels were made of one broad hoop, like a drum, with one head and a narrow hoop at the top. These were made of oak also. He lived on section 13 or 14. He died some fifty years ago. A man named Walton was an expert at making spinning wheels. He lived in Troy township. He has been dead several years.

Bethany Nickels used to make ropes. He had a set of rope tools, the only ones I ever saw. Of course he believed in raising flax and had a flax-wheel and a flax-break. He had a foot-power turning lathe. He could make a drum. He lived in section 18. He died in 1879. Truman Hunt had the first shingle machine I knew of. I think he commenced the shingle business about 1850. He lived at Larwill in section 4.

James Sears, who lived in section 8 made shingles about the same time. They both made cut shingles of poplar timber. They made their shingles sixteen inches long, and if good timber was used a good roof might be had. They did custom work mostly. I do not remember their terms. These men have both been dead for many years.

There were several experts at making shaved shingles, among which was John Jones, who entered land in section 4, moved there in 1837 or 1838. His work was in great demand. He went from place to place, and made the shingles where they were to be used. He too passed away some thirty-five years ago.

The sawed shingle industry never amounted to much. Some of the saw-mills cut out a few and some men with traction engines- have tried the business, but the shingles usually were not satisfactory.

Making brick was a useful industry. The first brick made were what was called "slop",' brick. The moulds were wet instead of sanded to make the brick turnout. The mud was sometimes made by tramping it with oxen. It was thought best to have a lot of clay dug up in the fall of the year, and let' it freeze and thaw through the winter.

The first brick made in the township was made on the farm owned by Mrs. Miller in section 22. Charles Ditton owned the land at the time. Andrew Compton and Mr. Ditton made the brick in about 1842. The brick was used to replace some of the stick chimneys.

There was a brick yard in section 18, among the first. It was owned and run by a Christian preacher, James Atchison, by name. He commenced the business about 1854. He made brick some three or four years, burning two or three kilns each year. The kilns were small but the supply was perhaps all that was needed. The mud was mixed by being tramped by oxen. The driver would stand on a little island in the middle of the mud and drive the oxen around him. It is said that the cattle did not like the business and would get balky and turn the yoke and do other mean things.

About [858 Andrew Samuel made brick on the McNagny farm in section 4. He made brick only a year or so and quit the business. He was followed by Lewis Ware in 1861, who run the yard for one season only. John Steel, who lived on an adjoining farm, commenced making brick about 1863 and followed the business for some four or five years. He made some very good brick of full size and what is called "sand moulded" brick.

Joel Barney made the brick for the Firestone house in Larwill, in 1872. The brick were made on the farm. He also run a yard on the Benjamin B. Salmon farm in section 29. This yard was run for two or three seasons, commencing in 1873.

One of the most useful industries ever followed in this township was the manufacture of drain tile. George Deeter. who now resides in Etna township, seems to have been the first to venture in this business. It was about 1874 when he started this business. The yard was on the Crosby farm, just west of Larwill. The tile mill was run some eight years, when the proprietor bought a farm in Etna township and moved the tile business there. In 1876, there was a tile mill started in section 30. by a man named Gleason. In 1882, he moved the mill onto the Maryland farm, just east of Larwill. He failed the next year and Ream & Whiteleather bought the plant and run it two years. They made brick also in this yard. The brick used to build the schoolhouses in districts 5 and 7 were made at this mill. Price Goodrich made brick for his own house and some to sell in 1S51. The yard was on his farm in section 25.

The first threshing machines were what were called "chaff pilers" and were run some time prior to 1848. David Clapp owned one of the first and Jim and Fred Elder, from north of Pierceton. used the same kind of machine some in this town- ship. A Mr. Finton, also from Kosciusko county, did the first threshing in this township with a separator. John McCune seems to have owned the first separator in the township. He brought it from Ohio in 1848. He was a young man then and followed the business nearly all the rest of his life. He died February 1, 1892, at the age of about seventy. The machine was a Mount Vernon of the vibrator kind. He sold this machine to some men in Kosciusko county in about 1850. He and Andrew Compton then went into partnership and bought a new machine, a Mount Vernon. He and Mr. Compton's eldest son, Isaac N.. went with teams to Mount Vernon. Ohio, after it. Threshing then lasted from harvest till the next spring. The machines were run with horse power, usually with eight horses. Three or four hundred bushels was a good day's work. But Mr. McCune, like a good many threshers, could not quit the business. He had a great many machines, sometimes three good separators, a horsepower or so, two common thresher engines and a clover huller or so. He went into the sawmill business about ten years before he died and finally failed. He probably run the first clover huller in the township about 1857. He had one engine to blow up while using it, but no one was hurt. The first blacksmith in the township was Samuel Bamhouse. His shop was in section 15. The next was George Clapp. then George Hower, Sr., then George Hower, Jr., and then George Harris. The first shoemakers were Harrison Rodebaugh, George G. Allen, David King and Isaiah Hammon. There were several who could cobble. The first hamessmaker was Norman Guv, about

