Washington Township

Washington Township

Washington township contains the county seat and much of its history is closely related with that of Decatur, which should be examined in this connection. This township was organized in 1838. Outside of the town of Decatur there were several churches, mills and schools that were of much importance to the country residents. The town of Decatur was under the control of the township authorities until its incorporation in 1854. This township had its settlements as: The Andrews settlement, the Coffee neighborhood, Eli Zimmerman's corner and so on. The old Winchester road ran a mile from the west side of the township and was the principal road traveled to the south part of the county. Some of the earliest residents were: James Niblick, Eli Zimmerman, Bazil Hendricks, Charles Scherriiyer, Daniel Coffee, Jacob Christ, Thomas W. Andrews, Andrew Luekey and Wesley Merryman. What is now known as the

Washington church was among the first built in the township outside of Decatur. This church is located at the northwest corner of section 20 and was built by the Methodist congregation about 1855. It has been remodeled a number of times, but is still in use. In 1883 the Saint Paul's church was built at the corner of section 24, on the east stone road. This is a frame structure and is used by several church organizations. The only brick church in the township outside cf Decatur is what is known as the Beery church, situated at the southwest corner of section 6. This building was erected in 1 886 by the Brethren in Christ denomination. This church is on the west line of the township and a mile east of Peterson. Among the early school buildings were the Johnson school, southeast of Decatur, in section 14; the Coffee school house was later built on the mud pike road, just west of this. The Stultz school house was in the southeast corner of the township and was superseded by a small frame called the Brandyberry school house, in section 25. The Washington school house was among the first country school houses built in the township. It. was just a few rods from where the church of the same name was built. The first teacher in this log structure is said to have been Margaret A. Allen, who taught in 1S46. In 1880 there was a graded school building two stories in height built in this district, but the. graded work was discontinued after a few terms. This building was torn down in 1904 and a new and modern structure put up to take its place. The first brick house erected in this township was that of Samuel L. Rugg, in Decatur. The first country brick residence was the Studabaker homestead, which was built about 1873. The largest brick country residence in this township, and one of the most modern and tasty in the county, is that of Clark J. Lutz, in section II, southeast of Decatur. In his dreams the fortune hunter delights to think of buried treasure. The gold - that shining gold which men have toiled and slaved their lives away to save for some one else to spend. An old resident tells us that just after the sale of the Rivare Reservation by the Indian owners in 1826 that a band of Indians came down the Saint Mary's river and camped at an Indian village on what is now known as Numbers creek. The treasurer of the tribe, an old chief, was intrusted with the safe keeping of the money. He went up the creek a short distance and secreted it near a crooked oak tree. Some time in the night he took violently sick and died before he could reveal the treasure. He said, however, that it was near a crooked oak tree. Diligent search failed to locate the gold. That as late of 1865 a band of five Indians searched the creek for the money but could never locate it. The locations were in Root township and section 4, in Washington township. Air. John Schurger now owns these lands and says that he really does not know how rich he may some day be, as he may plow this gold up almost any day. Anyone can locate the creek. Mr. Schurger says that he chopped the crooked oak down long ago, but who can find the buried gold ?

In Washington township is located the county infirmary. It is perhaps the largest building in the county. It is two stories in height and has eighty-two apartment rooms. The first infirmary building was a frame structure that was built in 1875 at a probable cost of about two thousand dollars. The present large brick structure is of ample proportions for the present at least ; was built in 1895 at a cost of about thirty-five thousand dollars. Besides this building there is a superintendent's residence, two large barns, the heating plant and a number of smaller buildings. This farm consists of a two-hundrod-and-seventy-acre tract, in sections 13 and 14, and is about two miles southeast of Decatur. The superintendents of this institution have been : Hampton Fristoe, 1875; Andrew J. Teeple, 1877; W. II. H. France, 1883; George W. Haefling, 1 89 1, and J. R. Graber, 1894 to the present time. Though it is a very unpleasant thought to one of average independence and even ordinary intelligence to consider a home in the "poor house," it is one of the greatest blessings of a civilized country. Many of those unfortunate inmates have

The population of Washington township, including Decatur, as the trustee has jurisdiction in the city as well as the country, is estimated in 1907 as 7,020. The school enumeration of Washington township alone is 474 ; of Decatur alone is 1,318. The number of voters in the city and township is 1,404.