Tippecanoe Township

Tippecanoe Township

The organization of Tippecanoe Township occurred March 8, 1838. Originally it was a part of Plain Township. Numerous lakes and marshes occupy considerable of the territory and Tippecanoe Lake is the source of the river bearing that name. The township is bounded on the north by Turkey Creek Township, east by Noble County, south by Washington and west by Plain Township. The first cabin was erected in 1834 by Epliraim Muirhead, who returned to Virginia the following spring for his family. When they arrived, they were delighted to find the cabin of a relative, Benjamin Johnson, who had selected lands in the same neighborhood. The first settlements were made upon section 9, near the outlet of the lake, and Ephraim Muirhead erected a savv-niill in 1886, which was of great convenience to the new-comers. A grist-mill was added the next year by the proprietor of the first, and the colony was reinforced by numerous arrivals during 1837.

As the settlements were rapidly made schools were thought of, and in the winter of 1838 and '39 Thomas K. Warner taught a subscription school in a cabin that had been abandoned by Warren AVarner. A few years later free schools were established, and ihere are 517 scholars enrolled in the ten school districts. A road was surveyed through the township in 1835 which ran from White Pigeon, Michigan, through Goshen, to Huntington, Indiana.

The first recorded marriage in the township was that of Pev. Samuel K. Young and Miss Amelia A. Warner, which was celebrated at the home of the bride's parents in 1840; Rev. Aaron Wood, presiding elder of the Methodist Episcopal church performing the ceremony. Pev. Young was the minister in charge of Leesburgh circuit, including Niseley's, Warsaw, Leesburgh, Galveston, Mt. Vernon, Milford, James McCloud's in Elkhart County, Syracuse, North Webstei-, John McNeal's and at Daniel Grove's. His first sermon in North Webster was preached in a slab shanty, in 1840.

North Webster

John Ridinger was the original proprietor of the town site, which was surve^'ed and platted May 2, 1837, by P. P. Shoemaker. Christopher Lightfoot surveyed the plat, making forty-eight lots containing one-fourth acre each. The village was named in honor of Daniel Webster by Mr. Shoemaker, and is pleasantly located near the beautiful Lake Boydston. It has a population of 150, good schools and churches.

Shoemaker sold liis interests in the village to James and George Warner, for $800, and later Thomas K.Warner purchased the village site. Thomas and Henderson Warner erected a store bnildinor and put in a stock of goods in 1839. The goods were conveyed from Cincinnati with teams at that early day. The store building now owned by Jolin Kline occupies the site. In 1851 Henderson Warner returned to Cincinnati, and the mercantile business in Webster was abandoned.

Later, Henry Kline opened a $60 stock of goods in a dwelling-house, and e.xchanged goods for roots, barks and herbs, carrying the latter to Fort Wayne, where they wei-e exchanged for more goods.

By this method of exchange, Henry in a few years found himself the owner of a large stock of general merchandise, and at his death left an estate valued at $50,000.

John Kline and John F. Bookman both engaged in the mercantile business in 1879. John A. Ketring in 1880 opened a general store, and later added to his business the sale of agricultural implements, for which he has erected a substantial warehouse.

The first postottice was located at Webster in 1861, Eli Beghtel, postmaster. There had been a postottice at Boydston's mill since 1848, with Thomas G. Boydston, postmaster. An empty flour barrel was used for many years, and patrons had no box rent to pay.

This ottice was removed to Webster in 1861. The office is called North Webster, to designate it from another village in the State bearing the same name.

William Kirkley was the tirst man who made any pretensions of accommodating the traveling public, and his residence was always ready for their entertainment. He removed to Warsaw in 1S66, and Thomas K. Warner and Henry Strombeck both opened their residences and were for several years popular landlords.

The Methodist church was erected in 1862, and was dedicated the next year. The church is in a prosperous condition, and has a large membership. The Methodist people erected a nice parsonage in 1874, at which time Rev. A. C. Pattes was their minister, and to his energy and the labor of his own hands was that work accomplished. Rev. T. C. Neal completes his third year on this circuit in 1887.

The Evangelical church was erected in the autumn of 1864. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. George Fischer, May 19, 1865. The church has been improved and remodeled during the past year, at a cost of $600. The present pastor is Rev. George Halderman.

Hacker Lodge, No. 321, A. F. & A. M., meet monthly, with officers as follows: Isaac Johnson, Worshipful Master; S. W. Garber, Senior Warden; J. J. Ogle, Junior Warden; D. H. Carpenter, Treasurer; J. Kline, Secretary; J. A. Ketring, Senior Deacon; A. Ritter, Junior Deacon; S. B. Judkin, Chaplain; William McMellin and H. Hess, Stewards; E. Phelps, Tyler.