1855. The first tinner was Samuel Bonar. about 1863. The first mason was Price Goodrich, who laid both stone and brick and could plaster, but worked mostly at bricklaying-. He built the first brick house in the township and built many fireplace chimneys. The first coopers were Anthony Atchison and a Mr. Fletcher, both in section 18, and before 1846 others were Albert Webster. Mr. Bastel and Peter McGoldrich. I do not know that there ever was a tanner in the township. I think George Clapp and Mr. Hower used to fix' the settlers' guns. John Erwin and Joel Philips were the first carpenters. Making sorghum molasses was first commenced about 1858. Some of the first to make molasses were Nathan Biddlecome, George Souder and others. I think Uncle Jesse Perin made molasses of this sort ; at any rate he made sorghum beer. John Smalley. Sr., could tell a pretty good story about helping to move a house where there was some of this same beer. Abner Prugh was an expert at making sorghum molasses and at present W. H. Buntain leads in the business. About 1847 Andrew Dodge built a wool carding machine in section 30. It was home made as far as could be. The building was a round log house, two stories high (not very high stories). The machinery was mostly on the second floor. The motive power was furnished 1>\ a horse and sometimes two horses, which walked on a large tread-wheel placed under a shed at the side of the building. The wheel was like a gigantic top some eighteen or twenty feet across. The axle was about twenty-five degrees from being vertical. The horses traveled near the outer edge of the wheel. On the under edge of this wheel were large wooden cogs which run a large wooden line shaft, which run the machines, which included a saw for sawing lumber and a turning lathe. These last two were under another shed on the opposite side of the building. This machine was looked on as a great help and nearly a necessity to the early settlers. It was run as long as there was wool to card, which was from May to July or August. This machine was run till about i860, since which time it has been considered cheaper to buy cloth or ready made clothing than to manufacture it at home.

The first water sawmill was known as Smith's sawmill. It was on Spring creek in section 12, some sixty rods west of the road bridge on land now owned by John Dietrich. It was built by Henry H. Smith in about 1849 an(l was run by him and David Clapp and perhaps others. The whole life of the mill was about ten years. Mr. Smith was one of the earliest settlers, was a favorite school teacher, was elected township clerk, and was county commissioner. He has been dead several years.

James Grant built the first steam sawmill in the township (or in the county for that matter). It was situated in section 26. I think this mill was the start of the village of Lorane, which is partly in Troy township. It was called at first Steam Corners. Some wag gave it the name of "Buzzard's Glory," a name more notorious than popular. But about the sawmill: It was built in 1 85 1, before there was any railroad. The building was a two-story frame, with very heavy timbers, as were all the first steam mills. This mill had a brick chimney. It was run some fifteen or twentv vears.

There were two other water sawmills on Spring creek that should be mentioned. They were both, I think, in section 34. The upper one was near Black lake and was called the Harpster mill. It was built by Solomon Harpster. I believe com was ground at this mill. The other was called the Shuh mill and was built and run by John Shuh. All these old water mills passed out with the coming of steam mills or soon after.

The second steam sawmill was built in 1852 in section 31, near the railroad and known as the Carder mill. I think it was built by Jacob Philips and Arthur Black, and about the time of its completion Joshua Carder bought an interest in it. Soon after this Mr. Philips sold out and in a few years Mr. Black also sold to Mr. Carder. Mr. Carder was very handy with tools and could make a coffin and made most of the coffins for several years. He died in about 1861 and the mill went into the hands of his son. Wesley J., who run it some six or eight years, when he failed. It was run for a while by Truman & Zartman. The whole life of this mill was some twenty vears. Nathan Chapman. I think, built a mill of the old style in section 36, and there was one in section 18. These were built in about 1857. These old mills used an "up-anddown" saw and made very nice lumber, but not nearly so fast as a circular saw, and were all changed to circular saw mills. There were perhaps a dozen other mills scattered over the township. Before the railroad gave an outlet for surplus lumber, some of the mill men used to take half the lumber for toll, but would rather have money. From about i860 on most all the lumber sold was shipped from Larwill, which made it a lumber town. But the timber is gone and now, 1897, there is but one mill in the township and a great deal of the lumber used here is shipped from other places.

Summit

One mile west of Larwill, where the Huntington and Goshen road used to cross the Fort Wayne and Warsaw road, once stood Summit, named, perhaps, by Mr. Mc- Nagny or Mr. Steel, both Summit county (Ohio) men. The first cemetery, the first meeting house and the first postoffice of the township were here, as is mentioned elsewhere. The first schoolhouse was built here in 1840 on the northwest corner of Alex. S. McNagny's farm, the land then belonging to John Jones. The first store house in the township was built on the southwest corner of the crossroads. The store was kept by John Rodebaugh and son. Alonzo. The building was built in 1850 and was of round logs and was about as nearly burglar proof as the store buildings are now-a-days. They afterward put up a frame front, which made a much better appearance. The elder Rodebaugh died in 1852, and Alonzo continued in the business a couple years and then went west and became a doctor. He afterward practiced at Indian Village, Noble county. Here he drowned himself while insane, April 17, 1882. A saloon was kept in the same building about 1857 by a German named Seibold. Near the church was a blacksmith shop, run at first by George Harris and afterward by Henry Chittenden. These smiths used to burn their own charcoal. A coal pit looks like a small volcano. This was before there was a railroad. Chittenden built a shop on the north side of the road. This was afterward owned by T. L. O'Brine. He was a good workman. He used to mend nearly all the breaks that iron was subject to. He shod all the horses and oxen, too, that were brought him. But he would drink. He sold out and went to Michigan about 1864. In the days when the "hack" was run an old bachelor put up a tavern stand on the north side. The sign on the post in front read, "Summit Exchange, J. Mies." In about 1853 Dr. Wiggins came and "practiced medicine on the people." He had a melodeon and rode on a "buckboard." These were the first. Dr. McHugh also practiced medicine at Summit. He was considered a very good doctor when sober. The first "picture car" struck the place about 1856. I have forgotten the proprietor's name. He took daguerreotypes and did a good business for a while.

"When the railroad was built and the station located at Larwill the postoffice transferred there and improvements were made. The new center became more attractive and Tchabod' was inscribed above the door of Summit's aspiring greatness. During the struggle for the station feeling ran high and much strife was generated. Raw heads and bloody bones were not infrequent. But time, with healing on his wings, has long smoothed over those differences and the best of relations now exist between the denizens of Summit and those of Huntsville. now Larwill, and during the year 1880 the plat of Summit was formally vacated." Of the promoters of Summit A. S. McNagny alone is left and enjoys good health for a man of his age, he being ninety-two years old.

out on the line of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad November 13, 1854. It was located on the corners of four farms - H. McLallen, Sr., Truman Hunt. Jesse S. Perin and Thomas J. Hammontree. At that time the site of the village was an unbroken forest west of Center and north of Alain streets. Mr. Perin had a fine sugar camp, with the boiling-place where the depot now stands. Hammontree bought his place December 15, 1S51, built a log cabin where 'Squire' Wilson's house now stands in the spring of 1852 and cleared a few acres; this was all that was amiss of the forest." The year previous to this Truman Hunt tore down his hewed log dwelling, which stood about a half mile farther west than the village, and moved the timbers and rebuilt the house where the brick mansion built by Dr. Firestone now stands. This was in the days of stage travel. Mr. Hunt, who always looked out for number one, knew something of the necessities of travel and converted his house into a tavern. "On a post at the front gate was an oval sign, with a fish rampant depicted upon it, and below it three letters - INN - only this and nothing more." About the completion of the railroad or a little later James Young built a house on the corner of Center and North streets, which he soon changed into a hotel. He rebuilt this in about 1880, since which time it has been used as a hotel and has good accommodations. Its proprietor died in April, 1905, since which time Al. Hatfield has conducted the business. There were others who tried the hotel business. The Washington House, run a few short months by Stephen Schnurr.

"From the first there was confusion because the names of town and postoffice were different and there being a Huntsville postoffice in the state the office could not take the name of the town. The evil was borne until the increasing traffic made it unbearable. The citizens began to canvass for a change in 1866 and two names were selected, of which Larwill seemed to be first and Halderman second choice. They accordingly petitioned the commissioners to change the name to Larwill. The board promptly granted the petition and the same was officially promulgated March 8, 1866. (See Commissioners' Record D, page 89.) The railroad authorities on notice promptly changed the name of the station to conform and a petition to the postoffice department, setting- forth the above facts, produced a like result.

"The name selected is the family name of two of the resident engineers, William and Joseph A. Larwill. who had charge during the construction of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad of a division extending- from Columbia City to Warsaw and who had done much to promote the interests of the place."

"The first store was opened by Dodge & McLallen, R. W. Dodge and H. McLallen. Sr., in a building since burned, which stood on the site of the old Washing-ton House, on the southeast corner of Main and Center streets. The stock was varied and assorted to suit the times, with a little of everything-. Barter was the rule; credit was generally asked and expected, and ready pay the exception. Dodge went out after one season and John M. Thomson took his place. lie. being used to eastern life, and the California excitement which raged made it too slow for him here and he went. Mr. Mc- Lallen then went to work in earnest and built on the opposite corner, the northwest corner; the building has since been removed across the street and is out of use. The edifice was twenty-two by forty-four, two stories, with cellar walled up with hewn timber. Stone was then out of the question. This building his neighbors thought entirely beyond the needs of the place. Here he continued to prosper until July 9, 1858, when he sold out to E. L. McLallen and D. B. Clugston, who carried on the business very successfully for several years." This firm, besides keeping a g'eneral store, bought wool, grain, slaughtered hogs and nearly everything the countrv produced. "In 1869 this firm built the fine brick store, twentyfour by one hundred, two stories and cellar, as it now stands. The Masonic fraternity took and paid for seventy-five feet of the second floor for lodge rooms, giving twentyfour by seventy-five feet for hall, anterooms, etc." This store has changed hands several times since that time and is now owned by George Ream, who has owned it for some ten or twelve years. Mr. Ream also buys and ships all kinds of live stock, deals in grain and grinds feed.

"About 1861 Edwin L. Barber built and opened a store just north of the store nowowned by H. B. Whittenberger, where he flourished as merchant, postmaster and general trader until about 1865, when he sold store and stock to Whittenberger & Bro. and the next year built the fine store where H. B. Whittenberger now is." The building is a two-story brick about twenty-four by seventy-five feet with a cellar. The upper floor is now owned by the Odd Fellows and is used as a lodge room. Mr. Barber in 1881 removed the stock and again sold his building to Whittenberger, who has since occupied it. Mr. Barber also built a grain elevator on the north side of the railroad, just opposite the station. Here he bought grain, wool, dressed hogs, apples and nearly everything that was offered for sale. This Mr. Whittenberger bought in 1881 and ran this business till about 1905. when he sold it to George Ream, who moved it across the railroad and occupies it for buying grain. Young Bros, have for several years been doing- a good business in dry goods and groceries in the first store building put up by E. L. Barber.

Halderman & Co. built a store room just north of the hotel and commenced a trade in the dry goods business in 1867. They did a prosperous business for several vears. The partners of the firm have changed several times and we understand that the business will shortly be closed out.

Prior to 1865 the general merchants kept a small stock of hardware and tinware. About May 1, 1865, A. F. Martin and Mc- Lallen & Clugston, under the firm name of A. F. Martin & Co., started a hardware store in a building on the northeast corner of Main and Center streets. Mr. Martin went out in a short time and McLallen & Clugston continued awhile and sold to Jerry Franklin. In about 1868 S. B. Clevenger built a store room on North Center street and he and Franklin went into partnership in the hardware trade and removed the Franklin stock to these rooms. In a year or so Franklin sold out and Clevenger continued the business till about 1880, when he turned the business over to Henrv and

Lewis, two of his sons. They run the business for several years. About 1868 L. B. Snyder and McLallen & Clugston formed a partnership and started a hardware store in the same building where the first hardware store started. They moved to a building on the southwest corner in 1869 and continued to do business there under the firm name of L. B. Snyder & Co. till the fall of 188 1, when D. J. Bowman bought the concern. He run the business with varying success for several years, when it went into the hands of Samuel Raber. He removed the stock to the southeast corner of Center and North streets. He sold to E. E. Rindfusz, who is at present doing a thriving business.

Previous to 1864 the general merchants kept a small supply of drugs, such as dyestuffs, oils and patent medicines. In the spring of i860 Dr. Kirkpatrick came and in 1864 started a drug store. The next year

D. L. Whiteleather bought a half interest. In 1868 they erected a two-story building on the south side of Main street, which was the headquarters for drugs for several years. In 1 88 1 Mr. Whiteleather bought the whole concern. In 1891 he sold to A. I. B. Allen, who run the business some four years, then sold to Charles Essig, who moved the stock to a building on the east side of Center street, where the drug store is at present. Prof. S. W. Byall has owned it for some three years. W. N. Andrews opened a drug store on the north side in about 1878. He and Walter Tyree run the drug business here till about 1891. A few years later H.

Soon after the close of the war, perhaps in 1866, Henry Smith moved from South Whitley and started a furniture and undertaking establishment. His son Scott went in partnership a few years after. The father died in 1870. since which time W. S. Smith has run the business. He built his present store building about four years ago. As an undertaker he has all the modern appliances and conveniences and fills the requirements of the law in this profession.

The harness business has been followed for several years. I think Peter Huffman was the first, about i860. About 1866 John P. Moore set up shop, but was not a success financially and quit in about 1869. Soon after this C. Benner commenced the harness * business and was successful from the start. In 1875 he put up the store room where he held forth for several years. He retired from business in 1899. Since this time E. E. Reindfusz has had the trade with Elmer Johnson as foreman.

In the days when boots and shoes were made to order every little town had shoemakers. David King was among the first at Larwill and was nearly always found in some of the shops at work, sometimes as proprietor and sometimes as a hand. A Rev. Mr. Mayer CI believe he was a preacher) used to work at the business. Joe Bruner came about 1858 and ran a shop for several years. He also tried selling beer, but the two businesses did not seem to work well together. John Bruner had a good trade for several years, as did Christian Helfrich. Jacob Mosler was a leading shoemaker for a while. "Doc" Yanwormer was in the business about 1874. There has not been much work done to order in the last twentv-five years. Svlvester Scott did the

In 1854 Hugh McLauren built a log house on the northeast corner of Main and Center streets and commenced a traffic in "wet g'oods." This was the beginning of the saloon business. He must have been a violator of the laws, as the following shows : "McLauren is about selling out as the time of court is approaching." This quotation is from Mrs. McLallen's diary of June, 1854. I know not how many have had license to sell drinks - the commissioners' record would show - but the following names are some of them : A German named Plitt, Cutshall, Steve Schnurr, Michael Goldsmith, Jonas Taylor, Hatfield & Parish, Geore Ream, William Ream. Otis Bruner, Fred Maynard and others whose names I have forgotten. A circumstance happened in about 1869. The saloon was in the old Washington House on the southeast corner of Main and Center streets and I think Schnurr was proprietor at the time. One night the saloon was found to be on fire and it was thought it was done by an incendiary. It did not burn, however. The next day or the one following a warrant was sworn out and Rev. E. P. Church, Daniel Weaver and George F. Birt were arrested and taken to Columbia City. Of course some of the citizens of Larwill went along and went on their bonds. The trial came off in due time and the prisoners were acquitted. In November, 1894. John Worden lost his life in a saloon fig'ht, mention of which is found elsewhere. For a while after this there were remonstrances against the licensing of saloon men and for a time the town was dry, but the monthly meeting of the

Of manufactories lumber stands first. In about 1855 or 1856 Charles Swindell built a steam sawmill just east of town, near where George Sterling now lives. He did a pretty good business for some three or four years, when it burned down and was never rebuilt. In about 1859 Truman Hunt built a sawmill and grist mill combined. He run this awhile. It was sold, rented and finally ceased to be. In 1870 Joseph Essig boug-ht the site and put in milling machinery and ground flour and feed for several years. He also furnished power to run other machines, among" which were a stave "bucker" and fork handle lathe and a baluster saw. Isaac Brode undertook the sawmilling business on the lot where the school house now stands, but the lack of means put a stop to the enterprise. He made and sold a patent churn for two or three years. A few years after this a Mr. Moore built a stave factory on the same ground. This was about 1864. It was run successfully for some five years and gave employment to several men. It changed hands two or three times and finally the business was given up. After this A. F. Johnson built a sawmill on the same ground, but run it only a short time. About 1859 H. C. and Denni> Van Liew started in the sawmill business, with what was called a portable mill. This mill soon burned. Dennis then went out and a man named Writtenhouse took his place. The new firm put up another mill on the same ground, with a planer. This mill burned in June, 1862. They rebuilt

1866 J. \Y. .Miller and E. C. Cady put new machinery in the old building. This was run seme two years or more, when S. F. Robinson became its owner. It was burned about 1882. was rebuilt and was purchased by Val. Brown about 1895. It was moved away in 1897. John Trachsell has been in the business for a number of years and runs his mill yet as the business demands.

There have been several lumber dealers at Larwill besides the mill men. Among these were Jacob Halderman, Sr.. William Gibson, James Young, H. B. Whittenberger, Michael Gutcher, John Halderman and George Klinehance. C. T. Hollis. Air. Hosack. Rutter and others were in the wagon making business. I do not remember the first blacksmith, but James Cleland. Alf. Miller, Stansberry, W. H. Guy, F. T. Allwein. A. H. McBricle, B. T. McCrea, George Shook and others have had shops here. Of tinners S. S. Bonar, William Scantling, a Mr. Starr, Zene Woods and Henry Clevenger have been in the business.

It will be remembered that for several years l>>oks and other reading matter were scarce and eagerly sought for. Some time in the early 'fifties there was an act of the legislature establishing a library. It was called the Indiana School Library, or Township Library. The books were in use in about 1854 or 1855 and on for several years. The books were in good leather binding. I do nut know how many volumes each township had, but there must have been from two hundred to five hundred volumes.

There were rules and regulations governing the circulating and care of these books, a copy of which was pasted in each b( iok. The trustees had charge of these books, which were usually kept at their houses, about one-third at each trustee's. The trustees would exchange books every year. Each family was allowed one book at first and afterward two books at a time and could keep them thirty days. A great many of these books were read and some were in nearly every home, and there is no doubt but they were a great benefit. There has been mi account kept of these books for many years and the}' have been mostly all destroyed. At present there is a library at Larwill called the Larwill School Library. It was started by the liberality of the people in about 1893. There are several hundred volumes in circulation. These books are read extensively. There is a small library at each of the country schools belonging to the Young People's Reading' Circle.

Safe Blowing

There have been eight attempts at safe blowing in Larwill, must of which were successful. The first was in the dry goods store of Halderman & Co., about the year 1882. and some time in June. The door was blown to pieces. The safe was a total loss. The money loss to the firm was about $450. besides damage to the goods and the store room. There were deposits in the safe in envelops to the amount of $940, which were luckily overlooked. One of the criminals, a hoy, afterward was conscience stricken and made confession and was sent to the state reformatory at Plainfield. He got the confidence of the officials, hut finally ran away

Second, at the Pennsylvania Railroad station, some time, perhaps, in January. 1894. The door did not open, but the contents of the safe were damaged considerably.

Third, at the postoffice August 22, 1902. The safe, which belonged to the postmsater, was a total loss, besides damaging the prop erty to a considerable extent. Loss to postoffice department, $322.18.

Fourth was at the postoffice again, on January 30. 1903. Losses: On safe, about $42 ; on furniture and room, $25, and to postoffice department, $321.40. The postmaster's individual loss was not less than $150.00.

Fifth was the same night as the fourth. January 30, 1903, at the general store of George Ream. It was a failure as far as the safe blowers were concerned. The loss was not more than a dollar or so on some ' things that were stolen.

Sixth was again at the store of George Ream, in March, 1905. The damage to the safe was about $75. A small amount of money and goods were taken.

Eighth and last was at the store of H. B. Whittenberger, on June 23, 1906. The safe was a total loss. The total amount of loss and damages to furniture and goods was some $250. Some scraps of paper money, which had been blown to pieces, were picked up and afterwards were redeemed by the government.

There was never any clue to the outlaws, except in the first case already mentioned, although the postoffice department and railroad company had detectives trying to hunt down the criminals in their respective cases.

Oil Wells

A company was organized, known as "The Larwill Gas, Oil and Coal Company," with a capital stock of $25,000. each share to be $2^. The articles of association were entered into on March 28, 1887. with seventy-nine names signed and duly recorded on April 14. 1887. The directors met on April 23, 1887, and elected the following officers: E. L. Barber, president: W. X. Andrews, vice-president ; H. B. Whittenberger, secretary : D. B. Clugston, treasurer, and John Trachsel, superintendent. The stock could be increased to $10,000 if thought necessary. In May the directors entered into a contract for the lease of lots 1 and 3 in block 4 of Halderman's addition to Larwill. to be used to put down a well. On June 2, 1887, a contract was made with the Buffalo Oil Company, of Lima, Ohio. Preparations followed and the well was commenced about July 13. 1887. The record of the depth of strata as the well was sunk, furnished by the superintendent : Clay, 90 feet: gravel, 50 feet: quicksand. 75 feet; coarse gravel, 30 feet: quicksand. 40 feet; clay and quicksand, 60 feet; cemented gravel, 20 feet: limestone and slate, 550 feet: limestone shell. 29 feet (here salt water rose in the well 800 feet) ; went in slate, 5 feet (the water was cased off when- ever it bothered too much) : went 38 feet: and limestone, 43 feet: slate. 135 feet; light colored slate, "jj feet ; shale, 300 feet ; struck Trenton rock at 1.542 feet; went in Trenton rock 12 feet; struck a little oil. but not in paying quantities: went 12 feet and struck Trenton water: went 2~ feet, when the water rose in the well 1,375 feet and the well was abandoned, the full depth being 1.593 teet:- Settlement was made with the Buffalo company for S2. 540.50. There is 226 feet of drive pipe in the well, it having pulled in two at depth of 39 feet. This well was in northeast part of town and about twenty feet higher than the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. There were some who thought that maybe the oil would have paid if it had been managed right.

The second company was organized January 2 j, 1903, with a capital stock of S10.000 and a share was Sioo. The officers were : C. F. Marchand. president ; H. B. ^Yhittenberger, vice-president ; E. E. Rindfusz, secretary: J. A. Young, treasurer. The directors contracted with McLaughlin & Kiester. of Warren. Indiana. The first well was commenced in June, 1903. This well was on Daniel Dietrich's land and about a half mile north of town. They started with an eight-inch drive pipe, as is used in sinking such wells. This was driven down 2(14 feet, when it stuck. A six-inch drive pipe was sunk inside for 358 feet farther. A record of the strata as given is somewhat condensed: After first 12 feet it was quicksand and cement gravel. At 920 feet flint n ":k was struck and at a depth of ab< mt 1. 000 feet a large flow of water was struck, which raised. At depth of 1.561 feet struck Trent<>n rock, went 21, feet farther and struck salt sand and a very little oil. At three feet farther struck salt water, which rose several hundred feet. The total depth of the well was 1,589 feet. The well was plugged for several hundred feet and abandoned. The cost of this well was Si. 494.60.

A second well was put down on the land belonging to Elgar Thomson. It was begun in the fall of 1903 and finished in 1904. It was 1.533 teet deeP ar,d cost $1,432.20. This was also plugged and abandoned. The stockholders were satisfied to quit. It would seem that oil and gas prospecting has been pretty thoroughly investigated about Larwill.

On the night of November 21. 1894. in a drunken row on the streets of Larwill George Cady and John Worden fought. ^Yorden was badly hurt and staggered through a saloon into the back yard, where he lay till morning. He was taken home and died the same morning. The coroner, N. I. Keithcart. was called and held an inquest on November 22, 1894. and found that John Worden came to his death on that day by a blow from a beer bottle on the head in the hands of George Cady. Cad} went and gave himself up at Columbia City, where he had his preliminary trial. and was lodged in jail. On February 7. [895, he was indicted by the grand jury and the case was set down for trial on the second Monday in April following. He showed he was too poor to hire a lawyer and the court appointed W. F. McNagny to defend him at the expense of the county. On Monday, April 8. 1895. trial began before jurors as follows: Zachariah Keel. Franklin Hunt.

Simon Nolt. David I. Rumsyre. Allen H. Pence. Washington Long. Alonzo Gaff. Jacob Claxton. George VV. Kreider. Andrew Kenner, William A. Haupmyer and David Clark. On April 13th the jury found him guilty as charged in the indictment and assessed as his punishment three years in the state prison for manslaughter. He was sent to Michigan City and in about eighteen months, by a petition granted, he was paroled. He now lives at Kokomo. Indiana, and. I have been told, is trying to live an honorable life.

Indian Graves

Indian graves in this part of the countrywere not very- plenty. I have been able to hear of only seven in the township. There was one buried in a poplar log in section 5. He was put in this log about 183 1. The writer remembers of hearing his mother tell of a squaw and pappoose who came riding up to their cabin one day. which was not far away. They were riding one pony and. I think, leading another. The squaw and pappoose belonged to the dead Indian and had beai to visit the grave. The Indian woman said her man was a good Indian and had died some five years before the white people came. The grave or sepulchre was made by splitting off a slab from the top of the log. which was some two feet in diameter. A trough was dug in the log large enough to hold the body, which was placed within and the slab replaced and fastened down by poles laid crosswise and the ends fastened with stakes. This was to keep the wolves and other animals from tearing off the lid. I think this grave had a pen around it, built of poles. A little flag or rag was fastened on a stick above the grave, the only decoration. I think the skeleton remained undisturbed till after the Indians had been transported, which was about 1843. The old trough was left as a relic for several years. I have made some inquiry- about these graves, whether the Indians dug out these sepulchres. Some think they did and some think white men dug them. I have been informed that it made no difference which direction the Indian's head was placed.

Mr. J. R. Anderson tells me that there was an Indian buried in a log along Spring creek, about three rods west of the bridge in section 12. The log got rolled over and the bones fell out. Dr. Joseph Hays, of Collamer. got the skull, which was burned with his office many years ago. This grave was in an oak log. I believe. Mr. Anderson also tells of a squaw who was buried at Snyder's door on Spring creek and three Indians buried on the Trembly farm in section 2. near the Warsaw and Columbia Cityroad. These last four were buried in the ground.

There was one buried in the ground on land now owned by Richard Smalley in section 31. I believe there was a gun buried in this grave. I have been informed that Indians did not carry- their dead veryfar to bury- them, but usually buried them near where they died. But perhaps this has already been written about in this book.

Deaths By Accident Or Suicide

A stranger was found dead in the woods not far from the railroad on the north side. He had been dead several days and could not be identified. He was supposed to have been a railroad hand. The cause of his death or his name was not known. This was in the summer of 1856 and was on the Trembly farm in section 2.

James, the son of Amos Rodarmel, was dn wned in the Harden lake in section 6 while bathing with two other boys. He was about eight years old. This was August 12. 1856.

Thomas Hathaway had a leg broken at a log-rolling on September 3, 1858. His leg was amputated, but he finally died on November 5, 1858. He lived in section 10.

Clinton Perin had a leg broken about the same way as Mr. Hathaway, the bone protruding through the skin in each case. This was about April, i860. He was taken

John Buck was struck by a locomotive near the station at Larwill. He was mangled badly so he died in a few days. This was July, 1864. He used to own the Bailey farm in section 30.

Henry Souder, a young man. was instantly killed by the bursting of a grindstone while helping to gum a saw in Van Liew's sawmill at Larwill. This was in February, 1865.

A negro who had criminally assaulted a white woman near Pierceton was hunted down by a mob and caught in John Burns's barn. He was afterward taken to Pierceton and was killed by the mob. This was in December. 1866.

Caroline Greaven was burned to death by the bursting of a lamp at Attica, Indiana. She was the daughter of William Guy. This was the latter part of May, 1872. She was buried at Larwill.

Tryphena, the wife of Philip Ward, was killed by jumping from a wagon when the team w:as trying to run away. This was in Jul)'. 1872. She lived in section 7.

road. They were both young men. living at Larwill. This was some twenty years ago. . Jacob Long-, .section foreman on the railroad, was killed by a locomotive while trying to save a handcar. This was in 1881.

Alice, the daughter of Henry Norris, and Nora, the daughter of Samuel Norris, were instantly killed by a locomotive at the crossing at South Whitley. They were in a buggy. This was on January 19. 1895. They resided in sections 22 and 16. respectively.

Fred, the eleven-year-old son of Samuel Ward, while at play, hanged himself in his father's barn. It was accidental. This was on April 5, 1901. This was in section 31.

Schuvler, the son of H.'B. Whittenberger, of Larwill, was killed in a railroad wreck at Broken Bow, Nebraska, on January 28, 1904. He was brought home for burial.

There was one other death, perhaps not by accident or .suicide. It was about 1853 a man came to Hunt's Inn. I think he came on the hack. He took sick and died in the night. There was nothing on his person to tell who he was or where he was from - "a stranger unknown." There was a cholera scare at the time and it was thought he had the cholera. He was buried as soon as possible. He was buried in the Summit graveyard.

There have been some serious accidents which did not result in death. A man. while chopping wood on the Perin place, near Larwill, had his skull broken with a limb. Dr. Firestone removed some of the fraetured skull and put in a plate. The man finally got well. ( I have forgotten his name. ) Jacob Stackhouse had both legs broken at Jeremiah Williams's bam raising. William -R. Curtis lost two fingers in a sawmill. Conrad Noss lost four fingers at another mill. Daniel Stihvell had one foot badly injured in Robinson's mill. Sherman Welker and Tyree Firestone each had a leg cut off on the railroad. A boy, the son of J. Graham, had a leg cut off with a mower.

Some Of The First Things

David Hayden built a frame house in section 6. The plastering lath was rived out of oak timber and the sand was hauled some four miles, when there was just as good sand on his own place, which he had not discovered. A man named Smith from Kosciusko count)' did the plastering. In 1844 David Hayden built a frame barn. This was the first in the township. The house still stands, but the barn has been superseded by a larger one.

Price Goodrich built the first brick house in 1852. He knew something of brickmaking and made the brick in 185 1. This is the only building I ever noticed where tile or brick eight inches square were used for "headers."

At first the dead were buried on farms and were scattered over most of the township. But now most of the remains have been removed to some regularly laid out cemetery; but some graves have been lost. There are four cemeteries within the township : Larwill, Boonville, Oak Grove and Center Schoolhouse. -

Dr. Wiggins had the first melodeon, about 1853; Mrs. Lucinda Mitchell the first sewing machine, about i860. John Burns bad the first reaper, a McCormick, about' 1861. Elon Maynard had the first binder; it was a wire binder, about 1880. I do not know who had the first machine to separate cream. There is not an automobile owned in the township.

Local Names

Boonville! How was it named? In [857 there was a young man named James Bolton, who lived with his father in section [8. He was a southerner, a good chopper and a g"ood hunter and loved to dance. He got the name of "Boon" for some of the foregoing reasons. There was another young man named Hendricks. He could sing, but was not as handy with the girls as Boon. It is said that Boon "beat his time." Jake had said something about some of the neighborhood girls and Boon took it up. Well, there was a Fourth of July celebration at Moore's schoolhouse in Kosciusko county and the boys were both patriotic and went. They had some hot words and made threats. The next day was Sunday and there was some kind of a gathering at the church and as they were going home and came to the crossroads, near where the church now is, they came to blows. It is said that Boon got "knocked out," although he got the "first blood." For a while it was called "Boon's Defeat," but that did not sound like a nice name, so it was soon changed to "Boonville." At that time there was a cemetery, and a sawmill was building. A church and a blacksmith shop were not far away. In the course of ten years a new church was built near the cemetery and another sawmill was put up and many improvements made. But now all the public places are gone except the church, the schoolhouse and the cemetery. Both the participants in the duel of '57 are far removed. Hendricks lives at Hobart and Bolton at Alexandria, both old and gray.

Buck's Crossroads. Now, there are two versions to the way the name came about. The place is on the south line of the township, one mile east of the southwest corner. It is said that there was a "deer lick" somewhere in section 20 of Richland and a wet prairie in section 30 of Cleveland and there was a deer trail between the places. It was a good place to hunt, and the trail was known as "Buck's Crossing'." When the roads were laid out on the section lines between these four sections - 19, 20, 29 and 30 - it was found the roads crossed near where this trail crossed from section 20 to section 30. So in this way it was called Buck's Crossroads.

The other is this: In 1856, when Buchanan and Fremont were running- for President, there was a pole raising and a speech at this crossroad. The pole was hickory and the Democrats had a good time and they christened the place "Buck's Crossroads." We favor the first explanation. There has been a schoolhouse at this place for several years.

The Independent Order Of Odd Fellows

Dodge; treasurer, F. W. Pattsman. This lodge is worth Si. 500 at the present time. In the last six months, from July 1, 1906. to January 1. 1907. this lodge has paid out for relief work, including funeral expenses, $176.50. The funds on hand Januarv 1. 1907, were $231.92. The lodge owns its own hall, which is the second story of the H. B. Whittenberger building. This building was erected in the fall of 1866, but the lodge did not own an interest in the building till several years later.

There are at the present time seventvfour members in good standing. The lodge has buried only sixteen members since its organization, in 1865, which is very remarkable for so long a time. The lodge meets on Wednesday night of each week.

The Larwill Lodge, No. 238, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was organized May 17. 1865. A charter was granted by the grand lodge of the state of Indiana at the above date. There were siv charter members. The names are as follows : William Bonar, Samuel S. Bonar. Rufus W. Dodge. Jacob Klingle, John P. Savior and F. W. Pattsman. Eight candidates were initiated at this organization. Its first officers' names were as follows: Noble grand, William Bonar: vice-grand, S. S. Bonar: recording secretary. Rufus W.

Rebekah, I. 0. O. F.

This society was instituted. May 18, 1870, with thirteen charter members as follows : Males - Samuel S. Bonar. Daniel Kirkpatrick. Henry Smith. Henry McLallen, John W. Groves. Isaac Harrison and Azariah R. Clugston. Females - Madames E. F. Bonar. Elizabeth Smith, L. C. Mc- Lallen, A. E. Groves. S. S. Clugston and H. Harrison. Of these seven have died.

Modern Woodmen Of America

This is a fraternal beneficiary society. Larwill Camp, No. 3367, of Modern Woodmen of America, at Larwill, Idiana, was organized October 2, 1905, with twentyfive charter members, names as follows : Wade Sowder, Fred Beard, A. L. McCrea,